If we're honest...

People by nature want to help and make things better, even if it's just making themselves feel as if they contributed or something to that effect. Comments, suggestions, opinions...whether solicited or not, we all get them. Honestly, you do it too. I do it. We all do it. When we talk to others, whether in the office, at church, at school...even at home...we talk about how WE feel about things, about OUR experiences, what WE would do...

When you're a single mother, you open yourself up to a whole other level of "helpful" information. These things come in myriads. I have been a single momma for exactly six years, eight months and twenty three days. None of it has been "easy," But then again, parenting is hard work even WITH a partner. Finally, after six years, I feel like I am healed enough and ok enough to be able to do another relationship without panicking at the first tremor in the relationship. Relationship PTSD is a real thing, but that's a discussion for a later time. Anyways, dating is scary enough when you've been single for six years...add a kid (or two) to the mix, and that's a setup to take that fear to DEFCON level...whatever. It's a big deal. 

Then, when you try to put your head around what that would look like, everyone's opinions that you've ever heard comes swarming back, and you end up freaking out and just turning on Netflix and drowning yourself in a show in order to not have to think about it.

So that's what this post is about. I'd love to help try and spread awareness of what we single moms go through. You may agree. You may disagree. I may be alone in how I feel. But here it goes anyways. 

1. None of us are really single moms by choice.
I know that sounds crazy, so before you murder me, hear me out. I have talked to hundreds of single moms...and the consensus is very clear. When we were little girls, thinking about our future children and our future spouses, NONE of us dreamt of the ideal abusive relationship, the cheating husband, the narcissism, the court battles, the emotional disturbances, divorce...you get the idea. There's a difference. For example, I did choose to leave my marriage. There were so many lies and deceptions on top of huge safety and health risks. I had a 6 week old infant son. Who would take care of him if something happened to me? I couldn't take that chance. I left. I've chosen to focus on taking care of HIM for the past six years. My choice resulted in the status of "single mom," but it was more the consequences of the reality I came to find myself in. But you can't go back in time. 

2. If you have met a single mom, you know there has been a tremendous amount of pain.
As referenced in #1 above, there are so very few single parents who decided to have a child by basically not involving a significant other. So that goes to say, many of us are here as a single parent because of heartbreak, betrayal, divorce, or even death. Pain motivates so many decisions. Either the pain is still alive and well, or the memories of that pain drive the single parent to make decisions to avoid that pain again and to protect the emotional well being of all the children involved. So keep that in mind.

3. We are terrified that we won't "find someone."'
You have all met one...the nice little lady who says, "Oh, don't worry. You're young...you'll find someone." Finding implies having to look. Looking implies putting in effort. Putting in some effort requires prioritization. Prioritization requires looking at your life and attempting to balance it, all the while spreading your attention to other areas and taking attention off of your child. This may be good and well and healthy to do, but it can often dredge up feelings of guilt and pain for wanting a life outside of your child. This leads us back to binge watching Netflix in order to hide inside ourselves again. So while it may be tempting, please don't make those comments. 

4. There's an eternal struggle with how a new significant other can fit in with our child.
So yay! We actually "find someone"! But when is the right time to introduce him/her to the kiddo(s)? Should we wait? Should we just go for it? What if I love him, but my little one doesn't? What if, GOD FORBID, the new guy doesn't like MY kid? The questions and possibilities never stop...

5. We are NOT complicated just because there is a kid involved...we just have an extra level of complexity.
Yes. There are complications. But so many times, we are not complicated people. There is a difference between complicated and complex. We may be in a complicated situation, but that doesn't mean we fill our lives full of drama and stuff. People who live off of drama will create and embody drama whether a child is involved or not. 

6. We are terrified to fall for someone who is a better liar than we've dealt with before.
Again, dealing with abusive situations, chances are that these moms have been lied to on SO many levels over any length of time. It puts us on hyper-alert. I can honestly say that I am terrified that for all this time that has gone by, my desire for a relationship will cause me to overlook these "red flags" that may pop up. Because of that fear, I have surrounded myself with a few people I trust to call me out if this ever happens.

7. We know how to love better than most.
You know that quotation "It is better to have love and lost than to have never loved at all"? Most single parents have loved AND lost. However, we have to deal with love for our child while living with the consequences of losing. There is a dichotomy if I have ever heard one...

