Snack Time All the TIme

These days all I want to do is eat, eat, eat all day long. There are just too many tempting, tasty snacky foods in the house! Sigh, this is not good for my waist line. Hmmm... maybe I DO need a batch of stomach flu! :P

Stomach Flus, Slippers and Scarfs

Guess what I got for Christmas this year from my dear mother?? THIS:

Haha... she got applicable plaques like this for all her girls - lots of laughs when she distributed them!

Her real thoughtful presents for me are as follows:

Comfy cute slippers and...

...a fashionable scarf that she knitted!!

Winter Decor

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Roth household! A day off that was not rainy meant it was time to bundle up, cut some greenery and make the kitchen a disaster as I put some winter decor together. I love this time of year, seeing houses decorated and looking so cozy :)

The first table arrangement I made

Simple wicker wreath with a jingle bell to decorate the door

Garland with twinkle lights on the railing and big pot stuffed with greenery

Nursing

Well, here I am at 5:11 AM bright and chipper (not) - the life of a nurse working the night shift! I'm surprised at how well I function on nights actually - I just wish I was able to sleep better on days after a night shift! Maybe I need to invest in one of those eye masks and heavy duty ear plugs :D. I enjoy my job... most days. But then I'll be faced with a new/scary/unfamiliar situation and I'll feel stressed and ill-at-ease and wonder why I ever became a nurse in the first place! Why don't I have a low-key, low-stress job at Walmart?? Or why didn't I become a health-care aide? At least their jobs are not stressful. But it's the relationships with patients and support of colleagues that make the job worth it in the end. Shift work does suck at times, when you're working the weekend and then have off all week when your friends are at work - but I must say I enjoy having the stretch of days off that allows me to take short trips to the States (such as this weekend)! :) The nice thing about nursing also is that there are SO many different areas you can go into! Since graduating I've worked on a Burn Unit and have just recently switched to a NeuroSurgical Floor. I don't think the learning will ever stop!

Sometimes I feel like this:

I'm Sorry In Advance

by Linda Leeson

Your beds not made today
But I have a patient here
Those chest pain won’t go away
I’m sorry in advance
You’re not happy with your meal

Dietary does try hard sir,
To give it some appeal
I’m sorry in advance
Your morning pills are late
I’ve a patient climbing out of bed
That I must try to sedate
I’m sorry in advance
Your mattress isn’t soft
We do need some new beds ma’am
But these things do cost a lot.
I’m sorry in advance
I didn’t get to comb your mothers hair
I’ve a patient with emphysema
She’s scared, she can’t get air
I’m sorry in advance
Your fathers still in pain
I’m trying to reach his doctor
I’ll have to try again
I’m sorry in advance
Your dressings aren’t yet done
But a patient has just passed away,
I offered solace to his son,
I’m sorry in advance
I’m not cheery as a bird
I’ve worked 12 hours, my feet ache
I asked for help, but no one heard
I’m sorry in advance
I’ve only two hands and two feet
I’m trying to care for you, patient
Your needs, I want to meet
My 12 hours now are 16,
No replacement could be found
My aching feet they cry out
My head begins to pound
I’m sorry in advance
I cannot meet your gaze
My eyes are filled with tears
Your face is just a haze
If I could sit down for a minute
And maybe grab a bite
Phone my kids to say I love them
And I’ll be late again tonight
I’m sorry in advance
I didn’t do all that must be done
If I worked any faster
I’d soon begin to run
When I do get to hold your hand
Or wipe your furrowed brow
Please understand, dear patient I care for you
and how I see your pain, I sense your fear
Your anger in a glance,
Our health care service is failing you
I’m sorry in advance.

But it's my prayer to have this attitude!

A Nurse's Prayer
Unknown Author

I dedicate myself to thee, 0 Lord, my God, this work I undertake
Alone in thy great name, and for thy sake.
In ministering to suffering I would learn
The sympathy that in thy heart did burn.
Take, then, mine eyes, and teach them to perceive
The ablest way each sick one to relieve.
Guide thou my hands, that e'en their touch may prove
The gentleness and aptness born of love.
Bless thou my feet, and while they softly tread
May faces smile on many a sufferer's bed.
Touch thou my lips, guide thou my tongue,
Give me a work in sermon for each one.
Clothe me with patience, strength all tasks to bear,
Crown me with hope and love, which know no fear,
And faith, that coming face to face with death
Shall e'en inspire with joy the dying breath.
All through the arduous day my actions guide,
All through the lonely night watch by my side,
So I shall wake refreshed, with strength to pray,
Work in me, through me, with me, Lord, this day.

