How to Survive on $12k a Year!

See the other videos here.

How to Survive on $12k a Year!

See the other videos here.

Single Mom Soldier Refuses to Deploy

CNN and most major news outlets reported on the story of a single mom who refused to deploy to Afganistan. The reason is she has no one to care for her small child. I read the story with mixed emotions because I feel her pain yet, because of the precarious situation she's in as a member of the military, I can't help but be upset at her. Read about it here and see it here.

Being in the military is a serious deal. You are turning your life over to the government and promised to go where they tell you to go. I've dated a man in the military and he was under their command. The fact that she is young and inexperienced doesn't help matters. The young tend to be a bit rebellious and aren't known for making the best decisions.

There are many things she could have done to prevent the situation. What I'm about to say may sound harsh but I gotta say it.

Firstly, she is a private, so she recently joined the military with the full knowleged that we are at war. The possibility of going into a warzone is pretty much absolute. There is no way around that. I don't know why she joined but her life was no longer her own when she signed the papers and took the vow. In essence she knew what she was getting into.

Secondly, as a woman in the  military she has the responsibility to make sure she doesn't get pregnant. As a single woman it's was even more important, especially with no guarantee of marriage (I have no idea what happened in the relationship with the father). So now she has a child to take care of, the father is unavailable. Being in the military, being unmarried and not being on birth control (perhaps the condom broke) is a bad idea.

So what will happen to her now? Her mother was supposed to take care of her son for the year she was to be away, but she decided she couldn't take care of him. Now that's harsh. It seems neither of them considered the consequences of their actions. This Single Mom soldier is now being detained while the investigation continues.

I have some pretty sexist views about women in the military, but I won't start that rant. The bottom line is this mother is in a lot of trouble because she didn't take control of her life. She didn't plan well or consider the consequences of all her actions. Living life based on emotions is a dangerous proposition. We tend to make horrible mistakes. Fortunately for her and for us, we can learn from those mistakes. If we don't it's completely pointless to think you will become a mature person who is capable of succeeding in life.

Single Mom Soldier Refuses to Deploy

CNN and most major news outlets reported on the story of a single mom who refused to deploy to Afganistan. The reason is she has no one to care for her small child. I read the story with mixed emotions because I feel her pain yet, because of the precarious situation she's in as a member of the military, I can't help but be upset at her. Read about it here and see it here.

Being in the military is a serious deal. You are turning your life over to the government and promised to go where they tell you to go. I've dated a man in the military and he was under their command. The fact that she is young and inexperienced doesn't help matters. The young tend to be a bit rebellious and aren't known for making the best decisions.

There are many things she could have done to prevent the situation. What I'm about to say may sound harsh but I gotta say it.

Firstly, she is a private, so she recently joined the military with the full knowleged that we are at war. The possibility of going into a warzone is pretty much absolute. There is no way around that. I don't know why she joined but her life was no longer her own when she signed the papers and took the vow. In essence she knew what she was getting into.

Secondly, as a woman in the  military she has the responsibility to make sure she doesn't get pregnant. As a single woman it's was even more important, especially with no guarantee of marriage (I have no idea what happened in the relationship with the father). So now she has a child to take care of, the father is unavailable. Being in the military, being unmarried and not being on birth control (perhaps the condom broke) is a bad idea.

So what will happen to her now? Her mother was supposed to take care of her son for the year she was to be away, but she decided she couldn't take care of him. Now that's harsh. It seems neither of them considered the consequences of their actions. This Single Mom soldier is now being detained while the investigation continues.

I have some pretty sexist views about women in the military, but I won't start that rant. The bottom line is this mother is in a lot of trouble because she didn't take control of her life. She didn't plan well or consider the consequences of all her actions. Living life based on emotions is a dangerous proposition. We tend to make horrible mistakes. Fortunately for her and for us, we can learn from those mistakes. If we don't it's completely pointless to think you will become a mature person who is capable of succeeding in life.

Happy Friday - Thriving is Not for the Faint of Heart

This has been a slow week on the blog but a busy week in my life. That doesn't mean that I don't care about you guys. I am very concerned about how all of you are doing.

I got an email from a lady who is having a really rough time with unemployment and custody battles for her kids. It saddens me that so many are struggling. It is a fact of life, but I am a firm believer that things can and will change with a lot of prayer, a plan, and perseverance. A good support network is priceless as well.

 

Survival is the theme of most single moms. Whether it's the struggle to get adequate childcare, a better job, to put food on the table, or a hundred other things, survival is the common element.

 

Too often surviving becomes such a large focus of life that it completely overshadows everything else. What happens when survival is the focus?

Happy Friday - Thriving is Not for the Faint of Heart

This has been a slow week on the blog but a busy week in my life. That doesn't mean that I don't care about you guys. I am very concerned about how all of you are doing.

I got an email from a lady who is having a really rough time with unemployment and custody battles for her kids. It saddens me that so many are struggling. It is a fact of life, but I am a firm believer that things can and will change with a lot of prayer, a plan, and perseverance. A good support network is priceless as well.

 

Survival is the theme of most single moms. Whether it's the struggle to get adequate childcare, a better job, to put food on the table, or a hundred other things, survival is the common element.

 

Too often surviving becomes such a large focus of life that it completely overshadows everything else. What happens when survival is the focus?