list

To Do List Don’t

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Sharita

Once upon a time, someone started some ridiculous rumor that Monday’s should be productive.

If I figure out who that was… I will CUT them. (Just kidding. I have been reminiscing with some college friends lately– specifically regarding the Bon Qui Qui  skit from Mad TV.)

But seriously. If I find out who decided that Monday and productive are supposed to go together, we are gonna have words. Productive Monday is an oxymoron if I ever heard one.

Before you think I am pulling a Garfield the Cat move and just going to spend today grumbling about Mondays, hold up. For me, Mondays ARE <sometimes> productive… and a fantastic time for me to get ahold of my TO DO list as I prepare to tackle the week.

I know, I know… I have blogged about list-making before. I am “that girl” who, if I am in the midst of a busy day and accomplish something that wasn’t on my to do list, I will write it down… then mark it off.

Pathetic, I know. But it’s a motivation thing. Take what you can get, right?

My current To Do list method is using Wunderlist. It is a free app for my iPad and syncs with my laptop. (Side note: My Wunderlist crashed on my iPad last week, and I am super proud of myself that I didn’t have a meltdown… mainly because the tasks were synced/saved on my computer.)

Have I mentioned... I love my to do list.

I love my to do list. Let me rephrase that. I love accomplishing my to do list. However, a few days ago, God revealed to me a TO DO LIST DONT…

We can’t get so wrapped up on our “stuff” to do that our list becomes an idol, dictating and directing our day. That is God’s job. Sure, God wants us to accomplish things for His glory (I actually have a list called “Serving the Lord”) but with each task entry and accomplishment, we must keep our eyes focused on Him.

It can be really easy to get sucked into the near idolatry of a to do list. If we think about things we need to do more than our precious time with Christ, we are placing our tasks above Him. This happens if I look at my list before I have my quiet time with Him in the morning. My brain is off and running– good luck redirecting it back to the Father. Yikes.

The other thing that can easily happen is that we schedule our day around our list so tightly that we leave little if any room for God to move… Honestly, I don’t have a lot of blank spots in my calendar. HOWEVER– I am always on the lookout for experiences God has placed in my path along the way. Perhaps it is doing something kind for someone. Or bailing out a friend. Or spending a little extra time with Him.

If our eyes are locked on our list, we risk ignoring the movement and love of God.

So on this GLORIOUS Monday (this is the day the Lord has made, after all) let’s feel free to be productive and lay the smack down on our to do lists. But let’s also keep our eyes on Christ. If we do, we will avoid the To Do List Don’t.

Checking it off for Christ,
SGK

“Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don’t worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You’re serving his pleasure, not yours.” Ecclesiastes 8:2-3 (MSG) 

Do you have a TO DO list? What does it look like? It is paper or digital? How do you stay focused on Christ? I would love to interact. Comment here.

Categories: accomplishment, busyness, Christ, idol, list, obedience | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Life-as-a-wife survival kit

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Sharita

God sure has a sense of humor. It still cracks me up almost daily that He had the idea to create man, then create woman, make us COMPLETELY different and say “Ok, live together for your entire life. Play nice. Love each other. I’m here when you need me. Good luck.”

Sometimes I think marriage needs a survival guide. Specifically, I need a survival guide (or kit) as an army wife. So today is my appeal for  either 1) every man getting married to give their wife the following kit, 2) every woman getting married to get this kit for herself or 3) for the army to standard issue the following items to all army wives everywhere.

But before I get into the actual life-as-a-wife survival kit, I would like to address the survival kit needed for married men, military or otherwise. I am sure they are already feeling left out, and we certainly wouldn’t want that.

So here is the basic supplies needed for dudes in an I-wanna-be-a-husband-in-a-joy-filled-marriage kit.

1. Food. Any kind will do.

2. Shelter. Any kind will do. Preferably warm and dry.

3. Beer and/or TV. Not any kind will do, and amounts with vary per man.

4. A passionate wife. Why? To um, ahem, satisfy, eh, their, er “urges.” (If you don’t get this one… ask your spouse. I am sure he can clarify.)

 

Welp. That was easy.

Now, back to the life-as-a-wife survival guide in reverse ranking order. (United States Military, I hope you are paying attention. Seriously. This should be standard issue when anyone marries into any branch of the military. I will be waiting by my mailbox.)

