Lisa M. Buske's Blog, page 77

Who is your Refuge & Stronghold?

To know and trust is the first step...
What trouble can you give to God today?

Walk a Mile...One of Life's Lessons

You never truly know someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes." 
–American Adage, Source Unknown

The first song (below) was recorded in 1970, I think some of the wording is a bit tough yet the overall message is important. Instead of judging someone else based on the information we have, it's important to remember there is always two sides to each story, situation, and activity. The second song is performed by a group called, Vitamin L, "Children's Music focusing on positive character development and universal values such as human rights, tolerance, love and acceptance." Every situation or conflict we encounter in life has two sides and sometimes to think of how the other side might be feeling, can help to keep life in perspective. This isn't easy yet important.

Vitamin L's song is written to encourage positive character traits in children because it's a powerful and catching tune. I've found if the tune is catchy and we can memorize it, then it becomes a part of who we are. In light of the current hearing, allegations and rumors fill social media and news media. I can't speak for my entire family, but I know personally, I do my best to avoid reading too much. The current situation is overwhelming enough without adding the additional stress of comments made with no regard to the feelings of anyone involved.

There are two families and generations of children, some now adults, affected by all the he-said-she-said publications, comments, and drama created by the masses responding with no concern to how the other might be feeling. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I pray that through the justice system working the way it was designed...truth and justice will prevail and answer the initial question...

Where's Heidi?

I don't know what lies ahead yet if it brings my sister home, then all our prayers have been answered. I don't understand God's plan or the reasons for all that is going on BUT I do know this...God is faithful. God answers prayers. God still performs miracles. He does this according to HIS will, not ours. It might be difficult yet we need to trust His plan and move forward in faith for what tomorrow brings. 

One thing that can make this journey more manageable, is to put yourself in someone else's shoes, because none of us can know how or what the other is feeling or doing. Conflict is a struggle for ALL involved. Life's situations affect ALL involved in the situation differently. It isn't our role to determine how the other's role, it's our responsibility to deal with ourselves. Just a thought to ponder today.

"Life’s challenges confront us all.  
Many amongst us courageously carry a burden
while also carrying on with life.  
We cannot know whether the person seated 
next to us has shoes lined in velvet or nails.  
We cannot know.  Nor do we need to know. 

Especially today, in our sometimes topsy-turvy world, 
leading with compassion and acceptance 
can change the course of human encounter.  
It's not necessary for us to know a life story 
before we offer a warm smile and a kind word or gesture."
Quote taken from an article on www.everydaysuccess.com 
https://www.everydaysuccess.com/every...

Do you find it easy or difficult to put 
yourself in someone else's shoes? 
What helps you maintain this perspective?

Lift Your Prayers...God Is Faithful to Answer

The start to the year has been busy and full of twist and turns on this roller coaster ride we call life. My heart is heavy for friends and family who learned a loved one has cancer, one of which is a little girl. Upcoming court hearings pertaining to my sister's kidnapping resume this coming Tuesday. Family members haven't been feeling well, and the cold of winter doesn't seem to help lift the veil of darkness and despair surrounding us.

I wasn't going to blog this weekend because I think it's important to have this be a blog of encouragement, hope, inspiration, and uplifting reminders to us all. Yet a friend reminded me of an important fact yesterday, I am human. GASP! 

Seriously though, I tend to distance myself when I feel overwhelmed so as not to let others down or cause concern. My Mom told me yesterday, with much love, "You've got this. You can't let the world get you down, we need you strong. You encourage and keep us going." I felt terrible with my response, "I'm tired. Overwhelmed. I don't have any fight left." And the flood gates of tears opened again and I became a puddle. Thankfully I was on the phone with my Mom so I hung up before the meltdown.

A friend came in to see how my afternoon was, while I'm thankful she stopped, she's probably wishing she'd kept walking. I was a pitiful sight. Melting down in the cubbies of a Kindergarten classroom. Good golly, what is my problem? It was my friend's listening ear, hug, and reminder that I'm human that helped me let it go and move forward. I thought I had it together but then as I talked with my daughter, the tears rolled again. 

It was my daughter's response that taught me the greatest lesson yesterday. She said (something along this line), "Mom, it's okay. I'm so glad you are crying. You are always so strong and never break down. Let it out, it will be okay." and within moments, she was encouraging me with words I've shared with her in the past. Guess what, the teenager has been listening and watching. The part I missed in this process, I rarely let her see me broken. Why do I share this imperfect, embarrassing, and weak side on the blog today? I'm putting it out there so others, like my daughter, know and understand that sometimes we just have to "let it go" and become a puddle of tears in front of the ones we love. My friend explained it best yesterday as we talked, "Lisa, you have to let go of the hurt, anger, frustration, and blah in order to replenish your heart and body with the good and love God has for you. Until you release it, God can't renew and refresh you." Permission to puddle...this isn't meant for attention but to illustrate, we all have our days.

