Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

Upcoming: How to Propose on Valentine's Day!

Friends,

The long-awaited post on how to propose on Valentine's Day, will be ready today.

 

Please stay tuned!

 

Gillian

Valentine's Surprises: 7 Absolutely Most Fun Things to do With Your Valentine!

As promised in our first post re Valentine's Surprises, we now present, "7 Absolutely Most Fun Things to do With Your Valentine!"

 

The following activities:

 

1) Are geared towards fostering a deeper appreciation of and bonding with your sweetheart/love interest, but also for allowing you both to "see" each other up close.

 

2) Include the discussion on "what are the most exciting places to go with my Valentine?", as mentioned in our previous post.

 

NB: The best time to do these activities is 1-2 weeks after Valentine's Day to avoid the heavy Valentine's Day traffic and Valentine's Day crowds.

 

The following definitions will be used throughout this post:

 

1) New lovers -Those assessing whether or not they should begin a new relationship or those at the beginning stages of a new relationship

2) Old lovers - Those persons who've been in relationship or married for over 2 years.

3) Caveat - Warning, caution.

=============

 

1) Driving, Biking or Taking the Bus to Access a Scenic Location That Overlooks the City or the Sea.

 

Also plan for a picnic at the destination.

 

Pros

a) Just the drive or ride to and from your destination, will give you two lots to talk about

b) Seeing a different view of the city, or just being somewhere that you've both been dying to go, is a great foundation for a renewed appreciation of life and your place in it.

 

Being in this idyllic setting also allows your creative and business juices to flow, fostering great bonding time with your love interest, as you share ideas.

 

Please take pictures or videos to remind yourselves of the experience.

 

Con

a) You may be attacked if your idyllic spot is deserted ... please choose heavily-visited areas to avoid this.

 

2) Go to the Amusement Park/ a Fun-filled Attraction

If you're both the adventurous type and you don't suffer from heart conditions or high blood pressure - this is a must do!

 

Pros

a) For the thrill-seekers, this will be a boon to your Valentine's Day, as you both can spend some quality time enjoying one of the thrills that will make your relationship special

 

b) New lovers: You get to see the  bare, stripped down version of your love interest, as his/her emotions range from fear to total delight, when experiencing some of the rides

 

c) Gives you lots to talk about on the return journey home.

 

Con

a) If your stomachs haven't settled after eating, persons may throw up, if the rides are really daring.

 

3)  Go Scuba Diving/Snorkeling

Being underwater can be a memorable and great experience if you love water,  as your mind's eye is opened up to this whole new world, under the sea.

Caveat

a) Ensure that you book your trip after Valentine's Day, to avoid long airline wait times, however.

 

b) To go scuba diving it's best to find a dive resort where you can be PADI certified - which is  attainable with a face-to-face instructor, within 5-days.

 

Again, please take pictures or videos to remind yourselves of the experience.

 

Pros

a) This experience will last for many years to come

 

b) Meeting other scuba diving/snorkeling enthusiasts increases your network of cool people to know.

 

Con

a) This activity is not for those who can't to swim or who're not comfortable being in the water.

 

4) Go Camping

Yes, by all means do go camping, if you both like the outdoors.

 

For new lovers: You get the chance to relax and assess your love interest's resourcefulness  in the outdoors. You also get the opportunity to assess just how comfortable he/she is with him/herself and with you.

For new and "old" lovers: Gives you some alone-time to talk, relax and enjoy nature, away from the hustle and bustle of home life.

 

Pros

a) Many camp sites give you the opportunity to see the beautiful, unabashed, rugged aspect of your country or region, that is seldom seen, or seen from afar, if you live in the city

b) You get to experience nature, first-hand and really have a renewed appreciation for life.

c) Lots of time to talk when travelling to the camp site, during camping and on your return journey home

d)  Allows some getting-close time, without interruptions.

 

Cons:

 

a) A lot of planning is needed if going to a rustic site; less planning is necessary for lighter camping

 

b) For new lovers: Camping brings out the best and worst in people. You may discover some deep faults (that you may have difficulty living with) and have to assess whether or not to continue in this particular relationship, after these faults are exposed.

 

c) Insect bites will ruin your camping experience, if you don't wear proper clothing and/or use insect repellent

 

d) If your camp site is in a protected animal reserve, your failure to follow camp-site rules, Guide or Rangers' instructions will lead to animal infiltration of your camp...it's not a great experience confronting a bear.

