There is a great contest going on, but you must hurry because it ends tonight!  Go to Life In a Shoe to get the official rules for the Vision Forum contest.  And being that part of winning is writing up my 'dream order' that totals $250.00 or less~ so here goes...

1.  The Culture-Changers Video Curriculum (3 box set DVD) $199.00

2. Hospitality CD $10.00

3. Lion Shield & one Sword $20.00

4. Cross Shield and one Sword $20.00

Wow~ that added up fast.  What a great contest this is!!!  If you enjoy great products and ones to help strengthen you and your family biblically, Vision Forum is such a great resource.  Many blessings to you as you enter along with me in this contest!!

In part one I showed our discussion we had with the kids about Halloween compared to various other holidays.  After we talked about the holidays that we could celebrate honoring or praising God, then we sent them on their ‘search for truth’.  I typed up these clues and cut each out, pasting them on colorful cardstock.   The first clue is handed to the kids after the discussion is finished. {If there are not kids old enough to read, a parent can read each clue that is found!}

Here are the clues:

Clue#1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and discipline.   Proverbs 1:7

As you begin your journey of truth~ go and find the book that God gave us that gives us this truth.

Clue#2

Leviticus 19:31 says do not turn to mediums or seek spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.  I am the Lord your God.

As God says, don’t turn to evil ~ we need to turn to Him.  Go to the place that turns clothes around.  This place changes them from dirty to clean, just like what God does to us, when we choose to follow Him.

Clue#3

God says in Micah 5:12, I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.

If God is going to destroy something, do you think that God likes it?  God will not let evil powers run the earth for long.  He is more powerful than these evil powers and can take their power away in an instant.  Find the ‘BOX’ in the house that gives power and can take power away.

Clue #4

Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.  Psalm 37:27

God is always pleased when you choose what is good and stay away from what is evil. God is our light in very dark places.  Find a light in a dark place, to find your next clue.

Clue #5

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 2 Timothy 3:16

Do you think the celebration of evil spirits is something God would want us to remember, honor or celebrate?  You are wise not to be deceived.  Many believe that Halloween is harmless; in fact Halloween is approaching one of the top holidays in America.

Good job seeking truth.  Now, like the scripture says, every good and perfect gift is from above.  Find a gift and your next clue in a bed that’s up above.

Clue #6

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all- surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Even though it can be hard to tell friends of relatives that we don’t celebrate Halloween, we do speak it in love and in truth.  This kind of speech is from God.  He gives us the power to stand up for truth even when it is hard or we feel uncomfortable.  Go find this treasure, not in a jar of clay, but in a jar of glass.

Clue #7

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

You have earnestly sought truth tonight and have done a great job!  This last and final clue will lead you to your reward.  May you always turn your eyes upon Jesus.  May you stay excited to honor God not the one who imitates Him.  May you see the importance and difference there is between good and evil.  Keep God’s power and strength to not be afraid to stand up for what is right and what is true.  May you always remember Jesus and that He made a way for you to spend eternity with Him.  The evil one wants nothing more than for you to not realize what Jesus did for you; he doesn’t want you to spend eternity with God.   Halloween is a clever way to entice people to celebrate a holiday that is separate from God.  Before I give you one more hint, let’s try to foil Satan’s plan by praying for all those who are participating in this event. 

OK, now for the final hint… Find your reward at the foot of the cross.  Since, the foot of the cross gives us more rewards than we could ever know this side of heaven.

CONGRATULATIONS!  You have spent your evening uncovering truth.  We hope that you enjoyed this Christ honoring celebration.  Dad and Mom love you very much and are grateful to God for the mighty work He continues to do in your little heart.  Enjoy your treasures!

PARENTS: you may have to retype these clues to fit when and what you have in your own home!

