If you haven't read Tiffanie's post at schpiffanie.blogspot.com, Birds of a Feather, you ought to. After reading it all I immediately had this pop into my head, "It is not what you say, but what you do that defines you. Remember, what we do in life echoes in eternity. We are here for a purpose, whether it is a short or a long time that we are here, so long as we are striving to be good and loving others and being kind, God will use us as He needs. And then, and only then, shall we fulfill our purpose."
This has got me thinking a lot about our purpose in life. So to go out on a limb and to be a little "abstract" what is our purpose? Is it to come here, live a full life according to what others say is a full life and then die and be done? Is it to be born, learn what is "fun" and do that for the rest of our measly lives? Is it to be here and strive to be the best at everything we do, stepping on whomever we need to in order that we get exactly what we want? Not caring about others, only feeding our pride and passions pushing more and more, making millions and not knowing what to do with all our filthy money until finally we croak? Or, is it to simply live? To live in peace with others. To live in love with the one you choose and love. To live in laughter, enjoying all the little jokes. To live in humility, taking in the majesty of the glorious world around, not the one built by man, but the one that we populate. To live in kindness to those around you, striving to build them up. Helping those who have fallen and fear that they may never get up. Encouraging all around you to be better. To live in joy, with your family, friends, children, husband or wife. To live in compassion, bridling all your passions, showing compassion to others, not because you seek credit or publicity, but because you genuinely care for others. To live in freedom, without any guilt in your conscious, knowing that what you are doing would not be frowned upon by your family, friends, or God. To live as you, bringing to the table all you have to offer and not being ashamed of who you really are. Being your best at all times.
So go, BE YOU and don't be afraid of what others are going to think, because at the end of the day, it is just you and the man in the mirror. And if you are lucky enough, it is you, your spouse and the two of you in the mirror.
At this point I would advise you read the blog post "Marriage is not for you". Because it isn't about you, it is about that one true love that you find. It is all for them. Everything you do. And if they feel that way too, then indeed, you will have a marriage filled with adventure. I'm no expert by any means, but I do understand that so long as you make everything an adventure, life is so much more fun.
10 WAYS TO KNOW YOU’RE DATING A REAL MAN
I’ve made posts in the past about qualities of a gentleman, as well as the differences between a ‘bad boy’ and a jerk. But, how does this all translate into how somebody acts while in a relationship?
A man may be able to put across a great image, but it could simply be a cover for hidden shortcomings, or he could just be totally faking it to ‘get the girl.’
Here are some ways to know if you’ve struck gold:
A real man values more than just your looks.
Is every compliment from him about a different body part? It doesn’t matter how creative he can be, if a guy’s sole focus is on how you look, or ‘talking dirty,’ see it as a red flag. A real man will value your personality, your kindness, your intelligence, and who you are as a person, in general. The things he makes you feel good about will be things that you control, not just results of getting lucky in the gene pool.
A real man will never be intimidated by your motivation.
A man who has goals for himself, will want to be with a woman who has goals for her own life, too. He will never feel intimidated or threatened by a woman who goes after what she wants. He will want to be part of a power couple, rather than a dictatorship. Be mindful of anyone who tries to keep you from pursuing your dreams.
A real man will have more interests than just you.
I don’t mean this in a negative way. You should, of course, be a priority in his life – but he needs to have a life as well. Interests, friends, hobbies, aspirations. If a man works his entire life around you, it’s another red flag – relationships should be a great part of your life, but not encompass your whole life.
A real man will give you answers.
No matter how awkward or uncomfortable a situation is, a real man will approach it, and you, with respect. I have always felt that a mark of a man is how he handles conflict, criticism, and less-than-ideal situations. A man will not dance around answers or make excuses. If there is something you two need to talk about, he will talk about it.
A real man is direct.
In addition to the last point – there will be no mind games or manipulation in your relationship. A man will be direct, to the point, and honest with you…but with kindness.
A real man will trust you.
As long as you haven’t betrayed his trust, a man will NOT be paranoid, or snoop around invading your privacy to make sure you’re not doing anything bad. He will have confidence in your relationship. A boy will project his own insecurities onto you, and like termites in a house, will eat away at the foundation of what you’ve built.
A real man is cool, calm, and collected.
It should be understood that part of what comes with the territory of having a girlfriend, is dealing with her getting hit on. If you’re at the bar together, or if she’s out with her friends, it goes without saying that your girlfriend will get hit on every once in awhile.
Instead of letting his primate instincts prevail and beating his chest like an angry gorilla to scare off competition, a confident man will calmly make his position known, and understand that you’re still going home with him at the end of the night.
A real man will show you respect.
Nothing signifies an empty shell of a man more than someone who disrespects women, animals, or children. A real man will treat you with the respect that you deserve, never force you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, and never mistreat you. Be honest enough with yourself to walk away from any situation that is dangerous to you, physically or emotionally.
A real man will put effort into your relationship.
Boys are generally apathetic and just look for one thing from a woman. A man, will do what it takes to make you happy, both inside and outside of the bedroom. Your happiness, is his reward.
A real man will make you want to be the best version of yourself, without changing who you really are.
A man will empower those around him. He will strive for greatness and therefore inspire others to strive for it as well. This not only includes friends and co-workers, but also significant others.
As Mark Twain said - Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
If you do have one of these men in your life, make sure he knows he is appreciated.
Courtesy of http://jamesmsama.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/10-ways-to-know-youre-dating-a-real-man/