I Use This Everywhere

Hence the name "Clorox Everywhere Hard Surface Daily Sanitizing Spray". Quite the name, and quite the product! 

I Love this stuff, especially with having kids, but it's good for anyone! Spray it on any hard surface (I admit i've used it on cloth surfaces too, and everything turned out ok), and you're good to go. It's great for kids, just spray down their toys and let it dry or wipe it off, either way and it's sanitized for the next use! I also used it on the high chair and booster seat all the time. It's safe around kids too. 

There's my product I like for the month. :)

What's better than Sacrifice?

I recently decided to get a Holiday job... pick up a few hours at a local store to keep on top of things over the Holiday's... I feel like a high schooler all over again. :)

So the topic of Sacrifice has been on my mind. We talk about this topic a LOT in our campus ministry... in order to do anything significant in this world it means sacrifice usually has to happen somewhere. 

As I was reading today, In Prov. 21:3 it says "To do what is right and just is MORE acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." This is so good. So many times we choose to do something that is convenient at the time, or that feels good at the time, over doing the right or just thing... which usually brings us to a point of needing to sacrifice at a later time to make up for it (ex. buying something on a credit card). But if we just chose from the start to do what is Right and Just, that is more pleasing to God... and usually a sacrifice isn't necessary, you can enjoy the fruits of the good decision.

Just wanted to leave you with that thought for the day. So I'm not asking today "what do you need to sacrifice" but I am asking "what is something you can choose to do today that is right and just, for the Glory of God?"

Follow up to Halloween Question

Great response from everyone! Thanks!

I personally grew up "celebrating" Halloween... as in dressing up and trick or treating, carving pumpkins, etc. I have some great memories of that! (Ross is convinced he never carved a pumpkin until last year, I find that hard to believe)

I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in the area, but in researching it looks like Halloween started as a time to worship the dead, ghosts and evil spirits so they won't get mad. People would sacrifice animals & more, and try to appease them. Then when the the traditions moved to America it took on a new meaning, yet still having the same superstitions of dressing so evil spirits don't recognize them, and leaving food/sweets out by their door to appease the ghosts/evil spirits. Slowly turning into a fun time for kids to run around disguised to get treats and such.

I think it is wise to know why we do what we do. I think there are spiritual implications to everything we do. I don't want to be ignorant to the original intent of why we celebrate the things we do. I also believe God can redeem anything. So I think with me and my family I want to be wise and know why we do what we do, and make sure we have purpose to what we do.

I have no problem with dressing up, and getting/giving candy from neighbors, and carving pumpkins... I just want to make sure my kids know why, and that we set ourselves apart from worldly traditions. We aren't doing it to appease evil spirits, or hide from them. I see this as a chance to be creative and silly and make sure we are pleasing God, not trying to appease the devil. As long as your conscience is clear before God and you do everything to honor Him, we can bring God's redemption to the holiday and turn what was meant for evil into good.

Practically I think this can be done by honoring God with how we dress, but serving/blessing others and by praying to God, and do all things to bring Him pleasure, not praying to spirits or the dead or being concerned with pleasing them. I think this also means not glorifying death, witchcraft, or fear (in costumes/haunted houses/ etc). Let's not be ignorant, and avoid truth, but be knowledgeable and bring redemption to these areas!

Those are just some of my thoughts...

Halloween: Spooky or Cooky?

Growing up in a church, I have heard several different opinions about Halloween. I would like to know your thoughts!

Do you think Halloween is a holiday Christian's shouldn't be involved with?
If Christian's do get involved what is ok, what is not?

Do you celebrate Halloween? Party? Costume? Trick or Treat? Animal Sacrifices? :)

What have you been taught about Halloween? What would you teach your kids about it?

I've been taught several different things, from we can redeem the holiday and just have a costume party/ reason for fellowship... to don't even associate with it since it began as a pagan holiday of worshiping the Devil. Of course it's near impossible in America to avoid anything Halloween because it is one of the highest selling holiday's, candy, costumes, party supplies...etc.

I want to hear your opinions, then I'll share mine!