Friday, November 16, 2012

Thanks, But No Thanks

So, here I sit, in my dimly lit living room, warm cup of coffee in hand.

I think a lot of men are going to be mad at me.

It’s only been a little over a week and the propositions are rolling.  What else is rolling?

Courteous dismissals.

One person for everyone.  Soul mates.  If there’s only one person for me out there, one person for whom God intended me, that means 99% of men are not for me.

All it’s going to take is me saying yes to the right one.

Which means it’s also going to take me saying no to all the not-right ones.

What has made this easier is being close to God.  When I’ve been approached this last week, I feel a gentle nudge.

No.

He is faithful, so far speaking to me clearly over the men in my life.  And I’m listening.

I’m listening because I know He’s faithful.  After a year of focusing completely on Him, after a year of feeling only His satisfying love for me, I know more than ever how much I would be hurting myself to ignore Him, to stray from Him.

Among everything in life, dating is one more reason to stay close to Christ.  He’s keeping me strong throughout this, and for that I am thankful.

Besides dating—er, not dating, life has been confusing, sad, wonderful, amazing, and joyful.

·         My father is still in unbearable pain and unrest.  No medication or change in amount of medication has soothed his ringing head.  Games of insurance and experiment have left him waiting, seemingly in vain for relief.  I miss my father.  I miss my mother.  I miss my brother.  And if I think about them too much, I start crying.  And because I don’t want to cry, I push thoughts of them away, and then guilt ensues.  It’s a circle of pain and I just pray for relief.

·         I have felt so blessed lately in the realm of friendships.  They’re with people I never expected to be close with a year ago.  And then there are the friendships that continue to deepen.  I’ve woken up for the last few days wondering to myself, “Is this my life?”  Concerts, shopping at Target, catching up at dinner, eating frozen yogurt, watching Twilight, a comedy show, listening to Nancy Holcomb, taking Christmas pictures, and a trip to Nashville to see Opry Mills.  God has given me gems.  Such precious gems.  I don’t know how long these friendships will be around, but I’ll enjoy them while they’re here.  Such treasures!

·         Bryan Loritts and Nancy Holcomb make me want to memorize scripture.  There are no words for how I feel when I listen to someone talk and they speak appropriate and loving verses over whatever is going on in life.  I so desperately want to memorize verses for myself and maybe whenever I’m talking to other women in my life.  Right now I’m trying to memorize Psalm 105:1-6.