Okay, Let's Try This Again...Have You Wondered...Who IS Wade Buckman?

Apparently the tinyurl stuff doesn't work at school...blocked...so click here and you'll see what Buckman-Mania is all about.

Have You Wondered...Who IS Wade Buckman?

Click here...and enjoy "Buckman Mania!"

I Can't Not Blog...

This is pretty much what I'd like to do when I get home. Just lay on the couch...take a nap maybe. I can't though...not until next week anyway. For some reason...life has been really busy. I really don't know what my schedule is filled with...but it seems like once Sarala goes to bed...I get busy working on something. Tonight...curriculum. I'm looking to work on curriculum every night until Monday because...well...it's DUE MONDAY!! I know...I'm trying not to overwhelm myself so I take breaks every now and then...like now...a break to blog.

Tonight was great because "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was on tv. Sarala and I watched it together...in it's entirety, which is pretty awesome. The little girl likes Snoopy...I imagine because he's a puppy. She loves puppies in general, which explains why she is a puppy for Halloween.

I love it...Charlie Brown ends up getting rocks at every house when they go trick-or-treating. Plus...aren't the other kids terrible to him...all the time? Well...enjoy...back to work for me.

Driving and Listening...

I had to cruise out to Wal-Mart...well...I guess I didn't "have to", but in order to affect positive change correctly within my classroom management system...I needed tickets. I checked out ALCO...but alas...didn't have them. I waited until Sarala went to bed which had me arriving at Wal-Mart around 8pm.

If I drive anywhere alone...the time is spent listening to music, thinking, and talking to God about whatever. As my iPod shuffled through my music collection, a song came on by MercyMe called "Finally Home." Now, I'm not normally a MercyMe listener, but the song caught me because of its content...which explains why it is part of my collection. The song is about the ability to see someone you love dearly again once you "finally make it home"...in this case...your dad.

Some of you are aware of this but if you're not...my dad passed away when I was only six years old. It rocked my world. He had cancer...so I guess people had an idea that he could pass...but that's not how things work for a child. I remember not feeling any emotion at the viewing the night before the funeral. Everyone was crying...I felt horrible because I wasn't crying...because I thought I was supposed to. I was sad...but the brevity of the situation hadn't struck me...again...I was only six. This event changed my life. We had to move...my mom had to go to work...new neighborhood in a rougher part of town...life with a single parent...a little brother to help take care of...too much for a little kid.

I often think about how life would be different if he didn't die. I think about all of the "man" stuff I had to learn on my own or teach myself. I think about my insecurities and how his living could have affected them...made them non-existent in some cases. I also think of the day that I'll get to see him again...along with many others that I've lost along the way...my older bro...my grandpa.... How amazing will that be?


There is this book I read by Donald Miller "To Own a Dragon: Reflections On Growing Up Without A Father" that has helped me remember that I'm not the only one out there who grew up without a dad. I think about how little Sarala is my best friend...that I want to and would do anything in my power to be around for her. I see the positives of this already within our relationship and it makes me happy.

And as I think about that day...like the song says...

I'm gonna wrap my arms around my daddy's neck and tell him that I've missed him

And tell him all about the man that I became and hope that it pleased him

Worship Set 10-26

Beautiful One - Jeremy Camp
Happy Day - Tim Hughes
Our God Saves - Paul Baloche
Your Name - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Your Grace is Enough - Chris Tomlin

A Night Out With My Girls...

I got home and had to put this up on the blog before I got too busy to mess with it. Life has been quite busy lately for the Buckman's...primarily Wade. Report cards, P/T Conferences, doing something new with his teaching have taken up all of my extra time in the past week and a half. Today we had a half-day of meetings so we went up to STL...Fenton to be specific, and did some shopping, dinner, grocery shopping, then home. We ended up getting home by nine which wasn't too bad. O'Charley's is fantastic because they've got Diet Mt. Dew...the rolls are amazing when hot and fresh like they were...and kids eat free. Therefore...we splurged a little and Sarala and I ordered a chocolate smoothie to share and she loved it, which I loved. What a great way to spend a Friday night...with my two favorite-ist girls.

