You learn a lot by listening

You can really learn a lot about a person if you'd just take the time to listen. Unfortunately, these days it seems like people care more about talking about themselves than they do about actually getting to know and understand other people. I am a naturally shy person. Of course, when I'm around my close friends I come out of my shell, but in a group of people I don't know, I am most comfortable sitting by myself. I don't mind sitting alone and just not talking to anyone; It doesn't bother me one bit. Many people find it strange that someone would be comfortable sitting alone in a room full of people without talking to anyone, but I have found that you can learn a lot by just watching and listening to other people. It also works well when there are just two people together. For instance, a guy and a girl. Why in the world would you ever want to go on a date with a person and only talk about yourself? It seems utterly insane to me, to go on a date with someone, where the whole point is to get to know that person, and only talk about yourself and never stop to ask a question about the other person. It seems to me that many people don't even care. They would rather hear them self talk rather than inquire about your life. And if they do ask, well, they probably don't really care about your answer. They just want you to say something every once in a while. Maybe I'm not a super exciting person to be around, but when I ask a question about your life or what's going on with you, I genuinely care about the answer. I will be there to listen to you, but what is the point in having friends, if they never take the time to listen to and learn about what's happening in your life? Many people have that one thing they look for in their "significant other" and I can tell you right now that my "one thing" that my future husband will HAVE to possess is the quality of listening to me and really caring about what I have to say. I want him to actually enjoy listening to me! I want him to ask questions and genuinely be concerned about what I'm saying! Whether it be about my day, the fight I had with my mom, the outfit I saw at the store or what I had for lunch! I will know for sure when "the one" comes along and won't even have to second guess myself because he will do all those things. I believe every person could be a little less selfish and a little more caring about other people. If you really care about someone...listen to them. Just take to time to SHUT UP and maybe, just maybe, they'll open up their heart and share with you like friends should do.

Godly Love

One of my very best friends, Lauren Horne, got married yesterday. Lauren and I have been close friends since the eighth grade. I love her like a sister and was thrilled when she called and told me that she was engaged. That was about six months ago and she and all her close friends could not wait until the day she would walk down the aisle. Finally, the day arrived and before we knew it we were all standing up on the stage with Lauren and Patrick as they said their vows. I was the maid of honor and this gave me a great view of Lauren and Patrick during the ceremony, but as they turned and faced one another, I could only see Patrick's eyes. As I watched Patrick say his vows to Lauren, it was all I could do to keep from crying, because I saw a deep love and passion in his eyes as he looked at Lauren. It wasn't a lustful or infatuated love, but a truly godly love that filled his eyes and I know filled his heart as well. Both Lauren and Patrick got emotional as they pledged their lives to one another and it touched me how seriously they took the words they said to each other. Just watching the two of them this past weekend shows me not only how much they care about one another and their relationship, but that their priority in their relationship is God. I don't know Patrick that well but each time I am around him, I see what an outstanding man of God and true gentleman he is.

I saved a letter that Lauren wrote me back when we first started college. In fact, it was the first month we were in college. I was at the University of Mobile and she was at Mississippi State University, of course. The first letter described how she first was introduced to Patrick the first week she was at college and and how this "cute guy" (being Patrick) sat by her at Zaxby's. Well, the second letter kind of scared me a little. She told me that she knows people say this a lot but "he really could be the one" talking about Patrick and went on to reassure me that she was "serious as a heart attack and you know I wouldn't just say that about anyone." My first thought was " Oh gosh Lauren...You're going to go to college and fall for the first guy you meet and then get your heart broken." I was honestly worried about her because at this point I had never met Patrick and didn't know what kind of guy he was or anything about him. Looking back on that now, I realize that God brought Lauren and Patrick together and He had and still has a special plan for them. I know for a fact that Lauren and Patrick put God first throughout their dating relationship and their engagement and He has blessed them and I know He will continue to bless them for being faithful to Him. I have learned a lot from talking with Lauren about her relationship with Patrick and with God and I will continue to look to her for advice. I will also compare my future boyfriends to Patrick because I know he loves the Lord and will be a great leader in his and Lauren's marriage and family.
I wish Lauren and Patrick the very best in their marriage. If they put God first in their marriage like they have done in their relationship, I know God will continue to bless them beyond their imagination. I just can't wait to see what God will do next!

Life is Short

Yesterday was July 4th. Around 1 pm I was cleaning and getting ready for some friends to come over to hang out and do fireworks. I was texting all my friends to let them know what time to come over and it was then that one of my very best friends told me that her 21 year old cousin, John, had died in a car accident at 6 o'clock that very morning. I did not even hardly know John. I had maybe met him once or twice in passing and even Mandy was not extremely close to him, but I felt a deep sadness for his family and those close to him. I have an older brother who is 22 and cannot imagine what I would do if something happened to him all of a sudden like that. I hear on the news about people dying in car accidents every single day but this time, actually knowing who the person was, made it a lot more real. It just made me realize how little we think about life and death. We are not guaranteed tomorrow or even the next hour! I am sure as John was driving home yesterday morning he was thinking about what he would be doing that day to celebrate the Fourth of July, not IF he would live to see it. I assume way to much in my life. I assume that I will live for at least sixty or seventy more years. I assume that I will get married and have children and I assume that my parents will live long enough to be grandparents to my children. I also assume that I will have plenty of time to straighten out my life a couple years down the road. I tell myself that I will start living the way God wants me to live after I graduate from college. Before college I told myself that I would do what God wanted me to do when I graduated from high school or when I got to college. God will still be there for me when I graduate college just like He was when I graduated from high school but there is no guarantee that I will still be here. Life is too short to put off the things that are important. If feel that there is something God wants me to do, then I should feel more of an urgency to live for Him and follow His will and His plan for my life. I may die when I am an old lady. Or I could die tomorrow, but either way, I will be ready and leave no regrets if I am doing the Lord's will and following His plan for my life. God never wants bad things to happen to people but I believe He can always bring something good out of every situation. I hope that this accident was a wake-up call to many people because it definitely was to me.