Lands across the sea are calling me
with ancient melodies known to poets
and singers and dancers and players
of mandolins, pipes, flutes, and castanets.
Windmill-dotted mesetas, boggy moors,
breezy and sunny coastlands, these cradles
of small civilizations that struggled for identity,
for autonomy, for a chance, these must
nurture little tucked-away corners
whose names echo deep places in me.
Their music composes my workday's soundtrack.
Their history beckons my perusal, infinitely
more seductive than misplaced punctuation.
Like artisans before me, I must put down
in clumsy lines and rhymes the kinship
that is sounded in my mind and soul and heart.
I am a traveler without pack or mule or ship
but with an insatiable brain, a guidebook, and pen and paper
or a computer and keyboard, I travel and chronicle
the mysterious pathways of the twists and turns
of culture that reveal God's creativity, if we but look.

"To God be the glory, great things He hath done..." (from "To God Be the Glory"; words by Fanny Crosby, music by William Doane).

A great thing He has done. He has kept me single all these years. He has protected me from abusive dating relationships and from disastrous marriages. He has graciously led me to this season of my life (not the single season, but this time, regardless of its label) and is showing Himself to me. He gives me second, third, fiftieth, hundredth chances to love, honor, and obey Him. He shows me the beauty in His creation, especially the sometimes unexpected beauty to be found in the crowning aspect of that creation---humans. He has uniquely gifted me to be able to do interesting, creative things for Him and to serve other people. He gives opportunities to use those gifts in different ways. I can focus my life on pleasing Him, if I choose, and that is the choice He desires I make but still leaves the choice to me. Amazing love. To love so completely, so unconditionally...that He gave Himself for me but did not force me to love Him back. He woos me and you and you and you to Himself. And He teaches our hearts to look for Him with longing eyes and straining ears.

I see Him dancing at the wedding at Cana, when I see the trees dance. I see the twinkling of His eyes when the disciples finally GOT IT, when I see the stars gleam. I see His determination to love when it doesn't make sense, when I see the mountains resolutely standing through rain, snow, and wind. I see Christ's trust in the Father, when I see a child look lovingly up at an adult and waiting for the adult to lead the child to a snack, to bed, or to a book corner for a snuggly read. I see His creativity in the writings I read in various media. I see Him everywhere.

Illuminate is the word I have chosen to name my life. I wan to illuminate Christ so that the world sees Him. By definition, the word illuminate means "to enlighten spiritually or intellectually; to supply or brighten with light; to make luminous or shining; to set alight; to subject to radiation; to make clear [AHA!!!]; to make illustrious or resplendent [OOH, I like that word!]; to decorate with gold or silver or brilliant colors or often with elaborate designs or miniature pictures [like the Bibles that the Celtic monks made, copying the Scriptures over and over and illustrating them...or illuminating them, actually!]." (I think that was a Merriam-Webster definition, by the way.) Of course, some may refuse to see, but I pray that all eyes will be opened to Him, including mine.

He is my sunlight, so it doesn't matter that Music City is covered in grey today. (Can you guess where I live?) It just so happens that He's allowed me borrowage of sunlight from neighbor co-workers across the hall. {Can you tell that I invent words? I love it!}

Challenge for today: If you could choose one verb to state your mission in life, what would it be? Make it an active verb, not passive. And don't worry if you can't think of one right away. Chew on that thought for a while. And when you choose a verb, make it into a poster and stick it on your fridge or mirror, somewhere you look every day. Remember that God put you here on earth to be for Him and to do things for Him and for others. He will show you your unique shape.

Recommended reading: your Bible!; Purposeful Singleness (Web site full of articles) at www.singleness.org; The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren; The Path by Laurie Beth Jones; My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers; Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis; The Chronicles of Narnia (an eight-book series...find it in the children's section of your bookstore) by C. S. Lewis; The Sacred Romance by Eldredge and Curtis and The Journey of Desire by Eldredge

God loves you, so love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

ejs

It's been a few days since I did the technical work (not very hard mind you) to start the blog and message board but I want to introduce myself as one of the other contributors to this blog.

