I Wish I Would Have by: ACHUCKAllen
Have you ever looked back at a season, like Christmas and thought about all of the things that you wished that you had done? I’m probably odd in that way (and plenty of other ways), but I look back on seasons or special days and think about what could I, or we could do better next year. I think that way about the church that I am privileged to lead and about the family I am blessed to enjoy.
If you’ve never really taken inventory of a special season, I would encourage you to start. I use Evernote (an app/web service) to capture all of my “I wish we could have’s and wish we would have’s.) After taking inventory of Sugar Hill Church’s Season of Significance and my family’s Season of Christmas, I have compiled a few thoughts that might help you as well. Seriously, taking inventory can give you a clear picture of how blessed you’ve been. It can also give you a few things that can sharpen you and prepare to lead your family, your organization, and yourself into an ever brighter season of joy next year.
Here are a few of my wish I would’ve and could’ve thoughts from 2017.
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- I really wish that I had not spent so much energy and emotional capital raising money for an end of the year push. In a hundred ways, it robbed me of a great deal of rest and peace. I, and only I am to blame for this. If any person approached me for counsel on this, I would have boldly proclaimed that the Lord can be trusted to provide as He sees fit. It’s so easy when you are offering advice to others. OUCH!
- I really wish that I would have invited more people into our holiday meals and laughed more. If you’ve read this blog more than three times, you know that I’m an introvert. Yet, every time that we enjoyed food and friends, I laughed and enjoyed it so much! I am blessed beyond measure to have some amazing relationships. Next year, throughout the year, I want to enjoy the friendships that the Divine has placed in our lives more frequently and more heartily.
- I want to give more. I think Jenny and I sacrificially gave, but frankly…we could and will give more. It is the best part of being a Christ-follower!
- I would like to send more handwritten notes. Yes, that includes Christmas cards, but it also includes thank you’s, hello’s and praying for you’s. In this digital age, a hand-written note is a cherished gift.
- I would like to give my staff team a larger bonus. I think we are a good deal more generous than most churches, but these folks bust it all year. They deserve more. I get to serve with great people and I love them – all of them – I’d like to share my gratitude a great deal more.
- I would like to decorate the church and the house a great deal more than we did this year. Yes, I’m one of those folks that can truly decorate to the point of ridiculous. How cool would it be if on the front of our church we could have a sort of drive-in theatre to watch and hear a non-stop light and laser show synced to Sugar Hill Worship music? I know, right?
- I really want to have a live nativity in Sugar Hill for three nights leading up to Christmas Eve! BAM!
Okay, you get the idea. Take a short inventory and flag your calendar to see these thoughts next November 1. You might be shocked at all the things you will do, because you wish that you had done them. If nothing else, you’ll learn the joy of looking back just long enough to stay excited about what lies ahead!
