Minimize Worry

In ten days I leave for my cruise, this year I’ll be traveling to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Saint Maarten.  Am super excited for the vacation, but I have been worried about the trip.  Last year I had the most amazing time because I went without expectations- I was just excited to travel and even more excited about the excursions.  I never really looked at the cruise as a match-making opportunity, thus the aquatic holiday was a super time with people who share my love for God.  This year some of the friends I met last year will be returning to travel along with me and though they are all “girls” am super excited about seeing them again.  What worries me is that I made the decision that after returning from the trip I would try online dating, and now with the cruise two weeks away the time is coming to leave my comfort zone into a world that I have never traveled before.  I keep thinking if I meet someone on the cruise, life will be so much easier (smile)…  Now remember I haven’t dated in years and so am really rusty and not looking forward to the process of putting my heart out on the line and getting it stomped.  The whole internet dating process seems so odd and super difficult to me, I am still one of those traditionalist who believes in finding love the old fashion way…

My best friend (the non-practicing Buddhist) went on a couple of different dating websites herself and I mention her stand on religion because it’s important to the story.  She went on a few dates from hell with different men and that makes me question the credibility of the success of the sites.  On one date the guy “forgot” his wallet; on another date the guy didn’t get paid until Friday and they went out on Monday so he asked her if she could pay and he would pay her back; the last one had money to pay and she went on a second date with him and during the evening his wife called asking my friend to leave her baby daddy alone.  True stories!  But then I think, maybe it was because the sites she went on were not Christian sites.  I live vicariously through my friends sometimes and these experiences have really shaped my mind against online dating.

Inspired by Peanuts...

My brother in heaven used to promote giving myself deadlines on relationships so that I wouldn’t be wasting my or my partner’s time.  He also taught me to live my life with as few regrets as possible.  Thus, I told myself and talked it over with God that I would go on the cruise and then after I return sans a significant other then I will go into un-explored territory.  As the time approaches, the anxiety is rising, so I have decided to live one day at a time and to trust God will guide me.  My friend gave me this great Peanuts Thirty Day Devotional and Snoopy really knows the secret to living a life without worry and though he’s just an animated creation I think I will reduce my worries to a minimum.

The Book has a comic on one page...

And a brief Christian devotional on the following page.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?