A Giving Heart: Christ-mas, Christ-More

It's 5:45 am... I throw back the covers and my eyes pop open. It's go time.

I swing my feet over the side of the bed. Oh, that floor is cold! I creep out of bed, down the hall, and take a deep breath. The moment of truth...

There, in the gentle glow of Christmas lights are piles of presents. Santa showed up and he did not disappoint. I grab the nearest gift with my name on it and violently shake it. Nothing. Dang. It's probably clothes. Socks. Maybe even underwear. Sigh.

Yes, I have grown up and matured over the lasts couple of decades. I still love receiving the gifts, but now I love the family time even more... Especially since I am married to a soldier. That's a whole new level of not taking that time for granted!

God designed my heart to give. I love giving presents and showering people with love, sometimes in the form of "stuff." Each year at Christmas, I would go all out thinking, marinating, pondering strategerizing, and planning what I deemed were "perfect gifts."

Last year for Christmas, my beloved suggested that we do something different and forego the hoopla of dropping wads of cash and buying presents. He suggested we give something perhaps more thoughtful like donating our money to a good cause.

I flat out told him NO. Absolutely not. Negative. Nada. So we went with the "traditional" gift giving. It was great.

That was last year. Apparently God wanted to do a little bit of work on my heart... And I suggested we do Christmas differently this year.

So we did. And, it was also great, just like last year, only in a different way.  This week's posts are all about giving... Not giving stuff, but rather giving a piece of our heart for Jesus. For the next several days, I will share with you the heart gifts that Brandon and I gave to our family.

The gifts weren't much, but they were ones that will hopefully keep on giving... Just like that gift that God gave us when he sent His son to die on the cross.

Just because Christmas has passed for another year, doesn't mean our Jesus heart of giving has to stop... Christ-mas is one day... But we can celebrate Christ-more all year long.


Never stop giving,
SGK

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2 Corinthians 8:7

Army of God: "AMERICA!"

Today's army word of the day should come as no surprise to those of you who know me...

AMERICA!!!

Yes, I am an army wife... But I started saying this before I became a wife... I think Brandon got me started on it early during our dating relationship. And here we are, almost three years (seriously?!?) later. I also started saying it before that movie "The Other Guys" with Will Ferrell came out (he says it after he guns the gas petal... it was grand.) 

But wait... Before I get to far into this post, I would like to make an announcement...

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! (AMERICA!) <sorry, I'm getting carried away in my excitement>

The winner of our Happy Dance Celebration "Glad-Sharita-finished-her-masters-and-survived-to-post-her-100th-blog-today" Giveaway contest is...

Mr. Ryan Wilkerson!! 

Congratulations Ryan... I will be in touch with you ASAP to arrange delivery of your super-awesome prize package of 3 books (Share Jesus without Fear, Winning with People and Wild at Heart) and two "buttons" for office/desk/home entertainment (Easy Button and Panic button.) Thanks to all who entered. God blessed me with a fantastic turn out, which just makes my heart swell with joy and holler AMERICA!!

Let me chillax for just a second so I can explain the whole thing with "America."  (Breathe... in through the nose, out through the mouth.) Ahhhh... Ok, now I am focused. Ish. 

The word "America" in this context doesn't necessarily mean anything patriotic (although it certainly can.) Rather, it can be an expression of excitement, which you probably already picked up on earlier in this post. It can also be used somewhat in the form of a sarcastic question (but yet obedience), like when I get some slightly jumbled info from the Army. 

"So we have to do what when? Ok... <sigh> America." 

Oh, and there is a diction piece of this I should address-- I don't annunciate the word fully. I don't mean any disrespect, but usually I say the word with such fervor it comes out 'Mericah! I know I am not the only person that uses this phrase, but it is certainly one of my favorites. 

