Grown Up Christmas List

A few days ago I wrote about a Christmas Mix that has really been meaningful to me during this Christmas season. One of the songs on that cd by Amy Grant is entitled "Grown Up Christmas List". In that song the verse goes like this:

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up christmas list.

I grew up listening to this song and have always liked these lyrics, especially as I become more grown up and form my own grown up Christmas list. Sure, they are a little cheesy, but the inherent message is meaningful to me. The list that Amy gives includes many things that she has no control over and will obviously continue to happen in great abundance. Lives will be torn apart, wars will start and everyone will not always have a friend, but there are 'wishes' that she and you and I can control and bring to pass.

As a young man I looked forward to Christmas so much. I knew that this was my one chance in the year to get new toys, clothes, essentials and no sleep. The no sleep didn't bother me that much considering all of the others bells and whistles (literally) associated with the Christmas season. One thing I could also look forward to was Secret Santa or the 12 days of Christmas. This is something that we would do to a neighbor who we would all decide on and needed some extra Christmas love. Each night for the 12 days preceding Christmas we would leave anonymous gifts on the doorstep, back porch, mailbox, bricks through windows (kidding) or anywhere else around the house that we had decided on. These small gifts all espoused the Christmas spirit. Kris and I would go with my dad, or in later years by ourselves, to deliver these gifts to the chosen neighbor. I always loved doing this and experiencing the joy that came with giving. I'm grateful for my parents who incorporated this tradition into our home.

Now, I don't look so much forward to the gifts or presents. I'm at a point in life where I can purchase any necessity or want whenever I need to. The waiting Christmas morning for gifts doesn't bring the anticipation that it once did, but the spirit of giving has always stayed with me.

Amy's wonderful song offers some things that I believe can be achieved by one's one volition. Some of her grown up Christmas list items are wishes that are on my grown up Christmas list too. As a member of the LDS church, I firmly believe that right will always win in the end. That is a grown up Christmas wish that I have and know will come to fruition. I also know that love will never end. The love that comes through Christ fills and increases as people all around the world try to do the deeds that the Savior did and love their fellow man. Love will never end, but it can end in our hearts if we don't seek to give freely and serve those around us. President Eyring, an LDS apostle recently said, "Threre are gifts to us that we can offer to others for Him. We do that by remembering Him and trying with all our hearts to do what He would do and love as He loves." We can love as we have been loved. The last wish from her song that I hope for is that everyone will have a friend. I can be a friend to all those who need one and seek to help those in need. A lot of these wishes are self-fulfilling prophecies. If you have a Christmas list this year, do your best to fulfill the items on the list and spread the joy of this time of year.