I Went and Got Snarky. Oops.



I've got this lady on Facebook who uploads close to 40 photos a day of her two children. Half of them are the same, just different expressions. The other half show all kinds of new things they get daily. Toys, hair clips/headbands, a scooter, a helmet, running shoes, a dress, clothes etc. It's extremely excessive.

I'm sure you know the kind of people I'm talking about.

This morning I went on Facebook to find yet another forty-something photos added to her "Halloween 2014" album. I couldn't help but comment:

"WOW!! Halloween?? ....Christmas must of come early at your place! This girl gets new stuff every day! She has tons of frozen stuff! Lol and i thought Leah was spoiled. She's one extremely lucky girl."

 

Snarky? A little.
Rude? Maybe.
Necessary? No, not really.

Her photos and the obscene amount of things she gets given is just annoying. It's compulsive. It's extreme. And frankly, there's no need of it. I don't usually like to stir things up and cause drama but this is just plain irritating. I mean, I like to get Leah new things. A new toy here and there or a trip to the corner store to pick out some goodies, but I don't go full out nuts. 

Yeah, sometimes it's exciting, getting to re-live some childhood fun, buying new toys, but when is it enough?

Christmas for example, Leah usually gets spoiled. My family sends a package for her with presents, my mom usually has a mini Christmas over at her place for her, then "Santa" comes, and Boxing Day we are usually with Matt's family who gives her a little something too. Her birthday is just a week later so maybe its just the incredible amount of "stuff" that December brings. 

 

Anyways, I'm going to admit, half of what she gets given she barely plays with. It sits in her room or in the basement not getting played with. Maybe some kids play with everything that they've been given but my daughter doesn't. She's not a home-body though either...she spends a lot of time outside.

But how in the world can the kids even find time to play with all that stuff? I find its just a waste. A waste of money and space.

This whole situation reminded me of this scripture:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 

 

Why not use that money to put into a savings account or just put aside for their schooling? Or use it to buy something for a child whose family can't afford it.

This year we are filling a shoebox with some things like hygiene items, school supplies, toys, and candy. It gets sent to hurting children around the world. You can find out more about here. I'm looking forward to spreading the love of God and teaching Leah all about the joy in giving. I would rather her be more glad to give than to get.

That's a hard characteristic to come across.

 

Why WE do Halloween

 

I can understand why some don't "celebrate" Halloween. And I think its really a personal choice. We all know its a historically evil day that has become tradition, even if it's somewhat strayed from its original celebratory acts. There is still evil done on this day. Even today witchcraft practitioners declare October 31 as the most favorable time to practice their arts. So, with that being said I can completely see why people wouldn't want anything to do with it.

But WE - we do. Not to practise witchcraft or celebrate the devil or do evil deeds. We don't do monsters or demonic beings.
I remember dressing up as child every year, I never understood the evil background and that's not even close to the reason why I went out every year. It was fun to dress up. To have a cool costume. A princess or a power ranger. It gave my parents a reason to buy me new dress-up apparel. And I got to stay up a bit later and get candy. Hello.

Small children, like Leah, have no idea what its really "about". She just enjoys dressing up -this year (the same as last year) a pirate - and the idea of trick-or-treating, getting candy, for free. James is being Batman, in case you were curious. Really, the whole history of Halloween is one that I'm not going to sit down and explain to my 4 year old. One day, she'll know about it, when she can understand it. But for now, its not about anything else but dressing up and candy to her. And we enjoy that.

Personally, I have nothing wrong with the whole Halloween thing. Its fun. We don't do scary here but hey, if that's your cup of tea then that's you're choice. There are alternatives to handing out candy as well. You could hand out a pencil (yay) with a verse on it, or hand out scriptural messages with the candy.

We love God and this day doesn't change how we feel and what we know in our hearts to be true. Its just a day. God is bigger than one day.