 

5) Visit a Historic/Heritage Site

If your country, culture and/or family history mean a lot to the two (2) of you, then do visit an (ancestral) heritage site or a site germane to your identity and/or culture.

 

Caveat: If you visit a site that's far away from home, maybe it's best to rest at the location overnight, before proceeding home (if there's provision for same).

 

Pros

a) Gives you both a greater appreciation for who you are and where you're coming from

b) Should spark deeper  bonding between both of you.

 

Cons

a) Your visit may be so regimented, that you two don't get enough alone-time

So, please visit a site where there is an equal balance of the two

 

b) If you don't wear proper clothing and shoes, you'll feel uncomfortable if you have to climb stairs.

Try wearing outdoor gear and comfortable sneakers or shoes with enough traction, so that you won't slide on slippery surfaces.

 

6) Visit the Zoo

Animals in a  zoo open your mind's eye to the presence of other animals in our world that may not be known to you.

 

Use the experience to learn about these animals, where they're from and their survival skills in the wild.

 

Read the information boards and listen to presentations re these animals to really learn something new that you both can discuss on your journey home, or at another time.

 

Additionally, wild life and zoos do something to most men...in that you get to see these gentlemen stripped bare down to their primal roots.

 

So you'll see if he teases the animals, makes apes sounds or just enjoys horsing around ..just a fun way to get to know your lover (new and old).

 

Pro

a) Gives you the chance to see your lover's interaction with and appreciation of animals.

 

Con

a) Not for persons who are not animal lovers.

 

7) Skiing Anyone?

For lovers still experiencing snowy conditions..why not learn a new skill together..like skiing or snowboarding?

 

Ok, I'll admit that these two activities are for the more adventurous.

 

But learning together helps you gain deep insights into each others' personalities.

 

Ski resorts are full of seasoned instructors willing to help you master this skill.

 

So, why not take a ski/snow-boarding trip together to deepen your bonding experience?

 

Pros

a) new lovers: Helps you assess your love interest's willingness to learn and be taught.

Cons

a) Gear may be a bit on the expensive side, so rent if you need to :).

 

Well, we've come to the end of "7 Absolutely Most Fun Things to do With Your Valentine!"

 

We hope that you'll be able to use one or more of the above suggestions, to have great fun with your Valentine, 1-2 weeks after  Valentine's Day!

 

Enjoy!

 

 Gillian

Congrats Gifton Wright - New 2012 Gleaner Spelling Bee Champion!

A big Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog congratulations go out to Gifton Wright, of Kingston College, who won this year's Gleaner Spelling Bee Championship.

 

[The Gleaner Spelling Bee Championship is an annual event put on by the Jamaica Gleaner, where top spellers across Jamaica, compete for prizes and the right to be called Spelling Bee Champion for the applicable year.

 

The two-stage competition begins in August, with the Parish Championships - where top spellers in each of the 14 Jamaican parishes compete for prizes and the title of parish Spelling Bee Champion.

 

The second stage (which occurred on February 2 this year), sees the 14 Parish finalists compete for the title of Gleaner Spelling Bee Champion.

 

Spellers have to spell long and very intricate words from the Oxford Dictionary...the dictionary used in Jamaican schools.

 

The competition's main sponsor is the Jamaica Gleaner's Children's Own Newspaper - the only newspaper available on island, for children at the Primary Level of our educational system].

 

As with all Jamaican Spelling Bee Champions, Gifton will represent Jamaica at the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition to be held in Washington DC, between May 27 and June 1 of this year.

 

Gifton's face showed relief (he had placed 4th last year), when he won and it was heartening to see the look of satisfaction, pride and victory on the Rev. Glen Archer's face when he realized that one of his students had won. 

 

[Rev. Archer, who also coached runner-up Davian Stewart, has consistently coached several Spelling Bee Champions over the past 20 years].

 

Gifton, as with most students in the competition, has the right approach to life:

 

He stated in Gleaner article, "Gifton's The Champ!", that, "You have to make sacrifices to get big things" and that "after winning the Kingston Parish Championship, he told himself he was going to win..trained hard and ended up champion" (paraphrased).

 

Our congratulations also go out to the other finalists:

• Davian Stewart, St Catherine (2nd place - placed 6th last year)


• Jaden Henry, Clarendon (3rd place)


• Jonathan Liu, Westmoreland (4th place)


• Tianne Barclay, St Andrew (5th place)


• Rushawn Stewart, Portland (6th place)


• Lois Robinson, St Elizabeth  (7th place)

 

(I'd like to thank the Jamaica Gleaner for the use of their YouTube video above - showing Gifton's win).