To Cry or To Laugh, That is the Question

You've all heard that laughing is good for you. Not only does it cheer the disposition, it also reduces stress levels, burns calories and can actually lower your risk for heart disease! So go ahead, try to indulge in a big gut-busting, belly jiggling laughing session at least once a day! :)

Now we know the saying that laughter is the best medicine, but did you know that indulging in a good cry can also be very cathartic? Perhaps you've said it yourself at one point in time [maybe not if you're a guy ;)]: I just need a good cry and then I'll feel better. Research has shown that “crying is not only a human response to sorrow and frustration, it’s a healthy one. Crying is a natural way to reduce emotional stress that, left unchecked, has negative physical affects on the body, including increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other stress-related disorders." Crying is the body's release valve for stress, sadness, grief, frustration and anxiety.

So go ahead! Let those tears fall, let those sobs wrack your body, let those wails come pouring forth... and then feel better and move on. :)

Some interesting facts:
- 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men felt less sad and angry after crying
- On average, women cry 47 times a year, men cry 7 times a year
- Crying bouts last 6 minutes on average
- Tears are more often shed between 7 and 10 p.m.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-reasons-why-crying-good-for-you.html#ixzz1dQESaN2j

Alone With Nature and God

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be."

One of my favourite places to walk, these pictures were taken with my phone about a month ago

Unwanted Weather Changes

Brr!! I had to scrape my car windshields this morning! I'm definately not ready for this weather... Give me sunshine and warmth!

Child of the King

To understand our place in God's family is to understand our true identity, and it sets the tone for how we live our lives. All of the faithless striving, scheming and fretting we do is not merely irritating or unfortunate; it's a denial of our Father. It's sin, quite frankly.

There's a wonderful old hymn titled "A Child of the King." Some of the lyrics read:

I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
But I've been adopted, my name's written down,
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.

I'm a child of the King,
A child of the King:
With Jesus my Savior,
I'm a child of the King. (Buell/Sumner, 1877)

We'd do well to remember this when we're stuck in a rut, living not as sons but as orphans, refusing to accept our position before God and instead believing Satan as he works overtime to make us strangers to the Father who already bought us back for himself.


~ Lisa Anderson, Director of Boundless/Young Adults

Lessons Learned Through Nursing

I got the following email from a friend of mine who is nursing with the US Army Nurse Corp and is currently in Afghanistan. Such a good reminder as I occasionally have similar "demanding" patients can test one's patience immensely. Thanks Jill!

Hey everyone,

Just a few thoughts this Sunday. All week long I was taking care of a particularly difficult Afghani patient. This Patient was very demanding, every few minutes I would hear him call "nurse!" wanting something. Anything anyone in the room got, he wanted too. If we gave loli pops to the kids, he wanted one. If we had flavor packets for our water, he wanted one too, and not just any one, he was picky about flavors. Not only did he constantly ask for things, but he was very ungrateful, never saying thank you, or even smiling at us. When the kid next to him was sick, and I was running around trying to get him medication to make him feel better, there was my annoying patient interrupting me, asking me for trivial things like a cookie. The translators told us that he also said many disrespectful things about the nurses too, and that he was "a very bad guy." I finally got to fly this patient out to another hospital, and I was very happy to be getting rid of him. Even as we were bouncing along in the ambulance headed for the flight line, he was still asking for things, and my patience was worn thin. And suddenly a thought stopped me. This is exactly how I am to the Lord. How often am I asking for things, and then as soon as I receive what I ask for, I forget to be grateful. Like the patient, when I get what I ask for, I complain that it is the wrong flavor. When I see others around me who are blessed, I complain that I don't have what they have. Even when I see others around me who are much worse off than I am, I forget to be patient with my own small burdens. It was a very powerful realization for me. As sinners we are enemies of God, ungrateful, disrespectful, and greedy. It reminded me that Jesus came for sinners, to die for His enemies, and He came with Love. We take God' mercies for granted and think that we deserve more. It is a wonder of God's grace that He is so patient with us. He is compassionate and forgiving, even when I am so ungrateful. This story helped motivate me to continue to be compassionate, to remember to count my blessings and thank God for them.

