That One Guy...

I don't typically write about this guy, because I'm not a fan of the girl who centers everything around her boyfriend, but I have to say, he's earned this post.

Josh is not the guy I would have chosen for myself two or three years ago. Although he is quite good-looking, he wasn't what I would have ever picked up out of a crowd. Boy, was I ever wrong. What makes Josh so special?

He prays with me.

And believe me, this is something I had never considered to even ask of a boyfriend until a little over a year ago. It wasn't something I thought of ever doing with anyone really, but one day we were laying around, and I just felt emotionally stretched to my breaking point and it just burst out of me.

"Will you pray with me?"

Now Josh knows that I write this blog, and I'm fairly certain he reads most, if not all of the posts. He sent me countless letters while I worked at the church camp this summer, he's been to Mass with me although he is not Catholic, he knows that God is a big deal in my life. Why I thought that this was an absurd thing to ask of him, I couldn't tell you, but I can tell you how touched I was when he said yes.

So there we were, sitting in my living room, holding hands, and praying; for strength, and patience, for help and love, and when we were done I was just blown away.

I'm not saying that I'm destined to marry Josh. But I am saying this, the love that I have for this man and the strength of our relationship would not be what it is without prayer.

Dating has only two outcomes; together forever or break up. Why waste your time on someone who doesn't fulfill your needs, including your spiritual ones? I've often told campers that my favorite dates are Mass dates. Get all dressed up, and meet your cutie at Mass, sit together, sing together, hug at the Sign of Peace; there is nothing better than going to church with your significant other.

A relationship isn't just you and your "other half" there's a third person in there too, and you have to make room for God. Otherwise, a relationship without God will never be as strong as it could with God.

Your relationship should always reflect the Holy Trinity, the Church, and the Love God has for the other two in the relationship.

There are other things about Josh that I love; his songs he makes up, the way he talks about his mom, his determination, and his insistence on eventually owning a pug. But my all-time favorite thing about Josh is that he wants the kind of relationship I had always wanted, but never knew how to ask for. And I would not trade that for the world.

Totus Tuus,

LeAnn

Perspective

This last week...

Oh buddy.  This last week has just been the pinnacle of my semester.  Not to be a "Debbie-Downer", but oh goodness, it's been a grueling past couple of weeks and this one just really stuck it to me.

Temptations were flying at me Friday night; the standard broke college kid fare of cheap alcohol and thrill of not being responsible for your poor decision-making the next morning.  But at the beginning of the semester, I signed a contract with parents that agreed to not partaking in drugs or alcohol illegally; so instead of getting hammered, I hightailed it home.

I'm lucky that I go to school only an hour and fifteen minutes from home; because as much as I would like it to be, Pittsburg KS is not my home.  The moment I turned on highway 37, I could feel so much tension fall off my body.  I could catch my favorite radio station, I knew these roads like the back of my hand.  There is a high amount of security in the area that you grew up in; and it was exactly what I needed.

Home was exactly what I needed to help me find what I had lost over the last few weeks; my perspective.  Perspective on what really matters; on my goals and my decisions.

That when it's all said and done, am I really going to remember the idiot who lied to me?  Is he worth letting my grades and other, more important personal relationships take a hit?

Absolutely not.

Because when it's all said and done, this is not my end goal.  I don't want to get married within the next two years, I definitely don't want to stay here indefinitely.  What needs to matter most is my future, my goals and plans, and how I'm going to get there.  I don't need a boyfriend; I need friends and family.  I don't need drama; I need to be able to focus.

By Sunday afternoon, at 3:30, I had pulled the sense of peace and security that I found at home into my heart and head, and I was ready to head back to Pittsburg.  And although PSU campus is not my home, McCray Hall, my friends, Twin, future is here, and that's enough perspective for me to be incredibly thankful for all I have.

So let me tell you; this next week is going to be much better.

Totus tuus,

LeAnn