Freedom to Be and Do

What amazes me is my ability to have a pity party for myself.   I texted my friend the other weekend about being sad about something. And she responded that she was having a pity party too.  It is so easy to focus on me and pity and not on the riches of the Lord.

One of the riches of the Lord that God has given me is the freedom of singleness.  I have the freedom to be and do whatever I want.  Of course there are restrictions on this (jobs and family being two obvious ones.)  But I can choose when and how I want dinner or if there will even be dinner.  (Let's be honest- there will be.) I can choose who my friends are and when and how I spend time with them.  I can choose where my time is spent, what ministries I invest in, where my money goes. There is a danger to this freedom, because there can be a lack of accountability.   The good thing is I have a sister and a friend or two who will call me out if I am unwise. (And yes, many a night is spent watching yet another episode of Gilmore Girls or Friends.)

But in the freedom of being and doing, I have so much I can do.  I can invest in friends and truly do life with them.  I can do Thursday and Saturday coffee; I can hangout with my brother and family ALOT; I can do game nights and dinners; I can have fun kids' nights that often involve projects.  I can help where needed without being constrained by the need for childcare.  If my niece tells me that she wants to work on a craft, I can easily make time for her.  I am free to do and serve without being constrained.

Being in a relationship with constraints is good.  There is humility, self sacrifice, etc.... There is a strength in two people or a family doing tasks together.  For married or married people with families that is the riches of the Lord given to them.  One is not better than the other.  They are the same but different.  I often wish I was given these riches.  But I haven't been given this.

So today, I chose to be thankful for what God has given me, the freedom I have to invest deeply in the people I do life with and work on the ministries I am called to without restriction.