What's in Your Spiritual Bucket List?

          July 29^th of this year will be my and my husband’s 40^th wedding anniversary. I am thrilled about this milestone for two reasons: (#1.) it is proof that miracles still happen, and (#2.) it provides just the excuse I need to do something on my bucket list—experience a train trip to Glacier National Park!  The way I figure it, we better do some traveling and hiking while our aging bodies still allow us to do so.  Waiting until another noteworthy anniversary (50^th?), might not a sensible option.

    How about you? Are you celebrating anything big this year?  Do you have an excuse to check something off your hope-to-do list?

  

   According to the infallible internet, the term “bucket list” was popularized by the Nicholson-Freeman movie, but has actually been around since 1785.  I won’t go into the gory reasons why the phrase “kick the bucket” refers to death, but you get the connection.  It may not be the most lighthearted thing to plan for, but as daily obituaries remind us, our time on earth is limited. Thus the prudency of making to-do plans for accomplishments to finish, before our Savior accompanies us to heaven.

   Traveling, restoring relationships, learning a new skill, and finishing that novel or symphony, are sensible bucket list items for our physical and emotional health. But how about a bucket list for spiritual purposes?  Have you thought about adding faith-growth opportunities to your “things to do before I die” goals? Could you use some examples?

   Feel free to use the following bucket list item suggestions as:

·         a conversation starter ,

·         your own personal check list, or

·         a game to guess which things this blog-writer author has already done.

                                                         

Your Spiritual Bucket List

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly… through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16     
                                           

Musical:       

ü  Join the church choir

ü  Learn a new hymn/song on and instrument of choice

ü  Attend a Keith and Kristyn Getty (or other Christian music artist’s) concert

ü  Organize a family sing-a-long

As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people...Acts 9:32

Travel:

ü  Attend a retreat (https://wels.net/serving-you/christian-life/womens-ministry/womens-retreats/)

ü  See a Sight and Sound Theater performance (https://www.sight-sound.com)

ü  Visit the Creation Museum and Ark (https://creationmuseum.org)

ü  Visit the Holy Land

ü  Go with a Christian tour guide to Christian history sights (Germany, Greece, etc.)

ü  Tour your church body's headquarters (https://wels.net/about-wels/history/leadership/national-headquarters)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge…2 Peter 1:15

Brain-boosting and Faith-Growth:

ü  Attend or start a Christian book club    

ü  Start or donate to your church library

ü  Read the Bible in one year (several plans available)or listen to it on CDs

ü  Volunteer for an organization you feel passionate about

ü  Purchase a new Bible in a format that you can comfortably personalize

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.Hebrews 3:13

Relationships: 

ü  Make and keep a gratitude journal

ü  Pray for those on your Christmas card list, in your church directory, teachers, pastors and spiritual mentors, THEN send them a “Praying for You” card

ü  Make thank you cards and send them for no specific reason

ü  Forgive someone you can’t forget (even if only in a letter you never share) 

                                     

 

   If accountability will motivate you to do any of the above, please share your comments on this blog, through e-mail or FB post. Prayer requests will be taken seriously.