Whether you ‘celebrate’ Halloween or not, you can’t mistake that the excitement of dressing up and getting candy is in the air!  (Not sure anyone really “celebrates” Halloween; maybe it’s just observing it…) Anyway, kids- and many adults- everywhere are looking forward to putting on a costume and collecting a bag full of treats.  I’ve asked kid after kid in the last week about their costumes, where they will trick-or-treat, and about their favorite candy.

It’s been interesting to me how many kids are making their own costumes this year.  This seems new...or is it everything old is new again?  When I was a kid, we always made our own costumes.  And by make, I mean we looked around the house and put something together with whatever we could find.  I think my brother was a football or baseball player for twelve straight Halloweens.  (Age 12 was the end of trick or treating at my house!)

One girl told me that her mom has a strict rule- she buys a costume one year, and the next you’re on your own.  I can respect that.  Not only is it cheaper- (when did a questionable if it’s really not flammable piece of material and a less than sturdy mask become $40?!)- but it also elicits a little creativity.  

In a world where everything can be bought- including the once sacred Cinderella’s gown and slippers and Darth Vader’s cape, mask, and light saber- it’s nice to know our kids don’t have to get some things off a shelf to enjoy them.  In a society where screens of every kind seem to reign supreme, it’s refreshing to think that kids are actually using their brains for more than Mind Craft. 

I’m not completely knocking the store bought costume; I got one once – it was a genie costume, complete with a mask framed in blond hair.  (Didn’t look quite right with my very curly dark hair sticking out, but I was only 7, so what did I care?) I’ve been guilty of being talked into the store bought ones by my own children- Elvis was in the building one year, along with Spiderman. 

The point is, creativity is good.  Thinking outside the box- or using an empty box- is even better.  Besides, when you have to actually explain your costume, then you’ve earned that Reece’s cup!

I don’t ‘celebrate’ Halloween, but I do enjoy seeing kids have fun dressing up, pretending for one night to be their alter ego, or maybe just someone who is stronger, funnier, or even scarier than their real selves.  Just pretending – even if it came off the shelf- is creative. 

This Week’s Announcements:
If you have a child 3mos.-2years old that you wish to publically dedicate to the Lord here at StoneBridge, then you will need to attend one of our Baby Dedication Orientation classes.  On November 10th at 6:30pm we will hold the orientation meant for anyone wishing to dedicate a child before our next class in May.  To sign up, go to www.signupgenius.com and search under my email penny@stonebridgemarietta.org  Don’t forget to list children’s names and ages in the comment section if you need childcare during the orientation. 

Don’t miss our church-wide family Fall Festival and Chili Cook Off on Friday, November 8th.  There will be hayrides for the kids (or the kids at heart), hotdogs, games, a bonfire (S’mores, I hope!) and lots of yummy chili to sample.  Go to www.signupgenius.com and search under Kim Kremer’s email kim@stonebridgemarietta.org to sign up. 

What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the link below to see this past Sunday’s curriculum: 
This link is no longer available
*You will notice that there is no curriculum listed for 4k-5th grade.  This is because we did our outreach/service project for MUST Ministries last Sunday.

Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
I just love it when kids mix up words, saying the words or a phrase just right enough to know what they’re saying, but just wrong enough to be oh so cute.  I’ve heard a few this week that were so cute I had to share.  While playing, a 4 year old said, “Stick ‘em up…it’s the DBMI!” [FBI]  A cute little girl leaned over my booth at Chick-fil-A and told me, “I gonna eat some icken guggets” [chicken nuggets].  And lastly, while playing hide-n-seek, but before being found, a two year hold stuck his head out from his hiding place, and said, “Look, I found me!”