This time of year is tough. It is filled with pressures and obligations that often lead to severe stress and can make a person act just downright awful to someone else, just to get that last toy that a daughter, son, nephew, niece or grandchild said they just had to have. Or it is the gift that you want to buy for your mom, dad, sister or brother, aunt or uncle and grandparent because you feel you "owe" it to them or maybe you are finally a financially stable adult and you want to show them that you can rightfully participate in the holiday gift-giving and not just be an extended name on the card of a gift that your parents bought for someone.
What does it all matter in the end?
What happens to the toys on little Timmy's "Wish List" that he just had to have? Maybe he still gives them attention or maybe they are already buried at the bottom of his closet or toybox without a second thought. You'll never know.
I can tell you what does matter.
What matters is relationships, honest relationships. Honesty between us and our children, parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, etc., but most importantly the honest relationship that we have with ourselves.
How many of us can honestly say during this time of year that we stop to think about ourselves? I know I don't, well except for when my husband asked me to make my "Wish List."
I quickly scrambled the Internet to decide what material things I wanted that could satisfy my "Wish List." I wrote the list with hyperlinks and sent it in a hurry to my husband.
A few days later, I received a new journal update from a friend and it was titled "Wish List." I have read every journal entry that he and his wife have posted and they are each inspiring in their own way but this one in particular stopped me in my mid-season chaos. It was like God reached down and ever so lovingly gave me a slap on the back of the head to help me readjust the screws that had gone loose and messed up all the wiring in my head since about mid-November.
I have received permission from Big Tony to post this here so please take your time in reading his words:
"Wish list.
This time of year those two words get used very frequently. Everybody has a wish list for Santa. Toni copied me on an email that she, Mimi and Robin had exchanged their wish list and they wanted to know mine. As I pondered what I "wanted" the following w
I want many things but, I NEED NOTHING! - Our Lord and Savior has supplied for me all my needs this year. As I began to ponder the year that was, the thought hit me to ask Jesus what his wish list is. I began to read the bible and several different versus spoke to me. So, this got me to thinking and I was urged by my heart to share this with you;
Take time this holiday season to ask Jesus what he wants from you. What is His wish list? Jesus may have been asking something of you for a long time. Does He want you to quit smoking and get in shape? Does he want you to share your talents with a church or non-profit? Does Jesus tug at your heart and is He asking you to give it to him............
My wish list for you: LOVE, PEACE and JOY that knowing Jesus will bring.
My wish list: Living a life well enough that when I die I can hold Jesus' hand and kiss Matthew's face.
Merry Christmas.
G
If you are wondering who Matthew is, it is Big Tony and his wife, Toni's beautiful son who was "given permission by God to fly with the Angels on Friday, June 20th, 2008" (Big Tony).
I haven't quite figured out what Jesus wants from me yet but I do feel Him tugging at my heart to pray a lot more. And, maybe that is my purpose for now - simply to pray.
So, in keeping with the theme of this post, below is the beginnings of my "Prayer List." Each of you are a part of it and this list is in no particular order:
- I pray for my husband and the start of our new journey.
- I pray for my daughter's health and pray that I am not causing any long-term mental issues.
- I pray that my cousin and her boyfriend will find a home to start their lives together.
- I pray that my husband and I will finally find a place to call home.
- I pray that my nephew lives forever in the best possible health and defies all statistics.
- I pray that my brother and sister-in-law continue to stay strong enough to make that happen.
- I pray for the health of all my friends who are pregnant and their baby's health.
- I pray that for all pregnant women and unborn children.
- I pray that my cousin always welcomes us with open arms to her home and I pray that she knows how loved that makes us feel.
- I pray for anyone who has lost someone in anyway: expectantly or unexpectedly. I pray that you believe no matter the circumstance your loved on IS with God and you will see them again.
- I pray for the woman I had the privilege to meet who had the strength to give up everything and leave the abusive situation she was in with only the clothes on her back and begin to make a life of her own.
- I pray for the women who are still too afraid to leave.
- I pray for those women who sacrificed their lives trying to leave.
- I pray for everyone who is in the middle of an argument that they try to understand the other side - maybe then the argument will turn into a conversation.
- I pray for married couples to start communicating more and remember why you love your spouse. Don't you think if we really knew all the quirks in each person we might all stay single or not have any friends :)
- I pray that my husband and I stay true to our wedding vows, for better for worse.
- I pray for people to accept others for who they are and not judge a person by their appearance.
- I pray that I can love others for who they are and mend all relationships long before death is my excuse.
- I pray for the strength to do that.
- I pray that each person I know, truly knows how much I love them.
- I pray that my daughter continues to see the song in everything.
- I pray for all suffering to end.
- I pray...
