Crystals and Bucket Lists

The best stories are those straight from the Bible, but a close second are those which affirm God's eternal truth.  God has crammed life full of situations the Holy Spirit transforms into meaningful parables for those with eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand.  I am always on the lookout for good stories, and I came across one yesterday written by my sister-in-law, Jena.  Enjoy the following guest post!

Several years ago, when Jack was a wee lad, no more than four, we would head over to Mission Trails and take a small hike to a little place called Crystal Cave. I don't even know if that's its actual name; it's just what I was told. My aunt and uncles grew up living on Mission Trails, and I grew up listening to the stories they had of adventure and conquest during their childhood. Crystal Cave was one of those places. Apparently it was once a cave used to mine crystals, but for whatever reason was abandoned and broken down. Around what used to be the entrance were tons of partially crystallized rocks, worthless for sure, but treasure to a four-year-old. And not just for any four-year-old, but a four-year-old pirate. That's right!  Mom won major points for these little excursions.

During one of our trips to Crystal Cave, we brought Jack's buddy Josh along with us. He had never been before, and we were excited to share this with him. We collected our buckets and headed out. Josh had been prepped for the “treasures” that lay ahead, but was distracted on the way and started filling his bucket with rocks. Plain. Old. Rocks. Jack and I tried to tell him that he wouldn't even want the rocks once we got to the cave, but he wouldn't listen. Soon his bucket got heavy and he became tired. The whining started as he fell behind. "I need heeeeeelllllppppp." "You guys are going too fast." "My arms are hurting." The funny thing is, try as we might, that kid would not dump the rocks. He lugged them all the way up to Crystal Cave. But as soon as his little head peeked over the precipice and saw the crystals, he promptly dumped his bucket of rocks and started collecting treasure.

Such needless frustration. I don’t imagine a modern day Jesus with a bucket list, do you? Like, “Before I die, I have to go bungee jumping!” I don’t imagine Him trying to extract every earthly pleasure (sin-free, obviously) out of His tenure here. But we do. Jesus came from heaven, so what on earth is He ever going to do here that would ever compare to where He’s been? There obviously isn’t anything wrong with bungee jumping or other earthly gifts, but like rocks let’s pick them up, enjoy them, and then put them back down. Enjoy them for what they are, but then let them go. How caught up are you on decorating/remodeling your house? How much mental real estate does your body shape/health take up? Does your residence need to be in a beautiful place and your life full of “adventure” to be full of joy? I have one word for you. Rocks. Let’s not carry these things around like they actually matter. These things don’t matter and worse, they weigh us down. Let’s cut ties. Let’s pick up crystals. Do you hear me? God has crystals for us. Things like revelation and resurrection! Works that transcend the here and now. Let’s get in the dirt, give away our stuff, our time, our bodies and our energies to divine appointments and a life of charity. Then this little thing called life - and that more abundantly - will overflow our lives, eerrr buckets.  (story by Jena Krych Grisez)