Closed Temporarily

Lately I have been overwhelmed.  It has been a long period of "I really don't like doing all of this alone"  I have found myself at times feeling sorry for myself.  After all it wasn't suppose to be this way.  I never expected I would be a single mom raising three kids alone.  Yes, they are older (two teenagers and one 20) but they still need their mom.  Sometimes I feel like hanging a sign on my bedroom door

because my brain has made all the decisions it can make right now.  I love my kids and I love being a mom but I never thought I would have to do this alone.  I know I am not right in every situation, although it may only be a rare occasion.  We each have our own way of doing things and although I am learning more and more that it isn't about me but about God sometimes a different perspective is helpful.

My son probably has it the hardest.  Why?  Because I am not a boy and I have no idea how things effect a boy.  Thankfully I do have a couple of men I can talk to that shed light on my blindness to the male species!  This week I had to do something that I know hurt me more than it did my son. (In the teen years discipline is ALWAYS more work for the parent.)  The soft mom side wanted to give grace and let it pass with no consequence but then what kind of man am I raising my son to be.  What kind of mom am I if I say one thing but do something completely different.  I was reminded of the importance of me being a mom who is trustworthy, that I am going to do what was agreed upon.  Oh, I am not saying that there can't ever be grace but when grace has already occurred or it is one of those times that grace should not be extended then I must follow through.  What a blessing it is to have a son that understand the need for this and respects that I do this. 

You know this but for some you may not really know it.  Being a single mom is hard work.  It is probably the hardest job she will ever have to do.  She is stressed to the max.  Mainly because of the circumstances that surround being a single mom.  She probably feels like me at times that she is doing this alone.  For those of you who know a single parent take some time this weekend to tangibly do something for them.  They are worn out and the slightest thing that you may take for granted will indeed be a blessing to them.  I read this week that it is hard for people to understand if they have not experienced it themselves.  I can relate to this.  Before I was divorced I knew what single moms went through (or so I thought) but I didn't really know what they went through.  Take some time to get to really know what their life is like and ask God how you might be used to bless them.  Those blessings are reminders from a loving Father that we are not alone.