The year 2012 is well underway as we enter into March next week.  Thankfully, I can say that this has been a good year.  It seems over the last 2 years I was so often living in survival mode, one crisis after another.  This year has been so different.  First, I haven’t been in constant pain as I have in the past.  I am giving credit to the much needed 3 week break from school over Christmas, allowing my muscles to relax.  

I’ve also been trying to get class work done in advance knowing that everything will be due at the same time…never fails.  I guess by the time I graduate in a year, I’ll have this grad school thing down pat.  LOL!  I took 2, supposedly, difficult theology-based classes together this semester thinking it would super tough.  But in all actuality, I’m enjoying these classes.  They make me think.  One of them I have every week, which I really like.  I feel like I get more out of the class in smaller bites.  The other is a 2 weekend intensive course.  That all day Saturday seems to last forever!  I get overwhelmed with so much information packed into such a short time.  But I’m learning.  

Because I feel so much more relaxed, I’ve ventured back into the online dating scene.  I have decided to take a different approach to dating.  I have been so picky that I won’t even date a guy who does not meet all of my criteria for marriage.  Well, what is dating anyway?  Does it really HAVE to only be used to find your future spouse, or maybe it can be a learning experience as you test out different personalities, maybe even making friends alone the way.  I’ve been taking this dating thing way too seriously.  So, I’ve met someone, who does NOT meet my criteria, but seems nice and likes me a lot.  He claims to be a Christian, but certainly doesn’t have an evenly yolked faith.  He’s also divorced TWICE, which is another big red flag.  On the other hand, we have a lot of common interests.  So, why not go out as friends?  He wants companionship and we like similar things.  We’ve chatted and spoken on the phone.  Maybe we’ll meet next week for dinner or something.  If I wait for Jesus himself, I’ll  never go out.  I want to always be in a state of learning, and I believe I can learn from every guy I get to know.  Just because I agree on going out with someone, it doesn’t mean I have to be married to them.  This is something I learned from my earlier years dating before marriage.  I tended to “marry” every boyfriend.  I want to do things differently this time.  I just make it very clear up front where I stand and that I am not ready for a committed relationship right away.  I’m going to have a good time with no strings attached.  

I am also prepared to do this because I have felt that I have had a little more time lately due to the lack of crisis in my life.  I am able to take on dating, at least for now.  We’ll see how this goes.  This is a test, and it may fail.  But you only live once!