Big Bubba - The Holidays Threads Merged

[PiC]

I threw the pumpkins out (they were getting ant and ladybug infested. MORE CURSES!) and used blue tape to tape a cross onto our door, and below that a sign that says 'God Bless You'. Also, I'm handing out million dollar bills tommorow night. :hat

[ByHisGrace]

Great ideas everyone!

[BlessedinHim]

Thanks, blessedinhim. I don't do those holidays you mentioned, either.

you are welcome. I am sure that some think I am very strange for my stance and the fact that I have taught my children the truth about these holidays and the truth about santa claus, the easter bunny and the tooth fairy oh and cupid, too.

[MochaMel]

^^ Count me in the wet blanket circle too then! :hat My kids' know the truth about Santa, never did do the Easter bunny; never made the connection myself.. :scratch

The great thing is -- my youngest two have been asking lots of questions today and most of the week about the holidays and why do others do such and such.. It's been great opening up a dialogue with them; and being able to teach them the truth.. :thumb

[Zaphnathpaaneah]

There is also a Mexican tradition called El Dia de los Muertos--Day of the Dead that occurs on November 1 & 2 (some also celebrate it on October 31). It is a day that celebrates the dead relatives. When I lived in the San Antonio area, there were a lot of cultural events centered around this. The decorative skulls and flowers are often placed on altars in the home and in cemetaries. It is a festival / celebration rather than a time of mourning.

In the Philippines, families camp out in the cemetaries where their deceased loved ones were buried. Definitely a catholic thing. I thought it actually looked OK as a way to remember someone, but they spend the night there, get drunk, and use it as an excuse to party.

Being drunk in a cemetary at midnight isn't my idea of a good time!

[PrairieGal]

scrappergirl, blessedinhim, & patnme197,

Thanks for your encouraging words!

:thankyou

Often I think of the fact that I will stand before God one day, and what will I have to say for myself about how I did or didn't take part in these "holidays?" In another post, I said I'd rather err on the side of caution. I hope to be able to say to Him, "I did my best, with Your help, to leave them alone, and to teach my children the same."

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

This is just a verse that encourages me in these situations.

About the word "hallowed," I connect it with the word "holy," which means "set apart for service to God." "Kadosh" in Hebrew. I have a hard time seeing "a frightfully fun night" on "halloween" with all the trappings of it, even with Bible games, as "set apart for service to God." "Hallowed Fun Nite" almost seems flippant towards God, though I know they don't really *intend* it that way. Just my view.

Aha --- I just got out my trusty dictionary. :glasses

For "hallowed," it's the definition above, plus the main words it lists are "holy, consecrated, sacred, revered." And guess what the very next word entry is? "Halloween!" It gives a pretty benign definition: "October 31 observed with festivity and the playing of pranks by children during the evening." It also says it's short for "All Hallow Even." The next entry is ...

:drum

... "Hallowmas." "... lit., all saints' mass" .... "ALL SAINTS' DAY."

Now, I wonder about this similarity:

Hallowmas = all saints' mass

Christmas = ?????

:thinking

This is all from the 1975 "Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary."

[ByHisGrace]

How did it go?

[MsSophie]

Last night I was filling my goodie bags with special candy, Jesus pencils and tracts. I could not find the tracts. I ransacked the house and couldn't find them. I went through all my other tracts which I keep in a plastic container with dividers, closets, drawers, the car trunk, in other words everywhere. Finally I gave up very discouraged. Today I went to the Christian bookstore hoping they had some - all out. I decided to pray:doh. When I got home I prayed some more and then went directly to my tract keeper again and immediately found them hiding behind some other tracts. Praise the Lord. He answers prayer. What's wrong with me. :doh

[ByHisGrace]

Woohoo! Glad God found them for you. ;)

[PiC]

^ There's nothing wrong with you, MsSophie, only Satan trying to hide them from you. It's a shame God's better than that. :heh