My Moral Dilemma

Two weeks ago, I dropped off Chloe at MDO, I mean PDO, and noticed a sign on the door of the room next to hers. It basically said, "Fall party for rooms 102, 105 October 29, there will be games and fun but DO NOT WEAR COSTUMES. Sign up for snacks and treats."

I sign up on the sheet outside Chloe's room's door. That afternoon when we got home, I unpacked her backpack and in it was a notice and it basically said, "We will be having our Halloween Party October 29, wear your costumes and be ready for fun."

Herein lies my moral dilemma.

Some of you may already know, Matt and I don't celebrate Halloween. We decided when Chloe was born to make Halloween a family day. When Matt was younger, he came home and told his mom what he had seen and done at school that day, Halloween, and she never took them, all his siblings, to school on Halloween. They just spent that day together. I really liked that idea so I stole it. (If you celebrate Halloween, cool, I'm not a hater.)

Anyways, so once I read the note from Chloe's school I started to get all worried and bothered and kind of angry because I wanted Chloe's room to be the one that was not promoting costumes.

When I dropped Chloe off this morning, I made sure her room was one of the dress up rooms- it is.

I ask the Director, "When will their party be over? We don't do Halloween and so I was just going to bring her after the party."

"I'm not sure," she says, "ask the teachers they will know."

So I go back to Chloe's room, "Is the party a Fall Party or a Halloween Party? We aren't Halloweeny people, we don't dress up or do candy. We have made it a family day."

"Well," says her teacher, "it's a Fall Party."
"Oh," I say with doubt, "because it says Halloween on the sign."
"Well, the kids will be dressed up, but it's just going to be mainly a party where they will get things they don't normally get."
"OK, I'm going to have to confer with my husband about this. We have not entered the "Fall Party" realm yet, so let me talk to him."

I get home and Matt tells me to just keep her home next week if I'm having such a hard time deciding. He's right. The only reason I kept going back and forth was because of the money!!

I try calling my MIL to get her take on this and she's not home, "Where could she be? It's raining cats and dogs outside." I try for an hour, no answer.

Then my phone rings, the ID says it's Chloe's school, I begin to panic inside, "I hope she didn't hurt herself or get into trouble."

"Hi, Megan, it's Colleen from East Cross. First, no injuries. I just wanted to call and talk to you about next week. I know you mentioned your family doesn't celebrate Halloween. Long story short, I wanted to tell you if you didn't want Chloe to participate in the party I would be more than happy to credit your account. There is a couple in my church who don't do Halloween and I just figure 'to each his own.'"

"Oh my gosh, I was having this huge moral dilemma over this and knew that I should just listen to my gut, but the money was pulling me back. So if you are willing to credit us, then ya I would be so grateful."

"OK," she says, "then I guess we'll see Chloe on Nov. 5."
"Thanks so much." I say.

I hang up the phone and my eyes water. I just got an answered prayer and it felt so good. I think once I had reached the point of letting the money go, God said, "Good Megan, that is not what is important here. You were missing the mark." He was able to step in and let me see Him work. But I had to let go of the money... and that can be hard when you feel you are being wronged.