Category: Dana’s Rants

Happy Sunday everyone! I love my lazy Sunday mornings sitting at my kitchen table, drinking coffee, in my pajamas, listening to the birds sing and looking out my windows at all of God’s creation.

“But wait!” I know some of you are thinking to yourself. “Why aren’t you getting up, getting dressed and going to church? Are you a sinner or a “backslider” who doesn’t believe anymore?  Do you still know God? Bless your heart, I will pray for you!”

Most of you who have known me all my life know that my mother and I were in church every time the doors opened. I grew up with a wonderful Christian base that has carried me through hard times and rough patches in my life and I gave my daughter that same solid base because I think it is very important. But as I get older I have realized what works for me spiritually doesn’t have a lot to do with organized religion.

And before everyone gets their panties in a knot…..no I am not putting down people who choose to go to church on Sunday morning. I am just asking for a little less judgement on those of us who choose not to attend. I think the best way to spread some light on “why” is to answer the questions from earlier.

Why aren’t you getting up, getting dressed, and going to church? 

My first, although be it a little sarcastic, answer to that question is “been there, done that”.  Sometimes I tend to get in such a habit of doing things that it becomes more of an unconscious, muscle-memory action and it loses it’s true purpose. When I realized (and I was in my upper 40’s) that going to church had become a chore for me instead of a need I stopped attending. I also realized that it had been that way for quite a while for me. I had “church burnout” for lack of a better term.

I also had to reevaluate where I was spiritually. Our childhood imprinting is hard to overcome and made me do a lot of soul searching. Was I using not attending church as an excuse to be a Christian slacker?  Did my not being in church mean I wasn’t a Christian? Did not sitting on a pew every Sunday morning mean God wouldn’t love me as much anymore?

The answer is NO, that does not make me a “slacker”, I am proud to be a CHRISTIAN and reevaluating my daily walk with God and finding the most effective “Praise and Worship” method for me has led me closer to God than I have ever been!!

Are you a sinner or a “backslider” who doesn’t believe anymore?

Now you are thinking “Oh my, what can we do to get her back to church?”
My answer: “Not a damn thing. I am good with my Lord. I am at peace with my relationship with God and myself for the first time in my life! It works for me and I am happy!”

Do you still know God? 

Yes, now probably better than I ever have. I still have a LONG way to go and hope to never stop wanting to learn more!

I think that the scariest thing is when we think we know it all, have all the answers, stop feeling the need to learn, think everyone else is going to hell because they don’t agree with us and feel that we are a “shoe-in” to the Pearly Gates…..well, THAT is when we need to start backing up, humbling ourselves and going back to the basics.

Don’t let your “religion” get in the way of your spiritual walk with God. Do whatever you feel works for you, if that is church on Sunday, a walk in the woods or at home with your family in prayer. And stop judging others for their choices!!

So I am sitting here on the porch this Sunday morning, listening to the hummingbirds buzz to the feeder, the wind is blowing through the trees and birds are singing their morning songs. I am reading my devotionals and having my morning coffee and prayer……and for this moment, all is at peace with my world.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and Blessed Sunday!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a Christian. I believe in God’s greater plan for us. I believe that He loves all of his children and gives us a chance at eternal life if we follow Him. I believe God is the Alpha and Omega, our great protector and our Savior. But on days like this, even though my faith remains strong, I have to stop and say “What the hell?”.

Four lives have been tragically taken from our tight rural communities. Lives that were intertwined. Friends. Brothers. Farmers. Horsemen. And yes, even Cowboys.

Cancer – ATV accident – Motorcycle wreck – Truck wreck   All close home, all touching many lives in life and now in death.

I sat in a line of cars in Speedwell last night waiting for an accident to be cleared. Although I couldn’t see it I knew it was bad. The fire department sent someone to tell each of us that it would be a while before we would be moving. There were lots of rescue personnel, police cars and flashing lights. There was a heavy feeling in the air and I just knew.

After a while I watched the wrecker go by toward the scene and thought that it wouldn’t be long now before we are moving. Some more time passed and the wrecker passed back by pulling a truck. It was so messed up in the front I couldn’t tell make or color and I thought to myself it would be a miracle if anyone survived. I said a short prayer, we started moving, and I went home and went to bed.

