Not Alone Series: Physical Affection

Linking up with Jen at Jumping in Puddles and Morgan at Follow and Believe.

Everyone has different ideas on physical affection and where their personal boundaries lie. What boundaries do you draw or expectations do you have for physical affection in romantic relationships? Have specific experiences led you to draw these lines?

Oh man. Big topic, Jen and Morgan!

Two things I want to share before answering: I've never been in a romantic relationship, and my primary love language is touch.

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Seriously, Jessie is pretty much me. 

Since physical touch is so important to me, I know that Mr. TDH and I will be discussing this in depth throughout our relationship. I want to honor both of us, glorify the Lord, and show affection without worrying about regrets later. That's it for me, really, because I don't think I can say I will or will not do a specific thing...too complicated! So glorify God while showing affection without regrets. Boom. 

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What do you think? Head over to Jen's for more posts on this topic!

31 Days of Writing: Day Six “Open Letter”

Write an open letter to anyone.
Dear Cute Couples,

I’m happy for you, I really am. You guys are in the beginnings and middles of your stories together, and it’s so cool to watch how God orchestrates things.

My story with someone hasn’t begun yet. Most of the time I’m ok with that. I’d rather be single than in relationship with someone who is not my someone. But some days, like today when you Cute Couples sit in church around me on every side, it’s hard not to wish for my someone to show up… like, yesterday.

However, you Cute Couples remind me that there are things worth waiting for. You remind me that when relationships start at the right time, in the right way, with the right person, there really is a holiness and wonder in being an us. And that makes me excited, both to wait for and to meet someone. So I guess what I’m trying to say is this: thanks for being a Cute Couple.

Bek

**linking up with Victoria. Join us here!**


***Update 10-7-13: it was brought to my attention that this is a potentially awkward topic {gee, Bek, why didn't you think of that? Because it was 11:30pm when I wrote this...sigh} and that some people might react in ways that I did not intend.

My heart in this open letter is to let you know that sometimes it's hard to be single when you're seemingly surrounded by Cute Couples. I think almost everyone would agree with me that at some point in their single life, they sighed and threw up their hands and said "woe is me!" I raised my hand just now. But I don't want to stay in the "woe is me" stage, and the Cute Couples around me help build my anticipation for my someone as much as they frustrate my singleness.

The point of this letter is this: right now I'm a unicycle in a bicycle world, and I'm doing fine. Cute Couples, please don't feel weird or conspicuous around me. I love you dearly, and I'm happy to be a part of your story. Single friends, let's not mope around in our unicycle season. Being a unicycle is fun and challenging, but so is being a bicycle. Let's enjoy the season we're in and not try to take over the bike shop.

Follow Up

Dear readers, if you would like to add another log to the fire burning inside of you against public schools, read this article published today by the Seattle Times. As you read this article, or even if you don't, think about something that my mom told me.

I was complaining to her about my English 101 teacher. He would continually make comments about us writing our papers the morning before they were due, or he would give us time in class to read something that we should have read before class. I was telling my mom this, and she said something like this, "Your students will only go as far as your expectations. The lower your expectations, the less the students will do, because they will respond to the level of expectation on them."

This message was confirmed by my pastor at the beginning of my year as a Master's Commission student. My pastor encouraged my class to write down our expectations for the year, and then as we neared graduation, look and see how many of our expectations had been met and exceeded. I have to say, all of mine were, and I believe it's because I was expecting it!

If I had thought that nothing would change, that I wouldn't learn anything, that life would just be the same, I believe that that reality would have been established. But because my pastor encouraged our expectations, they were met, and things changed! Expect more.