Single Parent Faith: March 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Teen Moment at the DMV

(Source: Google Images- charlotteareadrivingschool.com)

“My life sucks!” exclaims an exasperated 17 year old, which happens to be my child. It doesn’t matter that I’ve raised her with encouragement, a can do attitude, accountability, positive words of affirmation……that all goes out the window when the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) road test instructor tells her, “You’ll have to reschedule. Your appointment was for 3:45. I waited until 3:55.”

In teen language this translates into, “There’s NO WAY ON EARTH YOU’RE GETTING A DRIVER’S LICENSE TODAY!”

Hot Mess!

(Image from womanincredible.com)

As a single parent one can very often experience exhaustion, seeing as there is never a shortage of challenges. While married, one typically can rely on our spouse to support and step in to reassure, in moments when one feels weak, or just plain overwhelmed. But when one is spouseless, sometimes one can feel helpless.

Online Dating Pastor

A couple of yrs ago I met a guy who was a divorced pastor. Strangely enough he recognized me from a photo in an online dating service. I only put 1 photo on the site, as I typically do, to minimize being recognized out in public. Ironically, that was enough for him to pick me out of a sea of people in a very large crowd, one Sunday morning.

As the large slow moving crowd piled out of church, I noticed this good-looking guy standing next to me, smile at me. So, I smiled back of course.

Saying Good Bye to an Unhealthy Relationship

Infinite vastness

Infinite possibilities

Awaiting us as we step

Forward in faith

Reaching for God’s hand

To steady our fears

—Ella Venezia

(Image from lh4.googleusercontent.com)

Though we know better and cerebrally formulate how we need to lean on faith and trust, when the storms and trials of life arrive, we tend to duck into a cave, even if only for a short while. We take refuge in things that give us comfort, it could be comfort food, it could be sleep, it could be any number of things.

Harlem Restlessness

(Image from: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com)

“Lord, make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear.” —Ruby Dee

So many people live far away from their birth family. There are many reasons for this. Career paths take us down different roads, marriage choices lead us to a new beginning, and even sometimes knowing you have to strike out on your own to make room for possibilities.

Our Vanity with God

(Image from: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com)

“The human tendency toward projection—ascribing to God our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes about ourselves and others—is unmasked in all its absurdity. Distorted images and caricatures of God as vengeful, whimsical, fickle, and punitive (images that cannot fail to engender anxiety, fear, scrupulosity, and unhealthy guilt) are exposed for what they are—puny and pathetic human constructs.”—Brennan Manning (from his Book “Ruthless Trust”)

The Perfection Revealed in Weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness. …” 2Corinthians 12:9

There’s a footnote in my Bible for this passage. It reads: “Human weakness provides the ideal opportunity for the display of divine power.”

I was feeling a bit down in the dumps, in touch with my current state of not having met that special man in my life. For the most part I can go through my life in touch with all the Blessings I do have. But every now and again, I am revisited with the sadness or yearning to share my life with my divine partner.

Defensive Players in Internet Dating

(Image from: www.alaboola.com)

Recently while on a dating site, I had an "IM" (instant message) exchange with a guy in his 30’s. It’s not his age talking, as I have had similar conversations with older men.

I’ll call him “IGMO30Something,” just for grins, and because I feel like being tacky.

"I'm 30 Something and Gorgeous"

Last year I signed onto a Christian dating site. It wasn’t a free service. I did expect a higher caliber of guy, truth be told. Maybe it’s because I paid, and maybe it’s because it’s a “Christian” site. Though I must admit, the guys who emailed me kept their correspondence clean— which is refreshing from the general dating sites. There are some who are genuine in their faith, which is also refreshing. However, other than that, the site is pretty much like any other dating site on the Internet. You can’t legislate crazies from signing up on these sites, just like you can’t prevent the abusers and manipulators, so beware.