{"id":985,"date":"2021-07-12T18:35:24","date_gmt":"2021-07-12T06:35:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/?p=985"},"modified":"2021-07-20T10:30:38","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T22:30:38","slug":"life-on-the-mountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/2021\/07\/12\/life-on-the-mountain\/","title":{"rendered":"Life on the Mountain"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We moved totally out of our “comfort zone” in February of this year to be near our son.\u00a0 A few weekends before that, we came up to look at the house we wanted to buy.\u00a0 The address was in a lovely valley that I had fallen in love with while passing through, many years ago.\u00a0 Well, the house DID have the town’s address but was actually located further north in a neighboring, unincorporated, rural community… on a plateau… through a mountain pass… 2009 feet above sea level!<\/span><\/p>\n

The house wasn’t much–What you would call a <\/span>REAL<\/span> “Fixer Upper”!\u00a0 But, because of the sudden seller’s market in real estate, we could pay cash for it out of the inflated proceeds from the house we were selling.\u00a0 We had our share of catastrophes as we moved in and then, with our son’s help, we–HE(!) planted us a garden.\u00a0 Then, we went off the deep end and began raising laying chickens \"\"and meat rabbits!\u00a0 (What were we thinking?).<\/span><\/p>\n

I love life on the mountain!\u00a0 Few people experience what we are actually living so I began writing my experiences in sort of a blog form for my FaceBook friends called, “Life on the Mountain”.\u00a0 In my “fantasy” mind, I think of the adventures of “Heidi”, the famous, children book series recounting Heidi’s life on a Swiss mountain living with her grandfather.\u00a0 So, here we are, experiencing both the ups and downs of “Life on the Mountain”!<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, I want to share a thought about what life on the mountain has taught me about moving out of my comfort zone.\u00a0 Most of us do not think much about our comfort zones and take them for granted.\u00a0 We may dread the alarm clock going off to get the kids off to school.\u00a0 We may be helping our husbands and perhaps ourselves off to work!\u00a0 -In some cases, it may be getting up early for doctor appointments!\u00a0 (Hello, Kim Howell!)\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

But first, as way of introduction, several weeks ago, we were gifted with two new rabbits.\u00a0 We needed to re-arrange things in our chicken and rabbit pen for their new cage.\u00a0 So, for the first few nights, their cage was temporarily against the house near our bedroom.\u00a0 The beautiful, summer nights up here on the mountain afford us the opportunity to keep our windows open but early in the morning, those rabbits were already up and playing with their food dishes!\u00a0 ARGH!!!\u00a0 Every morning, I was being awaken by their noise!\u00a0 So, I would drag myself out of bed to go feed them and let the chickens out of their coop, as well.<\/p>\n

\"\"Because of this new responsibility, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and am getting used to being up around 6:00 every morning now!\u00a0 (7:00 is my”natural” waking time.). The animals must be taken care of, regardless of how sleepy or tired I am.\u00a0 (*Doing my fair share because I know that when winter comes around, by default, this may become my husband’s job!!!). Actually, I am up at 5:00 because our county line divides the Eastern and Central Time Zones but we keep our clocks on EST since most of our daily business is in the next county.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does all of this tie into a spiritual application?\u00a0 We often get cozy in our comfort zones and don’t want to wander away from it. This is not God’s plan for us!\u00a0 We do not exercise our faith by staying within those walls.\u00a0 Each step we take outside of our comfort zone gives God the opportunity to teach us, strengthen us, and bless us! God has given us His promises AND His commands to trust Him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
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\nUntil God directed our path to move on top of the mountain, I never realized how “cushy” my life and routines were before!\u00a0 Supermarkets, restaurants, doctor offices, and any other service I needed were always nearby.\u00a0 Now, I must cross the mountain pass, no matter what I need!<\/span><\/p>\n

On a spiritual level, singing in the choir may not be too stressful but, there may come a time that you will be asked to sing your first solo.\u00a0 God knows what you are capable of and He is moving you out of your comfort zone to be a blessing to others!<\/span><\/p>\n

