The Middle...Part 2

What a week! As James states below, my "faith-life is forced into the open." I needed this past week...as stupid and terrible as it was, even up to yesterday at school. When you step back and think about it, look at it...there are a lot of places where we could probably make some changes. It seems like it took a period of financial struggle/car troubles/sickness for God to remind us that He's got it all under control. It's up to us to do something with that. It's up to us to take what we've learned and make some changes in our lives. It has been humbling.

There is a break in the clouds though...a break in the storm. The plan right now is to "stick it out"

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

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.

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.
James 1:2-7, 12

The Beginning...Part 1

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; - Psalms 139:23

Okay...I was bold enough to ask God...or to tell God my plans to get aggressive with our finances and debt so we could create some margin in our lives. The verse above from Psalms reflects a similar statement that I made in one of my "talks" with God late last week. Life had been going pretty smooth at that point. Time has been taken care of...the money part of things needs work. The plan is to get in tune with what God has going on for me...not what I've got going on for me...or my family.

The reason I want to get aggressive concerns our ability...or current inability...to act on the God-action going on around us. Now...we are involved to a degree...but not at a level we could be. So...this thought process began last weekend, and if you've talked to Crystal or I since then...you know that our week since then can only be described as...a terrible week. (you may replace terrible with other adjectives;)

Alright...the car gets hit at church in an apparent hit-and-run. Our brand-new...2009 car! My first thoughts involve how stupid and inconvenient this all is. Then, as I began to calm, the thoughts turned to "Oh...well...we do have another vehicle." We take that vehicle, the Bravada or as I call it...Bravad-o, to life group that night, Sunday night, and all is well. The next day our insurance adjuster-guy comes and gives us an estimate. We decide to take the Toyota to a place in Farm-town and drive both vehicles out there so we don't have to rent one.

As we cruise out there...we notice that the vents/climate control system in the Bravad-o aren't working. I'm thinking..."it's just a fuse..." and it begins.

It's like God took this verse above as a challenge and said..."Yes Wade...let's see what you're all about."

TO BE CONTINUED....

The Day from "H"...

Strong words...strong words for a terrible day. It's over though and one of the few things that kept me sane through it all was...you guessed it, my baby girl. I had to get over to MAC before the office I needed to get to closed at 4 so I took Sarala with me. Though the day up to that point was utterly horrible, nothing worked or happened like it should've...like the car for example, the fuse for the blower went out so...a cold ride to school this morning. After school I ended up forgetting my paperwork which resulted in a trip to MAC that had me digging through my bag...realizing I just raced over there without my papers.

Sarala along for the ride helped to keep things in perspective. So...hopefully tomorrow is the day when things work like they're supposed to and I don't forget things and I can replace the fuse in the car...yes.

And then there's Sarala...she's going to be a left-handed rocker!;)

Awww...Come On!

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

I feel like I had to endure something yesterday that caused me to keep perspective on things. At church we've been talking about this idea of being "rich." We are blessed. I am blessed.

As we came out of church, I come to find that someone had backed into our car...our 2009 car...and left. It wasn't a small "ding" either. Now...there was anger, frustration...rage, but it passed. Come on...our brand new car!! I guess it helped me being that it happened at church. As I thought about it though...I had peace. It's hard to explain...but it felt like things were going to be okay.

Monetarily this incident will make things a little tighter than we'd like, but I think we'll be okay. Alright...I KNOW we'll be okay. I say this because we had just written out our tithe back to God. The day before we had also written out a substantial check for a medical procedure for Crystal. Now...we discussed stopping the payment of the check from the day before...but it seems like we wouldn't be trusting God if we did that. He knew how things would go down. He's taken care of us before. It's on us to trust and have faith that our needs will be met and things will be taken care of.

It's okay that we drive our other vehicle...which happens to be 10 years old...around. It's okay that we don't go out and eat...shop...spend money. I have all I need...food...shelter...family...a loving Father...Jesus.

