Harold Myra - Halloween, Is it for Real?

This Book Belongs to:Halloween
Is It for Real?Harold Myra ILLUSTRATED BY JANE KURISU Copyright 1979, 1997 by Harold Myra Illustrations copyright 1997 by Jane Kurisu All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Scripture quotation is from the International Childrens Bible, New Century Version, copyright 1983, 1986, 1988, 1999 by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Myra, Harold Lawrence, 1939
Halloween, is it for real? / Harold Myra : illustrated by Jane Kurisu.
p. cm.
Summary: Teaches a Christian view of Halloween by presenting it as a holiday on which to celebrate Gods victory over evil and evil spirits.
ISBN 0-8499-1494-9
1.

HalloweenJuvenile literature. [1. Halloween.] I. Kurisu, Jane, 1952 ill. II. Title.
GT4965.M93 1997
394.2646dc21 97-20393
CIP
AC Printed in the United States of America 99 00 01 02 03 04 BVG 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 Contents Halloween is an odd mixture of creepy creatures, costume parties, and harvest festivals.

It is a confusing holiday for Christians. Should parents encourage the celebration of a holiday that traces its roots to pagan practices and beliefs? The challenge for Christian parents is to teach our children to use this holiday to celebrate Gods victory over evil and evil spirits. It is my hope that this book will help. Harold Myra T odd grinned as he held up a Halloween mask with a mangled face and scary eyes. Greg sneaked a hairy fake tarantula onto Moms arm. This Halloween, Todd announced, Im going to make a monster room with bloody bones and peeled grapes for eyeballs.

Yuck! said Michelle. Why do people love this stuff anyway? Because its cool! Todd answered. B ut why does anyone celebrate Halloween? Michelle asked. Ive heard that it is called the devils holiday, Todd said. It all started long ago, before Christ was born, Dad explained. People believed that a lord of death sent evil spirits into animals to play terrible tricks on people.

To escape them, people wore disguises. I s that how wearing scary costumes started? Michelle asked. Sure. And thats how playing pranks on Halloween got started too. Another tradition that got started then is the bonfire. Sounds like fun, Greg said. Sounds like fun, Greg said.

Not really! People died in cruel ceremonies. Michelle grimaced. Is that what Halloween means then? Horrible evening or something? J ust the opposite, said Dad. Christians tried to change the holiday into a festival of joy. October 31 became All Hallows Eve. All Hallows means all holies or all the saints.

I thought Halloween was all about ghosts, Greg objected. Its about people who have died, said Mom. But saints arent ghosts. Theyre alive with Jesus, who rose from the dead and has a real body. We can celebrate! S o celebrate they did. L ater, jammed into the family room for cider, caramel apples, and popcorn, Michelle started telling her friends about All Hallows Eve. L ater, jammed into the family room for cider, caramel apples, and popcorn, Michelle started telling her friends about All Hallows Eve.

Its our time to remember Grandma and Grandpa. Theyre not really dead. Theyre alive with Jesus. M y grandma died last year, a girl said. She taught me a lot about Jesus. We miss our loved ones, Mom said.

But theyre not sad. Theyre happy in a different world. Well join them someday if we know Jesus, for he has conquered the forces of death and evil, said Dad. B efore going home, everyone sang Amazing Grace: When weve been there ten thousand yearsBright shining as the sun,Weve no less days to sing Gods praiseThan when wed first begun. T hat night Greg said, I still get scared. When Im trying to get to sleep, the plant in my room looks like a monster. And sometimes I get bad dreams, said Todd.

Michelle asked, Mom, how come we still like scary stories and movies, no matter how much we believe in Jesus? M ost stories are told in fun, said Mom. But there is a supernatural world. Evil spirits do exist. And temptations.