Another Buza Is Going to Guatemala (August, 2011)!

Grandchildren: There are lots of reasons to be happy about Marcia's trip to Guatemala with a team from her Church. Foremost is the opportunity she has to go and minister to people in deep economic and spiritual need. It will be for her -- and maybe for all of us -- a life'changing event. It will be a time to reflect on the human condition and on the necessity of the Gospel being preached to ALL tongues, tribes, and nations. 

One of the joys for this family is because of the fond ties that Grandpa and Grandma Buza had to Guatemala and its people. Back in the 1940s, Robert and Dallas Buza took their three boys: Carlin, Wayne, and Joel and headed to that country to share the Good News with the people. Eventually, illnesses of Wayne (Marcia's Dad) and Grandma resulted in a physician ordering the family to go back to cold climates in order to save the lives of the mother and son. Of course, that little boy Wayne is YOUR grandfather now and he's not so young anymore! 

This picture was scanned from the family passport and was signed by Grandpa. The original photo had the whole family, but this was cropped to show your grandfather (about 2 in this picture) and his Dad. Grandpa's and Grandma's ministry was mainly in Guatemala City, where Aunt Marcia (Mom) will fly on August 17th. My nephew Zack Cain and wife Holly are part of the team as well.  We are amazed to think that they may walk some of the very streets where Gramp's family walked so long ago. We can hardly wait to see the look on her face when we see her again. We can hardly wait to hear her impression of the sights, the sounds, the scenes from a place that is very much changed since the 1940s -- or even the 1970s when Grandpa and Grandma went back to help after a devastating earthquake. God is so good to afford her this opportunity of a lifetime. We pray there will be great fruit for the kindgdom!

The other night Grampie shared some memories of Guatemala with (Aunt/Mom) Marcia. I'm asking him to repeat them and I will write what he says:  He remembers being in a boat on Lake Atitlan -- nothing more specific. He remembers there were two volcanoes in Guatemala and he thinks they are still potentially active. There was La Agua and El Fuego, literally "the water" and "the fire". He remembers being at Chichicastanengo where there was a cathedral where people could buy a container of incense. They would take the incense and pray, going up the steps on their knees. If the incense was still burning when they reached the top step, they were allowed to go into the cathedral to pray. "While we were at Chichicastanengo, I remember Carlin eating red hot chili peppers -- and Joel and I thought he was crazy. I don't believe there were any ill effects to him." He said they lived in a compound that had four units in it. The Buza's lived in the bottom left and Grandpa Buza's friends -- the Turners -- lived in the top right. He said they had a dog at the compound, but he doesn't remember the dog's name. He remembers Grandpa and Herman Turner playing with huge dominoes. He remembers that Uncle Joel was able to sing very well with Grandpa the words to "At The Cross" in an Indian dialect -- Quiche. All the family sang in Spanish.

He said he remembers seeing a man steal a crow bar from the compound. He saw the man walking down the street with nothing in his hand -- and when he came along the street from behind the compound, he was carrying the crow bar. He said that is one of the most clear memories from that time.

I, personally, remember Grandpa telling how he liked going shopping for shoes with Herman Turner. Grandpa wore 5 1/2 EEE and Herman wore a 12 AA. Just a sort of "fun memory".

We will be reporting more -- hopefully with a picture or two when Marcia returns! Please pray for her while she is gone.

Virtue

Grampie and I are so pleased that the mothers in our family all love the Lord and all want to be examples of virtue to their children. Here you see two of the virtuous women in our family -- our oldest daughter and HER oldest daughter.

So what is VIRTUE? Virtue is clean, highly moral, pure. Virtue is rare and greatly to be desired in a person. The Bible says that a virtuous woman is worth a fortune! (See Proverbs 31).

