What does a Christian need to know about Halloween? | The Mars Hill Blog

What does a Christian need to know about Halloween? | The Mars Hill Blog

I am only posting this because facebook sparked the conversation. This blog is exactly how I feel. So well said.

Daylight Savings

I am beginning to hate that the sun is coming up later and going down faster. I really love this weather and this is my absolute favorite time of year but this is my first fall as a runner. It makes it difficult for me to be able to get out in the sun to run.. or better yet, in the daylight. I just began this training program to get me running a 10K and I have been doing well with it and don't want to fall behind... so, I woke up and was out the door at six this morning. My lovely husband bought me some reflective gear but it isn't the cars that worry me... I am just a little skeptical of freaks. ( I admit this fear may be just out of the fact that I watch too many CSI's and too many scary movies to run without thinking some man is going to chase me with a cloth soaked in some substance that will knock me out enough so he can drag me into the woods)... yes, my mind goes there. Every leaf that ruffled across the road freaked me out... and for some reason I could see two, and sometimes three, of my own shadows. So, I was constantly feeling as though I was being chased... good thing it was only me doing the chasing. It was a great run. I am feeling so good and it is getting easier. I am running a better pace and running up to 4 miles seems to be a breeze. I am up against the challenge of the sun though and will be doing most of my running on Joel's days off which lately have been few and far between.
All I know for certain is that I am loving running... just not so much in the dark.

Tradition

I am realizing how important it is for me to make traditions for our family and my kids are the ones who reminded me of how much I love certain traditions. My kids are loving it too. As we enter this time of year, I am realizing just how many traditions we already have as a family and my kids LOVE these traditions. We carved pumpkins last night while watching The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.... they had a blast and said they wanted to do it again tonight. I had to say no to the carving but maybe we will watch Charlie Brown again. I am always up for some Charlie Brown. Now they are begging me to put up the Christmas trees. Yes, you read that right. They can't wait to put them up, decorate them, drink some hot chocolate and watch endless hours of Christmas movies. Some of our favorite- Home Alone and Christmas with the Kranks. I love that my kids have these things that they will carry with them for many years. I love that they have things like this to look forward to and I love that the memories of doing these things last year brings back happy and cozy memories for them. I want to continue to do these small things.. and do them every year. I hope we can add to these things and that they will take them and remember them for when they have their own families. This time of year brings me a lot of joy and a lot of smiles to me and it is such a joy to also see my kids loving this time of year and loving everything this time of year brings.

Thursdays

I love Thursdays. I think it goes all the way back to my childhood. My dad always had Thursdays off so I think that is why I loved and still love this day. I remember him taking me to the "round store". It was a store by our house that was shaped like a carnival tent. We would go there and he would let me pick out some candy. I loved that store. It is pretty run down now but man did I love that place as a kid. For some reason, Thursdays just make me smile.

So, I am now officially training to run farther than a 5K. I added the 10K app to my phone and have done two of the workouts... wow. I have not been this sore in a LONG TIME. Feels good to be adding some distance to my running though. I truly never thought I would ever be able to run 4 plus miles. Makes me proud of myself.

I am thinking tonight is also a good night to carve some pumpkins. Joel never got to do it while he was growing up.... so now that I am in his life, we do it every year! ;) and we always roast the seeds.

Me, a bully?! wow.

I have been called and accused of many things... but never of being a bully. Apparently there is a first time for everything. If I told you the story you just simply would not believe it. I will spare you the silly details.
I hate it when people make it their life cause to be controversial and to state their opinions... but the minute you state yours, they just can't handle it. Oh please oh please NEVER let me be that ignorant or annoying.

and this is all because of me saying my feelings about a show... yep, not anything big like abortion or anything like that. Just a simple tv show.

I am learning that I do not handle my own mistakes or my own stupidity very well. I hate messing up and I hate it when I do stupid things that are a waste of energy. I am often harder on myself than I should be and instead of just realizing my mistakes and letting it go and becoming better, I often hang on to what or how I wish I would have handled things differently. I need to get over it. I am not perfect and never will be. I will make mistakes. I will do stupid things. I need to be okay when people may be disappointed in me because I cannot be perfect all the time. I never saw myself as a perfectionist but am starting to believe I am..... I hate to think of people upset with me and I hate to think that I may have just screwed up. Clearly it is unrealistic. I will never be perfect.... never.

