lessons

Stirred, Not Shaken

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Sharita

There are several things in life that are meant to be shaken, not stirred.

Take Shake-N-Bake for instance. I mean, you literally have to shake up that delectable piece of chicken in a plastic bag filled with the coating. Stirring is simply not a legitimate alternative.

Or what about mixing formula in a baby bottle? I don’t know many folks that have had much success with stirring formula. Shaking is easier and more efficient, so why not?

And of course we can’t forget good ol’ 007 James Bond’s love for shaken, not stirred martinis. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a martini, shaken, stirred or otherwise.)

But on the flip side of the shaken, not stirred… what about things we don’t want shaken?

Soda cans. Definitely not good when shaken up. Or a rope bridge when someone is walking across it. (I’ve been there, done that, got mad, fell off.)

But probably the biggest thing that we want STIRRED not SHAKEN?

Our faith.

No shaker allowed when it comes to our faith.

This idea came to me kind of by accident (via the Holy Spirit) the other day during my quiet time. Satan was all up in my grill.  I was writing in my journal, letting the words flow. I paused to read the sentence I just penned:

“GET BEHIND ME SATAN, MY FAITH WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.”

Wow. Good stuff Jesus. Thanks for that one! WHOO! Well, that powerful message didn’t stop there… later that day, I shared the thought with my husband. Right after I finished the statement, I kept talking. (I know, you don’t have to act surprised.) But what came out of my mouth next also shocked me:

“I SHALL NOT BE DETERRED, BECAUSE MY HEART HAS BEEN STIRRED.”

Good grief. Semi-profoundish Holy Spirit words twice in one day? I was a little overwhelmed.

I have sat with these phrases for a few days and obviously they have not left my brain. (Or my heart.) I was certainly moved by these thoughts and considered that maybe you would be too.

“GET BEHIND ME SATAN, MY FAITH WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
I SHALL NOT BE DETERRED, BECAUSE MY HEART HAS BEEN STIRRED.”

Just sit with that for a moment. Let it sink in… What does it mean to you? How can you embrace the concept of letting God strengthen your faith and ward off the enemy through stirring your heart? In what ways has your heart been stirred lately? I would love to hear your answers to these questions– leave a comment below.

We all have a choice. We can let our circumstances or trials shake us up, turning us into a figurative exploding can of soda or shaken martini. OR… we can submit to God by letting Him stir our hearts daily through His loving presence and grace.

Then and only then can we quench our thirst with the Living Water through a faith that is stirred, not shaken.. Oh, and served on The Rock.

Drinking Him in,
SGK

“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” ~Psalm 16:8

Categories: affirmation, Christ, faith, God, hope, lessons | Tags: , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Vanilla-Flavored Living

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Sharita

I’ve always heard that one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch. However, due to the fact that I rarely purchase a whole “bunch” of apples, I have yet to experience this phenomenon. (Although I have dealt with this issue in the area of potatoes. One stinky potato can make the whole bunch yucky in a hurry. But I digress.)

This idea of one part ruining it all apparently pertains to vanilla flavoring.

I have recently learned (the hard way) that old or spoiled vanilla flavoring is rather, um, “ungoodly” for cooking stuff. I bake on occasion. I don’t bake a lot, only for other people. If I bake for myself, I end up eating whatever tasty, sugary delicacy I make. By myself. Which is really counter productive for my getting-into-shape-running-a-5k-while-enjoying-it mission.

Since I bake so infrequently, it takes me a while to use up baking supplies. In this case: vanilla flavoring.  My Mama was in town a couple weeks ago, and we were trying to whip up some cupcakes for my husband’s company of drill sergeants. (It’s a morale booster called Foxtrot Friday.) We thought we would be overachievers and make FILLED cupcakes.

Everything was going great until Mom tried to make the filling… She added the vanilla. And it refused to mix it with the other ingredients. She wrinkled her brow and sniffed the bowl. “Uh, Sharita… How long have you had this vanilla?”

I had no clue. That little container of flavoring had been in my possession for what we in the army family like to call “a hot minute.” As in, I couldn’t remember the last time I bought it. And based on how frequently I use it to bake… Probably a couple of years.

My bad. No wonder my vanilla-flavored protein shakes always tasted so… funky.

Needless to say, we trashed that batch and purchased a brand-spanking new container of vanilla within a few days. I cracked open the seal and it smelled… heavenly.  (And like magic, my shakes no longer tasted funky. Who knew, right?)

I couldn’t help but think about how just one tiny amount of an ingredient, aka a teaspoon of spoiled vanilla, can have such a profound impact on my recipe. I thought about how this holds true to our lives.

All it takes is one little “ingredient” in our heart, life or attitude to spoil the whole journey. Seriously, think about it. Consider those days when you are just in a “funk” because one little thing went wrong right when you hopped out of bed. Or if you are annoyed by something exceptionally small. Or you are holding onto a tiny seed of bitterness towards something or someone.

If you don’t ask God to correct the problem ASAP, that “spoiled ingredient” will spread throughout your day… then your week… then your life.

Do you have any parts of your attitude or heart that are spoiled? Have you ever experienced a “bad ingredient” in life? How did you deal with it? How did God help you through it? Be courageous and leave a comment below.

Today, I challenge you to take a good “whiff” of your life… Does it smell spoiled or funky? Or is in fact heavenly and beautiful-smelling? Some people say we need to live “colorful” lives… But in this case, I am all about fresh vanilla-flavored living.

From funky to fresh,
SGK

“God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” –Psalm 145:14 (MSG)

Categories: attitude, challenge, faith, God, growth, Jesus, lessons, life | Tags: , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

In Ready Position

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Sharita

I never really liked gym class. No offense to any gym teachers out there, but I rarely looked forward to gym, especially during that middle school phase…

Each day when I was down in the musty locker room changing my clothes, my heart would start to pound as I thought about what activity awaited me at the top of the stairs. One of the most dreaded gym sessions of the year? Basketball.

