Even When Things are Terrible, He has got it

Know that God is in control. Even when things are terrible, He has got it.

I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I have a very wise husband. And the guy is overly talented at knowing exactly when I need certain reminders. Like above that he sent me today. 

I know the statement above to be true, but man, the struggle is real! 

I am on social media (mainly Facebook) way more than I should be - I’ll admit it. Sometimes I call it “my job”. I read articles, I connect with friends, I connect with other bloggers and writers and, of course, I post what I write. But with all truthfulness, I am on social media way too much. 

Lately I’ve been funky. I mean a serious black cloud of blah has been following me around. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that it’s mid September and I live in Houston - where the weather stinks. Last week we had a little teaser of fall, but this week it’s back up in the nineties. As I person who throughly adores Fall that really makes me funky. I am ready for crunchy leaves and not breaking a sweat walking from the door to my car (not from being out of shape, mind you, but for the humidity). I was even going to write a post about the Un-Fall Funk - it’s a true condition - I have it. 

Today as I was reading the 10 millionth article about the kid with the “clock”  (who is actually from my hometown) and was like “enough is enough.” I am so tired of the world right now! I am tired of what the media does to us by making stories way bigger than they should be (not talking about the clock, just in general). I have found myself in the past month reading a news story, then researching it. I want the “truth” - I want to know the details before I know if I should get up in arms about something. That research just leads to more “Oh My Goodness - What is the World Coming To?” feelings. 

I spent my lunch time today un-following and un-friending people or groups that constantly just talk news because honestly I am done - I don’t want to hear it anymore. I would rather live in the dark, not know what’s happening in the majors cities around me, then live in this funk. 

I received the message above after sharing this tangent with my husband. My initial response, “ugh…I know!” It was not so much of a “don’t preach to me” as it was a defeating sigh. I know He is and I need to trust Him. 

Trust is what I need to do. Trust that He has all of this, that He knows what He is doing and in the end there will be victory over the evil that is in our world right now. 

What I don’t need to do is challenge Him. I find myself saying, “Okay Lord. Just come back and let’s get this over with. Please stop the suffering. Please stop the hate. Please stop the violence. Lord, please save us from this mess that we’ve made. Come Now! SOS! We need you!”

Oh man, how we need you. I need you - my neighbor needs you - the president needs you - the ladies from the View definitely need you (don’t even get me started). 

Wow, as I have typed this I’ve felt a weight lift off of me. I love that feeling, when you let it go and give it to him. It’s not my job to fix our society. It’s not my job to turn everyone into believers. All I am to do is follow Him and love people. 

Speaking of loving people and Facebook. In the midst of all of this yuck, I’ve been blessed. I could never have imagined that someone I have never met would bless me so much, but Kara Tippets and her legacy has done it again. 

A community was formed (there is an official Facebook group for it) of people who are friends of Kara’s. Many of us friends never got the opportunity to meet Kara, but we all still mourn the loss of our dear friend. Yesterday, 3,500 people joined the group and at last count on my prayer journal I was allowed the amazing opportunity to pray for close to 100 of those women. Women who are battling cancer, have lost their spouses, their parents and women who like me were inspired to do great things because of Kara. 

In the process of writing my story there are two key people that the Holy Spirit worked through to give me the courage to share all my ugly with you. One was my dear friend, Emily, just the excitement that she had to learn more about me and my life made it so much easier to get this all started. And secondly was Kara. Every time I got down on myself and listened to people who said my story should remain under the rug I would listen to Kara speak on sharing your story and the power of being vulnerable. 

Yesterday through the power of the thing I dislike so much today (Facebook) I was able to connect and love on women who just needed an outlet to share their feelings, their fears and ask for prayer. It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s a bright spot in a very dark world. I wish their stories were news headlines because they should be heard. We should be rallying around the women who are battling for their lives instead of women who live to make buck off of others’ suffering. I don’t want to know which Kardashian did what, I want to know how I can love women who need love and someone to lean on. 

Out of all the women that I “meet” yesterday, Becky McCoy’s story stood out and made such an impact on my heart. I ask that you watch this video and that you keep Becky and her beautiful children in your prayers. Please pray for Becky on Sunday as she runs a half marathon in the honor of her amazing husband. 

You can also follow her blog: http://ourlifeinfourbags.com/

And if you are interested, here is more information about the Mundane Faithfulness Community on Facebook: http://www.mundanefaithfulness.com/home/2015/9/15/new-place-to-gather

Also, as always, I strongly suggest that you read Kara’s blog. Her friends have done an amazing job re-posting Kara’s writing. I promise that you will be blessed by Kara as well. http://www.mundanefaithfulness.com/

As for me, well I can’t stop Facebook all together, but I do plan to step back some. I should focus my attention on the stack of writing submission opportunities that sit on the desk in front of me. And I most definitely need to focus on the mounds of laundry that never seems to fold itself. 

Please know that I here to pray for you. If there is something weighing on your heart today please allow me to lift it up to Jesus as well. 

And remember He is in control - He’s got this. Love you! 

Weekend Haircuts & YouTube

So we decided this weekend that the little needed a trim and since this was Morgan's first "real" haircut I thought it was blog worthy.

Bekah got a braid after her trim.

Then, it was Morgan's turn. I don't think she was feeling too "Sassy Diva", but she did love watching a movie while she had her haircut. She was very serious through this process.

Her hair is now all even and cute.

Shelby and I have kind of been Youtubing - is that a word?

