I've never really been interested in horror movies and wouldn't spend my money on them.  I know zombies and vampires are more popular than ever, but they just seem strange and boring to me.  Halloween was never that interesting to me,  either ... UNTIL ...  I got appointed to Anoka and Ramsey.  You kind of have to embrace it if your'e going to live or work here. 

There is a huge parade that takes over this town.  I didn't know what to expect when I first went.  First of all, there are tens of thousands of people.  Secondly, you actually see very few evil characters of any kind.  It's just a big old family event.  People are just out to have a good time, and I can appreciate that.  We'll be out there rain or shine (or possible snow!) with our float and the Northern Light Band.

Halloween has Celtic roots.  They had a festival, called Samhain, which means "summer's end."  It was basically a fall festival where the farmers would celebrate getting all of the crops in before the cold winter. 

Once Christianity became the dominant religion of Europe, thought, the ancient festival took on a Christian flavor.  Some in the early church believed the souls of the dead wandered around the earth until All Saints Day. (November 1)  All Hallows Eve was the last chance for angry ghosts to gain vengeance on their enemies.  So what did Christians do?  They put on masks and costumes to disguise themselves.

I think I might actually prefer the Celtic viewpoint.  The transition from summer to winter is a transition from life to death.  Its a reminder that we are mortal.  "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  Lest we FEAR our mortality, let us embrace the idea that through all of our transitions: God is with us.  None of us is God.  None of us is immortal.  We have a limited time on earth as "creatures" of flesh and bone.  It's alright to have a little fund this time of year.  But let's not get too carried away.  There's a bigger picture.

Studies show that the AVERAGE person tends to think he is better than the AVERAGE person.  Nine in ten managers think they are better than the average manager.  Nine in ten teachers think they are better than the average teacher.  I'm sure its true with preachers and others, too. And nine in ten drivers think they are better than the average driver.  And even nine in ten drivers who have been HOSPITALIZED after being in accidents still think they are better than the average driver!

Two men go to church to pray.  The first is devout.  The second knows he has messed up. The first, part of the 90%, says, "I'm above AVERAGE. Thank God I'm not like those other people."  The second, a member of the 10% minority, says, "Lord, be merciful to me." Guess which one God appreciates most?

When my kids do or say something to me they know is wrong, they apologize by saying, "my bad."  Seems it might always be better to say that, instead of "my good." On average, that is.  

Judy and I have just experienced moving.  The census bureau says the average American moves once every 5 years. My wife got a new job, so we had to move to a new house that we are required to live in.  It's a nice house, and all, but I kind of liked the one in which we spent the last 13 years.

We moved from a two-story house to a one-story, so, including the walk-out basements at both places, we now have about 2/3 the room we used to.  That's not a bad thing.  The 3 kids are out of the house. And I hear downsizing is trendy now.

We invited some friends over and showed them around.  The main floor looks pretty presentable. We didn't show them the storage room in the basement with wall-to-wall boxes filled with junk. Things we don't need. Many things we don't ever use.  Things we really never needed.  Things that are still in the boxes we packed up 13 years ago and haven't opened since the move before this one.  Judy and I have tried to set future dates and times when we will go through it.  We'll see how that goes. 

It remains me of the guy in the parable of the rich fool who had two many barns. He built a few more, thinking he might "need" the stuff some time. He was a "collector." Collecting is okay.  All of us do it.  I used to have a really nice collection of model tall ships.  Trouble is, they were from an old girlfriend.  They "left the harbor" once I started dating Judy.  I collect cups and caps now, each with a memory attached.

But hoarding is another thing.  Jesus comes down pretty hard on the rich dude, saying:  "You fool!  You have all this stuff, but you're going to die tonight.  What good does it do you?"  Or, as I was once heard in an old country song: "You never see a hearse with a trailer hitch."

Maybe I'll hire one of those professional de-clutterers to come and clean out the storage room at $50 an hour.  It would probably be worth it.  And maybe she knows someone who can also come and de-clutter the rest of my life so I can focus on the things that really matter. Could use a little help there, too.