#write31days | October 24

We are one week away from Halloween! I’ve been around lots of littles lately who have been talking up their costumes and getting excited for lots of fall events wearing their costume. Superheroes. Princesses. Video game and movie characters. Sports figures. The list goes on. So fun for them!

I never loved Halloween as a kid, still not a huge fan of costumes and really don’t like people in masks.  I’ve been to a few parties where people I knew were in masks but they wouldn’t reveal themselves. I’m really done by that point, and pretty much won’t engage in conversation at all with masked people.  I know, #debbiedowner.  However, I’ve seen one too many times where people believe a costume is a free pass to lose all sense of self because they are seemingly unknown. Don’t worry though, I’m not a total party costume hater:

or theme day (80’s) hater:

These days though, we’re putting on costumes and masks every day that don’t include any kind of clothing disguise. We dress up as “fine” or “ok”. We’re often seen as “busy”.  Many times we are “social media perfection”.  Or perhaps “Pinterest-worthy”.  Every now and then “class clown”.  A few times “mean” might show up. Lots of these costumes can be worn and no one even knows we are wearing them, but they make us fidget constantly like a toddler in a puppy costume. Some of them really hurt others but, there isn’t much regard for that when in costume. Some of these are to keep an image alive of how we want others to perceive us. Some of them are simply a defense mechanism.

All of them are exhausting.
But, we’ll get up and #doitagain.

When you get tired of those costumes, there are some other things to put on that can really impact our days…

“the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23

Imagine how those things could affect busy, the comparison of trying to keep up with social media squares and disregard for others feelings or viewpoints.  If we got up and put these characteristics on daily, it would change our outlook. How we see other people. Our affect on others. The general state of our attitude.  We’d be quicker to find joy.  Lives can change because we are focused on others instead of maintaining all the costumes and masks we are wearing.

It is a daily choice.
Don’t try to do it all.
Maybe just focus on one.
Then #doitagain the next day.
Soon the old costume will be forgotten.
The new will never feel like a burden.

As promised before, here’s an update to Halloween around here…

I’ve done a little more fall baking, too….

And, just in case you happen to catch a cobweb around here…

Even though I didn’t buy that little sign, they are totally part of the Halloween decor!

 

If you’re just joining in from #write31days, I’m so glad you’re here!
You can {click here} to find links for all posts in this series.

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