Valentine's survived and Freedom in the cross.

Valentine's day is over. Another holiday survived. Valentine's day would be hard in general, but it was an extra special day for me because Troy proposed. Two years ago, Troy and I went to dinner downtown. He was a little nervous, but I didn't let on that I knew something was up. All week he had kept saying we need to go to the rock garden after dinner. This was a special quiet place for us. We would go there occasionally and climb onto the rocks by the waterfall and talk. So after telling me several times duh I kinda got the hint;) Anyways after dinner, he kept getting on the phone trying to be nonchalant, but again I knew he was up to something. I kept it to myself because I knew he wanted to surprise me. We pull up to the garden and I walk down and in the middle of the rock bridge is a dozen red roses, balloons, and a jewelry box with a black ring box inside. I picked it up and looked inside. A diamond ring:) I then turned to him and he asked me to marry him. He was so nervous. It was very cute. He did not get down on one knee and I was forever teasing him about this, but he played it off saying he was so nervous he forgot. Of course, I said yes! He then pulled out his i-pod radio thing and started playing our song "God bless the broken road." In the middle of the bridge, we slowed danced to our song. It was very romantic. He did great. This valentine's day not so romantic. I went to the cemetery. It probably looked like something from a depressing painting though. The ground was still covered in snow with only the headstones showing. It was a beautiful scene. Then there is me standing next to my husband's headstone in my black dress, hose, and heels(for the record, heels and snow not a good combination very wet feet and I made sure Troy knew about this). If anyone drove by, I'm sure I looked a like a sad young woman with the wind blowing my hair and tears coming down my face talking to his headstone. Are you getting the dramatic picture I'm painting for you. The "Young Widow" would be the title of this sad, but beautiful painting. Hey, I have to find some humor in it. Troy would so be laughing at me describing this and saying "Sarah, you are way over dramatic" ;) I did make sure he knew that he did NOT do a good job this year. So not exactly how I would choose to spend the day, but once again reminded that my ways are not God's ways.

I was reading today in Genesis about Joseph and something really stood out to me. When Pharaoh called for Joseph to interpret his dream, Joseph said, "It is not in me; God will give..." It was a reminder to me that God is the one who has done everything in my life. I made a comment today that I survived yesterday, but the truth is God helped me survive yesterday. Everything that I have and do is because of Him. God is so good. Also been reading Romans 6 and I absolutely love this chapter. God has opened up my eyes so much to see the truth in this chapter. We are free from sin because Christ took it for us on the cross. He also conquered death on the cross. What amazing thoughts! Paul explains speaking in human terms we are slaves to something either slaves to sin which leads to more sin and eventually to death or slaves to righteousness which leads to sanctification/eternal life. I remember hearing off and on all my life sin is bondage, but never grasping that to be true. I mean sin can be fun. Looking back, its so very true that sin is only fun for a season and realizing now what a hold it had in my life. I was a slave to it. Now in coming to the cross and grasping what Christ has done FREEDOM! Such peace that comes....