Do You Want More?

I'm going to 'fess up.                                                                        

I'm a Halloween grinch. I'm so glad that it's over. I'm just not a fan.

There's just something about it that rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it comes from a traumatic experience in my first year of motherhood. Or from years teaching in Christian schools. Or the concept of spending way too much money on candy that children really don't need. Or just that it's creepy.

I don't like creepy.

Now, that doesn't mean that I didn't love seeing my darlin' grandbaby dressed up like a ladybug or that I never allowed my daughters to go trick or treating. I did. But I much prefer church fall festivals and such that give families fun options for the evening. For years we've taken advantage of those types of activities or just gone out to eat and avoided being at home until the ghosts and goblins finished their rounds.

This year, because we moved to a new neighborhood, we decided to be good residents and participate by turning on our porch light, filling a really big bowl with candy (and refilling it several times) and handing it out to the costumed visitors. It was sweet to see babies dressed as sheep...or puppies...or elephants...little girls all princessed up...and some really cute superheroes. Not so sweet to see those with blood dripping from their mouths...or kids (that were way too big to be trick or treating) masquerading as other ghoulish characters...some really, really scary.

What horrified me the most, though, was the little princess who looked at the three pieces of candy that I cheerfully dropped in her plastic jack-o-lantern and mumbled, "Can I have more?"

Honestly, I was a bit dumbfounded. Yet I gave her another piece.

I don't think she even said, "Thank you."

I haven't quite been able to shake that interaction. I've mulled it over in my mind. I've meditated on various spiritual "take-aways."

Here's my favorite.

I want to boldly look up to the Father and ask for more.

Not sweet treats. Not more stuff.

Just more of Him. More knowledge. More wisdom. More time in His Word. More love...to share. 

And I pray that I always remember to say, "Thank You."