Very Small Rocks...

There is this line in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where villagers and a knight are trying to figure out if a girl is a witch.
"Very Small Rocks..." I love it.

Carving a "Punkin"

You know...there's not much to say about this other than it was a lot of fun...Sarala calls it a "punkin"...and I can't believe it turned out like it did. The pumpkin was pretty thick...an inch and a half to two inches...incredible.

How is it going?

There it is...that question. A question that can seem so empty and if answered...can throw us off guard. Most of us...I know I do...ask this question of people. Now...am I truly wondering how it is going...or am I just being polite? I try to be intentional about the words that come out of my mouth. That's the key though...I try, which means it's not always the case. So...I type this and ask myself...how is it going?

Well...I've am pretty busy. Report cards, curriculum, parent/teacher conferences, giving guitar lessons...all of these things are consuming my time. I've been selfish with my time lately. There...I said it. Now...I always try to make time to make sure Sarala gets my time...but I've made some decisions lately that have caused me to refrain from talking to people. I'm trying to meet deadline after deadline...staying caught up on all the paperwork and such that comes my way. I try and not overwhelm myself...but it happens here and there...the feeling of being overwhelmed. There it is...talking to people gets me off track.

That's where I need to fix things. People are important. The time I give them is precious...which is why I don't coach anymore or involve myself in too much right now...but there is an intentionality to the relationships I have and the ones I'm developing. I've ignored some urgings that God has dropped on me because of selfishness. Now I'm feeling like I've missed some opportunities. So...to end this post...it's time to continue talking to God about things, value the happenings in the lives of those around me, and work smarter so that my time is taken up by organizational things from school. Alright...there you go.

And yes...I need to get back to blogging regularly because I've got a lot going on in my thoughts and experiences...no reason why I can't take a couple minutes and put them into words in a post.

Almost Died Laughing...

I don't know why I think this is so funny...but it is!
muddy waters

The Little Babe...

There are some things in life that should take the top spots in anyone's list of important things. If you have a child or children...they should definitely hold one of those top spots.

This post by Perry Noble...Three Things I Want For My Daughter...describes where I am as far as my feelings for Sarala. I love her so much...and I want her to know that. I want her to know that God loves her very much...and I want her to know about the miracles that happened to get her healthy and to Missouri. She is one of the main reasons I am no longer a basketball coach. Will I ever coach again...? I would like to think so...but Sarala is only little for so long...I don't want to miss out on anything. I've thoroughly enjoyed every moment that I've been able to spend with her...over the summer...evenings...breakfasts on Saturday mornings...I love it all.

A Magic "Show"?

My first experience with life-groups was awesome and is something I'll always remember. Crystal and I were members of a church here in AV but attending a life-group through Meadow Heights. It was probably the second time we were at the home of our host's when we were talking about food for the next week. It was decided that we would have home-made ice cream for dessert...and a magic "show." All week Crystal and I tried to figure out what this was all about. Finally came the day for life-group again...and the magic "show." Turns out the magic "show" was actually magic "shell"...the stuff you put on ice cream that hardens and creates a chocolate "shell." Duh...but awesome. All the time we heard magic "show" and it was magic "shell." We were at Big Lots today and I saw some magic shell that reminded me about this...how awesome.

Your Serve...

Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
Romans 12:11

I've had some amazing experiences in the past two weeks. Part of those experiences resulted in my having to prioritize a little...to answer the question "What are the important things in life?" So...here I am...winding down from another crazy day in second grade. My desk has a pile of papers on it from the week...all graded...but not recorded. This is due to what's coming next week...a change in how I teach and what I teach.

