September 19, 2018 “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” – Job 8:21 My family is the best kind of crazy. This past weekend, my twin sister, my husband and I drove the few miles to my parents’ house for the start of what’s become a tradition: the creation of a giant Halloween display. When my sisters and I were growing up, my parents didn’t decorate outside much for holidays. My childhood home, an 19th century building that used to house a general store, sits flush to the sidewalk. My parents didn’t have land with road frontage. A few years ago, my parents bought a dilapidated structure next door and demolished it. They finally had land with road frontage. My mother, a child at heart, was able to realize her dream of creating gigantic holiday displays for Halloween and Christmas. This past year, my parents acquired another property. The space available for holiday insanity has doubled. Ok, maybe not. But, with my family, the laughs seem endless when we’re all together trying to manipulate plastic skeletons or Christmas decorations (maybe someday I’ll write about “the flying Christmas pig”). These are moments of joy, creativity, humor and love. And their displays have become tradition for the neighborhood People frequently tell us how much they love the Halloween and Christmas displays. While my family may not be what I’d describe as “religious,” they live joy and love better than just about anyone I’ve ever known, and they relish opportunities to share that joy and love with others, even if it’s by creating ridiculous Halloween displays. They reflect Christ in their willingness to give of themselves – it takes a lot of time, effort and money to create these massive displays – for the joy of others. May we all be families that share love and joy with each other, and the world. |
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