Doing that. Going there.

There is absolutely no conceivable way that I am going to waste this singleness. You better believe I'm taking advantage of my current status. I refuse to be that future married person who constantly looks back, wishing they could have "done that" or "been there."

No. I'm doing that.
I'm going there.
It's happening while I'm able.
Whatever "it" is.

I know there is no possible way I can cover everything, but I'm not wasting a moment and that will be enough.

I have decided to make a list of things I want do in my singleness.
A list of goals, dreams and whatever I decide deserves to be on a list. The list doesn't have to be things I can ONLY do when I'm single but just that I can properly dedicate my time to while being single.

So, the best time to start this list is now....

• Get involved at a nursing home or assisted living home, whether playing piano for the residents or just visiting with them (or both).
  Why waste a single moment? Such beautiful people with such incredible insight on the world, and they don't deserve to be lonely or neglected.
• Get to know the female children and teens placed in my life on a personal level, be there for them and love them.
  It is my responsibility as a woman who follows Jesus to find those who I can disciple and to disciple them.
• Find a godly, female mentor.
  It is also my responsibility as a woman who follows Jesus to find someone who can disciple me and keep me accountable in my walk with God.
• Find a job that I love, and be a friend and testimony to my coworkers. Be a light by my work ethic.
  The world is my mission field.
• Travel. I don't care where and I don't care how.
  As long as I have the resources and the physical capability, I am seeing this world that my Father has created. It doesn't have to be everywhere, it just has to be anywhere. Also, I intend on spreading Jesus everywhere I go.
• Minister to people that are least ministered to.
  Orphans, widows, the poor, the rich, the middle class... I don't know who all of these people are yet, but I'm finding them and, if I am able, I am sharing Jesus' love with them.
• Learn to cook & sew well.
  Because these are fantastic skills, and I want to have them.
• Get in shape.
  Jog. Sprint. Crunch. Lift.... learn the names of the other things I need to do to get in shape...
• Climb as many mountains as I can on the East Coast.
  And then watch "The Sound of Music," because we all know the song "Climb Every Mountain" will eternally be stuck in my head.
• Visit the West Coast.
  Because I never have.
• Go back to Lebanon.
  Because it's a place that I love.

That's what I have so far. What are your ideas?

Remembering the Good Days

Some days will be harder than others.

When those hard days come, just remind yourself that every stage has its hard days.
For the single, the hard days might feel lonely.
For the dating, the hard days might feel stifling.
For the married, the hard days might feel overwhelming with responsibility.

Each stage has its struggles, and each stage has its blessings.

The trick is, on the hard days, remember the struggles of the other stages and remember the blessings of singleness. Remember what makes the good days good and remember what you like about being single.

Typical perspective:
"Everyone else MUST be happier than me. Look at that couple.. they're so happy! That's the ideal lifestyle. That's where I have to get to be happy."
...Flawed perspective.
That's what that is.

No life is perfect, and, despite popular belief, relationships are not the source of happiness.
In fact, there are people in relationships right this very moment as we speak who are envying single people, envying YOU, wishing they had the same type of freedoms as the single.
That's not to say that marriage isn't a beautiful, God-ordained institution, but that doesn't mean it is the measure of fulfillment.
Abiding in God's will is the source of joy and fulfillment. 
If they are in God's will, then that is the source of their joy.
If you are in God's will, then that is the source of your joy.

Like I said before, remember what you like about being single and what about it brings you joy.

For me, I remember that I am freer to serve in other, less restricted ways.
I don't have a man to have to be a support to right now, and I don't have children to raise.
Right now, my attention is solely on using my abilities and talents to serve God, spread Jesus and minister to others.
That's it.
I mean, I love and care for my family and friends, but the only human being I am currently officially responsible for is myself.
It keeps doors open.
It makes things simple.

Someday, God may give me those added responsibilities, but until then, I am free to minister in a career, free to minister on my own, free to minister to my family and free to focus on my own personal growth without those extra aspects of life.
All of those things are helping to build a foundation for me, showing me who I need to be in Christ before I can effectively be anything to anyone else (a wife, friend, helper, mother, etc.),
For that, I am thankful.

Simplicity.
That's my favorite thing about being single.
And, for me, that's what makes the good days, good days.

The Part Where I Explain

Well, friends, much misinterpretation could come regarding the motivation of the blog, so I think it's better to go ahead and clarify.

Some may think this is a place where single people can whine about their "condition" and figure out how to rid themselves of the "disease" that is singleness.
"So... just tell me how to get un-single."

False. 

Or, maybe some of you are thinking this is where we can gather as single people to rag on people in relationships and to talk about how overrated relationships are because we are "individualistic and strong."

False. False. False.

The issue is, whether single or whether in a relationship, we're missing the point.
All of us as human beings.
We're missing it.

The issue isn't whether we're single or in a relationship.
That's not the point.
We're not here to simply be single or to simply be married.
We're here to glorify God and to serve Him regardless of our circumstances.
That's the point.

The point is, that we, specifically as single people, have fallen into this mind-set that we haven't reached "it" (whatever "it" is) until we've achieved relationship status.
We've fallen into the pattern of wasting our singleness.

So that-- all of the above-- is why I have felt God pushing me to start this blog.
We've missed the point, and I think it's time to remind ourselves.
It's time to focus on glorifying God in every part our lives.

As my sister said today, "If you aren't satisfied with what God gives you as a single person, you won't be satisfied as a married person." And she's right.
In the same way, if we're not serving the Lord and glorifying God as single people, probability says that we probably won't be serving the Lord and glorifying God as married people.

Hope this clarified some things!

Embracing Singleness

It seems that the race of singles, even young ones, have been made to believe that their life somehow holds less meaning than if they were to be in some sort of relationship.
Well, as a young, single woman, I am here to prove the single population wrong.

It is my goal as a single female, with no prospective beaus (yes, I did just throw in the word beau... it just seems so much classier than the word "boyfriend"), to vulnerably share my adventures, my struggles, my lessons, my embarrassments and, well, my life with fellow singles.

My goals?
To be relatable.
To make you laugh.
To make you cry.
To encourage you.

But mostly...
To inspire you to embrace your singleness and enjoy it while you have it.
It's your life, so live it.

I don't know if anyone will read this, but I figure that, if anything, this blog will in turn act as a gateway to my past self, reminding me of who I was and what contributed to me being me.
Interesting experiences, life lessons, teachable moments, and all.
This blog will probably consist of testimonials, thoughts, quotes, etc. from other single folks I know as well as individuals in relationships, because let's face it- even our friends in relationships have been single (hard to believe.. I know).
Most of all, this blog will contain Scripture. Why?
Because without Scripture, there are no answers.
Whatever season in life we are in, GOD is our purpose. He is why we exist.

Now, before I go on, let me tell you that I will not pretend that I have never been guilty of being "that bitter single person," because.. well.. I have.
Well, my friends, this blog is to show that I have decided: no more.
I am sure there will be times when singleness, like every other season of life, will come with its struggles, but I refuse to live my life wishing I was living a different life.
Like I said before, THIS is the life God has blessed us with, so live it like it's a blessing.

So begins the saga of embracing singleness.