We captured this on our way back from North Texas on Sunday:

Can you can see more of our videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkB7GPvX8bbgpiyPRk8DDDw

Also, DanaRae is on Facebook and you can like the page for this blog here: https://www.facebook.com/DanaRaeBlog

Trust In the Lord

I posted this song Tuesday on Facebook before my doctor’s appointment. It popped up on Pandora when I needed it the most – don’t you just love that?

To be honest I thought for sure that Dr. Sak would come in and say – nope, no baby, just bad test. I knew what that would do to me, to us so I was searching for this – I needed to hear this song. I mean look at these lyrics:

Trust in the Lord
With all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all of your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your path straight
Don't worry about tomorrow
He's got it under control
Just trust in the Lord
With all your heart
And he will carry you through

Lord, sometimes it gets so tough
To keep my eyes on you even things are going rough
But then I turn my eyes up to the sky
and I hear your voice
It says to me:

Trust in the Lord
With all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all of your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make your path straight
Don't worry about tomorrow
He's got it under control
Just trust in the Lord
With all your heart
And he will carry you through

And He will carry you through !

One of my sweet friends reposted it yesterday, right after I posted my freak-out blog. I needed to hear it again and I did. I listened to it about ten times and will keep listening and believing with all my heart – He will carry me through!

	Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

Dear Mom

Dear Mom –

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think that your daily ready of my blog is really helping you to grow.

I am very proud and happy that when I told you that thing that I wasn’t going to tell -and told the entire world I wouldn’t tell you- you handled it very well. You listened and understood – not that you wouldn’t have before, but you got it. You understand my side of it and you felt for me – not that you haven’t done that before – I am just saying…

I believe that between my blog and facebook you have opened up much more regarding internet life – even though you still preface most conversations with “now don’t go putting this out of facebook.”

I am glad and very proud that you are one of my loyal readers! I just wanted to let you know…oh and also I love you.

Oh and also come get your granddaughter! She is driving me crazy and it is your fault!

I love you Mommy!

Can you believe you and I have no pictures together – just the two of us – from the wedding? I had to crop everyone else out of the one above and I did a pretty sucky job of it - sorry.

Grammy is on Facebook!

Watch out World! Grammy got herself a facebook. It started all on accident (or so she says) my Aunt sent her a link to pictures which lead my mom unbeknownst to her into the setup stages for a facebook account.

She flipped – you know since my father thinks everything on the interent will give him a virus- and she quickly closed out of the screen, but it was too late she was official. I spent the next month messaging family members saying “mom is not ignoring your friend request…she didn’t mean to setup her account.” I also have spent the last 6 months reading to my mother status updates from her sisters, bother in-law, niece and nephews – it was a hard job, but someone had to keep her in the loop.

Thinking back I am not sure how it came to play, but I believe I was angry that she would not read my blog so I said “That’s it I am giving you my old laptop. That way you can go wherever you want!” The time came this week to pass it over and to really setup her facebook account. Not sure if any of you have done this for your parents, but it is interesting. My mother is from the IT world, she spent 25+ years there, so I don’t have to tell her how to double click or search – that is a relief. I updated her name, added a profile picture, accepted all her old friend requests and then linked her up with family.

You should have seen the four of us-me sitting in-between my parents, Shelby next to my mom and the dog- as I took them through the “This Facebook” tutorial. We looked at other people, searched for people and told her how to type status updates. The entire time my father acting like he wasn’t totally interested and wanting a facebook, too. I bet you money he will be on within the year and probably making tacky comments on all my posts – because that is his way of saying I love you!

She is up and running! Yay! There were a few minor changes though – she could not stand that it said she was “interested in men.” I tried to explain it, but just decided to hide that field.

I did give her some advice:

1. Learn my x-mother in-law’s mistake – if you are friends with two people then don’t write anything tacky about person D on person A’s wall because person D can see it and it will start a huge x-family feud – Remember?
2. I gave her her own advice back – don’t put anything on facebook that you wouldn’t want your mother to read.
3. Be nice – no one likes mean tacky facebook friends.
4. Watch your political posts – they can make other friends mad.
5. Post pictures!!!! And make sure to tag people, but not me especially if I am having a chubby day.

Actually, some of those I just thought of and since she is now reading my blog, too (Everyone say Hi to my Mom!) she can read them herself.

Dear Mom – I think you will have a blast on facebook! If I am not available your grandson is a facebook pro – Shelby is sooooo jealous, but still way too young for facebook!

I don’t know her, but we are Facebook friends.

Oh Facebook friends. I spent Friday morning weeding through them. Some made the cut and some did not.

I had a moment where I thought-do I really need to know the daily happening of all these people?

Seriously, how many facebook friends do we actually need?

As I was going through them, this quote kept playing in my head.

There is a reason that people in your past don’t make it into your future

~anonymous

That Anonymous is very wise. It sounds bad to say “I deleted people”, but that is what I did. Quiet a few – like almost ten. There were people that I never really spoke to and their posts were rubbing me the wrong way. There were people who were so far off on a different path that some of their posts had become offensive to me. And there were those people who I thought – the only reason he (or she) are in my friends list is because I am nosey. It was time to clean house.

Have you had a moment like that?

Please tell me I am not alone – have you ever said.

Yeah, I am friends with her. Well I mean we are friends on Facebook.

StrawberryTart! says, “If I annoy you on facebook you are allowed to delete me too…I fully understand.”

This post lead me to a book called The Church of Facebook. I haven’t read it yet, but I thought it fit with this post.