misc stuff and about that date

this past weekend my friend bev and i took a trip to portland, oregon. we went because we're both big fans of don miller (author/speaker, known for blue like jazz and other books), rick mckinley, and the church rick started called imago dei. plus we both like wine a lot, and portland is not far from wine country.

we had a great time. i think we basically ate and drank as much of the city and the surrounding wine country as we could in three days. it was great. if you have the chance, get to portland. it's a cool town. and imago dei is a cool church.

the plane rides gave me a lot of time to think and journal and pray about a lot of things. i'm thinking some of those things will turn into posts here.

i got home around eleven last night, worked a half day today, then went to the grocery store. and i still haven't texted or called the guy from the hockey game. as an anonymous commenter noted on the previous post, the fact that he's 6'9" doesn't erase the fact that he gave me his number instead of asking me for mine. nor does it erase the fact that he asked me out via text message. i know i may sound harsh, but come on. he's a big boy, he can take a risk or two. add to that the fact that i'm about 95% sure he doesn't love jesus, and well, i'm not all that interested.

so i'm hoping he doesn't text me anymore, but i'm guessing i won't be that lucky. i'll keep you posted.

girls night, hockey, getting asked out...

these are a few of my favorite things...

last night i went to a hockey game with 6 of my girlfriends. i figured it would be a good time, but i had no idea it would be AWESOME. seriously. first of all, everyone was super excited to go, and that always makes me excited. second of all, i had 6 ticket vouchers (thanks k!) i got for christmas.

it just kept getting better; we sat 2 rows up from the ice; it was dollar beer night; there were these hilarious 19 year-olds sitting in front of us who banged on the glass and shouted at the players and referees all night. all of the on-ice entertainment between periods involved college-age guys chugging beers and trying to hit the empty cans into the nets. quality! plus, instead of kiss-cam, they had chug-cam. guess who got on chug cam!? yup, me and my 6 girlfriends. i can now say that i made it onto the big screen at an ECHL hockey game.

the game was really good. our team won, i got to see my favorite player almost score a goal (almost is good; he's a defensemen), and there was a fight.

and i saved the best for last. there was another group of guys sitting a row down and to the right. halfway through the game, one of them sits on the end closest to me, and says hi. i smiled back, and before long we were chatting. he seemed nice, and he was pretty cute. and then, he stood up.

this guy was six foot nine. i kid you not. i asked him. i was like, woah, dude, you are ridiculous tall. we talked some more, and at the end of the night, he asks for a hug and gives me his phone number. i was a little annoyed he didn't ask me for mine, and i was little weirded out by the hug, but hey.... hold on... i just got picked up at a hockey game by a cute guy who's 6'9"!!!

i texted him after we left, so he'd have my number and i could put the ball in his court for him to call me. he texted me back almost immediately, and a few texts later, i got 'so are you going to let me take you to dinner next week.' asked out via text message... definitely not my preference, but i texted back 'yup.'

so... i have a date next week. finally, the girl writing about relationships and singleness and dating has an actual date to write about. i'll keep you posted....

the 'gift' of singleness?

wow! so i had no idea this was such a hot topic. yes, i've read all the books; debbie maken's, a bunch by elisabeth elliott, dr. cloud, etc. i've had a lot of internal struggle too. but i had no idea how hotly the (online) christian single community would debate the 'gift' of singleness vs. the 'marriage mandate.'

personally, i see some of both sides. i agree that marriage is god's design for most of us. and i agree that a lot of us are kidding ourselves when we expect service, friends, careers, etc to fill our desires for a husband/wife.

but i see a dangerous slope, which i'm sure others have discussed. as a single person, it's really easy for me to be so focused on my situation that i lose site of my god and the gifts he's given me. is singleness a gift he's given me? well, yes, for right now it certainly is. i very much want to be married (so much so... i'm sure future posts will go into more detail about the tears i've cried and the stupid things i've done out of that wanting). but, right now, i'm single. and it is obvious to me that this is where god wants me. am i happy about it? not always, but i want to be.

am i open to dates? yes (to some extent, but that's another post). am i constantly trying to grow to become the kind of mate i hope to have someday? yes! (dear god, i have read so many books, tried so many things! ha.) BUT, i am also asking god why he has me here. why have i been single for so long? why do i have this feeling in my heart that i'm in this unique place of prolonged singleness for a reason? to quote a recent sermon i heard, maybe 'my misery is my ministry.' we'll see. again, perhaps more on that later.

all of that to say that it's a combination. yes, we live in a fallen world where men and women are failing each other all of the time. and yes, satan is attacking through secular culture and other assorted ways. yes, i mourn the fact that i am 28, still a virgin, and my body is starting to age. some things just suck! but, i can't give up. i have to hold on to hope. i have to believe that he has a plan. that:

'Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior."

(Habakkuk 3:17-18)

so that's what i think. care to comment?