I attended a halloween Party over the weekend and one of the activities for the children was to decorate pumpkins. As they worked on their pumpkins, one child shared that she had just had to throw her pumpkin at home away because it was, and I quote, "so gross...all rotten..and the grossest thing you ever saw!!!"
After she shared all the other children told about how they had also had pumpkins rot in years past and had to throw them out. They were so funny telling their stories and they certainly did not mean to teach me a lesson...
But as I thought about each of these kids throwing out their rotten pumpkins, I started thinking about the the way adults hang on to things, relationships, and jobs that, like those pumpkins, have become rotten. I also started thinking about habits we have that are hurting us that have simply become rotting pumpkins, like overeating, smoking, addiction...working too much...watching too much television...
Now, unlike pumpkins, some relationships, jobs and things can be saved...fixed...but I wonder how many of us are hanging onto things that are beyond repair simply because we doubt our own emotions or because we are afraid of change.
During this week of Halloween, when we will start to see pumpkins appearing on porches and windows, I invite us all to take a look at the rotten parts of our lives and ask ourselves if it can be fixed...and if it can't, I invite us, like the children throwing out those rotten pumpkins, to consider throwing out those things that are hurting us. If it is habit that needs to be changed...then change it! If it is an addiction or health issue...seek help, ask for help! If it is a broken relationship...consider counseling....
Whatever we do, I pray we won't ignore the rotting pumpkins in our lives!!!
God, give us wisdom to recognize the rotting pumpkins in our lives and the courage to make the changes w need to make to get rid of them! In the name of Love, Amen.