Monday, January 16, 2012

Singlenss....and grace

So Annie over at Annie Blogs wrote a post a few weeks back for Incourage about being single. 
And today she has posted Another One on Incourage. 

She's being real and being honest about being single. 
Opening it up for all to be able to share.

I want to get in on it.
But I'll be honest I'm a little scared to do it. 

See, late last year I had re posted an article about Authentic Women's Ministry that a friend had posted. 
And was attacked when I mentioned that what I might need as a single woman may vary in what a married/mother might need. 
The person that did so was a friend one I had trusted with things in the past and her words cut deep. 
I'm still working to overcome the effect of them when I talk or even think about my singleness because she was intentional mean (she did say she was intentional about being mean so that's not my judgment there).

So while I open up here and join in on the whole thing with Annie, I want to ask a favor.

Please be gentile.

And know that as a part of who I am I don't think any less of you if you are married or a mommy,  nor do I think you have no struggles because you are one or both of those.  In fact I think you have some very big struggles and very hard tasks, ones that I could never understand more than likely. 
But that doesn't mean my struggles are any less of a struggle just because I'm single. 

So I'll start mine off kinda like Annie did...

I'm Leanna, I'm 32 and single.

Never married. 
And very few romantic relationships.
I grew up in a small town and maybe that's why there were never a lot of romantic relationships.
That or because I'm pretty picky and the ones I wanted always seemed to want someone else.

"Being single, whether never married or single again, can be a challenge, a blessing, a curse, a joy, a disappointment" (via Annie on her Incourage post)

And that is so very true. 
It often is a curse, hello, facing wedding season every year alone with no date is tough, watching most of your friends begin to have babies, Valenties Day (really like anything more needs to be said on that case).
It can be challenging to seem to be going at this all alone.
I for one don't want to burden my family with things, be it my parent or my sisters and brothers-in-law. 
That's me it's "how I roll".

But being single can also be a blessing too. 
I can decide on a whim if I want to go out and do things any day. 
My money is my own to spend.
I can pack my schedule for of stuff and not worry about anyone else but me. (not completly since I have family and responsiblities).

But this year as we start out I am going to be purposful about being thankful for this contiued season of singleness. 
And wait and see what God has for me in 2012.


4 comments:

AnnieBlogs said...

I love this post so much. Thank you for sharing. I am grateful to have you walking alongside me in this. Yay for finding joy in this season.

dunlizzie said...

Hey chic. I've been absent from the blogoshpere, but happy to have come back in time to meet you here... on this post. I'm with ya', cheering you on :)

Leanna said...

Thank you both and a big welcome back to you "dunlizzie" you've been missed.

dunlizzie said...

Aww... Thanks Leanna :)