Joy Comes in the Morning

See? The last post is just a prime example of negative feel-sorry-for-myself thoughts that should not necessarily be made public! But such is life. And then I received the following words from a friend: "If you're looking for a man then trust that God knows and cares and He will provide it. if you let that flavour your thinking, it takes weight and worry off your shoulders... live your life to the fullest where you are right now. Don't postpone other opportunities on account of desires; you might not get them back." Sometimes a fresh perspective is all this is needed! Although I've heard words similar to those before, it's good to be reminded.

And some more words from Adam Young at Owl City Blog: "I take great joy and comfort in knowing my Savior has it all blueprinted and planned down to the tiniest detail, and that my job isn’t to blubber and worry about the design — but to hush. To be concerned with the principles of morality, servanthood, discipleship and character, and ultimately, to trust. For what is faith without trust?"

It's Easy, Hey I'm Doin Just Fine

I suppose if truth be told, some of the words of the following country song sum up my feelings at times, when pangs of missing something, someone, pierce my heart down deep.

Easy ~ Rascal Flatts

[Most would be] crushed, wastin' their time
Wonderin' where they went wrong
No way, not me
Hey I'm doing just fine
I'm not afraid of moving [along]

It's easy, going out on a Friday night
Easy, every time I see [them] out
I can smile, live it up
The way a single girl does
But what [they], what [they] don't know
Is how hard it is to make it look so easy

Whole Lotta Huey

I want to blog but I fear that if I post just for the sake of keeping my blog updated my posts will become uninteresting, redundant, superficial (if they aren't already!). So what do I do? Make my blog a posting grounds of info and pictures related to day to day personal events or funny anecdotes, or keep my blog limited to abstract thoughts, philosophical questionings and wise words of wisdom? The problem with personal posts (at least for me) is that there is the tendency to portray a shallow portrait of my life - it looks like a garden of roses from the fun cutesy pictures to the exciting relating of events... or it can swing the other way and become depressive as I post thoughts and feelings that are better left unsaid in such a public place. I also feel rather inadequate when I read other people's blogs who are just oh so inspirational to a whole slew of readers, who are able to post anecdotes that are worded hilariously or who seem to have such a picture-perfect life with their DH and/or kids and home-making projects!!

And is it ok just to blog when the urge strikes? I don't really care how many readers I have (with blogger I can't even track the statistics) - I just keep my blog cause I like my handy list on the right hand side that updates who blogged last. But I feel that in order to be dubbed an official "blogger" I need to update my blog at LEAST 3-4x a week...

See? This blog post was just vain ramblings of a whole lotta huey cause I felt like I needed to update but didn't know what to write about! Maybe a grand burst of inspiration will strike soon and I'll come up with something fantastic. Stay tuned dear readers!

Ignoring is Ignorant! Buck up and git 'er done

On the one hand I hate confrontation, but then again, to be ignored is worst of all.

What do you think? If someone had a beef against you, would you rather they ignored you and the problem away, or would you rather that fireworks light the sky in one big blowout but then have all the cards out laid out in the open, with the issue done and dealt with? I suppose a third option could be a happy medium :P.

Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils..."

"Don't you just love [Ontario] in the fall? It makes me want to shop for back to school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms"

On a side note, how do YOU pronounce bouquet? Boo-kay or Bo-kay?

