“I’m feeling off today.”

I heard these words over the phone last year as I was going through chemo treatment. When I asked her why, you could feel the hesitation in her voice as she shared,

“I watched the Bucket List today. I guess I never realized that one of the characters had sarcoma.”

Well, I can certainly tell you what movie I did NOT watch during treatment after hearing that!

Fast forward to present day, where I was recently hospitalized to have a kidney stone surgically removed. For whatever reason, that conversation popped back into my head. I found myself once again within the walls of a hospital with that same gown on accessorized with an IV pole and it got my wheels turning…

I began to think of the callings, goals, hopes, and dreams that I have put to the side in my life because “life happens” and the long list of excuses that accompanied it. As I continued to reflect, I realized that all the things holding me back could be easily overcome with proper planning and preparation. And I decided that if I am able to get out of the hospital again, it’s time to start doing them! So, I created my own “Bucket List” right then and there.

This is what I came up with {in no particular order}:

• Save someone’s life
• Write a book and publish it
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• Learn to play the drums
• Hold/Pet a red fox {And “honorary bucket list item” of “petting a Red Box” due to a miscommunication over the phone when sharing my list. Proof of completed item pictured below LOL}
• Become a Motivational Speaker
• Ride in a gondola on a Venetian waterway
• Become a certified work out instructor
• Find a way to visit/serve in Israel with Wes
• Run a race at Disney World
• Own a Red and an English Cream Golden Retriever and name them Anna and Elsa

As I shared these items with Wes while lying in my hospital bed, some things made us smile, certain items caused us to nod our heads with determination, others we couldn’t help but chuckle, and a couple where we both questioned how much medication I was on, but it was really joyful to do nonetheless.

Looking at this list today out of the hospital, here’s what I have come to realize:

Writing down our callings, hopes, goals, and dreams is such a great thing to do. Don’t let getting sick be the determining factor to start going after these things like I have! Plus, if you like lists and receive gratification by checking things off like I do, it’s a great motivator to get started!

Share these things with those close to you! By letting others in, they can encourage, motivate, help, and hold you accountable to accomplish your list.

Know that you can do it. I was at a conference this past weekend and a cancer survivor hiked Mt. Everest… with one lung… WOW! Talk about incredible!

Whatever your hopes/dreams/goals/callings may be: becoming a wife, becoming a parent, seeing the world, starting a business, moving to Tahiti, winning a hot dog eating contest (okay, I’ve never met someone with that goal, but I’m sure they are out there), remember that God will guide you faithfully through this life. We may not get or accomplish everything we want, but we will have everything we need in Him.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” -Psalm 119:105

If you are “feeling off”, weighed down by the reminder of a dream that passed by, or, words like “failure” or “missed opportunities” resound in your head, I hope you know that God loves you and joy, contentment, and a fresh new start are available today! If you don’t know where to start, start with prayer! And don’t be afraid to reach out to others around you for help! There is no shame in that at all!

Whether you title it as a “Bucket List”, “Goals List”, “Callings in Life”, or anything at all, I hope that you write these things out if you never have before. And if you have but realize it has been collecting dust, I encourage you to pick it back up again!

God is with you and nothing is impossible with Him!

Please share the Bucket List items that you are working towards or have completed as I would love to hear all about it! 

God bless you!

Sparkle On,
Nicole Body

 

If you have questions about faith, are struggling with contentment, or want help putting a list together, please shoot me an email. I would be honored to talk with you, encourage you, and help in any way that I can!