The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God
Hebrews 4:9-10
The photo of the cat is a picture of what I see every morning as I wake up. The cat yelling at us to get up...feed me! The dog usually helps, but she's more straightforward...in your face...literally. I love the flow of summer. We don't necessarily have a routine...but there is a natural routine that occurs, regardless of what's going on in our lives. The animals are always hungry in the morning, Montana the dog always needs to go out to potty first thing, and Sarala always takes a little while to fully wake up (she doesn't like us to go get her until she' fully awake...takes a couple minutes). Try and take notice of the things going on around you, the ordinary. There is a routine, natural routine going on around you. God is working. Things can happen in your life that rock your world...but remember...God is there. The Psalm below reminds me of this.
The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:5-8
Sarala is a miracle. I almost tear up...even at this point...because she's been through so much and has come so far. She'll be two in a little over a month. I love and am thankful for the opportunity I've had to watch her grow and develop everyday...all the time learning new things. This summer has truly been amazing. Another blog is what got me thinking about Sarala. Her start in life was very bleak. She had a grade 3 bleed with hydrocephalus. She also was premature with a birth-weight of 2 lbs 5 ounces. She would've fit in my hand.
There is another family out there that needs prayer. There are two little newborn girls that need prayer. The blog that I'm referring to is that of Wade Joye. Wade is the worship pastor for Elevation Church. Ferris Joy is his wife and she also has updates on their progress. Their family has recently had twins that were 27 weeks...premature...one was 2 lbs 5 ounces and the other was 1 lb 14 ounces. One of them had a grade 4 bleed and they are both currently in the NICU. I ask that those of you who read this join me in praying for this family and for these beautiful little girls. God can heal them. He healed Sarala and I'm forever thankful of this. You can learn about their history as you go back through their posts in his blog and his wife's blog.
Matthew 8:5-13 As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, "Master, my servant is sick. He can't walk. He's in terrible pain."
Jesus said, "I'll come and heal him."
"Oh, no," said the captain. "I don't want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I'm a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Taken aback, Jesus said, "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions—streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God's kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up 'in the faith' but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened."
Then Jesus turned to the captain and said, "Go. What you believed could happen has happened." At that moment his servant became well.
I'm posting a handful of pictures here of the See You at the Pool in Arcadia Valley this past Sunday. It was a hot day, great for baptisms and swimming. I had no idea how the turnout would be since this is the first time something like this has been done around here...as far as I know anyway. It was pretty good. The opportunity to see how people's lives have been changed by Jesus is always an awesome one. I posted the rest of my pictures on my facebook page.
I've injured myself somehow. It happened Saturday night, during worship services in Fred-town. I played acoustic this weekend and must have done something that resulted in the pain I'm currently feeling in my abdominal area. We ruled out your appendix-related things, internal things. It feels like I pulled a muscle or something along those lines. So...I don't know. It hurt pretty bad yesterday...so my See You at the Pool experience wasn't too great, but I went and took pictures. Now I guess I'll rest...I'm not playing guitar for at least another weekend...so...time to recover;)
I feel stupid because how does one injure themselves in such a manner? An over-exertion in worship? Hmmm.... Also...a shout-out to Jo Hall for the above picture...since it'd be hard for me to take a picture of myself and to play on-stage at the same time.
We ate breakfast at the Cracker Barrel on Friday before we went to get our new car. The little game...you know...the one that entices you with it's simplicity and challenge...was there on the table. I normally don't get a chance to toy with such things due to Sarala needing supervision, but she was doing a good job coloring and hanging out while we were waiting for our food to come. I decided to give it the "ol' college try", being a college graduate and all;)
I was able to complete the thing on the first try and then again later. So...apparently, I'm a genius since I left one tee standing.... There you go;)
How about that? We've got ourselves a brand new vehicle...first time ever. A Toyota Corolla XLE. I wanted to go with another Toyota since I've had a good run with my Camry...some of you out there know.... No longer are we driving the oldest car in the parking lot;) Very exciting times around the Buckman household. It has been a prayer in progress since last summer. God finally gave us the "go ahead". I'm glad we were patient. It's amazing to have a vehicle that only has a handful of miles on it. Thanks to God on this one!
