These were the good old days. It was much easier then. (At least I remember it that way). Things weren't so pretty last night. 

  
I became my mom. I was just sitting in the living room unwinding from the day. But from the way words were spinning from my mouth, you'd think I was sitting behind the wheel of a two-tone tan suburban with a tight perm and polyester pants in 1990. The conversation I was having with my daughter sounded like one between my mother and I had been resurrected in the spirit of Halloween. 

All she wanted was a Halloween costume. 

Let me back up. My daughter is into comic books. Recently I flipped through the ones she'd checked out at the library because somehow I had it in my head that they were unwholesome. I guess there's a little bit of violence.  The heroes are, after all, fighting the bad guys. The problem is, the superpower for the females in the book is always the same. They seek justice with nothing more than some crazy cleavage and a ten inch waist. 

They're all sexualized. I realize all male superheroes wear those spandex suits too. (Feminist readers beware:) But I don't think girls look at Superman (in his tight blue suit) the same way the male mind looks at Batgirl when she's barely "holding them in".  

Our daughter wants to be a superhero.  After looking online at costume choices I've been the buzzkill. When our son was Batman (at a young age),  the costume was a felt-feeling kind of material that looked like a one piece pair of pajamas with a cape attached. The costume didn't fit every single curve on his body. Costumes these days, especially for anyone above the age of five, leave little to the imagination.

Let me throw this in. My daughter didn't want to be a sexy superhero. That wasn't the argument. It was how long the pursuit would go on in searching for one that was pure. 

My mom had one rule regarding Halloween costumes. And I thought she was terribly unreasonable. We couldn't be anything evil. This meant that I couldn't use fake blood or those plastic vampire teeth like my friends. I couldn't wear a pointy black witch hat either. I thought this a mild form of child abuse. 

It turns out I'm worse than my mom. I have three rules concerning Halloween costumes. 1. You can't be anything evil. 2. Your costume needs to be cost-efficient. (Would you believe that even some of the low-end costumes at Wal Mart are costing around $30?). 3. And your costume has to be wholesome. 

I know my mom will agree with rule number three, and I'm guessing it would've been her rule had sexualization of children been such a problem  two decades ago. 

I had someone ask me last year how I felt about Halloween with its having roots in darkness. I responded that I'm pretty comfortable with Halloween. We Christians have done a nice job hijacking the holiday. Think about it. The majority of trick or treaters make their way to a church parking lot or gym these days to get their treats. Along with their jolly ranchers and mini packs of M&Ms, they receive dozens of warm  smiles. They usually get an invitation to church dropped into their plastic pumpkin, and more importantly they receive an invitation to know Jesus.  

...put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness Ephesians 2:4

I don't know if you'll dress up this Halloween. I get a kick out of costume viewing Halloween night while eating the best pieces of candy out of my candy bowl. Will you have rules for what your kid can wear? Will you be conscientious concerning you own costume?  

As for me?  It ends up, I'm going to be a female superhero.   I'm going to be my mother. 

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