Last September my 3 month membership with match.com was about to expire when I met this guy who seemed great ("Seemed" being the key word there. I mean I am pretty sure stirrup pants, blue eyeshadow, and crimped hair "seemed" great at one point, too). He was three years younger than me, but he seemed mature enough, so I figured I would give him the benefit of the doubt. (Mistake number 1). He was a high school teacher and coach, which I loved, since I teach and have a love for kids, too. He was a graduate of Alabama and a huge Bammer, but he kept it in check for the most part (keep in mind this was during football season). His facebook page led me to believe that maybe he was still a little too caught up in the lifestyle of a college student, but I just figured he hadn't updated his page in a while (mistake number 2).
Things started off great and before long I had really started to like him... a lot. He said and did all the right things and everything was going really well (for about a month). Of course looking back I know now that the odd feeling I had was the realization that this was not the best thing for me, that I needed to get out, walk away before I got too involved, etc. But at the time I could easily quiet that voice. This guy seemed really great, except for those few small minor issues that started to creep up, like making plans with me and bailing at the last minute or me feeling awkward asking him about his faith (which he told me that of course he prayed... before football games... to his grandmother). I figured we just needed to talk more about his religious background and then I would see that I misunderstood this. And of course he said that he would absolutely love to go to church with me, which I believed (mistake number 3). He also preferred to text instead of actually having a conversation with me over the phone, much less in person.
So, literally things took a drastic 180 before I could blink. One minute things were great, and one millisecond later he was confused, not sure if he had time for a relationship, blah, blah, blah (which he informed me of via text). In a way I was mad at myself for letting this go on as long as I did, what with all the glaring issues that were there from day one. After listening to Katy Perry's "Hot n' Cold" on repeat, licking my wounds, and some minor facebook stalking I decided to take a break from the wonderfully entertaining yet frustrating world of online dating.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thankful
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1
This is my prayer for you and your families as you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. Today I find myself thinking of all the things I have to be thankful for. I have been thinking back on things I started praying for in January. Some of these prayers have been graciously answered, and some haven't, but I know that my God has perfect timing and I am trusting in Him "for He is good." Here are some of the things I am thankful for:
1. My family: I am so blessed to have a close family that supports me, encourages me, puts up with me, and puts me in my place when I need it. I started praying for my sister and her pregnancy about this time last year and God has blessed her family with another healthy and precious baby girl. I am so thankful for both of my nieces and the time I get to spend with them.
2. My friends: I am so thankful for all of the friends I have been blessed with. I have friends that I have known for years and years that are so special to me. I am also fortunate enough to have some great friends where I work. With the stress that comes with teaching, this is a huge blessing. They keep me laughing and sane... most of the time. And this past year I have met some great new friends through my church. Several of these people have become instant close friends.
3. My God: Over the past year I feel like my relationship with the Lord has been strengthened in amazing ways. I have learned to seek comfort and rest in Him, and He has shown me uncondotional love. I know that everything I have to be thankful for is because of Him, so I want to take time to give Him all the glory for the wonderful blessings He has poured out on me.
In all the chaos of cooking, traveling, visiting, shopping, etc. take time to think about all that you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and remember to "give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever!" Happy Thanksgiving!
This is my prayer for you and your families as you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. Today I find myself thinking of all the things I have to be thankful for. I have been thinking back on things I started praying for in January. Some of these prayers have been graciously answered, and some haven't, but I know that my God has perfect timing and I am trusting in Him "for He is good." Here are some of the things I am thankful for:
1. My family: I am so blessed to have a close family that supports me, encourages me, puts up with me, and puts me in my place when I need it. I started praying for my sister and her pregnancy about this time last year and God has blessed her family with another healthy and precious baby girl. I am so thankful for both of my nieces and the time I get to spend with them.
2. My friends: I am so thankful for all of the friends I have been blessed with. I have friends that I have known for years and years that are so special to me. I am also fortunate enough to have some great friends where I work. With the stress that comes with teaching, this is a huge blessing. They keep me laughing and sane... most of the time. And this past year I have met some great new friends through my church. Several of these people have become instant close friends.