#1: is of course is the bible, but they could spend quite some time looking for the correct bible that you placed the next clue in.  (This is where it would be wise for each child to split up)

#2:  washing machine (this one is easy and you could ask a young child to find it) {If someone wants to use their dish washer that would work too}

#3: is the electrical box (ours is in the house) I taped the clue on the outside of the box, so they didn’t even open it.  {Also, my children know never to open it~ if your kids don’t know about it you could retype it so it leads them to the remote control for the TV, since it has the power to turn off and on the TV.}

#4: I turned on a light in a closet that is underneath our stairs.  I kept all the other lights downstairs off, so you could see only little light peering through the cracks of the door. {Also, I did this after they found the clue from the washing machine, since it is downstairs.}  It would work if someone turned on a flashlight and stuck it in a dark place ~we didn’t have any flashlights that workedJ.

#5: This was in one of my son’s bunk beds (the top).  You could also lead them to some place that is ‘above’.  Examples: mantle, fridge, dresser, bookshelf.  I liked the top of the bed, because I knew they wouldn’t get hurt searching for it, but an older kid could probably reach the top of a bookshelf or fridge.  Make sure and place a gift there.

#6: I put the ‘chocolate treasure candies’ in a glass jar.  If you have terra cotta pots this would fit scripture better.  I just didn’t have any.  I let them each have one or two chocolates; informing them that they would find other treasures as they continued.

#7:  We have a cross above my husband and my bed (that is where all the goodies were found). I typed up a certificate saying something like… Congratulations on being a ‘truth seeker’.  I put the date and their names. This is where the audio tapes were, more little ‘treasure candies’ and dollar stickers and bookmarks I got at a Christian book store. {If you don’t have a cross, you can construct a cross out of card board and place it in a room that won’t be disturbed during the treasure hunt.} I had to set up all these gifts after the first clue, because I knew they would run to our room looking for a Bible.

The ‘truth hunt’ really topped the night.  It was exciting for them, along with thought provoking and scriptural.  It truly touched their hearts and was enjoyable for Joel and I.  It turned into a great object lesson.  It was interesting how God brought this to me.  I wanted to do a ‘Martin Luther: 95 thesis’ celebration, since it happened the same day.  I just didn’t have information in time to prepare what I would have liked.  Then, God brought this all to my mind and the scripture fell into place along with places in our home.  I put this together in about a day.  This type of thing does not happen often for me… I need lots more time.  I knew it was God bringing it to my mind.  One day we will do a ‘Martin Luther’ celebration, but for now, we will do this.  Of course who knows, maybe they will want to continue it because it has become a tradition for us.  Either way is great for me. 

You know I was thinking too, that it is a good experience for them to know that just because it has become something our culture does, doesn’t mean it is right and needs to be participated in.  This will prepare them for such topics as abortion, premarital sex, living together before getting married, divorce, and so forth.  Today these issues are very much OK in our culture.   Maybe standing up and standing out for truth today will help them lean upon God’s strength to stand up for truth later.

I hope you enjoy bringing truth to your children and I hope this will help.

Last year our family went on a search for truth as an alternative to Halloween.  We haven't celebrated halloween since we became Christians (almost 5 years ago) and I felt that I really needed the kids to understand why.  I wanted them to have a reason to tell others (in love) if ever asked.  I researched and poured through Scripture.  What I am sharing with you is the outcome of this research. 

My husband and I started out with a typed up proclamation and discussion about our families decision not to celebrate this holiday.  Then we ended with a scavenger hunt for 'truth'.  Here is the discussion that we began with:

As your parents we have, as you know, decided not to participate in celebrating Halloween.  We are going to take some time to tell you why.  We have been instructed by God to lead you in truth.  Jesus tells us that He is... 'the way, the truth and the life.  This means... what?  Should we honor a God who is truth and expects us to live in truth? Why?

