Do you date or hook up?

Hello, my Southern friends! It is good to see you again. I’m just pouring this tea, getting ready to sit up under the stars with hubby on the porch.  After 14 years, my husband still dates me. Whether we get dressed up and go out to dinner and a movie, or a walk after midnight in the park, or for a ride down a country road on the motorcycle, I love our alone time. We are still best friends after all this time!

 This is my favorite picture of us taken in 2007. We still have the same bike, the same color. I look at other couples in our life, other women friends of mine, and it amazes me how people don’t spend time together anymore like in the old days. I see the women constantly out with the girls, or the guys out with the guys, but never together. Hubby and I went to a gathering about three weeks ago, and a guy friend hugged me and asks “where is hubby? I know he isn’t far, your always together!”.

Today’s generation of dating and marriage is so different from when my parents were young. Of course, we can expect change and growth in society, but what happened to dating? What happened to a man picking you up for a date? Or opening a door for a lady? I appreciate my Mother-in-law so much. She passed away in 2007, rest her soul, right before this picture was taken. The man she raised that is my husband today, was taught the manners of old school. He opens doors, he is trustworthy, a man of his word, and is well-respected by everyone who meets him. Now I am not bragging on him, but in a sense I am. Our marriage is one of the same characters. We have communication, trust, integrity, and God. But most of all, we LIKE each other. We are best friends.

I remember my ex-husband, when we met, I knew him two weeks, ran off, and married him. I know, I know. What was I thinking? I wasn’t, that was the problem. By my twenties, I had become a hard-headed naive girl who believed everything a man told me. I found out the hard way that I should have dated him first, got to know what I was getting into. (That is another post). If I had taken my time, I would have saved a whole lot of heartache and bruises.

However, the choices I made then, are why I am the person I have become today. I am stronger, wiser, and more reserved on my choices. I take time to analyze and pray for guidance. I do not regret one minute, even the bad stuff. It has taught me a lot about myself, and who I really am. I truly am just now enjoying my life now, more than my younger years. I was always told my twenties would be the best time of my life. I feel like my forties have been the best. And the older I get, the happier I seem to be. All with thanks to God and my husband of course!

My husband is a humble and patient man. Completely different from my ex. That man dated me six months before we finally committed to each other significantly. He actually always told others he was gonna find me a good man. We were just friends, who fell in love. He took the time to show me what kind of man he truly is. He made it so I could not help but trust him with my heart. He made it easy to fall in love, and boy did I fall hard!

My point of all this? Take your time ladies. Slow down and make him date you. If a man truly is interested, he truly wants to get to know you for more than your outer appearance, for more than one date, he will be patient. He won’t mind waiting on the goodies and taking appetizers until you become everything to each other. And if it does not work, then that is not God’s choice for you.

I could go on and on. Once I start talking there really is no end. I just want my girlfriends to have what I have. I wish I could sell the honest pure love that our marriage has, in a cup. I’d be rich!

But right now my cup is empty, so I need to refill, on sweet tea that is. So until the next time, keep calm and move slow. Respect yourself enough to date, and not “Hook-up”. Until the next glass of Tea, stay blessed, stay southern sweet!

One Hope Picture BY MAXIMILIAN · AUGUST 11, 2015 at http://onehope.com/slow-down/

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