3. My God: Over the past year I feel like my relationship with the Lord has been strengthened in amazing ways. I have learned to seek comfort and rest in Him, and He has shown me uncondotional love. I know that everything I have to be thankful for is because of Him, so I want to take time to give Him all the glory for the wonderful blessings He has poured out on me.
In all the chaos of cooking, traveling, visiting, shopping, etc. take time to think about all that you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and remember to "give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever!" Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Take Two
Okay, so after deciding that "The Poet" was not for me, I met another guy who lived in Prattville and was an Auburn fan, so already he was earning points (because he was an Auburn fan, not because he lived in the thriving metropolis of Prattville). We talked back and forth for a long time and then he finally came to Birmingham spur of the moment to meet up and grab dinner. Here were the issues with this one.
1. He is my age... and still in school... undergraduate school. I think he is on the 10 year college plan.
2. When I asked him if he had roommates he said, "Yes... two... my parents." He is still in college... living with his parents.
3. Most of his co-workers were still in high school.
BUT, he did smell good... which I told him. Awkward? Yes. After our brief encounter he was never to be heard from again. I figured it was probably because I was too old... and employed... and sober for his liking.
1. He is my age... and still in school... undergraduate school. I think he is on the 10 year college plan.
2. When I asked him if he had roommates he said, "Yes... two... my parents." He is still in college... living with his parents.
3. Most of his co-workers were still in high school.
BUT, he did smell good... which I told him. Awkward? Yes. After our brief encounter he was never to be heard from again. I figured it was probably because I was too old... and employed... and sober for his liking.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
God Has a Sense of Humor
So, today my class went on a field trip to the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. I found out a few weeks ago that I would be having a murse (male nurse) accompany my class. I got an email reminder about this at the beginning of this week. Considering I had just been totally disappointed by yet one more guy, I thought, "Awww... Maybe this guy is going to be some great and wonderful person... and we will spend the day together... and it will be awesome."
This morning our school nurse came by to introduce me to him. He walked in and I just had to smile at God's great senese of humor. He reminded me a lot of Willard Scott (who does the weather and 100 year old birthdays on the Today show). Seemed like a sweet... large... older man.
Funny, God... Real funny.
This morning our school nurse came by to introduce me to him. He walked in and I just had to smile at God's great senese of humor. He reminded me a lot of Willard Scott (who does the weather and 100 year old birthdays on the Today show). Seemed like a sweet... large... older man.
Funny, God... Real funny.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Poet
So, in my previous post I told you that I had given online dating a try. This has provided constant entertainment for my family. I have learned more about what I want in a relationship and what I definitely DON'T want. It has been an interesting process and I have laughed LOTS at some of the things I have seen and heard.
So, one of the first guys I met seemed nice enough. He was tall and went to my church, so I figured he was worth getting to know. (Yes, I have other criteria in mind, but those seemed like good places to start). We talked for a while through email and phone calls and finally decided to meet... for lunch... at a highly populated restaurant. I should have known better than to prolong the inevitable with this guy, but I figured I should at least meet him in person. Here were some of the red flags that were flying high:
1. When I asked him to tell me something that most people don't know about him he told me that he has a huge collection of snowmen. Me: "Oh, that's kind of cool.... Wait, what? Did you say snowmen?"
2. When I asked him how recent his profile picture was taken he said, "Oh that? That picture is probably 10 years old, but I still look exactly the same."
3. He had two tattoos... green tattoos... because he's Irish... on his forearms.
4. He wrote poems. He wrote me a poem for my birthday, but I could not really understand how I compare to a field of sunflowers.
5. Our lunch date lasted approximately 26 minutes. I think I had more chemistry with our waiter.
6. He insulted the Auburn University... 'nuff said!
So, one of the first guys I met seemed nice enough. He was tall and went to my church, so I figured he was worth getting to know. (Yes, I have other criteria in mind, but those seemed like good places to start). We talked for a while through email and phone calls and finally decided to meet... for lunch... at a highly populated restaurant. I should have known better than to prolong the inevitable with this guy, but I figured I should at least meet him in person. Here were some of the red flags that were flying high:
1. When I asked him to tell me something that most people don't know about him he told me that he has a huge collection of snowmen. Me: "Oh, that's kind of cool.... Wait, what? Did you say snowmen?"
