Posts Tagged With: life

The Power of Mind Control

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Sharita

I’ve always heard that mind is a terrible thing to waste.

I also believe that a mind is terribly hard to control.

Seriously. Maybe you have the ability to control your thoughts all mastered, but I sure don’t. One tiny event, action, news story or comment from someone can send my otherwise Christ-centered, balanced, content and peaceful mind spinning in the wrong direction faster than a merry-go-round on an elementary school playground.

And the enemy of my soul absolutely LOVES it. Gives him great material to work with. Jerkface.

Let me give you an example…

Let’s say I’m out for a run and I hear sirens. No big deal, right? As long as I have my everything focused on Christ, yeah, it’s no big deal. But sometimes my woman brain kicks into motion before I even realize what is happening. I hear the siren, and I think, “I wonder where it’s going” which turns into “I hope they are ok” which turns into “It sounds like it’s headed in the direction of where my husband works (which is a huge place)” which turns into “What if my husband is hurt/was in an accident/etc” and BOOM.

There I am. Worried about something that isn’t even legit. And worry is a sin because it shows that I am not trusting God with my day/life/plans.

BAH. It’s such a frustrating cycle to break.

Then of course the Enemy gets involved and tries to play up my fears/worries/insecurities/need to control/etc.

It’s precious. (Not.)

Scripture says A LOT about the power of mind control. (No, not controlling OTHER people’s minds… controlling our own thoughts.) Romans 8:6 says, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”

Pretty simple, huh? The mind of us as sinners equals death… But when we let God control our minds, we experience constant life and peace.

What consumes your mind, controls your life.

Via deeplifequotes @ Flickr

You all know that I am a sucker for analogies, so I liken this concept to the airport security system. Our thoughts are the carry-on bags going through the nifty little X-ray machine… and Jesus is the TSA agent. We need to let Him sort through our thoughts and decide if they pass the test of worthy, holy, and pure. The yucky ones that don’t make the cut? Yep, they are confiscated. Junked. Trashed. Deleted. Whatever you want to call it– they are GONE.

2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us of this truth as well. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

So what do we do when our minds start to spin out of control? Well, we can run it through the Jesus filter. It has worked pretty well for me as of late… I often refer to Philippians 4:8~ “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  

If your thoughts that pop into your head don’t fit any of those descriptors, more than likely they are junk. Don’t give the enemy a foothold by thinking about the yuck that we have no control over. Instead, we can take every thought, run it through our nifty little Jesus filter and take it captive to Christ.

Now THAT is the power of mind control… Through Christ.

Minding Jesus,
SGK

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~Isaiah 55:9 NIV

Categories: trust | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Falling to Faith (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Sharita

Five Minute Friday
Hi friends! Yep, it’s Friday. (Can I get a whoot-whoot?!?) And Friday can only mean one thing ’round these parts.

Today is the day we link up with Lisa-Jo and rock out Five Minute Friday.

For FMF, Lisa gives us a prompt. Then we write. Uninhibited. For five minutes.

It’s as easy as that.

So let’s see what is in store for us today…

Today’s Prompt: FALL

AND GO!

****

Fall. It’s not just a season… It’s a verb (you know, one of those words that shows action…)

It has positive or negative connotations. We can fall down the stairs. (And up the stairs. I’m so graceful, I’ve done both. In the same day.) We can fall in love. (Done that too.) We can fall short. (Yep, sounds familiar.) And we can fall to faith.

Falling to faith is a beautiful thing… I don’t mean it is exceptionally graceful or easy– but it sure is a wonderful feeling, even though it might take immense effort and get a little messy sometimes.

When we are in a tough spot… We can fall to faith.

When we are unsure of what to do next… We can fall to God knowing that He has got our back.

When the enemy of our soul is all up in our grill and wreaking havoc on our hearts– we can fall into Jesus’ arms for protection.

When we are overwhelmed… We can fall to His feet for rest.

When nothing seems to be going right… We can fall forward onto the One who is and was and is yet to come. He never changes.

When this world starts to suck us down… we can fall to the Father in faith.

Falling to Faith isn’t easy. But it sure is worth it.

STOP!

