I think we want to believe that we will be prepared and ready for life, no matter what happens. We can read all the books, listen to our Pastor, study the Bible...and we will be ready. I think we like to believe that we have the plan figured out, how it will go down, and what it will look like...and that nothing will change. There is this false reality that happens that says that you can be completely ready for life's next step and you won't face a stumble along the way because you are ready. I learned this with soccer...you can practice and prepare all you want for game day, but you never know what will happen during that game. There are too many variables that take place to be able to determine the outcome. It's not that you can downplay practice and preparation...these are very important things! You should do whatever you can to be ready for what's next-just know that things don't always go as planned or as expected.

I went to Omaha on Saturday and spent some time with my sister, Maegan. She is 3 years and 8 months older than me and we are the closest of the siblings. I don't get to see her as much with her married life and children, but when we do talk I never fail to gain perspective on something. We were talking about her life with all the responsibilities and tasks of marriage and children and the pressure of it all. She ended up saying that you will never be fully ready for marriage, no matter what you think. It's not that you can't be more prepared for it but you will never be able to understand married life until you are actually in it. This is something I've thought about recently. I think part of me wants everything to go perfect and have all my dreams come true with marriage. For instance...

We would meet, become best friends, court (and do it all the right way...pure, focused on God, examining each other, being realistic about the future), next is engagement, the wedding, and then we would move in together and have the HAPPIEST LIFE EVER! Ha. Not to forget that I will be 100% ready to be a wife, I will be an expert on marriage, somehow I will be able to be the best cook ever and be the best help-mate to my husband...and this will all come naturally!

Sounds nice...but it's a false expectation. Yes, I am going to be more prepared and ready than the average person my age and I can say that confidently. BUT, that doesn't mean I am anywhere close to knowing all about this stuff. So I don't know, its the whole expectations thing I suppose. You have to go in it remembering that it will be work at times and that we are doing it all with God's standard in mind. It is exciting, yet challenging at the same time. It is reassuring knowing that you will never be fully prepared for it, but I still want to do whatever to learn right now more and more while I am single.

Oh just some thoughts....casting them to Jesus! 1 peter 5:7.