This article is a part of the 129 Ways to Get a Husband series… a magnificent adventure in finding a husband (or just a really hilarious life)… based off the 1958 McCall’s magazine article. Follow along on this great adventure by checking out the first article here.

Sometimes being a single mom sucks.

Actually, I should say it usually sucks, but sometimes it’s not too bad.

It’s really a matter of perspective.

Money for example. This has probably been one of the most difficult aspects of single parenting in the sixteen years of my experience. In fact, I don’t know many single parents who do not struggle financially. In my work in foster care, the majority of the families we serve are single moms. Did you know that single female led households are the least likely to own a home in the United States? Even single male households are much more likely to own their home.

When I zoom in, ultra focused on the details of my own life and family, I can feel burdened and overwhelmed. Scarcity sets in. I begin to compare my life with my married friends’ and I quickly feel poor. Really poor.

Poor me.

It’s helpful for me to zoom out, beyond my neighborhood into some hidden pockets of town where people are struggling beyond what I have ever known. These families struggle to keep their lights on, a running car, and their children fed.

I have never not had food in my house. I have never not had a cell phone. Maybe it would occasionally get shut off because I didn’t pay the bill, but it was back on the same day.

One time we had a child in foster care staying with us for a few days. I was shocked when she stated how big our house is or marveled at our hand-me-down dishwasher.

Suddenly, I don’t feel so poor.

If I zoom out even farther, casting my vision on the world as a whole, I see that on average, the world’s annual salary is less than 20% of mine. There are families who get to eat one meal of rice each day. If they have a cow or goat they might get milk. Chicken is a delicacy reserved for special occasions and guests. Running water… even clean water… is the stuff of dreams.

When I consider that my little family of three is extremely wealthy in worldly standards, I am humbled and quieted in my complaints.

Did you know that increased wealth only increases your happiness up to a certain point? I recently heard on the radio that once families reach a household income of about $70,000 their happiness begins to decrease.

Despite our incredible wealth our mental health and happiness have decreased. The pursuit of self-sufficiency, giant houses and the newest tech gadgets find our lives more stress-filled than ever before. I could look up a stat, but I don’t need to. You know this is true.

Money isn’t bringing us happiness. And it isn’t bringing me a boyfriend. (Do I really want a boyfriend who just loves me for my money anyway? {no!!!})

A Yale study found that people who do more than two acts of kindness a day are happier and less stressed than those who do not. Perhaps God knew this, and that is why He included in the Scriptures “Command them (the wealthy) to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)

This year Valentine’s Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day have fallen in the same week. In case you weren’t aware, Random Acts day is February 17. I want my children to be happy and I want to be happy. So you know what we are going to do this week?

Give stuff away. Make people smile. Share hope. We are going to LIVE LOVE.

I’ve created this fun Random Acts of Kindness Week Scavenger Hunt to challenge them in finding ways to bless others and make sparks of joy everywhere we go.

Will you join us? You can download this free pdf or save the image to your phone. Follow my kids’ RAK shenanigans this week on my IG or FB @savannahlyonblog. Share your own RAK shenanigans and be sure to tag me!