****

This post is straight from my heart today, dear readers. (Well, all my posts are, but this one from the deep places in my heart.) I would so appreciate your prayers for our little army family. Things are changing quickly as we prep to move across the country… and as a Mama of a 3-month-old, I am trying not to become overwhelmed… but really, that’s easier said than done :-) Regardless… I will continue to fall to faith.

Thanks for stopping by and may God bless you!

SGK

PS: How can I pray for you today? Let me know via leaving a comment, sending me a message on Facebook or dropping me an email at sharita{dot}knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” ~Matthew 8:10 NIV

Categories: Five Minute Friday | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Finishing Strong

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Sharita

I personally believe that there is no other feeling in the world than accomplishing a huge goal and finishing strong.

Think about it…

When you cross the finish line of a race after weeks (or months!) of training… When you hit SUBMIT on that last paper for a really tough class… When you walk across the stage and receive that diploma that has been years in the making… When after 9 months, that little baby is finally laid in your arms for the first time…

Yep. There’s no other feeling in the world.

And interestingly enough, sometimes a strong finish is a beginning of a new season.

Which is exactly where we are today.

The Knobloch family (as in my Beloved, our baby girl Charis, our pup Justus and I) are preparing to celebrate a strong finish in what has been a very challenging (yet blessed!) season of our life.

The last 24 months have been very intense during our time as a drill sergeant “on the trail.” And now…we have just two (that’s right, count em, TWO!) days left!! THANK. YOU. JESUS.

My sweet husband has been in the army as an infantryman for going on 10 years… Which includes three deployments totaling about 45 months in an Iraqi desert. I asked him where our two-year stint of drill sergeant-ness fell on his scale of challenging seasons of the army. His response? This was by far the most difficult.

Not only were the hours crazy (typically working 12-24 hrs per day,  7 days per week for weeks on end) but we were also learning what it meant to be a family in the military who desired to treat Christ as our Commander-in-Chief.

Um yeah. It was not an easy task.

In addition to the crazy hours and tasks of the hubs being a drill sergeant and my call as a minister/blogger, we got pregnant, had a miscarriage, experienced some really sticky leadership situations, got pregnant again, and welcomed a baby into the world… among about 14 bajillion other intense life events.

Now, I’m not saying all these things to say “Oh look how big/bad/awesome/tough we are.” Because honestly, there were a few moments that I wanted to curl up in a closet and just pray for May 2013 to HURRY UP. It was freaking hard. Instead, I share these details with you because through all the frustration, tears, uncertainty… God was there.

God has been with us every step of the way. He has used these last two years to mold us, shape us, grow us in mighty and powerful ways. He has been preparing us for our next season of life, whatever that might look like.

Today, we rejoice in hope of finishing strong– and celebrate God’s faithfulness and goodness!!!

In what seasons of life do you feel closest to God? How do you feel when you finish strong? Are you preparing to “finish” a season of life? I would love to pray for you in that– just let me know by leaving a comment below, sending me a message on Facebook or an email via sharita {dot} knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.

Also, we would like to say thank you to each of you that has encouraged us and prayed for us in this season. We are so grateful! As we countdown these last two days of this challenging season, our hearts are full of joy, relief, gratitude and anticipation of what this next season of ministry and army life (and family life!) will look like in our new army home in Fort Lewis, Washington.

So today, we praise God for helping us to finish strong– and that His love, presence and faithfulness is ALWAYS a reason to celebrate!

To the Glory of God Alone,
SGK

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ~2 Timothy 4:6-7 NIV

When the going gets tough... The tough get Jesus. (And perhaps create an elementary school-type paper countdown chain, complete with a Bible verse for each day left on the trail as a drill sergeant.)

When the going gets tough… The tough get Jesus. (And perhaps create an elementary school-type paper countdown chain, complete with a Bible verse for each day left on the trail as a drill sergeant.)

Categories: army | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Bubble Wrap Faith

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Sharita

Oh bubble wrap. The magical packing material that has been causing squabbles among siblings for decades.

Or was that just my sister and I who fought over who got to pop those addictingly-fun little bubbles? Either way, ya just gotta love the multi-purposeful qualities of bubble wrap.

bubble wrap

Via CMMahon @ Flickr

As I was pondering this idea (again, at 3am… sorry, apparently 3am is prime time for random thoughts to enter my mind– blame it on the new-mama sleep deprivation) I, as usual, started thinking about how bubble wrap can relate to our faith.

