BUCKET LIST

WOW! It has been over a month since I've written a thing! My, how time flies! It is truly amazing how one never notices the days tick away. Life just keeps on moving and one day, we open our eyes and a year or two have passed by. I will turn 60 in December and I can't believe it! Where have the years gone?

My mom moved to San Antonio this past week - into an Independent Living facility. She's 84 and will be 85 in December. Yet I still see her as I've always seen her - no certain age....just my mom. I seem to see myself in the same light. Perhaps when I get up in the morning, when I step out of bed and feel those extra aches and pains, have a hard time opening bottles because my hands hurt, stretch and get a crick in my shoulder or leg or have to be up for a while before my body feels "alive" do I feel "the same" as I always did.

I was thinking as I lay in bed this morning...60 years old...I never thought about my age before, but now, 60 means I have maybe 25 to 30 years max to live. I've lived two thirds of my life and it has just "gone by" It made me begin to think of how I would spend the last third of my life.

What have I done with the first two thirds to make a difference? Who's life have I touched that will count in eternity? Who has benefited from a kind word or a helping hand, a gentle smile, an open door, a listening ear or a needed hug? Is that all I have done? Have I really made a difference at all? I do believe we are all put on earth to make some kind of difference. I believe God allows people to cross our lives in order that we may be blessed by how we allow Him to bless others through us. But have I missed opportunities? Have I not been looking? Have I not asked Him to give me eyes to see, ears to hear and the wisdom to know who He is sending?

I realized that Jesus was only on this earth 30+ years...approximately one third of our life expectancy. Look what He accomplished. Look at how many lives He touched, how many people He helped, fed, healed, hugged, listened to, felt compassion for, etc. He made a difference in every life He came in contact with and more! He is our standard today. I should strive to make a difference, holding Him as my standard of living in order to make a difference in the lives of anyone I come in contact with.

So today, I am thankful for having another day, or year or even 30 if that's my Lord's desire. Thankful that my "bucket list" is headed by my desire to make a difference in the lives of others, using my Lord Jesus as my standard. Making a difference by loving unconditionally, giving of myself without complaint, serving others without complaint, being a peacemaker, speaking truth in love, showing kindness to the poor and needy, reserving anger for the sin, not the sinner, having patience and self control. Yes, thankful for another day to work on my "bucket list!"

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23)