Perspective...I have a beautiful family with a beautiful baby girl. We have another vehicle that we can drive until the Corolla gets fixed. It is currently in the shop and we should have it back by the end of the week. Will our money be tight this month? Yes! Will we perish as a result?! Now, I'm being a little extreme...but we are very blessed here in the U.S. and we'll be fine. So, we won't be able to go out and eat as much this month...we may have to hang around the house more...that's perfectly fine.

So, as in the words of Jesus above...I feel like I'm the proud owner of everything that can't be bought.

I Thought This Was Pretty Cool...

Don't Sad...Be Happy....

Make the Most of What God Gives After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift!

God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.

Ecclesiastes 5:17b-20

Sarala will tell you "Don't sad, be happy" if you're looking a little worried/tired/stressed/sad. She is happy regardless of the situation surrounding her. My wife and I care for this little girl and make sure all of her needs are meet or exceeded...we pour our lives and resources into her. God does this on a much grander scale...and if we're "lucky" we are working in a job that some could say is our "calling" and are blessed beyond what we deserve or even need in most cases. It's on us to realize this and accept that it's a gift of God. Yes...even our work is a gift. I thank God for allowing me to do something that I love....something I think I'm great at...and to make pretty decent money doing so...and have whatever we need or want....

Some Quick Thoughts...

I figured I'd try some "quick" post action...I've got some stuff in the works but it is 10:15 in the PM and I've got some stuff to do...so, here are some things to ponder:

Why does Fox 2 have American Idol "news" as part of their broadcast?

• Now, it's not a serious question...I understand why American Idol would be a part of "Fox" news...but it still bugs me.

What's the deal with gas prices vs. barrels of oil? If the price of barrels goes up...or if someone even "thinks" about it...the price seems to instantly go up, but if the prices plummet...it takes forever for that to hit the pumps...!

• Again...I also understand, or at least think I understand, how this oil stuff sorta works...but again...bugs me.

It's going to be a cold couple of days coming up. Haven't seen anything this cold since my junior year of high school...in Montana. I do miss the snow though...wouldn't mind the cold so much if there were a reason for it...like...SNOW!

It's amazing how an excursion to get our oil changed at the Toyota dealership can turn into a $140 trip when it's all said and done...with a meal at Cracker Barrel, a "stop" by Wal-Mart to pick up some "essentials", and...don't forget about the whole reason for the trip...the changing of the oil/other things they do to your car...!

Have a wonderful Wednesday all y'all!

How Rich Are You? Part 2

Check this site out and see where you rank in the world as far as being "rich." I apparently fall in the top 0.91% of the richest people of the world, which puts me at the "richest" end of the spectrum above...being the 55,146,441 richest person in the world. Something to think about.

Where do you fall on the globalrichlist? Post your rank....

Rich 013

Worship Set 1-11-09

You Are God - Christ for the Nations Institute
The Time Has Come - Hillsong United
Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin
All to You - Lincoln Brewster

Jumping the Gun...

I've been reading through Samuel lately and it has been quite refreshing. It's been awhile since I've been in any part of the Old Testament. I'm currently in 1 Samuel 13 where Saul "jumps the gun" and decides to do something himself that should've been done by Samuel. God is not at all happy with this.

I think about how this reflects my own life and actions at times. There is an element of patience that I struggle with. Faith is also something that I tend to overlook if something isn't happening like I think it should or in the timing in my mind. It comes down to wanting to follow God...as it puts it in Samuel, "to have God as my king." The Israelites in Samuel wanted a King to rule over them...irregardless of the things God told them how it would go (and GOD being their king)...likewise I tend to not want to hear it or to not listen altogether, thus I tend to screw up things a lot worse. The conversations that the Israelites had with Samuel and God sound a lot like the conversations I've had with God...which means that I need to listen more.

So, just some thoughts as the week nears the end. It has been a crazy week, as per usual...and it's time to go pick up Sarala.

All I Can Offer...

