The Table: 3 Things to do Before You Die

• Tweet
• Pin It

Welcome to The Table.

Here’s How It Works: Periodically, we pose a thought or question to our staff of writers, and it’s usually tough. Our writers respond, we publish their thoughts, you decide.

[divider]

Today’s Question: Name 3 Things You Must Do Before Death.

[box_light]

Cory Copeland

When I was asked to write about the three things I just HAVE to do before I die, I was kind of at a loss. Either I’m a completely boring person or I don’t want to accomplish a lot because for the life of me, I couldn’t come up with three amazing things I just had to do before I “kicked the bucket”.
However, after sitting down and really putting my meager mind to work, I finally came up with a small list of things I want to do/accomplish.

Here they are:

1. Take a Cross Country Motorcycle Trip
   When I was a senior in high school, I read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, and not only did that book spark something in me that made me want to pursue writing, but it also ingrained a restlessness inside of me. I can’t explain it really (I’ve tried…), but I’ve always wanted to take an old Triumph motorcycle, a backpack full of supplies, and a bedroll and just hit the open road for about a month.
   I want to sleep under the stars and breathe enough fresh air to make me sick. I want the freedom that comes from feeling the wind blow through your skin and awaken something in your soul. I want that…and one day, I’ll do it.
2. Skydive
   It’s about as clichéd as you can get, but I have always wanted to fall out of a plane with only a parachute to save me. I want to feel that rush of falling at 100mph and wondering if you packed your chute right or are you about become permanent road kill. I guess you could say I’m in need of a little adventure in my life. And what better way to do that than to hurtle toward God’s green earth with only nylon and a prayer between me and death?
3. Write for a Living
   When God gives us a calling, it’s up to us to accept that yoke and make the most of it. I feel I was made to write, to help people through my written words. I take pride and pleasure in this calling because I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. And right now, I post on my blog three times a week for exactly zero dollars a month. Sure, I book up a freelance gig or two here and there, but before I die, I want to say that I sustained my way of life through the calling God placed upon my life.
   I want to be a “real” writer. And one day, I promise you I will be.[/box_light]

Follow Cory on Twitter here and get both of his previously published books for just $5 here!
Check out more of Cory’s writing at www.CoryCopeland.net.

[divider]

[box_light]

Aliza Rosen

This could be complex, but I’ll just make it simple. Top three things:

1. Do the family thing. We are made for each other; for love, for human bonds, for support, and for community. I want to do all of those things in my own way with my own man and our own kids. Hopefully, we can try to not make our little family all about us, and we can contribute to our neighbors, schoolmates, bible study friends, church buddies, and new buddies, sharing the most important message humans can hear: The Gospel.

2. Do the payback thing. I’ve always wanted to show my parents how much they mean to me, and somehow pay them back for how much they invested in me (clearly an impossible task) by taking them on an awesome vacation and paying for all of it. I’d love to get the family together and go to France (my father’s birthplace), and parade around all together, enjoying each other’s company and the scenery of Europe.

3. Do the God-Honoring thing. I definitely don’t act like it all the time (and I feel convicted often for it), but God is the be-all to everything. In my brief life, I hope that instead of just seizing the cheap thrills, that I’ll choose God–––over and over again–––because it will last for eternity as opposed to a lifelong dream of seeing Coldplay and Jay-Z perform in Madison Square Garden for a golden birthday. No one will remember my name, but God’s name will forever be praised.

Honorable Mentions

4. Do the grandparent thing. I keep hearing it’s awesome to spoil the kids and give them back at the end of the day.
5. Do the owning my own successful business thing. We live in America. It’s a given.
6. Do the missionary thing. Go to remote parts of the world to share Jesus. Duh.
7. Do the author thing. I’m kind of inclined to words…
8. Do the relaxing thing. Soak up my life. Stop stressin’.
9. Do the New York thing. Can’t help it. Always have wanted to live there.
10. Do the live in Paris thing. I don’t know French, but I know a Parisian when I see one.[/box_light]

[divider]

[box_light]

Jennifer Stoltzfus

My bucket list (and yes, it’s written down… not just in my head!) is ever growing. I imagine it will never diminish, as I seem to add tasks significantly faster than I accomplish them.

1. Visit all six inhabited continents. 

Sure, it would be fun to set a goal of visiting every continent, but that’s just a little too unrealistic. Having traveled to South America, Europe, and Asia, I’m over half way to checking this one off my list. But the beauty is that I could never fully explore each destination… there will always be more to see. The world is a beautiful, beautiful place and I want to see as much of it as I can.

2. See the sun rise in the east and set in the west in one day. 

My baby version of this desire includes West Palm Beach (my current home) and Sarasota, FL (where my family lives). But I would really love to see it rise over the Atlantic and set over the Pacific someday!

3. Wreck the plan that Satan has to destroy the heart and minds of young women. 

Perhaps this is one that will never fully be accomplished, but I will fight with everything in me to ruin Satan’s effort to keep women from knowing truth. How this will play out, I can only dream! Though I hope strongly that it includes writing, teaching, and leading women in discipleship. I echo Paul in saying, “to this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29).

I assure you that this list could go on, but these are definitely three that top the list!  There is something sweet about looking forward to completing big tasks, and I eagerly anticipate the accomplishment of these![/box_light]

[divider]

[box_light]

Joe Featherstone

1. I want to know my Father more and more every day that I may be salt and light on this earth and be a vessel of His matchless love for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.
2. I want to have a God-centered, well-traveled, extreme, all out, no holds barred, unstoppable, world-changing, life-giving and light-bringing marriage to the love of my life.
3. I want to be a godly, non-compromising, steadfast, nurturing, triumphant and fun-loving father who goes to war for his family daily and never tires of loving them or giving himself to and for them.[/box_light]

[divider]

[box_light]

Jayson Schmidt

Tough question, but here goes…

1. Win a national championship. The “smallest” of my three goals… and that’s to win a lacrosse championship at the collegiate level. I never accomplished this during my playing career and we have not done so since I joined our coaching staff. Everyday when I am recruiting, I think about two things: a) building men of character, and b) winning that ‘Ship!
2. Take a three year tour of the world. Once retirement hits, I want to take a massive trip. I’m talking all of Europe, Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia, South America, Cleveland. No stone untouched; limited plans made. If we (meaning myself and my sexy, sexy retired wife) decide to stay in Malta for three months, so be it. If we decide to try and learn Japanese together while kneeling at every meal for awhile, it will happen. I want a purely-spontaneous, let’s pray over the world while we traverse it kind of trip.
3. Be famous for loving people. My fame is Jesus’ fame, so I pray to God that he launches me to a platform that people can see what Christians-loving-people is all about. I don’t really know what this looks like, but I’m excited for it. I have the heart for being a culture changer. I want to get on a stage and pray over people… and tell them why the creator of the universe rocks my socks off. I got a little taste of this preaching to youth ministries during college… and I want more.

[/box_light]

[divider]

Sound Off!

Let us know in the comments below. What are your top three? If your comments on the website, or Facebook/Twitter are funny or good, we’ll include them in a future post.

Related Posts

• 

  Christian Shoddy is Still Shoddy
  Christian Shoddy is Still Shoddy
• 

  We Are Not Hoodlums.
  We Are Not Hoodlums.
• 

  Of Hobbits and Angels
  Of Hobbits and Angels
• 

  Rags to Riches and Back to Rags Again
  Rags to Riches and Back to Rags Again