Life List vs. Bucket List

I was listening to someone talk the other day about the difference between a bucket list and a life list.  She said the difference is on a bucket list, it's things to accomplish before I die, but on a life list, it's things we want to accomplish everyday to make our part of the world a better place.  A life list is about the really important things in life, it's about what we value, what our values mean to us, and how we live according to those values and our core beliefs.  A life list is about the things we do that will leave a legacy, things we will be remembered for long after we are gone.


Bucket lists usually include some extreme things, that usually only involve the person doing them.  A life list is about helping others, and making a difference in the world.


I never have thought about a bucket list for myself.  I guess when I did, it was more of a life list, because I think of things I want to do in ministry, things I want to do to help out others.  Sky diving isn't a priority to me, but helping someone out who needs it, is a priority.  Bungee jumping never has crossed my mind either, but jumping in to help out a struggling teen, I am all over that, because what I am doing is making a difference in someone's life, hopefully for eternity.  Are there places I would like to visit before I die?  Sure.  However, when I get to the end of my life, I am not going to be sad that I didn't see the New England states in their Fall glory.  I think at the end of my life I will think about who I could have helped more, who I could have been a better friend to, and what ministry opportunities I might have missed.  In order to accomplish a life list, we have to look beyond ourselves, not something very popular in the culture we live in.  We have to look around and see what we can do to enhance our world, the place God put us, and we have to be willing to step out of our box and do something.


One way we can help out our life list is to write down ten beliefs we have that we want to live by everyday, and then actually live them out.  There are plenty of opportunities all around you, if you look.  If you believe you want to help the homeless, don't just sit and feel sorry for them, go work in a shelter, sign up with Habitat for Humanity, or gather some clothes and actually help them.  If you believe that teens need a caring adult that can mentor them, don't just say it, or think someone else will do it, go do it.  You may be the only person in that kids life who truly cares about them.  The things you can do are endless.  God gave each of us special talents and gifts, don't waste them.  We can all sit around and say we should do something, or help someone.  I challenge you to stop saying it and go do it.  


What are your core beliefs?  What do you want to do on your life list?  What are you waiting for, the world is waiting!

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  Ephesians 5:2

Reverse Thinking

The Sufferings of His Broken Heart

by Max Lucado


Go with me for a moment to witness what was perhaps the foggiest night in history. The scene is very simple; you’ll recognize it quickly. A grove of twisted olive trees. Ground cluttered with large rocks. A low stone fence. A dark, dark night.
Now, look into the picture. Look closely through the shadowy foliage. See that person? See that solitary figure? What’s he doing? Flat on the ground. Face stained with dirt and tears. Fists pounding the hard earth. Eyes wide with a stupor of fear. Hair matted with salty sweat. Is that blood on his forehead?


That’s Jesus. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.


Maybe you’ve seen the classic portrait of Christ in the garden. Kneeling beside a big rock. Snow-white robe. Hands peacefully folded in prayer. A look of serenity on his face. Halo over his head. A spotlight from heaven illuminating his golden-brown hair.


Now, I’m no artist, but I can tell you one thing. The man who painted that picture didn’t use the gospel of Mark as a pattern. Look what Mark wrote about that painful night, he used phrases like these: “Horror and dismay came over him.” “My heart is ready to break with grief.” “He went a little forward and threw himself on the ground.”


Does this look like the picture of a saintly Jesus resting in the palm of God? Hardly. Mark used black paint to describe this scene. We see an agonizing, straining, and struggling Jesus. We see a “man of sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:3 NASB) We see a man struggling with fear, wrestling with commitments, and yearning for relief.


We see Jesus in the fog of a broken heart.


The writer of Hebrews would later pen, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)


My, what a portrait! Jesus is in pain. Jesus is on the stage of fear. Jesus is cloaked, not in sainthood, but in humanity.


The next time the fog finds you, you might do well to remember Jesus in the garden. The next time you think that no one understands, reread the fourteenth chapter of Mark. The next time your self-pity convinces you that no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane. And the next time you wonder if God really perceives the pain that prevails on this dusty planet, listen to him pleading among the twisted trees.


The next time you are called to suffer, pay attention. It may be the closest you’ll ever get to God. Watch closely. It could very well be that the hand that extends itself to lead you out of the fog is a pierced one.

Almost Missed the Moment

I almost got in the way of God.  Almost.  Fortunately, I felt Him tugging away at me, and I surrendered my will for His, and God showed up in a big way.  


We had plans to go to a worship service at our church, mainly music, and a short message by our pastor.  Those plans included someone else.  I changed those plans.  I had a rough day and changed the plans.  The other person said he was ok with it, but about ninety minutes beforehand, he sent me a text.  God was already working on my heart, telling me we all needed to be there.  Text after text kept coming in.  I told my husband we needed to change plans again, he agreed.  He had quite a distance to travel to pick the other person up, and as he left his destination, he prayed for God to clear the way if we were all truly supposed to be there.  He had a minimum of twenty traffic lights to go through, just on the way there.  Every light was green.  It was the beginning of rush hour in Spokane, and traffic flowed continually and smoothly for him, which is extremely unusual.  After picking up our friend, he only was stopped by one stop light and it was a very brief stop.  


