We all know that I am a DVR addict

I love to record massive hours of television programming and watch while I lay sleepless in bed, much better than counting sheep. One of my television addictions is The Bachelor/Bachelorette Series. I know…I know…it is television drivel. But I love the show. I have watched every single season. Most of the couples do not last, in fact, a vast majority of them do not. But how many relationships, in real life, last longer than the first date? Kind of keeps things in perspective.

There are many things that I love about The Bachelor/Bachelorette Series.

1. I am happily married…so it is fun to watch others date.

2. I feel increasingly sane after watching some of the episodes! LOL!

3. The travel…these couples…or the Bachelor and all of his girlfriends…travel to some pretty cool places.

4. The clothes…seriously…these girls break out some great clothing combinations.

5. The happily-ever-after…even if it only lasts til the show ends.

6. Host Chris Harrison’s often repeated “lines”…”This is the last rose of the evening.”, “This is the MOST*DRAMATIC*ROSE*CEREMONY*EVER!!!!!”

But my most favorite…

Watching the show as if it were a game of “Clue”. When I first started watching I found some forums online that discussed the series. Not only did they discuss, they investigated, they sleuthed. Each commercial that aired, each photo that cropped up on the internet, or in magazines/tabloids…Each was broken down and investigated, looking for clues. Time-zones, latitude, longitude, shadows, tide tables…the people on these forums were incredible detectives! Before the season finale they would point out who won with supporting clues.

Today, there are professional “Spoilers” who find out who the winner is, or who is chosen, before the reality series airs. Now the networks are much more cautious about the photos they show, or the clips they air to the public. The “sleuthers” still hunt for clues, but since the ending has already been spoiled…it is not nearly as much fun to detect as it used to be.

One of my most favorite episodes in the entire franchise….

Happened last year. It was also one of the hotly debated topics of the show on the forums sites. The Bachelor was a self-proclaimed Christian, and he was waiting until marriage to have sex. Refreshing? Yes. Would it make for an incredibly boring season? I was hoping not!

The show chooses the contestants based on the criteria of their star…the Bachelor of Bachelorette. They want a proposal to be the culmination of the series and search to find a bevy of suitable partners for the lead. Since the Bachelor/Sean wanted a woman of faith, the contestants were all very normal, likable women who held themselves to their values. (Well…for the most part!) It was very refreshing.

Sean, the Bachelor, was also very respectful of these women, it was nice to tune in each Monday to watch. Yes, there was drama, there were tears, there were cat-fights…what else do you expect when there are 25 women are living together in one house…sharing bedrooms and bathrooms while fighting for the attentions of one man?

Last two girls standing meet The Bachelor’s family.

Watching Sean throughout the season, seeing how he treated each woman with respect, I was looking forward to the episode introducing his parents. Excited to see how Sean became the man he is today. And his parents did not disappoint, they were incredible. Loving, emotionally and spiritually intelligent people.

Each of the last two girls got to spend time getting to know Sean’s family, the time that they spent together and the conversations that they had were very telling. This is when the hotly debated conversation took place. Sean’s mother told one of the girls that they started praying for Sean’s wife the day that he was born.

Immediately after the comment was made and the episode aired, the forum boards lit up, people voicing their opinions. They could not believe that while Sean was a baby his parents were concerned with him finding a wife. He was just a baby. Aren’t there other things that they should have been more concerned about…his health, his path in life, his safely????

But I took this as one of the most beautiful prayers that could be prayed for a child.

Praying from the day your child is born for his future spouse…

Praying for your child’s spouse to have good parents, to have a good life, to know peace, to be safe, to learn, to make good decisions, to have enough food on the table, to learn to know themselves, to love themselves…to not bow to peer pressure, to not drink and drive, to learn from their mistakes, to not make choices that they will have to endure for the rest of their life…etc.

To me, it was an incredible learning moment. I want my children to marry and I hope that their future spouse had a good life. I have begun to pray for the spouses of my children, they will be the love of my children’s life and the parents of my grandchildren.

So although The Bachelor/Bachelorette is drivel…

a new season starts next Monday, May 27th, and I will be DVRing it. I will delve into the forums, do a bit of sleuthing…although the Professional Spoilers have already informed us who “wins”….the fun is in the ride…not the destination!