It is so hard to believe that Heather is twenty-one. We still remember that cute little munchkin that we first saw in her baby swing just a few days after she was born. What a journey she had before her to become the woman she is today. Virtue doesn't develop in a vacuum! I believe it is learned and develops in tender and teachable hearts. It comes as a result of times like you see in this picture. A loving relationship between a child and a parent who lives by and teaches the living Word of God is one of the essentials, in my opinion.

Grandparents can help, too, and we want to! We want to mentor them and help them to hear and know the Gospel. We want them to see Jesus in us. And while we know that many times all they see in us is US, our greatest desire is to be more and more like Jesus in all of our daily living!

Did you know that PATIENCE is a virtue? Have you noticed that most people really aren't very patient at all? Everyone wants to be FIRST. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. Grandma Buza used to quote a little verse: "Patience is a virtue, find it if you can, Seldom in a woman, Never in a man!" Well, we would chuckle over it but nobody really believed that men have no patience at all -- well maybe some don't have any. Grampie must be VERY patient. He lives with me and never starts any "fights".

I have to share a story about patience (or the lack thereof): today I saw a phenomenal man at a store. He did something I have NEVER seen before. Amazing! Grampie and I were standing in line with nothing but a few packages of pencils we found at a great price. As we stood, a clerk opened another register, looked at me, and said, "I can help you right here." I smiled, said "thank you" and headed in her direction. Suddenly the man who had been ahead of me in the line spoke up, "Ma'am! Ma'am! It is my turn to be next." I said that she had invited me, but he said, "I know that, but I have been standing in line." So I stepped aside (not very patiently) and let him go ahead, pushing his rather full cart. Odd! More often than not, if I have just a few things in my hand and another person has a cart full (as this man did), the other person will look at me and volunteer his or her place in line saying, "Oh, go ahead. I have a lot here and you just have a few things." It always warms my heart that someone is so considerate, and not in too much of a hurry to be a little thoughtful and courteous.

Heather started learning about patience when she was really little. I remember that we bought her a little apron with a teddy bear on it. And when she stood up in a chair to help me with the dishes I put her "bear apron" on her. Sometimes she would get a little fiesty and I would sing-song, "BE PATIENT". Once she looked up at me, smiled, and said, "Be Patient Right Now!" Hmmmmm ... I think in the last 19-20 years, she has learned the true virtue of patience!

So the thought today is this: whether you are a guy or a girl, a toddler or a teenager (or beyond), ask the Lord to help you to have a virtuous life and be an example to others. A "Ringleader for Right" rather than a follower of the foolish. Love you!

Grandaughters Making Waves (Pun Intended)!

I hope you grandchildren know how much fun it is for Grampie and me to do things with you. Whether it is apple picking in the fall, eating corn on the deck, traveling across the country in a rainstorm, or being treated to displays of your talents and gifts, we love it. And we love YOU.

Last June Erika and Emily were at our house to make an anniversary cake for friends of ours and to make a graduation cake for Emily's high school class. Here, Erika displayed her talents gained at a culinary arts class while Emily got some valuable hints on how it is done! We had the greatest time that night! Not only were the cakes beautiful, they were tasty! I remember telling Erika to put two roses on the cake -- one for him and one for her. In the end, she put three roses (after all, she said, a good marriage includes the Lord). Actually, a good LIFE does, too . . .

Emily and Erika are both artistic and creative, so is it any wonder that they are pursuing beauty school? When she was a bit younger, Emily was always making the cutest thingy-dews to wear in her hair. Now she is ready to graduate from Empire Beauty School in Bangor and does truly professional cuts, styles, colors, and all the other things that cosmetologists do. I was her first client at the school and just recently had another cut (but she came to the house and treated me)!

I'm not sure Erika will never decorate and sell another cake, but she is moving on to the SAME beauty school and has her sights on August 2012 to complete her course of study and become a cosmetologist, too! (Maybe they don't know it, but they are following Aunt Iola's footsteps -- and Andrea's).

