The Search Goes Back to Internet Dating Sites

With a strong dose of humor, singlehood can be such an adventurous experience!

For fun - and without having to pay (yet) - I am on a few trial runs with Christiancafe.com, relationships.com, loveandseek.com and match.com. How will I juggle the overwhelming responses on all these sites? It's really not that hard when you consider what's out there. It only takes a second to gasp out loud at some of the photos.

Take for example, a bald 47-year-old guy (who looked more like 57). In his first photo, he was wearing a shirt and pants. The second pic showed him topless and then, I should have guessed. The third photo had him sporting speedos! Wish I had Ajax to remove that mental imprint that's been haunting me ever since!

But there is hope. I spotted a Jesus-friend who was quite handsome, had a Master's degree, a lovely home with a backyard that looked like a golf course, was a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and appeared to be a world-traveller ( a pic of him in Venice to prove it). The frosting on the cake was his terrific and catchy write-up. I like that. The catch? He's been stationed in Iraq for the past two years and is home on the opposite end of the country for only three months. He's in one of the most dangerous parts of Iraq. Go figure! Well, maybe I should pray about this? You never know. Or is it the non-commital me attracted to the far-away ranger?

Hey There, Lonely Girl

I will be strengthened with all power according to God's glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father Who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1: 11-12 (NIV)

More than 4,000 people responded to emails calling them to dance "like you've never danced before" at 6:53 p.m. in Victoria Station in England. For two hours, MP3 players and iPods emerged and the crowd danced wildly to their soundtracks in silence. Why?

Because we all have the innate need to connect, to be a part of something bigger, a community with shared interests. All around the world, flash mobs are being promoted through web sites and emails calling people to pop up in select public places to do something silly for a brief period of time and then quickly disperse.

Activities range from pillow fights to entering Home Depot in slow motion.

31 Days, a website that documents Kate's search for a Valentine's date, this year mobilized a flash date that drew in gals dressed in either pink or red and guys bringing a flower or chocolate at London's Trafalgar's Square. Yes, word has it that a date came out of it.

Guess the best part of connecting via blogs or chat rooms is when the words become flesh! Glad to hear that people are taking risks and having fun connecting in 3D.

What a thought! Maybe we should try a flash mob for Christian singles? Where would we go? What would we do when we showed up?

Finding the Funny Bone in Online Dating

Do you remember all the Bible stories about how couples would meet at the well? Abraham's servant found Isaac's future wife at the well or spring. Then Jacob found his future wife Rachel at the well. It just seems as if there was alot of socializing by these wells. What about now? Have all the wells dried up?

It felt that way one lonely night until I heard these seductive words "Imagine finding the one person in the world with whom you are meant to be...." It was an ad from e-harmony. I prayed about it as I try to do before venturing into the dating-sphere and I signed up for the three-month adventure.

BTW, if you're discerning if you should take a leap into cyber-dating, you may want to read Ten Points to Ponder About Online Dating by Carolyn McCulley who wrote Did I Kiss Marriage Good-bye? and the blog SoloFeminity. And, the co-ed blog, The Love Doug-ter: Thoughts on Adult Christian Singleness recently featured an entry, To Click or Not to Click, that gives a guys' point of view on cyber-dating tips.

Of course, every one's journey in eharmony is unique to them, but I found the men to be alot older and with some funny criteria. Take for example, the 45-year-old pastor who was impressively spiritual and biblical as one would expect from a pastor. The spirituality tapered somewhat - at least in my eyes - when he underscored that he couldn't live without an attractive helpmate to work with him. OK, I thought, men are visual, so can I really judge him on that criteria?

Then...his profile indicated that he must have a spouse who has saved herself sexually for marriage. Hmmm. Let's see. He's 45. I may be wrong in my interpretation but could he be dreaming of a 20-something year- old? But, wait. He adds another must-have ingredient. She must be willing to "explore our sexual desires with passion and understanding." I won't go any further with this one....Just laugh, I say.

But the funniest one was the guy whose answer to the question about the things he can't live without was....Reese's peanut butter cups! He was very cute..... and round.

I later decided to try another well....Christian Cafe. That's when a friend and I discovered, after comparing funny emails, that we were being cyber-courted by the same guy who referred to both of us as "princess." All the while, I had thought I alone held that coveted crown.

The email that almost made my funny bone break because I couldn't contain the laughter was this completely unedited note:

the smile on your face really put me on. i just imagine what great you cold do in my lifge with that, as i have seen that in a few years now..how are you mind showing me the angel you are? and the powers of your smile...cheers you are really admirable.

You know.... all I can do is keep laughing and loving God, loving - only from afar - the guys who have made me laugh on the internet. Why? Because God calls us to love. And, I say we have to have a sense of humor in cyber-dating. So, just laugh!