A Brief Hiatus

Alright, fellow Bucketeers.

Don't weep. I promise I'll be back.

I'm taking a week off to rest. My body needs it. Badly.

In the famous words of Arnold Schwarzenegger...












I'll be back.

I Don't Want to Beg, But...

Farmer's Markets are probably the best invention ever. Reminds me so much of the markets in Sierra Leone.

Alright, fellow Bucketeers. I didn't want to do it, but...

I'm begging for your help!

(Yes, the title says I don't want to beg. Doesn't mean I won't do it!)

If you haven't noticed as of late, I haven't been feeling very well. I'm not really sure this is going to be remedied anytime in the very near future, and I only feel more tired each day. Quite frankly, it sucks. That's why I need your help.

Instead of shamelessly plugging blogs today, as I usually do, I would like to shamelessly plug Life Before the Bucket...

for guest posts!

I'll be honest. I could survive without them, but honestly, I want to feature other people's writing on here! There are about a million avenues you could take when writing a guest post here on Life Before the Bucket:

Write about a life goal you've recently accomplished.
Write about a goal you've failed at (I do this frequently).
Write about a goal you're in the process of achieving.
Write about something that has absolutely nothing to do with your goals (again, I do this frequently).
Write about a specific hero that you have - we all need a little inspiration.

Or just about anything else you can think of.

If you write it, I can make it work.

So here I am, on my virtual, interweb knees, pleading for your help.

Would you consider writing a guest post for Life Before the Bucket?

If you're willing, able, or whatever the case may be, just e-mail me at awaller1990@gmail.com. You can send me the potential post in whatever format you please, and I'll let you know what I think!

Thank you so much in advance. You have no clue how much this will help me out.

One Question

This sickness is kicking the crap outta me. If you're into praying, I'd appreciate any long/short/quick/impromptu prayers you could say for me. Thanks in advance!

Today, I'm not feeling my best. But I want to leave something for you here, because I love you and don't want you to think I've abandoned you. So today, I've got one simple question for you:

If money were no object, where would you be and what would you be doing right now?

My answer?

Hopefully I'd be in a hospital, getting my lungs fixed. I realize it's a process, but hey, if money is no object, then maybe things would get done a little quicker. Ya know?

Let me hear your thoughts and answers to this question! Would you do something crazy? Or would you be somewhere vacationing? Or helping out somewhere? No answer can be wrong! Leave a comment and let me hear about it or e-mail me!

Wonder

I'm sort of famous as of yesterday. Maybe I'll share why soon...

It's Friiiiiiiiiiiday!

I would sing that for you, but then I'd lose a lot of friends.

Friday means a lot to me:

First of all, it means a 3 hour day at my internship. And after getting used to 9 hour shifts, 3 hours feels like just enough time to get there, sit down, and leave.

Secondly, it means that the weekend is here and we get to see our families. Call me a homebody, but I love our fams.

But most importantly, it means I get to participate in... Five Minute Friday!

Here are the rules, via The Gypsy Mama, if you aren't familiar:

Rule I...Write for 5 minutes flat with no editing. None. Scary? Well... tough!

Rule II... Link back to The Gypsy Mama so others can participate!

Rule III... Leave some comment-love for the person who linked up before you on TGM's site!

Today's prompt...

Wonder

Ready... Set... Write!

I wonder about a lot of things in this world.

Why, for instance, we park in driveways and drive in parkways.

I also wonder what it would be like to live on the moon. Would I finally not be the only person who isn't underweight? And would there be such a thing as obesity?  

Really, though, I wonder about one thing in particular: why God hasn't healed me from my sickness.

Now, I'm not talking about some sort of metaphorical, spiritual sickness here. I have that, too, to be sure. In all seriousness, though, I wonder why God hasn't healed me from my lung disease.

Does he not care? Does he not feel my pain? Does he not understand?

Or was Jesus an asthmatic? Maybe he had Kartagener's! Or maybe I'm just kooky for thinking such a thing.

Someone recently asked me a very odd question: "Why do you think God hasn't healed you?" I wanted to answer by saying that I'm not God and I in no way want to speak on his behalf - I'm not nearly that cool. Instead, though, I gave it a little thought and came up with this:

Sure, I wonder why God hasn't healed me. I wonder if he ever will. But frankly, he doesn't need to. I pray that he'll heal me so I can work for him better. But truly, my God is bigger than that. He can use me in spite of me. He is SO big that he can use me with diseased lungs. He doesn't need my lungs to be well for me to serve him. He's that big.

And in light of that, I don't wonder as much anymore. Instead, I'm left in awe of how wondrous He is.

END.

What are some things that you wonder about? Do you find yourself pondering the same things on a daily basis? What sort of conclusions have you reached on those things? I'd love to hear from you about this (or anything else!). Just leave me a comment or send me an e-mail!

Well, This is No Good

I figured out yesterday that I spend almost 10 hours a day hooked up to machines for my health. Insane!

As I opened my eyes this morning, I was a little tired.

I rolled over, checked out the time on my phone (6:30 AM, as always - with no alarm), and crawled out of bed.

I sort of half-walked, half-slept my way into the kitchen, ready to start another day. But not before I made myself a cup of coffee. Days don't actually start until that first sip, don't ya know?

I prepared the coffee as usual. Empty old grinds. Put in new ones. Insert into Keurig. Press a button and wait.

I left the kitchen, knowing full well that when I returned in a minute, I'd have a piping hot cup of coffee waiting to be consumed.

What I found, instead, almost ruined my morning...

an empty cup of coffee!


 
Now, being too tired to panic, I just sort of stared at the cup for a couple of minutes. I decided one of a few things could have happened.

Option A: An overzealous, coffee-loving elf drank all my coffee, but was nice enough to leave my cup.

Option B: All of the coffee in the world had been raptured because there was a shortage in Heaven.

Option C: My Keurig might have actually broken.

Now, granted, none of these options sounded very appealing. Unfortunately, I knew one of them had to be true.

I looked around for a little while, searching for evidence of an elf invasion. No coffee drips, glitter, or sugar sprinkled anywhere. Hmm...

Next, I went to searching for the rest of my coffee. And, lo and behold, it wasn't raptured. I found all of my coffee and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Why on earth would Jesus expect me to live without coffee?

Which brought me to the inevitable conclusion... My Keurig is having some issues.

Sad, sad day.

It had done this before, about 2 months ago, but then it started working like a charm again, so I didn't pay much attention. This time, though, it was just being a butt. It would pretend to work well, but when it was time for it to deliver the goods, it choked. Literally and figuratively.

Fortunately, I'm persistent and wrestled with the stupid machine for about half an hour, hitting it, begging it, pressing buttons, and praying. And it eventually gave me the cup of coffee I wanted.

Sadly, I think it's time to call the K-people and get a replacement. My faithful, ol' Keurig just couldn't handle the pressure.

Now what on earth am I supposed to do for coffee until the new one gets here?!

