If you knew you only had a few months to live how would you live them? and what would you do? Sounds a morbid question but that’s what I found myself asking as I watched the the hilarious but yet very serious film ‘The Bucket List’ staring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. It tells the story of two men, Edward a stinking rich, selfish grumpy old man (Nicholson), and Carter, a likeable family man who has worked hard all his life as a mechanic. Both are terminally ill with cancer and are coming to terms with the fact they are both going to die.

As their friendship builds, they write out a ‘Bucket List’, a list of things they would love to do before they ‘kick the bucket’. The film essentially follows their adventure as they escape the cancer ward and head off like two school boys to do what they always wanted to do – everything from sky diving, travel, hotels and safaris. With every adventure they tick off what’s on their Bucket List. While it brings out the important things in life (Hollywood Morality) like friendships and family it got me thinking -what’s on my Bucket List?

Now I don’t have terminal cancer and I don’t have any health problems but the reality is I have no idea when I am going to kick the bucket! Recent events around the world, and the news of healthy friends who have suddenly become ill remind us all that our lives are very fragile and we are not here forever. Perhaps it is a good thing to have a bucket list – a list of things we would like to do so that we don’t waste our time on this earth. We could be like Edward and Carter who plan trips and holidays, adventures and safaris but in the light of eternity that seems quite a waste. You see it depends what our view of death is. For one it is the end of all we know and love (as the film portrays) for another it will be paradise – the world renewed and restored as God has promised (as the bibles story portrays). If that’s true in one sense my Bucket List is irrelevant because I will get to travel where I want and climb what mountain I want – and I will have an eternity to do it! In another sense it focuses my mind on what really counts and who, not what, should be on my Bucket List. At the end of the day what really counts is people. The people on my list will be the ones I invest in, give my time to, love and serve and care for so that they don’t miss out on the greatest ‘trip’ of all, God’s promised paradise. I encourage us all to have a Bucket List – a list of people who we pray for that they will meet and know Jesus Christ. So Who is on your Bucket List?