These are the last days. The last days until school begins again. We've only got about three weeks or so. Wow...?! My plan for the summer of 08' was to try and soak it all in, whether we were at home hanging with the small child or out and about somewhere. Yesterday Sarala experienced her first sucker. It was awesome to watch the wonder and excitement as she savored the candy. The simple things are where you find life. Jesus talked about this sorta thing in Matthew 5...
You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. Matthew 5:5
It has been amazing. Since I'm no longer a coach, I've been able to experience my first actual summer since I started working. It has been everything I dreamed it would be. I'm excited that I've been able to keep to this...to "Soak it up." There are things that I probably could have filled up my time with, but...why? Unless it was absolutely vital to the existence of the Buckman household, I didn't worry too much about it. I got to it as time allowed. I found that life seemed much slower, peaceful, enjoyable.
As a result, I'm going to try and keep this going into the school year. The school year is crazy. I love it, but it's tiresome. My plan for the rest of this summer of 08'...and into the school year is to SOAK IT UP!
PRECHORUS: Oh and the days go by so fast And the memories They never seem to last And I'm quick to see all I don't have I need to change the way I look at All I look at
CHORUS: And soak it up Every little bit I can Enjoy all my day Before all my days end And whatever I get Always let that be enough And never forget to soak it up Yeah, yeah
It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life. Ephesians 1:11-14
I had the opportunity to play at Joey Weadon's funeral yesterday. It was an amazing occasion to be able to participate in a celebration of life. I didn't personally know Joey, but from what I know of him...he left an example of a life well lived. Even through his sickness and struggles, his focus was on loving God and loving people. When it comes down to it, that's what life is all about. The above verses address this idea...God has designs on us for glorious living. The ability to point to a loving Creator that loves us...and provides salvation and grace. Wow! A praising and glorious life. I get glimpses of this every now and then. It is a struggle though. We live in a fallen world...but there is an eternal home for us as Christ-followers...we're not home yet. Only through Christ will we find our true purpose and direction in life. It must begin there.
Funerals are rough. It's hard because many times I have no idea what to say. That's the thing though...we really don't have to say anything. It's a matter of us providing comfort and solace in a time of sadness. The speaker today talked about rejoicing...Joey is in a better place...made whole. Yes, we'll miss him for now...but there will be a day when we'll see him again. It's up to me to use the time I have wisely. Only God knows how much time I've got. I don't need to worry about it...just make sure I'm seeking the "glorious living" Paul talks about.
This idea of a fragile life is something that I don't think about too much. Our bodies are frail...sickness can take life away from us. Then my mind goes off on a tangent...Fragile...like in "The Christmas Story" from 1983, with ol' Ralphie. His dad recieves a crate as a bonus from his job and the following dialogue takes place (I'm sure you're familiar...):
Mr. Parker reads a side of the box with the prize that he won] Mr. Parker: Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian. Mrs. Parker: Uh, I think that says FRAGILE, dear. Mr. Parker: Oh, yeah.
So, when it comes down to it...Jesus talked about it.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:34
Focus on the present. Don't let the past cloud your purpose. Look for God in everything. He's got an overall purpose for things. Things will happen that we don't agree with, understand, like...but again...focus on Christ. Only there will our lives be made full...in preparation for when we're made whole as we go home to live with Jesus. In the meantime, it's on us to hold each other up...encourage, build, live lives that glorify Christ. In the times of sadness and despair...let's "hold the light" for each other.
Oh...props out to Jo for the photo at the beginning of this post....
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Philippians 2:14-15
I don't know what to say. I'm at a loss. I don't understand how or why things happen the way that they do. Things don't make sense. I do know that there is a loving Father that is working in everything...I just hope that I stay aligned with what He wants to do in and around me.
I chose the picture above to go with this post due to the honesty and purity that it portrays. Sarala is Sarala. She doesn't try to be anyone else. She does what she does because it's what Sarala would do. We're beginning to see her develop a strong personality. I love it. I know that God is with her and has been with her all along. She knows it too. You can see the peace, purity, love, and honesty in her eyes and expressions.
