Completion

I find it very funny when people first meet someone and find out they are not married. It is like the judgement has already been passed and they are quickly trying to figure out what is wrong with you as to why you are not married. Being single, I run into this often. I have also had people say to me "I just can't figure out why you aren't married...You are the complete package and an amazing person so I can't figure out why someone hasn't 'snatched' you up already"..... Well, first of all I don't know about being 'snatched'. Sounds to me like you are being taken against your will, but you get the point.

Last week I went to a new church and for the most part it was just like my old one, except I didn't know everyone. Since it was Father's Day, the pastor was talking about what the bible had to say about marriage, men and what a man values as a husband. It was a good sermon, and I am not one to get worked up about sermons like that because I need those if I ever do get married. Well, in the sermon, he made a statistics comment about how there are more single women in the US than there are married women. Saying that there are less and less women getting married, and more and more women that are 'single again'. This honestly had nothing to do with what he was preaching about, and of course there were no statistics given on how many men were single or married (or why they won't commit, or stay committed). It was only about the women. After church I began thinking about this comment and it honesly flew all over me. I usually don't think too much about the comments people make because it is usually out of ignorance, or just simply now knowing what to say. He was saying it like it was our fault that we are not getting married. Well, I have a few words about that. I am an independent woman but still old fashioned in some things. I will not ask a man out on a date. I was not raised that way, and I don't think God intends it that way. I am not out on the prowl trying to find someone who finally completes me.

Don't get me wrong because I would love to be married if it was God's will for me at this time. God created us for one another and not to be alone. So of course it is my nature to want to have a husband. But, my life is not defined by a man. Being married does not all of a sudden make me more of a woman. Period. Whether I am married or single, I belong to God alone. My life is lead by Him and if one day God allows me to meet someone and start a family, my life will still belong to God. My desire is to serve God and if He wants me to do that alone or with a husband, then I leave that up to Him. God is the only one who completes me. I do believe that the man is the head of the household and should be the spiritual leader, and one day God will send me a husband who will lead me spiritually as well and that will be the foundation of our realtionship. Now, this was a hard thing for me to learn. In prior relationships my life revolved around the man I was dating. I would put God on the back burner because I was too busy doing other things in the relationships I was in. Until one day I realized that when those relationships ended, God was the only one who was there for me. I had to hit rock bottom and the only thing I had to cling to was God. God is using me where I am now and will continue to use me for His will. I will continue to pray for my husband that God brings him to me in His time and we will serve God together. So, this week, if you are single, be content where God has you. If you are married, cherish your spouse and tell them you love them every time you talk to them. Life is short and every moment counts.

Fresh Sheets

I was talking to a friend last night about fresh sheets and how one of my favorite things to do is get into bed at night right after I have put straight from the dryer, fresh, clean, sheets on the bed. That may be a strange thing to some, but to me it is great. The sheets are clean and crisp. I honestly think I sleep better on those nights. I was thinking about what a small blessing that is to me. Something that minor makes me happy to go to sleep.

This made me think about the little blessings that God gives us everyday. Each day God gives us little blessings that are meant just for us. I took those for granted until my friend Andrea said one night in Life Group that she looks for God's gifts each day that are meant for her. I started looking for those gifts from God everyday. Now I see them everywhere. It could be the simplest thing like a sunset, getting in the car and my favorite song is on, finding money randomly. My favorite was when one day I was feeling very "ugly". I was having a bad week and that morning just was not wanting to face the day. I was driving to work and there was a van in the lane next to me. We were stopped at a red light and for some reason I look over and on the driver's window was written "you are beautiful" (I am not kidding - it really said that!). It wasn't facing inside the car towards the driver, but was written on the outside where I could read it. It was meant for me from Him. It was such a random event that God used for me.

What are your little blessings? Is it a special look from someone you love? Is it a hug from a child that loves you? Is it eating a huge piece of chocolate cake with lots of icing and losing 5 pounds doing it? Whatever it may be, keep your eyes open for God's little blessings just for you. Don't get too busy that you miss what God has for you. Thank Him for those blessings and cherish them. Slow down enough to take the time to see the blessings that God has just for you today.

