Shoulder Padded Jesus Power

Today's family time in South Dakota began with a conversation about shoulder pads. 

The topic was brought up by my beloved husband, and no, we weren't talking about manly football shoulder pads. As we half-watched a rerun of Matlock, Brandon spouted off "Why does that chick's shoulders look like that? Is she wearing... shoulder pads!?!" 

Mama Lex (my mother-in-law) and I looked at one another. Here we go.  This is gonna be good. 

Thus started our extremely random conversation about the who's, whens, wheres and whys of shoulder pad fashion. Precious, right? 

Lex and I both explained that we have both been through the 80's ish era of wearing shoulder pads. I shared with my husband the purpose behind them was to broaden up the shoulders of women, to make us look more "powerful" in what was a man's world. His reaction? A good-natured sigh and roll of the eyes. 

We briefly continued the conversation then moved onto less ridiculous topics. (Thankfully.) I realized I still needed to come up with a blog topic for today, so said a few brief prayers for inspiration as we were venturing around Sioux Falls throughout the day. 

Late yesterday afternoon found us stopped at Crossroads, a Christian book and music store. I was browsing around, trying (operative word: trying) to exercise control and not purchase everything I picked up. I came across the clearance section and grabbed a book called "Guerrilla Lovers" by Vince Antonucci. I opened it to the first page and read the beginning paragraph. Guess what? It mentioned 1988 and shoulder pads. 

Ok, God. You have my attention. 

On our drive home, I started thinking (AGAIN) about the former shoulder-padded power fashion. I wonder how often we try figuratively bring back this fashion by doing things to our heart, mind, or attitude to gain power in this world? Do we desire to have power and control? I know I do. I have to fight that worldly urge daily and submit to Him. And while I have no longing to bust out a suit jacket with shoulder pads again, I think I am putting a padding on my heart and lean on my own power instead of Jesus. 

Pray with me today to let go of our "shoulder-padded power" desire and turn it all over to Jesus. With the power of God in us, we can do all things... we don't have to have big awkward padded shoulders... AND the power of Jesus NEVER goes out of style. 

Powered by Jesus, 

SGK 

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:20-21

Army of God: "Wilco"

For any of my new readers, I need to bring something to your attention that is vital not only for this post specifically, but for this week and my entire blogging library. 

I am a nerd. 

Many of you are probably nodding your heads thinking "Uh, duh Sharita." I personally like to think of myself of somewhat of a sophisticated nerd, but I really do get quite a thrill out of lists, journals, weird numbers concepts/facts. And, as you may have noticed, I love learning new words. Hence the weeklong discussion we have had about Army of God vocab. 

(Random vocabulary note: Did you know that splendiferous and fantastical are both real words? As in, they are found in the dictionary AND Microsoft word doesn't do that squiggly red "you-spelled-this-wrong underline?) 

See. Told you I was something of a geek. 

Back to the topic at hand: it is the culmination of our weeklong study of Army of God words. Today's word is an abbreviation: 

"Wilco: The abbreviated version of will comply, often used in quick conversations or text messaging." 

Easy right? Will comply. Like will do. Roger. Loud and clear. I get it. Gonna make it happen. 

How often do we respond to God with wilco? I know as for me, I sometimes pretend like I didn't hear what He told me, instead of being immediately obedient to him and surrendering to make it happen. 

Iron Mike @ Fort Benning, Georgia.
"I am the Infantry, Follow Me!"
Shouldn't we do the same if not more for Jesus?
(Photo taken by John D. Helms) 

As I was thinking about this week's lesson via this particular blog topic, I couldn't help but think of the main themes: Voluntold and America dealt with obedience, Stuff with Things and Frago focused on trust. Today, when it comes to Wilco, it's about submitting to the awesomeness of God and agreeing to comply with whatever he has called us to. 

This thought continued my thinking process. (I know, scary.) Obedience, Trust, Surrender. Huh. I wonder if there is an army acronym for OTS? Knowing our beloved military, I was confident that at least one existed... 

When I looked it up online, I was right. At least one did exist. I actually found about 237 acronyms that OTS could stand for on one website. (237? Really military? Really?) 

But the coolest part? Out of that entire list, a quick scan had my eyes land on OTS that meant "One-Time Source." Coincidence? I think not. God IS our one time source. All we need, we get from HIM. Wow. 

Voluntold, America, Stuff with Things, Frago, and Wilco.

Obedience, Trust. Surrender.

OTS.

One. Time. Source.

So this week, as those new vocab words swirl in your brain, I leave you with this newly invented Army of God prayer.

"Dear Heavenly Commander: I pray that I can be obedient to all of the stuff with things you have voluntold and called me to. Help me to trust you when my plans become frago. When I want to run, instead let me embrace you, rejoice and yell America! God, please change my heart so that my first instinct every day is surrender to you, take up my cross and follow you. When things get tough, allow me to press forward, clinging to your love and softly whispering "Wilco, sir." Father I salute you for the love you have given me when I least deserve it.  Lord, you ARE my OTS, my one time source. Then. Now. Forever. In your precious name, AMEN." 

I'm in the Lord's Army,
SGK

"Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..." Hebrews 5:8-9


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We have... Ego Issues

"I got this. I am smart. I'm in control. I am too legit to quit." 

"All that an a bag of potato chips... yep, that's me!" 

"A-double-you-E-S-O-M-E, I'm awesome, awesome... TOTALLY!" 

Hopefully I don't come across this way to the general public... not this ditzy (although I was a cheerleader for a few years of my life) OR this cocky. Two unlegit qualities, if I do say so myself. 

Yesterday we talked about power... something I struggle with. The daily submitting to the Lord, denying myself and taking up the cross can be a challenge for me. But today, we are talking about a different type of "symptom" of being a human. We have... Ego Issues. 

Now before you get your feathers all ruffled with me calling you (and myself) cocky, overconfident or stuck up, let me explain. I try to be humble in my earthly life. But humility is a fine line between being an egomaniac and self-depreciating. 

Hopefully (again, I emphasis HOPEFULLY) I come across as confident yet leading with a servant's heart based on humility when it comes to my peers. (You be the judge of that one.) I am sinner. I fall flat on my face regularly. I want to do it MYSELF with nobody's help. So I would guess that in God's eyes, I still have ego issues. 

It directly relates to the power challenge of yesterday... We determined that having a power shortage wasn't necessarily a BAD thing... but when I get hung up on trying to control things or take on the attitude that I AM awesome, awesome, TOTALLY, my ego issues surface from God's point of view. 

This isn't a depressing post, I promise. I still struggle with yearning for control and reveling in my gifts, talents and abilities... but see, that's the thing- they are GIFTS. I didn't create myself to have the ability to write, sing, minister, box or auctioneer (betcha never thought you would see those things all in the same sentence huh?) God loves you and me SO MUCH He gave us gifts and talents to share with others. HE made us awesome. 

We can be excited about that. But the key to rejoicing in those gifts and not stepping over the line of ego-crazed is to remember that He gave us those gifts so that we in turn would give them away. I ask daily for God to allow me to surrender completely to Him. Sometimes my ego gets in the way, but He loves me through it all. 

God's love is what makes us awesome. And THAT in itself is awesome, awesome... Totally. 

Humbly trying to check the ego at the door, 

SGK 

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." --Psalm 25:9