Random. I know. Sorry. It’s how I roll.

Anywho, I considered the topic at hand… when I was thinking about it, I was struck by the idea of motherhood and how the first few weeks of baby girl’s existence  I was (ok, still am) so twitchy and overprotective… And I really thought at one point the possibility of how to “bubble wrap” her from this world to keep her safe.

Then I heard God’s voice: “Beloved daughter… that’s not your job. You are called to love her and care for her– but in this world, you will all have trouble. I am her protector. Trust me.”

Gulp. Ok. Heard you, Father.

Then, my random thoughts took me to the scene from Finding Nemo where Marlin the clownfish (Nemo’s dad) and Dory are in the mouth of the whale. Marlin starts to yell at Dory and the following scene ensues:

Marlin: “I promised I’d never let anything happen to him!!”
Dory: “Hmm. That’s a funny thing to promise.”
Marlin: “What?”
Dory: “Well, you can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Harpo.”

Dory, although she can’t remember Nemo’s correct name to save her tail, makes a pretty good point. And it holds true not only to “real life” parenthood but also our walk of faith.

Sure, we all wish nothing <specifically: bad or challenging> would ever happen. But if that were true– where would we stand with God? I don’t know about you, but I am typically closest to God when things are the toughest.

Ultimately, Jesus is our bubble wrap. He protects us. He guards us. And He makes sure we get to our final destination (ahem, heaven) in one piece.

But in order to really live a bubble wrap faith life, we have to let go of our need to be the bubble wrap in both our lives and the lives of those around us. We can’t protect those around us from all harm. We can’t control others to make perfect decisions. (Heck, our decisions aren’t perfect either– even if we think we know best.)

We have to let go and let Jesus do the guarding and protecting. We have to trust Him that He knows what He is doing (He does) and loves us beyond all comprehension.

In what areas of your life do you try to be the bubble wrap? How would letting go of that desire to be the bubble wrap free our spirits?

Be encouraged, friends. Letting go and letting Jesus be our bubble wrap isn’t an overnight process. (Believe you me, I am still working on it!) When we transition from control to trust, we can rest assured that He will not only carry us to our final destination– but we will be more protected and secure than ever before.

That’s what I call a special delivery handled with care.

Wrapped up in Christ,
SGK

“He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.” ~Joshua 24:17

Categories: trust | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Embrace the Suck

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Sharita

Sometimes, life sucks.

Yeah, I said it. And yeah, I said it on a Jesus-loving Christian blog.

But its the truth. Sometimes life sucks.

We live in a world of pain. Of hurt. Of disease. Of evil. Of hard circumstances. Of moments where we wonder how the heck we are supposed to continue to function.

“Sucky” things in life range from the seemingly small and trivial (I lost my stupid wallet– again!) to the painfully large and unexplainable (Sandy Hook school shooting. Boston bombing. Explosion in Texas.)

So yeah, it’s the truth. Sometimes life really just kinda sucks.

Which might be why this world is not our home. (THANK YOU JESUS! Can I get an AMEN?!?!)

For those of you who have been around 7 Days Time for a hot minute, you know it’s my policy not to leave things on a negative note. So if life sucks… What are we supposed to do about it?

Embrace the suck.

image

Now, I don’t mean we have to welcome it. Or enjoy it. Or even ask for the hard times to come our way. But we all know that hard times, aka the sucky stuff, is inevitable in this life. We live in a fallen world and really there’s no getting around it.

But instead of wallowing in the suck and turning our eyes inward… We can embrace it knowing that we have a Lord and Savior that has been there, done that.

And no matter what suck you are going through right now, we can take solace in the fact that this world isn’t our home and we have the promise of heaven closer than we can imagine.

“Well, Sharita, this ‘embrace the suck’ idea is all fine and dandy… In theory. But seriously. What can we do about it?”

Great question. Glad you asked. :-)  Here’s a few tangible thoughts…

*Pray. A lot. God doesn’t care if it’s a huge suck like battling cancer or a seemingly minor suck like a newborn baby who has gotten her days and nights mixed up and refuses to sleep. (Not that I would know that one from experience or anything.) Remember, if it matters to you, it matters to God. He will hear your plea for help. He might not fix your suck, but I promise He WILL be with you through it!