So, everybody, I am beginning to realize that I should never have an excuse to be running around with a shaggy dog hair style ever again! Not with TWO grandaughters who can make the kind of waves I need. Gramp, either -- they learn man cuts!

So Congratulations, Emily, on finishing (August 25). And to Erika, who will begin classes on the 22nd! I love you both and pray for your success at your professions -- and for lives of great godliness and joy as you find the GREAT Plan He has for you.

Trust Is Fragile But To Be Guarded and Cherished

Everyone wants to be trusted. Take Robert, here. Everyone was holding the baby and how he longed to have a turn. But when a person is Robert's age, they aren't allowed to hold a baby unless they can really be trusted to hold him correctly, carefully, and not drop him.

I don't know if Robert really thought his mom would let him hold Matthew. And I don't know if he asked or if it was his Mom's idea. But here is a picture of Aunt Michele (Mom, if you are Robert) gently guiding him and giving him a wonderful privilege that he really wanted to have. How do I know that? I can see it on his face.

And that is one of the wonderful responsibilities that GOD has given to parents. They learned things in their lives as they matured and developed judgment and wisdom that they can pass along to you children as you are on your journey to adulthood -- and even beyond!

I tell you to guard and cherish the trust that people have in you because it is very easy to LOSE trust. If you are open and honest and dependable, you will be given more and more responsibility because you are trustworthy. Your parents and others will know that you can be depended upon to obey, to make good choices, and to fulfill your responsibilities.

I remember when I was a teenager that friends would come along and ask me to do something that I KNEW was wrong. So many times they would say, "OH, your mother will never know." And maybe she wouldn't. But I usually didn't follow the crowd in these things because I loved Mom and I didn't want to hurt her. Was I a perfect kid? NO! But I was always mindful that I didn't want to do anything that would hurt my Mom (my Dad died when I was 13). What about you? Why not set a goal to try your hardest not to hurt your parents willfully?

As time went by, I realized that friends who tried to get me to do things like cheat on papers at school or go places that I wasn't allowed to go, really did not have my best interest at heart. They really didn't care as much about ME as they did about themselves. That is what selfish people do. They ignore the rules and try to get others to go along with them. They are not trustworthy -- and they are not really good friends after all.

The most important reason to be trustworthy is that God expects it of us. If we are Christians, we should be growing to be more and more like Jesus every day. And Jesus can certainly be trusted to do the right thing every, single time.

If you have ever broken trust with your parents, your friends, or neighbors, you have also broken trust with GOD. I can remember telling a teenage daughter once, "if you go out there and do something you aren't supposed to do, I WILL find out about it. God will see to it!" And she came to believe it because she saw it happen over and over again!

He knows our hearts and He sees everything we do, reads every thought of our minds, and hears every word that we say. And the most important thing to realize is that He loves us so much that won't let us get away with it forever and that if you confess it and repent, HE WILL FORGIVE!

So GUARD and CHERISH the trust that others have in you! It brings a lot of peace when you do -- and it helps preserve a good relationship with God and others.

Thoughts On Home Schooling

Most of our grandchildren have been homeschooled and/or attended Christian schools -- some exclusively. In our family, Valerie was the pioneer in education at home for her children. (So here they are.)  I have learned so much from this experience and have some random opinions and observations to share with you about what I see in our home-schooled grandchildren.  1) The "students" seem to be as comfortable with young children and older people as they are with their peers. 2) Their language is more polished and less rude than that of their counterparts in the traditional school setting. 3) Home school education is more than academics. It includes experiences and adventures in many arenas, extending beyond the home and into the community. 4) Children are more free to pursue their personal interests. For example, a simple question from them often leads to a video or an activity they may not otherwise enjoy. 5) Parents can spend less money on wardrobes and school supplies. At home, it may be possible to wear your "jammies" to your first class -- and sharing equipment and text books is common. 6) Family values and the Bible do not have to be put aside during school. 7) Study times and class times are flexible. For example, if a family chooses not to take the summer off or observe all of the holidays the schedule is not rigid.

