Halloween

In my opinion, Halloween is not a very good thing for children. To offset the witchcraft and concentration on death, many of the churches in the Sierra Vista area are having the children come to the church or even to certain homes for a game and party and goodies. That is a much safer way to spend the evening. Shiloh Christian Ministries is hosting the Festival of the Father of Lights. There are at least 5 homes in the different areas of Sierra Vista where there will be games, and goodies and non-Halloween fun. No Halloween costumes are necessary, saving time and money. If you are interested you may call Pastor Atticus Register, who is the coordinator of the home parties, to see where you might want to take your children. His number is (425) 508-7634.

As an educator, I like to warn parents that the day after this particular holiday, it can be expected that children might be hyperactive, sick, unable to concentrate or stay as focused as they should. Be forewarned and limit the candy and sweets and be lenient on homework, if you are going to allow a lot of sugar and color-coated goodies.

Many decades ago, Halloween seemed to be a harmless time to “trick or treat”. Times have changed and with them we must also change. Yes, I even remember doing some humorous and harmless pranks. Today, even those harmless pranks could bring on a lawsuit.

On a more positive note, we are coming up to Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukah, which are very heart-warming holidays and can become very educational.

Honoring the men and women who helped us keep our four freedoms!

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have sacrificed their time and lives for our freedom over the centuries. It has also become a holiday weekend in which we take time to enjoy those freedoms. 

On January 6, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt gave a speech to Congress about the four freedoms we enjoy in America, not necessarily enjoyed anywhere else. In December of that year we entered World War II to ensure that we would not lose such freedoms. 

The Four Freedoms articulated by Roosevelt and later sculpted by Walter Russell were:

1. The freedom of speech and expression

2. The freedom to worship God in a person’s own way 

3. Freedom from want 

4. Freedom from fear

Today, we are in a societal battle to preserve these same freedoms. It bothers me that we no longer give a lot of attention to our founding fathers in schools across the country. Many of them are actually being vilified. Yet, over two hundred founding fathers gave their finances, time and their lives to sculpturing our future; a future in which we could enjoy “the four freedoms”.

Not only am I thankful for the living veterans and currently active military individuals, but I am also very thankful for the signers of the Declaration of Independence and for men like the uncompromising George Washington at and his rag-tag army’s final victory over the British. His leadership over the fledgling country is unparalleled in the history of nations.

I am proud of Francis Scott Key’s poetic writing of the brave example of the men who wouldn’t give in to tyranny and who defended our determination to be free by defending the flag that stood for our new republic. 

I am thankful for men like Thomas Jefferson who presented the words of Jesus to be distributed to the Native Americans and his letter that declared no law could be made to take away our religious liberty and that the government was to have no authority over our religious inclinations or our churches. I am thankful he formed the navy to destroy the Muslim pirates at the battle of Tripoli and the Mediterranean Sea. 

I am thankful for John Adams who gave such a clear vision of the uniqueness of America and his son, John Quincy Adams who mentored Abraham Lincoln, who brought about the destruction of slavery. 

I am thankful for Martin Luther King’s influence, which brought about an end to laws still honoring slavery. I am thankful for his great speech, “I have a dream”, a vision of what we could accomplish and who we could be as an exceptional nation of goodness and mercy and truth put forth by Almighty God.

I am thankful for a nation that still displays its motto, “In God We Trust”, for surely there is not better reason to remember those who have given us the four freedoms to honor and cherish.