Yesterday was a bad day.
You know those days where you are so exhausted, stressed and disappointed that everything hits you all at once? That was my yesterday. I know, in my heart, that God is providing me with everything I need. It's the desires that get out of control. Something as simple as the joy of taking my girls to a movie they have been begging to see. Knowing I have to say no -again- because the money just isn't there. I keep picking up more shifts at work and working and working and working and it just feels like I keep constantly coming up short. Then their dad goes and buys a new house (I really am so happy for him) and I get burst of text messages, from my girls, about how cool it is and how they wish that we could have stairs/a fire pit/a better neighborhood to live in. I let myself get too discouraged and I let the weight of the world fall on my shoulders. I had a meltdown.
I have been really working on myself to stay upbeat and positive. God does provides my needs and I have everything that I need. It's the wants and the things I can't do for my girls that I want to do for them. Everyone keeps saying (well they are in a Christian school and do gymnastics etc etc) I know and I know they are lucky. What people don't know is I am constantly behind on paying those bills because electricity and a house are a little more important than those things. I know CCS is coming to an end for my family and it has been really hard for me to come to terms with. My girls love their friends, their school, and their teachers. It is going to be hard to let that go. The familiarity, the Christian environment I have always longed for my daughters to have. I knew, before they even existed, that this was their school. The past few years they have begun raising prices and families like mine that ride that constant struggle bus are barely affording even with financial assistance. I know these are their last years there and I have had a really hard time coming to terms with it. The most important years for Kylie are around the corner and the thought of her experiencing these make it or break it years in public school downright frightens me. I keep holding onto the hope that God will provide and that it will get easier, but it hasn't so far.
Work has been stressing me out. I go from one job, shuffle kids, to another job. I don't get to enjoy the little breaks with my girls as I am shipping them off to Amaw's, their dads, my mom or their uncle while I bust ass to make ends meet. I have felt so discouraged the last few weeks as my paychecks are barely enough to cover the needs and I know Christmas is around the corner and the wants are going to go by the wayside. It is our new reality and it has been a damn hard one to accept. The wants are just that wants, but a mothers desire is to give her children all the wants in the world.
Yesterday was a hard day for me. I let worldly desires get me down and I allowed my feelings to overtake the truths. The truth is that God provides, God never lets me down and He cares about the little things, even when they are selfish. I know all these things are true and I am disappointed I allowed my emotions to get out of control. The last thing I ask for is a pity party and if you know me, you know I rarely cry. It's not what I do. Even as I worked my job last night I couldn't fight back tears of my failures and shortcomings. As my friends encouraged me and told me I am strong, I sat on the bathroom tiles and wept with weakness. I didn't feel that strong. Those moments were hopeless and desperate and discouraging. Everything I felt was too real and I allowed the world to crush me down. I held onto this memory of what my Pastor said in church a few weeks ago when he was doing a sermon on joy -"God wants you to get to the point of total desperation because then is when we cry out to Him!" I wiped my tears, picked myself up, finished out my shift and held onto that memory.
Yesterday was a bad day, but today is a new day. I will stay strong because that is what God has commanded me to do. I won't let the world get me down today. Today is a new day.
But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Thanksgiving 2017
The turkey is roasting, the girls are giggling while watching some movie, and the dog is pacing back and forth as if she knows what craziness is about to ensue.
A year ago me would have cringed knowing that everyone was loading up their food, dogs, families, etc. to head over to my house. I would've been running around trying to keep everything cleaned and spotless so that people didn't think I was a pig. I woulda been overwhelmed because I didn't have time last night to finish the dishes. Not today. I am quietly sipping my Peppermint Mocha coffee thankful that I have children to stress about, enough money to that I have a surplus in my account, and endless amounts of food to fill our bellies. I am so thankful and appreciative this year. Last year I was still in a fog. The divorce left me stressed, impatient, and uncertain of what I wanted out of my life. I am determined not to let anything get me down this year.
Thanksgiving 2017 is about to be in full swing, but first I am going to take a little time to reflect. My life has changed drastically in a year and I couldn't be more thankful. I have a better idea of what I want out of my life this year and I am not going to let anyone stop me.
Well the first round of guests have arrived and I still have so much to do.
