Stop wishing for things you complain you have not
And start making the best of all that you've got.

- Helen Steiner Rice

Being Single in a World that Thinks You Should be Married

I was just browsing through my favorite Christian Book supplier's website and I thought I'd do a bit of a search on books for singles. The only problem is that the more I looked the more angry I became at the selection of books available.

The majority of the books available were about how to prepare your self for meeting the right man (or woman if you're a guy), dating, and what to do while you're waiting. One title that really bugged me was "What to Do Until Love Finds You".

This world is crazy. Don't they realise that there are some women who don't want to be married? (I'm not one of them) Or that there are single women who would like to be married when the time is right, but in the mean time want to live for God while they are single in the way that He wants them to?

Ok, so I did find some that looked ok, but all these other books just make you feel like you've completely missed what life is about.

Let me tell you now - you do NOT have to be married to be fulfilling God's plan for you. There may be something that you can only do BECAUSE you are single.

For anyone who is thinking about writing a book for singles - if you got married just after you finished school, unless you are writing for teens, don't bother because you have no idea what you are talking about. If you are now married but were single for a time, be very careful what you say. If you are still single, please write that book soon, because I want to read it!

4 Wives

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives.

He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighbouring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him.

Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, he asked the 4th wife , "I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you Now that I'm dying, will! You follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!", replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word.

Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!"

His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go."

The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.

Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.

Thought for the day:
Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray.

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect.
It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

I wonder ...

I sometimes wonder whether people are even reading what I'm posting here.

Ok, so I know I got a couple of comments on one post, but that was because I had told a friend about my blog and she looked at it.

I guess I don't really care all that much if people aren't looking, because when I started this blog it was just for me anyway. A way to experiment with the technology available; to get things in print instead of internalising them (you can't exactly sit down and write in a journal whenever you think of something, and you can't always add pictures); something to fiddle around with when I got a little bored with what I was doing at the time.

I thought about using one of those visits counter things, but then I realised that mostly it would just be me looking at my own page (as I do after every time I post something or have made alterations, or just to look at it), so I decided not to go to the trouble of getting that feature.

So if you do look here, drop me a comment.

Stress

STRESS

I am not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate. Read the full description before looking at the picture.

The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital.
Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical ,a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins. The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing.
Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive

Somebody Out There

I'm tired of being alone,
Missing someone I don't even know
Crazy but all I've been through
Was just another way of getting back to you

It's only a matter of time
Seperate lives will be two worlds that collide
Don't go asking me why
I believe what im feeling inside

Somebody out there's got my name on their heart
Somebody out there is watching the same star
I'm counting the hours now and it won't be long
Till I find that somebody out there
Who's the one
Who's the one

I hear the words you don't say
Like a favourite song that I never play
Are you all that you seem
Or are you just a picture taken from a dream

I know that I'm not making sense
But I like what I see and I wanna see more
Love is my only defence
I believe that is what I am here for

A thousand miles
A million smiles
How many more to go
I'm shouting out
Can't live without
The you I want to know

- Kate Alexa

This song has really been in my thoughts lately.
I haven't found that someone that I want to spend the rest of my life with yet.
I was talking with my Dad the other day and we both seem to think that the right man is not around here where I currently live.
I'm really praying that he will come soon, whoever he is.

Thoughts on Little Women

Little Women, by Lousia May Alcott is one of my favourite stories, along with the sequels, Good Wives, Little Men and Jo's Boys.

While I love the books, I get rather disappointed by the movies (of which there are several). The movies aways combine Little Women and Good Wives, but never go on to the rest of the story in Little Men and Jo's Boys.

My biggest compliant, however, is with how the character of 'Beth' is portrayed in the films. She is always portrayed as a spineless, sappy person. That's not really how she is at all. In fact, I think she had more courage than all her sisters.

Simpler Times?

I found this picture on art.com and for some reason it captured my fancy.

Maybe it's just the thought of being free to fly!

And then I saw the date, and began to wonder if at that time was life much simpler?

No internet, so I wouldn't be doing this. Not that I necesarily want to go back in time (clothes are much more comfortable these days), but just the thought of life being more simple.

Life is a garden,
Good friends are the flowers
And times spent together,
Life's happiest hours.


-Helen Steiner Rice

If the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship's flower will bloom for you.

-Helen Steiner Rice

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