Simply Random:

Yes, just random....b/c I realized that I have not shared my thoughts on this blog in a while. Although, I think I might just be the only person who actually reads my blog :) hehe
So, I'm sharing my thoughts with myself....what a thought?! Okay, now i'm just rambling...

I do have purpose to this post:
At Mack Avenue Community Church, we are going through a series on "Healthy Covenant Community" & last week we were discussing "singleness". This was the first talk that I have heard on singleness since I became a married woman!
Eric Nielson taught on how there is a perception in the world and in the church that singleness is some "condition" that you might just need some "help" for. There is not much of a celebration of singleness, especially in the church!
It's so apparent...especially because as soon as you graduate from college you are asked at every social gathering (i.e. weddings or reunions) "Are you seeing anyone"??? I had a friend recently tell me about a wedding she attended for an old friend, and how it seemed that all anyone wanted to talk about was why she didn't have a man?!?!? I laughed as she told me, "I have plenty of exciting things happening in my life that don't include a romantic relaltionship!"

Ahhh, I'm so guilty of this too!!! Since being married, I have realized just how much I equated finding a man with some sense of satisfaction to my identity (if that even makes sense...) However, now that I am married, I see more clearly than ever, just how much my identity cannot be found in this relationship!

Anyways, back to the sermon, Eric really unfolded the gift that marriage is in a sense that you have the opportunity to wholly give yourself to God. It gives you to opportunity to use your freetime to fully commit to building God's kingdom and developing your intimacy with the Lord.
As I was listening to the sermon, I started to think how I would have disagreed with him 7 months ago (when I was still single). I feel that I would have thought as a married or single your devotion should be to God and you should make time for his Kingdom work, which is still TRUE.

However, now that I am married, I realize how it's true we must cultivate our own relationship with God and have "alone" time. Although, much of the understanding of God and who he is (his love & character) has been revealed to me THROUGH my relationship with my husband. On top of that, marriage is simply hard work and you must make time to spend together, talk through issues, to be intimate, etc and I believe that is fully honoring to God.

It's cool that whatever place we are in life (single or married), God has a perfect design to make himself known in and through us.

Anyone who actually reads this... Thoughts?

The internet: where people can be nasty!!!

Have you noticed this?
I have.

I had the bright idea that I would search online for forums and blogs related to Occupational Therapy, because I am about to start the OT Program at Wayne State University in 2 months. I thought it would be cool and ENCOURAGING to hear other's perspectives on life as an OT.

It's crazy how discouraging it is and how I have found myself somehow getting sucked into wanting to know what the next horrible thing that people will say about OT, or the other people on the forum. UGGGHhhh, I know, I know, this is unhealthy and self-destructive behavior!

So, there is this person who constantly writes into this OT forum to basically attack the field of OT and anyone who has any interest in this field at all. This person is degrading and really just hateful in their remarks.

This person amazes me. I mean, are they really this mean in their day-to-day life? Surely not, or else they would be terribly lonely with no friends. Of course, maybe they are and thats why they have so much time to write mean things on online forums.

I think there's something about the internet and the way it can make you feel blocked from any consequences of your actions (yet there are always consequences). You can speak to others whom you don't even know in any way you feel like it...because, what are they going to do? Maybe it's just a way some people vent at every person they've ever disliked or something....

I have no clue and frankly I'm in shock at some of the things I have read on these forums.
I wrote a message asking if anyone "Actually like being an OT" and of course this person just responded with darts at me and how foolish I basically am for being so "blinded" by the "profession" of OT.

The crazy thing is, my feelings are actually hurt by this person in cyberworld who I will never meet....I mean if I did meet this person, I wouldn't even know it b/c I only know them by their made-up username! Right now, I'm struggling with why am I so sensitive and let foolish things like this hurt me! Ahhhh, I wish I could get a little bit of a harder shell sometimes.

So, has anyone else encountered this? Mean people on the internet who use it to say things that they would probably NEVER say to someone's face????

I'm curious to hear.

Any encouragement? :)