The Optimus Prime Principle

On Sunday, Our Co-Pastor was speaking about “transformation” and encouraging those in worship to believe God for transformation in the area of their lives that needed changing. Moi, being the super spiritual power house that I am (riiiiiiiiiight.....lol) immediately began thinking about a movie. Yup, right in the middle of worship, I was thinking about a motion picture and I couldn’t shake it. It was relevant though, even though it seemed a tad inappropriate and intrusive at the time.

I thought about the Transformers…you know Optimus Prime, Bumblebee…decepticons, autobots..The Transformers! As soon as she said it, I saw Optimus Prime changing from an 18 wheeler to a robot in my mind over and over. I wasn’t too surprised as I know that God uses Movies and TV to teach me principles and spiritual things all the time for two good reasons; I am an extremely creative/visual type learner and the 2nd more obvious reason- I watched A LOT of TV in my day. So He's getting some use out of that seemingly senseless wealth of knowledge. Just wait to you see the pieces I am writing on Superman and Pinky & the Brain !! Anyway; immediately, I couldn’t say why that picture of Optimus transforming kept replaying in my head. What does this have to do with Parenting, Step-parenting? Or being married or being in a second marriage? Hmmmm, what can we glean from the “ Optimus Prime Principle” (lol)..?.

Everything they need to fight and function as a robot was in them as a vehicle. They didn’t need to pick up parts or add anything someone else had in order to operate as something else. They just heard the command “Autobots Transform” and then they switched. When they changed, everything adjusted to accommodate their new role. What were headlights is now armor for the chest. What was the engine, now serves as the brain for a functioning robot. Why? Because to prepare for battle you can’t remain the same way. There is a battle for your household and for your marriage. You can’t remain the same way, do the same thing and expect to be able to fight and win. You can’t see your child acting crazy and just “let them be”. You can’t notice the communication in your marriage getting touchy and just ignore it. You can’t continuously see your house falling apart and in disarray, kick the shoes and garbage to the side and keep going. You gotta use what you have, transform it and function differently in order to win.

What were executive administrative and office manager skills now serves at managing, organizing and maintaining a super-sized family. What was used in teaching in Sunday school and VBS, now is used for teaching children, god-daughters, nieces and nephews. The info gained from being the Secretary of the youth choir was used to take formal minutes years later in an executive auto meeting. Things my husband learned from his mother and sister (cooking cleaning, shopping and combing hair) prepared him for raising his kids alone when their mom died.

You have what is necessary to handle the roles you have been called upon to play out. Think, what can you already do well. What may seem insignificant, could be the transformable skill you need in a new area. Use the skills sets you already have and then adjust, refine, develop and transform. Transformers are really much “More than meets the eye”.