*Rejoice. I know it’s hard in the moment… But 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to rejoice IN (not necessarily FOR) all circumstances. That’s where making a list of your blessings and small God gifts in life come into play.  Be thankful.

*Share. Find another Christian or person you trust and share the “suck” in your life.  God made us to live in community and bear one another’s burdens.

*Keep perspective. This one is also easier said than done, but sometimes taking a quick step back and trying to look at things from God’s perspective can be a huge help. It might require extra meditation, prayers, quiet time, a mini-sabbatical, rest or a variety of things. Ask yourself not WHY… But WHAT God is doing in your suck situation.

*Embrace Jesus. This is something we can (and should) do whether or not we find ourselves in a “suck” part of life or not. Again, he’s been there, done that– a thousand times worse than we could ever imagine. He understands. He is always with you. Yep, even in the midst of the suck of life.

Be encouraged today, sweet reader. If you are in a suck season and desire prayer, please feel free to contact me by leaving a comment below, sending me a message on Facebook or holler at me via email at sharita{dot}knobloch{at}gmail{dot}com.

Take heart, friends. Embrace the suck by embracing Jesus. He’s got your back– always.

Embracing Him Wholeheartedly,
SGK

“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” ~2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG

Categories: challenge, God | Tags: , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Jesus’ Funniest Videos

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Sharita

Let’s all be honest… Sometimes life is HILARIOUS.

I grew up watching America’s Funniest Home Videos (originally with Bob Saget.) While I never really understood why people thought that dudes getting hit in their uh, nether regions was so funny, I still enjoyed it. Plus it was relatively family friendly.

For me, most of the funniest things came from young kids.

Which brings me to share with you some of the hilarious things I did when I was younger. (Too bad we didn’t get them on tape. Maybe we would be a few thousand bucks richer?)

As a young un, I came up with the craziest ideas. And was kind of gullible. One of my uncles once told me that cockleburs were porcupine eggs… So I took a bucketful of them to school for show-and-tell. Teacher was amused… I was embarrassed. (And my mom still loves to tell that story.)

Or there was the occasion when I convinced my younger sister to stick her tongue to the iron wrought handrail on our front porch on a frosty morning… At the exact moment that she obliged my request, the school bus pulled into the drive. I left her stuck to the rail fending for herself. (She still made it on the bus that morning, thanks to my Mom’s quick thinking…) That was the first time I ever got grounded. Ahhh, memories.

Then there was the time I came to school really mad. My teacher asked me what was wrong. I told her that I couldn’t believe what my parents did after I went to bed at night!!! Her eyes got really huge… she shifted in her chair… I said “THEY EAT ICE CREAM WITHOUT ME!!!” (You thought I was going in a much different more awkward direction, huh?)

This would have SO been me... if my parents didn't eat the ice cream without me. (But it's fine. I'm not bitter.)

This would have SO been me… if my parents didn’t eat the ice cream without me. (But it’s fine. I’m not bitter.)

ANYWHO…

Life is way easier to deal with if we can laugh through the crazy moments. In fact, my friend Kayla and I were once having a discussion about this very topic– and we decided that there has got to be a series in heaven called “Jesus’ Funniest Videos.”  (JFV for short…)

Can’t you see it? Jesus and His disciples chillin’ out up there, watching the action on earth. Peter yells for them to push pause for a second because he’s waiting for the popcorn to get done… Jesus is giddy with excitement to watch the next ridiculous thing we do and the lesson we learn in the process.

Now don’t get me wrong– I know God (and company) sure doesn’t get pleasure from our pain and failure. But sometimes we really do ridiculous things that we know better and/or could have been prevented if we would have just listened/learned.  In the aftermath, it brings a chuckle to us all.

It’s in those moments of “Seriously– did I just do that– AGAIN?!” that we can laugh at ourselves. Just think of ourselves as being the star of the latest JFV episodes. Sometimes we just don’t get it. And when we screw up, there’s nothing else to do but laugh at ourselves and move on.

In what areas of your life do you feel like a main player in JFV? What’s been your latest hilarious slip up? Be bold and give us all a great laugh by commenting below.

