My Stitched Cross

Several years ago I made a counted cross-stitch picture as a gift for my parents. I enjoyed seeing a meadow, a quaint cottage, a glowing sunflower, sheep, and other elements of the picture form beneath my fingers as I stitched them with love. A Bible quote at the top right corner reminded me that “It is good to give thanks to the Lord."

To start this project, I stitched a horizontal and a vertical line of red stitches on a white rectangle of woven fabric. These two lines passed through the center of the material and formed a cross, which was essential for me to know where to place my needle when I stitched. If my stitches were in their correct places relative to the cross, they would result in a charming rustic scene. If not, the picture would probably be distorted, and might not even fit onto my canvas.

Today my stitched cross reminds me to make God the center of my life. When I put myself first, my life is out of kilter and the result is a mess instead of a pleasing picture. But when I put God first, my personal relationships and priorities fall into their rightful places. 

And, of course, this applies to my writing. I need to put God first, else my words are a waste of time. It is my prayer that God is the center of my work and that it pleases Him.

And now it's time for a confession. We are redecorating our house, so my writing space is cluttered with the contents of several cupboards and book shelves that are newly painted, making work difficult. So for today's post, I tweaked an old devotion. At the time my picture was a work in progress, but now it's finished. Take a look below to see it.

My parents with their picture.