And what about the church nursery?\u00a0 I admire women who can just love on all babies.\u00a0 I am not that way but I know it is everyone’s responsibility (if they are capable) to be willing to help in their church’s nursery or creche.\u00a0 Working with babies is out of my comfort zone but, I am happy to help so that a young mother can listen attentively to God’s word being proclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many ladies I have talked to were petrified at teaching a Sunday School or VBS class (vacation\/holiday Bible school), and even more petrified to be the guest speaker for a Ladies meeting.\u00a0 With a quivering voice, they stepped out of their comfort zone and God used them!\u00a0 Maybe they were not perfect but were any of us the first time we taught?<\/span><\/p>\n

As I write this, we are having a church ladies meeting this weekend.\u00a0 I asked a young lady who is home from her first year of Bible College to speak to us.\u00a0 She grew up in this church from the day she was born!\u00a0 Now, she will be speaking for the first time to aged and wise women who taught her or watched her grow up!\u00a0 This is a stepping stone for her to slowly move out of her comfort zone.\u00a0 I am not expecting perfection but all of us ladies are supporting her because we know that in a few years, she will be responsible in leading children, teens, or adult ladies.\u00a0 While she might be trembling in her shoes, we will be blessed watching her step into women’s ministry!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Have you ever secretly complained that you were asked to take a meal to a church member that live<\/span>d some distance away? \u00a0 I confess that I have!\u00a0 I didn’t want to leave my comfort zone.\u00a0 A few years <\/span>ago, we lived over 30 minutes away from our church and a family with Covid who just welcomed a new baby into their family also lived 30 minutes away–the opposite direction!\u00a0 I had to confess my bad attitude to the Lord because, delivering a meal to this family was no different than delivering it to God, himself!
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Matthew 25:34-40, \u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
34 “<\/span>Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
35\u00a0<\/span>For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stran<\/span><\/span>ger, and ye took me in:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
36\u00a0<\/span>Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
37\u00a0<\/span>The<\/span><\/span>n shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
38\u00a0<\/span>When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
39\u00a0<\/span>Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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40\u00a0<\/span>And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done<\/span><\/span> it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For most of us, it definitely puts us out of our comfort zone to knock on a perfect stranger’s door and share the Gospel with them or to even hand out Gospel tracts in a pedestrian area.\u00a0 When my heart is beating faster and someone is being rude, I remind myself that God’s Word will not come back void.\u00a0 Someone in that neighborhood could be reading the literature and come under Holy Spirit conviction!\u00a0 Aren’t you thankful for those in your life who were put outside of their comfort zone to help you be drawn to the Lord?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Isaiah 55:11,\u00a0 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I <\/span>sent it.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Life on the mountain has had its difficulties but it has shown me God’s watch-care and protection over us<\/span>\"\"<\/span>, His beauty in nature, and, on occasional summer nights, to sit out on our porch watching the fire flies (lightening bugs) while we contemplate His mercy and grace! \u00a0 Our discomfort is made comfortable through Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. \u00a0 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
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Do you know how some Mama birds gets their young fledglings out of the nest to fly?\u00a0 Just as she builds her nest, one straw at a time, she begins removing one piece at a time.\u00a0 Soon, the softness isn’t so soft and the larger sticks begin to poke.\u00a0 The fledglings are losing their comfort zones!\u00a0 They are uncomfortable in their nest and begin to learn to fly, (Possibly under protest!).\u00a0 They have no idea that a beautiful world awaits them.\u00a0 They first have to get out of their comfortable nest, first!<\/span><\/p>\n

And, so it is with God’s children!\u00a0 Many times, we don’t know what we are capable of doing until our nest is stirred up!\u00a0 The next time your life has been turned upside down, look for what God is preparing you for that is outside your comfort zone.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

*Note – If you have enjoyed this post or would just like to leave a comment, please feel free to scroll to the bottom of the blog and you will easily find a place to leave a comment. Thanks for visiting. Kim<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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