Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank kept the strangest of Christmas lists. He called it "My Refinement List." He first made one out when he was forty-five and he had worked at it faithfully for twenty-nine years. In all that time it had remained pretty much a secret, but now his youngest grandchild, piece of paper clutched in hand, looked Frank dead in the eye, and said, "What's this?"

"A special Christmas list," answered Frank, a bit vaguely.

"Is it what you want?" asked the boy.

"It's not that kind of a list," said Frank.