Another crisis for another day.

Do you have a Keurig (or something like it) at home? Have you ever had problems with it? Do you have any other electronics that you rely on that break down on you? How do you usually react? I'd love to hear from you about this (or anything else)! Just leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail!

Rebellion

This post is part of my weekly Time for Honesty. I do my best to share something that's on my heart that is honest, sincere, and transparent - something that will get you thinking and get you to be honest with yourself.


Since this is the time for my weekly Time for Honesty, I'm just going to cut to the chase. Quick, easy, painless. I promise. Here's what I want to know: 

Do you have a relationship with God?

Now, before you stop reading, hear me out. Because I'm going to assume that you don't. However, I'm not going to try and convince you of why you're "wrong." Because who says you are?

Most people (myself included) struggle with the idea of a relationship with God. We don't get it. Frankly, it doesn't make sense most of the time. Why would a Being, who created everything, down to the molecule, want a relationship with his creation? And, to be exact, how insane must he be to want a relationship with me?

If you don't have a relationship with God, I want to tell you something: God does want a relationship with you.

However, I'm not really posting this to convince you of that. Instead, I want to get you thinking about something else: why don't you have a relationship with God? What's stopping you?

Now, I could be wrong (and I usually am - I'm a guy, after all), but most of the people I know who don't have a relationship with God are people who were raised to believe in him and raised to follow rules that were said to be from the Bible. Some of those rules probably were found in Scripture somewhere, while some were probably part of a church's half-century old by-laws.

These people heard all the religious mumbo-jumbo, went along with it because they had to, and made a split for it the second that they could. I would have too. Thankfully, I wasn't raised in this way.

Last night, though, I figured something out. I mean, not completely, because then I'd probably be rich and would be showering you with money, but God at least gave me a peek into something pretty cool. I was at a class that is taught at the Pregnancy Crisis Center that I'm interning at and I was looking through the worksheets we received. Something caught my eye, though. A quote to be exact. 


"Rules without relationship leads to rebellion." - Josh McDowell

And maybe, just maybe, you're in rebellion. Heck, I am a lot of times. I shove God away a lot. When I struggle. And even when times are good. I rebel because sometimes, I forget about my relationship with God. 

Maybe, just maybe, you were raised to know all of the rules, go through all of the rituals, and recite all of the religious mumbo-jumbo you could retain. And you rebelled as soon as you could. Why? Because you're a person, and no person wants loaded down by rules, rituals, and religion. I sure as heck don't want to be.

I think, though, that if this was the case for you, you might have missed something. A very big piece of the puzzle. And I'm not pointing any fingers at who might have forgotten to tell you, but there's another very imperative "R" word that makes the rest of those ridiculous "R" words make a little more sense. And you already know it. It's a relationship.

Relationships make all the difference. In school, at work, and at home. Just think about it. If you tell your kids not to do something, chances are that they're going to do it anyway. It's natural. But if you have a great relationship with them, your chances increase dramatically that they might actually listen to what you have to say. Otherwise, if they don't have that, the rules set before them simply lead them to rebel. It's only natural.

It works the same way with God. He loves us. He wants a relationship with us, through Jesus. But we rebel. Why? We hear the rules and we don't want any part in it because, frankly, who wants to listen to rules set by someone we don't even know?

So here's my challenge to you today:

No matter who you are, where you're from, or where you're at with God, examine yourself. Have your own Time for Honesty. Do you have a relationship with God? Just think about it for a few minutes. Why don't you have a relationship with him? What's truly keeping you from that?

And if you do have some sort of relationship with him, how well do you really know him? Has that relationship actually changed your life? What about the lives around you? If it hasn't, it might be time to have a heart-to-heart with yourself and see what's going on.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of this (or anything else)! Just leave me a comment or send me an e-mail.

Introducing... R2-D2

This year, I've been in about five hail storms. Before this year? Zero. Ridiculous!

Sound the alarms, people. This post is going to call for a major Nerd Alert.

If the title didn't give that away, then I might've underestimated your nerd innocence.

You see, I want to introduce you to a friend today. I realize I've done this before, but I've made a new friend since then! Much cooler than the Google Next Button. Also much cooler than Thing #1, Thing #2, or Thing #3.

This friend actually does me some good. I like having him around, frankly. He even stays by my side at night!

My new best friend is none other than R2-D2.


You've reacted one of a few ways at this point. This may (or may not) help you to gauge what kind of Star Wars nerd you are. 

You may have reacted by... peeing your pants, doing a jig, and then screaming for joy. If so, you already know how much of a Star Wars junkie you are. Congrats!

You may have... scratched your head, yawned, rolled your eyes, and yawned again. If this is the case, you need more coffee.

You may have also... been completely unsurprised by this, due to the fact that I gave away my friend's name in the title of this blog post. If so, you're probably no Star Wars nerd (though you may be a blog nerd).

And if you didn't react at all... then I clearly owe you a hug, because I'm not making you smile nearly enough.

With all of that being said, I must admit something...

I'm being a little deceptive.

I don't actually have R2-D2 servicing my every need, though I wasn't lying about being at my bedside at night. In fact, that may have been the only true thing I've typed this entire morning.

Sorry about that.

Actually, R2-D2 is a friend that I've acquired recently. He just looks a little different than you might have originally thought. Don't hate him because he's not beautiful, though.

Looks aren't everything. 

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Along with a million other cliches that I'm too lazy to think of.

You see, R2-D2 is actually the nickname of my newest machine to help with Thing #3. He is an oxygen concentrator. Now, I don't know a lot about him since we just became friends, but I'll tell you what I do know.

First of all, I'm pretty sure that this makes me the oldest 21 year old alive - being on oxygen and all. Not nearly as cool as it sounds.

Secondly, I'm pretty sure that technology is amazing. We thought we'd have to order a million tanks of oxygen. Turns out we live in the 21st century and this machine can take normal, everyday air and turn it into concentrated oxygen. Awesome!

Since I've started using R2-D2 at night, I haven't been waking up with massive headaches, which has been a problem as of late (as indicated by this post).

My oxygen levels have also been increasing when I wake up in the morning, which is great, because it means that I'm actually getting more air when I sleep, instead of turning into a zombie for 8 hours at night. This is good, because I'm pretty sure my wife isn't attracted to zombies.

Supposedly, when I eventually catch up on "good" sleep, I'll be more energetic, too. That sounds impossible, but I'll take the doctor's word for it!

Basically, what I'm saying is that R2-D2 and I are best buds. Sometimes I wish I could take him everywhere I go, but then I realize that I would get more stares than I already do. Not the kind of attention I'm looking for. So for now, he stays by my bed, ready to help me out every night, as any faithful robot-friend should.

Are you a Star Wars junkie? Or had you never heard of R2-D2 before? Do you know anyone else who is on oxygen? Or do you have a machine yourself that most people don't know about? I'd love to hear from you about this or anything else you might want to talk about! Just leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail!

