Bucket List

A bucket list is a number of experiences or achievements a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. Here's mine: 

1. Fall in love.

2. Successful marriage.

3. Healthy and happy kids. 

4. Punaluu County (Black Sand) Beach in Hawaii.

5. Fireworks at Mount Rushmore.

6. Write a children's book. 

7. Take voice lessons. 

8. Flip a house to sell. 

9. Go swimming with Dolphins.

10. Take up dancing: Salsa, Line dance, Tap dance, Tango, Ballroom dancing, etc.

11. Join a Social Etiquette Class.

12. Be kissed in the rain. 

13. Fireworks in Duluth.

14. Fly in a Hot- air Balloon.

15. Start my own business (Childcare). 

16. Go Scuba Diving/Snorkeling and experience marine life up close. 

17. See a Broadway Musical. 

18. Participate in the Color Run. 

19. Ride an Elephant. 

20. Stay at an underwater hotel in Fiji.

21. Visit the Walk of Fame.

22. Go Zorbing.

23. Watch the ball drop in Times Square. 

24. Jump in a pool fully clothed.

25. Visit a Chocolate Factory (Hershey, Pennsylvania). 

26. Kiss under fireworks. 

27. Play messy Twister.

28. Smash a pie in someone's face.

29. Sing Karaoke.

30. Swim in Lake Superior.

31. Live in a house with a turret.

32. Teach 1st grade at a public school. 

33. Homeschool my kids.

34. Be a Mommy Blogger!

35. Drive a mini-van.

36. Fill a truck bed full of pillows and blankets and drive to the middle of nowhere to go stargazing.

37. Graduate college.

38. Attach a lock to a love bridge.

39. Visit Pixar Studios. 

40. Stay in Cinderella's Castle.

41. Go down the Shark Tank water slide at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.

42. Swim with the Manatees in Florida.

43. Visit the largest swimming pool in the World (Algarrobo, Chile). It covers 20 acres which means I'll be swimming with no worries about sea creatures!

44. Visit Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

45. Go Mini- golfing.

46.  Move to Duluth.

47. Learn how to snowboard. 

48. Learn how to sew.

49. Visit all the mega churches in the United States. 

50. Put a piece of gum on the gum wall in Seattle.

Plans are Thwarted

Some of you already know this, but for those of you who don't, I am an education major. In September, I started my methods classes which allowed me to put the concepts I have been studying for years into practice. I had big plans for my first day. What could go wrong? I mean I already knew my mentor teacher. I knew exactly where the school was and how long it would take me to get there. I planned what time I was going to leave. I laid out my clothes the night before... Everything was going to go smoothly or so I thought.

The next morning, I woke up at 6:40. My alarm wasn't set to go off until 7:10 so I tried to go back to sleep. At 7:10, I rolled over to check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, e-mail and of course my text messages. I don't know what I was thinking when I set my alarm Sunday night but at 7:12 I realized I needed to be at school by 8am. I darted out of bed and got ready to go in less than 20 minutes.

Thankfully, I didn't hit any traffic on the way and I was so grateful I knew where the school was. I got to the school that I was sure was where I needed to be and guess what? That was the wrong school!! Keep in mind now it is 7:52 at this point. I quick pull into the parking lot to turn around and of course, I can't get out of the parking lot because there were tons of cars headed my way. At 7:55 I pull out of the parking lot and which leaves me with 5 minutes to get to school. My GPS tells me I am only four minutes away so I stay hopeful but know I will hit every light along the way. To my surprise, I hit all green lights and I pulled into the right school at 7:59. I grabbed my bags and ran into the building.