We can’t take life too seriously… Because none of us get out of it alive. But when that day comes, we are no longer the main characters in JFV– but we get to be spectators in heaven, looking down and enjoying the hilarious adventures of being a Christian.

Living and laughing,
SGK

“On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.” ~Psalm 100:2 MSG

Categories: funny | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Blowing Kisses

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Sharita

I believe that blowing kisses is one of the most adorable and simple (yet under utilized) acts of blessing, romance and love.

Think about it– when was the last time someone blew you a kiss? Was it your beloved spouse as you drove away on a trip? Or your child (or grandchild, niece, nephew, whoever) who did the audible, enthusiastic pucker blown kiss?

I just think the whole thing is kinda sweet.

But regardless of what earthly person is (or isn’t) blowing you sweet kisses… God blows us blessing kisses every single day.

The devotional Jesus Calling reminds us of this truth… Way back on February 2nd, Jesus Calling said this: “A renewed mind is Presence-focused. Train your mind to seek Me in every moment, every situation. Sometimes you can find Me in your surroundings: a lilting birdsong, a loved one’s smile, golden sunlight. At other times you must draw inward to find Me. I am always present in your spirit. Seek My Face, speak to Me, and I will light up your mind.”

Powerful stuff, huh?

God seeks to encourage us and bless us every single day with sweet little “blessing kisses.” But just like the kisses blown to us by  our darling friends or family around us, we have to be LOOKING for those kisses. A blown kiss does us no good if we are turned away or have our eyes closed.

So today, I want to share with you some of my random blessings that I have captured over the last year and a half… I have a little black journal that I record my 1000 gifts (inspired by Ann Voskamp) and as of this writing, I am well past 1500… and still going strong. Thanks, Jesus.

Here are some God blessings that I have found in my life… (So far…)

18. Hot popcorn with cold diet Dr. Pepper
61. Being completely surprised
74. Brightly colored fingernails
102. Frozen yogurt with granola and fruit on a Monday
137. Watching fish in a tank
155. Army Camo
192. Play-Doh
216. Tears of joy shed for others
233. Bobble-head moose mascot on the dash of the car
259. The smell of leather
327. Puppy hiccups
357. Eating fresh honeycomb
416. Big belt buckles
427. The day before break/schools out
461. Left-handed ink smears
483. Blooming daffodils
498. Tsk, tsk sound of the pressure cooker
522. Feather quills
542. Quotable YouTube Videos
568. Hopscotch
589. First hammock-worthy day of the year
629. Funny weather reports
673. Exclamation points in the Bible
717. Editing a resume
763. Master keys
809. Not getting worked up about the exploded pen in the dryer
857. Airport emotions
895. Secret side pockets on a pair of pants
931. Drinking a protein shake out of a beer stein
990. Arriving home after a long drive
1025. Playing “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder in 4th grade
1070. Condensation on a water bottle
1122. Breaking a weight plateau
1159. Being the first people awake in the campground
1206. Force-flex trash bags
1226. A new shower head
1290. Bi-annual ring cleaning day
1331. Randomly guessing Sam’s club total cost and being within $1.31
1376. A successful coaching call
1408. Car washes
1508. Romans 8:28 moment

gift list book pic

Do you have a similar list? Today I challenge you to find at least five “kisses” from God… If you are feeling bold, share them in comment section below.

God desires to encourage and bless us daily– in both the great times and challenging times. But we have to be looking for Him in everything we do… Get started and catch the kisses He is blowing your way!

Catching His Kisses,
SGK

“His words are kisses, his kisses words. Everything about him delights me, thrills me through and through!” ~Song of Solomon 5:16 MSG

Categories: blessings | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

My Kind of GPS (Recalculating…)

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Sharita

I’m taking a New-Mama day today…so that being said, I wanted to share with you a post that was written a while back- but is still very pertinent to our everyday walks with Christ.

We might not always know where we are headed– but He does. And His plan can sure be trusted. (I promise.) Let me know what kind of surprise turns your life has taken and how God helped you through it by leaving a comment below. 

Blessings to you my darling readers!
SGK 

****

The tires are humming on the highway. The radio on just loud enough to provide some background noise but soft enough to avoid drowning out the conversation going on between the driver and passenger.

