Have you ever noticed that when you have either no desire to purchase anything or no time and money that you find all kinds of stuff at the mall? Today I went shopping with the intentions of purchasing something with my Christmas money and found absolutely nothing. The same is true of the day after Christmas when I ventured into the vast landscapes of the Houston metro area malls and stores. Frustrated, I dug deep to find some spiritual application to this phenomenon. Sure there were a few cute tops and possibly some bottoms and dresses that could pass inspection. Certainly a couple purses jumped out at me and some shoes were shiny on the racks and in their boxes, however, none of these items met both the joy and financial factors. Since I am frugal both intentionally and of necessity, items have to pass inspection. They either need to bring a lot of joy to my life to justify the money spent, or they need to be really cheap and too good of a bargain to pass up. None of of the more expensive items were deemed life changing and all of the cheap clothes looked cheap and picked over.

Since I am a psychologist and follower of Jesus, I often find meaning in bizarre places. Bathroom stalls can bring forth epiphanies and sometimes a dumpster isn't just for trash. I reached the realization in the mall today that my life can sometimes be compared to my shopping trips. I have a zest and zeal for both life and shopping. I love living and try to capture each day to the fullest, just as I love the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. How often does my life and spirituality measure up to my shopping trips? Am I lacking both joy and finances? A shopping trip for me is not complete without the marriage of the "wow" factor and price factor. Am I selling my life with Christ short because I refuse to allow my joy to be tied with my finances?

Don't be spiritually bankrupt. Don't walk out of God's marketplace without your bags full. The psalmist David said it best when he penned the words "my cup runneth over". Many times the blessings of God are not in a financial form but are bagged in goodness and mercy. However, we can't get these intangible blessings without opening first our hearts and secondly our pocketbooks to the kingdom. Luke 12:34 (For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.)

New Years Capabilities

I am sitting here today reflecting on 2008 with a mixture of emotions. What a crazy ride it has been! We have successfully bought and sold our first home, bought and wish to sell our first 5th wheel, bought and are hoping to eventually discard our first Ford F-350 Quad Cab Dually, resigned our first pastorate and led the pastoral search for their new pastor, and are hoping to successfully plant our first church from the ground up. 2009 will hopefully not compare to 2008 in the whirlwind of life. Our boys have grown in wisdom, favor, and stature and Jonathan and I as people have exploded in knowledge and growth. (Thus the weight loss resolution. Just kidding! Not the type of growth I'm referring to). God has been so good to us. We have been through numerous tests and trials of our faith and I think have come out proven as gold in the fire. We have endured not just attacks from the enemy, but many rounds of friendly fire from well meaning and not so well meaning people. We have endured scrutiny that ranges from justified to absurd and yet, we stand stronger, taller, prouder, and more convinced than ever of the task that God has called us to do. We have also been the recipients of endless friendship, brotherly love, charity, and Godly armor bearers. For this, I am humbled.

My life the last several years has been abundantly blessed, but not easy. My reflections of 2008 have proven to me that money, possessions, and worldly materials have no hold on me. While I am grateful of this, I really didn't want to have to prove that point! I would consider myself an overcomer, trail blazer, comforter, and friend in 2008. These characteristics have defined me this year.

Trying to come up with a list of New Years resolutions, I have pondered things that are status quo and will fall off my list in no time. The obligatory resolution to eat less, exercise more, and achieve Goddess like health and good looks is, as always, at the top of my list. My resolution to be a patient, Godly, loving mother and wife is and always will remain my passion. Above all though, I desire 2009 to be a year of authentic Christianity. This term has become popular recently and I don't wish to be cliche, but I'm tired of fake people going through rituals and routines. It is time for me to be authentic. I will be who I am in Christ unabashedly without shame, regret, or glances over my shoulder. Gone are the days where a tiny part of my soul desires to please people. Popularity is a fleeting thing, but authentic, real, divine impartation is forever.

Did you know that the term resolution means level of clarity, detail of image, as well as the subsiding or termination of an abnormal condition? We always think of it in terms of a formal declaration and statement at the beginning of a new year, but don't really resonate with the term that we find in daily life. How many times have a seen the word resolution on my digital camera and not even thought of it? This year, I want my resolutions to have clarity and detail. I want my resolutions to end any abnormal conditions in my heart and life with the light of the word of God. My prayer is that I can see myself for who I am and become who I should be in Christ. I want to be divinely and truly His.

The Boys

Just a quick update on the family. I want the world to know that Reese Bentley Buckland is finally potty trained! Yeah....He has been wearing big boy undies for almost two weeks now and hasn't had an accident in almost a week. He is even dry at night. This was a long time coming. Now I know how God feels when he is working on us about the same mistakes over and over again. He gives us spiritual stickers and reward blessings and yet we keep having accidents. I know that in my spiritual life I want to give God, my father, a reason to celebrate and not be frustrated everyday. If I feel this great and proud about Reese and the potty, imagine how God feels when we overcome addictions, fears, and failures.

Gentry turned 1 on December 11 and is as precious as ever. The boys are best friends and love on each other and play together all the time. I'm so thankful for my boys.

Thanks to everyone that has followed my blog this year and supported me financially, spiritually, and emotionally. I pledge in 2009 to try to be more consistent with my blog. This time of year has just been crazy, hectic.

Spiritual Forecast

Wind is a multi faceted thing. With speeds and intensities ranging from the calmest breeze to the most raging tornado, hurricane, and tsunami, simply identifying a day as windy is not good enough. Politicians bursting with enticing words are often called wind bags, air headed individuals are said to be balloon heads, and quick tempered people are called full of hot air. Wind has a central location in all of our lives. We have seen the devastation of tornados numerous times in this decade, but yet have felt the calm, cooling power of an evening summer’s breeze. The power and intensity of wind and air has the ability to bring peace to our situation, stir up the ground in our yards, or completely alter the landscape of our cities.
I began to think of the changing power and element of a wind. There is nothing more refreshing than wind when you have been outside in scorching temperatures. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the wind as it descends upon the beach and causes the waves to lap up upon shore. The bible makes many references to wind and the changing elements. One of our most familiar passages of scripture when it relates to wind can be found in the book of ACTS.
Acts 2:1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

With the life changing power of wind in the secular realms, as Christians we need to tap into the refreshing, cutting, powerful, life altering power of spiritual wind. Many Christians and people walk around depressed, however, wind is a substance that lifts things up. In the midst of a tornado, no one is concerned about things staying low and down, the concern is the “pick me up” force associated with these high powered winds. If we could get in the vein of the wind of the spirit, being downtrodden would be the least of our concerns. We need to get caught in the eye of the storm and allow God to do the things that wind does. It breaks things, it uplifts things, and its calming breeze can comfort and cool.
Many of our lives and cities need shaken up and we have what it takes to do so. We have the wind of the spirit moving in our lives. God is calling us with the breeze of his word and we must respond to him to be caught in the flow of what he is doing. We have to seek after God to find him and he will be an agent of change. The use of wind in the scriptures gives us a word picture of strength and ability. Get caught in the weather today!
John 3:8
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. KJV