The Origin Of Halloween

The name “Halloween’ comes from the all Saints Day Celebration of the early church, a day set aside for the solemn remembrance of the martyrs. All Halloween Eve, the evening before “All Saints Day” began the time of remembrance. All “All Hallows Eve” was eventually contracted to Halloween.

As the church moved through Europe it collided with pagan cultures and confronted established customs. Pages holidays and festivals were so entrenched that new converts found them to be stumbling blocks to their faith. To deal with the problem, the organized church would commonly move a distinctively church holiday to a spot on the colander that would directly challenge a pagan holiday.

To invent a counter pagan influences and provide a alternative. But most of the church only succeeded in “Christianizing” a pagan ritual-the ritual was still pagan, but mixed with Christian symbolism. That’s what happened to All Saints Eve-it was the original Halloween alternative.

The Celtic people of Europe and Britain were pagan Druids whose major celebrations were marked by the seasons. At the end of the year in Northern Europe, people made preparations to ensure winter survival by harvesting the crops and culling the herds, slaughtering animals that wouldn’t make make it. Life slowed down as winter brought darkness fallow ground and death. The imagery of death, symbolized skulls, and the color back, remains in today’s Halloween celebrations.

The pagan Samhain festival (pronounced “sow” “en”) celebrated the final harvest, death, and the onset of winter, for three days-October 31 to November 2. The celts believed the curtain divided the living and the dead to walk among the living-ghosts haunting the earth.

Some embraced the season of haunting by engaging in occult practices such as divination and communications with the dead. They sought divine spirits (demons) and the spirits of their ancestors regarding weather forecasts for the coming year, crop expectations. And even romantic prospects. Bobbing for apples was one practice the pagans used to divine the spiritual world’s “blessings” on a couple’s romance.

For others the focus on death, occultism, divination, and thought of spirits returning to haunt the living, fueled ignorant superstitions and fears. They believed spirits were earthbound until the received a proper send off with treats, possessions, wrath, food, and drink. Spirits who were not suitably treated would trick those who had neglected them. The fear of haunting only multiple if that spirit had been offended during its lifetime.

Trick-bent spirits were believed to assume grotesque appearances. Some traditions developed, which believed wearing a costume to look like a spirit would fool the wondering spirits. Others believed the spirits could be warded off by carving a grotesque face into a gourd or root vegetable and setting a candle inside it-the jack-o-lantern.

Into the dark, superstitious, pagan world, God mercifully shined the light of the gospel. Newly converted Christian armed themselves with the truth and no longer fears a haunting from departed spirits returning to earth. In fact, they denounced their former pagan spiritism in accord with Deuteronomy 18:

There shall not be found among you anyone… who used divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spirit it’s, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 18: 10-13)

Nonetheless, Christian concerts found family and cultural influence hard to withstand; they were tempted to rejoin the pagan festivals, especially Samhain. Pope Gregory IV reacted to the pagan challenge by moving the celebration of All Saints Day in the ninth century-he set the date at November 1, right in the middle of Samhain.

As the centuries passed, Samhain and All Hallows Eve mixed together. On the one hand, pagan superstitions gave way to “Christianized” superstitions and provided more fodder for fear. People began to understand that the pagan ancestral spirits were demons and the diviners were practicing witchcraft and necromancy. On the other hand, the festival time provided greater opportunity for revelry. Trick-or-treat became a time when roving bands of young hooligans would go house to house gathering food and drinks for their parties. Stingy household ran the risks of a trick being played on the property from drunk young people.

Halloween didn’t become an American holiday until the immigration of the working class from British Isles in the late nineteenth century. While early Immigrants may have believed the superstitious traditions. It was the mischievous aspects of the holiday that Attracted American young people. Younger generations borrowed of adopted many customs without reference to their pagan origins.

Where Does A Holy Man Sit?

The Holy Man in the Center.

I was told this many years ago, and it has stuck with me.

