Jesus changed my life!!!!!

[disneygal33]

Good morning everyone. I was thinking about the John the Baptist posts last night. You know where he says if you have 2 coats, give one to your neighbor who doesn't have one. Well, we were leaving the MK heading to our car. A girl got off the tram and was singing and dancing, twirling around. We were just past her when she fell and screamed in wrenching pain. I started to turn around to see if she was ok. A crowd had gathered around her and my husband made me keep walking. She was screaming so badly with pain. I was pretty far away from her when I remembered that I had an unopened half frozen bottle of water that would have made a decent ice pack. I really wanted to turn around and give it to her, but my husband was saying I had to take care of my own child who was freezing from the cold, crying and tired. I've asked God for forgiveness for not giving that ice to the child. But I'm really carrying around the guilt today. I'm wondering how she is, and feeling really bad that I didn't do what little I could to help.

I know exactly how you feel! I always try to give everything I can to everyone I can. Sometimes my husband will also kind of reign me. At least you wanted to help, these days that urge in people seems to be dying. Most people would have walked away and never given the kid a second thought.

How does your religious beliefs affect the way you celebrate or don't celebrate Halloween?

I didn't grow up Christian and did the whole Halloween thing. Now we go to church that night and they have a party for the kids. I don't know if it's so much my Christianity that keeps me from taking the kids out so much as it is the fact the world has gone crazy and I'd just as soon not take the chance of some nut hurting my kids while we're out or by the candy they handout.

 

[ead79]

That's an interesting question about Halloween and our beliefs. As a child I was allowed to trick or treat, by I had several friends that were not.

The only restrictions for me costume-wise were that I couldn't be something that could be considered evil like a devil, ghost, witch, etc. That was no problem for me since I wanted to be things like a 50's poodle skirt girl, a bride, or a princess, LOL! We often went to our church's fall festival, but I still went trick or treating too. I wasn't allowed to watch horror movies or anything like that though (and I'm a major chicken, so that worked out fine for me).

At my house Halloween was always presented as a fun day to get dressed up and go get candy, not as anything more. Similarly, I loved Santa Clause at Christmas, but I was taught that Jesus is the reason for Christmas, not Santa and presents.

 

[Aidensmom]

At my house Halloween was always presented as a fun day to get dressed up and go get candy, not as anything more. Similarly, I loved Santa Clause at Christmas, but I was taught that Jesus is the reason for Christmas, not Santa and presents.

That is how I was raised, and that is also how I raise my son. We see Halloween just as a fun time for the kids, we decorate the yard and hand out candy, and we allow our son to trick or treat. While Halloween may have some roots in things I would not be a part of, I don't think that is what Halloween has evolved into. Similarly, I also believe that Easter and Christmas have some non-Christian roots involved in much of their celebrations, but that doesn't mean it is what it has evolved to or what it means to me.

 

[Fitswimmer]

While reading everyone's responses, I thought of another question. Do you use religious decorations outside your house for Christmas and Chanukah?

I live in a condo, so there's not much opportunity for outside decorating. At my parent's house we put a Nativity on our front porch along with the Christmas lights.

 

[scraptoons]

While reading everyone's responses, I thought of another question. Do you use religious decorations outside your house for Christmas and Chanukah?

I live in a condo, so there's not much opportunity for outside decorating. At my parent's house we put a Nativity on our front porch along with the Christmas lights.

We only have lights and holiday garland/trees and Santa because we keep the commercial holiday traditions and the celebration of Christ separate.

We do teach our children that "Jesus is the reason for the season", but since we don't believe that it is his real birthday, we don't celebrate for that reason.
It's more a special family holiday than anything. The intimate gatherings, giving each other gifts (handmade or bought), the decorations, music, food, anticipation....that's what we enjoy.

As far as Jesus, we like to celebrate Christ everyday in our daily lives through prayer, Bible study, service, doing the Lord's will, rather than Christmas/Easter, etc.

 

[Buckalew11]

We only have lights and holiday garland/trees and Santa because we keep the commercial holiday traditions and the celebration of Christ separate.