Who Are You?

My wife just set off to run 6 miles. She's a beast.

I've got a question for you:

Do you like questions?

If you don't, I apologize for asking.

If you do, then this is the blog post for you!

Here's the dealio: I really want to get to know you guys. I want an idea of who my faithful Bucketeers are and what they're like. Right now, I sort of feel like I've been shoved on a stage that is illuminated by blinding lights, and I don't recognize a single person in the crowd. It's kind of sad, really.

In order to get to know you a little better, I just have a few questions for you. And because I would never ask you to do something I wouldn't, I'll answer them for you as well.

1) Are you a boy? A girl? A man? A woman? In this instance, I would definitely answer "man."

2) How old are you? Or, if you prefer, give me an age range. I'm 21... and a half...ish! Or in the 18-25 age range, as an example.

3) What do you do for a living? Right now, I have a year left of my undergraduate degree at Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan, KS, and then I'll doing even more schooling for my Master's Degree.

4) Do you have any special interests or hobbies? Well, I enjoy reading, writing, eating, showering... Okay, so I'm not that exciting. But when my lungs worked a lot better (and they will again soon!), I enjoyed bowling, basketball, and most other sports as well. I also enjoy watching sports, for what it's worth.

5) Do you follow Life Before the Bucket? How long have you been following? What's your favorite part about it? Any improvements that could be made? A lot of this doesn't apply to me, but I definitely do follow my own blog, have been following it since birth (it was born in Taiwan, actually), and my favorite part about it is you! Hence why I'm doing this.

6) This is your free-for-all question. Tell me anything else you want me to know about here. For me... Well, I sort of blog about everything I want you to know, so does that count?

I'd LOVE to hear from you. I don't care who you are, where you're from, what you look like, or whether you've showered this week. I want to get to know you! Whether this is your 100th time visiting or your 1st, whether you comment regularly or not - you are important to me.

So let me hear about who you are! Feel free to add/take away from any questions here - after all, I can't force you to answer each question. Take as little or as much time as you need. I'll be anticipating getting to know each of you a little better! I can't wait!

Don't let this blog post be in vain! I want to hear from you now, more than ever, so I can get to know you! Leave me a long, juicy comment telling me about yourself, or if you prefer, e-mail me! Either way, let me know about who you are!

Your Turn!

There was a lightning flash so bright last night that I swear God was taking a picture of me...

It's Suuuuuunday.

Around here at Life Before the Bucket, that could only mean one thing.

I get to shamelessly plug whatever blogs I want. It's a beautiful thing, really.

However, this Sunday is going to have a little twist. This Sunday, I need your help.

This is what I look like when I run out of blogs to read.

Usually, I link to whatever blogs are striking my fancy at the moment. I've discovered lately, though, that I don't follow nearly enough blogs. And if I don't follow enough blogs, it means I don't have as many friends as I could have, which always makes me a little sad on the inside. Plus, I want to be able to share as many awesome blogs with you as possible!

So here's what I'm asking. It's simple, painless, and won't cost you a penny.


Leave a comment that shamelessly plugs one of your all-time favorite blogs. If you see that someone has already beat you to it, think of another. I want to hear about as many blogs as possible! Doesn't matter what they're about, either. You could link up to a blog written by a 40 year old dog that lives on Pluto for all I care (and I would care, because that would be awesome!).

So let me hear it.  

What's your favorite blog to read?

Why I Love Ice Cream

Disclaimer: This was originally a guest post on My Husband Ate All My Ice Cream. However, I thought I should post it here, just in case you missed it! Enjoy!

My marriage is funny.

Seriously, it makes me laugh.

First of all, my wife loves cooking. This is definitely not a problem. However, her favorite thing to cook is sweets. Baking is her niche.

This is where things get funny: I don't like sweets.

I can't help it. I'm a man. I like meat. Meat and potatoes, with a side of corn on the cob and a cold can of Pepsi, to be exact.

Now I've only been married for two years, so all of this is subject to change. But what I've learned over the course of the last two years (and the three years prior to that while dating my wife) is that if she likes something, and I don't, she's going to suck me in and make me like it anyway.

I can't help it. She's so darn cute.

The other day, I noticed that she has begun subtly invading my preferred meat and potato diet. It began with Easter. I always get a buttload of candy at Easter and I never eat it. Maybe I enjoy watching the chocolate bunny mold. I'm not sure.

My wife was determined to not let the candy go to waste, though. She proceeded to rectify my egregious wrong by putting out a bowl of candy in the middle of the living room, conveniently located within arm's reach of my favorite seat. That bowl is now nearing emptiness.

She's a tricky one, I tell ya.

I realized that this invasion of my diet had been taken to a whole new level a couple of weeks ago when she went grocery shopping for us. She usually does the shopping because I get lost, distracted, or forget where I'm going and come home without any food. And then we starve.

This trip, though, she asked me if I wanted her to buy me some ice cream. In our two years of marriage, we've never bought ice cream. But I did it. I approved. And the rest is history.

Now I realize that my wife's invasion of my diet is completely kosher. These things happen when you get married. Or maybe I'm the only one. Either way, though, this wasn't totally unexpected for me. Especially in light of a recent discovery that I made: my mother's ice cream addiction.

Now most people would describe me as being as skinny as a rail. But if I'm a rail, my mother is a toothpick. She disappears when she turns to the side. It's crazy! But every night before bed, she indulges in a big, fat bowl of ice cream.

EVERY night. Sick, isn't it? And her freezer is usually stocked with at least 3 kinds of ice cream. Who needs 3 different tubs of ice cream?!

Well, I'm convinced that her love of ice cream is a genetic thing, because after my wife bought that ice cream for me, I started doing the same thing. I started indulging in an overflowing bowl of cookies and cream ice cream every night, and I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about it.

Mmm... I do love my ice cream.

But it makes me wonder... What else is my wife changing about me without telling me?

I've got my eye on you, wife.

I'd love to hear your feedback from this post if you hadn't already read it! Have you noticed these sort of changes in your own relationships or marriage? What sort of things do you refuse to change, regardless of your partner's preference? What things have they changed as a result of what you like? Let me hear about it in a comment or an e-mail!

Home

Got to make an ER visit for the first time in a few years - it actually wasn't that bad. Until we get the bill, that is.

As you undoubtedly know (because you're awesome), it's Friday.

This means, as you've already predicted (because you're amazing), that I'm doing a Five Minute Friday post.

And thus, I must share with you the three simple rules that accompany this endeavor, via The Gypsy Mama.

Rule 1 - Write for 5 minutes. No more, no less. And no editing, backtracking, or any other sort of nonsense!
Rule 2 - Link back to The Gypsy Mama and invite others to join (that means YOU!).
Rule 3 - Leave some comment love for the 5 minuter who linked up before you!

Today's prompt?

Home

Ready... Set... Go!

