What were your childhood wishes?  I can think of so many of mine, some were ‘out there’ such as being a ballet dancer, or owning an orphanage, or being a famous psychiatrist, can you imagine a dancing psychiatrist being in charge of an orphanage?  I must admit, if it happened, however, it would have been pretty cool.

Some of my wishes were a bit more realistic.  I wished to be kind, generous, happy and in love with the Lord.  I’m still working toward those.  But, tis the Season for wishes and I think it is so important to always hold onto those wishes, those dreams.  They may change a bit over the years, as we become ‘oh so mature’, but they are still so necessary.  They allow us to hope, to look forward to the future with longings and desires, they give us a reason to begin again and to concentrate on brighter days ahead.

I love to listen to children when they speak of their wishes  The world is wide open for them, nothing is impossible, they dream big dreams.  Do we?  Or have we become a little too realistic, limited?  Do we see more impossibilities than possibilites?  Do we see more broken dreams than dreams come true?  Do we see more gray or pink?

Remember the words of this song (Grown Up Christmas List), and dream a little this Christmas, maybe not to Santa but to Jesus, God’s Dream Incarnate:

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.

Well, I’m all grown-up now,
And still need help somehow.(can you still help somehow)
I’m not a child,
But my heart still can dream.

So here’s my lifelong wish,
My grown-up christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,(and 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.

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree.(wrapped beneath the tree)

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

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.

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.
(there’d be)

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, oh.
This is my grown-up christmas list.

This is my grown-up christmas list.