In September 2015 the Federal Government gave every fourth-grader a free pass for their entire family for an entire year to all of our national parks. This is exciting because there are so many extraordinary places to experience. There are 58 national parks spread from Maine to Hawaii. This is a great excuse to take that longed for trip to Alaska. There are 8 parks up there. Sorry Idaho. As lovely as you are this isn’t going to bring any fourth-grader to experience your beauty since you don’t have any. However, I could point out there are 19 parks in little old Massachusetts. But I won’t.
The one national park I always tell people they should have on their bucket list is Yosemite. It suddenly occurs to me that once Jesus fulfills His promises to us, ones like John 3:16, a bucket list becomes meaningless. We will never run out of years, vitality, or opportunities to visit any place in the universe. We will get a free pass that will not expire in one year and will not be limited to fourth-graders.
Instead of a bucket list we will have to have a recommendation list to pass on to our friends. With an infinite number of places to go it will be impossible to see everything. Thus we might miss something really special if our friends don’t tell us about it.
I really like the idea of not running out of vitality. I love it when my grandchildren visit. But I must admit after they visit I am bushed. There is nothing like a good soft chair with a good “ahh” escaping from my lips. With unlimited vitality I will keep up.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 23, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org