The word "home" evokes a lot for me. For instance, I was born in Oceanside, California. However, I've never been there. And my parents (gotta love 'em!) didn't even know the correct city that I could call my "hometown" until I was 13 and we took a look at my birth certificate!

I also have a place that I used to call home for 12 years of my life. It was a small, 3 bedroom house, with 5 of us living in it, and many others occupying space most of the time. It was a tumultuous time in life, but it was fun.

Then we moved up in the world and moved next door. No lie. But it was a huge improvement. The basement was finished, and there were 4 bedrooms, which doesn't sound like a lot more than 3, but it is if you have the basement bedroom, and therefore, the basement, all to yourself. I loved that as a teenager, even if I see how it allowed me to distance myself from my family when I was younger.

Now, at 21, I don't know where to call "home." When we went to the ER two nights ago, they asked where we lived, and I am never quite sure how to answer that question. We are living with one of Kalyn's cousin's (who is awesome for letting us stay here!), but I often list my mom's address for my address in Wichita. Meanwhile, we also have an apartment in Manhattan, so do we call that "home"? Or is it where we are now?

An old adage says "home is where the heart is," which makes me realize something. My home has nothing to do with a street address or house, or how many bedrooms are in my house. It has everything to do with where my heart is, and right now, it's in a million places at once. So for now, this life, this place, and this house... This is my temporary home. 

STOP!

(I have to admit, I went over my 5 minutes. Barely. But only because I wanted to talk to my wife for a moment!) 

Do you know where your "home" is? What does the word "home" evoke for you? I'd love to hear from you about this (or anything else!) in a comment or an e-mail!

On Typos

Well, at least one Boston team won a championship this year...

Do me a favor. Tell me how difficult this sentence is to read:

Alll I wunt too do durin thee summer is sleap and swam.

Not terrible, right? EDIT: Wrong. Apparently it's only easy if you hold your breath, tilt your head to the left 27.4 degrees, and do the Macarena.

We can all pretty much decipher that it's supposed to say, "All I want to do during the summer is sleep and swim." Because we're all geniuses around here. Ya know?

But imagine if an entire blog post looked like that.

I don't want to - that's for sure. It just makes me cringe thinking about it.

Now I'm no grammar Nazi. However, I might be a grammar Commie, because I notice a lot of typos when I read things. Not usually when I read my own writing, though (because, naturally, I'm perfect... just kidding). But trust me when I say that those wretched typos are everywhere. And that's why I need your help.

You see, on occasion, a monkey might attack me while I'm writing up a blog post, and distract me just enough to get me to make a misstep as I write.

Yes, there are monkeys that break into houses in the middle of Kansas. Don't question my judgment!

So you see, when these monkeys attack, there's very little I can do, because frankly, all I want to do is take a picture of them, not write. So mistakes may happen. Sometimes I can avoid it, but most of the time, I can't.

That's why I need you to help me. Help me find these stinking typos!

If you ever notice a typo around here, feel free to leave a comment and let me know about it - I'm not scared for the whole world to know I'm not perfect. Really, it relieves a lot of pressure. Plus, I can just blame it on the primates, so no harm done.

Poor monkeys. Getting all the blame for all my problems. I almost feel bad...

Have you ever seen typos, but been scared to tell authors about them? How about any funny typos you've seen that have really made things funny? Or are you someone who never notices these things? Either way, I'd love to hear from you about this (or anything else!) in a comment or an e-mail!

Let Your Money Do the Talking

I took some Tylenol before I went to sleep last night and I woke up feeling like I had been drugged. That can't be normal.

How rich are you?

No, seriously. Think about it for a second.

Think about the value of every single dollar that you earn.

It's hard to see when you're sitting next to the Joneses, who actually own the money-printing factory downtown, but trust me when I say these words: if you're reading this, then you're richer than you know.

Don't believe me? Check out this website. Just do it.

Here are my results, in case you were wondering (since this IS my Time for Honesty this week):

Now, granted, I don't feel like I'm in the top 12.5% of the wealthiest people in the world. But how I feel doesn't negate the fact that I am. And as a member of the group of the richest people in the world, I feel responsible.

That's $40. It's worth 118,000 Le in Sierra Leone.

I feel responsible to handle my money well. A dollar may not seem like a lot, but it's worth a lot more when you don't actually have it. And whether we like to admit it or not, every dollar we earn is going to go somewhere.

If you've taken a budgeting class, you've heard that before. You know that if you don't plan where your money is going, it's going to leave you anyway. That's the tricky thing about finances. We all want money, but when we have it, it leaves as quickly as it arrives.

That's all good and well, but the question here is what on earth am I getting at? I promise I have a point. And I promise it's important.

Let's think about what we know so far:

Numero Uno - We're rich. Period. End of story.
Numero Dos - We have money, and it's valuable.
Numero Tres - The money we have is going to get spent somewhere.

Now, maybe I should have said this sooner, but I hate money. I hate that we need it to live. I hate that it keeps people from living. I hate that so many people depend on it, as if money, in and of itself, can save us from anything. But there's a lot to be learned from where our money goes. Take this hypothetical situation, for instance:

Person A spends 5% of his money at church, 25% on bills, 50% on entertainment, and 20% on vacations.

Now this may not be even slightly realistic, but work with me here. Person A seems like a pretty rude, petty person. Sure, he gives 5% to his church, and he gets the bills paid. But 70% of his income feeds his own desires. What do you think he values most in life?

I say this, not to rip on people who take vacations or spend money entertaining themselves (because I love to do both when I can afford it), but to make a point.  

And that point is this: we spend our money in the places that matter most to us.

This may seem obvious, but think about it for a second. Even Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be." Dude knew what he was saying.

This idea really gets to me, especially when I think about the way that organizations spend their money. Take, for instance, a hypothetical organization that supports small groups and building up people through that avenue.

This organization talks and talks about how important small groups are to their success. They even provide a little training and the occasional encouragement for small group leaders. However, when it comes down to it, they only invest $3 a person per year through this medium.

Do you really believe that they value small groups when you hear that?

I didn't think so. People put their money where their heart is. And that rings true for organizations, big and small, as well.

I say all of this, not to degrade or to discourage, but to raise awareness. Because, like we saw earlier, a few things are undeniably true:

1. We are rich.
2. Money is valuable.
3. That money is getting spent somewhere.
4. We spend our money where our heart is.

Be more aware of where you spend your money. Take a brief inventory where your money is going. It will reveal what you truly value in life, not just what you proclaim to value. And if you don't like what your finances reveal about who you are, change it. Ultimately, you're the only one who controls what you do with your money. Make every penny count toward what you're passionate about, not just toward what you think you're supposed to be spending your money on.

What do you think? Is there truth to this idea that we spend our money in the places that are most important to us? What do you think about being one of the richest people in the world? Do you think that makes you responsible to spend your money wisely? Or is your money your own business?

I want to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail! And while you're at it, Share this post with your friends - I want everyone in on this!

