Do You Like the Mountains? Want to Follow this Life Coaching Blog ?

Do you like the Mountains?

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Some days walking has been a journey of peering into my heart.  Especially when I am walking alone.  Lately I have had SUCH fun walking with some girlfriends and always enjoy those evening walks with my husband and our little Ber pup but when I am alone … I am not alone. :) My walks alone are more prayer walks and I do enjoy sharing my heart and requests with my King and Lord and listening.  Listening ? Oh, yes,  in my heart.  He works on me transforming my heart. Yes, please! I pray He never stops until I go Home to be with Him in Heaven!

It occurred to me one day when out walking alone looking at the Santa Monica Mountains in my area and I was  reflecting on missing my Colorado Rocky Mountains and the mesas in New Mexico where I grew up.   All of the sudden it occurred to me that I should perhaps practice what I preach? (Novel idea don’t you think? :) ) Perhaps, in obedience to my Lord, I should be “content where I am planted.” I can see the Santa Monica mountain range ... I have much to be thankful for!

Philippians 4:11 New American Standard Bible “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” 

Content: Am I? Are you? We are called to be as we submit to His plan for our lives and rest in that plan and trust Him.  He is our loving Father!  So … there is beauty (incredible beauty!) in all the types of mountains the Lord has created and personally mountains ARE my thing! IF I am focused on finding beauty in these local "mountains" then I will see it! If I am focused on historically thinking back on the more grandeous beauty of the past mountains in my life then I am anything but content! Disobedience and grumbling? Yep!  I need to make sure I am THANKING Him for planting me right where I am and not be complaining about what I do not see ... the Rocky Mountains!  I am not the "PLANTER" ... I am the "PLANTEE." Pretty presumptuous to complain about where He sovereignly PUT /PLANTED me don't you think? "Be Grateful Shortcake" is what I hear in my heart!  Be content!

(Below: Dennis and I went to the top of Pike's Peak mountain when we were in Colorado for our niece and now-nephew's wedding this summer! Never had been there! Pretty spectacular!)      

Santa Monica Mountains! Gorgeous too!

Psalm 121 NLB

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

¹ I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

³ He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

    

One of my favorite verses! Enjoy where you are planted today! You are "there" on purpose! His purpose!

Blessings!

Coach Kathleen

Welcome to my Personal Retreat Coaching Blog site!

  I am looking forward to sharing via blog interesting things I am learning about growing as a woman in my walk as a follower of Christ! This blog will be a new addition to my Personal Retreat Coaching as a Life Coach for women and my Gentle Nudgings Newsletter will continue to be emailed periodically. If you are not on the subscription list and would like to be let me know! :)      

One of the major focuses in my world lately has been WALKING! I am training for the AVON Walk against breast cancer  September 22 and 23rd for a total of 39 miles. Yikes! There is a whole training schedule and it has been quite a challenge! It has been delightful to walk with Dennis, family members and Girlfriends! And ... of course Ber :) for the short walks!

As I was walking through my home town on my 12 mile walk praying for family, friends, neighbors, our country, etc. and it was ... HOT ... I was struck by the fact that the Lord always sends refreshment in one way or another! Sometimes it is actual water or walking by a beautiful water fountain or a beautiful rose or tree or a park with a water fountain. IF we are looking for how He IS refreshing us then we will absolutely find them! I also found out I am a "shade to shade" walker! I am just NOT crazy about the sunshine even though I live in sunny Southern California! If I FOCUS on how HOT I am and sometimes... honestly just miserable ... it drags my attitude down and makes the walk crazy-long! If on the other hand I focus on how I am being refreshed generously by God's beauty, by the things I can be grateful for and am blessed by, if I spend time in prayer or calling someone I love ... my attitude shifts to actually ENJOYING those long walks!

 Life is about choices.  I sure don't always choose JOY but that would be my goal! Being disciplined about not only walking but how I am thinking is a life choice! I choose JOY!        

(Dennis walking across a beautiful bridge on the end of our 7 miles walk that day! 4 miles earlier!)

We went to a darling Farmer's Market! Best I have ever seen! (above) and watched pelicans diving into the Pacific Ocean! (below)

The above photos were near the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort as my husband Dennis and I enjoyed several splendid walks up to the tippy-top of a very steep hill for a gorgeous view and along a wooded path to the ocean where we enjoyed watching pelicans diver for their dinner!

So, may I say there are lots of beautiful moments when walking! It has been a lot of hard, hot work. It has moments of WOW and it has moments where I just have to be disciplined because it is hard or I am tired. It has been a choice. But ... just like deciding to (for example) go to church ... I made the decision to go to church every week ONE TIME, that way I don't have to decide every week!  I made the decision to walk for this worthy cause ONE TIME to fund raise for those that cannot do so themselves and to give GLORY to the Lord for allowing me to live and to walk! So although I don't always WANT to go I have already made that decision and I WILL go!

     It has been wonderful to walk and feel better. It has been a blessing to have the physical goal of being able to walk some distance for the Avon Walk. The BEST part has been the blessing of fundraising along side of family and friends to give to an organization which helps women who cannot afford mammograms and toward research to stop the vicious BEAST of breast cancer.  

Well, enough for my first post. I will post again soon! Thank you for join me!

Blessings,
(Coach) Kathleen :)