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My grown-up Christmas list

December 24, 2009 — Leave a comment

Christmas Eve seems a perfect time to reflect on what it is I most wish for as a grown-up. And yes, I use that term loosely, because who among us ever completely feels grown-up? I sometimes find myself longing for the innocence of childhood.

I remember very well marking items in the Sears and JCPenney catalogs as I created a ‘wish list’ in my younger days.  I often find myself sitting in our living room, looking at our tree (at right) and thinking about what I most wish for now. Most of us, I believe, still have ‘wish lists,’ but we rarely write them down in our hurried lives. It’s true that the best things in life can’t be wrapped in pretty paper and finished off with a bow.

Here’s my grown-up Christmas list — in no particular order:

  • I wish for more people to know Christ personally.
  • I wish for a cure for cancer, a disease that has taken its toll on my family through the years — and that currently threatens the lives of many.
  • I wish for a few new deep friendships where I can be free to be me.
  • I wish for more quiet time with God, to know Him better.
  • I wish for more quality time with my wife. Our waking moments together are so busy.
  • I wish for more children in this world to have the blessing of godly parents.
  • I wish for protection for our troops, wherever they may serve.
  • I wish for peace in a world full of chaos.
  • I wish for time to stand still for those few moments when I hold my children in my arms.
  • I wish for godly spouses for my children when they grow up.

And yes, I will always wish for a white Christmas — and am hopeful that one day that one really will come true!

There are so many more things that I wish for — and pray for. I encourage you to take a moment to jot down your own grown-up Christmas list.

I pray that you will always remember that Jesus is the reason for this wonderful season of the year.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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Thoughts on Thanksgiving

November 24, 2009 — 1 Comment

Nestled snugly between the widely commercialized holidays of Halloween and Christmas lies a special day called Thanksgiving . . . a day on which we are encouraged to offer gratitude for our many blessings.

Sadly, I think that for many Thanksgiving Day is little more than an opportunity to overindulge on favorite food items, binge on college football contests, and enjoy a day off work.

This Thanksgiving I challenge you to truly pause to count your blessings — “name them one by one,” as the old familiar hymn so aptly puts it. No matter how many challenges this year has brought, there are still countless things for which we have reason to be thankful.

My family and I are grateful for a new church family — and a much-needed increase in empathy for those who are unemployed. As so many continue to struggle with unemployment, I am reminded of God’s provision, and I pray regularly for friends and family members still looking for work.

I’m grateful also that despite sweeping social and political changes, God has blessed us with freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, among others.

I’m grateful for family and friends who make me a better person than I’d be by myself. Their love, prayers, and constant encouragement challenge me to live a life worthy of the calling I’ve received in Christ.

Many of you have had a tough year. No doubt about it. Scripture tells us to give thanks in all things. And I pray that this Thanksgiving, you’ll be able to do just that.

And as retailers roll out the red carpets this weekend, remember that the best things in life aren’t things at all; they’re those intangibles that we so often take for granted — just because we can’t touch them.

No coupons. No discounts. No early-bird savings necessary. These are the things that are truly priceless.

It’s kind of funny, isn’t it? Just think, one day those things we can’t see on this earth will be the only things that matter. Perhaps we should begin practicing proper gratitude today.

May your Thanksgiving be filled with faith, family, and friendship.

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