My wife is awesome...let me count the ways. 

She defines "work ethic".  Industrious doesn't even come close to describing her. 

Here is an example.  We just moved into a home that is a wee-bit smaller than our previous home.  To take that one step further, I'm now working from home.  To most of you that equates to hubby in the corner with a desk.  But a pastor working at home also brings books with him—lots of books.  All things considered, I knew it was time to purge as many non-essential books as I could. 

I pared things down by two criteria.  First, is this a decent enough book that I would buy it again today?  Second, have I read this book in the last year or do I plan on reading it in the coming year?  Some books escaped my Procrustean bed.  However, many did not—leaving me with a pile ready to be shipped off to the island of misfit books.  And for my purposes, that island was a green receptacle that nice men dump curbside for me once a week.

Enter my bride.

She saw in those books a chance to help bolster the family budget.  After consultation with book selling friends and some online research she decided to list them on Amazon.  Low and behold, my cast off books began to make a decent profit.  I saw fodder in those books.  She saw dollar bills.  An excellent wife who can find? 

Sure it took some work on her part.  And that work was in addition to the care of four children under 7, the managing of our home, and being a church planters wife.  And no, we're not going to become part-time book sellers.  But it did give me pause to reflect on the gift that I had in my wife.  It gave my often oblivious heart a chance to thank my God for giving me a wife who I do not deserve, who sees great value in working hard for our family—as much if not more than I do.

She understands vocation and diligent work to the glory of God.  She understand the gospel and how it frees her up to serve our family cheerfully and diligently.  She knows that these little boys around her ankles with grow up to mimic her industry and work ethic as they become men.

An excellent wife who can find?  By God's grace, I have.

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The Hollands don't do Halloween.

To be honest, Halloween makes my stomach turn.  I'm a pastor.  I daily face death and its destruction—physical and spiritual.  In hospitals, counseling sessions, and sermons I teach people about Jesus's triumph over sin, death, and the devil.  Mortality, spiritual malevolence, demons, twisted sensuality, devils and the like aren't just costumes at RiteAid.  They are daily realities.

So when it comes around to Halloween and I see ghoulish decorations, 5 year old zombies, 8 year -olds in fish net stockings, bloody corpses in front yards, and resurrecting dead it hits a little too close to home.  How can I laugh and give kids sugar highs when I'm facing grotesque, cartoonish representations of the things that literally haunt people's souls?  Do I really want my kids thinking that death and the demonic are only lawn decorations for a few weeks a year?

I know what you're thinking, "Dude, lighten up!"  Well, I've tried and have been unsuccessful.  I'm not angry at Halloween or the folks that will pad my street on the eve of October 31.  I'm not really all that concerned with the historicity of the cultural practice.  I don't even think there is a whole lot of malevolence going on—in fact I'm more concerned with the relative ease in interacting with Halloween on a thematic level. 

I just can't keep from cringing when I think about it.

It comes down to the cross.  I actually believe that Jesus triumphed over malevolent spiritual forces at the cross—Col 2:15.  The cross has changed me and my affections in ways I could never have predicted.  I'm more serious about death and the spiritual world than I've ever been.  I'm also more joyful in God's power over sin, death, and devil through Christ than I have ever been.

For so many Halloween is about good times, candy, and fun.  Put simply it is joyful frivolity and dress up.  For me it is sobering and sharpening.

So we don't do Halloween.  Not because we think it earns us anything with God.  It's just the way the cross has affected me and my family.

Now for all of the disclaimers:

1. If you participate in Halloween with a clear conscience then please continue to do so.  I don't think you're a pagan Satan worshiper.
   
2. I know not all of Halloween is about death and the creepy.  If you want your little pumpkin to parade up and down the street with Freddy and 12 year old bar maids, then go for it.
3. I love my neighbors and actively and aggressively look for ways to tell them about Jesus.  The whole, "You're not really into evangelizing if you don't do Halloween" is one of the more stupid arguments I've heard.
4. I'm not really into Halloween alternatives either.
5. The whole argument not do Halloween based on its historical basis is silly too.  Although, if Halloween occurred for the very first time this year, would you participate?  Something to think about. 
   
6. Don't worry about my poor deprived children.  We have a large tupperware full of costumes and I give them enough candy to make a dentist's drill finger twitch.  They do just fine on the other 364 days a year when it comes to dress-up and sugar consumption.
   

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After two and a half months with friends in MS, our dog, Nollie, is
back with us. The "pet moving company" worked out great. Other than a
little skinny, she's the same old Nollie. With her back and a move
this weekend, things are finally beginning to settle down here in
Culpeper.

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