Hoping

Up until today, I've really only had a mental list of things that I would like to do while my time on Earth isn't through. People these days call it a bucket list; some, a wish list. These are just some of the things I am hoping I get to do in my lifetime (in no particular order):

• set foot on every country in the world (this is the general wish; some of the following will be specifics)
• go to the less-visited portions of the Great Wall of China
• spend a considerable amount of time in El Nido, Coron and other locales in Palawan, the Philippines
• go back to Paris and take more time to explore the city (I only spent a little over seven hours when I went in 2016)
• see more of France -- Normandy is on top of that list
• take a Southeast Asian land trip that would cover Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the other visa-free countries in the region... and try the exotic cuisine
• earn a living as, or make a consistent pastime out of being a singer, songwriter
• see the as-yet unspoiled beauty of Batanes, Philippines
• take an extensive, sight-seeing road trip all over New Zealand
• initiate and establish home churches with the aim of growing mature Christians, not growing big congregations
• take selfies with the Kremlin and the Red Square in Moscow, Russia
• maximize every talent, skill, and ability I have been given to help others get to a relationship with God
• visit the USA -- New York, California, New Mexico, and Colorado are on top of this list
• go to a really provincial locale in Japan -- these's a scenic and historical travel route from Tokyo to Kyoto; I would start there
• go from country to country bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God
• visit Stonehenge in the UK
• be surrounded by people who are mindful of others -- in Japan?!?!?!
• participate in and/or organize a Jars of Clay/Switchfoot cover concert, performed by fans for fans
• swim with (and touch) dolphins -- already swam with whale sharks but they wouldn't let us touch them
• make a living or earn supplemental income doing arts and crafts
• see the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Red Fort in Old Delhi, the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, and Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, all in India

And so on. And so forth. Because this is going to be very long if I write everything down.

Some of these hopes are very grand, but we have a saying here in the Philippines that goes "libre ang mangarap" (it costs nothing to make a wish). And that's what I'm doing here.

Besides...

... my hopes are pinned on my rich and powerful God who can make all these happen!