The Bucket List is a recent Hollywood movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It is a story about two men, both with terminal cancer, who meet in the hospital room they share while being treated. The Freeman character, faced with his own mortality, begins writing a list of things he would like to do and places he'd like to see before he "kicks the bucket." The Nicholson character sees the list and provides the money and means for the two men to start accomplishing the goals. The story progresses as the men realize their ambitions and cross the items off their list. But along the way something happens in the story that elevates the plot to more than two men jetting around the world and seeing the grand sites. A Dream List The idea of a "bucket list" is nothing new. I first heard about such a list of lifetime goals while I was a student at Ambassador College in the early 1970s. Once a year the college would bring in an explorer named John Goddard to lecture and show us a film about one of his daring world adventures. When John Goddard was a young man of 15, he wrote out a list of 127 adventures and accomplishments he wanted to do. He wanted to travel the Nile , read all the classics, study native medicine and bring back useful ones. He spent his life doing what he wrote on that list. From what I can discover, he accomplished most—if not all—the items on his list before succumbing to cancer. I had the opportunity to give Mr. Goddard and his family a tour of the Ambassador College campus one day when he was visiting for the filming of a television program. He was a delightful man to be around. But I did not pick up on the idea of creating my own list of adventures till several years went by. Then a good friend of mine, John Robinson, gave a sermon one day about the idea of having dreams and building a "dream list" of things to see and do in your life. John had read a book with that idea and was motivated to share the thought with others. It was then I caught on to the idea, and it has made a big difference in my life. The idea is simple. What if you could do, have and be anything you could think of? What would that be? What would it include? If you were assured of success and had unlimited time, talent, money, knowledge, confidence and support from your family, what would you like to do with your life? Dream Again That's it. But why is this important? I think it is a vital key to making life work in a satisfying manner without any regrets. Dreaming lets us live a large life filled with meaning. It is a key to recapturing the imagination of childhood and attaching it to the realities of adult life. When I was a child I did a lot of dreaming. I used to dream about being a cowboy or a soldier or a superhero. I would dress up in a costume and dream I was anything that caught my imagination. It may have been a movie or a television show I had seen that day. And for the next few days I would be that larger than life person or hero, that is, until I saw someone else I wanted to be. But somewhere in my life I quit dreaming. I don't remember when or just how it happened. Maybe someone discouraged me and told me to "grow up and get real." Maybe it was just the pressure to conform to someone else's image of life. Maybe it was just the reality of everyday life, working and dealing with human nature, that caused my dreams to evaporate. There is an ad line that says, "Life comes at you fast." It is true in many ways. But before it gets completely away from you, pick up your pen and paper and start dreaming again. Dreams in the Bible I feel this idea of dreaming has a basis in the Bible. There we see examples of many dreams or visions where God would show His will or part of His plan to men. One of the most stirring dreams was that of Joseph when he dreamed of his future role in saving his family. Genesis 37 says, "Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers...'please hear this dream which I have dreamed'" (verses 5-6). Joseph's dream was of his brothers and father bowing down and serving him. His decision to tell his brothers did not go over well. The hatred and envy generated by this revelation led in a roundabout way to the fulfillment of the dream. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and wound up in Egypt as a steward in the home of Potiphar, a high government official. One intrigue led to another, and God gave Joseph the ability to understand dreams. This gift eventually landed him before Pharaoh, who himself had had a dream. Pharaoh's dreams of fat corn devoured by lean corn and fat cows devoured by skinny cows had him and his counselors baffled. Joseph was brought from prison to stand before Pharaoh. His interpretation told Pharaoh to expect seven years of plentiful harvest followed by seven years of severe famine. He told the leader of Egypt to find a man to prepare for what was to come. Pharaoh saw the right man standing before him. "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.' And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.' "Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, 'Bow the knee!' So he set him over all the land of Egypt" (Genesis 41:39-43). Dreams Frame a Life At age 30 Joseph was in charge of a massive national "homeland security" program for Egypt! God had moved events to this end and Joseph's "dream" was about to come to pass. Years later, after preparing Egypt for the famine and his brothers coming down to buy grain, Joseph reveals himself in an emotional scene. What is important to understand is Joseph's conclusion about all that had happened to him. "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life... So now it was not you who sent me here, but God" (Genesis 45:4-5, 8). Throughout his odyssey Joseph was sustained by his faith in God. Perhaps the dream God gave him as a young man played a part in this. At some point Joseph put it all together and understood that his life had always been in the hands of God and all that had happened to him was of God's design. Joseph had accepted the dream and yielded his life to God. The dream framed his life and became an overarching vision that sustained him and drove him forward. God has given us a dream, a vision, of His eternal Kingdom. It is the goal of our life and is what drives us forward, giving us purpose and meaning. Like Joseph's dream, it molds and shapes our life. Our own "dreams" have a way of shaping our life in large and meaningful ways. Our overarching dream of the Kingdom of God defines a very large life. God's Word gives us definition and clarity on our quest for the Kingdom. This vision of the Kingdom should help us define a large and exciting life filled with accomplishment and meaning. We are preparing for a role as a king and priest in the coming government of God. If we really believe that, we will effectively translate it into not only a life of faith but a life of physical accomplishment in preparation for the world to come. This future reality should fire us with ambition to use every ounce of life with passion. I think this begins with having dreams. No matter how old you are, take time to dream—to recapture a spark of ambition in life, to make your life work at a high level. My Dream List Recently I traveled to the Grand Canyon in Arizona and accomplished something I have wanted to do for more than 11 years. Along with a group of friends, I entered the canyon from the North Rim and traversed the whole expanse, more than 24 miles, and came out on the South Rim two days later. My "rim to rim" experience was the fulfillment of a "dream," a long-held desire to do something big and important to me. It was a moment of satisfaction when I crossed this item off my "dream list"—mission accomplished! Years ago I constructed a list of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to see in my life. I have been working on the list ever since. There are several big projects on the list, and having done this latest hike has motivated me to examine the list again with renewed energy. What's next? There are a few big trips to places that hold an attraction to me on the list. God willing, I will see them in the coming years. But I have added some other dreams to my list that are not solely centered on my ambitions. Time and events, perhaps a bit of maturity, have tempered my dreams. I now want to do something big and good for other people. I want to leave something behind that is more than a list of things with just a line drawn through them. Putting in place some large foundation stones that serve others for a long time is now at the top of my list. Start Your Dream List God has given us a very large "dream" of His coming Kingdom to replace the failed kingdoms and dreams of man. It is a dream of a world at peace, with everyone learning of His ways that lead to cooperation and stability. No more broken systems that lead to the cycles of human suffering and pain. It is a dream, a vision, that will come to pass. It is what frames a worthy life of seeking the right goal. My life has been framed by this dream of the Kingdom of God. It has guided every major decision of my life. It is the one dream that I pursue each day. It is likely yours as well. Christ told His disciples to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). This is the one dream to put at the top of your personal "bucket list." Framing your life with the hope of the Kingdom of God will shape your life toward the one great purpose God has planned for you. I am hard at work pursuing the dreams on my list. If you haven't taken the time to start your list, I encourage you to do it now. Write down on a piece of paper the dreams you want to accomplish in your life. Doing this is a forward-thinking approach that projects you into the future. It helps you break free of the limitations that you, or others, have put on yourself. Writing your dreams down in a list is a commitment. It helps you crystallize your thoughts and focus. Take some time for yourself and create a list of things you want to see or do to create a broad and meaningful life. I guarantee it will be a life-changing exercise for you. UN