Be-happy-wherever you are

Hello world-wide-web, Heavenly Father, please help the Haitians. May cool heads, justice, compassion, and love prevail, and may any negative actions - violence or greed - fail. Strengthen the people of that small, poor country, Jesus. Give them fortitude, Lord, to be and do the best they can with what they have. In Jesus' name. Amen. If you haven't donated to help Haiti today, please do so by going to http://www.unicefusa.org. (Thanks MikeD for the website addy) I've decided to embrace my single life: no more on-line dating, no more single events, no more anything that is related to locating a mate. I'm done asking God, "Is this the one?" I have avoided the truth one too many times, but now I am finally willing to accept it: Be happy where you are in your life. And right now I am single. I am also happy single. I don't know if it's in God's plan for me to always be single, or just for a little while, but I am receptive to His will now more than ever. I have the sweetest friends; everyone is telling me I'll find someone, or that they know I'll get married someday. No one wants to be alone. Here's the definition for alone: being isolated from others. I know I am not alone. Loneliness is more of a feeling than a reality, I think. Here is the web's definition for loneliness: the state of being alone in solitary isolation. I am not lonely (or desperate, he he). Besides, single just means one. ;) Although, and I don't like admitting this, but there are times when I am so caught up in finding a lover that I don't pay as much attention to Jesus, or His blessings. I exclude God's counsel with regard to my love life! How ironic, since Jesus is the only person I know who has my best interest at heart and will most certainly, if it's His will, find me the perfect mate. It's time for my thinking to change. Jesus is in charge of my love life now. It's ALL in His hands. This may sound corny, but it's true: my significant other is Jesus. (BTW, I am NOT contemplating becoming a nun, lol. I pray Jesus wants me as an example to others through my living single.) When I keep my sights on Him, all else falls into place. This is true for whatever is going on in my life. Remaining single is an option; being with a mate is an alternative. Ultimately, love is the preference. Thankfully, love comes in many forms! Lovers, heck, even friends will enter and leave my life, but Jesus is Forever. When friends, and God willing eventually a lover, stay in my life, Jesus' words and actions will continue to be my focus. My decision is not a pessimistic pronouncement, or the result of awful dates, or anger towards men. When I made this decision, I felt my soul peacefully recline in the warmth of my Real Skin. At long last I'm beginning to see myself the way I think Jesus sees me. I know some of my friends might think, "Uh-oh, Deb's going to 'let herself go,' or 'get fat and lazy,'" but single me has always been health conscious and I do my best to dress for whatever event I'm attending. I don't see that changing anytime soon, if ever. When the blunt force of the fact that I may be single for the rest of my life hits me in the face, a poignant and comforting story a priest once told at a retreat comes to mind. It's about a little girl who was afraid of the dark. She woke her parents up and as her mom walks her back to her room, her mom says, "Honey, there's no need to be afraid. Jesus is here with you." The little girl responded, "I know, but I needed someone with skin." So here's to all my family and friends who love me: Thank you for being 'Jesus with skin': being single is amazing and fun because you all are in my life. Long may we remain friends. God bless you!!! "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa