Living to the Fullest

When I started this blog a year and a half ago, I wasn't sure what to make of it.

I didn't think I'd be posting regularly, but I also wanted people to read and to share their thoughts.

Both of those things, though, seem to have come (at least partially) true.

I think that we've really lacked something around here, though. And no, I'm not talking about a time machine (though I'm working on it).

What I'm talking about is a decent guest post series. Sound interesting? Keep reading.

I'd like to feature pieces from people just like YOU, whether you're a blogger or not, about how you personally live life to the fullest. I'm looking for a lot of different perspectives, so don't be afraid to think outside the box on this one.

If you're interested, here are the steps you should take:

1) Write about a time you've lived life to the fullest or how you regularly live an abundant life. Basically, if it sorta, kinda fits this idea, I'll probably like it.

2) Make sure it's less than 750 words - because that's about my attention span.

3) E-mail your post to me... now! Here's my e-mail: awaller1990@gmail.com. 

4) I'll respond with any ideas/edits I have and when I'd like to post it. I reserve the right to deny a request for guest posting, but that'll probably only happen if you make fun of my beard.

I'd like to start featuring posts next week, if possible, so let's make it happen, people! And if you aren't sure what to write about, get up from your computer, step away, and live a little - and then write about it! Simple enough? Great. Can't wait to hear from you!

... ... ...

Questions: Do you think you'll submit a guest post? Why or why not? What will you write about?

Did you enjoy this post? If so, I'd appreciate you subscribing to Life Before the Bucket and sharing it with your friends. Thanks a million for reading!

Win of the Week

It's Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday...

The not-so-official Win of the Week mascot

Just kidding.

We don't do the Rebecca Black around here. Nope. We've got something much better up our sleeves.

Around here, we celebrate because we've been given the gift of another week passed. We celebrate milestones. We celebrate the insignificant, because we find it significant. We're sharing our win of the week.

This week hasn't been very exciting for me. Call it a post-birthday week letdown. Mostly, I've worked on our final Senior Paper, which seems like a big deal, but really isn't. And I suppose I've learned something from the experience, especially this week.

As I've watched people stress and fret over these passages of Scripture we're examining, I've found myself confused. Why are they stressing? What's to fret about? I see people staying hours and hours and hours on end in the library, only to take a stack of books home with them to work on. What's the point? Is that really living?

I've found that, though I'm not organized in most things, I seem to be able to organize my time well and not allow my schoolwork to bleed into my time to work out, eat, sleep, or be with my wife. These are all things that are higher on my priority list than our paper, and for that, I'm grateful.

So I'm calling this my win of the week. I've learned to be disciplined and not to overwork myself, and that's a skill that most people struggle to learn. Sure, we work, work, work. But what about rest? What about play? What about life?

I can only thank God that he's exposed me to an assignment this ridiculous so I can get my priorities straight.

... ... ...

So what about you? What was your win of the week? Leave a comment that says "My win of the week was..." and it might just get shared on the Life Before the Bucket Facebook or Twitter page!

If you enjoy what you've read, I'd appreciate you subscribing to Life Before the Bucket and sharing this post with your friends. Thanks a million for reading! 

Trust and Reason

Do faith and reason coincide with one another? Or are they diametrically opposed?

This, my friends, is the discussion we've been having in one of my classes for over a week now.

What's worth noting first, though, is that we decided that a better word for "faith" is most likely trust. We get trust. Faith is confusing and can mean a lot of things. And though trust can be ambiguous, it's more clear-cut and closer to the meaning we desire when we use the word "faith."

So do trust and reason go hand in hand? Do they fuel one another or compete with each other? And if both can exist, should one come before the other?

These are some of the questions we've been challenged with.

However, since I attend a fairly conservative Christian university, most of the thoughts expressed on the subject at hand are in one accord (generally speaking). There's always a few outliers, but for the most part, I only hear one side of this story.

So this is where you come in, my fellow Bucketeers. We all come from different walks of life. We're all different ages and live in different places, and have been raised in different ways to believe different things. Thus, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.

After a few people comment with their thoughts, I'll chime in with my thoughts on the matter, but for now, I want to leave it up to you.

... ... ...

Questions: So, what are your thoughts on the matter? Do trust and reason go hand-in-hand? Why or why not? And if they do, which comes first (if either)? Also, if they don't agree with each other, which is more important to have concerning people and God?

Did you enjoy this post? If so, I'd appreciate you subscribing to Life Before the Bucket and sharing it with your friends. Thanks a million for reading!

I Enjoy Being Alone

Last week was a pretty solid week in my book.

So glad I don't look like this... yet.

Turned 22 on Tuesday.

Didn't go bald the day I turned 22. Whew.

Worked hard on my "big" (read: not nearly as important as it seems) senior paper.

Enjoyed some good ol' Sabbath rest.

Yup. Solid week, indeed.

You know what one of my highlights was, though?

I got to spend a night alone. 

Yup, you read that right.

Alone. Meaning me and no wife. And in case you're confused, I'll say it again: my wife left, and I enjoyed it.

Sounds like we're having a rough time, eh? Maybe a "rocky point" in our marriage, which I probably deserve after saying that our marriage isn't that hard? Why on earth would I enjoy it when my wife leaves me?!

Well, we break the rules, remember? We're always like this.

I'll be honest - I'm always a little giddy when my wife decides she wants to spend the night with her friends. Usually, it means that I'm at home alone for a night. I don't throw wild parties or go on crazy adventures. Typically, I'm a bum (which just makes me all the more glad I'm married). However, I'm a bum that can do whatever he pleases, and that's the key.