My Quiet Place

The world's largest pot of coffee wouldn't be enough to wake me up today...

We all have a "quiet" place, right?

For some people, it's in bed. For others, it's in at a spa or in a hot tub. Meanwhile, others claim that it's wherever their family isn't.

And for those of you that don't have a quiet place... I suspect your insanity may get the best of you soon. You should get that checked out and find a quiet place ASAP.

No, seriously.

I'm not sure what I'd do without my quiet place.  

First of all, I wouldn't have a blog, because it seems to be the only place that my head is clear enough to think of things to write about. So that would just be sad for you. 

To boot, I wouldn't have any friends if I didn't seek out my quiet place frequently. Just trust me on this one.

Finally, I would go insane if I didn't have a quiet place, because, frankly, I like to be alone. Some would call me a recluse. I'd tend to agree with them, though I'd rather not be associated with a group of poisonous spiders. Maybe if I could be a blue recluse... that'd be kind of cool.

In all seriousness, though, I do have a quiet place, and I do love it. My quiet place can be found...

in the shower.

Okay, maybe I'm already insane. But you're still reading, so I must be making some sense, right?

I love taking showers. It's pretty weird.

If I don't feel good, I shower.

If I feel good, I shower.

If I'm bored, I shower.

If I have too much to do, I shower.

See what I'm saying? I love taking showers!

There's something about showers that bring out my best ideas, too. I really need to invest in a waterproof notepad, because by the time I get out, I've forgotten everything. It's sort of like when you wake up from a dream, have a brilliant idea, get up, and POOF! It's gone. It's sad, really.

What's odd about my enjoyment of showering is that it actually usually aggravates my lungs. I get coughing like a madman while I'm in there, but I hardly notice, simply because I'm at peace.

And that's what's so cool about having a quiet place. Nothing else matters. Life's hardships are checked at the door. You're left alone, by yourself, with nothing but quietness to accompany you. I'm not sure who invented the idea of a quiet place, but they should have copyrighted it and found a better marketing team, because people need it these days than ever.

Quietness is hard to find.

Once you find it, it's even harder to keep.

So once you have it, don't let it go.

Do you have a quiet place? Where is it? What's it like? What stops you from spending time there? If you don't have one, have you ever thought about finding one? Or do you feel like you don't need one?

I'd love to hear from you! Just drop me a comment or send me an e-mail!

Woman Talk

I slept in until 7 AM. I must be sick or something.

Just out of curiosity... how many languages do you know?

5? 7? 2?

Or do you just know 1? (Hopefully no one knows less than that)

I think a lot of us fall under the same category that I'm in: a language "sampler."We know bits and pieces of about 10 different languages, but if we had to survive in a country that spoke any of them, we'd die.

It's not a bad thing. It's just how things are.

For instance, I know bits and pieces of Spanish, French, Chinese, and Krio. I also do know how to read Ancient Greek, but that's about as useful when speaking as knowing how to swim while standing on your head.

However, what I didn't realize until just recently is that I'm slowly learning a new language.

What's funny about this new language I'm learning is that it isn't really voluntary. I'm being immersed in it every day, without reprieve. But I need to know it to survive. And many others out there are going through the same thing right now. Some have only been learning for a few days, and others for decades. But none of us will ever truly master the language known as...

Woman talk.

I know what you might be thinking (if you're a woman, anyway). "We don't speak a different language! Guys just don't listen!" And you're probably right. But in our defense, we don't listen because we don't understand! It's like planting us in Japan and expecting us to navigate. It just doesn't work.

You girls speak a different language!

I have proof, too. Anecdotal proof, but proof nonetheless.

You see, my wife is a beast and loves to run. She's about 37 billion times more in shape than I am. And that's no exaggeration. So she tries to go running everyday.

One day, she went to go running right before we were about to leave to go somewhere. She looks at me as she's leaving, and woman talk starts pouring out of her mouth. It sounded something like, "I’m running 3 miles and then I want to leave." But I'm a woman talk rookie, so I can't be 100% sure. I've consulted experts, and they're still baffled.

Thankfully, though, God blessed me with a wife who knows that I'm as dumb as a rock when it comes to understanding what she's saying. So when that inevitable blank, confused stare passed from my eyes to hers, she nodded in understanding and translated for me.

What she said: "I'm running 3 miles and then I want to leave."

What she meant: "Shower while I'm gone."

Now just look at that. How could any sane human grasp such a ridiculous language? There's no pattern! It makes no sense! What does her running have to do with my personal hygiene?! I haven't a clue!

If you're a guy and you're reading this, you know what I mean. You're nodding your head in understanding as you read, and you're probably trying to figure out a way to crack their code. Don't worry, fellas, it can't be done. I've only been married 2 years and I know that much.

If you're a girl and you're reading this, you're probably shaking your head in disapproval. It seems obvious to you that when my wonderful wife told me she was going running, she meant that she wanted me to shower. It makes total sense to you! However, it does not, and will never, make sense to us guys. So be patient with us.

We're learning. Slowly... Very, very slowly.

(Crud. My wife just left to go run. Better get in the shower!)

Have you ever experienced something like this? Does your spouse sometimes say something that you know means something else? Any funny stories worth sharing about this? I'd love to hear about it in a comment or in an e-mail!

A Grab Bag of Goodies

I finished The Hunger Games books in 3 days. Now what on earth am I going to do with my life?

Sunday, Sunday, gotta get down on Sunday...

Oops. That's supposed to be Friday. I'm pretty sure someone forgot to tell this girl that, though:

Because it's Sunday, and because Sunday is awesome (and, to boot, I'm pretty rad myself), I wanted to share a few blogs with you that I follow. I do this each week because, frankly, I'd want someone to do the same for me. And I think Jesus tells us to do stuff like that on a regular basis, so I'll take his word for it.

So here are the blogs you NEED to visit today. Yes, this is a need in your life. Fulfill it.

SSquared - This blog is probably one of my best kept secrets... until now. Stephanie, the author, has some great insight into a lot stuff that happens in life. She has her own perspective on things that you can definitely appreciate and understand. 

The Life of Kai - So this might be cheating, since I've shared Kai's blog before, but he has started posting regularly as the result of a very cool writing challenge he's taking a part in. So click on that beautiful little link and let him know what you think (catch the rhyme there?). 

Two Hiccups Blog - And, as always, a blog for the moms, because moms are awesome. Including this one, who has a lot to say about homeschooling, faith, and anything else she can think of!

Short. Sweet. To the point.

Just how I like it. And, I suspect, how you like it as well.

So give these people a visit (remember, it's a need you have!) and give them a follow as well! Have a fantastic Sunday!

And the Winner Is...

So I slept until 8 AM for the first time in months, thanks to some good ol' fashioned melatonin. Felt amazing.

So I hear there was a book giveaway going on around here...

Maybe? Maybe not?

Ooookay. Just kidding!

I'm looking to give away a free copy of Out of a Far Country by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan!

So, without belaboring the point any further... 

