If I can be transparent with you for a moment, being single in my mid-thirties is sometimes difficult. Granted, it’s been mostly my choice all along the way but the resolve to ‘not settle’ brings questions. Mostly the “there must be something wrong with you” kind. It can come from friends, parents, and especially the voices inside your own head! That’s why I’m thankful for 1. the Bible. For an example, one of the most Godly guys to ever live, Paul, says that he hopes we can all be single like him. And 2. music. I recently remembered a song I loved in the mid-90s that is encouraging to me today, almost 20 years later. I may be single the rest of my life, and I’d count that as a blessing, but it would also be a blessing to find a best friend to share the last few years of my life (sarcasm… I hope I’m not even close to halfway!)… here’s the song:
I’d Give Anything To Do This
Whether I’m at work, in the car, at church, or sometimes even in my dreams, I hear people that are great singers. I fantasize every once in a while how it would feel to be like them. But so far in my 35 years, I have yet to sing a solo in front of a crowd, unless my line in the “We Like Sheep” musical at church when I was in 3rd grade counts. Maybe the director heard promise in my voice. To sum up my singing career since then, though, two words: unrealized potential. You’d think with all these producers in Nashville they’d know a diamond in the rough when they see it! I blame the industry.
-Out of the Wilderness
Excuse Me While I Pull Up My Window
Every day I enter and exit a parking garage. I’m quite accustomed to this routine. I pull into the garage, roll my window down, scan the card, roll my window up, and find a spot. Except lately the routine has been modified. I pull into the garage, roll my window down, scan the card, pull my window up, and find a spot.
“Wait, what’s that? You pull your window up?” you say.
I say “Yes, yes, I do.” I wait until there are no people around so it’s less embarrassing and, while pushing the button for the window to go up, reach over with my free hand to pull the window up. It’s like an aging dog that just needs some “encouragement” to get out of bed. “Good girl! You did it!” I’m adapting quite well, thank you very much. To avoid this setback, I now roll my window partially down (because then it will go back up with the button) and awkwardly extend my arm up and out to scan my card. There. Done. Easy fix.
So the next time you roll your window up, pat it on the side, and say, “Good girl! You did it!” That way you’ll look more embarrassing than me. Thanks!
-Out of the Wilderness
Puppy Breath
It’s time to come clean. I love puppy breath. In fact, I’ve been tempted to adopt a 3rd dog for it’s breath alone. I can’t exactly explain why, but then again I also can’t explain why I like the smell of skunks, either. There’s something sweet about puppy breath. Like it hasn’t been polluted by food, poo, grass, sticks, fur, or anything else that a dog might eat and/or lick. A friend of mine recently got a Rottweiler puppy. When I finally got to meet him, I nosed around hoping for a wiff of his breath, and just when I was about to give up, a yawn. Highlight of my day. The only thing that could make it better is hitting a skunk on the way home. Fingers crossed!
-Out of the Wilderness
Merry Christmas from Out of the Wilderness!
Too bad they didn’t have cameras thousands of years ago. I would love to see footage from a GoPro mounted to one of the wisemen’s camels! Or Joseph wearing a chesty as he marvels at the newborn baby. Instagram would’ve completely shut down, along with Twitter, for that matter. #innkeeperfail
Hope you have a super Christmas day filled with laughs, family, and full hearts! To that end, here’s a video I came across that’s full of Christmas magic!
Out of the Wilderness 