8. We don't value the butterflies. We value the support.
Don't get me wrong...the butterflies are wonderful. There is nothing like the feeling that someone is taking time to pursue you, to get to know you...It's wonderful. However, we all know that butterflies don't last. Like any insect, they don't have a huge life span. As I have gone on my journey, I have started to want a relationship. But my reasons are completely different than what I ever expected. I want someone to love my kiddos. I want stability. I want intrigue. I want romance, yes...but I want friendship and companionship more. I want to know that my future partner is in this with me. 

9. Don't try to "silver lining" our circumstances.
There are only a few things that are worse than hearing the two dreaded words..."at least." There is a time and place for those words. Right after an emotional conversation is not one of them. "At least" is for problem solving. Telling me that "At least you know he can't be happy" does NOT make me feel better. Telling me "At least you figured it out that he was cheating on you when you only had one kid" again does NOT make me feel better. If anything, that is saying, "Hey, at least he shattered your dreams sooner rather than later. Win win!" I know when we say these two words, it's rarely intended to be snarky or demeaning. Which is why when we hear them, most of the time, we just paste on the smile and nod politely, all the while dying inside, kicking ourselves for feeling just a little bit sad or human and not keeping the "bigger picture" in mind.  

10. We are not damaged.
This one should need no explanation. Yes, some of us may need some healing. Some of us may need some time to figure out ourselves. But we are not damaged. 

11. Take time to love on my child. You will be the one who is blessed.
As single parents, we are not the only ones who experience loss. Our kiddos do too. Whether the loss was from the beginning and the kid doesn't know any better or the split happened later, loss happens on every side. My kiddos are amazing. They are not pariahs because of what happened between me and my ex. I'm glad to say that very few people have treated my kids this way. However, I've seen it so often that I wanted to say it. These kids who have experienced loss yet can still love so freely and openly can teach all of us a thing or two about resilience...forgiveness...and yes, love. Bless them with your love and attention. They will bless you back with admiration and love. 

12. Speaking of loving on my kiddo, you have NO idea how much we love hearing that someone legitimately loves our offspring.
I totally have to brag on my best friends right now. I'm not going to lie. My six year old is freaking awesome. That being said, he's a handful sometimes. He's so much like I am that I can really get frustrated with him super easily. My best friends though literally LOVE him and my adopted one too. Like legitimately. Even now, as I am typing this, my eyes are filling with tears because I KNOW how much they are loved by them, flaws and frustrations and all. Every single time they tell me how much they love my kids, it's like a hug for my heart. It's like an unspoken "Ok. I'm not totally screwing up my kids..." And that right there is sometimes exactly what we need. 

13. Do not tear us down by pointing out every time our children display their flaws.
 It's incredibly frustrating when someone who has ZERO responsibility for your kid says to you, "Oh, he's having problems with disobedience...He's too old for that." They are kids. I am aware of their flaws. Don't throw rocks in glass houses. We are all doing the best we can. 

14. Never underestimate the power of three simple words: "Good job, Momma..."

One slow song changes everything...

I have a story... don't tune me out quite yet. So I'm a processor. That's really stating the obvious, actually. I'm also pretty open with my feelings. That being said though, I try not to just randomly spill feelings and opinions unless asked. I love it that way because it gives me time to think about an experience and how I feel about it. Sometimes though, I have to talk about it to process it. So for me, it's safer to write than speak. There is a false sense of anonymity, but it works for what I need it to. It gives me a chance to ponder out loud without being heard...and that keeps me honest...

So my story. A long time ago, I told God that I would do whatever he wanted me to do. Growing up in a Christian school and the conservative church, it went without saying that this is indicative of overseas missions or full time Christian ministry. My heart broke for all the people overseas, but I knew from a young age that overseas missions was not my calling. After telling my mentor, it became "obvious" to everyone around me that Little Miss Super Involved was called to be one thing and one thing only...a pastor's wife...more specifically a youth pastor's wife. I remember thinking, ummmm...ok? Sure. That's better than being out of God's will. Now trust me. What I know now is that the youth pastors wives I know are rocking awesome. However, growing up, the understanding is that they are strictly in the supportive, administrative role, never actually pastoring unless it was strictly in a group of females. I knew that God wanted me for more, but I remember feeling helpless, that if I didn't grow up and marry a youth pastor, I would be disappointing every spiritual person in my life. 

