13 Days: Bucket List

So, I'm still a little on edge. I hate these last few days of pregnancy, when my body is doing all the funky things that seem like labor and keep me up at night, like cramps and contractions and backaches and pains. Sleep deprivation isn't pretty on me. I've got a couple other issues going on in my life right now that I don't feel at liberty to write about in this venue, but they are stressful nonetheless. Coupled with the usual edginess of the last days of pregnancy, I am a little less patient than my normal self. A little more easily annoyed. A LOT more easily provoked. I keep having to remind myself of Proverbs 15:1, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger." Nancy Campbell talks a lot about the mother controlling the atmosphere of the home, and it is certainly true. I can tell the girls are getting edgy and impatient with each other too. Dear Lord, help me to keep a quiet heart and stop the grumbling!

In an effort for Mommy to "think happy thoughts", I've begun a bucket list. If you haven't heard of a bucket list or seen the wonderful movie starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, you should. It's great. I'm sure I will be adding to this list for awhile but it's at least a start. A few serious heart's desires, a few fun adventures I'd like to have if Jesus doesn't come back first. . .

I want to see all my children ask Jesus into their heart and become passionately in love with Him. I want to see them walk with Him and fulfill His calling on their lives. I've already had the privilege of seeing Allie get saved. It was really cool that she was baptized by my Dad! I also wouldn't mind some of our children being baptized in the river by Brian.

I want to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary with Brian.

I want to build a farmhouse with Brian out in the country. Then I would love to see at least one of our daughters married there. The farmhouse in my mind would make a beautiful setting for a wedding.

A few places I would love to go. . . Africa, the Holy Lands, Alaska, and the Grand Canyon. I've had a heart for Africa ever since I was a little girl and saw starving children from Somalia on the TV. I wanted to go there and hold those babies and feed them. One day I will. I want to go to the Holy Lands and see the actual places where Jesus lived and walked, and where the Israelites followed the cloud by day and the fire by night. I want to go on an Alaskan cruise with Brian and see the Northern Lights. I want to go to the Grand Canyon because, well, I can't imagine how breathtaking it must be.

I know a lot of people have "run a marathon" on their bucket list, but that's not really a desire of mine. I'm not very competitive and my knees probably couldn't handle it. I would MUCH rather hike the entire Appalachian Trail. More "stop and smell the roses" than "go get 'em". You can hike parts of the AT at different times and eventually have hiked the whole thing. Hiking 2,175 miles is pretty good exercise. :) Other exercises I would love to do well and often are swimming and in-line skating. At some point I would love to try cross-country skiing (again, less high-stakes adventure but every bit as much physical challenge), and kayaking. Brian loves kayaking and I would love to be able to do it with him. Maybe just not as rough, swirling white water as he likes. I like the sound of a leisurely kayak through a long, winding trail of water that runs alongside a country road.

I've always been intrigued by pregnancy and childbirth. I would love to give birth naturally and one day, be there to watch a live birth. I never get to "see" my own children be born. :)

You know I love the drums. A few years ago we were in Asheville, NC and I experienced my first drum circle. There were probably 200 people in the park, all beating their drums to the same beat. It was exhilirating. I enjoyed it but one day want to join in a drum circle like that with my own drum.

Along the lines of drumming, I have seen people do "paint drumming", where they have paint on their drumsticks and just make a great big mess splattering paint as they drum. That looks like FUN. And along those lines, I want to do one of those paintings where you take a big sheet of canvas and just sling paint off a brush and onto the canvas and see what comes out. That looks fun and interesting.

I would love to learn how to knead dough perfectly every time, and work a pottery wheel with grace and ease. Both take a lot of practice and skill. And patience. :)

So there we go. . . at least those things are a start. I feel better now. :)