It saddens me that someday she'll be more apt to change because of people's opinions or ideas about what she "should" do, think, believe...etc. I hope that I can build into her a sense of individuality, purpose, and thankfulness for her circumstances. God has already worked so much in her life...why wouldn't he continue working? I want her to learn this early. The best way I figure to help her is to do this in my own life.
It's my job to live as God would have me live. I need to be an example for her...in my real relationship with a living God. We can all agree that the world is a polluted, corrupt place. There is a lot that isn't right, just watch the news. That's where we, as Christ-followers, come in. It's our job to be the fresh air that seems to cut away at the pollution...to point to God with and through our lives. Honoring God by loving people. That's essentially what life is about. Only through doing this can we truly live...the way life was intended to be lived. As long as you can look into the mirror every day and know that your heart aligns with God's...rest...peace.
On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Psalm 100:1-2
I'm going to begin with the end. The picture above shows what can happen when your child snags your flip-flop, uses it to push her tray of food onto the dog, the dog then freaks out and takes off running...and then...food on the entertainment center. I'm laughing as I type this...how awesome? Seriously...how does that happen? Well, it involved the small child and the dog...a usual pair of culprits when it comes to mischief in our household.
Laughing is something that I thank God for. The ability to laugh, the reason to laugh...there's something about it. Joy. Sarala and I were watching "Jon and Kate Plus 8" on TLC. I was kicking her tray with my shoe, which resulted in the above photograph.
I guess the moral of this story is...don't tap your flip-flop on the tray of a small child's high chair.
A lighthouse on Lake Michigan A view from out on Lake Michigan Downtown Navy Pier Chicago was a blast. The weather wasn't the best...it actually rained a little Friday and off and on Saturday, but it was still a good trip. I don't know what happened but my camera wouldn't work until Friday night, thus I don't have that many pictures. I guess we'll just have to go back...;) Here are some initial pictures. I didn't realize how BIG Chicago really is. I know it's a big city, but it's pretty BIG.
It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11-12
First...I realize that this is a rather large picture of my FACE. It's tough to wrap your mind around how everything has a way of working together. There's something bigger going on around us. This "something" occasionally involves us...which is pretty crazy, awesome, scary.... The little things that I keep posting about are the things that currently give me trouble. I've already mentioned the iPod and A/C. Something else that pops up from time to time is the past. The past can haunt you sometimes, in addition to present and future things. It's amazing how a song, smell, person, season can illicit feelings and memories. I really try and not pay attention to the past because usually it's there to remind me about the type of person I was as I lived out of God's plan.... I didn't do all of the best things. It's purpose is to take me out of the game so-to-speak. It does on occasion.
This happens less and less as I grow closer with God through Jesus. My experiences have brought me to a place where I get a better picture of what God was doing, and IS doing in me. I thank Him for that. It's brought me to where I am now. It is a work in progress, but I'm thankful for my experiences. Now, it's a matter of my path towards "glorious living."
So, I'm actually in Chicago at the moment. I actually did a couple posts early so I wouldn't have to worry about it. Now...this is a video of a song that I love. Basically it's something that I'm trying to make a prayer on a daily basis...looking for God in everything. I've been struggling a lot lately...letting things get me down...things that really don't matter in the long run. For example...my iPod is dying I think. There's a short in the audio output that results in sound only coming out of the left speaker. Another one of these stupid things is the fact that the A/C in our Bravada needs to be recharged...I think. I put some of the stuff in it...but we'll see if that's it. With the way things tend to go, it won't. See...there it is! The attitude. WHY!?
Okay, deep breath. Now, how about reminded myself of some things. God loves me. God has blessed me with an amazing wife, baby girl, a house, vehicle with A/C to begin with, and the ability to purchase an iPod. There...! Thank you. Much better now...;)
These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards. Matthew 7:24-27
As a kid, the sandbox is a pretty awesome place. In Sarala's case, is probably even awesome-er due to the purple and pink Crayola sand that she's rockin' in her sandbox. This regular occurrence of me sitting out in the yard with Sarala while she plays got me thinking about something.
