YOUR LIFE COACHING WV

This morning, before the grand-kids woke up, I took my coffee to the front steps. A light rain was falling and the eastern sky was a kaleidoscope of drab colors being pushed out of the way to make room for the sun's radiance. I breathed in the smell of rain and relished the feel of it on my face. T he chaos of my day hadn't started yet but, in that moment, I needed a slight refreshment, something that could uplift me throughout the day, something to carry with me for a few hours. And although the rain ended as quickly as it started, traces of it remained on my skin...I smiled as I heard the pitter-patter of little feet coming up behind me, the phone vibrated the sad news of death...and so my day began. + + + Just like this morning's rain, the Bible says life is as a fleeting vapor in the wind. Like most of y'all, I've suffered through enough real life stuff to drive that point home. But yet through it all, my faith and desire to enjoy this life in preparat...

" But Pappy picked them for us !"  Our grandchildren, all three of them, love to eat the fruits of our labor: berries, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers - these kids simply love fresh produce. This afternoon, all three came bounding around the house, screen door slamming, dogs in tow, and a fresh cucumber in each of their grubby little hands (they play hard 'round here).  " Mammy, can you please peel these? Pappy just gave them to us like this!"   As I reached down to take the veggies, I noticed that all three of them had already bitten into the unwashed, unpeeled fruit. And to be honest, once I realized what had happened, I couldn't help myself but to laugh. They were handed something good but blamed their pappy when their inability to wait proved that even something good can have a bitter consequence. And they were ready to pass it off.  + + + The same is true for us and our life's desires. We see something we want and we want it now. And...

"Know Him in all your paths,  and He will keep your ways straight."  Proverbs 3:6 (CEB) +  + + Choices. We all make them. Sometimes they are honestly enjoyable during and after but some only during .  I believe the Bible refers to this as " pleasure for a season " - and then along come those consequences, marching into our real life, solicited but often uninvited. Every decision or indecision has truthful consequences. With this in mind, I think we'd all be better off if we asked ourselves this question more often:  " Is this worth the truthful consequences? " + + + My truth for today: I let my guard down when I didn't go over to my office for morning prayer. It has its own spot on my daily calendar; it sets the tone for the rest of my day. But this morning I missed the meeting; I didn't ask WWJD...so my choice was, from the looks of it, to have a bad day. And what does God do? Well He let me have one of course! Not that...

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.” - Corrie Ten Boom* Not that my life circumstance dictates it to be... but Happy Thursday nonetheless...  Today, I have several concerns running through my mind. My heart is heavy - weighted down with real-hard life issues some of "M y Other Kids ” are facing; add in real concern for one of my own daughter’s “Other Kids ” who is in the hospital due to an accident; then consider my bank account being lower than I would like for it to be; and finally, the cherry on top: the office went from being "stuffy" to being a tad "cold".  So no...my Thursday is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination.  But these things oughtn’t not dictate if today is indeed a Happy Thursday .  What my “ideal day” should look like is any day that God gives me, to use as I will. Any day He is with me. Any day hemmed in with prayer. He won’t force me to enjoy or hate any particular day – as a...

Whew! Now that the first book in our "Beyond" series is safely edited and waiting for the publishers to do their magic, plans are underway for the second installment in the series!  "Beyond the Mirror: Facing Your Life's Internal Nemesis" - co-authored by my oldest daughter, will include some awesome insights and photos from my West Virginia neighbors!   Beyond the Mirror  is geared toward addressing and overcoming real-life issues women face every day. So whether you are a woman or just love a few, this book is for you.  It will offer some pretty good insights on topics handed to me from some of y'all! Here  is a snippet from the draft manuscript: "As women, we try to live up to the mirror’s reflection. We want to look beautiful, confident, worthy…but sometimes, we need to look beyond the mirror to where our true selves are found. To the place where we can reclaim what that piece of glass has stolen from us, primarily the contentment of being un...

Galatians 2:20: " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in my body, I live by faith, indeed, by the faithfulness of God’s Son, who loved me and gave himself for me." (CEB). " It's determined in the heart. " That was the Holy Spirit's answer to my question. I had just finished reading the book " Unashamed " by rapper Lecrae and I had a hornet's nest of questions buzzing through my head. It brought to mind those days I had spent bound by the religious sect. Days when laughing or teasing someone about anything non-churchy actually made me feel guilty. My divided heart wanted to be myself but it was split in two. I didn't know how to be who God created me to be and who they said I was supposed to be...let alone what a real Christian was supposed to look like. + + + I was raised in church by parents who were less than perfect. Parents who pushed faith, love, ...

Happy Tuesday everyone.  I just wanted to let you know that Your Life Coaching WV will be getting a face lift! No, not me, that's a nice thought though...but our social media and website! Both will be taking on a softer look with posts being focused on our four "E" tools: empower - encourage - enlighten - and equip - tools we use to help our neighbors turn hope into faith and faith into sight! And...we have upcoming events and workshops on our fall calendar which will be posted too! I'm so excited about this upcoming change and focus of direction that I couldn't wait to share the news with y'all! Hey, have a blessed Tuesday! In Christ with love and compassion - Coach Kelly #WVStrong P.S. Here is a little sneak peak from our upcoming Beyond Series: Have you ever noticed how flowering weeds don't really care about what's around them?  That they just go ahead and bloom wherever they are planted? I think that's a good message for ...

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 : "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God..." Do y'all remember those ole "Home Comfort" stoves? The wood burners with the different warming stations and a heavy metal handle-thingy? Granny and her 'vintage' Home Comfort Stove My grandmother had one that she used daily; Granny  always had something simmering on her stove: sap from maple trees,  'kraut and hot dogs, beans, or just a kettle of water for her tea. That lady could nurse a mug of  hot tea all day long. She'd just add a little hot water to it off and on and she'd sip away. I can still see her sitting at the kitchen table, back to the sink, a cup of tea covered with a saucer in front of her, the string all brown from wicking the tepid liquid over the course of the day.  Sometimes she'd just be sitting beside the stove...just being..."Granny." She always wore an apron and something on her head, like a toboggan or head scarf.  ...

Just a note to say "Hi Y'all!" It is another hot and beautiful day here in the Potomac Highlands but 80 degrees in the shade didn't stop me from enjoying lunch outside today - my husband thinks I'm addicted to being outside - I think that comes from spending too many years locked away behind a desk in a cold office! + + + As I ventured outside to enjoy some July 4th leftovers, I read a little from Romans and tripped over 14:13 which reads: " Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this - not to put an obstacle or stumbling block in a brother's way. " Ouch...that hit me in the gut. Mostly because, today of all days, I'm not feeling as compassionate as I should be - not a good thing for a life coach to admit, but being human just like y'all, I guess it is normal to experience compassion fatigue once in a while. So with that said, I realized after reading this verse that while it is not my job to make e...

lettuce 2016 It’s that time of year again; when gardens have been planted and we start reaping some small fruits of our labor. Lettuce, onions, and even a tomato or two! For me personally, its also a time to reflect back on gardens past. Memories that time only makes sweeter; like that unfortunate day when some friends and I got into a rotten-tomato fight (not our best choice of weapons), the time our oldest daughter thought we were making too big a deal wrestling the tiller (until it took her for a sideways jaunt across the garden), and even the loss of my high school class ring (it was eventually found); and finally… looking the lettuce .   My mom used that phrase and I just knew what she meant. Lettuce: you plant it, watch it grow, when it's ready to eat, you pinch it from the stalk, wash and dry it, and then examine it...simple goodness. Unless you miss that last step and find a snail or ant in your salad. No joke, that's on the other side of gross! Looking the le...