I was going to blog tonight

... but I started reading a book and it's got me hooked. Usually that means I'll keep reading til I hear the birds chirping. I hope not. Where is my discipline?

I was going to blog about going to see a movie by myself (I learned a few tricks yesterday. Like DO NOT be the first one in the theatre. You become the point of reference for every couple that enters after you.
"Where should we sit?"
"Over there, behind that woman in the middle by herself." or
"Two rows in front of that woman in the middle by herself."
And how did I know what they were saying? The acoustics man, they ROCK in near empty theaters.
I noticed, after the coming-soon previews were being shown, that HUNDREDS (well, 2 or 3) other singles slipped into the theatre under the cover of darkness virtually unnoticed. Well, I noticed. But then, I was hyper sensitive and definitely looking for other losers. Just kidding. Singles are not losers. )

Which brings to the other thing I was going to blog about... singleness. I was thinking about offering my thoughts on these questions: Do you think chosen singleness is looked down upon in today's society? Do we have to choose between a family or a career? Is it at all possible to be fully devoted to both? As posed on this blog.

First of all, I didn't choose singleness. But here I am.
And single I will remain until God decides otherwise. I uttered this prayer, back in '99 ... "God? I cannot do this. I was not made for this. I DO NOT want to go through life without a partner. I was designed to be a wife. I long for a husband. However, if me getting married again is not part of your 'big-ol Jer 29:11 plan' for my life... well, OK then. I'm going to leave this in your hands. I only ask that if indeed, You want me to remain single, that You remove the temptation. Keep all single, eligible, 40-year-old-ish men clear away from me. Especially men with guitars, Levi jeans and brown eyes."

Guess how many single 40-50-year-old-ish men have crossed paths with me in the past 10 years? Not one.

God has spoken. (I hope when you read that, you heard it said in a deep voice in an echo chamber.)

And, well, surprisingly, I'm OK with that. If He has a different plan for me once I've got these kids growed up, I'm sure He'll let me know. But just in case I miss His subtleties, I've asked that my new Tarzen swing into my life wearing a leopard skin loin cloth. That is my fleece.

And that? That did not answer the question. What was the question again? Scrolling up... oh yeah, do I think singleness is looked down upon in today's society? Well, seeing I've been both, I'd say it's more the norm to be married. I have, oh, lets say, 50 friends. How many of them over age 25 are single? Well, uhh, none. OK, two were, but one just got married, and the other one is engaged. So I don't know if being single is looked down upon exactly; it's just that way more people are married. So things are kinda set up for marrieds. You know?

God gave us chemicals and hormones and eyes and whatnot because it was not good for man to be alone. That's not to say that God wants everyone to be married. Some people really shouldn't. You know who they are.

An INteresting thought that a friend and I discussed the other day (or what it the other month?) was that God did not intend for marriage to make us happy. It was to make us HOLY.

Chew on that awhile.

I was going to read a book tonight. And yet, here I sit, clicking away on this keyboard like I've got something to say about anything.

Oh, bother, I'm here anyways, might as well address the other question... Do you have to choose between family or career? Nope. There will be seasons when, due to circumstances, you can't do both at the same time, but, speaking as someone who has worked non-stop since her 16th birthday (with the exception of that time when someone left and helped ease the pain with spousal support) and as someone who has been the main caregiver to three boys non-stop for 21 years - it can be done. And while there will always be a tug-of-war in your heart (you want to be at work. You want to be at home) it can be done. Check out that Proverbs 31 chick. She did it all.

Your thoughts?

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Two hours with Max this afternoon, just driving around Langley doing errands. He didn't growl once.
2. Dinner with Clint at Pasta Polo's. Yum. I introduced him to a Number 5 baked.
3. The card, chocolate bars and flowers on my desk at work ... it's just 'the kids' and I in the office this week - everyone else is on Keat's. Thanks Shannon and Bonny.

Shalom,