Life is meant to be enjoyed...not suffered through until heaven. I don't watch the news much anymore because of the focus on all of the negative happening around us daily. Instead, I'm really trying to look for God working in the ordinary, in the people I encounter, and in the stuff I spend my days doing. The verse above comes from Matthew...when Jesus was laying down some major truth on how to live. I love the language here...about how if we take what Jesus is saying...God's way of life for us...they are foundational words. This foundation will throw us into what God is doing...which can be scary at times...but a life well lived will be the result.
So, enjoy life...and
if you're playing in the sand
...get out...! Unless it's an actual sandbox of course...then have at it!
It's the little things in life that make it memorable, desirable, joyful...etc. The big stuff is great, but it's the little things that happen continuously. Take this box for example...complete with small child. Small box...small child. It's amazing to watch the joy that the small child gets from the box. There's really nothing special about it. It's crazy that she even fits in the box. She loves it though. Her joy causes joy for Crystal and I.
There are enough of these little things going on around us that will give us joy...if we're looking for them. Too often we're looking for the big and profound or we're focused on things we don't have any control over. I tend to try and look for the profound when I'm reading my bible or I notice my mind wandering when I'm playing with Sarala and thinking about a bill or repair or...etc. This summer has done wonders though...through God I've gotten better at looking for contentment and joy in the ordinary and to not worry about things I shouldn't worry about. It is a work in progress though...as my wife can profess. The profundity of things aren't what make us alive. Worrying won't make something happen...just as Jesus says below:
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:34
I love this sign. I always ask Crystal about Dr. Pepper guns...can we get some!? Those of you who live around here know the location of this marvelous sign. It's also the location of a convenience store which boasts "1,900 guns in stock." So...if anything ever goes down...don't worry about AV.
Does anyone else have a picture of a sign that's comparable? There's a sign that the former fast-food joint Andy's would offer...a recurrent advertisement to the citizens of AV..."Smo'ed Pork." That's right..."SMOED." I'm curious as to what the "smoe'ing" process entails?
Yes, really! Some friends of ours have opened up a Christian book store amongst the hustle and bustle of downtown Ironton. It's called Faith Way and it's located next door to Mark Natale's Computer Place...the old Stamel's Jewelery (spelling?). They've just recently opened and are in the process of getting more stuff in to put out there. So far they said they've had a pretty good start to things. I'm glad. We need something like this in town. I'm so used to driving out of town to get something or using the internet to order stuff on-line. So...as the bumper sticker below says:
I'm in that weird place right now where something tells me I should be doing something. I "should" be busy. I've felt almost...and I say "almost" guilty as I spend my time playing with Sarala. Is this true though? I don't think so. It's been a struggle though...to focus on enjoying the moment. Yesterday for example...I got irritated at the condition of our deck. I'm in the process of doing things to it...but it's tough to do stuff with a small child around. I let the feelings get to me...then Sarala woke up from her nap. I was then reminded of the important things. Yes...I'll get the deck taken care of even if it takes a week or two (which would normally only take days)...but I'm trying to just enjoy the blessing of being able to be present for Sarala this summer. Chores aside, there really isn't much that I "need" to do. The stuff that needs to be taken care of gets taken care of. I need to revel in the fact that I, with my wife, get to spend an entire summer with small Sarala.
It's a battle at times, but you need to choose to look at what's really important in this life.
I'll forever remember the summer of 08'. We got to do some traveling, didn't have to work, and weren't out of money mid-July. The time spent with Crystal and Sarala is something that I'll cherish forever. We didn't really do anything too special...mostly hung around the house, AV. We are currently in a routine of ordinary things. That's the key...ordinary. The time spent together is priceless...within the ordinary. The ordinary allows us to focus on the present. Traveling, though awesome, tends to get to a point where you're constantly on the go and trying to take in as much as you can while you're wherever. That's where this ordinary-ness comes in...the ability to revel in the everyday stuff of life.