Happy Thanksgiving 2017.
A year ago me would have cringed knowing that everyone was loading up their food, dogs, families, etc. to head over to my house. I would've been running around trying to keep everything cleaned and spotless so that people didn't think I was a pig. I woulda been overwhelmed because I didn't have time last night to finish the dishes. Not today. I am quietly sipping my Peppermint Mocha coffee thankful that I have children to stress about, enough money to that I have a surplus in my account, and endless amounts of food to fill our bellies. I am so thankful and appreciative this year. Last year I was still in a fog. The divorce left me stressed, impatient, and uncertain of what I wanted out of my life. I am determined not to let anything get me down this year.
Thanksgiving 2017 is about to be in full swing, but first I am going to take a little time to reflect. My life has changed drastically in a year and I couldn't be more thankful. I have a better idea of what I want out of my life this year and I am not going to let anyone stop me.
Well the first round of guests have arrived and I still have so much to do.
Happy Thanksgiving 2017.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Shortcomings and Failures
I have felt like I had been failing as a parent. My oldest child's latest report card told me I could be doing better in the parenting department. As I have been scrambling to find a new norm and a routine that works well with gymnastics and my work schedule (which is borderline crazy), I have seen where I am lacking. Her Ds were in fact my Ds and I took it personally. I was somehow failing my kid because I cannot keep up. No I told myself, and that is how this vicious cycle started. The questioning of every move I made thinking, knowing it isn't enough. I am pulling the load of two parents and my shortcomings have been obvious. No, I reassure myself that I am not failing. I often have to remind myself that I am human and it is normal to feel like you're failing. That's just another wonderful part of parenting and I need to remember that. I am not failing, but I can be doing better.
About a week ago I made a decision to really get back on the parenting wagon. The last year has been all about finding who I am as a single mom and the kids care went more on the wayside as I tried to get a good handle on who I was and what my new role is as their parent. As I looked at her latest report card I knew I could do better. I will do better.
The last few years I have been going through the motions of going to church. I will get really excited about something, but not want to change my habits in order to make it happen. I was living life for me and God was on the fence waiting for me to come to Him. All that changed six weeks ago when I heard a sermon on Joy. JOY! This was something I hadn't experience in a long time. As I thought back I could name a few joyous occasions: the birth of my daughters, dancing onstage at the tivoli for my recitals, watching my daughter compete in her gymnastics meets, my children's birthday celebrations, etc. but I wanted to live a life of joy not just experience fleeting moments of joy. As I studied and began listening and applying the changes to my life I have seen a difference. Do I still have bad days? Absolutely. Can I find joy in something everyday? YES I CAN.
My oldest daughter is 9 and while I am really enjoying this age I am also realizing how many changes are just around the corner for her and me. She is nine and she is growing. I know puberty is just around the corner (hopefully a few more years yet!) and I am grasping at straws to make sure I instill modesty, purity, and most of all true friendship into my daughter. The world today is scary. Friendships are where it can make or break my child. You are so easily influenced by your peers and it is horrifying to think of everything they can get into in the next few years. I know I need to start RIGHT NOW in order to keep a good balance. I went out and bought many Christ centered books on parenting and I am writing things down and applying them to our life. I don't want to look back at their childhood and wonder what I could have done better I want to be proactive and do better now, while I still can.
I know that spending QUALITY time with the girls is imperative for their growth, but I am slowly learning QUANTITY is important as well. Young children and tweens especially need their parents to be there to answer any "Secret" questions or model appropriate behaviors for them. Kylie's mind is developing fast and she is starting to question who she is and what she wants out of her life. I can tell you who she is -she is a child of God and He loves her no matter what trials she may go through. My friend has been doing a notebook with her child where they write notes back and forth if it is a particularly hard subject to bring up and so I decided to give this a try. While I have explained our notebook to Kylie I told her we needed to come up with a name for it. She calls it "secret notebook" so we can share secrets back and forth. She seemed pretty pumped at the idea and while she hasn't used it yet I know she will when she is ready. I do not want the notebook to take over our more intimate conversations face to face so we are going to use it as more of a starting point. She will ask a question and I will answer and we will get together and discuss it face to face, just the two of us.
