Great Explanations
25 July 2006
It has been a busy few days.
I have experienced an increase in blog traffic over the weekend. A warm welcome to all my new readers and followers. The reason for this two fold.
Firstly I officially launched supportMIKE on Saturday. I finally sent an email to the 200 or so Christians that I know asking them for money for my job next year.
Secondly and on a more serious note I decided to "date" (for the want of a better word) a girl who lives in deepest darkest USA. Many of you may have seen this coming. Many of you may not have. It's one of the scariest things I've ever done and the stakes are very high. However I strongly believe that it is worth it. Christine is a fantastic chick and I have the deepest respect for her. I'd ask you to bear a couple of things in mind.
- Try not to be freaked out. I know what I'm doing and I have thought and prayed long and hard about this.
- Please pray for myself and for Christine.
- Drop on over to her blog and say hi (see here). Have a poke around and get to know her. She really is a wonderful person.
- Please try not to make really obvious Napoleon Dynamite jokes... please (they have already been done).
supportMIKE has launched!
tags christian, christine, shameless self promotion, update
Posts
So is this the mystery solved?
Does CK know you are 'pursuing' her?
What does that even mean?
---
You have my approval on all counts :)
Not that I've met you or anything, but there is something noble in pursuing a woman in a godly manner.
I pray that the two of you can figure out how to proceed in the manner best for both of you.
God bless.
-Ian
Also - should you guys eventually spawn, your kids are gonna be like, 25 feet tall from what I've heard :)
I'm so surprised... ;-)
Like the pirate, I fully approve - you are both great people and I hope it works out. My prayers are with you, and you always have a bed at my place when you visit Sydney...
Also, since I *am* the one responsible for you guys meeting, you have to name your children after me. That's right - all of them.
Craig I
Craig II
Craig III
Schwarzey
and Craig IV
Boy or girl... doesn't matter :)
Either you'll meet, fall in love, get married and have a whole bunch of children called craig, or it will fall apart. If it is the latter, I pray that it falls apart now, before things get very very messy. As for the former, God's even done crazier stuff than that, so who knows!
This is exciting.
But I'm sure "date" couldn't possibly be the right word.
I hope God really blesses your support drive - i.e. move people to pray and give.
But I'm sure "date" couldn't possibly be the right word.
"Date" is so 20th century...
Mike, I knew what this was about ages & ages ago ;-)
I've been praying for you both. I would like at least one of the girls to be called 'Ruth'!!! I sure do feel sorry for all those girls called 'Craig'.
I like the word 'date'.
Hmm, so the blogsphere question wasn't just academic then.
I had a friend who had a friendship/relationship over the phone (this was pre-blog), and he was convinced she was the one. They'd talk about everything, pray together over the phone - pretty intense stuff. When they finally met, at the airport, they didn't know what to say to each other. It took all of 5 minutes to realise it wasn't going to work. He was pretty devastated, but we did warn him. So a warning to you mate. (by the way, he bounced back OK and married a gal whilst at bible college :-)
I suggest you get relationship advice from a mature (older?) christian male with a solid marriage. Not people that have nothing better to do than blog all day...
(PS - is the Anonymous thing pissing you off yet ;)
Anon: "I suggest you get relationship advice from a mature (older?) christian male with a solid marriage. Not people that have nothing better to do than blog all day..."
ouch.
I suggest you get relationship advice from...
I suggest you take no advice whatsoever from someone who lacks the guts to put a name to their comment.
I don't really wish that!;-)
Hands up all of you who blog all day???
Man, I wish!
Our church doesn't have much in the way of older mature people.
Meeting someone "on the internet" can mean so many different things. But it is easier these days to view people from different angles.
There is a massive cultural difference between Australia and America. Probably more so than Australia and England.
The internet is cheap, going overseas is not.
Mike, you're doing wha?!!
Ha! ... No, yes everyone ... Mike Jolly is "hotly" pursuing me. (Ps. 56:1) NIV
And I love running right along side him (a half a step behind - just to be sure I know where he's going) ... he's a marvelous leader and I know and understand the implications of all of this!
We have both committed this to the Lord and are determined to see it through.
Oooo ... Mike ... can we post our stories so that everyone can be less weirded out by it all ... either that or more weirded out ... depends on your stamina.
I should be getting my pic today sometime.
Ha ... Michael sort of jumped the gun on us ... we had decided to just leave subtle hints around for a while ... but like him i've been telling every stranger I've met about my wonderful Michael.
and yes ... DATING ... could you all help us ... we're not "dating" ... what should we call it?
ha ... Craig, remember when you shot me an email and wrote:
"CK, Mike Jolly is taller than you ..."
I think my response was:
"Yeah ... so?"
but yes, indeed, it hasn't escaped me that you have quite a heavy hand in this match.
ok ... this is funny ... ND ... So no one i've talked to has brought it up ... i've come up with all the jokes myself.
Michael, you are not permitted to sing THAT song to me!
I met Christine on her blog and she is the coolest!!!!
