When I Am Old...

I met a wonderful old lady the other day. I was dropping off a friend, when she told me, " You have to come in to see Grandma's cat." Well, I saw the cat, it was the biggest cat I had ever seen, which was her reason for showing me; but "Tigger" wasn't the reason I stayed longer than I had planned. As soon as I met Tigger's owner, I knew I had found a treasure.
She smiled when we were introduced - she had a lovely smile, complete with smile wrinkles from doing it often. She hugged her granddaughter and laughed when the cat lay down to eat his dinner... he was so large he didn't stand up to eat. "He's my room-mate," she said, smiling.
We talked for a long time, she told me how her town used to look, and we found a common interest in journaling. When she showed us to the door, she apologetically said that she couldn't follow us out. "My daughter doesn't want me going down steps, she thinks I might fall," she explained.
Her peace and contentment and joy just showed on her face, and she was beautiful.
Sometimes I will see an elderly lady and just think; "I want to look like that when I am old." Someone once told me that our lives are revealed on our faces when we are old; and once we are aged we no longer hide our true selves. Perhaps that is true; for a tree is known by its fruit, and what we put into our lives will come out whether it is sooner or later.
"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." (Proverbs 16:31) There are so many elderly people I know whose righteous lives are an example and a blessing to all those they interact with. Maybe they aren't very mobile, perhaps they tire easily, maybe they are dealing with many medicines and doctor appointments; it doesn't affect the shining example of a life lived righteously.
And I want to look like that when I am old.

Life in a "Dream World" ... and No More Mr. Nice Guy

"Oh, Jennifer! You are living in a dream world... there are no men like that!" I was at work in the flower shop, and the girls were discussing their boyfriends. When asked about mine, I laughingly said that I was waiting for my knight, and didn't want to date in the meantime. From previous discussions they already knew that I had high standards - which they considered impossibly high. "Get real, Jen!" "Are you expecting a prince riding a white horse??!!"

No, he doesn't necessarily have to be a prince, for a prince might soil his white gloves in changing a tire for me, and I can't quite picture a prince holding a dirty-faced child on his lap. And he doesn't have to ride a white horse; after all, my King rode a donkey.

The girls told me that all I needed to look for was a nice guy, making two incorrect assumptions; 1) That I wanted a nice guy, and 2) that I was looking for any man, nice or otherwise.
As far as nice guys go; I do respect them, and of course I like them; they are so nice! But I want my knight to be a good man, and there are times when being a "good man" does not mix with being a "nice guy." For instance; my Lord overturned tables in the temple and chased people with a whip - this simply is not a "nice guy" action! A good man will stand up for what is right, and although not always the most popular move, in the end he will be blessed for his firm convictions.

Then the question, am I looking for any man? The answer to that is no, for I believe that if my Lord wills for me to marry, that He will send the right man in His time: which is always perfect. If I marry, the "nice-ness" characteristic will not be at the top of my list; for I would want a good man - a man after my Lord's heart.
In the meantime; I need to keep in mind - that any man after His heart... would be looking for a woman after His heart.