My Grown Up Christmas/New Years Wish List

New Years..A time of year when people reflect back with great nostalgia on the events that have circumvented their life. It's a time when one stops and reminisces both with joy and sometimes sadness, over the happenings of the last year of this so-called thing known as life. What is it about this time of year that produces something within us that feels it necessary to make changes, more so than any other time of the year. What is it that stops us dead in our tracks and makes us think of the many blessings we have, as well as the piles of changes we feel necessary to make in order to "better" ourselves? Well, don't expect me to open the floodgates of wisdom, I'm just a voice hiding behind a keyboard, banging away some lingering thoughts. But, I did some reflecting of my own about 2010 and came up with my own grown up Christmas and New Years wishes. They are just some of my dreams and changes I would love to see in the world and myself. Without any rhyme or reason and not in any particular or edited order, here are the first things that came to my mind:

1. I wish that the 147,000,000 orphans in the world would be adopted and no longer feel the sting of being fatherless
2. I wish that we would let go of our expectations of what we think our lives should look like and see the beauty of letting God map things out-even and especially if He changes plans radically, as He often does.
3. I wish that we would learn to love each other, really and truly love each other.
4. Given number 3, I wish that we would learn to love without expectation, particularly of perfection or of anyone being able to love or know you as only God can.
5. In addition to 3 and 4, I wish that we would love people who can't love us in return and have absolutely nothing to give us.
6. I wish that Christians would reflect Christ in a loving way and not a legalistic, self-promoting, "I have a better walk than you" way.
7. In consideration of number 6, I wish that Christians would recognize the beauty and cost of the cross in which Christ died on, and live a life of surrender and obedience that reflects the relentless grace in which we were freely and with great love, given.
8. I wish that people would laugh more. The kind of laugh that comes from the heart and makes your sides ache from the extent of laughing you've done!
9. I wish that families would be healed and lives be restored.
10. I wish that we would deal with the past, heal any and all pain we have both suffered and caused and move on, knowing that life is short and the only person you are hurting by avoiding it, is you.
11. Upon reflection of number 10, I wish that no matter how much time has passed, we would recognize the value of simply saying to someone, "I'm sorry" and actually meaning it from the heart.
12. I wish that we would look to the poor and needy, with eyes of love instead of eyes of judgement or apathy.
13. I wish that 10% would not be a standard of tithing or giving and that when we consider those in need, we wouldn't just give them old and used things.
14. I wish that people would learn to really communicate with each other and respect each other enough to say both the hard and the good things; that pride would not be a factor of how we deal with each other.
15. I wish that hunger, AIDS, poverty, selfishness and greed would become obsolete.
16. I wish that people would keep in touch with each better.
17. I wish that people would say the word love when it counts and not as a closing to a text or an email to everyone you know.
18. I wish that we would eat more real food and less fake, boxed, processed, zero nutritional value, food. As well as exercise regularly and treat our bodies as God intended-throughout the whole year and not just after the first of every year.
19. I wish that Amos Lee and Ray Lamontagne would hold a private concert just for me. :)
20. I wish that people would stop waiting for the perfect time to take a dream vacation, or to burn that special candle and just do it; today is as perfect as any.
21. I wish more people would live the faith they claim and step out in BOLDNESS for God.
22. I wish we would stop making excuses.
23. I wish we would sometimes, inexplicably, and without explanation, live as children and do spontaneous, and maybe for some, completely out of character things.
24. Reflecting on 23, I wish more of us would be adults and handle our relationships, finances, jobs, lives with responsibility; understanding that there are consequences that come with our actions.
25. I wish we would dream big and believe in ourselves enough to get up and go live those dreams.
26. I wish that the world would come to know Christ for the beautiful, amazing, life-changing gift that He is to us and follow Him with every ounce of our being.
27. I wish that we would meet people where they are and be willing to stand by them through the difficult journey of change, with love and patience, instead of a critical and harsh spirit.
28. I wish that we would learn when to stay and when to gracefully walk away.
29. I wish that I will be able to feel the sand between my toes and the sun both rise and set over the Fijian Islands, and SOON!
30. I wish we would stop wishing..and by the grace of God, make things come true.

Happy New Year! May God open our eyes and our hearts to more of Him in 2011!