The winner is...

Hannah!

Congratulations, Hannah! I'll be getting in contact with you to get your mailing information.

Be on the lookout for more giveaways around here! I love giving out free stuff! Lucky you!

Have a great weekend!

Backwards

I'm beyond happy that our Friday workday is only 3 hours.

Whew. It's been a loooong week. Wouldn't you agree? Even around here on Life Before the Bucket, things have been a little unusual. Here's a quick recap:

• We've got a free book giveaway going on until tomorrow morning at 6 AM CST.  Click HERE to enter!

• I introduced everyone to Thing #1, Thing #2, and Thing #3. They're insane little secrets, so if you missed them, check 'em out!

• You guys have been beyond generous with your comments. I LOVE hearing from you, so keep it up!

And now, because it's Friday, and I have a million reasons to celebrate that, it's time for...

Five Minute Friday!

Here are the rules, per The Gypsy Mama:

Rule Uno - Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.
Rule Dos - Link back to the Gypsy Mama and invite others to join in. (GO JOIN IN!)
Rule Tres - Get a little crazy with encouragement for the five minuter who linked up before you.

And today's prompt is...

Backwards

Ready... Set... Go!

Well, this prompt is just too coincidental. Just four days after I wrote about all of my insides being backwards (Thing #1), this is what I get to write about again. But, you know, I'm proud of it. I'm proud of sometimes living a backwards life.

You see, I didn't grow up with my dad around much. He lived with us until he was 12, but even that shouldn't really count. So, because he was never around, I missed out on learning a lot of things that my mom didn't quite know how to do. For instance, I have no clue how to hunt.

However, that doesn't mean I haven't made the most of my situation. It may be backwards, but I've taught myself a lot of things that my dad forgot to tell me about. For instance, getting the girl of my dreams. I'd say I did pretty well in that department. Other than that, though, there are a lot of little things that many of us rely on fathers for direction for.

I mean, I taught myself to grill (with a little help from my mom), taught myself how to fish (with a little help from a friend), and taught myself to do some more important things, like stand firm in what I believe in.

Now trust me when I say that it wasn't easy. Though I've survived and turned out just fine, not having a dad was hard. It's still hard. I wonder a lot about what it would be like to have him around today. It was almost three summers ago that I took off to Sierra Leone, arrived back in the US, and found out my father had passed away at the age of 40. Now that was backwards.

STOP!

I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, and feedback. What was your relationship like with your father? Or are you a dad yourself? How do you want your relationship to be different with your son than it was with your dad? 

And Finally... Thing #3

Don't forget that YOU can enter to win a FREE book! Can you still do it? Why, yes, you can! Click here to see the details!

Picture this:

You wake up in the morning. You cough a few times, and a little phlegm comes up. You hardly notice and swallow it, willing yourself to find the energy to move out of bed. You crawl out, walk out of the bedroom, and quickly find something to drink - you know it'll be painful otherwise. 

Unfortunately, you don't reach the kitchen in time. The coughing begins again, only this time, you can't suppress it. It won't stop. And you're not even coughing anything up! Next thing you know, you're desperately swallowing air, trying to keep from throwing up the contents of your stomach. You fumble through the cabinets for a cup as you're still trying to control your body. You quickly run it under the sink - oops, the water was on warm (no time to worry about that now) - and take a swig of the lukewarm water.

Your chest depresses, your shoulders relax, and your breathing slows a little. You might still cough, but for whatever reason, it's controlled now. And now you're out of breath from walking to the kitchen.

You lean on the counter for support. You huff and you puff, but there's very little respite besides waiting and hoping your heart rate and breathing slows. A few minutes later, you've caught your breath enough to make some coffee. At least this part of the day isn't so bad...

Sounds rough, right?

It is.

That's life as usual with my lungs. And that's only the first 10 minutes of the day.

So without further ado, I introduce Thing #3 to you...

Thing #3 is... Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Ugh. My misplaced heart sinks a little just typing it.

I know, I know. You're scratching your head again. Hopefully, you've already read about Thing #1 and Thing #2. If not, you really should. They much more upbeat and fun. If you've already read about them, though, you should have figured out that all of this is too wacky for anyone to make up. I do, indeed, have three diseases that any spelling bee champion would be proud to spell: situs inversus, hydrocephalus, and primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Now if we want to get technical, doctor's actually describe the combination of Thing #1 and Thing #3 as Kartagener Syndrome (which is a lot easier to say and spell). Statistics say that approximately 10,000 people in the United States are living with this diagnosis. However, not nearly that many people have actually been diagnosed. The backwards heart and organs is pretty obvious. The lung disease? Not so much.

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is, quite frankly, a pain in the butt. The overly simplistic way that some doctors may describe it is that it is similar to Cystic Fibrosis (which a lot of people have heard of). However, that's just not true. PCD is not CF. However, because PCD is so stinking rare, it's treated like CF, because that's all doctors know how to do.

The best way I know how to explain PCD is as follows. Basically, you have little finger-like entities all over your body called "cilia." These little fingers work to keep things flowing. Unfortunately, my cilia are dysfunctional, sluggish, and just don't work right (for whatever reason). As you can imagine, this is a problem.

Because these fingers in my lungs don't work, my lungs collect mucus. Lots and lots of mucus. Buckets worth, I'm sure (though I've never coughed up that much). And as this mucus collects, infections occur. And then my lungs get sick, get damaged, and I can't breathe. Throw a little asthma in there, and breathing becomes really fun.

Treatment is, in a word, stupid. I'm grateful for the great doctors I have, and they take great care of me, but much just isn't know about how to treat this disease. It's so rare that research on it is difficult, and therefore, treatment is usually just a hit and miss sort of thing. Here's a taste of what I endure enjoy every day for my lungs:

First of all, there's this little toy. This bad boy is called a nebulizer. You might have seen one (or even used one) before, because they're often used in hospitals and emergency rooms to administer breathing treatments.

Basically, what happens is I put a little vial of liquid into the canister you see here, and the machine turns it into a vapor that I can inhale. I am able to get more medicine into my body this way, as opposed to using inhalers (though I do have a few of those).

Here, you can see boxes of two out of the three nebulizer medications that I take on a daily basis. In fact, I have to take all three medicines twice a day, minimum. Three to four times on a bad day. And let me tell you, that time adds up quick. On average, I spend an hour a day doing breathing treatments.

The breathing treatments actually help a little, mostly because they're designed to aid my asthma (which people actually know how to treat). The medicines pictures here are combined into the nebulizer and really help my breathing for an hour or two after I take them.

The other medication I use is actually used for people with CF, but it seems to help my PCD, too. It thins out the mucus in my lungs, making it easier to cough up. However, that's the hard part: actually getting the mucus out of my lungs. It requires a little work, because it doesn't just magically appear, turning itself over to be disposed of (though that would be awfully nice!).

