My Grown Up Christmas List - Three Things to Adulting the Right Way

My Grown Up Christmas List - Three Things to Adulting the Right Way
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 by Cindy Sproles

Image by Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay I love Amy Grant’s Christmas song, My Grownup Christmas List. I consider it a Christmas classic. Click the link at the end to hear the song. And we’ll use these as our three things to do adulting the right way.

Over the last two years, our family has slid up and down the hills of life. We’ve faced financial hardship (survived), the fatal diagnosis of cancer (beat that), and the loss of people we love. Some are rough, others are just reality. To say it was easy – well, that’s no easier for us than anyone else that skates over the thin ice of life, but we’ve had three things that have pulled us over every hump:

1) Our faith – First and foremost, I believe clinging to our faith has been the redemption and savior for the Prince and me both.

2) Our family – Our immediate family, the boys and their wives, our grandsons, and our siblings. Secondly, our church family – those folks who stood in faith by our side.

3) Our friends – These folks include our church friends and our friends outside that circle. Friends are valuable.

That would be the first list of three ways to do adulting the right way. I remember being an active Mary Kay consultant (back in the days when I had three jobs to help us stay afloat). One of the things that impressed me about the company was how they prioritized life. Mary Kay would always tell consultants God first, family second, and career third. Those were wise words, and though I’m sure she’s not the first one to utilize them in training. When you follow that standard, you have three good ways to do adulting the right way. This is a valuable list to help you keep your eye on what is important. There you go...the second list.

I suppose my own list is based on these. You could get picky and say they are the same, but I think when you see how I apply those lists to me, you might have a better picture of why it works.

My grownup Christmas list begins like this:

1) To seek after the Master harder than ever so I can learn to be what He wants me to be.

2) To faithfully pray for my children. God has blessed us with four fine young men who have become amazing adults. I pray that He will fill them, move in their hearts, and fill the void that may lead them astray or away.

3)To be kinder, smarter, more generous, more prayerful, a better helper, more faithful, tender, happy, present in the moment, aware of the needs of others, a faithful witness, more willing, grateful, and more able to follow Christ’s command – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Two years ago, we began this crisis of faith by answering God with a “yes.” He asked us, “Do you trust me? Do you accept my will regardless?” We cried, prayed, and even grew frustrated that cancer would strike someone like Tim, the kindest man around. But ultimately, we stood and held our hands high, united in faith, and said, “Yes, God. We accept your will – regardless.” February 2, 2020 was the first time we heard the song Waymaker. That was the day we held our hands up and said yes. Our friend Greg took this picture from the rear of the church, and we have held it close to our hearts as a reminder.

I’ve learned that when you say yes to God, you will experience a crisis of faith because that’s when the evil one works his hardest to tear you down and away. Faith was tested on February 5, when Tim underwent the surgery that would either save or kill him. God was merciful, and Tim is, without a doubt, alive by His mercy. We are different because of this. Different in ways that I can’t really explain except to say that we both feel filled but hungry – if that makes sense.

I’ve heard people say to pray and ask God to break your heart for what breaks His. As my heart broke when they pushed Tim through the surgery doors, God cried along with me. I sat on the floor, head pressed into my arms, sobbing, but what I cried was, God, he is yours. I trust in your will.” And I promise I felt His arm around me. His head pressed against mine. His tears dripping onto my arm.

My boys saw the love of real friends and church family when they met three families who drove from our church and one college friend and his wife, who drove from St. Louis, to stand in the hospital while we waited for a six-seven hour surgery to end. Three hours later, the doctor called to say it was a team best. Three and one-half hours, four doctors working simultaneously, and not one blood transfusion. Tim survived. They removed his bladder, prostate, a ureter, scrapped his kidneys, cleaned his abdomen, rebuilt a ureter and a stoma, and biopsied his spleen, liver, and kidneys. This cancer was a normal death sentence. Yet we trusted in His will. And His will, was mercy.

I am a different person two years later. My heart aches at the sadness in the world, the anger, the hate. But I rejoice in knowing that I am a child of God who has learned adulting the right way. It isn’t easy, but it’s right. This is my grownup Christmas list – Love the Lord. Love your family. Work for His fullness in the world. Ponder your Christmas list and see just how long it is. Maybe give my lessons in adulting a try.

MY GROWNUP CHRISTMAS LIST – AMY GRANT – Click and Play

Photo 1: Image by Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay Photo 2: Greg Spillman

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Comments

Melody Morrison From Mooresville, NC At 12/15/2022 10:10:15 PM

Funny. When I read your blog entry, I had just listened to a 2004 YouTube concert of Amy Grant and Vince Gill. I love both their voices. Wonderful reminder of what really matters. Thanks, Cindy.

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

Hugs back to you.

Edwina E Cowgill From GA At 12/14/2022 7:08:16 PM

Excellent testimony!

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

Thank you. God is faithful.

MICHAEL L RICHARD From Davis, CA At 12/14/2022 6:55:38 PM

Very Timely!

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

Thank you

Sandra Chambers From NC At 12/14/2022 9:56:55 AM

What an amazing and encouraging testimony to God’s faithfulness!

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

We are blessed.

Dee Nichols From PA At 12/14/2022 9:10:27 AM

Your testimony and faithful witness are a light in the darkness. Praise be to our God in heaven for his healing power and goodness. Happy for you that this ended in deliverance and peace. ???? - nicely written. Have a blessed new year.

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

Thank you. He is good.

Jan Loyd From Dayton, OH At 12/14/2022 8:32:06 AM

Beautiful, Cindy. We are so grateful to be the recipient of God fulfilling number three through you to us. Have a blessed Christmas with your number 2???? Jan

Reply by: Cindy Sproles

Blessings to you as well.

Ane Mulligan From Sugar Hill, Georgia At 12/14/2022 7:01:08 AM

Cindy, I knew some of this but not the extent of how dangerous Tim's surgery was. I prayed but only you and God knew. This blessed me as I read it through tear-filled eyes. But it becomes even more of a blessing as you prayed me through my cancer scare while you were going through this. love you!