Three is a Magic Number

This year, we had a hunter, a witch, and a hippy. Samuel - I refused to buy him a new costume, since we have a bin in the basement with lots and lots of dress up clothes.  He didn't start looking until Halloween day.  Paul was actually packing to head north for deer hunting, and Samuel said, "I'll be a hunter!"  Perfect.  He just put on his gear.  Faith - She is wearing a costume that was either made by my mom or aunt Jane for my sister, Colleen.  I know we have pictures of Colleen wearing it.  I am sure I was a bunny that year.  And I am sure it was a hand-me-down which I wore, and now to Faith. Emilee - Emilee found a costume in the basement bin with tags on it!  She was so excited since she only loves "new things."  I must have bought it on clearance one year and hid it away.  The tag said "Flower Power."  She had many questions about what hippies do. 

It's been a long, long time since I wrote a poem--probably18 years.  Two events happened this last week which prompted the poem below to come out of me.  1) Several students got quizzical about my faith and got brave enough bring it up. One said, "You aren't like any of the annoying Christians in my family."  I thought I was supposed to take the comment as a compliment, but now I'm not sure.  ;-)  (Don't worry, I fully understand my limits on church and state.) 2) A colleague assumed a whole bunch of stuff about me when he heard I was in seminary.  It was a bit uncomfortable, I have to admit.  Here's the poem.  I've got a great editor. When you hear I am a Christian, what do you think of me? I hope that one day, I can tell you I am a Christian, and you automatically…. don’t assume I am trying to convince you to believe what I believe. don’t assume I think you’re going to hell if you don’t believe what I believ