I read a review of the song above which states that it reminds us to revel in the gift of the moment and not take our time on earth for granted. As stated in the song...soon Sarala will leave her crib forever. I think about this as we spend our time right before she goes to bed as we sit in the chair. She drinks her milk as we talk, read books, and watch a little TV. It's time for us to wind down. I love that I've gotten to do this every night. She's turning into a toddler before our eyes. She learns new words every day...it's crazy to be able to actually "talk" to her a little. I love it. We'll soon have to convert her crib into a toddler bed.
Life can get crazy though. The things we do during the day can exhaust us to the point where we may not be able to talk to our kids and spouses, spend time with them, read a book with them. Take today for example...I helped move 100 hay bales from a trailer to a barn. It was hot. I'm a little sore and am tired. I'm making an effort though to get down on the floor and play with Sarala, to sit down and have dinner with the wife and child at the dinner table...not in front of the TV. The reward far outweighs the tiredness.
This is where we have to make a conscious effort to make sure we are present in those moments...even if they're just ordinary. I don't mean just physically present, but we need to be completely there. I've been guilty of thinking about things as we've played, read, gotten ready for bed before. I know that I haven't done it much this summer though, and I want to keep this going into the school year. Life has been much fuller.
The thing that we have to remember is that at the end of every day...after the night...comes another morning. An opportunity to start fresh...anew. There are times in our lives that can drain the energy from us, motivation to keep going...keep doing the right thing. We've got to remember that our time on this earth is brief, thus we need to make sure we're making good use of our time. This song, coupled with the verses below are motivators that I keep around me so that I'll focus on maintaining my relationship with God and my family. Like Paul says below...Make the most of every chance you get ...and soak in the ordinary.
Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light! So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. Ephesians 5:11-17
And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money." You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that." James 4:13-15
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7
If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. James 1:5-8
Yesterday we all went to the doctor. Crystal had to go since she was sick...otherwise we wouldn't have done such a thing on our anniversary. I had to go because of my hands...and was confirmed about something that I've been in denial about...carpal tunnel. Then, it was Sarala's turn. She is doing amazing in her development...and she's growing. She's all of 26 pounds and is 2 feet 6 inches tall. It's been awhile since we've been to the doctor with her so we hadn't realized how much she's grown.
Until February of 08, she spent a lot of time in the doctor's office either here in town or up at Children's in St. Louis. Her reservoir was removed last October 07 so that cut down on a lot of the hospital visits. What got us thinking about this was a comment from her pediatrician. He suggested that we e-mail or contact her neurosurgery people and the NICU in San Fran with some pictures and an update. He said that you don't get happy updates very often in neurosurgery.
That's what brings us back to the realization that Sarala is a miracle. God's baby. The verses above are some that brought comfort as we were praying for God to do something...heal her. She was in the NICU for three months, born 2 months premature at 2 pounds 5 ounces with hydrocephalus, grade 3 hemorrhaging, having to be detoxed off of meth, marijuana, and ecstasy...with nobody, but like I said, God took care of her. The picture below illustrates the size of her diaper when she was a newborn. The other diaper is what she wears now, as a little girl about to turn two. The cell phone is just there to provide some scale. God is amazing and is listening. He still does amazing things all around us.
These pictures below just show some of the aspects of her personality, and if you've been around her much, you've seen these. She's very inquisitive, smart, outspoken, knows what she wants, and generally happy. I thank God for all he's done with her. She has an amazing story that will hopefully keep her close to God. He's obviously close to her.
I'm an incredibly blessed man. I have a beautiful wife with a heart that matches. Our journey began four years ago, and it's been quite a journey at that. I wouldn't trade the life we have or the experiences we've had for anything. It's been amazing. Now that Sarala is in the picture, I get to see an additional aspect of Crystal, this time as a mother. She's an amazing mother for Sarala. I love you very much...here's to many, many more years.
This is essentially a place for me to put down thoughts about God, my family, life, school, whatever that doesn't require me to write. If you've seen my handwriting...you'd understand. I want a way to record what I've been thinking about...and since I'm not the best at journaling...this may serve that purpose. Hopefully this serves more than just my purpose....
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