Life Coaching: Take A Walk On The Wild Side

I had an occasion to go downtown for a business appointment this week. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the appointment but I WAS looking forward to going downtown. I love our downtown area. They have revitalized it and it’s fabulous. Lots to see and lots to do.

As I was sitting in the reception area waiting on the 12 year old businessman I had an appointment with (don’t even ask—I’m having a cynical moment), I noticed two paintings on the wall. In my experience, the decor and especially paintings, can tell a lot about the person who occupies the space. Is it warm, is it cold, is it inviting, or does it say “hands off?” In this particular case, both paintings were studies in red and gold. Since I had to wait and since I had nothing better to do, I started looking at these paintings. Both were abstracts. I know abstract art is designed to make you think, but as I looked at these two, all I could think of was a broken wine glass on one and a sunspot on the other. Red swatches with black lines and a red circle that reminded me a bubble. I like what Bob Ross said, “I generally don’t paint things I have to explain.” Maybe I’m simplistic, but I generally don’t look at things I have to think about that hard.

After completing my business, I walked to The Brown Bag, a cute little lunch spot next door. I was a little frustrated because the appointment wasn’t what I anticipated, and I’d paid $8 to park. Eight dollars. Eight American Dollars….however, my annoyance vanished as I sat on the little terrace and ate my meal. Yes, eight dollars (!) was a lot to pay to park and yes, my meal was almost $10, but the day was nice, the waiter was kind, and the view was urban and chic. I felt kinda satisfied and happy.

There are some changes coming up in my life—changes that make me both excited and just a little scared. That’s why I’m grateful for little stolen moments like this one—moments of peace and moments of joy. Moments of contemplation. Moments of happiness. Even though I don’t know what’s coming (and none of us know that), I can still sit under an umbrella, in the downtown area, eat an overpriced meal, pay too much for parking, and be content. God is with me. He never leaves me. He never leaves you. He goes where we go. He keeps leading us in the direction we need to go. He keeps honing our vision, until we can see Him face-to-face. He keeps convicting us of our sin, and picking us up when we fall. We can connect with a God like that! Relationships are built on such as this.

In the golden hours of the day, ask yourself this: what am I doing to develop my relationship with God? Am I meeting Him or am I running away? Am I quietly waiting on Him to move, or am I rushing ahead? How can I connect with God today in such a way that I’m still and content? These questions aren’t easy ones. I have to leave you guys with things like this from time to time so you’ll know I really DO know how to life coach and not just try on wigs…although, honestly, the wigs are a lot less painful than self-examination, aren’t they? But an unexamined life, is an unfulfilled life. We must examine ourselves in order to do something none of us wants to do—CHANGE! Our lives are constant examinations of our ability to change, and that’s painful and difficult. G. K. Chesterton said, “The Christian life has not been weighed and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” Let’s not let that be us. We have all the tools and documents at our disposal to be successful as disciples of Jesus. Don’t let difficulty stand in your way.

Contemplate a weird work of art. Walk you dog. Pet your cat (if it will let you). Hang out with that friend. Listen to different music. Go swimming. Take a pottery class. Paint a picture. Try a different food (you know you want to eat something besides that salad, Sister!) And above all, talk to God. Develop that relationship, regardless of religion, church or creed. We are Christians first, everything else, second. Have a wonderful day. Be blessed.