{Riding High Ministries}

We had the honor of attending an amazing event at our church on June 9th. Todd Pierce, Chaplain for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) came and presented "Born Wild, Created to be Free". If you have not seen this or do not have the opportunity to view it locally, I highly recommend you checking out his website for a video of one. Click here for one version. 

Riding High Ministries~ Todd Pierce

Denver UMC in the Denver of the East (Denver, NC) hosted a Faith Family Fest. You can see pictures below of our family and friends enjoying each other's company.

These next few pictures depect a lot of what Todd did in "breaking" the horse.

He mentioned how we are like the horse with GOD. We don't know who he is or what he wants at first, but we just want to get away. Its the fear of what He is and what He wants from you.

This horse did this, running from Todd for at least 30 min.

Finally he turned towards Todd to see what he wanted- Todd compared this to us acknowledging God.

Then back to running because we don't know what He might ask us to do.

Then eventually if we give him a chance, just like getting a horse ready to be ridden, you have to build up trust. The horse had to trust that Todd was there to help and not hurt him, to give him something more. We are to be the same way with God, trust he is going to give us something more than we think we are or can do. Something that seems to inhibit us but opens us up to be more.

It was a fully moving presentation. Hearing Todd talking to the horse, telling him I love you, I want to work with you, to show you something, to teach you. I kept hearing God telling me the same thing. We keep turning away just like this horse did.

We know for sure this was a "New to Todd Pierce" horse, as it came from a local horse farm Cherry Acre Farms, near my parents. Here you see the horses owner talking with Todd after the show.

My daughter had to talk to Todd "aka The Cowboy"  after and he was gracious enough to take her in directly to the horse to pet him. Talk about a slightly scared Mama with her baby in with a very recently wild horse..... But I trusted Todd.

Next thing I know, she is sitting up on the horses back. Can you see the smile on her face....

After she made it back to me, I asked her if she liked being on the horse, and she said "No I was scared to death, it was a WILD horse mommy."

Love that kid. I hope you will open yourself up to viewing this and having an open mind about it if you are not a Christian. I know many times we are viewed as close-minded, I don't believe I am. I strive to live up to a standard. I fail daily, hourly even. I am just forgiven. I don't give up, I get back up and try. I try to live striving for an ideal. Yes it may not be what the world today is like- it may not be reality, but honestly I don't like the reality of today. I strive for Christ. I strive for Heaven and the things of God. Like it or not, agree or not, that is what I am about. This is what Christ calls us to.

I don't share my faith very openly here. I don't want people to think this is just for Christians, but I am not afraid or ashamed of who and what I am. I am available to answer questions and talk off line (begintocraft@gmail.com, this is not a place for a debate. I will delete any unsavory comments.  I just felt called to share.

Have a wonderful week! And Thanks for reading.

{Mom prom}

I had an amazing time at the Charlotte Mom Prom 2012. A couple friends and I decided we needed to get all dressed up and have a fancy girls night out together after we saw the information for this event.

If you have never heard of this National event- there are some in many cities that benefit Cookies for Kids Cancer- A fundraiser for childhood cancer research. This was a Mom/women only event that had amazing food, decor, door prize/raffles, dancing, and swagbags. Here are a few pictures I wanted to share with you.

Some of the raffle items:

Mixers

Major Tool Kit

Poppies monogrammed items and a Cabot gift set

Melissa Gibbs introduced our Prom Queens- Moms who have or are dealing with a child that has cancer. Some of these were uplifting and some were heartwrenching stories~ Like the mom who just lost her daughter in March.

They had such fun pops of colors and held the event in an old movie theater.

We had fun dressing up and taking pictures in the photobooth

This is an event I will be participating in again. If you get a chance to attend one in your town- please do, you will not regret it.

