Slowing/quieting down to listen...

So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!
James 1:21-22

Humility. Listening...actively...as opposed to just "hearing." James is pretty straightforward here...harsh. This is a serious matter though...affecting those around us, us, and the opportunity for God to use us. It's about listening...before acting or letting thoughts...words come out of our mouth. How often do we do things, talk to people, make major decisions without listening for what God may have to say on the matter? Does this need to happen for everything? I guess we probably don't need to wait and hear from God if we're trying to figure out whether to get the Baylee Jo's Special or the Baylee Jo's Cheeseburger...though it is a tough decision in itself.

Back to the matter though...the Word. How I've neglected the Word as of late. I tend to not seek much from God when life is going good...smooth. There...I've said it.... Also harsh. Also...I give so much of my time to stuff that really doesn't matter. I come home from a crazy day at work and what do I do...sit down in front of the TV and "zone" for awhile. If I've had a tough day...it would probably do me a lot more good to come home...quiet myself, my heart...my head...and listen to God...and there it is...the key. Listen! Then comes the "Act on what you hear!" part. Too often I do things on my own and from my own understand. So...this is where I find myself right now...trying to remedy this by taking some time to read...quiet...listen.

Crystal left work today sick...and I don't mean just "sick"...but SICK...horrible, flu-like sick. Is it the flu...I hope it's not...but we'll see. She's doing better tonight after resting and was able to keep some crackers and carbonated soda down. Sarala went to bed early and it's left time for me to be quiet...out of necessity since the wife's sick and the small child's sleeping, but...to turn the tv off and chill...read...listen.

There is so much truth in the Word...from God. Hope. Life. Love. Available to all who want it.
As James says above, we need to...let our gardener, God, landscape you (us) with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your (our) life (lives). Imagine the world around your...your immediate daily-world...how different it would be if we were to let God make a salvation-garden out of our lives. This is an amazing life...life in Jesus...God-centered. Why wouldn't we want everyone and anyone to experience this also? We need to listen...take what God is giving us...speaking into us...around us...and act, not the inverse.

So, as you go into the rest of the week...listen for those whispers from God. There it is...it may be quiet...may result in us having to be intentional about seeking him...listening...being quiet...still. I challenge you to join me in this...see what happens!

Birth Certified...

Well, it is official. Sarala is a Buckman. We received her official birth certificate in the mail last Thursday and it's an utterly amazing piece of paper. She was born in August of 06, didn't come to live with us until March of 07...and here we are, Spring 2009 and she's two and a half...healthy...loved...!

And yes...she's trying to give me a kick...;)

"All Because of Jesus"

Had a chance to see these guys last night at The Bridge.

Reset...

In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Psalm 4:4

It's amazing what a little reading can do for you. Last night I found myself in a contemplative state since the school day didn't seem to end so well. Anger. I was angry. The key there is...was. That's the thing though...the school day didn't "seem" to end well. I sat down, opened up Psalms and began reading.

Then...there it was...peace. Found in all of two minutes of reading.

It was like God hit my "reset" button. My day was actually very smooth, my kids had gotten A LOT accomplished. I don't need to let my frustrations with whatever...build to anger. There's no reason for it. It just takes me out of the game for awhile. I had a free afternoon to get a ton of stuff done...an afternoon to come home and enjoy hanging out with my girls...but I squandered it on "thinking." Then, as we were...as some have said..."chillaxing"...it hit me.

Read.

Now, I almost didn't since my main Bible...the "reading" Bible...was in the car and our front yard turns into a swamp whenever it rains. I ended up getting into my ol' duct tape Bible, I've had this thing since high school. I didn't have any plan on where to start other than reading up on David (thanks to the new NBC series "Kings"). Here's a guy that God used regardless of all his issues. So...this lead me to the Psalms and boom...there it was/is.

Not only does this verse hold some major truth, check out how chapter four ends:

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

So...it's time for me to "search my heart and be silent/lie down and sleep in peace."

Amazing! God....

"My Enemies Are Men Like Me"

My Enemies Are Men Like Me

(vs. 1)
i have come to give you life
and to show you how to live it
i have come to make things right
to heal their ears and show you how to forgive them

(pre-chorus)
because i would rather die
i would rather die
i would rather die
than to take your life

(chorus)
how can i kill the ones i’m supposed to love
my enemies are men like me
i will protest the sword if it’s not wielded well
my enemies are men like me

(vs. 2)
peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
it’s like telling someone murder is wrong
and then showing them by way of execution

(pre-chorus)

(chorus)

(bridge)
when justice is bought and sold just like weapons of war
the ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor

(chorus)

The Fam...

"Jesus is holding my hand daddy..."

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.
Psalm 8:2

Sarala said something utterly amazing the other morning. We were on our way to school the and she was in the backseat telling us about holding her friend's hand...which are her stuffed animals. As she was telling us this, she then proceeded to say that "Daddy...my Jesus is holding my hand."

At that point I about lost it. Our amazing little babe...healed by God...a miracle baby...was telling us about "her" Jesus holding her hand. Amazing! We always tell her that Jesus was with her in the hospital when there was no one there...that we would talk to him every night, asking him to heal...take care of her while she was apart from us. Then came that glorious day...March 9th, 2007...a little over two years ago, when she finally came to Missouri to live with us.

I...Crystal and I feel SO blessed and are thankful to God for His allowing Sarala in our lives and doing what he did for her. For her to come back from being almost three months premature with hydrocephalus, grade 3 hemorrhaging, amongst other issues....and now she's a healthy, growing, amazing little girl who is heading towards three...RUNNING towards three and screaming along the way!

"Put that thing back where it came from or so help me...!"

I love Pixar movies. Sarala wasn't around for the release of either Toy Story movies or Monster's Inc. She loves them though. It is tough since they're not new movies anymore...can't find many toys to go with them. So, we have resorted to e-bay and the disney store on-line (since they've closed many of the actual stores).

We received, well...I should say that my wife received a package, in the office at school today that came from Disney. Apparently the items inside, a plush Buzz and Woody were supposed to be "Easter" presents but I couldn't see withholding the joy of her little characters until then so I figured we'd give them to her. So...even though I'm in a little "trouble"...it's all good. The little babe is so happy and appreciative of her new friends and we're chillin'...watching Monster's Inc...Again! It's okay though...I love how Sarala now quotes the parts of Boo in the movie before they happen and man oh man...it's cute!