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

All I can offer is this verse above. I don't know what to say. Some bad news, devastating news, was given to us via a voice-mail tonight while we were enjoying the company of some friends. Our friends had stopped by to give Sarala some Christmas presents. Life tends to happen that way. There are ups...then immediate "dives" that can occur. Do I expect these things? Not necessarily...I'm not a pessimist. We were talking and watching Sarala play with her Christmas gifts when we heard Crystal's cell phone ring. We usually let the voice-mail or machine pick up if we have visitors. Crystal checked it out as we continued to talk and found some terrible news from a family we're close to. The husband, Ron, has a grade 4 brain tumor. How does one digest something like this? It seems like one moment all was well, he was fine...the last time we saw them, now...the world around them is completely different.

As I thought about this news...I went back through my old blog posts and began reading. I came upon a post from April 2008, a result of similar circumstances...not knowing what to say to those you love who are hurting. Here's an excerpt of all I could offer and I'm in the same frame of mind again...what to say...how to say it....

Caedmon's Call has this song on their new album called "Hold the Light." It's a pretty amazing song that describes how a life with relationships goes. There will be times of celebration and times of loss...along with all the stuff in between. We are supposed to hold the light for each other in times of darkness. We need to allow the "silent peace of God" reflect in our actions and words.

Hold the Light
Caedmon's Call (Andrew Osenga/Randall Goodgame)

It's been a long year
Like a long sleepless night.
Jacob wrestled the angel,
but I'm too tired to fight.
Every wednesday
for two years we've met.
I've showed you all my anger
my doubts and bitterness.

There was no judgement in your eyes
just the silent peace of God,
that felt so real in you.
Will you hold the light for me?
Will you hold the light for me?

And I stay up late
because I cannot sleep.
I don't want to face the quiet
where its just God and me.
I'm waiting for the gavel
handing me the sentence down,
because I don't believe forgiveness
or even repentance now.

There was no judgement in your eyes
Just the silent peace of God,
that felt so real in you.
Will you hold the light for me?
Will you hold the light for me?

I want to feel redemption
flowing through my veins.
I want to see with clear eyes
beyond lust and hate.
I want the war to be over,
and know the good guys won,
and I want love to hold me
to know I'm not alone.

Standing around a willow weeping,
we were praying in the backyard.
In the chill of the night
the friendship light reminded me who we are
...who we are, who we are

Will you hold the light?
Will you hold the light for me?

The Wild Holiday Adventures in the Buckman Household...

Two weeks away from work is amazing. The fact that I still get paid is even more amazing. It was a glorious time of rest and visiting with the family but there were a couple instances of insanity that reminded us how crazy life can get in the midst of great times. For example...my brother got some ice out of the freezer one night and left it cracked open. Thus...much of the stuff thawed and there was water all over the floor when we awoke the following morning. As Crystal was taking care of this matter...I was in the shower. As I flushed the toilet and prepared to jump into the shower...the water began to come UP rather than down and away. I was dodging toilet-water while calling for Crystal to bring some form of towel...mop...something. Keep in mind that I was about the get into the shower so my attire was...well...you could probably guess. The next couple days went pretty smoothly until we get to the night before the end of break, January 4th.

Sarala is on the couch eating some Mini-M&M's out of a small cup...we're watching some old Droopy cartoons and what do we find...Sarala with a finger up her nose. Now, normally we wouldn't think a whole lot of it but when she brought out her finger out of her nose...the end was green. She had stuck a Mini-M&M up her nose. We spent the next 3o minutes trying to get the thing out. Spraying stuff up there...sucking it out with the "nose-sucker." She doesn't want any part of "candy" after this...for now anyway. Now...we're back to normal, routine life.

You've got to love the holidays....

Worship Set 1-04-09

You Are Worthy of My Praise - Big Daddy Weave
Your Grace is Enough - Chris Tomlin
Holy is the Lord - Chris Tomlin
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Chris Tomlin
All For You - Paul Baloche

And a Happy New Year...

I'm in the midst...or near the end of my first actual Christmas "break" in a long time. Coaching basketball has always been a big part of my breaks with practice and a tournament, but since I'm not coaching...I actually had nothing to do. I also ended up taking a break from the blog. There were things I did go do and things I saw, attended...but there really wasn't anything that I "had" to do. It was...and is quite amazing.

So...until my next post...I'm wishing all of you a happy and blessed 2009. I'm now back to my "nothing", which actually includes playing some Wii, watching some tv, hanging out....