School Days, School Days

Do any of you feel nostalgic as the end of summer rolls around and the shelves in Walmart get stocked with new boxes of crayons, binders of every shape and size, pencils, pens, erasers and backpacks? Does a crisp windy day create the same urge in you as it does in me to tuck some books under your arm and scurry across campus to class? Does seeing groups of students gathered at a stoplight chattering excitedly together with their backs bent under the weight of their schoolbags make you feel wistful? Sigh... I'm sure if I was back in school right now I would be groaning about the workload and stressing about assignments, but it sure is fun to reminisce and remember only the positive aspects of school! As a kid, eager for art class with brand new supplies... running around at recess chasing the boys or vice versa, talking in the hallways and getting in trouble, gathering for chapel every Wednesday morning, doing homework on the long school bus ride, trying to bribe teachers ;), knowing everything about everyone in your small Christian school, serving hot lunches, hosting bake sales, feeling important in highschool when we occasionally ordered take-out, competing with other students to get the best grades...


And then moving on to University: skipping class because you could, going on facebook during dull lectures :P, practicing nursing skills in the learning center and having a blast, talking and laughing too loud in the library, taking the shuttle bus from the parking lot to class, studying and doing homework till your brain hurts from the effort... Those days are all behind me folks! But who knows, I may be back one day!

School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful barefoot beau
And you wrote on my slate
"I love you, so"
When we were a couple of kids

Boldness

"[Pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel." ~ Ephesians 6:19 KJV

How have you been boldly making known the mystery of the gospel to those around you?

Family Fun

I haven't blogged in a little while because things have been busy! Lora and Scott and the kids and Ange and Josh were over last weekend. Here are a few highlights in pictures:

A grocery shower for Dan and Est with our family:


A campfire in the back yard with the boys:


And a Labour Day picnic at a park with family and friends:

Making Juice

This year Mom bought a Mehu-Liisa Juice Extractor & Steam Cooker. It has three essential parts to it: the top pot has a colander in the bottom and holds the berries, the bottom pot holds water which produces the steam, and the middle section is the juice container with the drain tube:


Step 1: Start with fresh, washed softskin fruits or berries. Place fruit in the steamer and layer with sugar if desired.


Step 2: Fill the water kettle and bring to a boil. Set the juice container and juice kettle on top and steam over continuously boiling water for approximately 60 minutes. Here you can see the waste from the fruit and the pure juice in the juice container:


Step 3: Have sterilized bottles and caps hot and ready for sealing. Drain the hot juice into them and seal!


Finished product:

News Update

I've been in the news lots lately if you haven't noticed ;)... wreaking havoc on the east coast! Back in 2005 it was my niece Hurricane Katrina who was splashed over newspapers worldwide. It must be the Roth blood in us. But yes, back to Hurricane Irene - she's going to be making quite the impact on Canada as well apparently. The last hurricane to do so was Igor (terrible name wouldn't you agree?). The Weather Network reports that “Our concern at this point is that Irene takes an 'Earl-type' track staying just off the shore of the US coast and then affecting the Maritimes in a more significant way than it affects the US.”

Call us Organic

I love the fact that my parents have a good sized vegetable garden - this year my dad planted pole beans, several kinds of lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, strawberries, swiss chard, snow peas, and zuchhini. All this bounty equals a lot of hard work of course: weeding, picking, washing, preparing, canning etc... but my mom is champ when it comes to it!

We also have raspberry bushes (in the background) and two pear trees and an apple tree (not ripe yet of course). Another bonus is that we get to reap the rewards of our neighbour's Concord grape vines that cover the fence that separates our properties:

We've picked 4 pailfuls of grapes already:


Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make juice from Concord grapes!

As Now, So Then

"As now so then. Don’t spend your [time now] talking about how you will follow Christ in the future. Follow Him now the way you want to follow Him then."

I came across the above quote in this article here and it really struck a chord with me. I find myself thinking like that ALL THE TIME! First I need to straighten out my life in this area, then I will be a more effective witness of Christ/be able to follow Him more closely. First I need to get through these next few busy days (weeks, months) and then I'll be able to sit down and focus all my energies on following Christ. But no, Christ wants me NOW - in the midst of my troubles, sinful backslidings and failures. I want to do it all myself - I want to fix my life up first so that I can present myself as a "more acceptable sacrifice" when I come before Christ... But that's what the grace of God is all about isn't it? That there is nothing right that I can do and yet God takes me back anyways. That in the midst of falling away from Him, He chooses to shower me with blessings. Praise the Lord for that!