There as a holy man who went to dinner. The host brought him dinner to the most honored seat. In humility, the man refused, and instead sat by the door. Other honored guests came and were brought to the seats where the holy man was. “Why are we not sitting near the center of the table; the place of honor?” They complained. The host said, “you’re in the most honored seat. For wherever the holy man sits that’s the center of the table.” The same with us. We focus on our circumstances, our seat, our status, how others treat us.

We want better attention, a better place better everything, but we’re missing the point. We should not live a life focused on our circumstances, but be focused on being with Him. Wherever He is, that’s the center of everything, that’s the place to be. Whenever you are in life doesn’t matter: aim to be near Him, you’re in the place of honor. Your circumstances don’t matter. Stay close to Him because wherever you are, you will be sitting in the center of the table of life. -Psalm 16:11-

Seasonal Affective Disorder

What exactly is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

It’s a form of depression known as SAD, seasonal depression or winter depression. Over 10 million individuals suffer from it every fall or winter. it is identifies as a type of depression known as Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern. While people may have their depression under control, the seasonal pattern of depression usually seek up on them.

I have to admit, it snuck up me this year. I was on my happy way enjoy the crisp air and crunchy leaves. And then Bam it was there.

A few years ago I didn’t know a single thing about SAD.

People with SAD excuses mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. The symptoms usually occur during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight and usually improve with the arrival of spring. The most difficult months for people with SAD in the United States tend to be in January and February. But can be difficult as the weather turns colder in the fall.

SAD is more than just the winter blues. The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming and can interfere with daily functioning.

SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight. As seasons change people experience a shift in the biological internal clock or circadian rhythm that can cause then to be out of step with their daily schedule. Sad is more common in people living far from the equator where there are fewer daylight hour in the winter.

Common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even too much sleep, and weight gain associated with over eating and carbohydrates cravings. SAD include many symptoms similar yo depression, such as:

  • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood.
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed.
  • Changes in appetite, usually eating more craving carbohydrates.
  • Change is sleep, usually sleeping too much.
  • Loss of energy or increased fatigue despite increased sleep hours.
  • Increase in purposeless physical activity like inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing or slowed movements or speech with others around you noticing.
  • Feeling worthless or guilty
  • Difficultly thinking, concentrating, or making decisions.

SAD may begin at any age, but it typically starts when a person is between ages 18-30.

There are treatments for SAD, they are light therapy, talk therapy, or antidepressants can help some people. I use light therapy.

While symptoms will improve on their own with the change of the season, treatment can improve symptoms more quickly with treatment.

Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light box that emits a very bright and filters out the harmful UV rays. It usually requires 20 minutes a day first thing in the morning during the late fall and winter months. Most people see some improvement from light therapy within one to two weeks of beginning treatment. A light box is quite expensive most insurance companies don’t pay for them. I have found that a salt lamp works just as well and a whole lot cheaper.

Talk therapy is cognitive behavior therapy can effectively treat SAD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are anti-depression most commonly used to treat SAD. I usually try and stay away from pills as much as I can. Some how popping a pill with side affected and who knows what isn’t very appealing to me. But the choice is yours.

For some people, increased exposure to sunlight can help improve symptoms of SAD. Spend time outside as much as possible, or set up a room where you spend most of your time where you are by a sunny window most of the day.

As always if you feel you have symptoms of SAD seek help from a trained medical professional. It is important to make sure there is not other medical conditions causing symptoms. SAD can be misdiagnosed in the presence of hypothyroidism, hyperglycemia, and mononucleosis, and other viral infections. Proper evaluation is key.

The Truth That Set Us Free

In today’s world it’s harder that even to suggest that you have the immovable and unavoidable truth about life. Absolutes are disdained, and having a monopoly on the truth doesn’t go down well when discussing the big issues of life.

In the Bible it tells us that Jesus claimed to be the truth. And that truth of who He is, is our light. It illuminates what is real and exposes what is wrong. This is why Jesus claimed that if people followed Him and His teachings, they would know the truth. And the truth will set them free.