When children in our family go to public school, this does not mean that very important learning does not occur at home. ALL of our grandchildren have Christian parents who are eager and faithful in teaching them the most important lessons of life -- so in that sense, all of them are homeschooled! We are thankful for the life lessons that all of you are learning in your homes.

Grandchildren, the most important lessons of your life are the ones that help prepare you for eternity. It is our prayer that each and every one of you will be born again into God's family. As His sons and daughters (His princes and princesses), you have the privilege to hear the wonderful lessons from the Bible that will be used by the Holy Spirit to form you into people who are becoming more and more like Jesus in the way you think, in the way you behave, and in the way you feel. You will be learning to serve God and others with the special gifts and talents that God has given to you. When we see you maturing in that way, our hearts are FULL and our cups run over! We love you!

OK. I'm Really Prejudiced Against Some Neighbors.

It all started when I discovered that some of the residents around here were allowing themselves to invade our privacy just a little too much. Now, you know your grandparents are rather generous with our space and our possessions, don't you? I mean, we LOVE to share!

But take the Japanese Beetles that frequent the Cedar Breeze vacinity! If they just took a little nibble of our raspberry leaves, our rose blossoms, and various other green and lovely scented plants, we wouldn't say a word or take an action! After all -- as beetles go -- they are kinda pretty. They have a green metallic color with bronzy-red wings. I thought they were rather charming until I found out their TRUE character. For example, I couldn't believe what they did to our pole bean leaves last year and in pretty short order! They helped themselves to the succulent green, leaving only the stems and veins of some of the leaves.

That put me on the warpath! My favorite method is to stalk them where the raspberries, roses, grapes, beans, and corn are growing. When I find them alone or hanging out with their buddies I pick them up and deposit them in a soda bottle or water bottle about 1/2 full of water. Sometimes I dump a little Dawn detergent in and eventually they die. The other day, Timothy, Joshua, and I had DOZENS of them all hand-picked and incarcerated in a bottle.

Now, you may not realize this picture is just a spoof. But I think you noticed that I filled Grampie's dump cart with PICTURES of the pests -- and not the pests themselves. Oh, I'm just kidding! Of course I know that you immediately figured out that I was playing with my photo program. Do you think if I made a poster of the Beetle Brigade and put it in our garden it would let the pesky beetles know they aren't welcome?

Another problem we have had is with the deer. They are crazy over Swiss chard, beets, peas, beans, turnip, and some of the other plants. And, again, if they just took one or two it would be no big deal. But last year while Grampie was in Alaska they just about devastated our garden -- all in one night. So I went to war! A Dollar Store radio was placed in the garden and left on a boring talk station at night; Knee highs filled with Emily's hair dangled from a couple of the pole bean poles; Ivory snow detergent was sprinkled on the grass around the edge of the garden and even smelly socks dangled from clothes pins here and there. And they took the hint!

So this year we didn't wait for them to visit. See the wind chimes in the first picture? There are two of those hanging in our garden and every breeze makes beautiful, but startling music. We bought a deer repellant that smells worse than anything you can imagine -- and it is regularly sprayed on some old socks that cap the poles where the tomatoes are tied. Uncle Stephen (or Dad if you are his children) gave us some garlic and we planted one whole row on the north side of the garden. And hanging on two edges of the garden are a pair of aluminum pie pans that clang and bang against each other and the metal poles that hold them. We've used the radio a few nights, as well.
So far no deer tracks in our garden -- and no free meals for those innocent-looking creatures.

But God has cared well for them. There is plenty or forage outside of our garden where they can feed and take their children out to lunch! And I really do like to see them when they are somewhere other than in our garden!

I'm sorry that they and the ants wore out their welcome -- but they really DID! I hope you aren't disappointed in my lack of hospitality in our gardens.