Tanner's Light

Welcome to all my readers!! My crew and I, along with the family, friends, & supporters of the Tanner Bayless Family are gearing up & getting ready for the 3rd annual Tanner Bayless Memorial Scholarship Benefit.

As an auctioneer, I call all sorts of auctions & raise money for all kinds of different causes. One thing I've learned in my walk with God is that EVERYTHING has a purpose &, if we make the right choices, we will SHARE in that purpose & SHARE it with others...many times, unintentionally.

I met Tanner's Mom Stacy last year when she called me & asked me to be the auctioneer for last year's benefit. I didn't know Tanner or his Mom & I really didn't know what had happened. When I had a chance to ask Stacy I did &, as a Mom, my heart twisted up & I naturally started wondering if my babies were OKAY, right where they were.

One thing I am CERTAIN none of us will be able to comprehend is TRAGEDY. Why? WHY? Why do sweet young babies have to battle through cancer? Why can the mass disappear & then come back? Why is one kid in a car accident & lives & WHY does another die? Why was she in the house when it exploded because of a gas leak? Why did that horse spook & cause my baby to get hurt so bad? What happened on that tractor...helicopter...motorcyle? We may never know...surely not in this life...

One thing I can tell you about Tanner (even though I never had the pleasure of meeting him) is that HIS LIGHT SHINED SO BRIGHTLY in his time here on Earth. I am almost certain that is what adds to Stacy's light. I had a lady that lost her husband in tragedy tell me: "If it wasn't for this business, I would go in my bedroom, cover my head with a sheet, & just stay there." So what makes a MOM move forward? What makes living OK, when your baby isn't?

Stacy has never told me her answer, BUT I think it would have a little something to do with this. Even though Tanner isn't PHYSICALLY here anymore...all the love & memories & hugs & kisses & smells & hunting stories & fishing stories & football stories.....THEY DON'T GO AWAY. They don't LEAVE this world. KNOW...that God could take them away, if he wanted. Tanner's light SHINES ON through us. We all NEED each other. We help others....strangers...and we don't even know it. WE ALL want to TRANSCEND. We are in the trenches right now & sometimes it is gut-wrenching, but we have to CONTINUE to shine light in the darkness. God-willing we will all be where Tanner is one day, but that sure doesn't make the pain go away.

I read something in a book yesterday that said: "If you don't exercise your muscles, they weaken and atrophy. In the same way, if you don't utilize the abilities and skills God has given you, you will lose them." - Pastor Rick Warren

How does this apply? Tanner's family & friends have the abilities & skills to continue LETTING his light shine. They had a choice...to keep it for themselves OR to share it with others. When you bless people, you will also be blessed...& sometimes those blessings help to COPE with the pain. I PRAY that you are able to come out to this event to WITNESS the STRENGTH, SUPPORT, TENACITY, & LOVE of this group of people.

The money that is raised at this event has provided scholarships to help other young people move towards their goals & dreams. It has also been put right back into the community for NUMEROUS causes & has helped other families of tragedies. Stacy's dream would be able to provide a full-ride to a student one day, be able to work together with other families of tragedy, & continue to contribute to the success of other local causes.

Like I said...Tanner's light is a BRIGHT one. It was AWESOME to see so many young people come out...& not just show up, BUT BID & contribute to the cause. You really don't see that much & just goes to show how his light is still shining in them.

We truly have NO IDEA what the next moment holds, so LOVE your people & love them deep. FORGIVE quickly & do your best. BE READY & EAGER to help the next person, because you might just be in their shoes tomorrow.

BUCK UP BABY! Come out & help Tanner's light SHINE ON!! God Bless!

Heather Schoenst Kaspar
TXL 17037

A Story about Beau "Diddle" Green

Our next UPCOMING Auction is on FRIDAY, April 25th in Giddings, TEXAS. See the flyer below. It is a MEMORIAL scholarship FUNDraiser in HONOR of the memory of the late BEAU DIDDLE GREEN. The $$ raised from the entire event (Dance, LIVE & silent Auctions, & Golf Tourney) go to deserving students of the GIDDINGS & LEXINGTON School Districts.

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing Beau, before he passed  & was asked to talk to Beau's cousin Jacob - to learn a little more about him. I have to say that I was touched by Jacob's MEMORIES & LOVE for Beau.

Beau was 6 years older than Jacob. Beau lived with Jacob & his family for a while & the two of them became roomates. Here are some of the things Jacob had to say about Beau:

-He became like a BROTHER to me.
-He was the 1st person I ever called a BEST FRIEND.
-He was TRUSTWORTHY.
-He MADE YOU FEEL secure.
-He was like a WATCHDOG or PROTECTOR.
-He was FULL of life....ALWAYS positive.
-He was a GREAT LISTENER & sound board.
-He was the LIFE OF THE PARTY!
-He would ENCOURAGE anybody to do ANYTHING they wanted to do.

When Beau was 23 years-old, he took his own life. Let me tell you somethin'. LIFE can get mighty hairy....especially when you don't have much money, & stability, & the demons start creepin' up. God put all of us HERE ON EARTH to HELP EACH OTHER. We all know that in our low times sometimes....family can't help us...our friends can't help us...sometimes GOD is the only person that can help us....just BE AWARE. Sometimes people like Beau WILL NOT (UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE) let the people they are protective of KNOW that they are hurting. People who LOVE that much, can also CRASH that hard.

As sad & heart-wrenching as his death was, Beau's family ORGANIZED a MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP EVENT to carry out the kind of things Beau was already doing, in his short time here. Through this scholarship fund students are encouraged to become anything they want to become. They are given an OPPORTUNITY & Beau's family has figured out how to keep his LEGACY ALIVE in this event. There will be dancin'. There will be EXCITEMENT! There will be golfin'. EVERYTHING that comes from it will be POSITIVE & going to help students that really NEED it.

Beau wasn't only a BIG GOLFER & BIG DANCER, but he had a GREAT BIG HEART.  Come out and support this event. You're not only gonna have a heck of a time, but there are some SUPER cool items to bid on & all the $$ you spend is going right back in the community to help one of your own.

BUCK UP BABY! Shine your light on others...even if it's just a glimmer. You can contact Paula Otto at 570.778.1727 OR Melissa Lira at 979.716.0622 if you have an auction item to donate, want details so you know when to come bid, or have questions about the golf tournament. Check our website. We keep updating it with auction items: www.buckupauctions.com

Heather Kaspar
TXL 17037