So glad

God knows our hearts. I am pondering this thought today. For our family, we don't want a nice version of Halloween. We now want to skip it altogether. But in 12 short years of Halloween skipping, we have planned several kinds of diversions for our kids on the 31st of October. Church parties in costumes, church parties without costumes, church parties where everyone but us were wearing costumes, out to dinner, mini golf, weekend trips, and the bounce houses place.

A few times, as we left the innocent fall festivities, I felt so grateful that God knows my heart. I felt like I had struck out. No run. No man on base. Not even a hit. Just struck out as a mom and a daughter of the Most High. I don't want to use my kids to make a statement about something. I just want to obey the Lord.

As they question me on why we can't do something, I need to know what the Lord's point is. I don't want to make up something that God is not really saying to us. He knows that we are dodging and weaving around Halloween each year. He knows that we are in this world, but not of it. He is guiding and warning us at each opportunity to keep our hedge of protection in place. We do not want to play with something that the Bible has warned us to hate.

We pray all year against fear and deception. We pray all year for light and faith. It really seems fake to celebrate in any way an occasion that is all about fear and darkness. Even for just one day or month of the year.

Friends and neighbors may be confused or feel judged or feel resentful. They may think they know why we are skipping Halloween.

But I am so glad. . .SO GLAD. . .that God knows my heart.