We do teach our children that "Jesus is the reason for the season", but since we don't believe that it is his real birthday, we don't celebrate for that reason.
It's more a special family holiday than anything. The intimate gatherings, giving each other gifts (handmade or bought), the decorations, music, food, anticipation....that's what we enjoy.

As far as Jesus, we like to celebrate Christ everyday in our daily lives through prayer, Bible study, service, doing the Lord's will, rather than Christmas/Easter, etc.

We are much the same.

My mom goes all out on Christmas. Her place looks like a Christmas Shoppe. It is beautiful. But I keep things very simple (and go over and enjoy all her hard work! )
If I get all stressed out about decorating AND work, I seem to have a hard time focusing on God and then it is all down hill for me. So, like Clint Eastwood says, "A good man knows his limitations."

I don't do Halloween. I don't have a problem with anyone who does though. I felt a conviction not to do Halloween many, many years ago. I think it is important to listen to those convictions. This was well before all the stink was made about Halloween.
I did ToT when I was kid but I don't live in a "neighborhood" that is easy to ToT in and I am not going to the nearest subdivision to ToT.
I am not worried about evil spirits and all that stuff at Halloween like some people do. I think that evil is around all the time (no special days).

When we moved to TN we lived in the Mountains and the vandalism was horrid. THAT took a lot of fun out of the holiday for me. I remember someone cutting a tree down on a curve in the road, then setting a barn (filled with hay) on fire and the volunteer FFs coming to put out the fire. One of those innocent men hit the tree in the road and was killed! That was what Halloween turned into for me, instead of the innocent ToT and fun costumes.
DD has dressed up and gone to a few church parties but at 12yo she's not even interested in that anymore!
But, again, I have no problem with people who celebrate and have fun doing it. I would love to attend MNVSHP sometime.


Oh and to C&B clothing... I love, love, love that store. I have seriously thought about closing shop and begging for a job!

 

[JennyMominRI]

My house has both Christmas and Chanukah decoration...I love ,love love the holidays and holiday decorations

 

[ead79]

While reading everyone's responses, I thought of another question. Do you use religious decorations outside your house for Christmas and Chanukah?

I live in a condo, so there's not much opportunity for outside decorating. At my parent's house we put a Nativity on our front porch along with the Christmas lights.

We live in an apartment, so like you, there's not much opportunity for outdoor decorations. Inside, I LOVE Christmas decorations, so I have a lot of them. I have several nativities as well as holiday village collections and a nutcracker collection. As a child we had an advent wreath, and I would love to start that tradition back up when I have kids.

While I realize that we don't know when Jesus was born exactly, I like having a specific day to celebrate it (even if the date isn't technically correct). I sing in my church's choir, so our annual Christmas festival with the choir and orchestra is a favorite tradition of mine. Although the Bible doesn't say we have to celebrate the birth of Christ, I really enjoy commemorating His birth. I also really enjoy buying gifts for others as a symbol of the gift God gave us in Jesus.

 

[lovethattink]

We don't decorate for Halloween. I have a Stitch pumpkin with fiber optic lights on my dining room table and that's the extent of the decorating. Our church is against Halloween and has a Fall festival that night.

I don't let the kids go tot in the neighborhood...too scary. Instead we have made it a tradition to go to DTD for Halloween night. They usually have decorating your own cookie, and a DJ on the stage near WOD. There have been magicians, and stilt walkers in the past. Tot in the stores. I saw a booth set up for pumpkin carving judging so I guess they will have that too. Last year the DJ was great, he had everyone doing the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, and much more. The kids had a blast.

Christmas is my favorite holiday. From the day after Thanksgiving until Jan 6th I bring out the Christmas music at home. We put up a tree, a nativity set and a few other decorations. The day after Thanksgiving we head over to Epcot and take lots of pics, in hopes of finding just the right one to use for our Christmas cards. Last year it was a pic of the kids in front of the Gingerbread house at the American Pavilion. We keep Jesus as the reason for the season.

 

[JoyG]

Here's another question for everyone. Tomorrow is Halloween. How does your religious beliefs affect the way you celebrate or don't celebrate Halloween?

