DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a divorced mother of two beautiful girls, and I would like to start dating with the intention of getting married. I have a plan to be married within two years. My girls are 3 and 5 years old, and they need a father in their lives to promote stability.

I am a good-looking, God-fearing woman, and I know the Bible says in Proverbs 18:22 (New Living Translation version): "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord." However, I'm getting a little impatient for Mr. Right to show up on my doorstep. As a God-fearing woman, how should I keep myself busy without getting ahead of God? -- Waiting for Mr. Right, Memphis, Tenn.

DEAR WAITING: It's admirable that you are working hard to align your spiritual views with your quest for a life partner. Indeed, this is how you can find someone suited to you and your lifestyle. It's important to live based on your values -- in all situations.

That said, you have to be practical in addition to patient. Even though you have your hands full with two young children, you have to put yourself in environments where upstanding, single Christian men might be. Some people have had success with targeted dating sites, at least as a jumping-off point. You may want to try www.ChristianSingles.com.

You may want to regularly attend a church that has a healthy population of Christian men. Do you have hobbies and interests that may be interesting to men as well?

Get out there with your children and enjoy your life. Mr. Right may see you and your children out and about. Continue to keep your eyes open so that you notice a potential Mr. Right as you live your life. This quest does take patience, and plenty of it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my close friends has bad acne on her face. She makes it worse by constantly picking at it. This not only is scarring her face, but it also is unappealing when she picks at it in public and when we are together.

I've tried confronting her and telling her to stop picking at her face, but she just gets annoyed and stops momentarily, then she's at it again. Is there a way I can help her stop without being mean about it? -- Anti-Picking, Miami

DEAR ANTI-PICKING: Suggest to your friend that she visit a dermatologist, who can help her get the proper medication to treat her skin. The doctor will give her guidelines on what she should do to protect her skin and get it healthy. Without question, the dermatologist will instruct your friend not to pick at her face. He also may give her a soothing agent that will help her to resist the temptation.