Rustling

Rustling

Rustle of leaves high above

blue gray curtain covers sky

cloaks sun

as rest in the hammock

gazing skyward

through canopy of green

Daughter leaves after

long weekend home

transitions again

as season rustles

thoughts drift

like cotton clouds

18-246y

Launching A Son - 21

21.     You have my blessing.

·       You are a good son.

·       In my eyes and heart you will always be mine, I claim you as my son.

·       I love you.

·       Take what’s been given by your mom and I, build on it, explore, do daring exploits for God and man.

·       Spark of Godly courage will always be there no matter how dark the night, I believe in you.

Love,

Dad

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 - 20

20.     Areas I have failed as a father.

·       There is a place with God where He can redeem and make things right; not dependent on me as a father.

·       You will wrestle in the places I have failed, press through!

·       I will stay open and soft when places are stirred in you and you want to talk about hurts that surface over your lifetime, as long as there is breath.

·       Places I failed in example as a husband with your mom, you will have to wrestle through these places.

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 - 19

19.     Stay true to God.

·       Wrestle with Him.

·       Go deep with Him.

·       Build on generations before that have served Him.

·       Tap into that heritage, there is an inheritance in God waiting for you to tap.

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 -18

18.     Wrestle with what is means to be a man.

·       I bless your wrestling with sorting out what it means to be a man. Wrestling yourself, wrestling with God.

·       Ultimately no one else can do this for you.

·       Explore truth of how male and female relate.

·       Why do I dismiss “this” from a woman? Usually, almost always, points to a place dismissing God.

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 - 17

17.     The Long View.

·       Journey takes time, can’t be rushed.

·       No “life hacks” to character.

·       Like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

·       In giving to others or meeting a need, opportunities present themselves that can never plan or imagine.

·       Sowing and reaping

·       Some crops take long…. long… time before bear fruit.

·       Like sowing and reaping, systems impact life –be aware of systems participate in.

·       Just a steward when die all "things" accumulated will go to another. It is love and relationships that will be legacy that are eternal, have eternal value.

·       Keep a short list with God and others.

·       Wrestle with circumstances, situations, interpretations, and don't carry things to tomorrow that can be reconciled today.

·       "Tomorrow is only in a fool's calendar." (Og Mandino)

·       Short cuts don't usually work and typically end up going around the mountain to learn the lesson trying to avoid.

·       Journey will have "long nights of the soul," don’t be surprised and you are never alone regardless of how it appears!

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 - 16

16.     Remember to keep attitude grateful and thankful.

·       There is always something you can be grateful for, 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 - 15

15.     Relationship skills

·       Critical, will determine success or failure.

·       Learn body language and how to read it.

·       Embrace the different way feminine relate.

·       Let go of need to dominate and control, there is a better way.

·       How do I express appropriately in this relationship?

·       Can’t move further in relationship than where internally at (own maturity).

·       Dark side of being human when refuse to give in an area of relationship where aware intentionally not and hurts the other.

·       Marriage brings a maturity that can only be experienced in intimate relationship. It is good and the hardest relationship because of what gets exposed.

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 - 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.