What I would like to see happen in 2008

The paper has been full of people making New Year's resolutions the past week. Many of them were interesting and some even funny. There was one guy who made resolutions for others instead of himself. As I said Sunday I don't make resolutions, at least not ones that I tell anyone about, I mean then people would hold me accountable and I might have to actually try to keep them and what would be the fun in that. So I am going to follow the lead of the guy who made New Year's resolutions for other people. This is what I would love to see happen in my little world in 2008.

I want my close to 3 year daughter to continue to walk around the house singing songs about Jesus, most of which I don't understand but the key words always seem to come out. I also hope that she remains as stubborn as she is, she is a pastor's daughter and she is going to need that stubbornness to make it through childhood in the fishbowl.
I want my close to 3 year old son to continue being the prayer in the family. Charlie won't eat without praying and won't go to bed with praying and several times in the day just likes to pray for whatever reason. He doesn't say much but he always knows how to say a hearty Amen! I also want him to retain his sense of wonder, every time I come home he acts like I have been gone for a month, makes me feel kind of like a rock star. He also likes to be with daddy wherever he goes.
I want my wife to continue to have the patience of Job as she raises three kids, Charlie, Jasmine and me. It is not easy being a stay at home mom when you have had a career, plus the pay is lousy and there is no vacation time.
I want on November 4th of this year Christians throughout the country to get on their hands and knees and pray for the new President Elect no matter what party he or she belongs too. Ultimately everything is in God's hands and even if you know "who" gets elected, (Oops almost went there), we have to remember that in the past God got us through well you know "who", (Oops almost went there again.)
I would like to see the immigration debate be a debate about laws and what is right and what is wrong instead of one about language and culture and skin color and for crying out loud quit the yelling and playing the loud music!
I would like to see us express our gratitude for those who serve in the military. Many of them have given much more than we will ever know or understand. Their sacrifices need to be appreciated and remembered no matter what your politics are.
I would like to see Christians stand up for what they believe and quit apologizing for their faith. The world needs to know what we feel about moral issues and about who God is. I would like to see it done though with gentleness and respect.
I would like to see Family of Christ continue to grow into being the family of God. Where we don't just look at each other as people we know from church but as brothers and sisters that God has put together to serve him. I watched that happen many times in 2007 and it was awesome to be a part of people taking care of one another in ways that maybe me and few others will ever actually know of on this side of time.
I would like to see our church grow with many young families with children joining. I would like to see our older members mentor or I guess the new term is coach the younger fathers and mothers and share their wisdom. I would like to see many of the older people connect with more of the youngest people in the family, serving as grandparents and role models.
I would like to see the back two rows all the way across be where the families of small children sit together and take care of one another. I would love to see the children on the floor dancing to the music and even playing with their toys during the service. You might call me crazy but I watched just that for seven years and it was great. They were not a distraction to the older people who all sat up front (hint, hint), and personal relationships between families of faith were established and strengthened as the congregation looked at all the children as their own. In fact when Darla and I got Charlie and Jasmine we made the entire congregation god parents. And believe me they took it seriously.
I would like to see no need for a nursery anymore because all the children are in church with families taking care of each other's children. It can happen, I have seen it!
I would like to see no problems getting Sunday School teachers or people to help take down chairs and set up the multi-purpose room on Sunday so the same people don't have to do it all the time.
I would love members who have problems with other members or issues in the church to go to the person that they have the issues with and settle them before we have to deal with church disciple issues.
I would love to see people brought to faith or strengthened in their faith this year. I would like to see continual growth in the relationship between the learning center and the church. I would like to see our upcoming Alpha program be a force to draw in those who have questions or who think they already know all the answers.
I would love to see us all realize that not everything that is traditional is Scriptural and that not everything that is Scriptural is traditional. I would like us to see that tradition and contemporary doesn't mean bad or good it just means different and sometimes different is good.
I would like to see us forget about how we did it in the past and concentrate on how we should do it now. I would like to see us love our way of worship but love people more. I would like to see us love our great doctrine but realize that not everybody is ready to swallow the whole book at the same time. Sometimes people need to be met where they are and then loved into wanting to learn the doctrine. I would like to see us realize that it is alright to disagree and that sometimes we are the one that is wrong.
I would love to see us be devoted to God and nothing else this year. If we can do that, all that stuff I just mentioned, well it will happen.

Pastor Fred