Two of my favorite movies are the original Color Purple and The Bucket List.  Remember now, these are my thoughts and you have every right to disagree with me, but these are two of my favorites.

Do you have things on your bucket list you would like to do before you “kick the bucket?” Some of the common things on our bucket list would probably include, but not limited to, traveling, driving across country, getting married, purchasing a home, Scuba diving, remodeling your home, skydiving, vacations, retirement, and other adventures. Whatever your heart’s desires are, I believe we should do them. Even scripture tells us: “May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Psalm 20:4).  

In the movie, The Bucket List, billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson, and auto mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) who are strangers find themselves in the same hospital room. Both of these men are terminally ill with cancer. They learn that they have only one year to live. Instead of being depressed and giving up on life, they decide to create a bucket list together. Edward Cole convinces Carter Chambers to complete a list of things they wish to see and do before they die. The men find themselves at odds with each other initially, but develop a sense of respect and love for one another. They come to the realization that they have not done very much with their lives and there is no better time than the limited time they have left. Against their doctor’s advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on an adventure of a lifetime. “God is good, and he gives us all things richly to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

There were two quotes from the movie that resonated in my mind and hopefully yours: (1) Have you found joy in your life? (2) Has your life brought joy to others? Both men came to the realization that family, friends and faith are more worthwhile than all the money in the world. But let’s go back to the question, “Has your life brought joy to others?” If the answer is no, it is never too late to start just as these two men did before their demise.  

The message for all of us is to plan and execute our bucket list and as you exhaust it, add more to it. Enjoy life and do some of those simple and adventurous things you have been putting off for years. Find the joy in your life, for if you don’t, no one else probably will make it joyous for you. We are living in a time when we need to add some happiness to the lives of others, be it family, strangers or friends. Find out what makes a person happy and try to spice up their lives as well as your own.

I was excited a few weeks ago when I was finally able to scratch something off my bucket list. It had been there for years, but one excuse after another caused me to avoid my heart’s desire. If we are not careful, we will become consumed by our jobs and family responsibilities and lose out on some of the rewards in life. Please know that I am preaching to myself.   

The Bucket List inspires us to continue pursuing things that make us happy. It does not matter whether we are rich or poor, what matters is that we make the most out of every day we have left in this life, for we do not know when we might be called to glory by God.  

Just make sure you have the one most important thing in your life on the bucket list and that is salvation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, and whosever believe in him shall have eternal life.” I admonish you to weigh the difference in living one more year or living in eternity.  Hopefully, by now we have all accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. If so, scratch it off your bucket list. If not, put in on the bucket list and put forth a concerted effort to remove it once you have been SAVED.  Be sure we make the decision to trust in Jesus Christ and become one of his followers. Set you priorities with Joy in Jesus, others and yourself.    

Let us try adding a little spice to our bucket list this Lenten season by practicing forgiveness, fasting, praying, almsgiving, and repentance.  

We are assured that one of the things on Jesus’ bucket list was: He came to die so that you and I could live.  Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.” Jesus understood that He must die on the cross for our sins so that we might be forgiven and receive eternal life in heaven.

If you have a bucket list or will be putting one together, be sure to have your priorities in the proper place.

Just my thoughts!

Robert Earl Slade, Pastor