Enough of that for now...on to what has been on my mind. Service. Service can get to a point where your thought-life says..."I'm tired...there's got to be someone else who can help!" Yes...I understand...I've been at that point. It's in those times when God drops some opportunities on me that have been utterly amazing in scope. I return home thinking..."Wow...I'm sure glad I didn't miss out on that...all because of being tired." Pushing through the tiredness...now hear what I'm saying. You must be wise in choosing how and when to help serve. Don't bring yourself to a point where you're neglecting your family or your own duties and responsibilities. Also...everyone needs rest every now and then. Take time to refuel...read...listen to some good music...eat something different...revel in the beauty of nature.

When it comes to that point...I try to focus on what God has going on...not on the craziness around me. It's those thoughts that can deter you and cause you to miss out on some God-action happening around you or through you. Like Paul says above..."Pray all the harder" in those times.

Is it hard to be "cheerfully expactant?" Yes...life can be rough, but don't quit. Pray...seek help from those around you...keep moving forward. Just because you're a Christ-follower doesn't exempt you from life. Often we have more questions and confusion because God works in His ways...not ours. I'm thankful for that though. Trust that He's holding it down...and remember that He's placed people around you that can provide support and help in times of need. Everyone needs help at some point.

So...don't let life affect your serve.

A Night At Home...

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"
Romans 15:1-2

I have developed an amazing relationship with a family within the past two weeks. Some of you know who I'm talking about because you've come with me...along on the journey. It has been amazing...God has done some awesome things and I'm looking for what's next.

Let me start at the beginning. About two weeks ago I was made aware that there was a family in dire need. This family had nothing...had been put into a "house"...in very poor condition. No transportation, food...nothing. Now...usually one hears about these things and asks..."what put them in this situation?" or they say things like "some thing's up with this situation...they're just looking for handouts." Granted...there are a lot of people that abuse help when it comes...but there are others who truly need help. Pride can play a big part in how to ask...and I can only imagine the feelings and thoughts as the man of the house asked for help.

I was able to accompany two friends of mine to assess the situation...and it became clear that it was a real need. So...the people around me went into action and it has been awesome to see God work through and around people since. The blessings so abundant in our lives became apparent and it didn't take long for people to begin giving generously.

I've been over to visit the family a couple times since and last night was another awesome God-thing. The family...who had been saving money for some sort of transportation...had found a vehicle. So, a friend and I got a chance to drive them out to Desloge to pick it up. It looks like it's in great shape...considering the year and price.

I'm loving it...in awe about the whole thing...being able to witness the movement of God. I'm now back at my house tonight...taking it easy. The wife is attending on-line class, the baby girl is sleeping peacefully after taking a bath, and I was playing Wii...then I figured I should probably get some of these thoughts out while I'm thinking about them. Therefore...this post may seem a little disconnected without much flow...but I've been so moved by what God is doing around us...me...in people, through people...for people. I love it and I'm so thankful that I've been blessed with this experience.

As I continue to collect my thoughts and experiences...I'll write some more about it...but for now...back to some MarioKart until the wife is done...then off to bed.

Don't Judge Too Quickly...

God's hand for that person...

Never walk away from someone who deserves help;
your hand is God's hand for that person.
Don't tell your neighbor "Maybe some other time"
or "Try me tomorrow"
when the money's right there in your pocket.
Proverbs 3:28

I think that my last post reflects what this passage in Proverbs is talking about...the fact that I want to be able to do this. A big part of this is being sensitive to exactly who and when we need to help. If you've got the urge...go for it. What have you got to lose? I've been blessed with so much, as have many of you. Go for it...!

Some Reflection...

I look at this picture...from the summer...and see that my hair got quite long. It's heading that direction again...and we've now got one-fourth of the school year down. I'm looking back at this past week and thinking..."man...where did the time go?!" It's now the start of another week. I didn't do anything school-related all weekend so the result was me staying up late tonight working on lesson plans and grading papers. I did have fun playing guitar this weekend. Even broke a string while "rockin'" out. Now I'm back to thinking about school. I'm trying to find the motivation to get caught up but there seems to be too much life happening.

