Hope Was Born This Night - Sidewalk Prophets

 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:10-14

My life in a nutshell

"80% of the final exam will be based on the one lecture you missed and the one book you didn’t read."

"College professor–someone who talks in other people’s sleep." ~ W. H. Auden

"Instead of giving money to found colleges to promote learning, why don't they pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting anybody from learning anything? If it works as good as the Prohibition one did, why, in five years we would have the smartest race of people on earth." ~ Will Rogers

"Of course there's a lot of knowledge in universities: the freshmen bring a little in; the seniors don't take much away, so knowledge sort of accumulates." 

~ A. Lawrence Lowell

"The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense." 

~ Tom Clancy

"The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." ~ Erma Bombeck

"Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day."
~ Friedrich Nietzsche

"I'm not asleep... but that doesn't mean I'm awake."

"A day without a nap is like a cupcake without frosting." ~ Terri Guillemets

"Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake."

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” ~ Joshua 24:15

A 'holy' day?

One of the most spiritually dark days of the year is tomorrow. My parents decided from the very beginning that our family would not participate in Halloween activities and I was aware of the basic reasons why, but as I was not able to give my wondering friends an explanation that satisfied both them and myself, I chose to write my final research paper in high school on the history and mystery surrounding Halloween to be able to more fully explain my parents' (and what would soon become my own) convictions. I was deeply disturbed by what I found - some of the things I encountered gave me nightmares, and I found the time I spent in research mentally and spiritually depressing. Since that time it has been an issue that is close to my heart, and I could - and did - write pages upon pages on it. But I'm going to try to keep this brief and clear, and let readers take away from it what they will...

First off, don't think I'm hating on those people - even Christians - who choose to participate in Halloween activities. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ~ Ephesians 6:12 We're not called to criticize others for what they do, but pray continually that we can be a shining example for Christ and a prayer warrior that the Devil fears to go up against. However we choose to deal with Halloween, it should be done in a way that brings glory to the One that  redeemed us from the wickedness of our hearts, and our words and actions on that and any other day of the year should be salt and light to a lost and dying world. (Matthew 5:13-14)We can't change a heart, but God can. Let us do our part and leave the rest up to him.

That doesn't mean I don't have any pet peeves with regards to Christians and Halloween. Indulge me with this one: harvest parties. Am I against dressing up and getting together with friends for some food and fun? Hardly! But giving people a "safe alternative" to Halloween celebrations makes it look like there's a hole to fill - that they're somehow missing out on something if they don't have anything to do on Halloween. If anything, this is the time of year when we should be making an extra effort to set ourselves apart as "a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14) Halloween is not a time for compromise, and 'harvest parties' are just that.
Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?  ~ 1 Cor. 10 : 19-22

Set Halloween aside as a time for prayer, and battle for those that are seeing (or even celebrating) the darkness. Instead of giving out candy, take the kiddos aside and explain to them why you choose not to take part in any celebrations on October 31st. Get out the popcorn and ice cream and make a movie night out of it, and watch something fun, uplifting and/or educating. There are so many things you can do to show the world that this is a day where you're not going to sit on the fence - or lean against it and watch. Take a stand. Make a statement.

If you're interested in reading further, here are some good links:
Should Christians participate in Halloween?
Christians and Halloween

What's the difference?

A boy makes his girl jealous of other women. 

A gentleman makes other women jealous of his girl.

My kinda guy.

the Founder of our faith...

... is Paul. whoahhwhatwaitwho? my religion teacher thinks an awfully good case could be made for it. I mean, he did write some pretty awesome literature - all his letters to those churches are fairly compelling. And don't even get me started on Romans, one of the most-read religious documents of all time. I mean, come on here. Who else but the eloquent, educated and convincing apostle Paul could have given such a foundation for a religion such as Christianity?

Oh, I don't know.

maybe Jesus?

"...the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." ~ Hebrews 12:2-3

It really couldn't be much clearer. As much as I like you, Paul - sorry man. You're not winning this one =)

The Generous Mr. Lovewell - MercyMe

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. ~ James 1:27

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

~ 1 Corinthians 13:2

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

~ Romans 12:10

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ~ 2 Corinthians 8:7

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

~ Galatians 5:13

September

Lo! a ripe sheaf of many golden days
Gleaned by the year in autumn's harvest ways,
With here and there, blood-tinted as an ember,
Some crimson poppy of a late delight
Atoning in its splendor for the flight
Of summer blooms and joys­
This is September. 

~L. M. Montgomery