Another Job Offer!

What?!?!

Yes, you read that right.

My old employer called to offer me a full time position.

What on earth?!

I Had a Catholic Date.

I just got back from a date. With a Catholic boy.

We went to mass. (mass!)

We ate dinner at a little Italian bistro on main street.

We argued (teasingly) over whether "orderly" was an adverb or and adjective in a particular sentence.

We saw Elvis' birthplace.

We missed our turn and got lost on the highway for ten minutes.

We might do all this again sometime soon.

And I just might like that to happen, very very much.

Men vs. Women: A Meditation

I think it's safe to say that I've been doing a lot of meditation on men and women recently. Moreover, I've bought a single Catholic girl's dating guide, and in passing conversation with one of those Catholic boys I mentioned earlier, in talking about the LGBT movement, I stated, "I don't understand it. The relationship between a man and a woman will always be deeper and more mysterious than the one between a man and a man or a woman and a woman." I've also been watching sappy Korean romance dramas. Needles to say, this has been at the forefront of my mind lately.

I'm not saying I've got it all figured out, but something did occur to me the other day while reading an article about how young men used to be primed in manners and behavior toward young ladies. Boys were taught to be gentlemen. Gentlemen go out of their way for women - opening doors, pulling out chairs, letting ladies walk out first. But really, when you think about it, both parties are actively doing something.

First, men are active givers. We need to look no further than the Holy Trinity to see this example played out. God the Father gave us His Son. His Son gave us the Holy Spirit. Giving, giving, giving. And it's all characterized as a male action. Men (or men with properly ordered desires) like to give as well. Whether it be gifts in the process of trying to woo a girl, or providing for the family he has created, men like to give. And not to be too crass, but you also see this idea at work in the marriage act. Men give their sperm to a woman.

Women, on the other hand, I believe, occupy a far more unique position. Women are receivers. Far too long has literature and popular opinion characterized this as a passive act.  In fact, probably the worst thing to happen regarding this is the advent of feminism. Really though, reception is an active action. When given a gift, a person is never obligated to receive it. And on top of that, a gift needs to be received with a humble spirit. This is a major fault I have with feminism, and by extension, the LGBT movement - it's rooted in pride. For example, I know a man can open the door for me, but it doesn't necessarily mean he thinks I'm helpless. No, the man is going out of his way, giving a little extra to me, to make my life a little easier. In response, I should graciously and humble accept his action, and by doing so, I am acknowledging reception of his small gift to me. Biblically, of course, the pinnacle of womanly reception would be Mary. But we all know Mary had to actively accept the gift she was given. Moreover, the gift of both Jesus and the Spirit, was given to the church, who is inherently characterized as the Bride of Christ, a female.  And again, the marriage act also exemplifies this. A woman receives the sperm of a man. Just as giving is characterized as a male act, receiving is a very female act.

A lot of our literature that we like to read, especially our romantic comedies, are about this too. Specifically, I'm thinking of The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare. The shrew is tamed, but what's really happening is that Bianca is learning how to be a gracious and humble receiver of the gifts her lover is trying to give to her.

So there you have it. Feel free to discuss. Like I said, it's just something I've been pondering.

What's Different?

So, I re-read my last post, and it's got me thinking.

What happened? What's different? Why did I ever diverge away from Catholic boys in the first place?

I don't know if it was I wanted the complete opposite of Heathcliff or what. I do know trying to find a Catholic boy in Columbus pretty much made me want to give up hope and dating completely.

In fact, I almost went screaming the other direction when the first Catholic boy contacted me. I looked at his profile and his message and told my roommate "No, no, no! He's Heathcliff all over again." To which she rolled her eyes, read his message, and his profile and said,  "He's your type. That's what you like. You need to give him a chance."

So why am I gung ho and okay with this now? Is it just time? Am I ready to date after 1 year and 3 months? (I'll answer that for you - no! I quite like being single, and the idea of having to give up some of myself to another person, well, that just doesn't appeal to me at all). Is it because I'm so okay with myself and being predominately by myself that I'm now being afforded real opportunities with Catholic boys?

I'm not sure. It's just something to think about, for a moment, at least.

Oh my goodness! Catholic Boys!

I have seen the light. Dating/Talking/Hanging out with Catholic boys makes all the difference in the world.

Currently, there are about three boys in play, two of which, are Catholic. And my, oh my, how different it is talking with those two compared to the not Catholic boy.

They're smart, funny, witty, intelligent, and they don't look at me like I have three heads when I mention a saint. We can play the "hey guess my confirmation name" game. We can talk about our opinions of Vatican II, our priests, and our parishes. I don't have to explain why I can only eat fish on Friday (and it's not because I want you to pay for my expensive sushi). It's like you have an instant bond with someone you don't really know.

That's not to say the non-Catholic boy isn't smart, funny, or intelligent. It's just there's not as strong of a connection there.

I'm completely open to a cradle Catholic or a Catholic convert. But now I can see why people would encourage me to date only Catholic boys.

As a side note, I start my new job Monday. It's weird. I feel like my life is finally getting some traction in the right direction.

I Turn in My Two Weeks Notice Tomorrow

I got the call yesterday. I have a full-time job starting May 28, 2012 at our local Belk as an Estee Lauder counter girl. I am not taking a pay cut, picking up insurance, and I will have the ability to earn commission on all my sales. The company also has it set up where I could move up quickly, if I wanted to. This is really a blessing. And even though I knew I wanted it, I realized I was better off letting God decide what was better for me: teaching or retail. In fact, I told Him that he could pick because Either way, He h provided for me and that in itself is enough. Thank you Jesus And thank you to everyone who prayed with me.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!

I have internet again! And I think the interview went really well, but it was really intense.

Now, we wait for a phone call tomorrow. The next step is whether or not the Belk store manager decides to higher me.

St. Joseph, let's do this! Pretty please. :)