These are my moments, days in the sun

Have you ever had moments/events/circumstances in your life that have really made you stop and think? How cliched that sounds. But how true! I experienced something recently that has made me realize how naive I am in a sense, and how sheltered I've been from a life of abuse (physical, verbal, substance). This is a good thing of course. But my "innocent" happy-go-lucky life has also made me alot less sensitive and mindful of the hurt and pain that many are faced with all around me. [Outwardly], I've done everything in my life right. I graduated with good grades from high-school. I studied hard in university and finished with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing. But think of how many teens/young adults there are who aren't as fortunate as I've been. Or who from one (or a series of) poorly made choice(s) are now faced with a criminal record, perhaps jail time, enormous debt, and a life full of regrets. If they ever want to rebuild their life, do you know how monumental of a job they are facing? I'm 25 years old and single. I can literally "do anything" with my life. If I choose to travel the world, I can freely with no hassle. If I choose to work in a different country, no big deal. I come across so many different people in my field of work - many who wouldn't be in need of receiving care if it wasn't for substance abuse. But how often have I laughed off or secretly jeered at those "pot-heads" or drinkers with others?

Everyone has their own life story and I think it's time I was more sensitive to the crosses, fears, and grief that that person could very well be faced with, every day, every moment, while I live my carefree life. I've been inspired with a desire to in some way help those who are REALLY in need. Not just stand impersonally behind a counter of food in a soup kitchen, but personally, one on one. Although at the same time, that thought does strike fear into my heart. Because who am I? I'm an innocent, and I don't have a good way with words...

But, Jesus didn't go with the message of Salvation to the affluent who had it all together, He went to the destitute, the down and out, those who had made poor life choices. What are we doing with our life to emulate Jesus?

Country Road Take Me Home

What an absolutely spectacular day to be driving the back roads with the windows rolled down and country music on the radio!

I love lazy summer days!!



Photo Credit Google Images

The Darkness Rolls Away

As I drove into work this morning, the way the fog hung in the gulleys and valleys along the way, it was beautiful. Mist, what a wondrous thing to behold as the newly awakened sun stretches it's arms and rolls it away with it's shining rays.

From darkness came light. From dim obscurity, clarity.





Photo Credit Google Images

There's the Dream of Someone Else!

Kathleen Kelly is positively enviable in You've Got Mail... her Just Around the Corner bookshop, her hair, the way she pulls off her classically cute outfits, her shabby chic apartment... the list could go on. Would you not agree?

Pink Please!

Attention all older women: please don't wear dark lipstick. I don't think I've seen anyone over the age of 50 who could pull off a dark shade of lipstick. Looks to harsh in my opinion!

Becoming Crafty Again

I spent a long glorious day with Jeanette last Tuesday, and I found this lovely steal at a Salvation Army in Tillsonberg for only $3.99. A wooden children's rocking chair:

After a little TLC (sanding & staining) it now looks like this:

My next plan is to sew a pillow for it. I went garage saleing with Lora in New Jersey and we bought two boxes full of sewing trim and ribbon. Should be fun creating something with it all!

With Hands Outstretched

Psalm 121

A Song of Ascents

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Books Books Books

Howdy-do!

I thought it was high time I updated the background of my blog and I came across this one! Books! I love books, most everyone in my family loves books, and a lot of my nieces and nephews have inherited this love too. What kind of books you may ask? Well my taste runs from classics such as Pride and Prejudice to mysteries (Agatha Christie), to historical fiction to Christian living books and then on to all other sorts of well written fiction such as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and The Mitford Series by Jan Karon. Anyone else love books and reading? Do tell!

I Love My Name

I like my name. In fact, I love my name. All three parts of it. Irene Louise Roth. It has a nice flow to it and it's sweet and simple. I like the name Irene because it's fairly unique (I've only come across a handful of "Irene's" in my lifetime) and it's sort of foreign and strong sounding. It's not a sappy name or a typical girly girl name. I like Louise for the same reason. Even though Louise is a rather old-fasioned sounding name, it's not typical and so I like it. And lastly I like my last name of Roth. It's not your run of the mill Dutch last name preceded by "Van" and it is also short and simple. Plus it start's with an R and I like writing R's in cursive for my signature. One rather amusing thing to note about my name is that Irene means "peace"and Louise means "battle maiden" making me a... peaceful battle maiden?

