Me and an almost blind date

  It all began because I was really bored on a Friday night. Really bored and a lot of Friday nights. Ten years ago, back in 2004, I was young(er), felt my biological clock spinning out of control, had no potential matrimonial targets in sight….well, calling the fine ladies of Atlanta a “matrimonial target” probably didn’t help my case…and figured it was time to do something. Something serious and out of my bubble. So, I signed up for a well-known online matchmaking service. Yeah. Me. Shoulda known better.

  Of course, there were instantly hundreds of potential brides within 25 miles of McDonough all wanting to meet and greet me and stroll off along the beach at sunset with a nice bottle of wine, cheese and crackers. It took me awhile to realize that the website was suggesting my matrimonial matches, not them themselves. So, I perused all my options and waited. And waited. And waited for The One to “wink” at me (their term, not mine). And waited.

  “What’s the deal?” I asked myself. “I’m a prime candidate. I’m basically still young, got a cool SUV, have a good job with a major research University in Atlanta, own my own home in the suburbs, have good teeth and a full set of dark hair (ten years ago), athletic (ten years ago) and am quite fun to be around.” And…waited.

  After a couple days, I found a couple winks waiting for me when I got home. One was a definite “no,” but the other was intriguing and rather fetching. Same age, very similar interests, had all her teeth and good hair, a cool SUV, divorced (no problem), a couple grown children (that’s okay with me as long as I didn’t have to pay for college), professional job in Atlanta, Christian and wanted to stroll down the same beaches with a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers. So, I winked back.

  And, so it began. We emailed and messaged back and forth quite regularly for a few weeks because both of us believed in caution in these types of situations then began a discussion about meeting for a cup of coffee and dessert somewhere. I felt really good about this and we firmed up a date, time and place just a week away.

  About the same time, I “Googled” her (oh come on now, you know you all do the same thing) and found her website and her blog. This was in the early days of blogging, so I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but found the whole concept interesting. As it turned out, she was a very good writer about living a daily life with God and had some good points about living single in a very married world. Especially in the church. My creative side began to emerge and I thought, “Hey, I could do this writing and blogging thing. I’ve always got lots to say and I didn’t know there was a way to just get it out there and if no one even reads it, it would be good therapy for me.”

  Over the next couple of days, I set up a Blogspot.com account, struggled with a name for my new blog and finally decided on what I always want to do and always keep working toward….and that is…..Being God’s. So, in December of 2004, “Being God’s” was born. And my life and writing has never been the same. It led to being a newspaper columnist, magazine columnist, book author and there’s a possibility working on becoming syndicated. You, my friends, readers and followers share in this blog because you encourage and support me continually. You keep me humble when I write something totally stupid. And, yes, unknowing to you, you provide much of the fodder of which I write. When you find me staring at you over a meal or my desk or a church pew, yes, I am figuring out how to write about you. Yes, I really do have a catwoman, a blind flute player, a Guardian Angel, a Teleporter Dude and all the other characters in my life. And, now in your life.

  So, back to the hot date? Well, she emailed me the morning we were to meet and said she and her husband had reconciled, but thanked me for being a good friend. Friend. Hmmph. Just as well, I guess. I’m not sure she would be the Bar Church type of gal anyway.

This is how it all began and only God knows where I’ll be in coming years. Hopefully, telling His story (and mine) for all you good people. Just check in at www.beinggods.blogspot.com and I’ll be around there.

And for today my friends, this has been the gospel according to Jimmy.  Oh yeah, I need to tell you where that phrase came from someday….but, not now. Stay tuned.