~ Grace

I have become a huge Blog reader. I have found so many blogs that have met different needs in my life, both creatively, and emotionally! I follow one that has great creative craft ideas and recipes, but what I love most is the spirituality I receive from reading it. I am going to paste a post that really hit me this morning reading it. This touches my heart and makes me think deeper about what we just celebrated with Easter celebrations of what Christ did for us in His Death and Resurrection. I hope it opens your heart and mind to think deeper as well today.

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Three years ago this week, my 14-year-old son had major open-heart surgery. Twenty-six months ago this week, my husband had major open-heart surgery. And last week, my husband had a second major open-heart surgery.

Three years, three surgeries, three artificial heart valves. Mercy.

There have been times over the past three years when I have felt as if it were all too much. And kind people would say to me, "God will never give you more than you can handle."

Although it's meant to be encouraging, there's just one problem with that statement. It's wrong.

Of course, the intentions of the folks who say those words are right and good. It's the statement itself that is wrong. It's actually a misquotation of a verse in the New Testament, I Corinthians 10:13, which says,

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

So there is a promise that you will not face more temptation than you can bear. But hardship, difficulty, adversity? No. There is no promise that you will not face more hardship than you can bear.

That would be very bad news if it not for one thing: You don't have to bear it. Jesus bears it for you.

One thing I've learned over these past three years is that I am pretty strong. I can handle quite a bit. But the biggest thing I've learned is that I'm not nearly strong enough to handle everything that happens. In fact, when I try to handle things by myself, things just get worse and worse. Then I'll remember the truth, and back to the feet of Jesus I'll go. What really amazes me is that He never runs out of patience with me.

This week is another anniversary, of course. Nearly two thousand years ago this week, the Son of God, who had come to earth to live as a man, offered himself as a sacrifice for us. The story is so familiar--Thursday's betrayal, Friday's crucifixion, Saturday's despair, Sunday's triumph. Every year we sing about it, we wear springy clothing and fill baskets in honor of it. It's a story worth telling and re-telling; the celebration is important.

But sometimes, in the messy details of life, we forget some of the truth behind the story. It can be so easy to feel as though we're having to deal with things all by ourselves. Even if we believe that the death of Jesus is enough to ensure that we can live with God in heaven for eternity, we sometimes forget that Jesus offers us salvation right now. "Eternal life" is not something that starts when we die; it begins now. Life with God is a present reality, not just a hope for the future.

He doesn't promise that we won't be given more than we can handle. He promises that we won't be given more than He can handle.

And that is good news indeed.

You can follow her blog here:
Imparting Grace

Is it possible?

Is it possible that 4 years has gone by? It has to be! Because my little girl is 4!

She is about as sassy as they come, and SO opinionated. Don't you just love her sense of style? I love the chicken feeding boots, with the $2 Christian Ministry dress. I especially love the haircut she ended up having to have because she cut the sides of her own hair, so I had to trim up the back so she didn't have a modified mullet. She has the softest ringlet curls. They are so pretty wet, but man once she sleeps, it is so tangled. 

She is so worried about people. She has the kindest heart. And is smart as they come. DO you know a 4 year old that knows what a Tsunami is? or that her grandparents were in Hawaii when one was coming? She amazes me with what she remembers and says. She told her daddy that he needed to go to Japan to help them clean up from the Tsunami and to tell them about Jesus.  I guess I am not such a failure as a parent after all.

What did I do to deserve the blessing of this child? I am reminded of the first Easter we had with her was when we brought her home from the hospital. And now at her 4th Easter, I am even more grateful to Christ for what he did for me, for my family. I realize how deeply it had to hurt for God to watch His Son die on the cross for Me. I am reminded of what our Pastor reminded us about the children's song Jesus Loves Me. If we really believed He loves us, why are we lukewarm? Why don't we act like we care more? I hope in spite of the times I fail as a parent and as a Christian sometimes, that I can at least point my child in the right direction.

Lord Forgive my many failures as a parent and in pointing others to you. Thank you for trusting me with your precious gifts to be a Mother to them.