To this day, I still can’t do a lay-up with good form or dribble down the court without “traveling.” It’s not that I didn’t try– I just was never very good. I was THAT kid– you know the one– the kid that always got hit in the face with the ball. (Don’t believe me? I once got my lip split open by a ping pong ball. My face naturally attracted flying objects. It’s science.)

In all of my basketball gym class days, I will say I learned one thing that sticks with me to this day: How to be in “ready position.” Feet a little wider than shoulder distance apart, knees bent, hands up… As the girl who always got hit in the face, I was more than willing to perfect any technique that might help me 1) Move quickly out of the way of a flying object or 2) Deflect said flying object from my middle school mug.

This concept of being in “ready position” extends beyond the sports world. The military is a prime example. They are trained to move into action within a moment’s notice. My beloved husband has not taken this lightly and insist on carrying into all aspects of his life. He always tries to engage in combat parking (backing into a parking spot to be ready to move quickly) at all restaurants or shopping areas, even though I convince him the likelihood of needing to evacuate quickly is minimal. My beloved even takes this “ready position” so far to include his ice cream eating habits.

Ready for anything-- even for ice cream eating, spoon in the freezer and all.

Yep, that is an actual picture of his favorite ice cream in the freezer… In “ready position” waiting to be consumed… spoon poised and all.

I love the man. I really do.

While my husband’s “ready position” habits might seem a bit extreme, I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t kind of have the right idea, especially when it comes to our walk with Christ.  Are we in ready position to give and receive Jesus?

Are we poised, eyes peeled, heart up, looking for  ways to share Jesus around every corner? Would we be ready if He showed up tomorrow or would He hit us in the face because we are unaware of His presence?

How do you stay in touch with Christ? What does your ready position look like? Feel free to leave a comment here.

I *try* to be constantly aware of Christ. Sure, I get distracted when I see something shiny, but I am always attempting to get better at sharing Jesus and receiving what He has to offer. From blogging daily to working on my 1000 gift list to praying for those around me, I feel more ready for Jesus than I ever did while playing midde school basketball. (Or ping pong.)

So today, I challenge you to be light on your feet, bend your knees, get your hands up, eyes open and heart prepared– let’s stay in ready position for Jesus.

Ready and waiting,
SGK

“You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End.” –John 6:44 (MSG)

Categories: childhood, Christ, God, husband, Jesus, lessons, life, patience | Tags: , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Survival of the Faithful

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Sharita

My heart was gripped with fear. My body turned cold from the inside out. I had made a potentially fatal mistake.

I didn’t realize what I had done until I pulled into the commissary parking lot and wondered WHY on what I thought was a random Saturday the place was SO packed.

It was not just any Saturday. But it was the Saturday after army families everywhere got paid. What had started as a quick errand to get eggs, milk, crackers and dog food was now a battle for my life.

Safety side note: There are just some places some people should never, ever, EVER attempt to go on or directly after the general population’s payday. Examples: Wal-Mart, anywhere Black Friday (exception to the payday rule– but it’s still dangerous) and any military post commissary around the 1st or 15th.

Survival will be sketchy at best.

Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for this blog post topic) I found myself in this battle of life and death. I had a choice. Lock my car door, throw Ladybug into reverse and peel it home… Or boldly risk my life for my small dinner party that was scheduled for that evening. (Another side note: I had all of the ingredients to make the food… but realized after the chili was already in the Crockpot that we were out of crackers. See grocery list above.)

It chose the latter option. Oh, and I literally prayed before I got out of the car.

I (obviously) survived. But it was touch and go there for awhile.

In the midst of dozens of people, endless lists and screaming toddlers, I mentally created some survival techniques for making it out of your determined location post-pay day… with your goods.

And maybe even your sanity.

So next time you are forced to brave the crowds, follow my fool-proof survival techniques.

1. Don’t do it. 

There. That was easy.

Ok, but seriously.

1. Force yourself not to be in a hurry.

2. Remember to breathe.

3. Be prepared to dodge, duck and dive.

4. Apologize profusely to those of you who you are trying to maneuver around.

5. A smile won’t hurt.

6. Have a plan. Have your list in hand and if possible, know where to look for your items.

7. Try not to laugh (ok, guffaw) out loud at the random husband that is clearly on the phone with his wife, walking at a brisk pace yelling “I CAN’T FIND THE STUPID TORTILLAS!” You will just make it awkward.

8. Have less than 20 items in your basket… You can use a quicker line. Everything else can wait til a random Wednesday.

9. Pray. Endlessly. Then check out.

10. Do a victory dance when you arrive back at your vehicle.

I learned A LOT about myself (and others) during this quest for survival. But believe it or not, I was able to look at the whole experience in a Godly way. Somehow, the two apples I put in my cart weren’t the only fruit I had that day. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) It was totally a God thing because He helped me get in and get out non-stressed with a smile still on my face.

Let God be your survival tool… He is the giver of
the “Fruit” of our Spirit!

My actions to be patient, controlled, love others and be kind were very intentional and I couldn’t have done it without inviting Him to help me “survive” this experience. God cares about our everyday obstacles and life experiences. So won’t you invite Him to walk with you everywhere you go? He will accompany you to the commissary, Wal-Mart and even the bank at 5:00pm on a Friday afternoon if you ask Him to come along.

God doesn’t embrace the survival of the fittest… but He will ensure the survival of the faithful!

With Him always by my side,

SGK

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” –Joshua 1:9

Categories: army, faith, lessons, Love, patience, planning | Leave a comment

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