“When do I turn?”

“Um, let me look. I feel like it is coming up.”

“Come ON, babe, its rush hour… I need to know if I need to exit anytime soon. Can I get over?”

“NO, don’t merge you are blocked in… This paper map is terrible. Our GPS says it is coming up soon.  What exit number is this?”

“122B.”

“TURN NOW!!!”

The next thing you hear in the car is the driver shouting words not appropriate for a Christian blog, which barely masks the dreaded sound of the GPS uttering the words “Recalculating… recalculating… please make a legal U-turn at the next available intersection.”

Aren’t you glad we aren’t supposed to create (and drive) our own path in life alone? I know that if I were driving the “bus” that is my life, I would be shouting at the GPS constantly, lost in a shady part of town, bumping into other vehicles and maybe even broken down on the side of the road. So glad that God isMY GPS.

GPS

The kind of GPS I’m talking about is a “Godly Path-directing Service.” God has it figured out. Thankfully. And while his GPS methods don’t always seem the most “direct” route or even the smoothest, He always, always, ALWAYS gets us to where we need to be… usually in better condition than when we left.

I was having a conversation with the Agricultural Education teacher/FFA Advisor at my old High School the other day. As we were chatting about our backgrounds, we couldn’t help but stand there in that ag class and essentially revel at the craziness that has been our path to where we are now. But now, where we are… it ALL… MAKES… SENSE. Good work, Lord.

My “GPS” experience has been what I like to call “squiggly.” I had all of these grand plans of driving my own “bus” in life…Graduate high school, get bachelor’s degree at K-state,  go to vet school, work with people, work for a corporation, retire there and make lots of money, work for a non-profit organization, stay single for as long as possible while enjoying dating around, meet future husband upon college graduation, dominate the world by doing my own thing, become an army wife, remain satisfied with bachelor’s degree, go back to school to get master’s degree, live in a foreign country, move to Georgia, work on post at Fort Benning full time, be called into ministry… Arrived. Current Destination.

Confused? Probably. Now do you understand what I mean by a “squiggly” path. I personally think it is almost FUNNY how ridiculous I was thinking I had a plan figured out. Apparently, I didn’t check my map or refer to the correct GPS. And it is AWESOME that God scratched through my plans, threw in a few U-turns, breakdowns, and speed bumps all the while directing a new path and creating the perfect map for my life. I have learned that I don’t have to fear the word “recalculating” because God IS my map. He never let’s me miss my exit or turn. Rejoice that we have our own “Godly Path-Directing Service.”  He is MY kind of GPS!

Stopping for Directions isn’t a bad thing,
SGK

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths…” –Psalm 25:4

Categories: direction, God, guidance, path | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ordinary? Yeah, not so much… (Five Minute Friday)

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Sharita

Hello, hello, dearest readers. It’s once again Friday (I see a pattern developing here or something ;-) ) so it is time for Five Minute Friday… Each week, I pop over to Lisa-Jo’s place, link up with her and then we write (for 5 minutes) based on the prompt that she gives us.

It’s pretty easy. And fun. And a great way to get adrenaline pumping (and braincells firing) early in the morning.

Today’s prompt: Ordinary

AND GO!

****

I am not ordinary.

Now, I don’t say that because I’m “special…” I’m really not. I’m just not ordinary. Not normal. Not typical.

And it’s a fun/challenging/neverboring way to live life. (Whoever created the idea of “ordinary” anyways? Seriously. Ordinary is so overrated.)

We all have our lil things that make us less than ordinary. For me? Let’s see… I am not ordinary because…

I am a certified auctioneer. (And have the diploma from Missouri Auction School to prove it.)

I created my Senior prom outfit out of duct tape. (That crap is sweaty, FYI– but economical. Only $32 to go to prom. Yes, please!)

I went to Citizen’s Police Academy during my 5th Senior year at K-State– just because I could.

I am a wife who is ok  with picking up and moving every few years to follow my beloved husband. (Thanks, army.)

But most of all– I’m not ordinary because I’m a follower of Jesus in a world that says “Me, me, me, it’s all about me!!”

And let’s be honest– Jesus Himself was far from ordinary. People scoffed at Him, hated Him, accused Him of being self-righteous, worshipped Him, slandered Him, loved Him… and yes, they even crucified Him.

