"You only live once, so why not go out in style?"

I have lived with that line in the trailer of one of my favorite movies for a long while. And after a visit with two of my favorite cousins, who have made it a point to travel the world shamelessly, I was reminded again that life is short. We've got to live it to the fullest while we have the chance. Living with a "Bucket List" Mindset means doing five important things while you can.

See these 5 important tips below!

1. Travel the world and never look back! International travel is hard to beat in terms of what it teaches us. The beauty of a place like Rio in Brazil or the sugar cane fields of Barbados can only be fully experienced up close. Don't wait, travel the world!

2. Find a friend who you can speak truth to and who can speak truth back to you! The world is filled with hucksters, liars and fools! Avoid them and find a friend who can be counted on to "zing" you every now and then!

3. Laugh.....even when you feel like crying. Oh, don't skip the crying part but a great sense of humor is a great helper in times like these! Laughter AND crying is good for the soul.

4.Connect with your spiritual self and don't ignore it! In the movie, Morgan Freeman is heard even quoting his pastor at one point, IMAGINE THAT?

5. Reconcile those old hurts! Jack Nicholson's character must gather himself to reunite with a daughter whom he'd been previously estranged from.

Maybe the movie was emotional for me because I visit hospital rooms regularly as a church pastor. I see families at their best and at their worst. Maybe the movie was emotional for me because I recently found out that a good friend who was about six years younger than me died suddenly....or at least suddenly from the perspective of a person who only saw her occasionally after college. I've lost so many family members to the scourge of cancer also.

Maybe the movie was emotional for me because I could buy the DVD itself for a rock bottom price as my favorite Albertson's Grocery store in my neighborhood was moving out because of the recession.

Find out what chords are touched in you when you watch the movie, The Bucket List. But, take the five tips to heart and you will find gifts of God in unexpected places, people and things!

SpectrumTalk Blogger Rev. Dr. James E. Fouther
James Ellis Fouther, Jr. is the inspirational architect and spiritual leader of the United Church of Montbello. This northeast Denver based, progressive community of Christians embraces and welcomes folks of all backgrounds, races and levels of need. The church itself has been a groundbreaker in many ways. It has led the effort to feed hundreds of families and individuals through the Montbello Cooperative Ministries Food bank and sponsored refugee families from different parts of Africa.

While James is a pastor who embraces the need for ministers to be serious scholars, his bachelor of arts degree is from Illinois Wesleyan Univervsity, his master's degree is from the Chicago Theological Seminary, and his doctorate degree is from Eden Theological Seminary. James comments on current issues as well as spiritual, motivational, religious and funny matters on SpectrumTalk as well as his own blog site at http://revjamesfoutherjr. blogspot.com/