The first blog....

*applause* Ehem, thank you, thank you. I am so glad you could join me for this momentous occasion, my first true blog on blogspot! I am sure it will be a fun, exciting journey and yet another opportunity for me to blab my mouth and wear out my keyboard!

In all seriousness....

I do not feel like my opinion matters more than anyone else's, or that I am *any* kind of expert on the subject of single or divorced motherhood. But, I have had some experiences in my life that make me want to speak to certain injustices and prejudices, and to encourage those women who will inevitably, and do currently, follow in my path.

Someone once told me, being a divorced woman is more common than not. While I don't like that idea, it is very true. There is a large rank of similar women out there who have shared these feelings at one time or another, and it is very likely that there is someone else you know going through the secret pain of a divorce. God led me to reach out to some friends who were hurting, and through a strange twist of events, we ended up helping each other through the most difficult time of our lives. It is a sad sisterhood, but one of the strongest I've ever known.

For the last two years, I have often times felt like I had a scarlet letter emblazoned on my forehead, somehow "marking" me and preventing me from leading a normal, pain free existence. Then, I realized, NO ONE has that luxury! Life is full of joy, but it has it's share of pain, too. Like my great grandma Laura used to say, "You have to take the bitter with the sweet!" I've begun to realize how right she was, but also that some lives are more bitter-laden than others! Haha. But, regardless of how much pain we experience, God will ultimately use those circumstances to our benefit, purifying us through pain. It is a fascinating and humbling journey.

For all those women out there who view divorced women as dirty, or that there is something wrong with us, or that you are somehow better than us.... I hope you make some mental notes. For some, these circumstances unwillingly fell into our lap. We are simply trying to pick up the pieces of our broken dreams and our irrepairably broken home. We, ourselves, are hurting so deeply at times we can barely get out of bed in the morning to accomplish our daily tasks. Have you hugged a friend that has been going through tough times today? Of any kind? Think about it. I hope that after seeing more clearly, and digging deeper in your heart, you may change your mind.

That's my challenge to everyone for the week! Tell a friend! This has been my personal PSA on single parenting and encouraging others!