license to superficiality.

so this will be a post that is rather out of the ordinary, has nothing to do with Jesus, & is simply my way of venting a little frustration. bear with me.

yesterday at work the following occurred:

my boss said to me as we were putting up valentine's stuff, "britnie, if you had a significant other, wouldn't you want something more than flowers & chocolate." i found myself thinking "um...honestly, no. crap, why do i keep having these bosses who ask me questions i really don't want to reply to honestly?? (that's a long story and another post for another day - i will, however, explain that i've had two other bosses say to me, "britnie, i have a personal question and i want you to be honest...am i difficult to work for?" (HOW do i get myself in those situations??) anyway, so all i could think about the valentine question was "no, i really wouldn't..." so i said, "i mean, not really...i'm not big on gifts. i'd rather someone spend time with me that spend their money on me." she gave me a perplexed looked and replied,

"i mean, yeah, but women like to get stuff. what's wrong with you?? you're a woman. flowers and chocolate? nah, if a man comes home with something else he's put thought into it and he gets brownie points."

it was official, i was perturbed. first of all, thank you for reminding me that i am a woman - i had briefly forgotten. was that really necessary. and second, did you seriously just insinuate that because i am a woman i have a license to be superficial and materialistic?? i, personally, enjoy spending time with people. bought gifts make me very uncomfortable - they feel forced...and i've always been frugle. when you don't have much money, you learn to appreciate what you do have and you learn ways around spending a lot. don't get me wrong, i love spending money on others, but i do not like for it to be spent on me. i love homeade gifts. call me old-fashioned. call me cheesy....but don't call me less of a woman. seriously?

let me say one another thing, i think valentine's day is nice and all...tell the people you love that you do love them. but why go over the top one day a year to express something you should be expressing everyday? and why spend this big chunk of money to get brownie points...i can guarantee if you put a little thought and effort into something homeade, you'll touch the people you love...and you might even make them cry...talk about brownie points ;)

seriously though, i hope ya'll all have a wonderful valentine's day. remember, you are loved!! & for all you women out there, especially you single women, remember there is someone who loves you beyond measure and thinks you are beautiful! cling to psalm 45:11 - "the King is ENTHRALLED with your beauty. honor Him for He is your Lord."