(Note: These of course are hypothetical. They certainly aren’t based on MY experiences at all… right.)

10. An upright punching bag. With accompanying hand wraps and gloves. There will be frustrations in marriage… and this is a healthy way to, um, release some tension without taking it out on your beloved. It works. Or so I’ve been told.

9. Chocolate. Any kind will do… some might prefer a mint-chocolate combination, or dark chocolate varieties.

8. Kleenexes. Emotional roller coaster breakdowns can happen at any given moment. I have known wives (again, not myself of course) to end up sitting on the couch tearing up a boxes of Kleenex telling their husband as she gasp’s between sobs “I…(gasp)… don’t… (hack)… know… (snort)… why… (sniff)… I’m…(honk)… cryinggggg… (waaaaaa!) *Also useful for happy and/or Holy Spirit tears as well. Those too are very common.

7. A wine glass. I have hypothetically been told that some wives don’t always even drink wine out of the glasses. A wife last week perhaps kinda sorta drank Diet Dr. Pepper out of a fancy wine glass. Wives are all about feeling elegant and keeping it classy. Do what it takes.

6. A bathtub. This is best used for life-as-a-wife survival tool if combined with #9 and #7. (Just add steaming hot water and bubbles.)

5. Tylenol.  For recovering from #8 and other semi-stressful and/or overwhelming experiences.

4. A movie/TV show filter. Sometimes as a wife (especially army wife) we need a magical filter that blocks certain shows or movies from our viewing. AKA films that involve war, adultery, excessive tears, etc. They are seed planters and can be super un-survival-ish.

3. A positive go-to person. This can be a friend, neighbor, mom, family member or fellow wife. When the husband is either the cause of the issue OR is not available (which is often the case), wives need to have a pep-talker on-standby, even if it is via phone, internet, text or Skype.

2. A sense of humor. Marriage can either be stressful and painful or hilarious. Choose the latter option. It is way more fun… and WILL help you survive. (ESPECIALLY in the military.)

1. A Bible… and the faith to go with it. This is easily the most important of all the survival supplies on this list. When our husbands are gone, busy, preoccupied, confused, deployed, injured, uncertain etc, we have ONE to lean on, and that is our Father in Heaven. Ultimately to survive as a wife and live in a joy-filled marriage, we must FIRST be married to HIM. Be so in love with God that your husband has to seek Him to get to you. And allow your husband to lead in your walk.

Keep the faith– it will ultimately lead you to both survival and revival of your marriage.

Living and loving my life-as-a-wife,

SGK

“Stay with God. Take heart. Don’t quit. I will say it again: Stay with God!” Psalm 27:14 MSG

Categories: army, faith, husband, list, Love, marriage, wife | 3 Comments

Red Light, Green Light… Yellow Light

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Sharita

Isn’t it funny how things in adult life can bring you back to the departed days of youth?

Ok, that sounded a little deeper than I originally intended. (Don’t worry this post isn’t going to be that deep, I promise. We are on leave from the army for the holiday. As is my brain.)

Events of last week led me back to my youth, the days of games on the playground and in our backyard. Ever play the game of “red light green light?” It was one of my sister and I’s favorites, ranking right up there with hide-n-seek. It’s a pretty simple game, kind of like Simon Says… One person is it, and they direct the other players to run or stop by saying red light or green light. Just like traffic lights. Easy. But the heifer I was when I was younger, I would sometimes toss in a yellow light just to confuse everyone. (Playing fair is so overrated when you are eight years old.)

Anyway, I was rushing around last week trying to lay the smack down on my to do list. Run run run… I caught myself hurrying for essentially no reason last Monday night in the Walmart parking lot. My husband was working overnight duty and I had no reason to rush home, other than to get a bath and go to sleep… And it wasn’t even THAT late. When I made this realization I literally stopped in my tracks in the middle of the parking lot and said “Girl, slow down!” (I got a funny look from the dude behind me, but oh well.)

Funny how we have been conditioned to hurry hurry hurry with everything we do. Fast food. Instant download. Express mail. Hey, I love efficiency as much as the next person… But sometimes we just need to chill out!

