I Have Left My Heart In So Many Places

The moment I heard about the earthquake in Nepal my heart broke. I think because I left a piece of it back in Nepal with the people I spent so much time laughing with, eating with, and living with on a daily basis.

I had been torn between sticking to the alumni trip to Cuba or going to Nepal to be beside the people of Nepal as they pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

You see the thing is, I portray myself to be a hard-ass...not easily broken...an emotionally strong woman. In reality those that know me know that seeing the people of the world suffer can bring me to my knees in a moment. My heart aches every time I see a new update from my friend Reuben. See the brokenness of the people he is serving. Watching the emptiness in their eyes take over as he speaks to them about their homes being gone. It would be easy to not watch the videos or scroll through the pictures but God has given me a heart for his people and I can't do that.

I recently made the decision to transfer my funds from the alumni trip to Cuba to a trip to Nepal in December of this year with Adventures in Missions. This is an all adult trip that will go to Nepal to help in the rebuilding efforts. The more I thought about Reuben and the more I prayed about why my heart was feeling unsettled about Cuba, I knew that I should listen.

I'm going to make this one short and sweet... Please pray for Nepal.

Pray for the World Race team that is there currently serving.

Pray for the upcoming trips Adventures in Missions will be doing this fall including the one I am signed up for in December.

Pray for Reuben and his team as they are going out daily to take food,water,blankets,and aid to people in villages that have not been reached since the first earthquake. Below are some pictures that Reuben and his team have taken during their trips out to rural villages. Continue to lift them up in your prayers in the days and weeks to come as they continue their efforts!

Photo Credits :Reuben Rai 

Stage 5 Clinger

"A date is an experience you have with another person that makes you appreciate being alone"

- Larry David 

I was trying to be more open minded and not so rigid on my choice of men.

I wanted to try and be more open to dating a man who I may not be immediately attracted to at first but could grow to be fond of down the road.

I had people keep telling me I was too picky and that I needed to not jump to conclusions so quickly on people... so that's what I did.

I said yes to go on a date with a man that I wasn't necessarily attracted to at first but he seemed nice...seemed genuine...what could it hurt?

During our correspondence of getting to know each other before our big date he seemed to take a genuine interest in me. Texting frequently...calling every so often...asking lots of questions. At first it didn't bother me too much and I just thought well we are just getting to know each other it may just be an in the beginning type thing. So I went with it and agreed to go on a Harley ride with him and his buddies for charity.

I put on my knee high black boots, that velvet red lipstick, and prepared for our first date.

I was a tad nervous because I hadn't rode Harley's that much but it seemed fun!

When I met his friends for the first time and he introduced me as his girlfriend, the red flags started popping up everywhere...

Girlfriend? This is our first date mister... My face was as red as my hair and lips...

Every part of me was wanting to bail at that point but I kept telling myself no... I need to be open minded...maybe he misunderstood...maybe he just really likes me...maybe he...ahhh hell let's be honest...maybe this is why this guy is single!

There wasn't really any way I could get out of this date. The man picked me up on his Harley and we were 25 minutes away from my vehicle. So I stuck it out and hopped on the back of the bike for the next 3-4 hours. During that time we stopped a couple of times and he tried to be affectionate towards me...

If anyone knows me at all knows that my body language and face say everything... I wasn't having it! Please stop touching me, trying to hold my hand, and dear Lord please stop kissing my cheek every time you put my helmet on me... I am not a 3 year old! I was in sheer panic mode at this point. I was texting friends alerting them to the Stage 5 Clinger status I had going on at that time. Mayday Mayday... S.O.S.

I powered through the ride trying to enjoy the scenery and the fact that he couldn't really talk to me while we were going 60 MPH down the highway. Once the date was over and I was safely back in my car I felt free. Screw open mindedness on dating...this guy was crazy!

I finally got home and jumped in the shower...10 minutes later I had 7 missed calls and several text messages. "Do you like me?" "Why are you on Facebook but you can't text me back?"

SERIOUSLY?!? I finally fessed up and told him he was too clingy and his response? "How am I clingy?" You just called me 7 times in 10 minutes and checked up on me and you don't know how you are clingy? After several texts back and forth I finally ended up blocking his number.

If this is what dating is I will take being single with my cat Carl.

Hear me now... I do not claim to be an expert on dating (clearly as evidence from above) but why does being picky have to be a bad thing? So what I have a list... I have a list of must haves and don't even think about its. I have things that I want and things that make me run the other way. Yes, I am single and 29 but I'm also not 29 and wishing I wasn't married to someone I was so open-minded about years earlier.

Being opened minded about the way a man chews is totally different than being opened minded about someone who makes you feel suffocated. Someone who is already asking you to give up things you are involved in and put time towards isn't something I want to be open minded about.

That dating qualities list...its not super long...but it now has No Stage 5 Clingers added under Christian and Must Have a Sense of Humor.