I don't want to miss the baby girl growing up...spending time with Crystal...things happening around me. I also don't want to miss out on the God-things going on around me. Time. Time is something that must be managed...and managed carefully...wisely. I don't want to spend all my extra time with the fam because I could be missing out on some opportunities placed around me by God. I also don't want to do the inverse of this...either way...it's not great. It's about finding balance. Balance in life...time...relationships...everything. I feel like I'm finally getting a handle on the organizational side of teaching this year so that I can devote more time to more important things. I also want to be available for whatever God-action that may come up...and I can't always do that if all I'm doing is school work. So...there it is...that's where I am right now. Not too exciting...I know...but I try and not create craziness for myself. Alright...it is pretty late and time for bed....

Where did the time go...?

The last time I posted...it was Tuesday evening and I was at school. It is now Thursday...late Thursday and I noticed that I actually had a little time and wasn't exhausted. This just illustrates how quickly time can pass. It seems like so much has occurred in the past couple days...so much that I haven't had time to blog. In the midst of it all I've had a chance to experience some of God's workings in the area. Also, Sarala is an ever-present reminder of how God can come through...if we ask and are serious about it.

The look on this face says it all. I love it though...a beautiful babe who I love so much. I've had some experiences this week that have really given me perspective on life...the things that are truly important. When it comes to living life...I feel like I've had an amazing opportunity to experience what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5, the whole thing about "Salt and Light."

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

We all have purpose. Sometimes it doesn't make sense...but we all have purpose. Like Jesus says "God is not a secret to be kept." God can do amazing things...and if we truly believe this...wouldn't we want to share it with everyone? Think about the things that God has done in your life...why not share it? Also...thinking about purpose...Jesus continues by saying "I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." It's time for us to shine. God is doing some amazing things around us in AV and we can play a part. It's up to us to "Keep open house; be generous with your lives."

I've been blessed by being able to get to know a family that has allowed me to live this out. Thinking about what generous means here...it's not financial in any means. It can be..but...just being an ear to listen...giving time to visit...these are things that all of us can do. Also, Jesus then says "By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." It's crazy how this can point people in the direction of God. So...remember...like Paul says in Ephesians 3...

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Who Are You...?

Hello Blog, it's been awhile. I didn't disappear. I even received an e-mail from my mom asking if I'm still alive or just busy. I realize that the frequency of my posts could prompt such an inquiry...but alas...I just got really busy...suddenly. It seems like life hit...and now it's Tuesday evening and I'm sitting at school typing this. Why am I at school? Well...I spent the day in Rolla at a workshop and am now participating in "Lights On Reading" and waiting for parents to swing in. I figured I'd take the seemingly free moments I've gotten and bust out a blog post.

My world has been rocked as of late. Nothing bad, just reminded of the need that affects so many families...and most of the time we're not even aware. I've been blessed with the opportunity to get to a know a family in the past couple days and my life is different because of it. Their experiences and circumstances are heartbreaking and humbling. God is already doing some amazing things in this situation and I'm expecting more. Well...I've got to get some stuff ready for tomorrow but I do have a blog post about my thoughts and experiences of the past few days in the works. It's saved...I just need to finish it...if I ever get a chance to sit down. Well...until next time...and hopefully it's not days later... ;)

Not Much to Blog About...

Life has kept me pretty busy lately. I haven't been able to come up with much to blog about because of this. I think if I tried to make myself blog...like I have up until recently...I wouldn't be able to produce anything coherent. I think I'd end up sounding like Fred Armisen's character from SNL...who is awesome by the way.

Twitter...

I haven't posted in a couple days. It seemed like I ran out of anything to say. In place of that I've been twittering...so I haven't completely left the electronic realm. I twitter.... I didn't know if I'd like it or not...but I think I'm now addicted. It's fun to know what's going on in the lives of those around me (those who twitter anyways). So...follow me if you're interested in the happenings that surround wb....