So the week progressed and I was making the necessary preparations to depart for two weeks of holiday block leave. Brandon was working overnight again on Thursday so I found myself super charged running around Columbus like a two year old snarfing down cookies. Christmas letter written. Stamps purchased. Frozen yogurt date with my boss. Final blog giveaway prize book purchased. Christmas letters stuffed and stamped. Check, check, check, check, check!

My time in Columbus was dwindling (my pulse rate was increasing) I needed (wanted) to make it back to the post office to finish up my checklist for the day… So off I raced.

Oh wait. Timeout. Did I fail to mention that Columbus was crazy that day? It was a Thursday afternoon, but it might have well been Black Friday, which I avoid like the black plague. Traffic was ridiculous and it was swamped. Utter chaos. And against my better judgement, I joined right in.

So I get to the post office… The lines are out the door. Honestly, I didn’t mind much since my in-town list was essentially done… By the time I got done and headed back onto the crazy streets, traffic had reached a new level of insanity. Apparently it was “national drive like an uncourteous aggressive person” day. Long story short, everyone was so busy that no one would let me over so I could exit back onto the interstate to get home. What should have taken about 30 seconds to get on the right path homeward bound took about 20 minutes.

After doubling back a few times and thinking some not-so-nice things in my head about some of the other drivers, I made it back to the interstate. I started to breath again. And I felt a nudging from God.

“Sharita… Find your yellow light. Slow down.”

“Ah. Um, but I still have more things on my home to do list. How I’ll I get it all done?”

“Trust me, daughter. You will accomplish what you need. Take some time for you and me tonight.”

So I did. I went home and instead of logging backing my computer to start my next project, I showered and changed into comfy clothes. I poured myself a glass of wine. I left the TV off. I sat down in my red recliner and opened the window. (It was 70+ degrees that day. Awesome!) I picked up my iPad, launched Pandora, and grabbed a handful of mint chococlate truffle kisses.

I sat there for about 3 hrs, reading a great e-book, relaxing… Breathing… Enjoying my yellow light… Enjoying my God.

Is God giving you a holiday yellow light? If so, don’t ignore it. Embrace it. Embrace HIM. He isn’t being like my younger heiferish self trying to confused you. He is allowing you time to rest. Recharge. Relax.

Oh, and in case you are wondering… I got my to do list completely done on Friday. And even had time to enjoy another holiday Yellow light at the movie theater later that afternoon.

Everyone says that Christmas colors are red and green.

I say this years holiday color is yellow.

Recharged and loving it,

SGK

“All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.” Isaiah 14:7 

Categories: Christmas, hurry, list, listen, relax, rest | 1 Comment

A Little Needy

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Sharita

Here’s a list of things I “need” on any given day:

I need… a nap.

I need… a break.

I need… a foot rub.

I need… motivation.

I need… more moolah.

I need… a hug.

I need… a pep talk.

I need… more time.

I need… patience.

I need… prayer.

I need… something deep fried and covered in chocolate.

I need… IT NOW.

Does your list look similar? I know there were times in my life that the “Needs” were much greater, like “I need a new car” or “I need someone to stop me from shanking this person for their impoliteness,” or simply “I need HELP.”

There is a fine line between “needs” and “wants.” My husband reminds me of this ALL the time… and honestly, I usually don’t want to hear it. He always says that God will give us what we NEED not what we want. Most of the things on the list above probably fall much closer to the “WANTS” side of my spectrum (except for hugs and prayer. I really do need those. A lot.)

What do  you WANT in life? Is it the same as what you need? Probably not. I highly doubt many of us are excited to ask God to give us straight up just what we need… because it might not match up with our “want” categories. (I still try to do it, but most of the time I’d rather settle for the deep-fried-covered-in-chocolate fix.)

I ran across an incredible quote said by Gigi Graham Tchividjian last night in our Footprints Prayer Journal:

“When we are in a situation where Jesus is all we have, we soon discover He is all we really need.”

Read it again. ”When we are in a situation where Jesus is all we have, we soon discover He is all we really need.” That’s deep, folks. And very true. God puts us in situations so that we can realize that His Son is truly all we need. We don’t need money, or chocolate or a nap. We need Jesus. Period.