On a side note, we watched Secretariat at the movies last night. Great family movie. Totally one of those feel good, great family movies. We loved it. Go see it! :)

Coffee with Eminem

Last night Eminem was on 60 minutes. I have to say I totally enjoyed the interview and wish I could have coffee with this man. First off, I would like to give him a hug. He needs one I think. He grew up poor, with a single mom, in Detroit and moved schools two or three times a year. He was bullied, pushed into lockers, called names, etc. He now makes millions a year on his records and has millions of fans. I know that his music is crude and saying it has tons of profanity is probably an understatement. Regardless of that, he has talent and is able to rap faster than any other person out there. He said a few things that I thought were interesting- he said that he does not allow profanity in his house and also was asked about his father and if he wishes his dad would come track him down for them to meet each other. Eminem said that if he had a child out there, he would go wherever and search forever until he found that child. I admire that. He may be a bit wacked in some of his thinking but he hit the mark on some things, in my opinion. He sees a man that does not desire to know his child as week and I could not agree more. He has overcome prescription drug addiction and is trying to make his music a bit more positive. Imagine if this man met Jesus. Oh how I wish I could have coffee with him.

A trip to the Orchard......

Have I mentioned that I love this time of year? If you know me even just a little bit, you know how I love fall. A trip to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard is by far my favorite trip to take with the girls. I hope they always love it as much as I do. We headed down to Evan's Orchard like we did last year but this year we got to take the school tour. We joined our good friends and we were able to see how they make cider and they talked about the importance of bees and the life cycle of an apple tree. Then we took a hayride touring the orchard.... then we ate lunch (shredded pork sandwich that had been cooked with some of their fresh apples) mmmmmm..... and then the kids got to play on their amazing playground. We also got to go to the petting zoo and see lots of goats and a zebra and some other fun things. Then the afternoon ended with a fried apple pie topped with ice cream... Again, mmmmmmm. We took home some apples, a pumpkin, a coloring book, and an apple shaped cup for the kids. Nothing like some fresh air and some good farm fun.




I love Evan's Orchard. They have pretty piles of pumpkins laying all around the property.



One of the many reasons why I love this time of year.



They spent most of the day playing on this cool tree trunk.



The girls on the hayride with their friend Spencer

Christians and facebook

Dear "Christians" who are on facebook:

Sometimes you drive me nuts and honestly, I have hid many of you. Can you just for once write about doing laundry and getting groceries? Must it always be about God? I realize that this must sound terrible but I am trying to be plain honest here. I love Jesus. I love scripture but I also like real life. I understand pastors putting these things on their facebook more than just average posts, but sometimes I just think people can start to go overboard. I do not want to read about how you feel Jesus is your lover and you love when he picks you up and dances in the field with you. First off, that is creepy. He is not my lover and never will be. He is my savior.... and I would rather bow at His feet than have Him twirl me in flowers.. that just creeps me out. Some things are just meant to stay between you and Him.... please! I am also certain that even those posts that say- "even though most will not repost" this does not give me my ticket to hell. UGH. I love facebook but sometimes people drive me nuts. And again, this is why I blog.

As I have already said in earlier posts, I have been following a blog of a dear family whose child was recently diagnosed with cancer. I wait anxiously each morning to wake up and read her latest post.... simply because this story touches my heart and I am always eager to hear how her son is doing. This is the first paragraph of her blog today-


When going through something like this I’ve learned that at times you will feel crazy. And at times, people will make you feel like you are going crazy… and tell you things like you need medication. But somehow… if you are strong enough, you pull it all together… get all the little voices out of your head, refocus, and find your way back. It can take something as simple as taking a drive, screaming your lungs out and just taking 30 minutes to be alone, to bring your strength and sanity back. Game on, cancer. You have pushed me down but I will not stop fighting back.

I love this. I love her real and very raw words. I have had some people tell me I needed medication or know of many who depend on it. I am not saying I am against it at all, I know it has its place, but this mom inspires me. She is real. She is strong. She is not afraid to let it out or get things off her chest. First off, those I know taking meds seriously have no problems in comparison to what this family is going through.... not even close. Thank you Maya for sharing your blog and being so real. I am seriously encouraged to live me life differently. Nevaeh was in art class the other day and there is one boy in there who complains all the time... Nevaeh spoke up to the class and said, "You are complaining about not wanting to draw what the teachers tells you, I know a little boy who has cancer and is fighting it every day.... you should not complain over something as small as a picture you are asked to draw"
I was proud of Nevaeh. She gets it.