When I woke up this morning the accident was still on my mind so I got on social media and then on some news sites to see if the people were ok. I found the report, read it, and in shock reread it. It took a few minutes for it to sink in. And then I cried. It all seemed so bizarre. I cried for four friends who in my mind went too soon. I cried for their parents and for their friends. And as I cried I got a little angry and all I could think of to say to God is “What the hell? What are you doing? What does this mean?”.

“I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith. Such a simple word but sometimes one of the hardest words in the English language. I actually have the word Faith tattooed on my arm. I put it there after a very trying time in my life to remind me that if I keep faith there is nothing God can’t help me through.

I would like to think that God needed these four men to be some bad ass guardian angels for the young people who looked up to them here on earth. I have faith that they were not taken in vain but for a higher purpose that we as humans may never understand. And I believe that their lights will continue to shine brightly.

Pray for their families. Pray for their friends. God bless us all!

Ride High Cowboys

 

 

 

 

 

I love growing herbs. I love learning about their medicinal and culinary uses. This year I am putting them in the front window of the cabin, but until I get my plant stands they are happily sitting on my kitchen table. I make sure they have plenty of water (overwatering is a fault of mine with plants!) and they seem content to sit and grow.

Every morning, however, I have to turn them because every afternoon when I come in they are bent and reaching toward the sunlight that shines through my kitchen window, their nearest light source.

So as I sit here this morning drinking coffee and looking at my plants, with each stem turned and reaching for the light, I started wondering if I need to learn more from my herbs than just their cooking and medicinal uses.

Man it is so easy to be stuck. To be in darkness, to succumb to depression, worry, anxiety, and to get lost in the muck. To let negativity and “drama” take over our lives. To react to stress and go day after day looking in the same direction, walking into the same negative atmosphere, accepting “what is” and never looking around for ways to make it better. Why is that?

I think it is because as humans we have become so “lazy” if you will at all the things that are readily available to us that we have forgotten the concept of EFFORT! It takes EFFORT to affect CHANGE! Positive change is good because we all have a desire to be happy. My plants have no trouble following their instincts and finding the rays and warmth of the sun no matter how far they have to reach. It makes them grow and prosper!

If I make an effort to step around the negativity, take off my blinders, and look around me there are countless blessings that I take for granted every day! The beauty of Spring, the promise of a new day, the sunshine on my face or the ability to breath fresh, clean air. These are not material things! I cannot buy them at a store or have Amazon deliver them in two days. They are here, now, available instantly to me as a blessing from my God. All I have to do is to remember to pray and “Reach For The Son”, and like my herbs, I can find peace and happiness. God Bless!

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

 

 

As many of you know I lost my dad back in February to complications from Parkinson’s disease. Mom took wonderful care of dad and even as his disease progressed she insisted on being his primary caregiver even when it meant her health suffered. We were also very blessed in the fact that we had wonderful family, friends and medical staff that pitched in to help in so many ways so that daddy was able to stay at home. My mom and dad had been married for 63 years.

Lets face it, getting old sucks. And those of us who can still get out, get around, and go wherever we want take that freedom for granted. I have a thousand things going on, I am a little stressed, I am trying to get everything done, and mom comes in my door. My first reaction? It irritates the crap out of me! Doesn’t she know I’m busy? Doesn’t she realize I have things to do?

The answer is no, she doesn’t. She is coming to visit her daughter and granddaughter to see how their day is going, to see what they are doing, and just to visit because she is lonely and “restless” as she puts it and just needs the reassurance that we are here. Some days are better than others. Most days she is fine, talkative (even though we may hear the same story over and over), and upbeat. But she also has the not-so-good days. And whatever kind of day she is having she doesn’t need a daughter who is so preoccupied with her work that she forgets that she has the bigger and much more important responsibility of taking care of her family.

Daily I have to remind myself that most of the things I am stressing over are very unimportant. So I make a conscious effort to be more understanding and patient when I am in that stress whirlwind and mom walks through my door.