Ok...so I'm confused. How does one "date" when they are on opposite sides of the world? But hey...stranger things have happened. I wish you all the best.
Some of my best friends met on the net and married.
My best mate married a girl from the US (he met her at a summer camp he was helping run).
While we are putting in name suggestions, 'Rodeo' sounds like a good name too.
you guys are a riot!
Annon. While I welcome your comments and thoughts. You need to identify yourself. By not doing so you are just being rude. I'm open to criticism and happy to hear it if you put your name to it...
Further more if you'd like to private message me with your concerns I'd be happy to discuss them. Just see my email address on my profile.
Hey, that's cool!
I pray it all works out for you two
well well well, at least that only leaves me one job to do now ;) keep my other eye open for a job for CK. Now you have to come and visit Oz!!
PS Nixter is not a bad name either, you could use my real name if you wanted ;)
Great news Mike, I hope it all works out for you guys. I just hope you don't end up moving to the US, as I was hoping to see you in Sydney in the not too distant future!
Christine has to come to Tassie, not Sydney!
Does Mike live in Sydney?
Nooo.
Borg, share the love, maybe she could visit both ;0)
Does this mean i can tell people now Jolly...lol
I am so tempted to pump out a Napoloen Dynamite joke...its just classic. Anyhow i will keep praying for you guys. All the best! ;)
Indeed, Nixter ... you were working too slow for me ... i had to help you along. now you can place full concentration on task #2.
; )
As for Syd. or Tas. ... well, the fight is old ... I'd like to be able to visit both next may, june, or july. i already have a place to rest my head in Sydney. How about it Tasmanians?
If you are looking for a good Biblical name...Priscilla is quite classic.
Well it looks like you guys have decided. One of you will get in a aeroplane I guess, unless you are happy as blog friends.
Christine, it may be difficult for you to comunicate in person. Mike has a strong Aussie accent. So thick you could cut it with a knife.
I have lived in north america, and it changed my perspective a bit, which has stayed with me a long time. It would be good for Mike to get out (of Australia).
seriously ... all your names are lovely ... including "Rodeo"'s ... but give us room to breathe, k? Our relationship is intense enough as it is ... without people naming our children!
;)
My brother-in-law met a girl in person once. They emailed/msn-ed/talked on the phone for a year and did not see each other face to face for ages.
The next time she came down to hobart they were dating....
While they were dating she went to africa for a good whack of time....they didn't really see each other for more than a weekend at a time for another year.
They were apart for a while.
Last year he moved to her city and they got to know each other well enough to...
Get married at the beginning of the year.
They are really good for each other and I am extremely blessed by them as a couple.
Mike and Christine are encouragers and focussed on a lifetime of ministry, I have not seen Mike so sure of himself, grounded and mature ever, and I have known him for about 6 years now.
From what I know of christine, she has had a lot to do with mike's growth in leadership and confidence. I thinik this is a rare gidt of encouragement that christine shows.
I am so happy for you both and I pray that as you get to know each other online/by phone/by email/by letter ( through your fortunate trait of being extremely candid/blunt and honest) that any things that make you wrong for each other ( if there are any) will be exposed and realised.
I hope you guys enjoy the journey of encouraging and learning about each other.
Love, Mike's shrink.
Amy,
that means soooo much to me. thank you. out of anyone, thus far, among our community, i have wanted your blessing.
no matter what mike's says ... you, amy, can call me "Stine" ...
;)
A friend of mines grandmother met her future husband just a few days before he shipped out to North Africa in WWII. They corresponded while he was win Europe and New Guinea (several years), and married when the war ended.
That sort of thing used to happen all the time. It is rather romantic in a way.
CK - we aren't naming your kids - just offering suggestions :)
Consider them a tacit affirmation of your pursuit/pursued relationship.
Anonymous, of course, endorses the traditional Australian method of meeting a girl.
1. Go to pub
2. Drink until you can barely see
3. Grope an equally drunk girl up on the dance floor
4. Get into a fight with her ex-boyfriend
5. Take a taxi back to her place
6. Have really bad drunk sex
7. Throw up in her bathroom
8. See her next morning with a hangover and no make-up, and decide if you want to see her again
Ah, love...
Lots of accomadation in Hobart. One of us will have a tent for sure. June is our winter.
The plane from America will go to Sydney anyway, with a stop at either Fiji or Honolulu. Then you catch a slighly smaller plane down to Slowbart (Hobart).
"that means soooo much to me. thank you. out of anyone, thus far, among our community, i have wanted your blessing.
no matter what mike's says ... you, amy, can call me "Stine" ...
"
AW! That makes me all fuzzy...:)
Stine it is, easier to say, and not an aussie contraction (i.e chrissy) in sight... Let's keep it that way...
"One of us will have a tent for sure. June is our winter."
LOL Johnny!
Oh, I think we can do a little better than that. We have a spare room at our house, but mike may have to actually spend some money on petrol for a change....we're a little bit of a drive away.
"Our relationship is intense enough as it is ... without people naming our children!"