Instead, I get the pleasure of being beaten to a bloody pulp twice a day for twenty minutes (and more on a bad day). The instigator? This thing you see pictured to the left.

I like to call him Thor.

Affectionately so, of course.

Thor is a good friend of mine. He's been in my life for over 10 years, though he recently got an upgrade. Basically, what Thor does is he pumps air through the tubes you see in the picture into a vest (which is on top of the machine). The vest is strapped onto my body like a life-jacket. The air pumps in, it beats me senseless for twenty minutes, and I hope it helps.

My wife has all sorts of amusing descriptions for Thor. However, I think Thor probably deserves an entire post of his own, so I'll let him rest... for now.

This is a lot to digest, I know. Just stick with me a few more minutes.

To be frank, I hate Thing #3. It sucks. Or doesn't suck, I guess, because if it sucked, it would mean I could breathe...

Thing #3 wouldn't be such a problem if it could be aggressively treated. However, this is the Catch 22 of my marriage. When we were wed, we lost our health insurance. And ever since then, I haven't been able to get it because it's either too expensive or it won't cover my diseases.

Now trust me when I say I wouldn't trade my marriage for anything. However, not having health insurance is a pain in the rear. I can't see specialists, I can't afford treatments or certain diagnostic tools (such as CT scans), and therefore, Thing #3 only gets worse.

I know, I know. I need to get off my bum and get a job. That's what most people think when they hear about people without health insurance. That's the problem, though. My lungs are in such bad shape that I can't work full-time. I'm barely hanging in with my internship, and that's a job where I sit all day and only move when absolutely necessary. And even then, I hack my lungs up a few times a day.

There's really not much I can do about it right now, honestly. I'm currently applying for disability at the ripe old age of 21 (I was already denied once when I was 19) and praying for the best, but I know that the government isn't supposed to be my savior.

However, my mother-in-law, in her infinite wisdom, thought of something I should have come up with more than a few years ago. She has set up a health fund in my name.

Now let me say this, first and foremost. I am NOT a charity case. I hate the thought of ever being paraded around like someone who is helpless and can't forge their own way in life. However, I also know that there's pride in me about this that doesn't need to be there.  

That is why I'm telling you about this.

My mother-in-law has set up a Facebook page where she keeps everyone posted on how I'm doing and stuff going on with Thing #3, and I'd love it if you would check it out. Just search on Facebook for "Adrian Waller Health Fund." Or click here to request to be part of the group.

I'd love it if you'd join, just to keep updated on how I'm doing. And if you feel able to help financially, I wouldn't argue with you. We have a bank account setup called "Adrian Waller, Medical Expenses Fund," and I use the money to help pay for appointments with doctors and medicines (which add up a lot faster than you think). If you're interested in helping out, but have questions, you can send me an e-mail at (awaller1990@gmail.com), and I'd be glad to answer any questions you have.

Basically, though, I'd just love it if you prayed for me. Life is hard. Very, very hard. It's hard not to be able to do things that normal people do. It's hard to not be able to walk without wheezing. It's frustrating to me that my condition keeps me from doing things I love: sports, singing, and sometimes even writing. But I know that God is taking care of me. He wouldn't have allowed me this far only to let me shrivel up and die. So I'll keep fighting, because I know I'm alive for a reason, even if living is hard most days.

Thanks SO much for caring enough to read. Please, please, please share this with your friends. It would mean the WORLD to me.

Introducing Thing #2

I was shocked yesterday morning when I looked in the mirror and there weren't sharp objects protruding from my head. I swear that was the worst headache I've had in 5 years.

In lieu of the fact that I woke up with invisible knives sticking out of my head, I'm going to move my Time for Honesty to Saturday so I can introduce you to Thing #2. You really should feel privileged.

Why? Because Thing #2 is awesome. Maybe not as awesome as Thing #1, but very, very close.

Thing #2 is one of those things that you tell people about and their jaws drop, like in the cartoons. So if this happens to you, please don't blame me, because I've warned you.

The second secret I'm sharing with you, Thing #2, is....

I have a tube in my head!

For real?

For real.

And I'm not just talking those little tubes they put in your ears when you're a kid, either. I actually have one of those, but nobody really cares about a two inch piece of plastic shoved in a bunch of earwax.

I have a real-life stinking tube in my head!

It actually runs from a spot on the top of my skull, down and back behind my ear, down my neck, across my chest, and into my stomach. Or so I'm told.

It's cuh-raaazy.

I know, I know. It's too much to handle. My heart is in a funny place and now I'm saying I have a tube in my body. On my brain, even. I've gotta be fibbing.

Well, I wish I was. I mean, mostly because having a tube in your body is just weird.

But also because of the reason I have the tube. You see, I have another disease, and this one is as equally frustrating to spell as situs inversus. It's called hydrocephalus.

Basically, the gist of it can be found in the meaning of the word. It literally means "water on the brain." So, thankfully, this tube reminds me daily that I have not actually lost my mind. It's there. Just with some good old-fashion H2O. Good stuff.

It doesn't sound so bad, really. And it's not. But it would be if I didn't have the tube (called a shunt). You see, an excessive amount of fluid collects on my brain. In normal people, it drains. However, that's the purpose of the tube for me. If I didn't have the tube, fluid would continue to collect and collect, and eventually, my brain would keep swelling to the point where I wouldn't be able to function as a person any longer and would eventually die.

Thank God for modern medicine.

So now, instead of having the world's largest, most useless brain, I have a rather normal-sized head with a tube inside (it's so weird!).

Unfortunately, things aren't always peachy, like with my situs inversus. You see, because the tube doesn't actually belong in my body, it breaks from time to time. And by time to time, I mean it's broken in some form or fashion 4 or 5 times over the last 20 years (I lose count pretty easily). One time, it broke twice in the same year during elementary school. That was pretty fun, because I got cards from all of my classmates.. twice!

When the tube breaks, bad things happen. Yesterday, when my head hurt so bad that I couldn't blog, it was just a glimpse of the sort of pain I endure when my shunt messes up. Not only would I not be able to blog, but I also wouldn't be able to move. Or to see. It's the pain of every headache you've ever had, rolled into one massive head pain. Add in a dose of major light sensitivity (to the point where I would hide under blankets on our way to the hospital), and you have an idea of what it's like.

Yes, it sucks.

But I survive. And I get to live a mostly normal life. Maybe having 5 surgeries by the time you're 20 isn't considered normal, but I'd say it hasn't been that bad. It could definitely be a lot worse. But, for the most part, Thing #2 is something I enjoy telling people about, because I love hearing their remarks.

I also love making people touch the tube. It's just chillin' right there on my head. There's a scar. You can see it if you look closely. And you can even press it in! There's a spot on the tube that is like a button that helps me to know if the tube is functioning correctly.

It was a very cool way to hold a girl's hand when I was younger. Unfortunately, the wife didn't fall for my trick.

Now, it's just fun to use it to make people squirm.