The puberty talk is coming. I have written down kind of a guideline for how I want to start the talk and what we will discuss while using Bible verses to help guide me through the many questions I know she will have. I think I am ready though I am a little nervous.
I spent sometime with Madilyn, my youngest, the other day. I have realized how fast she is growing as well. I know she is not quite a tween and I still have time, but I want her to feel like I am spending ample time with her as well. I decided on picking one thing a week for me and her to do together. She gets to pick the activity and we can do it, uninterrupted, for one hour. As we sat in DQ (the place she picked for us to spend time) I knew I made the right decision to spend some uninterrupted time with my baby.
As I close this rambling I want to say that my pastors sermon on joy has radically changed my life and I have been feeling so fulfilled and inspired. While I do have a lot to work on and a lot of new changes to adjust too I know that this is all for the better. I am so ready and receptive to experience joy the way my God intended.
About a week ago I made a decision to really get back on the parenting wagon. The last year has been all about finding who I am as a single mom and the kids care went more on the wayside as I tried to get a good handle on who I was and what my new role is as their parent. As I looked at her latest report card I knew I could do better. I will do better.
The last few years I have been going through the motions of going to church. I will get really excited about something, but not want to change my habits in order to make it happen. I was living life for me and God was on the fence waiting for me to come to Him. All that changed six weeks ago when I heard a sermon on Joy. JOY! This was something I hadn't experience in a long time. As I thought back I could name a few joyous occasions: the birth of my daughters, dancing onstage at the tivoli for my recitals, watching my daughter compete in her gymnastics meets, my children's birthday celebrations, etc. but I wanted to live a life of joy not just experience fleeting moments of joy. As I studied and began listening and applying the changes to my life I have seen a difference. Do I still have bad days? Absolutely. Can I find joy in something everyday? YES I CAN.
My oldest daughter is 9 and while I am really enjoying this age I am also realizing how many changes are just around the corner for her and me. She is nine and she is growing. I know puberty is just around the corner (hopefully a few more years yet!) and I am grasping at straws to make sure I instill modesty, purity, and most of all true friendship into my daughter. The world today is scary. Friendships are where it can make or break my child. You are so easily influenced by your peers and it is horrifying to think of everything they can get into in the next few years. I know I need to start RIGHT NOW in order to keep a good balance. I went out and bought many Christ centered books on parenting and I am writing things down and applying them to our life. I don't want to look back at their childhood and wonder what I could have done better I want to be proactive and do better now, while I still can.
I know that spending QUALITY time with the girls is imperative for their growth, but I am slowly learning QUANTITY is important as well. Young children and tweens especially need their parents to be there to answer any "Secret" questions or model appropriate behaviors for them. Kylie's mind is developing fast and she is starting to question who she is and what she wants out of her life. I can tell you who she is -she is a child of God and He loves her no matter what trials she may go through. My friend has been doing a notebook with her child where they write notes back and forth if it is a particularly hard subject to bring up and so I decided to give this a try. While I have explained our notebook to Kylie I told her we needed to come up with a name for it. She calls it "secret notebook" so we can share secrets back and forth. She seemed pretty pumped at the idea and while she hasn't used it yet I know she will when she is ready. I do not want the notebook to take over our more intimate conversations face to face so we are going to use it as more of a starting point. She will ask a question and I will answer and we will get together and discuss it face to face, just the two of us.
The puberty talk is coming. I have written down kind of a guideline for how I want to start the talk and what we will discuss while using Bible verses to help guide me through the many questions I know she will have. I think I am ready though I am a little nervous.
I spent sometime with Madilyn, my youngest, the other day. I have realized how fast she is growing as well. I know she is not quite a tween and I still have time, but I want her to feel like I am spending ample time with her as well. I decided on picking one thing a week for me and her to do together. She gets to pick the activity and we can do it, uninterrupted, for one hour. As we sat in DQ (the place she picked for us to spend time) I knew I made the right decision to spend some uninterrupted time with my baby.
As I close this rambling I want to say that my pastors sermon on joy has radically changed my life and I have been feeling so fulfilled and inspired. While I do have a lot to work on and a lot of new changes to adjust too I know that this is all for the better. I am so ready and receptive to experience joy the way my God intended.
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