Halloween

I grew up participating in Halloween festivities. Costumes, candy, games, pumpkins – you name it, I did it. And I loved it.

This year I had the pleasure of greeting children at my door and handing out candy. There were some great costumes! In addition to the candy, I gave each of them a copy of this story I wrote:

The Story of the Jack the Pumpkin

Jack the pumpkin was ripe. It was his dream to be picked and taken home by a nice boy or girl just like you. But Jack was an ugly pumpkin. “I’m small, filthy from all this dirt, and lopsided. No one will ever pick me this year,” Jack thought.

But that very day, a little boy and his father came to the pumpkin patch. They looked all over for just the right pumpkin to take home. Can you guess who they picked? You guessed it! Jack!

Jack was thrilled! “But I’m still small and filthy and lopsided. This boy won’t be happy with me,” he thought.

But that very night, the boy gave Jack a bath. He dunked him in warm water and washed all the dirt away. Then the boy pulled all the gunk out from inside Jack. Jack was made clean inside and out. It hurt a little, but Jack felt good to be so clean. Next the boy gave Jack a good look-over. He picked Jack’s best side, and started to carve. “Oh no!” Jack thought. “This boy is angry with me. I knew it!” Jack became cold as holes appeared in his side. But just as he was about to give up hope, something amazing happened.

Jack felt warmer and warmer and warmer. He had never felt so warm – not even back in the pumpkin patch. It hurt a little, but Jack felt good to be so warm inside. The boy had placed a candle inside him.

Just then, Jack felt himself being lifted. “Oh no!” he thought. “The boy is getting rid of me!” But before Jack even finished his thought, he realized he was on a front porch, next to beautiful flowers and colorful decorations. The boy had placed Jack front and center! He felt so special. Then he saw the boy standing in front of him. The boy looked right at him and said,

“Now that’s one good looking Jack-O-Lantern.”

Jack was so happy he could hardly contain himself. You know what he did? For the first time in a really really really long time, Jack the  pumpkin….smiled!

There fore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

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