We allow the kids to go ToT. We just went to the mall tonight to do ToT there...lots of fun. We don't let them dress up in anything evil or Satanic.
As a matter of fact, my kids saw a girl passing out candy that had devil horns on. They were shocked! They said real loud, "Oooh, she's pretending to be the devil!" Then one of my sons went up to her and said matter of factly, "The devil is God's enemy."

I don't usually decorate my house for Halloween, but I do pass out candy.

 

[JoyG]

While reading everyone's responses, I thought of another question. Do you use religious decorations outside your house for Christmas and Chanukah?

I live in a condo, so there's not much opportunity for outside decorating. At my parent's house we put a Nativity on our front porch along with the Christmas lights.

Every year I say I'm going to put up a nativity set, but I never do...maybe this year. The kids have been begging us to decorate outside, but other than putting a wreath on the door, we don't usually do it.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

We allow the kids to go ToT. We just went to the mall tonight to do ToT there...lots of fun. We don't let them dress up in anything evil or Satanic.
As a matter of fact, my kids saw a girl passing out candy that had devil horns on. They were shocked! They said real loud, "Oooh, she's pretending to be the devil!" Then one of my sons went up to her and said matter of factly, "The devil is God's enemy."

I don't usually decorate my house for Halloween, but I do pass out candy.

Amen, and loved your son's comment.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Amen, and loved your son's comment.

Hi joe..Welcome

 

[Amity 3]

you're all invited to come down and celebrate Guavaween with us next year.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Just giving this a bump because a lot of people seemto want to talk religion today

 

[Crankyshank]

you're all invited to come down and celebrate Guavaween with us next year.

That's DH's favorite holiday

 

[scraptoons]

Hey there!

How many others reap more spiritual benefits when they participate in serving opportunities at their house of worship rather than "warm the pew"?

I can't tell you how much our family has been blessed when we put the Lord's Will first priority over our own.

 

[lovethattink]

Hey there!

How many others reap more spiritual benefits when they participate in serving opportunities at their house of worship rather than "warm the pew"?

I can't tell you how much our family has been blessed when we put the Lord's Will first priority over our own.

Good wake up call there!


That's something we teach our kids at home and our oldest has learned in school as well. We've been slipping in that area recently. I use to cook and bring meals to people who had surgeries or deaths in the family. Helped with the youth and children's ministy, then took some time to get "fed" myself. That time has gone on for a while now, and I was just thinking the other day that I need to get back into being active in our church.

In school, my son recently had a Service day where they split into groups and went out in the community to serve at local shelters, food banks, clothing banks, pregnancy centers, etc. It really opened his eyes.

 

[Melwood23]

I am only on page 10 and this is the first thread to actually bring tears to my eyes.


Just wanted to say that though I was raised Catholic, and still consider myself one, I don't, or rarely go to church. Mainly because I don't believe that Catholics are any better than any other Christian church, and to say that non Catholics are welcome but can not participate in communion because only Catholics are allowed recieve the body and blood of Christ is just not right. But then I am weird. Plus also have other issues, one being the homosexual stance. But I also was always curious when going to school, especially after having to go to Catholic school, on other religions, just in general. Actually had one religion teacher try to do that, but was told nope, can't teach that .

Yes I believe in Jesus. I believe he wanted us to learn to love all, to be tolerant of all, and to just be good people. I do try, and yes I fail miserably, and I am the first to admit that. But to be told unless I am all Jesus, and must live a good christian life, is kind of hard when, by some 'Christians' view, I was condemened to hell at time of conception. Being born out of wedlock and gay, boy I have 2 paths to hell.

Anyways it is nice to find some people discussing religion/no religion in a calm, peaceful manner, and being tolerant of others, no matter what their view is.

Isn't that what being Disney is all about


Peace, Love and Toleance

 

[Fitswimmer]

Anyways it is nice to find some people discussing religion/no religion in a calm, peaceful manner, and being tolerant of others, no matter what their view is.

I LOVE this thread and I get really excited when I see a new post! I've learned so much from everyone!

If we can do this here-why can't we do it in Real Life??