Nights alone bring fulfillment to the introvert within me.

This is definitely an accurate representation of
me sleeping alone.

I enjoy doing whatever I want. I like having the bed all to myself (I'm a closet bed-hog). If I want to have steak or hamburgers for dinner, I can have them and not worry about the thoughts and feelings of another person. And if I want to watch low-budget documentaries or cheesy sitcoms on Netflix, I'm free to do that as well.

I can also choose to stay up late with friends, or go to bed early. Or maybe drink a cup of coffee entirely too late and stay up all night reading, surfing the internet, or playing games. It's a recluse's paradise, and I rarely share it.

However, if that were all there was to nights alone, they wouldn't be worth it.

Frankly, I love my wife. If you haven't gotten that impression around here, then you've missed something. So while I say I enjoy nights alone, what I really mean is that I enjoy a night here and there by myself, but only if my wife comes back the next day.

I can't help it - I'm a sucker for the girl I married.

I may enjoy eating whatever I want, but I love her cooking.

I may find solace in watching a movie or show alone, but it's better when she's by my side so I can pick her mind about what's going on (even if I annoy her from time to time).

I can play all the games I want, but frankly, I can't play most board games by myself.

And hey, I love having an entire bed to myself. But it's boring when I go straight to sleep without any talking, reading, or praying with my wife.

I enjoy waking up with her by my side.

And truthfully, I wouldn't trade a million nights alone for a single day with her. The introvert in me has to die hard, because I'm crazy about this girl and she destroys every notion in my mind of ever living alone.

So while I enjoy being alone (and even treasure it from time to time), I enjoy being with her more - and treasure it all the time.

... ... ...

Questions: Do you enjoy having nights to yourself? What do you do when you're alone for a night? Would you ever consider living alone for an entire lifetime?

If you enjoy what you've read, I'd appreciate you subscribing to Life Before the Bucket and sharing this post with your friends. Thanks a million for reading!

image credits (respectively): YOdesigner and Nafrea - sxc.hu

My Feathers Have Been Ruffled

This is a repost that challenged me as I read it again. Enjoy!

The other day I was perusing my infinite list of blogs, reading, enjoying myself, and probably drinking coffee, though I can't be sure (so don't quote me on that). Nothing too earth shattering arose, and I was okay with that. Until I read through K. Syrah's latest post over at Shoes Never Worn: "The Indie Writer/Indie Author."

Darn you, K, for ruffling my feathers.

(She does that sometimes, so if you're into that sort of writing, you should really check out her blog.)

Anyway, K was writing about being an Indie author, and ended her post with a quip that made a lot of sense to me, but made me kind of mad:

Of course, I say that because at this moment, money isn’t an issue, and if one has a full belly, and all the bills are paid, it’s easier to be righteous.

Now when I say that K made me mad, I really just mean she rattled my cage. Because frankly, I'm dealing with this right now, and I was mad that she brought it up and threw it in my face, as if it were no big deal. Don't mind the fact that it's completely illogical for me to be mad at her - after all, she has no clue that this is something I'm wrestling with right now.

Here's the deal: I've really been struggling with trusting God in my finances. This is something I've always taken a little pride in, because I don't want to care about money, so I let God take care of it. Typically, our budget doesn't add up and more goes out than comes in. But at the end of the day, we find ourselves blessed by God for trusting him with our cash.

Lately, though, things have been getting a little tighter. And suddenly, I start wondering. I start doubting.  

Does God care? 

Did I do something wrong? 

Is there a certain ritual I need to perform to fix all of this?

And suddenly, I want to take matters into my own hands.  

You see, that quote I posted from K really shook me because I've found myself beginning to back down from what I so firmly believed when I "had a full belly and all the bills were paid."

I've always believed in God's provision and frankly, He's always one-upped me when it comes to finances, always doing more than I could ever expect. However, lately, it seems like God has all but disappeared from managing our money. And suddenly, I want to stop giving radically. I want to start saving back our money, keeping it for ourselves, instead of supporting our beautiful Compassion children.

But then I'm reminded of my calling:

Give to those who ask.

Don't turn away from those who want to borrow. 

Don't store up treasures on earth.

Don't worry about your life.

Don't worry about tomorrow.

Give, God says. Don't worry, He reminds me.  

Give. Don't worry.

I guess it's no coincidence that when Matthew pens those words, he talks about radical giving first and then says not to worry. It's like he knew what his readers would be experiencing as they read his admonition to give without hesitation.

I want so badly to be able to keep giving and enjoy it. And I'm trying. I haven't given up on God, and I guess I've just come to terms with the fact that God is still taking care of me. I'm just being selfish and I want more. Because, obviously, I deserve better. I'mentitled to his blessings. He owes me.

Wrong. Double wrong. In fact, that's all a bucket of lard.

I need nothing more. I deserve nothing better. His blessings are his to give, not mine. And God owes me nothing. In fact, I'm sure it's the other way around. I owe him. A lot. Everything, in fact. And so I keep giving. I keep trusting. I keep hoping. And along the way, I'm trying not to worry, because, hey, what good has worry done any of us anyway?

... ... ...

Questions: Did that quote from K hit home with you? Can you relate to my struggle here? Or do you struggle with trusting God for other things, beyond money? What are you having a hard time trusting God with today?


If you enjoy what you've read, I'd appreciate you subscribing to Life Before the Bucket and sharing this post with your friends. Thanks a million for reading!