So, I just heard that Regular show will come to an end after it’s seventh season. (We’re a bit behind here in Oz.)

Hashtag: Devastated. (Insert moment of silence.)

If you haven’t seen this show, you don’t know what you’re missing, it’s hilarious. One of the reasons why is due to the complicated romantic life of Mordecai (the blue bird guy). He’s super awkward around the ladies and he’s had multiple girlfriends by the time the show winds up. Through the whole series however, there seems to be this one special bird, Margaret, that you really sense that he’ll one day be with forever.

Before you tune out much more, I’m nearly there. One day, Alycia and I were sitting on the couch watching an episode where Mordecai and Margaret happen to be in a helicopter together (long story) and ‘Mordo’s’ new girlfriend C.J. sees them and get’s so angry she turns into a thunderstorm and nearly blows the helicopter out of the sky. (It’s a kids show remember.)

So, we’re watching this scene and to my left I hear Alycia pipe up:

“Here we go with this issue again.”

I know exactly what she means. Let me tell you.

****

So Leash and I have been doing youth ministry together now for 8 years, between us we’ve got over 20 years under belt and one thing that we have found that causes more relationship issues, bust-ups, internet trolling and just all round pain to so many young people, right up to young adult age is this one massive myth, you ready?

The idea that you can be romantically involved with a person and yet still be best mates with another person of their gender.

Let me spell it out…especially for you lads. If you get romantically involved with a girl;

Your. Individual. Friendships. With. Other. Girls. Is. Over.

Now, here’s some advice from your friendly pastor: get over it and get on with the changes you need to make.

You can’t have something real and something convenient at the same time.

There’s nothing more jealous than real love and that’s also why there’s nothing that will drive a road train of inconvenience thru your social circle like real love.

So, there’s only one choice; which do you want? Convenient or real? It can’t be both. Now of course I know and work with people of the opposite gender, and yeah even have people that I would call friends of the opposite gender but they are what they are only in the context of who WE (Alycia and I) are mates with. I would never in my wildest dreams hang out with any of our female friends without Alycia with me, because if I did, Leash would rightfully burn me to a crisp.

You think I’m kidding? hear this:

Song of Songs 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame

“It’s jealousy as unyielding as the grave.” Think about that. The way the bible treats the topic of love makes your average ‘reality’ (note inverted commas) T.V. show look like playschool.

Now we can choose to say this is all a load of nonsense and that’s fine, it’s a free country. Indeed it’s a free society that’s literally made a pastime out of playing around with the idea of love like a kid that’s found his dad’s gun for decades.

And yet….

My wife’s words echo in my mind: here we go again. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen people trying to figure out why their romantic relationships don’t work whilst expecting that everything can and will work just fine and the same…..well, you get the idea.

If it’s real, you won’t mind the inconvenience. If you do, it ain’t real!

Feel free to disagree, but it’s not with me.

Bless ya:)