I know now that I am not the only one who feels his way. A friend of mine somewhat recently shares almost this same story but from a guy's point of view. I honestly don't remember being able to say much more than, "Wow, that's so true!" I mean, how often do you hear someone literally speak the words that you have kept in your heart your whole life and not ever dared to speak? Even now, knowing that there is destiny outside of the circles of full time and overseas ministries presents a challenge. After having that "prophetic word" over you your whole life, you cannot deny that God has plans for you, but it also leaves a crack for the Enemy to attack, saying we have it all wrong and we can't be in the perfect will unless *start laundry list of legalisms.* Growing up in the church has it's challenges, especially when those close to you are in ministry themselves.

So my story...I have been helping a friend of mine with his outreach ministry to the neighborhood kiddos for the past few weeks. From my first week, I knew my life would be changed. You see, I had been and am still asking God to take me to the next level. I am also in the processof getting  certified for foster parenting. Honestly, a big fear I have had for a while on this has been that I don't know if I could love other kids like I am supposed to...like how God wants us to. 

So the past few weeks, I've been connecting with a few particular kids, and I take their spirits home with me. Some nights I lie awake, their hearts heavy on mine. It's how I feel when I know Isaiah is with his dad overnights. I know what this is. It's love. It's heartache for their heartache...and I don't even know what kind of heartache it is. 

So here is a confession. I've been fighting it too. When I see them, I connect, but I guard. It's honestly something that I have had to repent for. Today in the car actually. I was driving home from a foster training class. All day, I had been listening to upbeat, energetic songs. However, one song that I love came on...and I listened. There's something about slow songs and gutwrenching lyrics that make you honest even if it has nothing to do with what you are hiding. You see, by not connecting as deeply as we are called to, a part of me thought it would be doing the kids a favor, since I will somehow one day let them down. It's one fewer abandonment or heartbreak if I keep it at a distance. 

Last night that changed. There is a little guy (we can call him "Little R") who has a spirit of recklessness. He doesn't really have boundaries. He tends to lash out and get violent. Of course, I love the dysfunctional ones, so he and I have been friends for the last few weeks. We have something in common, after all. Dysfunction was once a friend of mine. Well, last night he was again just a smudge too rambunctious, so we partnered up. We were playing a game, and we were having a blasty blast. Well, it turned into a competition, and we got out. So we walked over to the grass, and he just jumped into my arms and said, "I love you, Mama. I love you! Mama! You my Mama!"

As I hugged him and told him "I love you too, kiddo," I felt his spirit change from one of recklessness to one of security. In that moment, he was safe, and he was loved. He was calm, and he was peaceful. And after that brief moment, my heart broke wide open. So long I have heard it preached that love multiplies. I just didn't know how someone like me, though now healed, could love so much after so much brokenness. 

So the moment ended, but I am still feeling the effects. I have known, but now I better understand that I cannot love these kids on my own. I cannot even love my own child on my own. As much as I want to, I can't. Perfect love casts out fear. If I am scared to love, I am useless, paralyzed and broken. 

Don't be afraid to open your heart. Sometimes, it's gonna hurt. Sometimes, it's not going to make sense. Sometimes, it may seem that it's way more trouble than it's worth. Let Christ's love then overwhelm you. His love is perfect, not ours. 

Oh...and about that pastor thing? 

Whether I marry a pastor or not, I am pastoring every day, every moment that I take time to listen, to hug, to support...I may not be up in a pulpit or leading mass revivals in Africa, but I am where God has placed me for this season of my life. 

Listen to the slow songs...they can change everything. 

The unforced rhythms of grace...

So my Poor dude had a rough night...tested every nerve of patience I possess, and even more that I DON'T have after that. 

You see, every time he has an overnight visit down south, within 6 hours of getting him back, he has a meltdown, giving both of us the opportunity to re-establish the boundaries that I am the boss and he is not. With that discipline comes such a sweet time of repentance. Isaiah just transforms and becomes the amazing, sweet, compassionate, obedient child he was before I dropped him off just a day before. 

