Wednesday Wonder

She’s making a list. She’s checking it twice.

Santa isn’t the only one who makes lists, especially around this time of year. I am a list maker. You will always find a weekly to-do list on my desk, both here at work and at home. There is also a monthly priority list at home. And, I make a longer list of things I hope to tackle in some way for the year. I love a good list!

As Christmas and the end of the year draw ever closer I tend to take a look at my yearly list and see what still needs to be addressed. I also look to see what just never truly made it to the top of my priorities for the year despite thinking it would when I wrote it down.

There are some things that tend to get rolled over for several years. Then, they either get addressed or I have to admit they were a nice idea, but clearly not something I honestly wanted to put the time and effort into making a reality.

This time of year, we talk a lot about hope, peace, joy and love. I think those four words make a great list. It would be a reminder to look for those things in our world. We are approaching the longest night of the year on the weekend. Yes, every day and every night is still the same length, but what we mean is the day with the greatest number of hours without daylight. The winter solstice, while feeling the darkest of days, is also the day that marks the returning of light. There will be more daylight hours everyday again.

We put up lights this time of year to celebrate Christmas, or whatever holiday is celebrated in our particular homes. We are trying to bring more light into a dark time. We can do the same by using our list of four words. How can we bring more hope, peace, joy or love into the world to brighten it?

As I walked into the mall last week to try to get all my shopping done, I watched as one person seemed to purposely not hold the door for the next person. The person in front of me held it for me. I just looked at her and said that I won’t go shopping if I can’t be spreading the peace and goodwill of the season. Her response was that it would be nice if everyone did it.

Where can you spread a little more hope? What would make your little part of the world more peaceful? What joy do you have to share with others? Who do you know that needs a little more love?

That’s most of my to do list this time of year. The rest is to finish up all the end of year things I haven’t yet gotten to. I need to go find a Christmas offering envelope and make my little extra church donation. I need to thank everyone for all the work they have done here at Kingsview throughout the year. I am so grateful to serve in a church where everyone pitches in and tries to make a difference. And, while I know I said it last year, it applies this year too; I wouldn’t have made it through all the challenges my health presented if not for everyone here at Kingsview.

Want to spread a bit more hope, peace, joy and love? Say a little prayer for anyone you know. Ask God to give them that, but do so also asking God to allow you to be a part of the providing. It doesn’t always take much, but it just might make all the difference.

The tiny baby we prepare for during Advent didn’t seem like much the night he was born and placed in a manger. It seems a strange place for a king to be born. But that small act made all the difference. A difference we still celebrate today.