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Showing posts from 2017

I May Be Single, But I'm Not Alone

      This time of year brings up lots of memories and emotions for seemingly all of humanity.  Parties, family gatherings, and favorite faith traditions dominate our calendars, and with them, an unusual amount of socializing...  It's in these moments we attempt to catch up with people we don't see as often as we would like or family that doesn't live nearby.  And it's these moments where the inevitable annual questions are asked: "So, how's work?" "Are you still living in the same place?" "How is your family doing?" And if you're single: "Are you... seeing anyone? (insert elbow jab here)" This year, my goal was to get both feet in the door and both shoes off before Grandma hit me with that last one.  Goal: achieved.  My second goal was to not roll my eyes when she finally asked.  Goal: failed.  Maybe next year. Truthfully, in the last 6 months, I've come to really appreciate the gift of my singleness.  I&#

But What About the Kids?

Last Fall, I landed a 30-hr/week job as a Kindergarten teaching assistant with one of the large metro schools here.  I had worked in the neighborhood of my assigned school a few years back and was aware of the demographics and what that might mean for the students I would interact with daily.  I knew, or at least assumed based on past experience, that this job would be a place that stretches me because this side of town was so different than my upbringing.  I knew I wouldn't fit in, even if I didn't mean to stand out.  But I was excited to do this job well, regardless of the challenges I might face. My students, for the most part, were from low-income families, often with just one parent, and in many cases, they were already considered to be at-risk children.  Almost all my students were people of color (non-white).  The school itself had been reinforced with community programming, services, and intervention programs to help support families with whatever their daily struggle

The Best Yes and the Hard No

I recently finished reading Lysa Terkeurst's book "The Best Yes."  In this real-life book about making better decisions in today's culture, she details hilariously relatable stories and moments that God used to refine her pace of life.  I initially started reading it because I'm a recovering perfectionist, and by association, a recovering workaholic (read: people-pleaser).  I kept reading it because she had a lot of great things to say past, "Stop over-scheduling yourself."  I finished it because I needed the answer to one of the heaviest questions in my life: What is my Best Yes for singleness?  What does it look like for a young woman, such as myself, to live a life that is undoubtedly following the Lord, but not in a position to pursue some of my longest-held dreams: marriage and a family? Disclaimer: at no point in this post will you find the ultimate answer to dating, finding your spouse, or a happy marriage.  These are just my reflections from ex