Home | Charis Buckland

I don’t know about you, but as we are over halfway through the year, my year has not looked like how I planned! As much as I love (structured) fun and love to squeeze the most out of every single day, it has felt heavy. So many prayers, so many fears, and amid the blessings of so many brothers and sisters in Christ walking beside me, so much agonizing pain! Whew! 

We have had some fun! Linley and Ella Kate had their shared waffle bar birthday party!

We had cotton candy for VBS family night!

We raised money for missions by making pink lemonade during VBS week!

We went to Sonic in the hot June afternoons!

The best news is that Raegan chose to follow Jesus!

She was baptized VBS week!

Raise to LIFE!

Everybody needs a baptism cake for their spiritual birthday to celebrate NEW LIFE!

We played in the rain puddles cuz why not?

3…2…1…JUMP!

We also watched fireworks from the back patio!

Despite fun stuff, sometimes life just feels off. It feels weird. Even uncomfortable.

I was talking with a friend, the wife of my husband’s work friend, and I described to her the feeling of striving everyday for so many months, trying to save my sweet baby boy’s life and get him the very best care. Anybody every feel the exhaustion of the strive? She explained we are not meant to strive and I totally agree with her. Striving, straining, and scraping by is not how God intends for us to live!

Jeremiah 17:7 reminds us that, “the person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.” Whew! When unscheduled events take place or my days don’t look like I planned, I can look to God for wisdom. He was already there! He welcomes me to go to Him and trust Him. 

It doesn’t even have to be a terribly hard season or anything. Some days just don’t go as planned, with oversleeping, feeling tired, spilled milk, Cheerios all over the floor that end up staying all day long, homeschool lessons that take longer than expected, late lunch, no naps, sassy teens, disgruntled boss, bad grade on a school assignment…whatever! 

But I call to You for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer meets You. Psalm 88:13

We need God every single day. The good ones and the crummy ones. Thankfully, we can call on Him when our eyes first open and we see the sun peaking over the horizon. I like to feel like I have everything under control and sometimes life is just not that way. Calm the striving, friend. Together, let’s learn to lean on our heavenly Father.

Love, 
Charis

Pic(k) of the week: No matter what happens in the middle of the night, I have been given an army of assorted stuffed animals to guard me and keep me company.