single parenting

solo parenting, doing it alone, being mom and dad, bringing up children without one parent present, balancing it all, the only breadwinner, booboo kisser, chauffeur, teacher, financial analyzer, disciplinarian, life guide, maintenance ummm "person", laundry lady, menu planner, nurse, ... oh I suppose the list could go on and on and sometimes as a single parent it feels just that overwhelming. Add everything I have to be to my responsibilities outside our home, church member, involved in ministry, small business owner, friend, daughter and well it all just multiplies.

I have been pretty sick for 2 days now, it started with a cough, tight in my chest and then yesterday turned into a fever. I thought it was over when the fever broke last night but low and behold my temp went back up today so as I type this I am in the bed going from hot to cold to hot again. UGH... I hate being sick!

Being a overwhelming responsibilities if being a single parent hits me the hard when I am ill, when I feel like I can't physically do it all. When my body aches, and my head hurts, when my eyes are running and despite the fact that it is 75 degrees inside I have to wear a jacket and socks and my teeth still chatter. When my kiddos are wanting to be fed or they are expected to be somewhere and I feel like I cannot lift my head from the pillow. God uses all kinds of circumstances to teach us lessons. In those moments I feel alone, as if I am hiking uphill carrying a huge knapsack alone, no one to help distribute the weight between. Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.Who can understand it?" My heart often tells me I am alone, I am by myself with no one to call on, no one to count on and what God is trying so hard to teach me is that is not true. For instance last night, help was just a text message away, my mother brought me meds and made sure my kids had dinner and that the older ones were taking care of Miss ZC. She did all this despite the fact that she herself has not been feeling well either. A church friend who lives close by also wanted to know what she could do to help. Yes there are things that only I can do for my children, and at times those decisions seem insurmountable but when I step back and allow my friends and family to step in and lend me a hand with the smaller things the knapsack is a little lighter.



Suggestions for finding people willing to make you Knapsack a little lighter on your single parenting travels:
1.Find a church family that will embrace you and your children.
Of coarse the most important aspect of a church is that it is grounded in the word of God, that it is teaching and disciplining it's members, and that it is reaching out beyond its own walls to draw people in to the Kingdom but one of the benefits in being involved with people who love God is that generally speaking people who love God want to serve God and His children. They are often willing to help with rides, a little babysitting from time to time and some general maintenance and upkeep.

2. local single parent support groups. You can look online and in the newspaper for local groups of interest. Sometimes it is helpful to get together with others who understand your own life. Unfortunately many times groups like this turn into "gripe sessions" and though occasionally we all need to get some stuff off our chest groups that only focus on the problems instead of how we can bond together and help one another only make you focus on the "bad" stuff instead of all your blessings
3. family and friends - never underestimate the willingness of your family and friends already in your life to help you out. To help make things easier on you talk to them asking them about their willingness to help out in certain situations on certain days of the week, or a set number of hours a week. You may be surprised.

So where do you find your support? Who do you know you could call to ask to lend an extra set of hands?So let me hear from you, any single moms out there who need and extra hand? Any other suggestions?