Do you fit any of those not-so-ordinary descriptors? If so… Embrace it… Because Jesus calls us all to be extraordinary for Him. He digs it. Seriously. We can be not-so-ordinary for Christ even in our most ordinary daily tasks.

Being a Christian in both word and deed isn’t easy… But I tell you what friend– it sure it worth it.

So next time someone says to “Ug, why can’t you just be NORMAL?!?” Remember: It’s overrated. Ordinary living? Yeah, not so much. Jesus living is much more fulfilling.

STOP

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In what ways are you not-so-much ordinary? Do you embrace it or struggle with it? How has God called you to live for Him? I would love to hear from you! Leave your thoughts below in our faithful comment section.

Blessings of the not-so-ordinary kind,
SGK

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” ~Romans 12:1 MSG

Categories: Five Minute Friday | Tags: , , , , , | 10 Comments

When you Wreck… Rejoice!

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Sharita

Ever have a day that is just awesome and  totally rocks your world?

And then have you ever experienced something at the end of that awesome day that rocks your world in a less positive way?

Yep. It happened to me just a couple of weeks ago.

I had planned several weeks in advance to take a bit of a sabbatical day from ministry, blogging, writing, working etc. I was super excited because it was going to be a filled with Me Time… I started out with Quiet Time with Jesus (of course) then headed out into the world for a day of relaxation and rejoicing. First stop? Starbucks… It was free because I had a gift card left over from Christmas. (And a real treat because I don’t get Starbucks very often. I love it– but it adds up quick financially!)

From there, I got my “hair did” (aka the super long thick unmanageable preggo hair cut off and thinned out– it was like I lost 8 lbs immediately. Can you say FREEDOM!?!) Then I hit up the mall to just wander around and get my rings cleaned and inspected (FREE & SHINY!) Soon it was lunchtime, so I grabbed lunch at the food court. (Chinese, anyone?)

Afterwards, I headed to redeem my free Prenatal massage. (Heaven.) Then I realized that I would be able to make it to the next showing of Les Miserables. (LEGIT!) So after my day of solo-dating myself, my heart was singing. I was praising God all day for the time to just chillax. It. Was. Awesome.

Easily one of the most heart-recharging days I have had in a long, long time.

I had a little time to spend at home before I headed back into town to meet with community group from church. I was still on a Jesus-happy-heart high from the day… Praising God.

But I never made it to community group. It’s a long story– but my rejoicing day ended in a wreck. Literally. A car wreck. (Driving in Georgia in the rain is never a good idea… but I digress.)

As I stood in the rain on the side of the road, calling 911 and my husband and watching the drivers of the two other vehicles involved, my heart was heavy. I looked at our poor car Ladybug and felt sick to my stomach. I had never even gotten a traffic ticket… And up until that point, had a great day. Now I was standing in the rain, 8+ months pregnant, wondering what the heck just happened .

ladybug wreck 2

I realized in that moment, I had a choice. I could flip out, become hysterical and curse  the other drivers (or God) for “ruining” my awesome day. Or… I could praise God that I had a great day up until that point, that I was able to get out of my car, walk and stand in the rain– and not be carted away in an ambulance… Or worse.

While I did end up in the ER and Labor and Delivery later that evening (per baby doc’s orders just to be safe,) I laid there staring at the ceiling, trying to gather my nerves. All the while– I was rejoicing that while Ladybug the Vibe was likely totaled, our little baby and I were ok. It was a hard perspective to hold onto… But really, it HAD been a great day.

In life, we are all going to wreck– whether it’s being involved in a car wreck, a relationship wreck, a career wreck, whatever. Wrecks are going to happen. (Yay for living in a fallen world. SIGH.) But it is so important not to let a bad moment (aka a wreck) turn into a bad day. Or month. Or year.

In what ways can you (or have you) rejoice in the wrecks of life? It’s not easy– but with Christ, all things are possible. Feel free to comment below.

Here’s to living in His presence– and accepting the challenge that when we wreck– we can rejoice.

Praising Him for Protection and Provision,
SGK

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” ~Psalm 5:11

Categories: perspective | Tags: , , , , , , | 17 Comments

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