My question of late has been 'why get married?' What is its purpose beyond procreation? Is it another ministry opprotunity? Is it the need for community? I can understand why God said 'it is not good for man to be alone' and created Eve. We are social beings and need to be in community.. and for Adam and Eve were the original community and their relationship was marriage based. Some churches take this as the ultimate in human relationships. I am not convinced of that. God does not play favorites. Paul talks extensively on the benefits of both singleness and marriage. This doesn't mean that I'm opposed to marriage. Not at all.

I wonder why such an emphasis is placed on being married if God doesn't place one above the other. Why are singles often treated as second class citizens by the church? Why have we made it such a big deal with over half of the American population is in some state of singleness (never married, divorced, widowed). Why do so many churches place most of their resources into marriage and family oriented ministries when if they did a simple demographic survey they would find that probably a third or more of their congregation is single?

That's a big resource that isn't being used effectively. At my own church, CrossPoint Community Church in Nashville, the pastor caught some heat when he did a couple of messages that were geared toward the singles in the church. His response was that singles were a part of the body, too.. and that married people should not focus just on the couples/family bubble. It wasn't going to kill them to listen to a message on being single. After all, single people listen to sermons on building marriages and strengthening families on a greater average than the other way around. As a pastor, he has to minister to his entire flock - not just the married couples or parents.

So, welcome to the stream of conciousness that is The Single Factor. I would encourage you to take what we say, chew on it and post your response on the message board.

In my yen for knowing what God put me on this earth to do, I thought that some activities were spiritual and others were not. I thought that certain careers or vocations were more spiritual than others. Well, not true! Chapter 9 of The Purpose Driven Life (by Rick Warren) explains that no activity is unspiritual when it is done for the purpose of pleasing God.

I do remember a time I dried my hair to glorify God. Strange it sounds, yes, but here's why that choice was so significant. I used to come to work with my hair wet or damp a lot. I knew that it gave the impression that I didn't care about my work or about the job or about God's providing me with an opportunity to support myself as a young single gal. So I made an effort to dry my hair. I think I sang to Him while I did it. And I cried. (I cry a lot.) And I didn't hate my hair that day! I believe God smiled when I dried my hair that morning.

Another time I think God smiled was when I hugged a homeless man. I said to Him, "God, let this be You hugging this man, He needs Your love." And I pray that the man felt God's love, whether he interpreted as such or not.

OH! And get this! Rocketown (a downtown ministry to young people in our city...spear-headed by Michael W. Smith and other supporters) is having a Second Chance Prom to raise money. I think some gal pals (and maybe some spunky, brave fellas) and I are going to go! Ididn't go to my high school prom and haven't made it to a theater performance decked out in finery, and I've dreamed of going to a formal event in a beautiful dress. And it so happens that I've got this gorgeous bridesmaid's dress (in red even!) that totally looks like a prom dress. Very simple, elegant, classy. So I'm gonna go and make a terrific memory and do it for the glory of God, rather than to try to get some high school Casanova to like me. And you can bank on my having great hair that night! ;o]

My challenge to you today: What mundane task can you transform into an important, God-glorifying assignment just by dedicating the doing of it to Him?

Blessings as you pursue the One who made you to love Him and loves you so much that He died for you!

ejs

Are you purpose-driven? Am I? I'm not sure what I'm driven by these days. I think what drives me changes. Wonder why. Hrm... That needs chewing on.

Today a group of co-workers and I are doing the second session of 40 Days of Purpose, the companion campaign to Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life. I'm looking forward to delving into the first on the list of our five reasons for living---for God's pleasure (in other words, to worship Him).

Perhaps I'll post later with some thoughts from today's class.

Tah!

Welcome to a new blog! I bet you're wondering what's up with the name of this thing? "The Single Factor"? What is she talking about? Well, keep reading.

The Single Factor......for many of us, it's our marital status. Perhaps you're Single and Looking, or you're Single and Loving It. I hope you're not Married and Exploring Options (unless you're buying a new car...then options are good)! My exploration, please join me on it, is to discover that one is NOT the loneliest number. The word "one" needs to gain a positive connotation...one purpose, one focus, one life to live here on earth (not the soap opera) and one life that extends through eternity, one way to determine where you will end up in eternity.

I don't know all the answers, but I know the One who does.

Check back for more!

elainejuly