A few weeks ago I was going to check cattle one afternoon and picked mom up to ride with me. We ended up taking a pretty good little ride on the back roads, counting deer, reminiscing about how places have changed and mom wondering “Who lives there now?”. She loved the ride and kept saying that she was having fun! So we have made the ride a two to three evening per week date. I am pretty sure it is as good for me as it is for her.

My point? In this busy journey that we call life, never forget that there are a lot of important, meaningful things that we let slip by because we are so focused on trying to “get ahead”. Don’t get caught in the trap! Enjoy your loved ones, follow your dreams (we are never too old!), pause each day to thank God for this beautiful place we live in and for all of His blessings, take in the sunrise, relax, and make a commitment to yourself to really live life before it fades away.

It doesn’t take much. Sometimes its as simple as just taking a ride.

 

 

A couple of weeks ago I was challenged by an old high school friend to write a blog about my thoughts on gun control. I thought “Sure, this will be easy, this is a cut and dried topic for me! I know what I believe and I will sit down and express myself eloquently.” Well, did I mention that was a couple of weeks ago? The more I thought about it the more I realized this topic is not “cut and dried” and really has a lot more to do with our Choices than Guns.

First a little background. I grew up  in the country on a farm where guns and hunting were commonplace. I was taught gun and hunting safety and learned respect for both. I have carried a pistol since I was 16 years old and I now have my concealed weapons permit. Thankfully I have never had to use or even draw my pistol but there have been many times, especially while traveling alone, that I was sure glad I had it handy.

Ok, having said that let me get to my real point of all this. Obviously I believe in the right to bear arms. It is my choice. Just because I arm myself does not mean I am a violent person. I do not go looking for gunfights at high noon so I can draw my pistol at 10 paces in the middle of the road in Comers Rock. I also respect everyone who does not feel comfortable with or does not believe in carrying a firearm. I would never try to convince you to take up arms. It is your belief and your choice.

Therefore, do not try to mess with my right to choose my way of life. Do not try to take my rights and my choices from me and I will continue to respect yours. Do not assume that because I carry I am no good, I am looking for trouble. There are a hell of a lot more of us who bear arms who are non-violent than those that make the news. Oh but wait, non-violence and good everyday living aren’t newsworthy. Heaven forbid that the media would pollute our minds with headlines about positive stories and good things happening in our world.

Here’s a Newsflash! There are still a lot of good people! There are still a lot of good people who bear arms! Do you want to help this country? Then PRAY! Pray for each other, pray for peace, pray for understanding, pray for guidance and thank God everyday that we are free to choose our way of life. Because ultimately, for the majority of us, it is not the guns, it is not our parents, it is not our environment (I could go on and on), that we have to blame for good and bad choices. It is only ourselves. So lets strive to make ourselves better people, to make better choices, to be thankful for the freedom and the rights we have and to take that freedom of choice and help make the world a better place. God Bless!

You don’t know me. You don’t know how I feel, react, live or just get by. You don’t know my plans, my fears or my desires. You may see me daily, work with me or have grown up with me but you don’t really know me. So stop judging me and gossiping about what I do.

I don’t go to church therefore I must have distanced myself from God. — You don’t know me and my personal relationship with my Lord.

I don’t show emotion or react in public like you think I should. I may be preoccupied and fail to acknowledge you in a public place so you say I am a snotty bitch. —  You don’t know me and what kind of day I am having.

I don’t conduct business the way that “you would do it” so you say that I have no idea what I am doing. — You don’t know me and my plans for the future.

I don’t talk to the “right” people or wear the “right” clothes or drive the “right” cars. — You don’t know me and the great group of friends and family I have. And I really don’t give a damn what you think about the clothes and vehicles.

We all wear invisible masks. We all hide what we don’t want seen, our raw selves. We all react differently to different situations. I cannot honestly tell you that I “understand how you feel” in any situation because I don’t, I am not you. I can count on one hand the number of people in my life that can look at me even when I have my best “happy mask” on and know there is something not quite right. Those are the very few who really know me.

So remember this when I walk into a store, bank, post office or restaurant and you have some snide remark to say about me when I leave. I had much rather you just ask me if you want to know if the rumor is true that “you heard”.  I will either answer your question honestly or say it is none of your business but until you hear it from me I assure you that you have no idea what you are talking about because you don’t know me.

