This time last year, I had no idea that I was going to start a 12-month bucket list, until my sister called me very early in the morning of my 50th birthday on April Fool's Day. After this many years of April Fool's jokes, I don't believe anything anyone calls to tell me, especially at 6 a.m.
She giggled slyly as she asked me, "Now that you are 50, I just wondered, if you have scheduled your colonoscopy yet?" And with all of the rebellious attitude I could muster up, I informed her sharply that a colonoscopy would NOT be something I would even consider in my 50th year of life. We had a good laugh and a short chat before saying goodbye. But then I sat there thinking, "What WILL I do differently, now that I am the big 5-0?"
A few minutes later, I found myself hand-writing a letter to my mother, thanking her for raising me and being my mom. The following day, I decided to write a letter to my childhood friend, Bill, for his birthday. He was struggling in a situation and was constantly amazing me with the godly way in which he was handling things. April 3 I hand wrote my 3rd letter, and decided to continue each day for the month of April, writing a total of 30 letters in all! Each letter told the recipient how much I admired them, and how they had impacted my life. By the time April 30 arrived, I realized that I know some pretty neat folks!
By now, I had gotten the "bucket list" idea for the year.
Each month after that, I devoted to different activities, some meaningful and some just plain old fun! A few of my "just for fun" activities included taking a semester of sign language at the local community college, and learning how to blow glass at an art gallery, which was a very, very fun day with a friend, and I brought home a few "creations" of my own! I also took my very first ever "up north" in Michigan trip, visiting Traverse City, the Lelenau Peninsula, Sutton's Bay, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. I successfully climbed one of the dunes (yes, probably the smallest), and went to the Cherry Republic. DEFINITELY one of the year's highlights!
Having always wanted to start a "laundromat ministry" I bravely walked into a laundromat one day and blessed someone with a bottle of detergent and a roll of quarters, which began a friendship, and during the months I was in sign language school, would stop on my school days and visit occasionally with the mom and her children while she and I would fold clothes and share stories about raising children and just life, in general.
In April I visited a friend in Atlanta and attended Passion City Church where one of our favorite pastors teaches from. I not only got to visit Pastor Giglio's church with my friend, but I also had the opportunity to join one of their groups that was doing outreach with the Not For Sale Campaign and we went to downtown businesses to educate hotel, restaurant, and store owners about local human trafficking. During another trip to Atlanta, I also visited Dr. Charles Stanley's Church and heard him preach in person. These were another couple of highlights of my 50th year!
One month I wrote random notes to people to encourage them. Sometimes they knew they were from me, other times not. This was fun! During another month, I was feeling guilty for the times I have left my grocery cart in the parking lot because it was just too cold to return it! So, I devoted the month to stopping at random grocery stores, parking, and gathering up baskets and returning them to the store. (And sometimes thanked the grocery cart boys with gift cards to Starbucks). I am very good now about returning my baskets and not leaving them in the parking lot!
In February I wrote a letter each day to Rory and Holly, so that each day of the month they would have something special from me to read. In March, I did the very same thing for Ian.
During this past month, divine intervention would arrange for my path to cross with someone I knew, but not very well. And divine intervention would also have it that the two of us, each struggling with different worries, would make a commitment to pray together with each other at least once per day. Today is March 27, and we have communicated daily and have not missed a day of prayer in 27 days. We have become friends, prayer partners, encouragers to each other, and I have often wondered over the past few weeks why we waited so long to become such close friends. It's a friendship I already cherish ;)
As I thought about how to "sum up" the year, I knew God would show me just how. Yesterday morning, I met a friend for coffee at Starbucks. We sat and enjoyed each other's company for two hours. At one point, we couldn't help but notice, and laugh at, the fact that so many people were sitting at tables for two, but all alone, each of them with at least one form of communication technology. One woman was skyping, others were typing, and one young man had two computers open. But my friend and I sat facing each other, making eye-to-eye contact while we shared and enjoyed our time together. Later in the day, I drove to a long-time friend's house, where we sat up in our flannel nightgowns until midnight watching movies. (Her husband graciously joined us and tolerated the chick flicks we picked out). This morning, we sat and had coffee and breakfast together, again, face to face. No technological distractions.
Upon my return home, I cooked a couple of meals for my family and then retreated to my nightly bubble bath by candle light routine. As I lay there, neck deep in bubbles, I looked around, and thought - Life is good. Life is really, really good. And, it has been a good, good 50th year.
God has blessed me with two awesome young men, Rory & Ian. I'm getting the best daughter-in-law on the planet in a few months - Holly. There are more people in my life whom I admire than I have stationary to write letters to. The Lord has uniquely placed just the right people around me. Some of them I see often, others just now and then. But how often we see each other is no reflection on the amount I cherish each of the people in my life. He has given me some very unique opportunities this past year. I am absolutely over and abundantly blessed!
So, how will I spend year 51? Well, aside from kicking the year off with a colonoscopy, the Lord is only beginning to give me ideas.....
Who's up for a hot air balloon ride?
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