Friday, 4 May 2012

So in case you missed the list I decided to repost it here. Maybe you are 30, reading this and thinking.... "I can write tons on that one!" Well send it to us and we can post it.

As promised here is the list (The article link is below):


By 30, you should have:

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better.
By 30, you should know:
1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend with-out ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. Where to go—be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat—when your soul needs soothing.
9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30!


Read More http://www.glamour.com/entertainment/blogs/obsessed/2012/04/30-things-every-woman-should-h.html#ixzz1tuVa1GLp

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

How To Live Alone- Even if You Dont Like to

I've been thinking alot the past few days about living alone, which I have done off and on for the past 9 years. Alot of things have changed in those years and one of them is definitely learning how to live alone.

I've come to a point now in life where things have settled down; I know what I want, who I want to be and, most of all, I have accepted that things dont always happen the way you dream or plan. I mean I can't lie, I never dreamed I would be 29 with no husband and no kids! Maybe you are married but your husband is away alot. Or maybe you are newly single due to the tragedy of death or divorce. The point is, no matter the reason why you are living alone, the key is the same.

When we accept Jesus' invitation to “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31), your own dreams and plans slowly (sometimes more slowly than others) give way to His dreams and plans. Suddenly your disappointments dont seem so consuming and you can trust and hope in the plans that He has for you. As it says in Proverbs 16:9, "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure."

In the past little while, I have begun to take Jesus' instructions literally. Living alone means I am free to worship loudly when I want to, or turn off my phone and just be quiet before him. My home is the place where I rest, where I meet with God and I have actively begun to set it up that way. I intentionally create an environment that I want to be in. I plan evenings for myself, just enjoying my own company, and evenings where I can delve into a particular area in which God is speaking to me. So although I dont always love living alone, I can, and I can be happy doing it. I count my blessings; in doing so I am content with the season of life that God is walking me through.

On the purely practical, one of the things about living alone that boggles me, is cooking. I mean, who likes cooking something nice, just for you? Not me. Here are links to some practical solutions to shopping, storing, and preparing meals for one.

http://www.healthyalberta.com/HealthyEating/761.htm

http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/articles/livingalonerecipes

The other really important thing to have nailed down when you are living alone is budget. There are many tools and advice out there to help you manage your household in an efficient way. (We'll talk about money and budget more in another post)

The tool that I find the most useful is a website called www.mint.com. Its an amazing program that you can use on your PC or on your smart phone. It tracks your expenses and reports at the end of the week on how you have done keeping to your budget. Pretty awesome. Of course, you can also do that by hand (yuck). Basically the big word for cooking and budgets is planning.

Living alone isnt for everyone, certainly. For myself, I am looking forward to the next few months when I will once again have a roommate. But, living alone has given me the opportunity to get to know myself and God in a new and deeper way, and learn important lessons that I will carry the rest of my life, wherever the Lord takes me!

Do you live alone? What would you say is the best or hardest part?