Yesterday was the exception. I picked him up, and he did WAY better right after than he has ever done before. Breathing a sigh of relief, I literally whispered to God, "Finally...we are getting more used to this." I can tell you this...there is nothing worse than seeing your child lash out, TRYING to get you to react so he can have some sense of stability and control. While it is comforting to know that you are safe enough and consistent enough to bring him back in, it's also heartbreaking. For a four year old, it's the difference between life and death. So anyways, I was pleased. I was happy that hopefully, for at least once during these visits, my child was not in a negative atmosphere. 

That all changed. We have been helping with one of my  friend's children's ministry on Monday nights. I received a text message this morning that outlined what the topic of teaching was going to be...the love of the Father. Of course, Isaiah chooses to have his meltdown right before the teaching started. I panicked. All sorts of emotions flooded over me. The main ones--sadness and embarrassment. Sadness because he still DID have his negative reaction...it wasn't absent. It was just delayed. Something felt different about the embarrassment though. In the heat of the moment, I couldn't place my finger on it.

Something magical happens when you step out of the frustration when you least feel like it and see it for what it really is--a chance to give peace and security.

After crying for what seemed like forever (it was actually probably only like 2 minutes), he finally broke. He quit fighting and just sobbed...clinging to me, saying that he missed me and that I was far away yesterday. It took everything I had to not fall apart. 

When I got home,  I just started dwelling on this. I got to thinking: how often do we go do something out of our normal lives? Maybe it's something that has developed into a habit. Maybe it's something that we have grown comfortable with and don't realize that it affects us. Other people can see...but we can't. Or maybe we can. Maybe we feel what I felt when I couldn't identify where the embarrassment stemmed from. It didn't take long for me to figure out that embarrassment was a disguise. What the true feeling was is that of condemnation. 

When we feel condemned, how many can admit that it is not the default to turn to God? I know for one that it is not mine. My flesh would like nothing more than to make excuses and just feel sorry for myself...have my little venting sessions that don't solve anything but to pull me deeper into "piety" and validation. But that's the great thing about God. He doesn't care what your flesh wants. He will keep providing those little whispers and little convictions to bring us to our knees and see things as they really are. I'm so fortunate that He has brought me to a place where I hate not listening. I hate the life that I live on my own. Yet I love the life I have when I'm listening to His voice. 

The best part of God is His safety. If we obey and listen to what He is speaking, we have the security to just fall apart on Him. To spill our guts and tell Him WHY we have been doing our own thing. And the safest part? He already knows. 😄 He knows the blackest parts of our hearts, yet He--the Creator of the Universe!--takes time to sit with ME...stroke my hair. Whisper words of comfort to me...My grace is sufficient for you! My strength is made perfect in your weakness! And As far as the east is from the west, so far have your sins been removed from you. 

And just when I am falling apart, He pulls me back in through his gentle discipline and peaceful security and grace. 

For the birds...

Now it's no surprise if you know me at all that Valentine's Day and I don't get along very well. This may come as a shock to some since I can be one of THE most hopeless romantics of all time. Like literally--Little ol' optimistic realistic me--hopeless! I have had (what my sister calls) a love affair with Sleeping Beauty since I was 2 years old. I make up music videos and cast them in my head. I could also wax on eloquently about how Valentine's Day is just the worst because it's just a corporate holiday designed to make card makers a chocolate factories billions of dollars. That's not the point though. I honestly LOVE receiving little gifts, even if it's just a post-it note saying hello. It's not the gift giving that is the problem.

Now, just for the record, I am not the "I hate this day cause I don't have a valentine!" girl. I am single by choice until God unveils the eyes of a godly man and speaks to both our hearts. No rush! I'm content to wait for God's timing--He knows best!

No, the  true reason I don't like Valentine's Day is that it's supposed to represent true love but it doesn't.  I was thinking about what true love means to me. We get so hung up on romantic love on V-Day that we don't consider the other types of love. Until the last two years, I didn't know in the slightest what true love was. I felt guilt, shame, and condemnation for the longest time about what I am about to share.

When I got pregnant with my now four year old son who is just absolutely amazing, I was terrified. I lived in fear. You see, I had just had a surgery, so the do for said my body wouldn't be strong enough to carry the baby  past the halfway point. For this purpose, I did what no expectant mother should ever do. I prevented myself from bonding with my baby. I didn't even feel movement until about 10 weeks later than what to expect in the average pregnancy.

