The Good Portion and Single Parenting

Kerry Tittle

Kerry Tittle

Founder, Refined Family

Kerry Tittle is a mother of 10 children and a 20+-year homeschool veteran. She is the founder of Refined Family. Her desire is to honor Christ while comforting others with the comfort she has received from the Lord. 

Recently, I have struggled being a single mom. I have a whole new respect for single parents who have to juggle the load of being two people. Its tough! There never seems to be time to get it all done. Not sure what “me time” is, but I assure you it doesn’t exist in my house. This week a friend and I were toying with the idea of actually being able to have lunch together to catch up. She lives about 20 minutes away and its been almost two years! I ended up offering for her to come to the soccer field during my son’s practice to visit. Busy, busy, busy. Single parenting has been a pride crusher for me. The once healthy “month ahead cooking” mom has actually forgotten dinner altogether on more times than I want to admit. My kids actually love it when mom has to resort to a drive through or PB&J with smashed Sarah Lee for dinner, smashed because I was prideful and slid the bread under something else in my grocery cart in case I ran into my healthy friends. Even, my insurance agent will call to let me know if my premiums are coming up because I have a pretty good track record at forgetting. Isn’t that sad? I am still committed to homeschooling, but again I haven’t been able to do it all. I have sweet teachers coming along side me teaching Latin, music, physics and such to my kids. I feel like the bottom of my bucket is just a strainer. I do all I can to keep it together but my attempts are futile. This results in a crying heap in my floor at the end of the day. The hardest part is the toll it takes on my relationship with Christ. Busyness can be the adversary’s best tool to wrecking my walk with Jesus. My husband had a flippant saying: “The Devil will either make you bad or busy.” Though I have always heard Luke 10:38 in context towards women, I truly believe there is something here for all of us.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
I am also anxious and troubled about many things. Like Martha I can easily be driven by works and let Jesus fall to the back burner. But its clear Jesus is showing us that as important as some of these things are they pale in comparison to sitting and worshipping at the feet of our Savior. As counterintuitive as this sounds, this portion is what helps us to roll up our sleeves and gives strength to endure life’s challenges. Next time you are overwhelmed, stop and be still. Share your anxieties with the only One you can release this burden to. He promises to hear and He never leave you in this.

Jeremiah 29:11-14a

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD.
Here the good portion is offered to you. Take, even if you are in a heap on your floor, and be blessed.
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