Sigh, what ever shall I do if I get married? Let's just hope he doesn't have a horrid last name. Or perhaps I shall keep my own last name! :D

As I Take Off For Holland Today...

My Help Comes from the Lord

Psalm 121

A Song of Ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

What Will Come Today?

I went with Esther to St. Jacobs Market the other day and bought a little book of poems penned by a Mennonite woman... really nice! Here's one of them:

What Will Come Today?

Another day is breaking
Across the land and sea;
I wonder as I'm waking
Just what it holds for me...

What trials come to vex me,
What worries to annoy,
What problems to perplex me,
What unexpected joy.

What friendships new to cherish,
What duties to perform,
What treasured dreams will perish,
What sunshine or what storm.

What sorrows deep confound me,
What struggles too, with sin,
What pleasures may surround me,
What victories to win...

I have no way of knowing,
I cannot even guess,
What God will be bestowing
To try me or to bless.

But I have His Assurance,
He's with me everyday,
I'll walk with firm endurance:
He keeps me all the way.

~ Esther Horst

Libera

Libera is coming to southern Ontario and I'm really excited! Anyone else a fan of this boys choir?

Thinks Aren't Always As They Appear

I was at the library tonight and took a minute to glance through the CDs and found one that I thought looked interesting. I popped it in my car and was pleasantly surprised by how good the acappella choir sounded... the CD is called "Songs of the Ancient Beauty" by the Toronto Baha'i Chorale. After enjoying some of the ancient religious songs with mom in the house I decided to do some research online about the group... Yikes! Turns out the Baha'i religion is some mystical religion that originated out of Persia, which believes that among others, Moses, Abraham, Christ, Muhammad, Krishna and Buddha were all Manifestations of God, sent to better our society. Whoops... and here I thought we were listening to some beautiful sacred Christian music... So now the question is, can you still be truly edified listening to Christian music if the group/choir is not inherently Christian and if their intent is not to be glorifying Christ solely with their music? Tricky... but I think yes. Although it is good to be discerning.

He Opens a Window

Last night I had the following song running through my brain and this morning woke up to a beautiful, sunny day!

"He Opens a Window"

When doubt and disappointment hide the morning sun
When all my dreams have ended, all my songs are sung
His Spirit soars within me, every doubt is gone
I see a new horizon and sing a brand new song

For in His perfect timing
Up ahead the light is shining
And I know the dawn will be arriving
Very soon

When God closes the door
He opens a window
He opens a window so I can see
He's working it out-
The very best for me
He opens a window just for me

When every road I travel leads back to where I've been
When fears about tomorrow settle deep within
He gives me new direction and takes the fear away
He opens up the future and brings a brand new day
New day

For in His perfect timing
Up ahead the light is shining
And I know the dawn will be arriving
Very soon

When God closes the door
He opens a window
He opens a window so I can see
He's working it out-
The very best for me
He opens a window just for me

Oh Yes

What do you think after watching this? (I tried to embed the video into my blog post but it wouldn't work): Father Can You Hear Me


It makes me want to visit a Southern Baptist Church (or something similar) someday! Sure... it could just be a lot of show... emotions on overdrive... but I think I could use a bit more emotion in my public worship! David danced publicly before the Lord did he not? I want to work on being less reserved in the display of my faith and worship of God...

Dating Standards

A list of dating standards that I picked up from a secular book that I tweaked a bit and added to (I won't mention which one because I wouldn't recommend it, but it did have some valid, "duh I wish I knew that long ago" thoughts in it). So here goes ladies! ;)

- I will not go out with a man who hasn't asked me out first
- I will not go out with a man who keeps me waiting by the phone
- I will not date a man who isn't sure he wants to date me
- I will not date a man who makes me feel physically undesirable
- I will not date a man who drinks or does drugs to an extent that makes me feel uncomfortable
- I will not be with a man who is afraid to talk about our future
- I will not, under any circumstances, spend my precious time with a man who has already rejected me
- I will not become emotionally involved with a man who is married
- I will not be with a man who is not clearly a good, kind, loving person
- I will not go out with a man who does not have a similar mindset and values