After I had my son, I was IN love, but I didn't love him. I did not experience that instant bond that mothers claim to receive upon seeing and holding their baby for the first time. I felt like a failure. On top of that, post partum and circumstantial depression clouded me like a heavy blanket of fog that just won't dissipate, no matter how hard you try to wave it away.  I rarely let other people hold him, because I wanted to so I could "jump start" these emotions. Finally, when he was about 3 months old, it clicked with me...he was actually MINE. My eyes were opened , and with tears' pouring down my cheek, I connected.

That was where my true love began.  It needed a lot of work though. Now I am a fairly intelligent girl. So this next part, I knew better. I threw myself in as well as I could into catching up and being a good mom, trying to juggle the baby, feeding, lawyers, court proceedings, etc. it was a very dark time for me, but my baby bear became my light. Depression still loomed very very heavily, and I succumbed to it many times.
These times would always be at night. The Enemy would sneak into my thoughts and lie to me. In these times, my heart would be hardened. I would start thinking about my circumstances and how  much this is NOT how I pictures my life. In these moments of weakness, I resented him.  I even cried out once and told God that He was terrible for bringing my son into such a mess. I never would admit it, but I often thought about how much easier life would be if he were not born. I would lie in bed, thinking about all this, and would wake up overpowered with guilt, shame, and condemnation.

Finally, the cycle broke. I got deliverance! Now I can honestly say that I love my son so much it hurts. I never knew that love could be truly unconditional.  Sure, he drives me batty sometimes, but I cannot imagine life without him. Then bible says "Perfect love drives out fear."  I don't need to exercise perfect love. Jesus exercises it for me. I cannot accomplish perfect love, but I can practice true love.

And for when I do have a valentine again? Awesome! Because Valentines Day will be just like any other day. God is love! He loves it more than we do! When God is the one who writes your love story, real love should be EVERY day. But until then, I will keep loving my son, my family, and my friends with real love, however that looks for each individual person.

Ok I'm done! #longwinded

I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream…

I’m so blessed. I honestly love my life. God has truly been doing a work in my life lately. So many things have opened up for me and my family that I am truly humbled by all He has done for us.

Just one of the most random things that He has taught me though has to do with identity. It is something that I believe so many of us struggle with more than we care to admit.
 

What are we rooting our identities in? Too often, we get so caught up in what we are doing for church, work, friends, and other family that we stuff down the things that make us unique. Our lives are so wrapped up in what we are doing for church, what ministry we can be a part of, how to GROW that ministry, what to cook for dinner, how to deal with kids, why things happen the way they do, how to move up at work—the list goes on and on. NONE of these things are bad things. God calls us to lay down our lives for those around us, and there is amazing reward for having a good heart and doing all these things.

However, that’s not all that there is to you…to me. God created each one of us to be individually unique. He put certain personality quirks in us for a reason. He didn’t put us on this earth with all the creativity, personality, and experiences to stuff them down and ignore them. Too often, we think that only what we DO is what matters to God…that our performance is the only thing that He notices. That’s so not true. Yes, he does notice our works and totally loves when we tap into his heart and truly love and serve others for the sake of the world. However, He loves even more when we can use our gifts, talents, and personalities to reach out to others even further and give them more of a touch of love and heaven on earth. As a mom, one of the things that brings me so much joy is seeing my little man just be his goofy, analytical, controlling self, because that’s how I know God made him…quirks and all. God is our Abba Father, and he loves when we thrive in who HE created us to be.

So yes, I am a ministry leader at my church. I am a part of the apprentice team at my church as well. I have been promoted at my job twice in one year. I am a single mother and a “good” daughter. But I am also more than that.

I am still the girl who will embarrass herself to make someone else laugh if they’re having a bad day.

I am the girl who cries in Disney/Pixar movies…every time.

I am the girl who sees herself in every heartache of everyone around her…because sometimes a brief connection with someone can change their lives.

As a former control freak, I am the girl who overanalyzes and overthinks things. That’s when I have to take a step back and purpose to walk in faith.

I have been, still am, and will always be a romantic at heart…hidden behind a façade of practicality.

I am the girl who will drop what I have going on to sit and talk with someone who needs a friend, even if we don’t know each other.

I will always see the world through rose-colored glasses. I just choose to see positivity in all circumstances. There is good in everything, even in the darkest of circumstances.