So what does this phrase have to do with God? Well, it's a sign or expression of joy. It is exciting. Even in times of question, I use the word "America" as a form of agreement (obedience.) When God does something awesome in my life (aka, masters, 100th blog, awesome husband, upcoming holiday block leave) I have a flurry of thoughts going through my head, usually in the form of "Praise the Lord!" "That's awesome!" "Mericah!" 

This last week of doing the giveaway and really focusing more on my blog has blown me out of the water. (Or, in this case... off the map.) It is amazing to watch God accomplish His will and to rejoice-- we are a part of that will!! Here's an example of "America" coupled with joy and obedience. 

Yesterday I had a huge to do list to try and hammer out. After my morning work out and breakfast, I had my quiet time with the Lord... Then proceeded to "officially" start my 1000 Gift List (inspired by Ann Voskamp) 

While that sounds like it took a while (I wrote down 100 simple gifts that God had given me) I ROCKED through the rest of my day's list. I gave my first fruits (time) to God, and He gave it right back in ways I couldn't imagine. WHOO! AMERICA! 

What moments has God planted in your life lately that have excited your heart so much that you can't help but get a rush from it? We are celebrating together... God's gifts... blessings... and love... with an awesome expression... Praise the Lord... 

AMERICA! 

With a Full and Joyful Heart, 

SGK 

"The quiver rattles against his side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry." Job 39:23-25


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Here's to Kicking the Bucket... list (Part 2)

We have all heard that with God, all things are possible. 

And while he certainly can do ANYTHING and achieve great miracles, sometimes we can rejoice in the small things... Like having faith to accomplish the potentially goofy things on our "Bucket List." 

If you missed yesterday's entry, you might want to get caught up and read "Part 1" of this mini-series at Kicking the Bucket... List (Part 1) to avoid any confusion. :-)

As promised, today I am sharing with you things that I have yet to accomplish on my Bucket List... Just writing down some these words fills me with such passion and excitement that I can't describe it! Praising God for the "little things!" 

One more thing to know-- there isn't a limit to how many things you can have... I still periodically add things as they come to me! 

Sharita Lo-Quita-Jo-Mama's Bucket list... Still "To do." 

• Go to Mardis Gras
• Write a "real" book
• Experience a Minnesota Winter
• Go to Alaska
• Donate a scholarship
• Speak at an important event
• Send my parents to Australia
• Take little brother Dal to Disney World
• Visit all 50 states
• Visit all 7 continents
• Own a house
• Get a masters (In progress) 
• Get a Ph D?? 
• Ice Fish
• Sing somewhere "Famous"
• Visit a tropical rainforest
• Invent/discover something 
• Do a Pull Up
• Have a personal library (in progress) 
• Go SCUBA diving/Snorkeling
• Be Certified in CPR
• Learn another language... fluently
• See the Northern Lights
• Host a Benefit event
• Ride a motorcycle
• Swim with dolphins
• Own a boat
• Pay off college (in progress... slowly) 
• Live in a foreign country
• Visit 7 wonders of the world (1 down, 6 to go) 
• Put handprints/initials in wet cement (Tried twice... and failed. I got caught and they erased it) 
• Write a song
• Go on a cruise
• Skydive
• Surf
• Learn to ice skate-- well
• Learn to juggle-- also well
• Go on a hot air balloon ride
• Whitewater rafting
• Be hynotized
• Drive coast to coast form Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon
• Break glass with a hammer (why? Because I can) 
• Give a homeless person all my cash
• Truly love someone who persecutes me
• Visit the Black Hills
• Be in a musical
• Run a 5K in under 30 minutes (in progress) 

Again, this list is not exhaustive-- I just picked some random ones off my list. 

I hope that after reading/marinating over this, that you might be motivated to start a bucket list too. It keeps me grounded and focused on the great gifts that God gives us an opportunity to experience. He empowers us to do these things.... So why not do it and Kick the bucket... list!!

One thing at a time, Sweet Jesus. 

SGK 

"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights." --Psalm 18:33