That afternoon, I got home and opened my Jesus Calling Devotion. It was exactly what I needed to hear and it just so happens the devotion was written for today, January 20th so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Approach this day with awareness of who is boss. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrates the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something quite different from what you expected. It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My way as better than yours. Don't try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. "Jeremiah 29:11

Live for Today

James 4:14 “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

On Sunday November 10, my dog was running down the steps to go play Frisbee when she either miss stepped or missed a step and fell. She started squealing and could not walk. We took her to the emergency vet where they did an x-ray. She had fractured her elbow and would need surgery. She fractured her other elbow when we was six months old. We gave her surgery and she made a full recovery. This time was different though. Because of her age there was no guarantee she would make a full recovery and surgery cost several thousands of dollars so we made a hard decision and decided to put her down.

That day started off just as any other day and then the unexpected happened. Throughout the whole day I kept thinking about how short life is and that none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. I find myself pushing things off until tomorrow whether it is really tomorrow or a month from, a year from now or even five years from now. I get so caught up in today and what needs to get done that I need to start living life as if there is no tomorrow because tomorrow may never come. I need to do things like stare in wonderment of the starry night, actually stop to smell a rose, really and truly do unto others, and love those He has placed in my life especially those who are hard to love. 

Thank God for today, for giving you breath and enjoy the simple things in life. I know I will.

Happy Birthday!

July and August seem to be full of birthdays. Last week I was able to celebrate birthdays with two friends from elementary school. I have known Donna since the 1st grade and Alison since we were in 5th grade. I am so grateful to have these two in my life! 

Happy Birthday, Girlies!

WCAGLS and Bob Goff

Bob Goff is hilarious and so full of wisdom! I loved his stories and could have listened to him talk for at least another hour. He was great! I think him and Patrick Lencioni made the Global Leadership Summit. I bought Bob's book, Love Does months ago, but have not gotten around to reading it yet. But now, after hearing him speak, I am more eager to read it than ever! Just like my other posts, below are notes from Bob's session. 

Love God. Love People. Do stuff.

Let it develop over time. Do not rush it, it ruins it.

Live a life worthy of the call you have received.

See people for who they are becoming.

Say to people, "It's good to see ya!" 

Let all that you do be done in love.

I want to hear God say, "You are who I made you to be."

Put the exclamation point after the right stuff.

I used to want to fix people, but now, I just want to be with them. 

Nothing will ever separate us from the love of God.

God's ability to forgive us is not limited by our ability to get it.

God wants to blow your minds. He took the foolish things of the World to shame the wise so that no one can boast. 

If you create some margin, Jesus will shove some terrific things in that space. 

Too often, we are posers. Don't be afraid. Be you. Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Leadership is more than giving pointers.

If we lead strong, we will lead people towards Jesus.

1 John 3:18

Speak Life

Ephesians 4:29 reads, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” On Toby Mac’s newest album, he wrote a song called, “Speak Life.” He based the song off a quote he read in Brennan Manning’s book, Abba Child. Brennan wrote, “Anyone we come in contact with we either offer them life or we drain them. There is no neutral exchange.” Toby Mac said, “That means that everyone I talk to, I have the opportunity to offer life to. Literally, I can speak life to people. My words can be used to turn someone’s life around, to encourage him or her, to be compassion, to be love.  

A month or two ago, I received a text from a friend who has been in California for nine months doing missionary work. In her text, she wrote, “Praying the verses in Colossians 1:2-14 over you tonight.” I grabbed my Bible and began reading those verses. Friends, I can’t even begin to tell you how meaningful that text was and how it changed my entire outlook on that evening. If her text brought me that much joy, I started to wonder, how my words might affect others lives. There are many ways we can speak life. We can mail an encouraging card, send a supportive text message or make a phone call to a friend or family member. Last week, I left a bottle of A&W root beer on a stressed out teacher’s desk with a note reading, “You’re an AW-some teacher.”

Words are powerful. They can build a person up or tear a person down. We have an opportunity to speak life in every conversation we have. I am working on being more intentional in speaking life to people not only face to face, but with the people I don’t see everyday let alone every week or month for that matter. I’m making a conscious decision to speak hope, speak love, and speak life. How will you use your words to speak life this week?