“All the single ladies…”

Here's something I should probably do more often, especially considering the premise of this blog, but I would like to give a special dedication to all the single ladies out there.

At the ripe old age of 30, I'm beginning to wonder when my journey in singledom will be over. Not so much because I decided I was ready for it to be over, but because co-workers I barely know ask me why I'm not married, strangers on the street when they learn the answer is "no," respond with "don't you want to have to children???" and other single available men I meet (some even closer to the grave than me) boast loudly, "there must be something wrong with you!" So, it's no wonder that after I'm done praying for world piece and the salvation of the universe, that I ask God to tag on a nice lean piece of man to keep me warm at night for life while he's at it. But not just any man, a man that will truly appreciate me for me, and be as gaga over me as I am over him; and that's the key right there isn't it?

Sometimes you're on a one way street, giving more than you should, and sometimes it's like a semi is coming at you, you're just not that in to him, but he's waaayyyy too totally into you, so much so that you can't breathe (guys, I'm sure it's the same way for you). Finding the one that's traveling on the opposite road of loves highway that decides to take a pit stop at the exact same moment you do, well that's pretty tricky and it's something that you have no control over because this other person is out minding their own business and trying to navigate through their own lives; unfortunately, they'll get to ya when they get to ya. So, what's a girl to do in the meantime?

Keep traveling. I rejoice in the Lord and all that he's done for me and I love on the people that already love me and the new ones that cross paths with me with all my heart. Every person in my life is special to me and treated with care. Matrimony is a beautiful thing, but it's not everything, so don't treat every relationship as an ends to a means of wearing a ridiculously overpriced white dress. Until you get to that point, enjoy the ride. Enjoy every date, even the bad ones (because they give you something to laugh about later), treat him with care (even if you know it's not going to last forever) because it's all practice for the day that you and that one special guy pull into the same gas station, go to the same movie alone, laugh at the same offhanded joke, at the same time. It could be at 30, 40, 50, whenever…it really doesn't matter, because when it's supposed to happen, you just want to be ready. Love doesn't care about your age; it cares about the condition of your heart so take care of it and let go and let God have his way.

I am what I am

Have you ever noticed that some of the most famous, most valuable works of art are not perfect? Actually the imperfections seem to add to their overall worth. We praise the Venus de Milo as one of the most famous Greek pieces of arts in history and the chick is missing arms!

Imagine yourself on display every day. People come into your life and at first you seem beautiful and they praise the Creator for making you. You're kind, you're generous, you're compassionate, and for awhile they marvel in your presence. But as time goes by, they notice that you're missing something or you have too much of something else; you're sensitive, but too sensitive; you're ambitious but too demanding. All of a sudden they back away and cock their heads to the side as they try to figure out if you really are a beautiful piece of work, or just a broken statue.

Now imagine yourself staring at Venus de Milo and demanding she grow arms so that she could be your idea of perfect. It would be like, well, talking to a rock. The rock is not going to change just because you want it to, just like you can't change just because people want you to, and people will not change just because you want them to.

There are flaws within you that were not part of your original design; but came with the wear and tear of the different seasons and patterns in your life. It's up to you to work through those things and learn how to minimize them so they don't overshadow your more becoming qualities. But there are traits in you that to the God that made you are essential to your being. He would not change those things about you for the world; instead He provides us instructions in His word on how to use those qualities to bring Glory to His name and in turn attract people who despite your flaws will still see you for what you are; a work of art because they know who made you.

God says, "I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2. This means that even before your parents thought of you, God was working on you. He was designing you, molding you, providing you with the inherent tools you would need to make a positive impact on the world around you. Yes, you are imperfect, but God did not make any mistakes when he made you. And the person observing and dissecting you in this earthly museum, well they have flaws too; perhaps some of the same flaws they see in you. Some things you can improve upon, but some things will remain the same.

Do yourself a favor; accept yourself and others for who they are. Embrace the positive qualities in people, and the things they lack won't seem so significant. If anything, it will make them all the more marvelous. Don't play God and demand a change in others that you can't make in yourself.

I leave you with this wise quote: "I yam what I yam and I yam what I yam that I yam" says Popeye the Sailor Man.