 

Gillian

 

Sources Include

Article, "Gifton's The Champ!",Tennesia Malcolm, Staff Reporter - Jamaica Gleaner, February 2, 2012

You Were Created For Love!

The Bible, which I believe to be the written word of God...tells us that when God created Adam - the first human being...that He took absolute pleasure in doing this...to God, Adam and all His other creation.. was not only good, but very good (Genesis 1:31).

 

And since the Bible, even though written thousands of years ago, is still applicable today, we can interpret this to mean that God took absolute pleasure in creating you, too!

 

To Him, you are a beautiful gift and all He wants to do is to shower you with all His love...a secure love...one that never wanes, wanders...one that you can feel 150% safe in...a love that will not only shield and protect you, but renew you daily.

 

There are many places in the Bible where we're told that God so loved us... that He did, "such and such" for us...

 

E.g. in St. John 3:16, we're told that God so loved us that he Gave his only Son - Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins...so that we would not be condemned to eternal separation from God, but be drawn closer to Him.

 

We see a loving God who shows us that to love fully and completely, we must do something...give, yeah...give!

 

So, God the author and creator of love, as an example to us, of how to have fulfilling lives and especially (since we're in Valentine's month) how to have fulfilling love lives...shows us that total  fulfillment in our relationships is dependent on our ability to give.

 

...and herein lies the mystery of love - the ability to give love fully...totally, without fear...to the right person, someone who will cherish that gift...not abuse it.

 

So if you want to learn how to love - the Bible is a great reference point!

 

And I'm speaking to the younger and not-so young visitors to Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog :)

 

...the Bible is a great reference book for any person who wants to know how to love...completely, wholesomely.

 

1 Corinthians 13 and Songs of Solomon (starting with Song of Songs 1) are just two examples of books in God's word (the Bible), where we learn about wholesome love and sensual love...

 

...Yep, God himself, in these and other books of the Bible, teaches us how to have totally fulfilling love lives.

 

When we understand that we are instruments of love....that we were created to love and be loved totally..fully...with abandon,

 

Then this centres us and makes our journey to finding our soul mate (life partner -husband/wife), that much easier.

 

(Yes, I do believe in soul mates - that some people are predestined for each other, that there are people whom God has chosen for us.

 

People whom He knows that we'll so sync and intertwine with, that our lives and theirs will be greatly enhanced as a result of their presence in our lives).

 

This journey to finding your soul mate is not for the faint-hearted.

 

To find true love requires faith in a God who knows what's and who's best for you, a willingness to listen to Him when he says "yes" or "no" re your choice of life partner; guts and determination...a determination not to settle for less than we truly deserve.

 

When we look at love from this perspective ...it make us open to it, but wise, as per category 5 in our post, "How Deep is Your Love?"

 

We will not allow people into our lives, who'll destroy us, but who'll build us up and truly be God's gift to us.

 

This will be the basis for all the other posts that we'll make over these two (2) weeks.

 

...That journey.

 

In these posts we'll teach, especially our younger ones, how to handle this awesome  and truly wonderful journey of love - that of enriching someone else's life and in turn, enriching your own.

 

As such, we'll start with our post tomorrow, "Should I tell someone that I really like romantically, the truth on Valentine's Day?"

 

Please stay tuned!

 

Gillian

 

Sources Include

1) Genesis 1:31 via Biblegateway.com,accessed February 1,2012

 

2) 1 Corinthians 13 via Biblegateway.com,accessed February 1,2012

 

3) Songs of Solomon (e.g. Song of Songs 1), via Biblegateway.com,accessed February 1,2012

 

4) Post, "How Deep is Your Love?", by Gillian Campbell, Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog, February 13, 2008 (updated January 31,2012).

Upcoming Next Week: Valentine's Day Surprises

Valentine's Day is February 14.

 

For the next two (2)  weeks we're going to surprise you for Valentine's Day!

 

Girl With a Purpose (GWAP) Blog will be jazzed up for Valentine's Day, but we'll also offer some tips re how to make the most out of the day:

 

From gifts, to things  to do and not to do... to exciting places to go - with, or without a sweetheart.

 

We'll also answer your burning questions like:

 

1) What are the absolutely most fun things to do with my Valentine?

 

2) How to propose on Valentine's Day

 

3) Should friends of the opposite sex give each other Valentine's Day presents?

 

4) Should I tell someone that I really like romantically, the truth on Valentine's Day?

 

Please stay tuned! :)

 

Gillian