When life gets messy and everything around us is crashing down we long for a anchor in the storm something to ground us that is unchanging, timeless and true. God’s Word is living and active, and the Bible is the only sure and unchanging source of truth to be found in this life.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we prepared to be uncontested. Society screams at us that: Complete objective truth is unknowable.” It’s all about our interpretation of the truth. A generation that usually hesitates to accept any truth outside of the validation of personal experiences and option. We try to say “be who you are and I won’t judge you for it. But these are unsteady foundations to build our lives upon.

What if truth is not just a point of view? What if the truth is not ever-changing crowd consensus, but instead is a person who you get to know and who knows you? Jesus offers the kind of freedom that comes from living and breathing what is true.

What would happen if we learned to appreciate and recognize the need this kind of stability.

Looking at God’s truth in the Bible we can become a informed generation, linked together with technology, aware of many of the answers our culture provides.

Sadly their are so many people that judge how the believers in God live. In today’s World

What does it matter to you if I’m right or I’m wrong at the end of days it will make no difference but if I’m right I will go to heaven if I am wrong if you are wrong you go to hell.

Is All Shame Bad?

Shame. Such a powerful word and such a dangerous took if used to hurt yourself or others. When used wrongly or misunderstood, shame blocks us from living life fully.

Nowadays, people have rejected all shame as bad. It’s almost like a counter-revolution. But not all shame is bad. Healthy shame is quite wonderful because when used properly, its vulnerability and humility can lead to closeness. This is the shame that comes from taking accountability, for causing harm either by knowingly or unknowingly to another person with your words or actions. It’s the shame of disconnection.

One of the first emotions mentioned in the Bible is the blueprint of Life, which is a shame. Adam disconnected himself from his loving source of Life by doing something that God explicitly asked him not to do. God said to Adam. “It’s important that you don’t do this-don’t eat from this tree.” But Adam chose differently. Just like a child who does something that a parent asks him not to. Adam did the same. This was a disconnecting act in Adam’s relationship with God, his loving parent.

And that way okay. Adam was human, he made a mistake. The problem came afterwards. Instead of owning up to the mistake, to this hurtful gesture that caused the disconnection, he made excuses.

God asked Adam the question: “Where are you?

God wasn’t looking for Adam’s physical location. God has a highly attuned GPS for knowing where people are.

God was asking Adam, where are you in the spiritual sense? Are you going to choose vulnerability and humility and take accountability for your actions or not?

Adam chose not. Instead, he blamed his wife and God, “The wife, You gave me…”

Big mistake. His decision plunged the world into darkness that were still trying to dispel.

Everything would have looked differently had Adam owned up and taken accountability for his actions. If Adam would have owned up there would have been the ultimate connection, the ultimate act of intimacy, and the world would have been in a state of bliss.

We have this choice all the time. When we make mistakes, we can choose intimacy and closeness or distance and disconnection. We’re human, and making mistakes is part of our DNA. We can unwittingly say or do harmful, unkind things to people. We take actions that are not in alignment with our highest selves and wind up hurting those we love.

As a woman and mother. I have a million ways and opportunities to make mistakes. I made mistakes and hurt my husband and my children. I’ve let my shame almost ruin a great marriages and I’ve made mistakes that hurt my children. They have asked me questions that I was nervous and anxious about or answer with impatience. Or answered in a unkind way. It wasn’t until after I almost lost my husband and my children were raised that I chose to let go off my shame and connected to my family.

I’ve had friends and I have lost friends, because I chose to make them feel uncomfortable. Now I have friends that are kind and trustworthy that has never failed to bring connection.

Choose Connection Over Disconnection.

This is healthy shame. It causes you to say to yourself, “Hey, my humanness caused me to hurt that person. They don’t deserve that treatment from me.”

This leads to connection and your little world will look a whole lot different. People will feel loved in you presence. They will feel safe. And you will have the intimacy you desire.