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Sunday, November 2, 2008

A Real Haunted House

I've been silent on the topic of Halloween. There are three major opinions in the world of Christians- to celebrate it and therefore take away its power, to celebrate it in a completely different way, or not to touch it because it is not only pagan in origin but glorifies demons and their master. I've run the gamut of emotions on this one, from looking forward to trick-or-treat as a kid, to disapproving highly of the candy as a mother of kids with food issues (and specifically candy issues), to thinking it was a horrible thing for any believer to be involved in because of the anti-biblical meaning of it. Still, I didn't share my opinion on it much because it seemed to be a matter of contention and everybody was talking but no one was listening. This year, however, I decided to share a completely different view on the whole topic because there are just so many people who have no idea.

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This is a picture of my oldest daughter. If you have read my site much, you know she came to us at the age of 6 as a foster child. We went through a 2 year case plan where the stated goal was to return her (and her 3 siblings) to their parents. Everything was headed in that direction, including weekend visits with their mom, when it all fell through and they ended up in the permanent custody of the state. Obviously, we adopted them. It has been 4 years since our finalization, so they have been here a total of 6 years.

Now, look over her right shoulder and you will see a trailer. That trailer is where she lived when she was taken into care. It wasn't in the field next door then- it was on a pad down the road and around the corner from us. Her father was renting it from our neighbor who has about 12 trailers as a source of income. Shortly after she was brought here and her father taken to jail, the trailer was moved to this corn field as it was no longer habitable. And there it sits.

Every day for 6 years, she has had to look across the fence at the house where her innocence was stolen. Every day she has been reminded of what was done to her that she could not control or get away from. It is, in reality, her own personal haunted house. It was a prison, a cage, in which she was made to act a wife and mother while still just a baby. Sometimes she has victorious moments over it, recalling the rescue that brought her to us forever and how Yahweh used that move to introduce himself to her through her foster/adoptive parents. Sometimes it is a scar that cannot be soothed. She will point to a window and say, "That was the living room." And in the silence I recall the horrors she has told me that were done to her there, in that 12X8 hell. She is not the only one who remembers and is affected, but as the oldest she bore the brunt of the atrocities.

People often argue with me that dressing up and going out are good, clean fun that would help the kids to 'get over' the traumas of their previous home. Those poor fools don't have the slightest idea what they're talking about. My kids have faced real demons. They were trapped in a haunted house for years only to have it parked right next to them once they escaped. They had men in masks molesting them so as to avoid being identified. Glorifying all that is evil in the world would be a slap in the face. It would be downplaying what happened to them and what is happening to others this very minute. And that is why we don't celebrate Halloween- we're living it every day through the evil seared into the memories of our children.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Folks just dont understand the scaryness in evil, no matter how we play with it....its still what it is a playground for Satan.... Just think about the young 12 year old that was shot killed when he and his father and brother were trick or treating, and the house he knocked on for treats would be his last.... Sad Sad Sad.... My heart was somber reading this today.... Bless you all

~Bren~ said...

Oh, Amy. I completely understand...you know I do. I would want to go torch that trailer!!! Is there anyway it can be removed? I will pray about that.

motherofmany said...

If you knew our neighbor...

I have talked before about asking him if we could buy it so we could burn it, but not only would he be way less than compassionate, the new laws about burning structures would prevent the burning of it (old trailer, asbestos, etc.) One blessing is that it is starting to deteriorate, and I plan to make a celebration of the day it finally falls in.

It's just beyond weird how they came to us from so close to home, and then the %#@$ trailer gets parked next to our house. Maybe it'll turn out to be a Joseph thing- the devil means it for evil, but Yah can use it for good.

~Bren~ said...

Joel 2:25-27!!!!

laurie said...

Such a heartbreaking post. I ache for your children and all those still trapped in evil and not rescued.