The time of worship was great.  It's always fantastic to draw near to the heart of God with several hundred believers.  Our pastor changed his planned message some that morning, and now it was on full surrender and trust, giving up our will for God's, no matter what.  Some things he said hit me hard.  Some things he said were exactly what the person with us has been struggling with for days now, and as our pastor talked, the person next to us started to break.  God was definitely in that place.  I almost messed it up for my will.  The service ended with pastors and leaders praying with anyone who wanted prayer.  The one pastor this person has connected with was heading the opposite direction, but stopped turned around, and immediately grabbed and prayed with my friend.  God, again.  You can say it's all coincidence.  I know otherwise.  I know that God was tugging on my heart four hours before the service began to change my mind.  I know God cleared the path for my husband to pick up our friend.  I know that God put the words in my pastors mouth for myself, and my friend, to hear.  My friend committed his life to Christ last night.  I almost got in the way of that because I had my will that I wanted to happen.  Thankfully, God had other plans and he was persistent in getting those across to me.  God moves, we just have to see it.  In order to see it, we must be willing to listen when he pulls at our heart.  I am glad I listened.  I am thankful I got out of the way, and allowed God to move. 

Hallelujah Tenth Avenue North

It was a rough weekend at our house.  My uncle passed away, a long time friend passed away, and my brother in law was in a bad snowmobile accident.  I needed this song today.  I hope it touches your heart as well.  

Seeing Beauty Beyond the Gray

We have had a few more of those gray days.  The days where you really have to look to find much color in the landscape, where it can be difficult to have a positive attitude.  So, I grabbed my camera, determined to see God's beauty in the colorless day.  It's amazing how when I took the focus off the negative and put it on trying to find beauty, and unique things to look at, my attitude changed and I actually ended up enjoying the day and was sad it was over.  


Attitude is a choice, and we can find something good around us, if we look.  Sometimes, we need to turn away from what has us stuck, to see the beauty. It could be difficult circumstances, some of which may be beyond your control, but you still have the option to look for beauty.  Many right now are brought down by the world news.  Maybe we need to shut off the news, and know that no matter what, God is in control so we don't need to worry about things.  I'm not saying we need to be naive, but if it's dragging you down and making you depressed, take a break from it.  Yes, there is a lot troubling times in the world, but if we take our eyes off that and look to Him and know He is in control, our focus can change and we can start to see the beauty, the good things that surround us every day.  He gives us blessings and beauty all the time, everyday.  Do you see them?  

Joy

I got this in my inbox yesterday, and think it's something to always be mindful of in the midst of our busy lives.  


How have you brought joy to the heart of God today?    Glenn Martin, YWAM 


We can easily get consumed with our own thoughts, our careers, our to do lists, and the needs of those around us, but it seems we can easily be distracted about bringing joy to our Creator.  We can get so consumed with life, we forget the One who gave us life, and holds our life in the palm of His hand.  He loves us, and always wants the best for us.  JOY begins in our hearts and as we practice joy, it becomes a part of who we are. Happiness is different.  Usually, happiness depends on our circumstances.  JOY, however, is something that lives in us because we are God's children, and deeply loved by Him.  


I would love to hear some of the ways you have brought joy to the heart of God.  


If you are in need of some joy, go over to Biblegateway and look up passages, in different versions, just on the word joy, and let your heart take it in.  

True Love

Real, true love is modeled for us by God, through Christ.  He loves us.  That's all.  He loves us.  His love is unconditional towards us.  He showed us how much He loved us by sending Christ to earth to die for us.  He loves us.  I think many times we try too hard to try to figure out how to make God love us more, or think He won't love us because of things we have done, or things that have been done to us.  This is not true. He loves us.  It's pretty simple, much more simple than most of us have been taught.  He keeps loving us, and all He wants is for us to love Him back, and love and care for other people.   


The Bible is full of love, all we have to do is pick it up, or look online at biblegateway.com, and learn how to love, really love, not love as we are told on tv, or by society.  Love should be something we commit to, not just throw away when we are tired of it, when it goes through the tough times, or when we get bored.  Love is a lifelong goal for each of us to pursue, and continually improve upon as we show it to others and do our best to live it out in our lives.  


Happy Valentine's Day!




 Love never gives up. 
   Love cares more for others than for self. 
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. 
   Love doesn't strut, 
   Doesn't have a swelled head, 
   Doesn't force itself on others, 
   Isn't always "me first," 
   Doesn't fly off the handle, 
   Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 
   Doesn't revel when others grovel, 
   Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 
   Puts up with anything, 
   Trusts God always, 
   Always looks for the best, 
   Never looks back, 
   But keeps going to the end.

   Love never dies.

The Message Version

1 Corinthians 13:4-8


Same verse, but from the Contemporary English Version:


Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!   

From 1 John 4:

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!
This is how we know we're living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He's given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.

Falls Park, Post Falls

As the Falls rapidly rush their water over the rocks, the mist sprays up on the rock walls, trees, and power poles, creating an incredible scene of ice.  I am thankful I was able to take in these scenes before the weather warms up this weekend.  

Needing Some Rest

Do you ever have those times when you get so busy that you don't even get time to sit down until you fall down sometime in the evening, and then, you think, I don't think I can get back up because I am too tired?  You know, those times where you meet yourself coming and going out of your door, and you are so hurried, you can't always remember which way you were going?  That has been my life the past few days, and I must admit, I am very tired today.  Today I have a few things I have to do, but not as bad as the past several days.  I know I need to take time to just be still.  God tells us to be still.  We can't hear Him if we are constantly running.  I have spent time with God in my car, listening to some great music and our pastor's message from last week which was so good, it takes a lot of time to digest it all. 


Today, I am hoping to start to slow things down at least a tiny bit.  I made it on here to blog, so that is a start.  What are you struggling with this week?  My prayers for all who come here are that you can find peace and comfort through Christ this day.  He offers it to us as a free gift, we just have to take His gift and find rest in Him.




  “Be still, and know that I am God!

     I will be honored by every nation.
      I will be honored throughout the world.”

           Psalm 46:10 (New Living Translation)