Home | Charis Buckland

Hello friends! Are you taking a spring break? My sisters always laugh because there are no spring breaks for “big girls” out of school! It’s tough being a big girl sometimes! 

It’s March and that means it’s Maddox’s birthday time! He turned one, so we enjoyed a spring break from school, ballet, and church, and decorated for his birthday. I made a buffalo check blue table runner for Deacon’s first birthday and I just use it every year for the boys. For Maddox, I embroidered a ONE birthday high chair banner for photos to match, since I learned to make pennants recently. 

Since his birthday was on a Sunday, he wore a special outfit to church…

and had an bubble suit for the rest of the day! I will do bubble suits for as long as I can because I think they’re adorable!

Also, it wouldn’t be real life without frustrations, so Brett’s car needed repairs Sunday morning on the way to church. It made it back home, so he and my dad spent the entire afternoon and into the evening working on that car! A friend from church came over to help finish the job, which was an incredible blessing! By that time, it was Maddox’s bedtime. When stuff like that happens to you, know it happens to us all! We enjoyed good food and a festive table, though.

It wouldn’t be strange Tennessee weather if there wasn’t a random tornado that dropped the temperature from a balmy 75 degrees for his birthday to 40 degrees overnight. We hung out in the living room at 10:30 p.m. watching the weather activity until going back to bed! Happy birthday to Maddox!

We also had a spring break movie night outside on the patio to celebrate the coming of spring.

Spring break also comes with s’mores!

To go along with the last conversation we had about ways to look and feel poised and polished, I have a few thoughts on how to continue this thought process. Tis the season for graduations, internship interviews, and job interviews. It is important to also behave in ways that show respect and competence. 

Write hand-written thank-you notes. It takes time and effort to hand write a pretty card and to address! It also takes time to find a stamp or run to the post office to buy a book of stamps. This effort says a lot to people when they receive real mail in the mailbox that they can hold. This stands out culturally when most people will type a quick text, hit send, and done. A handwritten card shows time and effort, which is not always spent today. Real mail makes people smile. 

Stand when someone walks in the room. In a casual culture, standing seems like a foreign idea, but it means a lot to stand and greet people when they enter the room. It feels great to be recognized and loved. It immediately puts people at ease. It also shows respect at job interviews or in professional situations. It just may set you above the crowd!

Remember peoples’ names. Think about times when someone addresses you by name – it means a lot that someone remembered me! Make it an intentional habit to try to remember names of people you meet. 

Ask people about their lives with genuine interest. It means a lot to people when events in their lives are remembered and asked about. Remembering to ask someone about their sick grandparent or ask about how a job interview went shows they are cared about. 

Make eye contact. Cell phone usage and staying behind masks during 2020 seems to have affected this meaningful gesture. We often see people walking through crosswalks with they eyes glued to a cell phone or people answering questions at restaurants without ever looking up from a menu. Eye contact shows respect, makes it easier to remember information, and improves relationships through. It impacts relationships in the way that looking into someone’s eyes actually creates a bond. Pretty cool, huh?

Walk without looking at a phone. Our eyes need a physical break to avoid strain and our minds need to look and enjoy the world around. Walking without a phone has been shown to improve mind clarity, benefit friendships, and promote a better mood. A constant inundation of information, texts, and emails is absolutely stressful and causes anxiety. Sit outside and look for birds and squirrels. Sit with God in the backyard. Walk to class and speak to other students. Walk through the office and actually see people. 

Put the phone down completely when someone speaks. I know, “everyone does it,” but keeping a phone in hand when spoken to shows one foot out the door and out of that conversation. It shows egocentrism because the conversation is not about the other person, but about the agenda of the one with the phone, basically waiting for the conversation to end so he or she can get back to whatever it is they were doing. Take a minute to completely disengage and put another human being first. Really engage with what they are saying. Show genuine interest. It improves relationships at work and with a spouse or children at home. 

Wait to eat until everyone is served. Even little ones can learn to wait to pick up that fork until everyone has washed up, is seated, and the maker of the meal (usually me at home) takes a seat. We learn to put others first and live with a group of people. We are reminded life is not just about us. 

Listen before speaking to avoid interrupting. We all are born with an egocentric mindset, so all children have to learn to wait to speak until others are through talking. We don’t just bulldoze through someone else’s words because we are ready to speak. Each of my children around a certain age, usually about three, have had to be reminded not to interrupt when I am speaking to another adult. The big kids have it down, so they know to wait, and the younger ones are still learning. It’s important to learn respect for others and learn self control. 

Look behind you when passing through a doorway to hold it for anyone coming behind. I am always impressed by the teenage boys who look behind and hold the door for me in the early mornings as I hit the rec center for my gym classes. I am also sure to tell them “thank you.” All of us, girls and boys at home turn to hold the door for those coming behind us out in the world. It’s just nice.

Say please and thank you. When I was little and my younger sisters watched Barney, there was a “please” and “thank you” song. Anybody remember that? Remembering to say these simple words places gratitude in our hearts. It also shows respect and builds relationships. 

These ideas are all great for putting forth a good representation of yourself in social situations and work environments, but most of all, they show a representation of Jesus. Isn’t it funny how the same traits of integrity that Jesus wants us to possess also help us to stand out in the world? We shine and show His glory, and at the same time, stand out at work or in the community. 

No matter what you are doing this week, what frustrations or weather may come your way, remember to shine your light like Jesus wherever you go!

“…among whom you shine like stars in the world…” Philippians 2:14-16

Love,
Charis

Pic(k) of the week: I don’t know about you, but every first birthday I have experienced in our house has been accompanied by tears. I think the shouting of the “happy birthday” song was a little loud for him. He also was unsure of the birthday candle in his face…