Conduct in singleness

My dear one,

As I was leisurely getting ready for church this morning (Sunday School having been canceled due to morning road conditions), I found myself thinking yet again about a particular gentleman whose presence never fails to brighten my day. And though I continue to hope that, in God's providence, this young man could be you, I also found myself considering a scenario in which I tell you about him. And I would be able to do so without embarrassment or shame, for there is nothing unwholesome about my secret admiration for him. He is godly, thoughtful, smart, responsible, and gifted -- and it is those very qualities that cause me to notice him. Were you to know him, I feel sure that you would have already sought his friendship.

I would hope and pray that if you are currently pursuing another young lady, or have in the past, or will before you find me, that your conduct and regard for her would be wholesome and worthy of a Christian gentleman. And when you tell me about her qualities, I will respect you all the more for having looked for them in her, and I will strive all the more to cultivate those same qualities.

And yes, my dear one, I seek to cultivate those godly fruits even now ... and even if you never find me -- kindness, selflessness, modesty, holiness, joy, patience, faithfulness, "the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (I Peter 3:4). I do this ultimately for the Lord, not for you.

May we both walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called!
Your Evenstar

Winter Wonderland

My dear one, 

Once again I find myself in an "unusual-for-the-South" winter wonderland. The snow fell silently all night after a Friday of freezing rain and sleet (or are they the same?). I woke to a brilliantly cold Saturday morning and a heart full of joy at the prospect of a long walk to savor the stillness and capture a few images. The snow coating the broad magnolia tree by my window is an especially beautiful anomaly!

Yesterday's icy conditions gave rise to the cancelation of classes, and I used the unexpected and precious gift of time to clean my apartment and write some needed emails for an event my organization is hosting in April. So now I'm enjoying this Saturday to the fullest -- baking cranberry orange muffins, drinking my favorite tea, Skyping with a far-away friend, browsing Instagram for inspiring Icelandic landscapes, and doing my best to ignore your absence. I'm chipping away at my 2016 book list, which includes such diversity as Massad Ayoob's Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense and the poetry of William Cowper.

If only I could invite you and your friends over for a bowl of hot soup and a muffin! Here's hoping that by the next snowfall I have found you...

Until then, 
Your Evenstar

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, my dear one!

Sleep evades me so I sit with a cup of tea, gazing at the lights of my Christmas tree. All my decorations are still up, and I'm in no hurry to take them down. Since arriving back home following time with my family, most of my time has been spent reading, writing, and prepping the course I'll be teaching this semester.

I have mixed feelings about the arrival of 2016. It has the potential to be a very good year, but I go into the year with some heavy responsibilities weighing me down. (If I make it to May in one piece, I'll be doing well.) What worries you the most about this new year?

My phrase for 2015 was "rich toward God," and this year I'm following that up with the word "stewardship." I need to cultivate disciplined intentionality in all areas of my life. Perhaps I'll expound on that later with some Scripture passages I'm claiming for 2016...

I spent a quiet New Year's Eve with friends, watching the new Cinderella movie and drinking sparkling cider. I didn't feel too much like the fifth wheel, but of course it would have been better if you were there with me.

Will this be the year we find one another? 
I still hope... 
Your Evenstar