Anonymous Said...

Just to let you know that if you leave a comment on the blog and mark it as anonymous, then I have no idea who left it. You need to either leave your name or initials after your comment so I know who left it. I just don't want anyone to think I am not responding to your comment! I do appreciate the comments that are left! Thanks for reading!!!

Friends

I must say that I have the best friends in the world. I have several different sets of friends and I consider myself very lucky. When I say "sets" of friends I mean that I have a set of friends through Ohio, a set of friends through church, and a set of friends through work. Tonight, I was at dinner with a set of friends for a birthday celebration. (Happy Birthday-LM)

As I was sitting there in the middle of two different conversations, I began to think that most of my friends will never travel in the same circle. They may meet eventually, but more than likely they will never meet. However, being friends, each of them know about each other in one way or another through me. I am the one link that could connect each of these friends together. Through me they could meet people they never would have met, and through them, I could meet a lot more people, if we were open to it. I kept thinking that is what Christ is. He is our one link to eternity if we are open to it.

Having a true friendship means that you get to know someone and keep the relationship going. You have to invest time in the friendship to remain close to that person. If when you meet someone you don't take the time to get to know them and invest the time in keeping the relationship going, then it will never grow. It is the same thing with your relationship with Christ. If you open your heart to Him, accept Him, then never talk to Him again, the relationship will become stagnet. He is still there, but you won't be as close to Him as you should if you were seeking Him everyday. He wants to be our best friend and He is the only friend that will never fail you. He delights in us and takes pleasure in us and we were made for Him.

I want you to think about the friends that are close to you. I often think about my friends and the impact they have had on my life. How thankful I am that God has given me friends that accept me for who I am, love me, pray for me and support me. Thanks to all my friends for being so amazing and I love you!

65 North

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Every morning during the week I drive up 65 North to my office. I look forward to this drive because it is a good 30 minutes to have time to pray and I get to see the sign at the Storage Space Place (I am not sure of the real name, I just know you can store stuff there.) The reason why I enjoy it so much is because on the outside of the building they have a sign that scrolls different advertisments for their business. It also has a saying and a bible verse that they change periodically. I try to time my drive just right so I can see what it says, or to see if it has changed. Sometimes I miss it because I have to keep with the flow of traffic, and that always makes me a little dissappointed.

It is usually a saying that applies to my life in one way or another. A few months ago it was "Stand Firm In Your Faith", and at that time I was facing challenges that could have caused me to not be as firm as I should. This week it is "God Has A Plan For You" Jeremiah 29:11. This has been quite significant to me this week because I have had many doors close lately, and am not sure which direction God wants me to go. When I am driving up 65N praying and asking God for the wisdom to know what He wants me to do, that is when I usually look up and see that sign.

I think we all know that God has a plan for us, but how many times do we try to control our own life. Try to make our own path without consulting the One who is leading us? How do we react with our life doesn't go exactly how we think it should? I have had a lot of doors close lately, but I know that God is in control and He has a plan for me. So, thanks storage place people for allowing God to speak to me through a rolling advertisement. Thanks for letting all of 65 North see it too.

Blogs

Blogs are something fairly new to me and I have often wondered why people would read them? Why do I read them? Then I found myself reading one the other day and realized that sometimes reading about anothers thoughts may give you insight that you didn't have before. Maybe God can use that person to say something that will give you a little bit more direction than what they had before. So, I decided to begin a blog myself. Why would anyone care what I think about? Well, possibly they will read something that comes from me and God will use that to help them. Maybe someone will read it and give their thoughts that will give some direction to me. You never know...

Everyday I pray that God will use me in a way that will help others. In a way that will show His love through me. I don't always see the fruit of that, but I do know that if you are willing to allow God to use you as His vessel then He will use that for His glory.