Reformation Day and The Scrolls

         So, we're being the 'odd' ones and not celebrating Halloween this year. I'm ok with that.

    I have been feeling a bit awkward for the past few years about our 'Harvest Festival' celebrations. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love to make cute costumes for the girls, and I love even more thinking about great ideas on what we all could be as a family (think themed costumes as a family!)..... BUT, if we are truly believers of Christ, then why are we celebrating a pagan holiday that encourages our children to go to a stranger's house and ask for candy or they will play a trick on them?! Or, if your one of the exclusive Harvest Festival kinda people (like we were the last few years) are we really redeeming our time while doing the same thing, just in a church parking lot?

      Now, please don't take this as me telling you what you should do. I am just telling you where we are at presently. I have however, have come to learn so much more about October 31 and what that means for the Church. It's interesting, and exciting to share with my kiddos! After reading this post and this one I decided to really teach some lessons on Martin Luther and the Reformation. I know my girls are a little young for a full on history lesson on the Reformation and the Church (well, and I don't know near enough about it myself!). But, they are odd enough to learn that we are redeeming October 31st and studying about a bold man that pursued the Truth even when it was difficult and unpopular. 

The girls 'nailing' the 95 Theses to the door!

     Unbeknownst to me when I signed us up for a docent lead tour of The Dead Sea Scrolls at Southwestern Theological Seminary, it would fall the Monday before October 31st. Praise God for such a timely field trip! So, on Monday we started the week with seeing The Scrolls and in the tour there are several Bible's from Luther's time and one He was given credit for translating. It was a great day to really see pieces of history that were from the time of Jesus. After the tour and looking at everything, there is a dig site set up outside. They created an excavation site and an actual spot for the kiddos to dig for broken pieces of pottery- from a real dig site in Israel. This pottery is really 1000-2000 years old! Awesome!! There is more of course that I could tell you about, but seeing it would be so much better! If you are ever near the Scrolls, I would encourage you to go. It was the best money we have spent on field trips in a long time!

  So, all in all this week has been busy, but good and we have learned quite a bit. Even though we didn't celebrate one day as many others did, we did redeem our time and learn some church history that we actually touched this week! *beam*

If you'd like more information about Reformation Day and Martin Luther here are a few links about them both:
    1. Mustard Seeds shares some activities and history
    2. Door Posts has a whole kit!
    3. Martin Luther's 95 Theses
    4. When You Rise shares her activities

 What did you do this week?  What lessons in history are you studying?