Halloween

Halloween 1991 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4 verse 6) On October 31st, 1991, Halloween was a significant event in the northern part of the United States. We had two events to prepare for: children trick or treating and June's departure to the UK for a family visit on November 1st. Mother Nature also had a plan she had not consulted with us on; the great Halloween three-day blizzard in Minnesota was a piece of what is now known as "The Perfect Storm." Paul told the Philippians, "Do not be anxious about anything…" but millions of Americans were anxious that weekend. People died on lost ships on the Grand Banks, and Minneapolis had 30 inches of snow. But it was not all bad on our end. Let me explain. We had a temperature drop in the early afternoon, and a snowstorm started. There were six inches of snow on the ground, and we prayed for the children's safety. That is not unusual in Minnesota in the fall, and we did not expect it to be anything but a fun Halloween. We had already decorated the outside of the house with Christmas lights, so we turned them on. The lights drew a large group of Halloween revelers. We met them with a special greeting, "Ho Ho Ho, Happy Halloween." There were 15 inches of snow in the morning, and the visibility was near zero. A trip to the airport seemed impossible. We decided to depart after lunch for a 6:30 flight, and the twenty-minute drive took over two hours and was very dangerous. June's flight departed 3 hours late, and I had a three-hour ride home. Happy Halloween. Tonight is Halloween; enjoy it with your neighborhood goblins. Thought for Today: Halloween is special, and we should enjoy it with the revelers. We should also think back to 1991 and be prayerful. Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, this week, we pray for children on a day they look forward to each year. We pray that they are safe and have a great evening. We give thanks for their presence in our lives. Amen