The best part of this process, I woke up this morning refreshed and ready to conquer the world. My friend was right, letting go of the ick opens up room for the good. There are challenging days ahead yet with God leading the way, and me following Him...it's all good. Whatever you (I) go through, we will be stronger, more thankful, and able to find the positives. Remember, we all have our days. When's the last time you puddled so God could rain His love, grace, & mercy on you?

The Greatest Action Is Prayer When Needs Arise

Happy is the person 
who can hold up under the trials of life. 
At the right time, 
he’ll know God’s sweet approval and will be crowned with life. 
As God has promised, 
the crown awaits 
all who love Him."
James 1:12 Voice

When I first woke up, I thought it was Thursday but after the second cup of coffee realized it is Wednesday. There are a couple ways to view this. First, we could accept a position of grumbling, "It's only Wednesday, will this week ever end?" or we can be thankful because of an additional twenty-four hours this week. In essence, by thinking it's a day later, we gain a day.

I'm choosing to gain a day as I move into the week's adventures. It's been a long week. Last Wednesday, life changed for many that I care for and love. As today begins, I pray our friends receive a positive report from the doctor. The day my only sister, Heidi Allen, was kidnapped from the D & W Convenience store, I learned an important lesson. Tomorrow, or even a minute from now isn't guaranteed. In a matter of moments, life can change. 

Prayers for friends, their family, and our community surrounds my heart with much emotion this week. How do I encourage and support them during this difficult time? What words do they need to hear? Is there really anything we can say or do to ease their pain, remove their worry, or encourage their hearts?

In some ways, there are many things we can do yet sometimes the greatest gift is to step back and let the family grieve and accept their new normal, while waiting for the next destination on this journey. While we wait alongside them, we can pray. To some, this doesn't seem like enough, yet to those watching God answer the prayers lifted on their loved one's behalf...prayer is a priceless gift in the midst of the trial and hurdle they face. 

We have to pray with our eyes on God,
not on the difficulties."
~Oswald Chambers ~

What is one way you can encourage 
someone when one of life's trials arrive?

If you are going through a tough time, or have in the past...how do/did the prayers of others encourage and lift you up during this time?

TOP's Tuesday: HOPE...A Necessary Verb

HOPE defined:
verb \ˈhōp\: to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true

intransitive verb
1:  to cherish a desire with anticipation  <hopes for a promotion>
2archaic :  trust

transitive verb
1:  to desire with expectation of obtainment
2:  to expect with confidence  :  trust A TOP's Tuesday blog of a different kind. The focus is on HOPE. Hope is a verb, an action. I know for the families of the missing, of a sick child, or community coming together in prayer...Hope is a verb. 

An action, want, thought, and desire wrapped in expectation. Have you let hope become a noun, something important or an identifier? Sometimes we forget and lose sight of the necessity to maintain an action filled, hope-filled way of life.

What are you HOPING for today? Can you develop an acronym for the word HOPE, for something or someone you hope for today? Will you share below?

“The LORD your God in your midst, 
the Mighty One, will save; 
He will rejoice over you with gladness, 
He will quiet you with His love, 
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

What's your acronym for HOPE today? 
Share in a comment below...

Sometimes You Just Have to Hokey Pokey!

It's Saturday and many are running errands, getting groceries, or spending time with family. What would happen if when you opened this blog, you just hit the play button below and started doing the "Hokey Pokey"? 

It may sound silly but imagine the smiles, laughter, and joy one dance could share with someone else. It might be a children's song leaving many asking, "What IS the Hokey Pokey really about?" In a search for an answer, I found many yet Rev. Thomas Schmidt's closing sentences in a sermon summed up a great thought. What do you think?

"...the true sign of success is not the desired outcome, 
success is knowing we have committed our whole selves 
and acted in the best interest of everyone involved.  
Success is knowing that we have worked to create the most favorable conditions for the most favorable outcome.  

“You put your whole self in,  you shake it all about. 
the  hokey pokey happens, 
And you turn yourself around,  
you change yourself and your change the world.  
And that is what it is all about."
~ Rev. Thomas Schmidt

What do you think the Hokey Pokey is about?

An Opening Chapter Inspired This Writer

"Words.
I'm surrounded by thousands of words. Maybe millions.
Cathedral. Mayonnaise. Pomegranate.
Mississippi. Neapolitan. Hippopotamus.
Silky. Terrifying. Iridescent.
Tickle. Sneeze. Wish. Worry.

Words have always swirled around me like snowflakes -- each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.

Deep within me, words pile up in huge drifts. Mountains of phrases and sentences and connected ideas. Clever expressions. Jokes. Love songs.

From the time I was really little -- maybe just a few months old -- words were like sweet, liquid gifts, and I drank them like lemonade. I could almost taste them. They made my jumbled thoughts and feelings have substance. My parents have always blanketed me with conversation. They chattered and babbled. They verbalized and vocalized. My father sand to me. My mother whispered her strength into my ear.

