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.

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

I just wanted to wish everyone a blessed and happy Thanksgiving this week. I pray that everyone has family and friends to share this holiday with. Let us never forget the religious roots of this holiday and remember to give thanks. God rarely, explicitly tells us in his word anything mystical about his plan for our lives. One of the only times that God speaks clearly about a path for every individual is when he mandates for us to give thanks in EVERYTHING. I know that I have nothing to complain about this year and only many blessings to give to God and to my friends and family that have been so faithful in prayer, financial, and emotional support.

We will be spending thanksgiving with Josh and Jessica Froese in Belleville, Illinois. Jessica grew up in Marietta and is the daughter of Dave and Karen (Schaad) Dayton. Many of you know her. Reese, Gentry, and I are going to leave Friday to go to Cleveland to be with my mom Dec. 1 for her major milestone 60th birthday. We are excited to be with her and celebrate this day. We’ll be back with the wonderful hubby by Wednesday, December 3rd to meet him on our trek again.

God bless and eat lots! At this point I have ballooned so much that I have no pride left. I will happily indulge in gluttony a little more this week. Love you all!

Recently I watched a documentary that I feel every Christian should watch. Although not a religious documentary or movie, Ben Stein’s “Expelled” is a very poignant look into the atheistic society that is trying to be created in our country and world. The movie explores the issue of evolution versus intelligent design and shows the systematic way in which science has suppressed any opinions other than the opinion of evolution. Darwin’s theory has so many holes in that can be filled with intelligent design, but scientists are refusing any discussion of this.

One of the most interesting interviews on the documentary was with a man who wrote a book called “The God Delusion”. His book uses supposed scientific fact to prove that anyone who is religious or believes in God is delusional and insane. I had a major “go God” moment when I looked this book up on wikipedia. This book increased amazon.Com’s sale of religious books by 50% and increased sales of the bible by 120%! God will not be stopped. Our freedoms are being suppressed and it is time that we get our head out of the sand and fight for our cause as much as they are fighting for theirs. The theory of evolution if embraced fully will never stop future Hitler’s and Stalins. If in fact natural selection is the way of the universe, nothing is stopping abortion and euthanasia. In fact, planned parent, the biggest proponent of abortion, was birthed out of the theory of evolution. This blew my mind!! Planned parenthood is one of the biggest political machines and agendas behind feminism and the liberals. This movie will inspire you to move out of your comfort zone and start proclaiming Christ. What we have is truth and truth will endure!

Here is just a quick update on our life. we are currently still in Illinois. We have had a great time here and have seen God move wonderfully in our services. We have mainly been basing out of the St. Louis, MO area on the Illinois side. We have, however, been able to be in northern Illinois some and enjoyed a day of sight seeing in Chicago while in the area ministering. Gentry is now saying “uh oh” and continuing to work on his Gerber modeling career. Reese is still rambunctious and feisty and an instant celebrity everywhere that we go. After Illinois, we head to Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. Although we have seen snow flurries already, we are hoping to get down south before our sewage tank freezes. I have heard this is not a fun experience=) I’m not sure if it would be good for our marriage for Jonathan to be chipping away at my sewage with an ice pick. haha.

I have to drop a quick note on politics. First of all, I was glad the election was over because I was sick of hearing about it. secondly, why in the world are we already discussing 2012?! I can’t handle 4 more years of straight campaigning. When did being president become the same as winning an Oscar and being a celebrity? Where is the respect and solemnity for the highest seat of government in the world? While downtown Chicago I didn’t know if I was in Stalin’s Russia or the USA. There were literal monuments, signs, plaques, and billboards of Obama down there that are literally reminiscent of communist Eastern Europe. I’m not kidding, I’ve been there and I’ve seen it both in Europe and here in the USA. I’m not knocking Obama with the statement or endorsing him either. He’s my president elect, therefore I respect and pray for him. The same is true of the Republican side too as well anyway. i saw a photo of Sarah Palin in a bikini in a newspaper today at the Republican governors meeting. Knock it off Obama and Palin. You are vying for respectable and high places of authority, not for the winner of the teen choice awards.

I’m off my soap box now. Love and Kisses!