“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” –Matthew 6:8

God knows what you need before you even ask. And all those “true” needs are rooted in the love of Jesus Christ. This idea of needs brings another quote from Charles Swindoll to mind:

“God takes care of His own. He knows our needs… He stands ready to come to our rescue. And at just the right moment He steps in and proves Himself as our faithful heavenly father.”

I am SO THANKFUL that God gives us all we need in Jesus. I would be so lost (literally) without that need fulfilled! Whether we are in our brightest or darkest moments, God is involved, giving us what we need.

Today, don’t tell God what you WANT… ask Him to give you what you NEED. Drop to your knees… and let Him know how much you NEED Him. Go ahead… it’s ok to be a little needy.

Eternally Needing Him,

SGK

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” -2 Peter 1:3

Categories: Jesus. everything, list, needs, wants | Leave a comment

Here’s to Kicking the Bucket… list (Part 1)

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Sharita

If you have ever been engaged in a conversation with me for more than 18 minutes, chances are I have mentioned my “Bucket list.”

I don’t talk about my Bucket List to say “Oooo looky at all the ‘cool’ things I have done.” Because honestly, most of them aren’t cool. They are probably borderline nerdy. But I’ve come to terms with this. My Bucket List is important to me a for a few reasons:

1. I love making lists.

2. God has designed me to be a person who enjoys working towards things and having goals– even if they are nerdy goals.

3. It makes a great conversation piece.

4. Gives me an excuse to do some pretty random stuff.

5. I can revel and thank God for all of the awesome little things in life that make me happy!

That being said, I didn’t start my list after the movie came out. I began writing it long before, back in December 2003… Which if my calculations are correct, that is two months shy of 8 years ago (Holy cheese and crackers!) Of course back then I didn’t call it a Bucket List.. Rather it was “Things to do before I die” list.

Obviously, many new things have been added over the years, (and a few things checked off) and some have become a little deeper/profound. But that’s the great thing about a bucket list– it doesn’t HAVE to be profound. I once was chatting with someone about starting their own bucket list… and they said they didn’t have anything “worthy” or “profound” to put on their list. After I scoffed (silently, I hope), I reminded them that it doesn’t have to change the world. Do they really think that me “Breaking glass with a hammer” is going to make a difference? It will to me, but that’s about it.

My Bucket list is in a small, simple black journal…. Today, I am going to share some of the random things I have done so far (I mark the date and place/event so I remember) Then tomorrow, if you are bold enough to tune in again, you will see things that I am still working on.

Brace yourself: This could get random.  (The ones in bold I count as especially hilarious and non-profound) 


CHECKED off the list…

(Note: This list is not exhaustive… but you get the picture) 

  • Go to college: K-state, 8/18/04
  • Fall in love: Brandon L. Knobloch, Summer 2009
  • Get married: Brandon, October 2, 2010!
  • Be on TV: Polar Bear Plunge, 2006
  • Travel Overseas: Spain/Portugal, Jan 2006; China, June 2009; Italy 2010
  • Meet someone “famous:” President George W. Bush, White House, July 2005
  • Go to a KSU game: Manhattan, KS September 4, 2004
  • Wear a tiara: Alpha of Clovia Crystal Ball, March 11, 2006
  • Get ears pierced: Manhattan, KS, Aug 2004
  • Go to a Clay Aiken Concert: Hutchinson, KS Sept 10, 2004 (Hey, don’t judge me…) 
  • Get a fantastic job: Heartland Works, Inc, July 2010
  • Learn to “really” dance: Salsa/Brandon, Sept 2010
  • Walk on a beach/boardwalk: New Jersey, Jan 2008
  • Be in a wedding: Nicole & Kyle Wainwright, Soloist, Aug 2008
  • Teach: Catalyst Class, Manhattan, KS 2008
  • Go to Auctioneering school & become Certified auctioneer: March 2009 (seriously… Have gavel, will travel) 
  • Go to church regularly: Eternity, Jefferson City, MO Nov 2009
  • Wear a Bikini– confidently: Summer 2010
  • Read the Bible daily: May 19, 2009
  • Run 1 mile w/out walking: Manhattan City Park, March 30, 2009
  • Eat Kobe Beef: Paducah, Kentucky, April 2, 2011
  • Take a self defense class: Boxing, Manhattan, KS Spring 2009 (Sr yr well spent!) 
  • Learn about wine: KSU, Spring 2009 (See– great semester!) 
  • Run a 5K: Herington, KS March 19, 2011
  • Go Skinny Dipping: Sorry, details will remain anonymous :-)  
  • Police ride-a-long: Citizens Police Academy, March 2009 
  • Own a Pet: Sweet Justus, Fort Benning, GA May 17, 2011
  • Make a perfect omelet: Manhattan, KS February 19, 2011
  • Cut Hair for Locks of Love: Manhattan, KS March 19, 2011
  • Fill an ENTIRE Journal: Pink Bible journal, Jan 23, 2011
  • Learn to make sushi: Fort Benning, GA 2011
  • Successfully complete a Sudoku: Fort Benning, GA July 19, 2011. 