I do understand your negative judgmental attitude because apparently it is so much easier to judge and talk about others when you don’t want to face the crap going on in your own life. (I know because I have been there too!) It is much more fun to revel in the fact that a member of the community is going through a divorce, dependency, financial woes, etc. because it makes you feel better about your miserable existence. Well it’s time to step down from your pious thrones and join the real world.

What we should all be doing is praying for each other! Praying for peace and understanding that we may all go through each day knowing that God loves us and will strengthen us. Stop judging, stop the gossip, have something positive to say to everyone even if it is a simple “Hello”.

But if you still choose to line up like vultures on a limb every day just to watch the coming and going of people and if you still choose to trash them so you can feel better about yourselves……just remember shit flows both ways.

 

 

 

I am proud that I was born and raised in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. It helped make me who I am today and I like that. Am I a mountain woman? Yes. Redneck? Yes. Farm girl? You bet.  I say “Ya’ll”, “Bless it” and call people “Honey”.  I even drawl out the words “night, light and bright” with the best of them. I am intelligent, I write, I run a family business and try to present myself as professionally as possible. So why is it when I meet someone oh, lets just say “not from around here”….their perception of me and my ability to function decreases dramatically when they hear me speak because of my mountain accent?!? Yep, this is my Pet Peeve #1.

First let’s be honest. Thanks to the media, TV reality shows and movies most of the public who are not from the country (translation: a rural area) think that we are ignorant, backward, barefooted, inbred freaks. I mean can you blame them? If that is their only insight into our world they cannot be faulted entirely for thinking that way.  Luckily, the majority people who move into our communities are respectful and just looking for a quieter life at a slower pace.  There are a few others who exploit us by using “catchy” business phrases like “fer”(for) and “wud”(wood) in their slogans because they think it is cute. Seriously? It’s just insulting! And then there are those who move in thinking we are a people so underdeveloped that we need to be “helped” or those who think we are so ignorant that we can be duped. (Yes I just used the word duped in a sentence. Yay me!)

Well let me take the time to tell you a little about who we are. We are farmers who help put food on your tables. We are small business owners, craftsmen, teachers, homemakers, and white and blue collar workers.  We are survivors who have less need to panic when the “gloom and doom” accounts of food and water shortages are announced. We grow our vegetables (no preservatives). We raise livestock and hunt wild game for meat. Yes we kill animals for food.

We are a proud people. We hesitate to ask for things because we rather earn them. We help each other. We know most of our neighbors. Things that affect the economy may not affect us as badly or as quickly as our urban counterparts. We don’t mind traveling 20 miles to the grocery store just so we can come home to some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. People who grow up here maintain strong ties to the area even after they leave and most of us don’t “forget our raising”.  A good friend of mine told me once that our little community was “clannish as hell”……….I took that as a compliment.

Is it perfect? Heck no! But it is my home, my heritage and a way of life I will defend. And for those of you who want to degrade and devalue my culture without having a firsthand knowledge of who we are……I guess that makes you the ignorant ones.

 

 

I am 49 years old. I grew up in a small community in the mountains of Virginia and currently live on and manage the farm where I was raised. Growing up I was basically a good girl who did what she was told….maybe to a fault. I did well in school, I went to college, I got a degree, I got a job. I was taught to be nice to everyone, to not question things, and be good. To me there always seemed to be something about all that that was just not quite right. Well, numerous jobs and three ex-husbands later, here I am!

For those of you who really know me I am basically a good person but I lean, okay maybe a little more than lean, toward being an opinionated, non-conforming bitch who gets frustrated at others who hide their heads in the sand and just accept “what is”.  It took me about 40 years to learn I didn’t have to take everyone’s shit and be happy with it!

Over the years I have journaled when I am the most frustrated. So my blog is made up of my opinions, past and present, and are intended to make you think and feel! Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and some will piss you off! So be it!! It is time that we stop hiding, step out of our comfort zone and THINK for ourselves, QUESTION “what is”, and LIVE again!

Enjoy!