Must Have Items!

The holiday give me buzz now begins even before the giving of thanks ends. It starts earlier every year. Retailers can no longer wait until Friday at 5am to start collecting our Christmas cash and are now open on Thanksgiving. Some are incredibly thoughtful and do not open their doors until midnight. How kind of them to wait. I am sure their employees appreciate that gesture. I guess a big chunk of the blame has to be placed on the consumer who willingly spends their day of thanks strategically planning their score of the must have items. Gratitude, thoughtfulness, and family are thrown aside for the selfish pursuit of the latest and greatest gadgets at the lowest price of the season.

What are your “must have” items? There might have been a time in my life when it included the state of the art video game Pong or Barry Manilow’s album featuring the hit song Mandy – and now you know how old I am – but thankfully I have grown up. My wish list can’t be purchased. Some of it may not even be attainable but that doesn’t stop it from being included in my daily prayers. 

First on my list would be to open my door and find my prodigal had returned home. 

I would want for the health of my dad – who loves to piddle in his yard – to be restored and for him to be able to enjoy cutting his lawn again.

For my son whose “happily ever after” ended heartbreakingly, I would want him to be able to trust when love came knocking at his door again. 

For my generous and giving daughter who is just the cutest mom to my adorable grandson, I wish for her to be blessed with another child. (And for the record, her hubby is a pretty cute dad as well!) 

I would love for my daughter who would never ever want to hurt anyone’s feelings to find a mate that would deserve her kindness – without ever having to go on another blind date!

For my 6’2” son who would love to grow to be 6’8” and have a career in the NBA, I hope he will be perfectly content with the life God wants him to have.

For those whose list include a big screen television or the iPhone (insert current number), I am not sure if I envy or pity those people. Maybe they have been fortunate and have escaped the kind of heartache that causes deep reflection about the priorities of their life. And yet isn’t that what makes us kind and compassionate human beings. I will gladly take the sorrow that accompanies my “grown-up” wish list because I would much rather be surrounded by family than amongst a group of strangers fighting over a PlayStation 3 at Wal-Mart any day of the week. Health, happiness, family, faith, and love should be everyone’s must have items this and every holiday season.