About Me

About This Blog.

If you would like to send me a personal message, you can email me at merrymarriedmarymom at gmail dot com. I love to hear from my readers (actually, I'm quite surprised and feel blessed when I find out that people actually read what I write).

So, first things first – my name is Dana , not Mary. Funny, huh? So where did Mary come from? Let me explain how I came up with the name.

Merry – I need to focus more on the joys and blessings I have been given instead of grumbling and complaining about struggles and hardships. So one of my goals is to write and encourage myself and others to Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say rejoice.

Married – I am married to a wonderful man and we are both growing in the Lord. We are like iron sharpening iron and have had many rough spots in our marriage. But the good Lord is doing wonderful things in our lives. He is teaching us to be humble servants who love and respect each other. So another one of my goals is to write and encourage myself and others to be like the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Mary Mom – If you do not know the story of Mary and Martha, open your Bible to Luke 10. The quick summary is that Jesus came to visit two women who loved Him very much. Martha was busy in the kitchen, preparing stuff and doing chores to show her love. She wanted to make sure every THING was perfect. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to Him to show her love. When Martha grumbled and asked Jesus to command Mary to help – He said that Mary has chosen the better role.

I need to do this with my children. So often, I am busy preparing stuff and doing chores to show my love for them (and others) and am even guilty of grumbling when they “bother” me.  Oh the conviction! Yes, it is important that dinner is made and the house is clean, but it is also important to take time out to sit on the floor and race cars, do puzzles, tickle them until they beg for mercy and just be with them.  I need to love them the way they need me to love them.  

About Me (Current)

I am officially “old” because I see covers of magazines and I have no idea who the people are on the cover (unless it is someone that has died). I find gray hairs and wrinkles. I choose clothes for comfort instead of style. I hardly leave the house when it is dark. I walk into a room to get something and forget why I am there. I make a list of things I need from the store and forget the list (and any coupons I might have used) at home. I love ordering from Amazon because that means I don’t have to leave my house. I am appalled when I go to the mall and see the youth of today (for several reasons). I pray for Jesus to come quickly.

I love to read. I love books. I love to cook. I love to even read cook books.

I love to be outside, but I loathe the wind.

I love summer and the feeling of the warm sun on my skin. But my favorite season is the “beginning of all of them.” By the time we are a few weeks into the season, I am ready for the next one to begin.

I love Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, Gone with the Wind, and Sense and Sensibility.

I feel like God has called me to be a missionary and to adopt – maybe this will happen at the same time someday?  I hope I am never surprised at what God has planned for my life.

Right now, God has blessed me (undeservingly) with a wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters (ages 6 and 2). I

My husband and I decided that I would homeschool our oldest daughter for now (and the 2 year old as much as I am able). This is a wonderful experience. Even though this is challenging, I think my heart would literally break if I had to send my daughter away to school all day. I would miss her terribly.  The struggles are definitely hard, but the good times are P.R.I.C.E.L.E.S.S.!!

About the Old Me

I would have told you I was a Christian. I grew up with Christian parents – although not what you think. We weren’t at church every Sunday. I did not go to a Christian school. There was sin. There were struggles. But there was a lot of talk about God and how great He is. I grew up knowing that I had to follow rules, God’s rules, because He said so and because my father said so. I did not really understand why. I also did not really understand the beauty of grace.

When I was 14, I was attending a Baptist church. And as “Just As I Am” was playing during the Benediction, I walked the aisle. I declared I was a follower of Christ. I was baptized. One thing was missing – discipleship. I had no idea what it meant to be a Christian.

I chose to leave home as soon as there was an opportunity. To make a long story short, I did just that. I met a boy at work and ended up moving in with him. Nearly 5 years later, we were married. It didn’t matter that he didn’t believe in God, I was busy having fun. We’d worry about all that serious stuff when we had kids.

Struggles came and it was very clear that our foundation was not firm. Our house was built on shifting sand and it crumbled. I was falling apart and it was becoming clear that my sins were to blame. At this point, I endured a miscarriage, was divorced and was still choosing to run away from God (even though I could hear Him calling me). God chose to discipline me. He showed me what sort of mess I could make of my life if I had “my way”. I needed Him (and still do!).

 I am now remarried and have these two beautiful daughters. I do not deserve any of this. God not only opened my eyes and showed me my own black heart, but at the same time, called my husband to a saving, repentant faith. How wonderful! Now we are growing closer to each other and to the Lord. We are raising our girls in a Christian home (the kind that does go to church whenever the doors are open). We LOVE Jesus and cannot imagine life without Him as Lord! 

Favorite Scriptures

I love Psalm 139 because it talks about how God knows us. He knows us because He created us. He knows our thoughts.  I love how it ends –

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24

Please never let me be self-deceived. Lead me in the way everlasting!

I also love Psalm 100. I love how it talks about shouting to the Lord, serving Him, and knowing Him. We need to be thankful and full of praise. That is how, as a follower of Christ, I want to be known – thankful and full of praise for God.

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 100