Launching A Son - 14

14.     Education is important, but …

·       A college degree isn’t a sign that learned anything. Wisdom is the application of knowledge.

·       It is more critical to keep learning entire life. It doesn’t finish with a degree.

·       What skills do I need and where can I learn them; who can I learn them from…

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 13

13.     Set internal boundaries in relationships.

·       Not everyone is as they appear.

·       Remember the women you meet and enter relationship with are daughters of God, a daughter to a mom and dad, and a sister.

·       Be noble and honorable in relationship with women.

·       Be open to correction and discipline from the feminine side of God, they expose areas we as men are blind to and it is out of love and desire for intimacy that they bring up what they discern.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 12

12.     Where your focus is, is where you will go.

·       What has my eye?

·       What has my heart?

·       What had my attention?

·       These simple questions are powerful. It is like riding a horse, rider is always told to look where you want to go, the horse tracks subtle movements and goes that way. Ask God where your focus is to be – check in with Him. Correct course as needed.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 11

11.     Daily stillness when start your day and before drift off to sleep.

·       Just a few minutes to align, ground, and let God wash over you.

·       Take the time to jot down what God reveals to dwell on later.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 10

10.     What will I do when I feel lonely or in pain?

·       Reveals where heart is at. Will I seek to numb the pain without God?

·       Reveals truth about who my God/god is. May not like what it exposes.

·       A place of temptation and where addiction form. Don’t have to go that route, choose not to isolate self and have courage to say something.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son -9

9.     When things get crazy ask God for His interpretation.

·       Live in the place of asking God for interpretation. The world and it’s systems have one interpretation and God has another. Stay with God’s.

·       Nurture friendship with God, that requires moving close to Him and requires something of me.

·       What is suffering trying to show me? And what does God want to show me? How can I move closer to Him? Am I resistant and dismissive of Him and others?

·       Stay open to His correction and discipline; don’t be blind.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 8

8.     Until we meet again.

·       There are no guarantees this side of eternity. "Tomorrow is only in a fool's calendar." (Og Mandino)

·       Don't leave love unexpressed.

·       Life circumstances can change in the blink of an eye.

·       Must hold people and things loosely for there comes a day when causes parting for a season.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 7

7.      Always need accountability in your life. We are created for community and relationship.

·       Get involved with other believers. Find them and get connected.

·       Church

·       Campus Ventures

·       Campus Crusade for Christ

·       Yet to be discovered

·       Just because say a "Christian" doesn’t necessarily mean they are serving God or are intimate with Him.

·       Pray for discernment and guidance with whom to be vulnerable. Not everyone is worthy to hear all of internal life, there are a few who you allow to enter into that place.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Launching A Son - 6

6.     Choose friends wisely

·       You are the sum of the five people closest to you. Be aware of friends character. Jim Rohn, “we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”

·       If in a place lacking “friends” that need, podcasts, books, other ways to get input and accountability.

·       Really important in social media arena if politics or public service is in your future. Keep your eye on the long view, of who you are and purpose you are created for.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.  

Launching A Son - 5

5.     Explore

·       A season where exploration and adventure is easy.

·       A season where recovery from failure is easy.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.  

Launching A Son - 4

4. Be open to experiencing love and friendship.

·       God may bring the woman you are to marry soon. Go slow, treat her honorably, and discover a joy that day happens.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.  

Launching A Son - 3

3. You will always be my son and home will always be a safe place where you are welcome.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.  

Launching A Son - 2

2.  You will be tested in life, your journey

·       Tested and must struggle, wrestle, stumble, and fall. Here is the key - it's not about falling, but it's about how you respond that builds character and exposes the condition of heart and soul. Place of tremendous learning and growth, if stay open and vulnerable.

·       Stay soft when fall, not bracy or proud. Be open to correction and discipline however God does that.

·       A never ending process in this life, I'm still learning this.

·       The sooner use falling as an opportunity to learn instead of falling deep into shame, fear, depression the quicker healing comes. God uses our failures and sin to bring us into a place of deep intimacy and love. In the midst of this He is good and loving bringing healthy correction so can know Him more.

·       REJECT SHAME AND ABANDONMENT. Those are both generational strongholds - you will have to confront them. It is time to break free of them both pressing into a new way of living.

·       You have what it takes son!!!

·       Be ruthless in internal honesty.

·       Be wise in who are totally transparent and vulnerable with. You must be honest and truthful to disarm shame. No hiding failures - just wastes energy if hide. Embrace and explore truth and honesty; learn, go deep in intimacy -in that failure place great depth of God's love for you can be discovered.

·       You will always be my son - no matter what!

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.  

Launching A Son - 1

I'm going to depart from poetry for the next 21 days. I am taking 21 thoughts from a letter I wrote our son about four months before he left for college, thoughts from a father to a son, and posting them. Some encouraging words and some ideas to consider if you find yourself in the season of life of launchig children from the home into their destiny.

The first thought:

1.     Never forget whose you are.

·       Who you represent and who you reflect.

·       Remember God and explore new intimacy with Him. You are never alone.

·       Remember you come from a family that loves you. I, as your father, love you. There is a heritage of Godly and loving men that you can tap into, an inheritance you don't have to earn - just tap into it.

·       You are claimed as my son!

·       We launch you in strength, love, grace, and confidence.

I will post a link to where all 21 thoughts can be downloaded at the end of day 21.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.