The Risen Life

There is this new show on MTV called "The Buried Life". It's about these four early-twenty-something men who are touring the U.S. fulfilling 100 wishes they have on a list of things to do before they die. Some of those things include helping deliver a baby, asking out the woman of your dreams, give a toast at a strangers wedding and other risky but humorous things.

While they are on the road, they also look for a person in each town to help fulfill something on their list of things to do before they die. For one man, it was reuniting him with an adult son he hadn't seen since he was a baby. For one woman it was fly her to another state so she could visit her mother's grave. For one school it was to buy them computers.

I am fascinated by this show. The men are hysterical and uninhibited, which makes for good TV. But I think my real interest is in that they have set out to accomplish things on their "Bucket Lists."

This show has caused me to ponder my list of what I want to do before I die. Initially, I didn't think there was a lot on my list. I have led a very blessed life and been afforded many possibilities, many more than the average girl, it seems. I try not to live a life of regrets and follow my heart whenever possible and sometimes even when impractical.

I am currently in the middle of a wonderful school counseling internship in Norman. One of the joys is counseling students about accomplishing their dreams. I will say to them, "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?" It is clear that they had never thought about it that way before. This saying is on the wall at one of my best friend's house, and I always find myself pondering this question to myself when I see it.

So what would I do if I knew I could not fail? What are my dreams?

I want to share my list with you. I figure it will continue to grow as years go by, so this is just a first stab, really. In no particular order:

* I want to effectively share God's love for them with everyone I could, especially with some of the people closest to me.
* With my husband, I want to take my children skiing.
* I want to begin a speaking ministry and talk about my life, my faith and my experiences with others.
* I want to write my autobiography.
* I want to tell each person how she or he has changed my life in some way and thank them for it, the good and the bad.
* I want to write Bible study books for small groups.
* I want to take my family to Disney World and the beach on one long spring vacation.
* I want to be able to afford to let my husband quit his day job and work full time doing what he loves the most.
* I want to resolve all conflicts that I have with family and friends, once and for all.
* I want to be able to afford my children to take part in any activity they wanted to that was good for them. (Traveling soccer, baseball lessons, piano or guitar lessons, singing lessons, etc.)
* I want to go to New York City, walk through Time Square, be on Good Morning America and see live Saturday Night Live.
* I want to go to California to see where Brad lived.
* I want to help Brad regain his pilot's license and eventually buy a small plane so we can travel around together when our kids grow up.
* I want to start something and then see it through that really makes a difference in the lives of people.
* I want to sing a serious song on stage with a mic. (I don't need to be up there alone ... I'd be happy to do the harmony.)
* I want to follow the OU football team to each of its games for a whole season.
* I want to teach my kids to be free to be silly and crazy and happy and for it to be a good thing.
* I want to be a wonderful aunt to lots of nieces and nephews.
* I want to be a great mom to adult sons and be friends with their wives.
* I want to see each of my son's baptized and follow the Lord.
* I want to spoil my grandchildren.
* I want to grow old with Brad and be the cute old couple who goes everywhere together.
* I want to go to Germany and spend a couple of weeks.
* I want to take in a child in need and provide for them.
* I want to love to cook for my family.
* I want to be as good of a friend to others as others have been to me.
* I want to conquer my phobia.
* I want to live anxiety free.
* I want to live debt free and financially stable enough that I can splurge occasionally and it doesn't throw off our whole budget.
* I want a house with a guest room so others will come and stay with me.
* I want to take care of my parents the way they have taken care of me.
* I want a master's degree.
* I want to be the best at whatever it is I decide I want to do with my life.
* I want to play indoor soccer again.
* I want to lose 20 pounds. And keep it off.
* I want to read the entire Bible.
* I want to have a regular, uninterrupted, unrushed, unsleepy quiet time with God every day.
* I want to drive to Illinois spontaneously to surprise my best friend.
* I want to have a therapy dog and take him or her places to help people.
* I want a really good family picture.
* I want to go to a beach somewhere for a week with just my husband.
* I want to take Will to a screen test.
* I want to watch Ryan play under the big lights on a field of some sort somewhere.
* Even more than have happiness, I want my kids to know the love of God and share it with others.