IMAGINE… 

Next October 31^st you are walking with your children down a dark street in your neighborhood. There are spirits and goblins lurking in the shadows. Ready to jump out and grab hold of you and scare you to the bottom of your soul.

As you are moving from house to house you pass silhouettes in the darkness. Your children huddle near you. They are frightened from the images that utter no peaceful word to you. Although you may hear "boo" or "trick or treat", there is no conversation.

Further down the street is another house. As you get nearer you notice the outlines of headstones on the lawn. And maybe, that is just an oddly shaped limb growing from the tree. But, as your eyes adjust, you realize it is a corpse hanging from above. The children plead with you to by-pass this latest haunted house. They seem to understand the evils that lurk about.

Giving in to their wishes, and perhaps being thankful yourself, you agree to leave. You wonder if it is worth it.

"THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BETTER."

IMAGINE…

As you round the next corner you see a glow.  Something seems out of place. As you come nearer into the light, warmth surrounds you. This is not what you expected on this night.

             Here is a home bathed in light, permeating the darkness. Spotlights surround the perimeter. The home is adorned with hundreds of white Christmas lights. At the edge is a model of a lighthouse. It must be eight feet tall and has a rotating light in the top. This reminds you of a Kinkade painting you saw in a book that you got from a friend.

Arriving at the driveway you are greeted with a friendly smile and an invitation to come join in.

People are laughing and enjoying each other’s fellowship.

 On the right is a refreshment table filled with the finest cookies. And cups full of lemonade and hot chocolate.

Your children take your hands and pull you in. Asking " if they may have some of the cookies." Feeling assured, you nod and follow them to the table.

As you wait your turn, you stand amazed at the sight. White helium balloons are everywhere. The garage has been transformed in to a puppet stage.                                                                                              

And the puppets, they must be "Muppets", you think to yourself. 

Children are sitting on quilts and hay bales at the front.   

  The lights and the music mesmerize them. What is that music you ask yourself? It’s childlike and light, but catchy. And the words, what was that, "hallelujah hop" you thought you heard.

To the left is another table under a tree. It is full of children having their faces painted.

 With fun images of hearts, balloons, flags and rainbows.

Their smiles and laughter make you grin.

Toward the house another group of children, many of them teens, are receiving white bags full of freshly popped popcorn. They show their gratitude with a thank you and move on.

On the edge of the home you see yet another group.

 They are all patiently waiting in line for the man in a clown suit to make them hats and animals out of those long slender balloons. As they are waiting they watch a Veggietales sing-a-long video. You notice a lot of these kids are teens as well.

Then comes a tug at your finger. Your children are ready to join in the festivities. Moving to the puppet stage to get a good seat you pass many clowns with bright colored clothes and wearing happy faces.

All your kids laugh at the sight.  As another child comes up to meet you and hands you each a helium balloon and gives your children a goody bag full of the best candy, toys, pencils, and stickers.

As this child turns to move to the next visitor they tell you how nice your costumes look and says "God bless you".

While you are moving to your seat near the front the next song begins. You hear "When I take a bath, I think about the Lord" accompanied with bubbles. Just then the host (your neighbor you didn’t know) welcomes you. "Where do I pay?" you ask. With a smile you hear, "It’s free, this is our blessing to the neighborhood." After some friendly conversation you are invited back for next years event. As they leave you wonder why these people would do this for us.

After about an hour, or so, you begin to get ready to leave. After visiting all the stations you have children with big smiles on their painted faces. The balloon hats are in place. The helium balloons are tied to their arms and the goody bags are in hand. And the tummies are full. With a big grin you are asked if you can come again next year. You nod and say, "yes, of course honey, we won’t miss it".

As you are walking away a little girl who had arrived as a GHOST comes running by. She yells, "look at me mommy, I’m an ANGEL".

YES, THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER, you think to yourself.

IMAGINE…