Singleton Spinster is the name...

...apparently, not dating is my game.

I went through high school thinking that dating was a waste of time. All my friends tried it, and they all got their hearts broken. It was too much drama, thinking about what Steve said to Chad about who Max was hanging out with on Friday night while Amber was at work. And, also, dating at my high school seemed to involve getting drunk and having sex. Not that there weren't responsible/respectable couples at high school, but they were few and far between. I didn't want to waste time sorting through the duds who thought they were studs and needed a few years to mature.

I also decided, by attending a few Love 101 conferences (Mark Phillips' awesome brainchild), that I didn't really want to waste effort on a guy who either wasn't willing to stick it out for me or I wasn't willing to stick it out for him. Not to sound callous, but I looked around and didn't really see anyone worth trying with.

When I got to college, I figured I'd meet "The One." I just knew he was there. And in my mind, I had decided I was a one guy, first-kiss-on-my-wedding-day, only-kiss-one-man-ever, married-till-I-die kind of girl. And I knew there was a guy out there who would respect that.

Well, if he went to Western, I never met him. I guess it doesn't help that I don't talk much to strangers, don't make friends easily, and chose a major with a bunch of liberal athiests as classmates (who knew English studies was so godless? Apparently, all literature is about sex...). And all the guys in my minor were either great and taken, or not-so-great and dweebs. I'm not opposed to dweebs, I am one myself. I just want a great dweeb:)

So I went through college, and no man showed himself to be the one.

Now, I'm in seminary. People joke that women go to seminary to get their MRS. degree. Some women get offended by that assumption. I don't. Personally, I'm at seminary because God led me there (trust me, I'm not a fan of school, and wouldn't go even for a man...). I'm really excited about getting my Master of Arts in Discipleship and Family Ministry.

But, there seems to be a problem to me. How, I wonder, can I adequately minister to families if I don't have one myself? I mean, I grew up in a family, right? My friends have families. I have worked with families in the past. (I even [mostly] enjoy my job at a daycare. But there is something about having a mother of three come into my office, plop down in a chair and ask how to still love her husband when he gave her three rambunctious, yet darling, kids who throw mashed potatoes on the wall when they don't want to eat (they loved mashed potatoes last week!), won't clean up their toys, and throw temper tantrums in Wal-Mart because Mommy said they can't afford the newest Polly Pocket, and answering her, "oh, I know, I've got four of my own," and helping her family through the crisis and finding ways to nurture her kids and her husband and herself, and help them all draw closer to God.

So, yes, I am hoping to pick up an MRS. degree on the side. If nothing else, it will help advance my career as a family minister. And no, I did not mean that last statement literally in any sense.

It's just that, so far at least, they're all already married. How's a girl supposed to get a date when all the dudes in her classes are already hitched?

If you have the answer, please, tell me.

If you are a single guy, please, tell me.

If you know where to find single guys, please, tell me.

P.S. I am one of those girls with a list. A long one. For the record, the first point is "Strong Christian who beleives in and will strive for biblical husband-hood.) And second is "Sexy." I think those are the only two deal-breakers, but the preferences do go on for pages...not really, but I do know what I want.

So, if my status changes, you'll probably hear it from me in person. I'll scream it from the rooftops. I'll sing it in the rain. I'll write it in the sky. I might even be cheesy enough to Facebook it. But, I'll probably start a phone chain first!