2. When I asked him how recent his profile picture was taken he said, "Oh that? That picture is probably 10 years old, but I still look exactly the same."
3. He had two tattoos... green tattoos... because he's Irish... on his forearms.
4. He wrote poems. He wrote me a poem for my birthday, but I could not really understand how I compare to a field of sunflowers.
5. Our lunch date lasted approximately 26 minutes. I think I had more chemistry with our waiter.
6. He insulted the Auburn University... 'nuff said!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
I am woman, hear me... curse!
So, in keeping with the theme of my previous post, I decided to repair my oven because I don't need no mans to take care a me. The heating element in the bottom of my oven broke a few weeks ago, so I called around and found a place that had a replacement. I went and picked it up last week, but have yet to actually install said replacement. Earlier today I thought about callin up my deddy to come help, but I thought to myself, "Girl, you can do this." So I got out my toolkit and set to figuring out how to select the appropriate sized screw remover. I think that tool might be called a wrench, but I really have no clue. I finally got the right fit and got the two lugnuts (pretty sure that is wrong, too) out. When I proceeded to pull the old part out I felt some resistance. So what's a girl to do? Putcha back into it and yank that sucker out. Well, this would have been fine, except for the fact that I then witnessed a beautiful display of sparks that rivaled 4th of July fireworks. "(Insert choice of four letter words). Hmmm... pretty sure that is not supposed to happen. I should probably stop." So, now I have a broken oven, non-working stovetop, and some singed eyebrows. I think this calls for a Starbucks run!
Sekerity
First of all, if you have never been introduced to Bon Qui Qui click here. Now, gimme a minute to make a connection to this video.
I want to be married. I want to have children. There, I said it. I want to be confident in Christ and whatever He has planned for me, but that is really presenting a challenge for me right now. Think of something that you really want(ed) for your life (kids, a certain job, a spouse, etc.) Now consider the possibility that God didn't have that in His plan for you. Would you still trust Him? In all honesty, I am really struggling with that right now. Do I trust Him if his plans for me do not include those things that I strongly desire? Do I trust Him enough to let go of those desires and find rest and "sekerity" in Him? Do I trust Him enough to lay those desires down for good... like forever? How do we develop faith if we always get everything we want? Why would I have a need to trust in God if I had all the things I have ever dreamed of? Uncertainty develops faith and obedience.
Okay, let me back up and explain how I got to this point. I can remember ever since I was in middle school having spend the night parties and staying up until the middle of the night talking with my friends about getting married one day and how wonderful it would be. Over the years I looked on as friend after friend got engaged and started their married lives. I was consumed with jealousy and self-pity for a while because their grass looked so green to me. Then I realized that I could waste time wishing for the future or I could enjoy where I am in my life right now... which I have done. I have made some great new friends, I have a great house and job, and I have done lots of things that I probably never would have done had I been married. I have really been seeking what God wants me to do right now while still praying for my future.
My dating experience has been minimal, so last year I finally decided to give online dating a go after some encouraging from a friend who was already doing it. I signed up on match.com and met some interesting (read "weird") people (that I will later detail for you because at least my experiences will provide entertainment for someone) and after 3 months called it quits. A year later I decided to give it another try and chose to use a different site this time. Another friend of mine had met someone through eHarmony and they both seemed like normal people, so I took about 67 hours to fill out an in-depth personality test and then started to get matched up with some folks. Again, I have met some interesting people. The most recent guy that I got to know has only proven to be another disappointment. Last week I became very frustrated with the situation and decided to get out of town for a couple of days and refocus myself. I had been wanting to go to the beach for a while, so on Thursday I packed a bag, booked a (sketchy) hotel room and headed to Gulf Shores. It was a great "Mer"cation and a wonderful time with my Savior who loves me more than any person ever will. I spent lots of time reading my Bible and seeking God's peace. I have a very tender and emotional heart when it comes to relationships, especially with guys. I am learning more about guarding my heart and finding confidence in Christ. (Okay, now I am going to make my connection) There is an amazing "sekerity" in Christ that I am learning to rest in. It is freeing to realize that when I get too deep in my own thoughts and emotions, I can yell out "sekerity" and my amazing Protector reaches in to pull me out and hold me in His arms. The Bible study that I am doing right now is called "Giving Christ Control". Each chapter that I have read over the past several days has been amazing. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit used these words to reach me where I am. And that to me is incredible. My God is great! My God is strong! My God is love! My God is "sekerity"!
