Lessons from Halloween

This week's prompt we were asked go back to a memorable Halloween costume, to show it and draw our reader's into our emotions and memories in 400 words - enjoy!

Just shy of her second birthday, thick chocolate hair fell to her shoulders and framed her deep, sapphire blue, slightly too large for her face, eyes.  Although Halloween was a foreign idea to her, it never occurred to her to question my wisdom as I stuffed her little legs and arms into what she must have thought were pajamas.  Only, these weren't pajamas - because pajamas don't have a long stiff tail protruding out of its bottom that swayed as she walked.  And while green pajamas may have fluorescent pink dots on them, they didn't come with spiked hoods that left only her sparkling eyes, rosy checks and sweet lips exposed.

She looked at me curiously as I explained.  "You and your sisters will go to the door and ring the bell."  I adjusted her costume and handed her her bag.  "Then, when they open the door, you say 'Trick or treat' and they will give you candy."  She tilted her head to the side, frowning slightly.  I smiled.  "Go with your sisters, they'll show you."
We waited at the end of the walkway as Little Bo Peep, a pirate, Dorothy, Jasmine and a butterfly ran up the sidewalk.  They rang the bell, yelled "Trick or Treat," and joyfully accepted the candy.  They ran back down to meet us before she got halfway up the walk.  "Wait," I said sternly to the excited children.  "Wait for your sister."  We turned to wait and watched as she waddled the rest of the way to the door.  She stopped and stood on the porch, saying nothing, but just standing, wagging her dinosaur tail, and starring at the elderly woman with her piercing blue eyes.

"Oh my!" The woman exclaimed.  "How adorable are you!"  She grabbed a generous heaping of candy - noticeably more than she gave to the others, and dropped it into her bag.  And still she stood there - not smiling, not talking, not moving.  She just stood there waving her green tail with the hot pink polka dots and looking at her with her big blue eyes.  The woman exclaimed again, reached back into her bag of candy and gave her more.  I hurried to the door, reminded her to say thank you, and slightly embarrassed, rushed her down the walk.  She looked back at the woman and even at two I could see dangerous thoughts connecting in her mind. 

I knew then and there, raising this beauty would take quite a watchful eye. Linking up today with

 

Failing Words

I think in pictures - and sometimes the image in my mind is so clear and powerful that I want to share it - tell others about the encouragement, comfort, and strength it gives to me, but as hard as I try, I cannot adequately translate the pictures I am seeing in my mind into mere words.  Words only seem to cause the images to fall flat.  They do not do justice to the beauty and power that plays in my head. 

Tonight, there is a beautiful scene occupying my mind.  It came into sharp focus as I was praying with our India Thailand Missions Team.  The image is full of light and shadows, darkness and revelation.  There is joy and dancing in the path of a bright shimmering light that is moving along the road of a city.  There are people all around.  Some are hiding in the black recesses, outside of edges of the light - watching, wondering, curious as the light travels the road - moving forward, always just a step ahead of those walking in its illumination.  And there are people walking in the light, following its leading, its clear direction.  They walk with confidence, not knowing where the light is going, but confident it has gone this way before, confident that it is their purpose to follow, confident that they are exactly where they need to be.

But there they are again - the flat, dull, lifeless words that refuse to capture the splendor in my thoughts.  The words that pale in comparison to the image I can see.  An image that tells me God knows - has always known what lies ahead.  That even though I do not see, do not know, and cannot comprehend what He is going to do - He does.  It is my response to move forward, to trust and to know, experientially know that he goes before me, with me, and that I do not walk alone.
I know I do not walk alone because in the image I see, I can see others.  Others who are waiting along the path.  Waiting for people to arrive that will bring them comfort, hope, encouragement and healing.  Several wait in the shadows, in the darkness, afraid of what the light will reveal.  But they are there.  Watching, pondering, questioning, hoping to somehow be pulled into the light. They long to be in the light - but do not know how.
Some walk with along the road with their eyes closed - or downcast.  So consumed by their position on the path, so consumed by what others might be doing, that they fail to see the beauty, the opportunity, the blessings around them.  Yet some walk with their eyes open to what God is revealing along the journey - mindful of the One who always moves slightly ahead.

Prayer is a powerful tool.  It is an invitation we have to step outside of ourselves and join with the Creator of our souls in His work, in His passions, in His ministry.  As He leads, I long to follow.  He goes before me, He goes before us.  Though I may not know the path - or recognize the journey, He is there, lighting the way I need to travel, encouraging me to move forward as He leads, keeping my heart and eyes open to all He has in store.  Even when words fail me - He never does.

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