Sunday, February 6, 2011

Mercy

Dear Lord,
THANK YOU for your mercy and grace. Today my heart felt heavy. Hurting for so many things done and said - years gone by and yet you met me. Oh how the devil really tried to side track my heart and mind but You were so ever faithful. I am so grateful for you and your untiring love and grace. Lord, oh please confront me all the days of my life. I know I don't have the strength to endure the cunning tricks and tests created by the enemy. I am so thankful that when I am at my weakest you remain steadfast. Thank you. I know I do not deserve your devotion but you give it anyway. All praise be to you.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Cross




The cross it the pictures above is hanging in our home on the cross wall. The cross is homemade. Our family loves to hike at a park not far from our home. We went there right before Christmas and found these branches. After we arrived home, the cross was created and hung on our wall.

This cross represents so much to me. First of all, Jesus died on a rugged cross to save me from myself. He laid His life down for mine. Secondly, my family created this from materials found in one of our favorite parks. Over the course of the last two years, I have spent some great times in the park. I have prayed, cried, and spent quality time with my family there. I feel like it is a sacred place to me. Jesus always meets me there. Lastly, my family and I created it together. My daughter and I found the branches. My husband and son loaded in the car and nailed them together. My son and I wrapped the twine. My daughter, son and I hung them in the living room. It took all of us working together and it turned out absolutely beautiful.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Favorite Bible Verse

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Be still and take all life has to offer. This verse reminds me no matter what happens in life God still sits on the throne. We need to praise Him in the good and bad. It is easier when things are good. When things aren't so good it is hard not to question God. However, He is still God and in control. He has a plan to prosper us and not harm us.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Divorce and Snow Storms

The last couple of days we have been snowed in our home. We received more than 10 inches of snow and for central Oklahoma that is alot. We are not really use to dealing with it. Well, we do deal with it. Everything shuts down and we all stay home.

During this unplanned break, I have been cleaning my office. I ran across something my daughter wrote. It is called Love is War. She talks about doing stuff we will later regret - some big or small. She refers to divorce as big. As I think about her writing, I am grateful that she at nine sees divorce as a regret. I am not judging anyone who is divorced, sometimes it is the best solution especially in abuse. However, I do feel that too many people rush into divorce thinking that if only they had someone new or if they didn't have to deal with the person their with's faults their life would be better.

I am not going to go into too much detail here, but I will tell you that my husband and I hit a really rough patch in our marriage a couple of years ago. Most people would have cut and ran. Quite frankly, it seemed it would be easier just to let him go. I won't pretend to think what he was thinking about it all but I am sure he probably felt the same way.

As I thought about us and our family and sought God's guidance, I really believed and later found in the Bible that God hates divorce. He hates families being broken up and torn apart. In the second chapter of Malachi, it states "I hate divorce, says the Lord God of Israel." God uses marriage and family to teach us about Him. As humans, we hurt the ones we love and we don't deserve their love or forgiveness but often we get it anyway. That is what Jesus did on the cross for us. We don't deserve it but He did it anyway.

If you are reading this and struggling with your spouse, read "Love and War" by John Eldredge. It is a great book that challenged and changed the way I viewed marriage. You will not be sorry you read it. I promise even if you don't feel like it, working on saving your marriage and family will not be time wasted no matter the outcome.

God does not promise us easy or perfect lives. However, He promises he will never leave us. I speak from experience when I say during those dark days when I felt my marriage and family ripped right out of my hands, He was there. I knew He held my tears in His hands. He had a plan. He has helped us restore our marriage. I am so grateful when I say that I never knew just how cool, strong, sexy, fun, and thoughtful a man my husband was. Now I am keenly aware of how much I adore him. I am thankful he is by my side and partner in this life.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

70's in January

One thing about living in Oklahoma is the weather. The old saying goes if you don't like the weather wait a few minutes and it will change. Which is kinda true. We get 100 degree summers, ice storms in the winter that will knock the power out, not to mention the tornados, and just about everything in between. However, it is rare in January to have a day with plenty of sun, not a cloud in the sky, and the high in the middle 70's. Well today that is exactly what we have. It is a gift from God - straight from heaven. So incredibly nice. Need to stop typing and start enjoying the outdoors.

The pictures below are pictures I took this morning. This is a catholic church in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. Enjoy.


Friday, January 28, 2011

Good Days / Fun Times

Even though my life has been at times unbearable, I AM BLESSED. I am blessed because God never forsakes me. No matter how alone I have felt, He never left me. He listens to my whines and demands. He loves me in spite of all that. I feel that having kids of my own has given me a slight glimpse of His love. You see I l would lay my life down for my children. I would take on undeserved burdens to see them relieved of theirs. As much as humanly possible there isn't a limit to my love for them. Even at their worst, I love them still. Even when they whine and demand things, it doesn't erase my love for them. While I can't pretend to know what it feels to allow my child to die for the sake of saving others, I do know just how it hurts to watch my kids go through a normal everyday life with all the trials and temptations. It isn't easy. Sometimes I have to make tough and not very popular decisions and they don't always understand. I do it because I love them.

I am humbled at His love. A love that knows no depth nor boundaries. He loves and cares for me despite my failings. He makes decisions that are best for me even when I don't understand. He is there for me when everyone else fails me. Tonight I praise him for that. The song that you hear on this post "Sweetly Broken' sums up my feelings pretty well.



That a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Colorado



The church in the photo is in Colorado Springs. My family and I traveled there this summer.

Colorado Part Two

I know that God made the world and all the little details. It is amazing to think of all the different aspects of our world. I know God is a God that is all knowing and all seeing but seriously that is ALOT of details - body parts, plants, animals, climates, regions of the world, space, and all the aspects of each of these things. I can't even remember the things and events to keep my family of four running smoothly yet God is so powerful that he crafted this world and all the people, plants and animals in it. I promise I have a point - hang tight. While I was in Colorado, I spent sometime reading and just being. It was unbelievable just to sit and take it all in. If you have ever been to the mountains you know just how vast and magical they stand. This picture takes me back to those thoughts in feelings in Colorado. I know I serve an awesome God but in that vast environment it made me realize just how small I am on the Earth - just a speck really. Yet the God that created it all loves me. He is on my side, crafting my life for the good of me.

After reflecting on how powerful God is, it is no wonder I don't understand why things happen the way they do. How can I possibly understand that? While smart people like biologist, doctors, scientist, and such have figured a few things out but nothing near the knowledge that God possesses. There is still so much that is unknown. It should come as no surprise then when something comes up in our own lives, we don't understand why. However, I do know that God created it all and He is control. He is on my side and if He is for me than who my friends can be against me?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Blog Title

Drawn to the cross is a perfect blog title. This blog is about a woman who loves the Lord with her whole heart and is a full time employee, wife, and mom of two. I LOVE photography and am drawn to church with steeples and crosses. I will share my photos, my recipes, my life, and my faith. This blog will be an adventure and come straight from my heart. I hope to chronicle my thoughts and feelings.