WARNING, WARNING! This is a long 'un cause I gotst a lotst to say.
I want to be married. I want to have children. There, I said it. I want to be confident in Christ and whatever He has planned for me, but that is really presenting a challenge for me right now. Think of something that you really want(ed) for your life (kids, a certain job, a spouse, etc.) Now consider the possibility that God didn't have that in His plan for you. Would you still trust Him? In all honesty, I am really struggling with that right now. Do I trust Him if his plans for me do not include those things that I strongly desire? Do I trust Him enough to let go of those desires and find rest and "sekerity" in Him? Do I trust Him enough to lay those desires down for good... like forever? How do we develop faith if we always get everything we want? Why would I have a need to trust in God if I had all the things I have ever dreamed of? Uncertainty develops faith and obedience.
Okay, let me back up and explain how I got to this point. I can remember ever since I was in middle school having spend the night parties and staying up until the middle of the night talking with my friends about getting married one day and how wonderful it would be. Over the years I looked on as friend after friend got engaged and started their married lives. I was consumed with jealousy and self-pity for a while because their grass looked so green to me. Then I realized that I could waste time wishing for the future or I could enjoy where I am in my life right now... which I have done. I have made some great new friends, I have a great house and job, and I have done lots of things that I probably never would have done had I been married. I have really been seeking what God wants me to do right now while still praying for my future.
My dating experience has been minimal, so last year I finally decided to give online dating a go after some encouraging from a friend who was already doing it. I signed up on match.com and met some interesting (read "weird") people (that I will later detail for you because at least my experiences will provide entertainment for someone) and after 3 months called it quits. A year later I decided to give it another try and chose to use a different site this time. Another friend of mine had met someone through eHarmony and they both seemed like normal people, so I took about 67 hours to fill out an in-depth personality test and then started to get matched up with some folks. Again, I have met some interesting people. The most recent guy that I got to know has only proven to be another disappointment. Last week I became very frustrated with the situation and decided to get out of town for a couple of days and refocus myself. I had been wanting to go to the beach for a while, so on Thursday I packed a bag, booked a (sketchy) hotel room and headed to Gulf Shores. It was a great "Mer"cation and a wonderful time with my Savior who loves me more than any person ever will. I spent lots of time reading my Bible and seeking God's peace. I have a very tender and emotional heart when it comes to relationships, especially with guys. I am learning more about guarding my heart and finding confidence in Christ. (Okay, now I am going to make my connection) There is an amazing "sekerity" in Christ that I am learning to rest in. It is freeing to realize that when I get too deep in my own thoughts and emotions, I can yell out "sekerity" and my amazing Protector reaches in to pull me out and hold me in His arms. The Bible study that I am doing right now is called "Giving Christ Control". Each chapter that I have read over the past several days has been amazing. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit used these words to reach me where I am. And that to me is incredible. My God is great! My God is strong! My God is love! My God is "sekerity"!
Update
I am currently down 16.6 pounds, but I am not really celebrating that quite yet because I know that the weight loss I have seen over the past few weeks is not really due to hard work, but more to the impact of stress. I have not been eating because I have had no appetite over the past couple of weeks. Which is great when I go weigh in and see that I lost 5 pounds in one week. But it is also bad because I know that I will quickly see those pesky pounds again when I get my appetite back. I also know that Thanksgiving is right around the corner with Christmas on its heels, which means lots and lots of food, so I am going to prepare myself for the holidays and hope that I am not starting all over again in January.
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