I thank God for helping me to experience some of these things– it is a reminder of the little opportunities that I can take some extra joy in… Do you have a bucket list? If not, I recommend making one– just let your little joys flow onto the page– you don’t have to show anyone! It’s between you and God.

To me, kicking the Bucket List (and the things on it) is one part of my life that I count as “More Precious than Rubies.”

Checking it off the list,

SGK

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:2-3

Categories: death, God, life, list, little things | 1 Comment

The Best Medicine

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Sharita

I love to laugh. It doesn’t matter what kind of laugh– a small chuckle, a loud obnoxious snort, or a stomach-shaking-ribs-hurting-can’t-breath-tears-rolling all out hoot. It is such a release.

I’ve mentioned it  before, but there are a lot of things in this world that I have to ponder/laugh about. Sure, I could choose to be upset and frustrated at things I don’t understand, but instead I decide to just chalk it up to the “Only God Knows” category. I really do have a list of things to ask God when I get to heaven. Yes, some are very deep and theological, but I have been reflecting the last couple of days on  things of a lighter nature. I really believe that God has an incredible sense of humor– like what is the deal with Mondays? Or the platypus? And what is the purpose of the University of Kansas Jayhawks? (Just kidding. But seriously…)

Hope this short list of light-hearted questions directed to God brings a slight smile to your face, and maybe even a little bit of joy to your heart.

  • Why is popping bubble wrap so much fun? I mean really, I am an almost 26-year-old grown woman with 2/3′s of a masters degree and could still spend an afternoon popping bubble wrap. I might even fight my 13 yr old brother for it.
  • Who invented panty hose and why did you let them? And why do they run at the most inconvenient time if you simply look at them wrong?
  • Why can’t sweating during an outside work out be an indication of how hard you are working instead of the humidity level?

  • What’s the deal with wet paint signs? I believe things like how many stars there are in the sky and how many calories are in a box of chocolates, but when I see a sign that says “Wet Paint” I have an irrepressible urge to touch it to make sure.
  • Why are dogs so incredibly fascinated with chasing flies? Honestly, our puppy Justus is a relatively behaved creature until a fly comes into the room– then all bets are off and he is trying to climb the curtains to attain his “target.”
  • Who are the 4 out of 5 dentists who recommend stuff, and how did they get that nominated to that role?
  • Where did you get the idea for marriage? Don’t get me wrong, I adore and love my husband with all my heart, but sometimes it fascinates me that you decided to create man and woman so incredibly differently then charge them to live in the company with one another for the duration of their time on earth. (I love you Brandon! :-)
  •  Who thought it was a productive idea to create the color navy blue? I think it is a pretty color, but also believe it causes a lot of issues when you end up pairing it with something black because your lightbulb was out in your bedroom closet.
  • What’s the purpose of nasal allergies? Other than creating awkward experiences in public?
  • Who is Pete and why do people love him so much?
  • Why do puppies shed so much, typically in the opposite color of the dress/suit that you are wearing?
  • Why did you allow the department store managers to create sales signs on the clothing racks that say “$1.99 (and up).” Seems like it is pretty self explanatory and it’s dancing on the border of misleading advertisement.
  • Seriously, what IS the deal with KU Jayhawks? :-)

Laughter is like a medicine… So don’t take life too seriously– none of us are going to make it out alive, and if we choose to follow the way of Christ, our future glory is nothing compared to the experiences on this earth!

Living Joyfully,

SGK

Categories: excited, funny, list | Leave a comment

Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Adventure Journal by Contexture International.

%d bloggers like this: