Handsome Stranger

My transfer from flights on the way home from Thailand wasn't so boring with a good book. My sister brought me a Christian romance novel from home to read on the plane. It's been a long time--since high school--since I'd read one.

Surrounded by dark skinned, dark haired Indians in the Calcutta airport, I stood to get in line to board my plane and out of nowhere appeared this brunette, caucasian guy. I was in line right behind him and was continually astounded by his similarities to me--his western dress, his backpack, his brown hair, how tall he was, even his smell. Crazy the things that catch my interest now days. lol...

We loaded the bus to be chartered to the plane. I purposely faced out the window on the opposite side of the bus so I wouldn't be tempted to stare. Amazing how all these dark skinned folks around me automatically draws me again to stare and be intrigued by a similar person--even after 2 weeks with Americans in Thailand!

Before reaching the plane he began a phone conversation--definitely with someone same-cultured. I even found myself attracted to his voice and his accent. He sounded like he could have grown up right next door to me!

As we boarded the plane and into to the flight, my thoughts were consumed with ponderings of who this fellow could be--was he really going to my city in the middle of nowhere? We don't get foreigners here...Could he be on a "trip" to help people in my city? Does he work there? Is he a believer? Endless conversations with him played in my imagination on into the flight. I began thinking, I should not be reading this romance novel! I couldn't believe how it'd set my mind racing and the different conversations running through my mind--all of them playful and honestly, rather forward. I was shocked at myself!

Here I was just the past 2 months, completely content in my singleness for the first time in my life! Going into our Annual General Meeting with the most confidence ever that I was content in being single and then realizing--I love being single! But, am I really content to be married if that's what God calls me to? I really struggled most of the 10 days of our meetings with "getting married."

I love being single! I love my job! I love spending so much time with women in their homes! Making my own decisions, doing things my way...Did I really want to give all that up to be a full time wife and mother? That scared me--more than I thought it would. I mean, my whole life I couldn't wait to be a wife and mother, and now, upon realizing just how awesome it was being the single that I am right now, did I really want to give this up?

After lots of praying and lots of guidance and outward processing with people I respect, like my accountability partner, supervisors, my mom, and some other older married couples at our meetings, I think the Lord brought me to contentment. Really, only in the past few days have I been able to say--I love being single and am content now, but I will also love being married and will be content in that time and place that the Lord has for me.

Crazy, I've always wanted to be married, but I guess I didn't really know what that entailed till these past 6 months of enjoying singleness. But, when the Lord calls, I'm willing to go contently, knowing life will be different, but still lovely, in a different way.

So, back to this handsome stranger. I finally couldn't take it any more. I said a brief prayer and went to sit across the aisle form him so I could ask where he was from.

CANADA. Ouch. Guess that means I'm a lot more of a Yankee than I ever wanted to admit. (Or he sang in a choir or did drama or something and learned how to correctly pronounce things without an accent...lol...). Turns out he works for some oil company and is here on business seeing some clients and not even headed to my city. We made some friendly chat and I politely returned to my seat. He wanted to know what hotel I was staying at and made some reference to drinking...that did it for me. Not my type--maybe handsome on the outside, but he sure didn't make my knees melt or my heart twitter. I returned to my book to let someone else's heart throbbing experience carry me away until I reached home.

Bottom line:

• I'm content being single
• I'm content getting married, when the time comes
• And I should not read Christian romance novels :)
  

Another one bites the dust

I just left another umbrella at a friend's house. That's 3 umbrellas this week I've lost. Crazy. I just can't remember when I leave a wet umbrella outside and it's not raining when I leave! Now I really have to go buy another one. I don't think I'd survive without an umbrella, and after living here, I will definitely never underestimate the usage of this lovely contraption:

• Staying dry--it rains all so randomly and frequently during monsoon season (now).
• Shading from the sun--that sun is killer strong! If I don't use an umbrella when it's sunny:

1. My friends all scold me.
2. I get worse tan lines.
3. I'd sweat more than if I had one...however, when walking outside in the heat, I'm usually soaked to the bone with sweat by the time I reach wherever I'm going anyway, so I don't know how it'd make much difference, but I do know I sweat more without the umbrella blocking some sun.
   

• When I walk past men in the streets who are inappropriately starring at me, I hold the umbrella just low enough to block their stare from my eyes, so I can't tell they're starring.

What would I do without it? Well...buy a new one, I guess...

[Woman with her umbrella ready, working in the tea gardens nearby where I live...]

What are we so unhappy about?

Jay Leno wrote this:

As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, butthis is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hitthe mark. The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across somePoll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with thedirection the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy withthe performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just isn't happy and wants a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, What are we so unhappy about?

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D.. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.


I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the e envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has b been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it.

The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and en d up with either a 'general' discharge, an 'other than honorable' discharge or, worst case scenario, a 'dishonorable' discharge after a few days in the brig.


So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you wan t but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way.....Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day or at least be thankful and appreciative. With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?

Jay Leno