Every word my parents spoke to me or about me I absorbed and kept and remembered. All of them.

I have no idea how I untangled the complicated process of words and thought, but it happened quickly and naturally. By the time I was two, all my memories had words, and all my words had meanings.

But only in my head.

I have never spoken one single word. I am almost eleven years old." 
~Sharon M Draper, Author of "Out of My Mind"

The only reason I stumbled on this book is because my daughter was assigned to read it and after reading the book jacket, I "borrowed" it from her. A wonderful and essential read.

Initially, I was going to recommend to educators yet as I thought about it, everyone should read this book. As inclusion in our classrooms and society blossoms, so should our knowledge and outlooks. I'm thankful to have a mother who exposed and encouraged an inclusion mindset from the moment we were old enough to understand.
We were never taught to whisper, 
look away, or talk negatively about people. 

My parents told us we had our quirks too but 
had the ability to hide them better than others. 

Mom said everyone has gifts and talents but 
some struggle to express or display them for others to see. 

After reading this book, my appreciation of this life lesson 
combined with my daily joy of teaching...
confirm my mother's statement to be truth. 

"Everyone has gifts and talents but some 
struggle to express or display them for others to see." 
What gift or talent do you struggle to express?
What's holding you back?
Who helped to release your inner brilliance?

What direction are you looking today?

Each moment, day, and season in life is different. There are days when it's easier to forgive, hope, care, and extend thankfulness YET every single one is an opportunity to respond. I find sunrise and sunsets to be visions of beauty and always cause me to pause and reflect. 

What are you going through in life today? Are you in the midst of a season - a season of grief, celebration, loss, or whatever is the focus of your life at the moment? If so, take a moment to think about everything that is going on.

Who can you forgive?
What will you hope for?
Who is in need of your compassion or has given you some?
Have you thanked God and the people in your life? What direction will you let your thoughts travel?

TOP's Tuesday: A Reflection

Trust in the Lord 
with all your heart. 
Never rely on what 
you think you know.  
Remember the Lord 
in everything you do, 
and he will show 
you the right way.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Last week was an overwhelming whirlwind of emotions, stories, and conversations. I'm thankful for the outpouring of support, prayers, and hope for Heidi, Heidi's friends, and family. This part of the journey started last July when reports were printed and papers were filed in the courts. Since this time last summer, our family's journey has intensified and returned us to a similar state of mind as in 1994 when Heidi was kidnapped. 

One thing is very different though, we are stronger than we were in 1994 because of the past twenty-plus years. Our goal now is the same as that tragic Easter Sunday morning...to answer my parent's question...Where's our Heidi? I pray all this new and revisited information will bring Heidi home. 

I tried to post on the Where's Heidi? Facebook page and even to Tweet encouraging and positive words yet between work and our daily routine, this was a challenge yet I think it's important for you and others to know the family continues to hold out hope and trust God to reign through this process. Praying for answers, truth, justice, and Heidi Allen...missing 7,597 days.

Below are links (click on the titles) for local stations covering the hearing, for a few of the reporters and journalists covering the story with live Tweets. I know the #HeidiAllen on Twitter helped to keep family, friends, and the community up-to-date throughout the week and I imagine they will resume this on February third when the hearing resumes. I may not have all the 
CNY Central:
Alex Dunbar spent the week 
in the courtroom with live updates:
Twitter @AlexDunbarNews
@CNYcentral 


Local SYR.com
Tammy Palmer spent the week 
in the courtroom with live updates: Twitter @TammyNC9
@NewsChannel9 


TWC News
Sarah Blazonis spent the week
in the courtroom with live updates
Twitter @SarahTWCNews 
@TWCNewsCNY 
Palladium Times
@PallTimesOswego 
@BenKail 
@brizahn

Syracuse.com
@syracusedotcom
@PostStandard
(had many there so didn't list them all
here, visit their site to see who's covering) The hearing resumes February 3, 2015.
I imagine these stations and newspapers 
will continue to follow, report, and Tweet.

Thanks for remembering Heidi...
May this bring Heidi home and answer the question my parents asked April 3, 1994...

Where's Heidi, 7, 597 days later?
Praying and hoping recent 
developments answer this question... What song encourages you to be stronger?

Martin Luther King Day 2015

“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is a national holiday. Schools and businesses are closed in remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. Although it's a holiday, not everyone has the day off. I'm thankful for a career that allows me the opportunity to be home. We have a few things "scheduled" throughout the day yet we will be sure to take time to read, write, and prepare for the week ahead.

If you have the luxury of being home with your children or grandchildren tomorrow, do you have something planned today? Will you visit a museum, walk the mall, or is there another activity you enjoy on a day off? Or, are you taking advantage of a day at home to catch up on things, watch movies, or play board games? Regardless of how you spend the day, remember to lift some thanks because you have choices. 

Whether you run errands, get your teeth cleaned, or enjoy a family activity at home...be thankful...you were gifted another day of memory making. How are you spending today's holiday?