{This is the part where we pulled together many examples of joyful, God honoring holidays}

• We celebrate holidays that honor God.  For instance... Christmas is the celebration of prophecy being fulfilled when Jesus came as a baby.  We take time to remember that Jesus chose to come to this earth for a special purpose.  What was the special purpose? In what other way does Christmas bring honor to God?
• We celebrate Thanksgiving to remember the Pilgrims and how God brought them safely to this land and took care of them.  How did God Providentially take care of them that first winter? {Squanto, corn for them to make it through that first winter etc.} This was a day that they set aside to enjoy all that God provided and to thank Him for it.  They wanted to bring honor to God.  They also brought the Indians to join them ~ introducing them to the Almighty God. (What an opportunity for the Gospel~ a main point in them coming to the new world!!!)  This is truly a holiday to honor and thank God isn't it!
• God is love and He wants us to honor Him by loving our neighbor; even loving our enemies!  Valentine's Day is a day to show love to all people that God created.  Jesus was our perfect example of loving those who are hurting, those who are sick, those who are different than us and also those who hate us.  What other ways does this holiday honor God?
• Birthdays are another special day!  We get to celebrate the creation of you.  We celebrate the fact that God made you for a specific purpose.  Does this celebration honor God?
• St. Patrick's Day is an interesting celebration.  This holiday should be focused on forgiving others and sharing the gospel for all who will listen.  Patrick was an example of these two key issues.  He was a boy in Britain who was kidnapped and taken to Ireland.  Six years later God helped him to escape.  He studied the Scriptures and prayed to God.  God placed a desire in him to go back to Ireland and teach the people about God.  So... he went back to the place that he was kidnapped to.  He teaches us an important example of forgiveness.  This day we should focus on forgiving someone who we have not been able to forgive before.  Also, to tell someone the great news of Jesus Christ!  Does this holiday honor God?  Do you have any other ideas on what we could do to honor God for St. Patrick's Day?
• The 4th of July is even a momentous holiday for American's.  Our founding fathers were upon bended knee during this time of fighting for our liberties.  In fact, for three hours these men were devoted to prayer and listening to what God was leading them to do.  After these three hours they knew that God would protect them and help them in their independence over Britain.  We know that God did see them through, even against terrible odds.  Do you remember some of the providential moments in our struggle for freedom?  When we think of all that God did to help us, is this a day to honor God?

So, with this very long list of holidays, we are not without many celebrations during the year.  They are ways that we can praise and thank God.  They are ways to honor and serve Him.  But... Halloween is different.  It began because people in a false religion believed that on this day evil spirits from hell were allowed to leave and torment the earth.  The people would appease or make happy these spirits by leaving food and such things outside their door ~ in order to be left alone.  Does this have anything to do with God?  Is this something God has ever told us to do?  Would this bring honor to God?

That is why we are taking the time to celebrate  good vs. evil / God's power vs. evil power / right vs. wrong / truth vs. lies.  We could go on comparing the good with the evil, but let us begin our search for TRUTH instead.  God told us He is truth.  There is no lie in Him.  His Bible is His Word to us, so we can know truth.  Tonight we are on a hunt for truth.  Let's begin the hunt.  Use this first clue to lead you to true and meaningful treasure.  May you find real truth!  Which is exactly what God wants you to find and follow.

This is the end of our discussion.  You can alter and put in more questions or add/delete what fits your family or what your family focuses on during these holidays.  (In fact this year I am going to add Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day.)  Each year you can focus on different ones or make it an entire evening of remembering all the many times of honoring God and praising Him.  If I get enough response I will come back and give the exciting conclusion... of the 7 clues I gave (all from Scripture) and full of more discussion and leading kids to truth.  The treasure hunt ended with 'adventures in odyssey' audio's some stickers and other things.  I bought the expensive 'treasure' chocolate candies.  I didn't want to help support the marketing of Halloween, so none of that candy was bought.  You can purchase anything that interests your family.  Or make a homemade apple pie as the treasure.  Or 'truth' badges & bookmarks!  Any type of treasure that you see fit.  The great thing is biblically they will know a great truth about why not to celebrate halloween.  By the time my kids leave this home they will know every reason why to follow God's truth and can teach their children also!  That is the greatest treasure for me and I'm sure for God also.

PS ~ I do realize that some holidays were began by pagans and then were changed to honor God.  I know also, that some celebrate 'all saints day'.  That is fine.  We do focus on Martyr studies, but not all saints day.