Sex & Chocolate....He's Just Not That Into You

Ok so first!...Last week at HBU, as Residence Life staff, we put on two events right before Valentine's day. For guys only!, there was Sex & Video Games: food, video games, and open conversation about relationships, sex, etc. For girls only!, there was Sex & Chocolate: chocolate bar, chocolate fountain, pretty tables, and lots of girl talk! :)

From what I hear, (I of course was not there since I am a girl and it was BOYS ONLY!), Sex & Video Games had a good turnout and a great discussion time with their panel! Like I said though...I can't really attest to much of what went on there. (and I'm not so sure I want to know!)

But I can talk about Sex & Chocolate! We had an awesome turnout! We didn't have a single empty table and the Q&A time with our panel was superb :) We had a very diverse panel of amazing women, all completely willing to share their hearts and horror stories with us for the evening.

I think that as girls, we have the tendency to head in the wrong direction whenever we have questions or concerns about things like relationships, dating, sex, etc. I know from personal experience,and from observing girls around me, that we always look horizontally. We stay at eye level and look for someone who is exactly like us, with the same personality, same age, same track record with relationships, same emotional maturity level, same spiritual maturity level...to give us advice. Why in the world do we think that will help? Seriously. What good is that going to do? This is where we run into trouble. We base every action and emotion and decision on the shallow word of some girl who knows no better than ourselves what should actually be done....then we end up in a mess and wonder how in the world we didn't see it coming. Hmm....go figure.

Participating in things like Sex & Chocolate or having good, Godly mentors is a great way to stay away from stupid advice and dumb decisions. Find someone older (not ancient necessarily, but with a few more years under their belt!). Find someone wiser. Find someone more rational and mature than you are! Find someone that can provide some spiritual guidance and encouragement! Friends just like you are great....but influential people with a little more experience can be great friends too. Plus, they give much better advice!

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On a different note, I saw He's Just Not That Into You a few weeks ago and since then have heard nothing but negative things about it from women I've been around. Now, granted, there were things in the movie that I thought were inappropriate, I'll just be honest and say that, for the most part, I completely disagree with the things I've heard. Don't stop reading just yet, please! Allow me to explain.

1. I in no way thought that they were communicating that it's ok to have a relationship with a married man because, who knows, maybe you're actually the one for him instead of his wife. Yeah, I didn't see that at all. The whole point of the movie was to show what goes wrong when, as women, we do the wrong things in relationships. I saw the whole Scarlett Johansson situation as a clear message saying: Do not even THINK about even attempting a relationship with a married man. That is a NO-zone. Not allowed. It will, without a doubt, end badly. It was a disaster example...at least that's how I saw it.

2. Ok. Jennifer Aniston and Ben Afleck. The way I saw it, all through the movie, Jennifer Aniston's character just wanted to get married. She wanted the title, not really the relationship. By her agreeing to love Ben Afleck's character even if he wouldn't marry her, I saw it as her finally realizing that she wanted him, not just the wedding. Of course, he proposes anyway, but she had to come to that realization before he could!

3. I also don't think that the movie was trying to communicate that all men are evil liars that will never commit and always be jerks.....I did, however, get that men aren't perfect, which, thank you for reminding me. I think that sometimes I forget. Men and women are different. Very different...and neither sex is perfect. Sometimes men act without thinking. Sometimes woment think too much and never act. We both have our faults....that's just the way it is.

Please, feel free to disagree. I did it first, after all. Tell me I'm crazy and insane...I can take it! :)

And let me add....this is by no means a favorite movie of mine. I'm not even sure that I would recommend anyone watch it before it's in the RedBox....it wasn't sensational. Apparently it didn't communicate anything positive to anyone but me....but hey, I'm willing to admit I'm a little unique!

my etsy favorites...

These are just a few of the precious things I LOVE on Etsy!

these darling earrings and ring are available in tons of different styles from bethne3!

This cute clutch and others like it, but totally different! can be ordered from JohnMetBetty!

These notecards made from vintage magazine clippings are available from ArdethandBetty!

these pillows from olive are adorable and there are so many different designs! this postcard pillow can be custom made with your own message and address!

Rainboots!

Today has been one of those days...the good ones!

It started with a fun girls' breakfast at IHOP with some girls from our HBU small group and our leader, Becky! It was great to get to have some girl time and chit-chat over pancakes!

God has been reminding me all day of the people in my life that I love and that love me completely--not that my joy comes from knowing I'm appreciated, but sometimes...you just NEED to KNOW! I totally got that today, and it was SO good! Praise God for His love that's shown in others!

I have been praying for a reason to wear my rainboots (blue with yellow polka dots! love them!) for a month. I was willing to settle for anything: hurricane, faulty sprinkler, overflowing bathtub...seriously. ANYTHING!

And it rained today!!!!

It drizzled most of the afternoon (which, by the way, is not good enough reason to wear rainboots, as I have been told. apparently, there have to be puddles...go figure!) and then....it really RAINED!!!! So I quickly donned my rainboots, and walked straight through all the puddles!

It could rain every day...I'd be thrilled :)

One last try!

I'm giving blogging one last try! There's no telling how many times I've set a blog up, done about...two posts...and then given up. Hopefully this time will be a little different!

I guess I'll take this blog to explain the title: "Girl on a Mission..."

Missions is a big part of my life, a big part of my family. My dad is involved in full time missions, and even long before that, the responsibility to spread the Gospel was highly encouraged in our home. I grew up going to Girls in Action, giving to mission offerings, praying every day for the man or woman on the missions prayer calendar. With so much history there, it made sense to me when I felt God placing a burden on my heart for missions. It all fit together so well. (God does a good job of that doesn't He?...Surprises us and blows us away. Only He could get away with it!)

In my pursuit to live a mission minded life for Christ, I've learned several things:

1. We're all missionaries. Every single one of us. Whether you live in a hut in Honduras or a house in Houston, you're called by God to be a witness and a testimony to His name!

2. You don't need an airplane to get to a mission field. You don't even need a car. God may have placed a need in my heart to participate in missions, but I don't have to wait to "grow up" to do it. I don't even have to wait for a summer mission trip. I'm on a mission trip. I'm in a mission field. This thing He's called me to is NOW!

In The Great Commission we're told to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, HCSB) It doesn't say "If you feel like it today, go make disciples." It doesn't say "If you get some fuzzy feeling, go make disciples." It doesn't even say "If you're willing to live in the middle of the Sahara, go make disciples." Jesus Christ's commission to us says "GO." Just GO! No room for discussion, no questions about it. Just go! Whether it's down the street or across the globe, GO!

So I'm on a mission! I'm constantly praying for God to use me in the mission field I'm in right now, with the people He's put me near right now! So you'll be hearing all about it!...among other things, I'm sure!

Much love in His name!