Skip to main content

Singled Out

Ah, February.  The month of candied-hearts, chocolate kisses, and Pepto-Bismol pink splattered EVERYWHERE! Lovey-dovey, ooey-gooey, undying love sentiments plastered on television commercials, retail store ads, and Facebook pages. We won't even talk about the Hallmark Channel! There is almost no escape for an entire month...well, really two months because all the insanity begins before you can take your Christmas decorations down. From a single gal's perspective, this is truly maddening.


As a society, we are constantly categorized by financial status, educational background, occupation, parental status, friend, or foe. Unfortunately, our marital status is one of the top classifications that span across many other areas of life such as taxes, gym membership, school forms, church groups, and so on... Suddenly, you find yourself labeled, yet again. From a single mother's perspective, this is even more maddening. You just want to yell, "I AM SO MUCH MORE THAN MY MARITAL STATUS!"

Usually, I can breeze right through this month pretending not to notice all the hype. Although I am unsure why this year has been a little harder for me. I have found myself in a melancholic mood with an indescribable emptiness. As a Christian, we are taught that Jesus should take the place of everything we are missing or longing for, and not only is that true, it is possible. Though I am sincerely striving to reach that level, I have not yet attained it in every alcove of my soul. No lie…I am lonely for companionship and I do not understand why I cannot find someone to love me, someone to tell me I’m beautiful, someone who enjoys being with me, someone who wants to stay forever.

The other day, the girls and I were out and about when my oldest daughter says to me, "Mom, you don't have a Valentine." Of course, this was a day that I was already struggling a bit and with tears in my eyes, I looked back at her. There I sat staring at the two most innocent and beautiful and sweet Valentines you have ever seen! In that moment, I realized I had been focusing on what was missing rather than what I already possessed and shame on me for not focusing on how to make their Valentine's Day special.

Later, my thoughts went deeper. How many people are out there with no one to tell them how beautiful they are or how much they are loved and how enjoyable it is to spend time with them. It only takes a minute to send a text, compose a sweet Facebook status, or make a quick telephone call. In doing so, we can find even greater satisfaction and fulfillment in knowing we made someone's day a little bit brighter. After all, we are supposed to be the light of the world. Let your light so shine!

Psalm 36:7 "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings!"

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wake Up Call

How long will you slumber?  The whispered words from Heaven sent a jolt through my spirit as a blaring alarm clock in the early hours of the morning. I sat bolt upright in my bed feeling a divine transformation taking place in the very depths of my being.  It's time to get up! There is work to do. I cannot tell you how many times in the past few months I have absolutely whined about  everything . In part because I have been suspended in the mire of complacency, living an unimpressive life wandering about in an uninspiring, unproductive, lackadaisical spiritual walk.  Feeling  trapped in circumstances out of my control while being rocked by the waves of indecision and doubt and self-degradation, I had been lulled to sleep. I was not trapped. I was stalled. Body, mind, and spirit. Paused. I cannot tell you how many times in the past few months I have absolutely whined about  everything . In part because I have been suspended in the mire of complacency...
2 comments
Read more

Trees Are Trees

Source Unknown "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then, God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Genesis 1:1-3 Creation was a six-day process that began and ended with the spoken word of God. He created the heavens and the earth, dry land and the seas, vegetation, seed-bearing plants, and trees on fruit-bearing land. He created seasons, living creatures, and man. Our Creator then rested on the seventh day, the day of fulfillment, the completion of His perfect plan. In one of my favorite passages in Genesis, the scripture depicts the scene of the "Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." Can you picture it? The Creator walking through His very own creation in the early evening enjoying the brilliant, colorful flowers with their fragrance lingering in the air. The reg...
3 comments
Read more

Christmas Without Santa?

As a Christian, yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! Don't get me wrong. It's not a "bah humbug" kind of thing. I love, love, love Christmas! It truly does seem to be the most wonderful time of the year!  What is not wonderful, however, is the slow fade over the years from a celebration of the life of Christ to the greedy commercialism, secular "holiday" traditions that completely omit even the name of Jesus. We have found ourselves in a time where nativity scenes are prohibited and replaced with the jolly, fat guy and his little minions. Where have we gone wrong? We Christians claim to live lives completely dedicated to Christ, 100% sold out to His will and His plan, yet at the time of the celebration of His birth, we are so preoccupied with everything else that we often don't even take the time to read and pray--we are just too busy. Rather than being a light, an example of the life we are supposedly celebrating, we are too busy to help others, hoa...
4 comments
Read more