The Journey

Photo by David Hoffman Admittedly, deep--and I must stress very deep--into the cavernous parts of my being, I am a romantic. The idea of the white knight coming to my rescue and making all the wrong things right, standing in my defense, wielding a redemptive sword on my behalf is heart-warming, comforting even. The oneness of the slow dance, two bodies moving in unison, a complete surrender to the one leading the dance is beautiful. However, my reality is solidarity; I am dancing solo. My journey has been one mostly walked alone. Do not misunderstand. I have a wonderful family and support system, and two lovely girls who make my heart smile. I am surrounded by those who pray for me and wish me well. Engulfed in a sea of well-meaning people, I stand alone.  As a single mother, making multiple, split-second decisions is a daily task. Some I actually get right, but some days I could sure use a do-over. Of course, there are those...

Ah ,   F e b ruary.  T he month of candied-hearts, chocolate kis ses, and Pepto-Bismol pin k splattered  EVERYWHERE ! Lovey-dovey, ooey-gooey, undying love sentiments plastered on te levision commercials, retail store ads, and Facebook pages. We won't even ta l k abou t the Hallmark Cha nnel! 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 s ociety, 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 m embership, 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 ...

Carlisle & Reese Parental responsibility can be overwhelming on a good day. A child is multidimensional; therefore, the parent must make decisions that directly affect every aspect of the innocent's life. That is, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, educational, and so on. The idea that a snap decision, sharp word, or an unintentional oversight made today could be a painful memory that is carried with them the rest of their lives, devastation that stunts their emotional growth, or a stumbling block that hinders their spiritual walk even into their adult years is daunting. Unresolved, childhood offenses can determine the type of people they become. Bleeding wounds, missed opportunities, feelings of deprivation or injustice spill over into all areas of their lives shaping what kind of parents they become whether rigid or lax, dogmatic or lackadaisical, doting or distant, spoiling or withholding. Earthly responsibility and heavenly accountability are how I view the ...