Lessons I've Learned From the Life of My Son III

Buck (8) with cousin Chase (5).  October 2011

It was halftime, Monday night, October 16th, 2011. Football season was in full swing and Buck had been playing the whole game. I looked across the field and saw that Buck was doubled over and leaning on a light post. Thomas went over to see if he was sick. Sure enough,  he was "losing his lunch" right there on the sidelines. After about the third or fourth hurl, Buck raised up, wiped his mouth and declared, "Man am I hungry!!" LOL! Well, I guess so, but let's focus on feeling better first before you go filling up that belly again! That was the thing about Buck, he would say the most unexpected things. Once when Lexa had played a tough basketball game and lost, he quoted her a phrase she really didn't want to hear just then. "Praise Him if we win, praise Him if we lose." This was straight from one of his favorite movies, Facing the Giants. Now if I'm making Buck out to be perfect, he definitely wasn't! Again, it was his perspective on things that made him the boy he was.

On my birthday in August of that same year, the kids gave me an incredibly unique floor length mirror. It was Jenel's idea for them to choose and paint names or words around the border that described me. Buck insisted on putting the reference Acts 1:8. Jenel tried to explain, "Buck I know that is your favorite verse, but this is supposed to be things that describe Mom." "I know", Buck replied, "but every day when Mom looks in the mirror, I want her to remember to be a witness!"  And you can believe that I do! #thanksforthereminderson

    

When Buck was around 3, I asked him what he was going to be when he grew up. He said, "I'm thinking on...A Superhero! Not such an unusual response from a little boy, but Buck grew up thinking about it. Maybe he just wanted to try to prove how big and strong he could be, but he was definitely a helper who looked out for the younger and smaller ones around him.

Christmas 2009, Granddad and Grandmother Carpenter gave Buck a Super Heroes Bible. It was his favorite. On a trip the following summer, Buck read most all of the Power Surge verses to me and had me write them down in a notebook so he could have them all together. We frequently talked about the "superheroes" in the Bible who were just ordinary people doing awesome things with God's help.

A couple of months before the wreck, Buck experienced the touch of God in a very special way. He cried and prayed in the Spirit for nearly an hour. I wrote in my journal that night, Buck was born at just the right time to fulfill his purpose in life.

Buck & Nelma, August 2011

I believe without a doubt one of those purposes were fulfilled the day he went home. While riding with his Grandmother and three of his cousins, the brakes went out as they approached a traffic light. Nelma warned the kids to hang on. Buck instinctively turned and wrapped his arms around his younger cousin Chase. We are so thankful he did. The paramedics said if he had not done so, we would have had another fatality that day. #redemptionbegan

On a personal note, I must say what a blessing Mama Nel was to my life. We were already friends when she introduced me to her son Thomas. I'm so glad she did!

Mama Nel had a dream six months before the accident that I gave her Buck. In a sense, I did.

It was a strange comfort that they went to heaven together. What a precious gift she was to all of us!!

Buck with cousins, Chase, Cami & Izzy.
Picture taken about 30 minutes before the accident.

We received a large cross in a plant arrangement given in Buck's memory. I took it home and set it where I could see it. The Lord began to speak to me specifically about the cross and what He did for me through His redemption. I began to see redemption as a beautiful exchange. It started at salvation. I gave Jesus my sin, sadness, fear, trouble...my mess!! In exchange, He has given me hope, peace, joy, life everlasting and so much more!

Yet, it doesn't end there! Redemption continues throughout my whole life, with every situation I may face. If we willingly give Him our sickness, pain, worry, grief, disappointment, (and the list goes on) our loving Savior always gives us something better in return. His mercies, courage, strength, healing, contentment...and the list goes on!! This is the part that I really had not engrafted into my everyday life. Jesus wants to redeem every difficult situation I face! Redemption can be a daily experience, not just a one time prayer of salvation.

The Lord gave me the idea of the "pieces" of our life, some dark and painful, others bright and happy. I decided to put pieces of cloth on Buck's cross to represent all these times in my life and how Jesus' redemption continues.

A fresh perspective on Redemption may be the greatest lesson I have learned from the life of my son. I have continued to practice this "beautiful exchange" these past 6 years and Jesus so graciously continues to give me just what I need from His endless supply. #redemptionwinseverytime

Redemption is Jesus taking the pieces of my life, the beautiful and the broken, to create something of worth for His Glory!  "Put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption!"  Psalm 130:7