So there you have it! You now know about Thing #1 AND Thing #2. But, unlike Dr. Seuss, I have one more surprise. Check back soon to see what it is!

P.S. - Don't forget to enter to win a FREE book! The contest is open to anyone and everyone - no exceptions!

Pain. Lots of Pain.

It feels something like this.

Hey, everyone.

I feel like someone is shoving a knife into my head from about 20 different directions, so I'm foregoing a post today.

BUT...

You can STILL enter to win a FREE book! Just check out this post!

I will hopefully be back in commission tomorrow. Please don't desert me before then!

Introducing Thing #1

Don't forget that you can enter to win a FREE book here at Life Before the Bucket! It's easy! Check it out here!
 
Can I share a secret with you?

It's pretty interesting.

But I'll only tell you if you promise not to laugh.

In fact, I want to share three secrets with you. We'll call today's secret "Thing #1," mostly because I love Dr. Seuss.  

So without further ado... Thing #1!

Let me just put it this way... My heart isn't in the right place.

I came to this realization one day during the many drives we have made across I-70 into and through Kansas City. There's a huge billboard along the interstate that says, "Is your heart in the right place?" I saw this, thought briefly, and quickly answered, "No!"

What on earth am I talking about, though? My heart isn't in the right place? Does that mean I torture penguins in my spare time or steal from orphaned children in order to give back to the rich?

Tempting, but not so much.

When I say my heart isn't in the right place, I am being 100% literal. It just isn't in the right place!

At this point, you're probably scratching your head a little. Don't worry. When I told my small group this, they thought I was making it up. I'm still not sure they believe me. But seriously - my heart isn't where it's supposed to be!

And so here, I cordially introduce you to Thing #1 - Situs Inversus.

Thing #1 is by far the coolest medical condition ever. Basically, the gist of it is that all of my major organs are mirrored, or flipped around. So my heart is on the right side instead of the left! If you want more details, you can check out the ever-so-official Wikipedia page.

I love Thing #1 because it means I got to be completely different than anyone else I knew when I did the Pledge of Allegiance at school as a kid or when I sang the National Anthem. Some of the teachers would give me dirty looks for putting my right hand over the right side of my chest instead of the left, but I stood my ground, poised to show them that, though I was a little weird, I wasn't weak. I wasn't going to pretend to cover my heart where it wasn't!

I know, I know. It's a lot to take in at once. You're probably still waiting for me to say "JUST KIDDING!" But I promise that isn't coming. My insides are all messed up, and I love it. It doesn't impact my life in almost any way, except when I forget to tell doctors and they freak out after an x-ray or trying to find my heartbeat.

Yes, I sometimes don't tell them on purpose. It never gets old.

So, between you and me, that's definitely something about me you probably didn't know. Let's just call it our little secret, alright?

Do you have any weird quirks about you that you love to share about? Funny things you can do? Weird talents you have? Let me hear about them in a comment or in an e-mail!

Blogs of Note

Call me crazy, but I think you probably missed the fact that I'm giving away a FREE book! Just check out yesterday's blog post!

It's Sunday, which I'm pretty excited about. It means a few things.

My wonderful mom graduates this year!

First of all, it means we get to cook dinner for my mom for her **th birthday (yes, it's censored - I want my mom to still like me!).

It also means that I get another chance to breathe, which is a pretty huge deal. I guess that's everyday, though!

Finally, it means that I get to share some of my favorite blogs with you!

So without further ado...

Shoes Never Worn - You know, I have a terrible memory, so I don't know if I've plugged K's blog before, but I love it. She's brutally honest, and as a member of the military, she has an interesting perspective on things that I often overlook (until reading her writing, of course).

Getting Out of My Boat - I love reading this blog because of how much I can relate to it. It's by a 19 year old in the UK, and she has gift for being honest with herself and others. Her transparency is unmatched, and she really challenges her readers to get out of their comfort zone and truly live life.

His Wounds Became My Healing - This is a blog that one of my friends from school just started. She's a very fun, cool person who has a lot to say and isn't afraid to say it. Go check out her blog and give her some comment love!

So there you have it. Go check out each of these blogs and leave them some comments. Heck, give them a follow while you're at it! And have a great Sunday!

The "Far Country" is Not So Far Away

I'm very excited to be blogging today about an amazing opportunity I have - to review a free book I received from Blogging for Books! If you're an avid reader and have a blog to share reviews on, this is definitely a program you'd be interested in! Check out Blogging for Books here and get started reviewing your free books today!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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There are a couple of things that I don't like to discuss. When these things come up, I usually make up some sad excuse about my dog and leave.

For one, I don't like talking about "girl stuff." Unfortunately, I'm currently working in a pregnancy crisis center.

In addition, I shy away from discussing controversial topics, such as abortion or homosexuality. Again, the abortion issue is unavoidable where I work. However, people can't have a "crisis" pregnancy if they're engaging in a homosexual relationship, so I've been able to avoid that... until now.

After you read Out of a Far Country by Chris Yuan and Angela Yuan, you'll know what I mean. You can't get away from it. You realize very quickly how real the pain of rejection is for someone who is homosexual. The authors put together a great video trailer for the book that you can check out here:

Now I'm certainly no expert on sexuality. All I know is that I like my wife, she likes me, and it works out pretty well. However, this book really got me thinking. As you journey with Chris through his struggles with his mother, Angela, over his sexuality and eventual drug use, you just want to reach out and hug him.

As I read the details of Chris' journey, I wanted to know more. I was fascinated by his intricate descriptions of his drug use, along with his homosexual lifestyle. As I read, though I've long avoided this subject, I wanted to know more.

The only rather predictable part of this real life story was Angela's tale. She quickly turned around (almost too quickly) from suicidal to saved. However, I'm not going to deny a woman her story or deny God the ability to do such wonderful work in someone's life. It was simply predictable, which makes you want to hear more about Chris' side of things as Angela develops into a faithful Christian woman.

All in all, Out of a Far Country does exactly what its title implies. It takes you to a place you may have never been before, and then brings you back home. All the while, the Yuans make you think - what would you do in this situation, or how would you react to that? It's a book you won't be able to put down - a book you'll enjoy and want to share with your friends, to take them to a "country" they may have never visited before!

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Does this sound like a book you might enjoy? Luckily, I have an extra copy of it! If you're interested in receiving a free copy of Out of a Far Country by Christopher and Angela Yuan, this is your chance!

There are just three simple rules:

Rule 1 - Leave a comment answering the following question: "What's one of your all-time favorite books?"

Rule 2 - Follow Life Before the Bucket somehow - through Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, RSS, or however you please! When you comment, be sure to include a statement of how you're following.

Rule 3 - Go give my review a rating at Blogging for Books!

Do these three simple things and you'll be qualified to win a free copy of Out of a Far Country! I will announce the winner a week from today, on June 11th, which means you have until I get up that morning (around 5 AM CST) to enter! The winner will be randomly chosen and then contacted by e-mail to obtain a shipping address.