As the nights get longer and the days darker, we can spread our light!
I wonder if you, like my family and I definitely used to, spend the second half of October actively not looking forward to October 31st? As our streets, villages and shops get more and more full of (frankly ugly) Halloween decorations we can begin to feel besieged by the darkness.
For past 5 years I have felt very much the opposite. My family and I have changed the way we view this night, and now actively engage our neighbours with it. If people are going to come to our house asking for something then we are going to make sure we give them something good, something that, quite literally, tells a better story. We give out gift bags containing a story of truth, puzzles and games, and multiple sweets (let’s be generous!) and we make our house a ‘House of Light’. This means we do decorate our house, but with lights, fun things, and pumpkins carved with a better message. This year we had pumpkin sheep all over our garden and the conversations that ensued with numerous delivery drivers in the week ahead of Halloween about why we had it, and the contrast with typical décor, were a joy to have.
We have THE BEST story to share, one of light and life and love, and people are quite often open to see something different. We have fun chats, intrigued parents and happy kids… and we know that some now come on that evening expectant for the light and the difference.
Jesus is the Light of the world, and we get to show His light in dark places. What a privilege!
Ruth Evans, NISCU Eden
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