Yes, take it easy... enjoy the ride.
i was telling mike the other day when we were discussing what my Aussie name ought to be that "Chrissy" was out of the question ... I can't think of that name ... much less say it ... without fighting the desire to toss my hair!
Congratulations Mike and Christine!Happy for you both :)
Chris is pretty common for girls...
tried it in the second grade ... my teacher kept on calling on "Chris" to answer questions ... who's Chris? ... I'd look around ... then sit back ... adults are delusional sometimes ... long pause ... oh! she's asking ME!!!
plus ... it's a guy's name.
You're welcome to my middle name ... Kious ... if you like.
Rhymes with "pious".
I guess I am a bit slow CK. You did a good job ;)
I guess I am a bit slow CK. You did a good job ;)
plus, i wouldn't want word to get around about how "Mike and Chris" are a couple ... ew!
Top effort Mike and Christine! I hope you guys enjoy yourselves and have a lot of fun!
Your insane Michael, I'm so pent up I can't hit the kesys propersly skjdhkill thee tehhe cattfkhtemplarskdhf sd I hat e rabbi tss skld6zd6cfm6m,s,d
what ahve hshld you snok tuggle puk ghh
etc etc ...
Was that the type of anonymous comment you were looking for Michael?
ahhh romance on the net, it can go pearshaped like a 'real-world' relationship but it can also have it's rewards and not just for the people involved. For example Amy and I have gained a good friend a from another's online romance that didn't even work out! In fact it someone smart like JD should figure out the links in the chain that brought Christine and Michael together. Ahh well enough rambling. Congrats and may God be with you both together.
--Luke
I heard she was tall... but looking at the photos - well, I didnt realise she was that tall! ;)
seriously though, it great news guys - I hope it goes well!
time for this pugilist to weigh in...
you two have my utmost support, and if there's anything i can do to help your relationship flourish and prosper, well just yell out on the internet and i will hear it.
Sorry about the names....I was going to refrain because I also thought you needed room to breathe, but I succumbed to the peer pressure!
(besides...Priscilla is such a fine name!)
This is good news to hear!! I hope things go well for you and Christine:)
A good alternative to "dating" that my now husband explained: "exploring commitment" together. We had dated previously before, but it went south due to several reasons (but more than anything it was God's sovereignty). Almost a year later (through which we remained friends and partners in different ministries), he approached me again, this time with clear intentionality and purpose. He said, "Donna, I don't want to date you. I'm asking you to explore a commitment with me," and went on to relate what that meant in his terms (which turned out to be marriage, by God's grace). I highly recommend the title as long as it is used with the same intentionality, though it's difficult to introduce each other to other people: "This is... uh, my exploration partner, so-and-so." :)
I go to school with Christine and think she's great... I pray that the Lord would guide your decisions and that if is His will that He will protect and grow your relationship.
Thats a great way of describing it Donna, good work...
After hearing about this post from half of Hobart I had to come and check it out.
A relationship via the internet is very controversial.
Isn't dating about finding out about someone's character? How can you do that when you've never met them? When you've never seen how they treat other people?
That said I know a couple of christians in Sydney who met in a chat room and now are married with a baby.
I also know a couple who dated for three years - face to face in the same city and then broke up.
Who know's what plans God has?
I'd like to add how totally
inappropriate it is for me to make a comment on two people who I don't know. What does this say about blogs?
it's ok, felicity. i commented on his blog because i followed a link and saw a picture of a pretty sunset.
Thanks Christine,
I had a quick look at your blog and I think you're feminism book is a great idea.
I just read a book called Wonder Woman by an Australian journalist Virginia Hausegger. It was published last year - you should read it. She isn't a christian - quite pagan in fact but the reason she wrote the book is she's angry that she's hit 40 has been a foreign corrospondent is now a newsreader but cant have a baby because she's left it too late.
She rips into the ' myths' fed to young women by feminists that you can have this amazing career and a husband ( or partner) and kids.
She interviews women who have been lawyers etc and are now at home covered in baby vomit. Some are happy, some are depressed. But all agree you cant have it all. You cant have a fantastic career and a family. Thus feminism has failed.
A good christian book on the issue is " the essence of feminism" by Kristen Birkett - that's a Matthias Media book - they have a website.
"Essence" is on my dear friend Casey's bookshelf ... she has promised to lend it to me when i'm ready for it ... which might be a while ... so much to do.
Allora, Finalmente per il Signor Michael Jolly. All the best to you both, but what about all the other girls?
Bruno
Felicity your comments are welcome here :)
Bruno what can I say those quiet words in the car on the way to the airport.. "well what are you waiting for?"
Well I acted and enacted you should be proud. Keep praying.
Felicity, its totally appropriate to comment on a strangers blog. That's how all of us have met!
How exciting! Congratualtions Mike (and Christine!)!
I am nothing less than shocked Mike! I hope that after your many unfortunate relationsip episodes, this one works out - or shows itself to be a no goer quickly before you are both in so deep that it'll be terrible to end it.
I like Donna's thoughts.
lol! you were correct ... We did first talk the thursday before this! my bad
; )