But most of all, I am the girl who can rest easily in the fact that I am a child of the one true King. He has equipped me and made me to fulfill my destiny, one day at a time. He has put desires in my heart and people in my path to fulfill parts of that destiny. No one in my life is an accident. So when those times come when my quirks become my insecurities, on days where I feel I have to figure everything out because another day has gone by without understanding what exactly God wants me to do…I can stop, listen, and hear Him say, “Be who I created you to be…you are a masterpiece…fearfully and wonderfully made.”

And in those moments, I know that faith is better than fear. I don’t have to be insecure in who I am. When others have rejected me, He has been there to promise He never would. I am His, and He is mine. He made me how He made me—on purpose…and that’s alright with me. :)

Enough

Here I am...three days away from standing before a judge...a judge who doesn't know me, doesn't know my past, my situation, or my reasons for being here. But this judge will decide the next steps in the life of my child. 

I must admit, I am having a hard time tonight. It is finally hitting me that this week, everything changes. I am also realizing that, no matter how hard I try, no matter how great my sacrifices, how "cool" of a mom I am, I will never be enough for my baby. For almost four years now, I have fed him, clothed and bathed him, loved and disciplined him--alone. But I can never be enough for him. I was not created to complete him, just as he was not created to complete me...but here we are. 

I am learning...just as I tell others that Jesus is enough for them, He is enough for me. He is enough for my little man. He is the mender of our "broken" family. With HIM, we are more put together than we would be otherwise. And until the day comes when we can welcome a good, godly DISCIPLE of a man into our lives, Jesus has got us in the palm of His hands. He will never leave us or forsake us, like some others have. He will not let us fall just for the sake of falling. He will carry us with His mighty right hand! He will conquer our enemies and defeat those who stand against us. He is a husband to the neglected and a Father to those who have been abandoned.

He has brought us this far. He will not let us down. I may not be able to FEEL it, but I can KNOW it. 

So though this family law judge may not know me, my RIGHTEOUS judge knows me...down to the number of hairs on my head--and He loves me and my bear more than words could even express. 

tara 2.0

I don’t like change…like I really don’t. Even with the changes I actually want, I have a hard time dealing with it, because come on…it’s change! Yet, as much as I don’t like change, I have changed a lot from that happy go lucky girl who looked at the world through rose-colored glasses. I mean, I am still part of that girl, and my glasses are still rosy—just cracked. I hate that. But that all changed…and this time it’s something I want to embrace…

My beautiful friend Samantha married her best friend in the whole world this past Saturday. It was seriously a beautiful wedding. I had the fantastic opportunity of walking through this entire process with her. I was there, along with the one who would be the best man (as well as another couple who also would be in the wedding party) when she got engaged. We got to dig a heart in the sand on a rainy day at the beach, videotape it, and rejoice with them after she said yes. I got to help her plan the wedding and had the privilege of being her maid of honor. But then the weekend of the wedding came. I had no idea how much my world would be rocked!

For two days, I became a stranger…someone I hadn’t seen in a long time. I became myself again. My mom came with me and kept Isaiah at a hotel, have him show up to be ring bearer, then let me enjoy myself. I honestly and truly haven’t enjoyed myself in a VERY  long time as much as I did this past weekend. For the first time in over three years, I didn’t have to be mommy. I wasn’t invincible. I didn’t have to be the responsible one. For once, I didn’t have to be the strong one. I didn’t have to hold it all together for everyone else’s sakes. I wasn’t the warrior that I’ve had to be the past couple years. I didn’t have to hold back and be “chill.” I could be ME…and I realized how much I missed me. I seriously had one of the best nights of my life the day of the wedding.

But now, back at home, I don’t want to give that up. So it got me to thinking…all these things…the way I felt…those are all good things! But I can be exciting and fun and awesome and still be mommy and responsible and strong! I an going to be MORE awesome than I was back then! I did not go through the last couple years of hardship to have it defeat me.  I can look back fondly on my days of no responsibility with fondness, but everything I have gone through should BUILD on that. God has given me things that I don’t understand. I shouldn’t allow anything to take away from that. I am honestly so much better and stronger than I was before. It just took a wedding, a hysterical, stressed out bride, some new (and old) friends, and an awesome weekend to remind me that God made me the way He made me…not just as a memory, but as a masterpiece.