Skip to main content

What's on Your Bucket List?

 

Google image
"A bucket list is an invitation to dream bigger."
~Annette White, blogger & author of Bucket List Adventures


1. See the Northern Lights

2. Skydive

3.  Get a tattoo

4.  Go on a cruise

5.  Swim with dolphins

6.  Get married

7.  Go scuba diving

8.  Buy a house

9. Go sky diving

10.  Run a marathon



You guessed it - top 10 bucket list items.  April 24th is National Bucket List Day.  What's on your list?   The mentality of "what we do defines who we are" can catch each of us.  

Google image

Many of these items seem to require a need for adventure, which I don't really have.  I guess it's personality differences?  My idea of things to do before I die would be to write a book, eat my way across France, Ireland and Italy (all planned & not in hostels), have something to do with helping start an orphanage, own a professional hockey team, and have a really great garden that also has poppies.  And baby goats.

Maybe boring to many.  But I do have one more-

Lead people to Christ.  What is more exciting than being part of changing where someone is going to spend their eternity?  What holds more adrenalin than watching someone realize that they are valued and loved, forgiven and redeemed?

God gave us all the good things in this world to enjoy.  His creativity with countries and their cultures are vibrant with fascinating differences.  He filled our skies & land with colors and nature beyond imagination, in every season.  He gave us others to share life, laugh & cry alongside, and imagine the 'what ifs' with.  


He is our good, good God.  And He is good all the time.  With all confidence, we can know He has a good plan for us all.  Because He gave us Jesus. 

When I find myself feeling bored, or just having a lack of zeal in general for life, I find that I am looking at a bucket list that relies on things I am doing, instead of what God is doing around me.  Usually it means my prayer life isn't really happening.  


Want to get out of your doldrums - start praying for people around you.  Remember the prayer of Jabez?

"He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that You would bless me and expand my territory!  Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!'  And God granted him his request."   1 Chron 4:10


As we dream big and expand our mental territory to include thoughts of those around us, including our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, government leaders, our world - we are asking God to let us be a part of His work.  He is working and it's exciting!  That is the blessing.

Asking Him to keep us from trouble is a healthy pattern-


"But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 John 1:9


Knowing and trusting that God's plans for us are good should mold our responses:

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  Jer 29:11

"Behold, God is my salvation.  I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2





The feeling you have when you are experiencing something on your bucket list?  That's what your heart will feel when you are part of what God is doing...

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped.  My heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him." Psalm 28:7

I think I would rather trust in God than in my parachute while I'm skydiving.  Just saying.

✙ Dear Heavenly Father, as Your Son modeled for us in prayer, hallowed be Thy name. Better is one day in Your court than a thousand elsewhere!  Our hearts shout for joy as we praise You.  Thank You for the good, good things You give us moment by moment.  We know they are there, because of Your promises-open our eyes to them Lord.  Help the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable to You and bless others.  Amen.




Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 24, 2024 at 7:55 PM

    Absolutely loved this! I've been reminded a lot recently that I have two wonderful boys that God has gifted to me and I have the joy of sharing the goodness of God with them every day. There is no greater joy than being able to go and make disciples!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This Little Light of Mine

  "Women Kneeling in Prayer", George Henry Boughton "We must talk to God about men before we talk to men about God." ~ Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ Ahhh. Fall.  The smell of fallen leaves, crisp morning air, colorful mums between pumpkins, cinnamon.  Doesn't it feel like your soul just got hugged by an old friend?  It's easy to find joy in the little things in this season that give us a temporary lift. And then we turn on the news.   Joy zapped.   Last blog we talked about how we can fight the battle of losing our joy by using our gifts God gave us to bring a little cheer to others.  I hope you thought about some ways you could incorporate that into your daily life.  Your gifts are yours, and others need you to use them.  I have benefited this past week by gifts some of my friends & family have used - listening to me, challenging me to act on some intellectual pursuits, thinking of me with texts, encouraging me with nostalgia,
4 comments
Read more

A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed

  🍂  A TRUE FRIEND ACCEPTS WHO YOU ARE, BUT ALSO HELPS YOU BECOME WHO YOU SHOULD BE ~ unknown small thing #3 - a friend in need is a friend indeed   🍂  I'm not what you would call a 'touchy feely person'; I'm more of a taskmaster.  I make lists about things I've already done to see them in a list. I think in bullets, I am direct, and an extrovert most of the time. I sometimes just say what others are thinking.   I am a "one" on the personality enneagram I'm told (I'm sure that's going to cause some of you enneagram experts to put me in a particular profile box) but I am probably better fit for a bag that changes forms.  I want to constantly be changing and redefining myself (for the better I hope).  So the fact that I said I am a one and I want to change should show I can't be defined.  Except I'm constantly critical of myself - oh wait - that's what a "one" is. Here's one Enneagram chart I found:                    
11 comments
Read more

What Are You Made Of?

Michelangelo-Creation of Adam "Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself." ~ C.S. Lewis   ☝ What are you made of?  Sugar, spice, everything nice? Or snips and snails and puppy dog tails?  Spit and vinegar?  How were we made?  What do we do with how we're made?   Do we say "That's just how I am" (referring to both our strengths and weaknesses)?  Do we think we are what we eat?  (If so I am "en fuego" because of flaming hot Cheetos.)   ☝ When I think of how I'm made, I think sometimes I am like cookie dough - a little structure (flour), seasoned (salt), joyful (chocolate chips), sweet (sugar)- all looks good on the outside when put together; but I know what else is inside that isn't visible:  a mixture of selfishness, anger, arrogance, insecurity, doubting, a lack of confidence.  Perceptions lead to beliefs.  Or do beliefs lead to perceptions? And are they accurate? The ChocolaTess So just what are we made of?  Let's look at wh
7 comments
Read more