All Hallow's Eve

Today is Halloween! Such a fun holiday that our family truly enjoyed celebrating, from dressing up to trick-or-treating. A day of pretend and candy! What is not to love?

Each October, I trek into the attic to bring down the box of orange and black decorations, from my pumpkin lights, to my painted pumpkin acorns, to my cackling Janglin' Bones skeleton head. I also pull out the Halloween books, favorites like "The Ghost's Dinner" and "The Halloween Performance." But one book I didn't get until after my kids were grown and off to college. It's called "Room on the Broom."

I stood in the store and read this book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler from beginning to end. It's a sing-songy rhythmic rhyme of a book telling the story of a witch and her cat who continue to allow woodland creatures to have room on her broom as she flies about. Each animal - a dog, bird and frog - has helped her find something she's lost. When the frog leaps for joy while on the broom, it snaps in two and falls to the ground. It's then that a dragon finds the witch and decides he's going to eat her. Just as he's about to devour her, a muddy, sticky, feathered and furry beast comes out of the woods telling the dragon to "Buzz off! That's my witch!" The dragon flies off in fear, and the grateful witch thanks the animals who had piled on top of one another to look like a large scary beast to save her. She drops items donated by the animals into a cauldron and out pops a huge, stronger broom with accommodations for all.

I love this book. In the midst of a holiday filled with scary costumes, comes this precious book about being selfless, helping each other and working together.

Brad and I had a friend after we first married, named Dan, who waved to everyone. I mean, everyone. We asked him about it once and he said, "You never know when you might need their help someday." I used to wonder if Dan was ever on the side of the road with a flat tire and one of these folks stopped by and said, "Hey you're that fellow who always waves to me. Can I help you change your tire?" Regardless, he was always friendly.

I think it's that attitude of reaching out to every soul that touched my heart. I see that in both of you. You are always looking for ways to show people around you how much you love them, whether through food you cook or birthday crowns you make. And those tiny, sweet gestures touch the heart and are lasting and of value to the recipient.

We want to make sure you do the same for each other. Take time to do something every single day to show how much you love each other, without them asking or expecting it. It's something when you are first dating that people often do for each other, but as you are together for years, can slip into the past. Sweet things like Brad sitting through one of my goofy television shows just to sit near me. Or me cooking Brad a hearty meatloaf using his Dad's recipe because I know he loves it. Or Brad carrying the laundry basket into the bedroom cause it knows it is too heavy for me. Or me washing his car inside and out while he's gone so he has a clean car. Those little things can mean so much.

Halloween means All Hallow's Eve or All Holy Night. It's the night before All Saints Day commemorating the departed faithful. Its a good time to remember that part of being faithful, a saint if you will, is fulfilling something John Wesley once said:

"Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” 

And do it for each other. Happy Halloween!

Discussion: For fun, share about some of your favorite childhood Halloween memories. Tell about a time when someone did something thoughtful and unexpected for you. When you did something for someone else.

Prayer: Lord, Paul tells us in Acts 20:35 that your Son said "It is more blessed to give than receive." Help us to be true givers of time, talent and sweet gestures and gifts to your children and to each other. Thank you that you are the greatest giver of all. In Jesus, Amen.