The great pumpkin carving extravaganza!!

My super cute Joe O' Lantern

Luke did a pretty good job carving his pumpkin!! I was super impressed!
My boys INTENSELY at work!
Luke with his finished pumpkin!

Things are getting trickier to do this year with Joseph's schedule. It was hard to find a day we could go to the pumpkin patch and hard to find a time to carve pumpkins. Both things are yearly traditions, and while we didn't find the ideal time to do either, we still made time!

For pumpkin carving, we decided that it would be way easier to do when after the girls went to bed. Way easier! The boys did fantastic and Caleb carved his whole pumpkin by himself!! Unfortunately I do not have a picture of his finished product, but trust me when I say it was pretty impressive!

This year The Love carved the pumpkin while I read the following poem:

"Pumpkin Prayer"

{cut off top of pumpkin} Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards} Remove the things in my life that don’t please you. Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes} Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose} I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth} Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle} Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do.

Amen
By: Liz Curtis Higgs

I'm glad that we used that poem because I later heard Caleb explaining what our pumpkin meant to one of the neighbor kids. A couple weeks ago, Caleb asked me if Halloween glorifies God. Man, while I am so unprepared for him to ask such thoughtful & insightful questions, I LOVE that he asks them. It keeps me on my toes and makes me think!!

Last year we used the following poem:

Jack O’ Lantern Poem

I am a Jack O’ Lantern

My lights will shine so bright

For I’m a Christian pumpkin

My symbols tell what’s right

My nose is like the cross

On which our Savior died

To set us free from sin

We need no longer hide

My mouth is like a fish

The whole wide world to show

That Christians live in this house

And love their Savior so!

The story starts at Christmas

My eyes are like the star

That shone on Baby Jesus

And wise men saw from far

My color, it is orange

Just like the big bright sun

That rose on Easter Day

Along with God’s own Son

And so on Halloween

Let’s set our pumpkins out

And tell the trick or treaters

What God’s love is all about!