I recently heard this simple, yet life-altering phrase:

“Glamourizing the messy, and not the message.”

And it stopped me dead in my tracks.

In lieu of music while I’m working, I’ve been listening to podcasts and my current fave is Allie Casazza. She is passionate about sharing her motherhood and decluttering wisdom. Her ideas and methods have changed my world! I just finished her Unburdened course, and it was amazing! She had a guest speaker last week whose name I can’t even recall, and she was just talking about social media and how too often we let it consume our time. I couldn’t agree more! I, too, have noticed what kind of attitude I have towards my family when I get caught up on social media. How much time I “accidentally” spend in the cyber world. How easily distracting it is…most of the time I get on with a purpose and fifteen minutes later I remember the true reason for logging on! But mostly, I recall the negative stuff. I have a strict rule to not get on before bedtime simply to avoid the nightmares! I tend to go through phases of checking in via Instagram and Facebook daily, countered by week-long social media hiatuses! I suppose it depends on what’s going on our world, for instance, currently I’m tuning into Facebook constantly because my cousin’s sweet, newborn baby girl is in the hospital. I consider that most definitely, without a doubt, worthy of my time! But I’ve never been that girl that posts daily! I like to share fun, uplifting messages, big family news, annual family photos, etc. But I don’t feel the need to blast my “people” with daily pictures of my every meal, every wardrobe decision, every toddler struggle, and so on. I know that there are many people out there that absolutely love and feel the need to do just that! And that’s okay, as Allie would say “You do you and I’ll do me”! If that’s your way, girl go for it! I have recently decluttered my social media platforms. What I mean is that I have cleaned up my friends list and really thought about the people I want to share my online world with. I removed about 66% of my Facebook “friends”! Two-thirds y’all! Those people were not my friends or family or even truly someone whose opinion I would value! The types of people I removed weren’t necessary bad persons, just not a good suit for this stage in my life! I kept those that truly mean something to me, that encourage me, that only post with positivity and add value to my world. Those persons who galmourize the message and not the messy.

Since hearing this phase shortly after this pivotal moment in my life, I’ve heard it replay daily. In one form or another, those words have come to me time and time again. Often when I pray about something and God sends me a message, He does so in many forms. But it’s always the same message. I believe this is one of those messages. I know that He is working in me and in my home. This has been THE year of struggles for our family! And I could very easily dwell in the negative circumstances, and at times I have, usually for brief moments. My husband and closest of friends have witnessed those meltdowns first-hand! Because well, I’m human and it’s so darn easy to forget the good when the bad is rearing it’s ugly head. It’s even easier to blast social media with the bad hands you’re being dealt. To glamourize the messy. And y’all LIFE IS MESSY! That’s okay, it’s supposed to be! We’re not made to be perfect, our emotions are messy, homes get messy in the bad times as well as the good. Love is messy. Not just in your relationships with your significant other, your children, your siblings, your parents, etc. But also with God. My love and relationship with Him is forever messy! Because I am forever learning, growing, maturing. And He is forever working on me.

So in this time of hardship, I am choosing not to fold, but instead to discard and draw a new card! Because I know that the Lord is my dealer and I will not let my poker face fall. I am very specifically looking for the lesson to be learned which each new hand. And I look forward to sharing the message when I finally get that Royal Flush!

I want to challenge you friend, to declutter your social media! To really think about the message you are putting out there, and those that you are taking into your mind and your heart. And I want to give you permission to call my bluff when you see me failing myself by posting the messy! And I’d like to close with a call for prayers for sweet baby Jaisley. She deserves all the prayer warriors in the world, no matter how small they may be.