Welcome to Billie's World

Billie Buckley

Writer, Teacher, Speaker

"Putting Good On Life"

   AS A WRITER I welcome you into my writer's world where I share honestly, in a humorous way, my needs and struggles about living life to its fullest. On and off for 20 years I have written a column for the Hattiesburg American newspaper in South Mississippi. I have written Sunday School lessons for the Baptist Record in Mississippi. My latest was a study on Jeremiah in the spring of this year. My first booklet has been republished and can be bought on this website: "Put Some Good on my Life." Future books will be rewrites from my collective columns:"Put some Good on my Holidays, Sorrows, Mess, Teaching, Parenting, Growing Up, Church, Memories, etc."

   AS A TEACHER I taught school for 32 years in elementary and middle schools. I now teach a creative writers's class at the Family Y in Hattiesburg, MS. We have just published our first work, "Come Stroll With Us."  I also teach a special Bible study group at the Petal FamilyYMCA in MS each week. Here we take our time and peel each word back listening carefully to the said and saying  word of God: said, because it is to all men; saying, becasue it it to each of us individually. At my home I teach fitness, and learn from a group of ladies who are "Fat Friends Having Fun Getting Fit." I never forget to be thankful for the good they put on my life. For over four years I taught the expository "Explorer's Bible Study International" in Hattiesburg.

   AS A SPEAKER I move from churches to clubs to restaurants to schools. I cross denominational lines and age differential, putting  good on lives with humor and openness. Once I was asked to speak at a Home Demonstration Club. What fear filled my heart! You must know I am the original Microwave Mom and I don't do pickles or jellies. I confessed my shortcomings and I learned much from those ladies. No, I didn't learn to do make homemade stuff; but we did have fun. You see, it's O.K. to have fun for I have it on good authority "a wise teacher makes teaching, writing, speaking and learning a joy."

In this picture our family is having fun in Alaska. When we are not having fun together in the awesomeness of Alaska we are putting good on each others' lives in ordinary days and ways.

 My favorite preacher (my husband) Gerald is retired from full time ministry and is now serving in Petal,Ms in his fourth interim pastor position.

 Steve, our older son, was a college football coach and is now the owner and manager of Buckos Cleaners in South MS. and head high school  coach for the Petal  Panthers. Kristi, his wife, is our family social chariman and is the mother of 13 year old Slade and nine year old Annaleigh.

 Stan, our younger son, was a lawyer and is now the senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Jackson, MS. Check out their website at FBCJ.org Jewell, his wife, is our organizer and the mother of 14 year old twins Adam and Neal, and twelve year old Anna.

These five grandchildren play and work hard, dream big, laugh loudly and use every color in the box. They are my examples of how to put good on life. I almost forgot to tell you this...we have two grand dogs, Buddy and Sarge.

What adds color to your world?  Our five grandchildren are always bringing color and life to my

ho-hum days.  Through the years the kitchen table has been turned into an artist’s easel, a battle

ground for games and even a ping-pong table. I find pleasure in watching them and learning from

them. 

One of the greatest lessons they have taught me is to use all the colors in the coloring box.

Some folks, including myself, tend to use only one color.  While teaching school, I was afraid if a

child were asked to draw my picture he would respond, “Pass the gray color, please.”

What if someone were to draw a picture of your life right now?  What colors would they use?

We could go on and on, but even with good intentions, life will choose its own colors to apply to

our pictures.  There will be the sudden and instant smear of blackness in a crisis. Then we want

God to erase the black color from that picture of our life.

Yet, in the midst of all the blackness, we would be well to remember He is working slowly but

definitely for the best good in our lives.   I f we whine and become a martyr, declaring black is not

our favorite color; we are failing to allow God to use other colors in the box.  

What is your favorite color?  Green is one of our grandson’s favorite colors.  I will choose to use

green too, for it is such an earthy, everyday color. This reminds me of the confidence I can have

in God because He is approachable in relationship to my everyday, earthly living.  His Son, when

he lived on this earth, was easy to talk to and was always open to others.  His use of the color

green and what it represented was to reveal His Father’s heart of love for everyday folks like you

and me.

So what is my favorite color?  It is yellow.  I believe broad, bright strokes of yellow would be

prominent if we were painting a picture of our Lord today.  Yellow is light and sight and

brightness.  Certainly our dark world is in need of light. 

As a believer, as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I know He is the Light Bearer.  I know

this because He has brought light into my life. Today may we respectfully color our Lord?

                 Color Him red for his energy to love and encourage. 
                  Color Him blue for His unending patience with us.
                  Color Him pink for His warmth and loving concern.
                  Color Him yellow for the light He brings to the darkness.

Finally, color me just like Him, for His life was filled with every color in the box.  I am resolved to

use every color in the box to reflect more of Him.  Would you like to come and sit at my kitchen

table and color with me? You are more than welcome.

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