Free Give-Away in memory of Malorie!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN MAL!!!

I have never done a give-away, but here goes!! If you leave a comment after this post, I'll mail you one of the "BUCKLE UP FOR MAL" keychains. Shortly after Mals accident, her older sister Ashleigh started giving talks to schools about the importance of seatbelt safety along with the keychains.


If you would like to visit Malorie's website in her memory, click on:
http://legobeaver.com/malorie/malorie1html

I can't believe it's been 19 years ago you blessed our lives! GOD IS GOOD!!!

"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:5

This is the verse I am repeating in my head today as I miss my Angel Malorie. I still sometimes ask why? I don't know why Malorie was killed in a car accident 5 years ago just before her 14th birthday. I do know that is was the best day of her life, because she went home to our Heavenly Father! But oh, what a tragedy, and the worst day of my life!

BUT.... I cling to the factual knowledge that God is good, regadless. Tragedies in this life are beyond our understanding this side of Heaven.

I believe Jesus is good deep in my soul and that's what is so precious to me!

Faith is not something we can see. We have to step out of our comfort zone and trust God, no matter what! "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". Hebrews 11:1

So...

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for letting us be Mal's Parents for almost 14 years! Father, thank you for being good and your love endures forever! Grant me the faith to know that you are good all of the time, even during the most difficult times in this life. When I am weak, lift me up. Let me rely on your everlasting love for me. In Jesus Name, Amen.
And..Dear Father, give Mal a big hug and kiss for me and tell her we love her!!!!!!

I'll end this blog with a quote I truly believe in from David Jeremiah of My Hearts Desire,

"The pursuit of God has no shortcuts.. You simply must keep walking, keep seeking, and keep yearning. Keep at it, and you won't be disappointed!

Love you All,

Happy Sweet 16 Sawyer. My baby is 16 today!!! It's hard to believe, we have gone thru so much with Sawyer. He was very sick when he was born and almost did not make it, has dyslexia which makes learning so difficult for him, and he has ADHD, which makes it difficult for ALL of us to keep up with him!

When we first learned of Sawyer's learning disability, our questions went from why our son God, what did we do wrong, and now we often ask, where do we go from here God?

My life verse, Jer. 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that Ithink toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

With Sawyer being a Sophmore, I often wonder where God will take him after high school. I know our Heavenly Father has a plan for Sawyer, and if you know Sawyer, it has got to be big, he never does anything halfway. So, another lesson we are learning is patience. In time, God will show us His plan for Sawyer.

Sawyer, as you turn 16 today, at exactly 12:37, my prayer for you is,

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that Sawyer will give everything he attempts his best, that he will place your name on whatever he does, and that he will give you all the glory. Dear Father, I pray that Sawyer will see things as you do and be attracted to what pleases and glorifies you, and that he will stay away from things that displease you. Thank you Father for the gift of Sawyer and for everyday you give us with him.

In Your Heavenly Name I Pray,
AMEN

God is amazing! For those who jumped over to visit from Tammy's blog, thank you, and to those who have kept our family in prayer, God Bless You! I am so thankful for the friends God has sent thru this blog.

Oh my, Satan has tried my patience these past few months, he has tried to steal our daughter, and he has tried to make me think God was not the one in control.

God has taught me so much during this difficult time.

Only the power of God, thru prayer, can make a difference! "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God". 1 Cor. 10:31

May prayer has been that everything the Ashleigh and Sawyer do will be done to the Glory of God!!!

Ash has gone thru a rough time. Actually she got mixed up with some kids she met in college. Kids who did not have the same morals and values our kids grew up with. I think she is on the right track. It is so hard for kids today, Satan is always waiting to steal our kids if he gets the chance.
My prayer for Ashleigh is that God would give her "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3

I love each of you and thank God for you. God Bless

Goodness, it's been forever since I've blogged! We just got back from a relaxing week at the Ozarks. Kind of our last "fling" before school starts and I go back to work.

Right now, our family is in a major storm! I know God has a plan, and however much we are hurting, he promises to hold us thru.

Our oldest daughter left home 2 days ago. (since we were out of town, we didn't know right away) It is so scarry not knowing who she is with or where she's at.

I've been thinking lots today about FAITH. We are in this storm, don't know where we're going, but praying our FAITH will see us thru.

I have no idea where this storm is taking our family God. Heavenly Father, I give Ashleigh over to you completely. Oh God, please don't let her get away. Satan, "I rebuke you, stay away from Ashleigh, you will not win this one because the "King" our Heavenly Father is on our side! God, please, keep tugging at her heart until she comes running back to you. Help Bryan and I to be the parents you want us to be. Please, give us a chance to talk with her and help us to know what to say to her. Father God, thank you for Ashleigh, just help her to see you thru us.

I love you and trust you completely with Ashleigh, even tho we do not know which way this storm will turn, I trust you.

Today in Church, God Spoke to Me, Yes, Me!!!

What an awesome God we serve! Today in church, our youth led the service. As they were all up front leading us in song I looked at Mal's Friends up there, and couldn't help but think, "Malorie should be up there too!" I kept thinking of what all she was missing out on.


NEXT SONG: How Great is Our God, I am trying to sing and at the same time choke back the tears. Then we sang the phrase, "HE conquered the grave".

THEN, JUST THEN, I heard His voice, "Natalie, Malorie is not missing out on a thing, she is right here, with her hands raised high, singing, and praising me, AS SHE STANDS RIGHT NEXT TO ME!"

Thank you Dear Heavenly Father, for always being there just when I think I can't go on.

Lamatations 3:23-24, "Great is His failthfulness, his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"

Trusting in God's faithfulness day by day makes us confident in his great promises for the future.

Low Fat Smoothie

This is quick I sometimes fix it for me while I fix something else for the kids.

1 cup low fat yogurt (strawberry or raspberry)
2 dips of raspberry sherbet
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 packet splenda
1/2 cup frozen fruit (i use strawberry, raspberry, or blue berry)

mix in blender

Add 1 cup crushed ice
mix in blender again

Enjoy!!! sometimes I make enough for a couple and freeze one for a bedtime snack.

Our Personality Colors Our Attitude!!!

Our attitude colors our whole personality! What a lesson God taught me yesterday at the ball park.

We were in Manhatten, KS all weekend. Our high school boys baseball team won regionals last week which qualified us for the state tournament! My husband Bryan is the assistant coach, and Sawyer, our Fresh. plays for them

We won our first game Friday! We played Sat. afternoon, and lost 12 to 2. Very embarrassing. One of those games where whatever you do, nothing goes right! During that game, I kept noticing the fans for the other team.

Thay were very loud, laughing and really rubbing it in when our boys messed up. I kept thinking they are adults, and they are awful!


Oh Father God, forgive me if I've been the negative fan. I don't want to be that person negative to other fans or the players.

Game #3, we won in extra innings! DC Baseball earned 3rd Place at State!!!!

LESSON #1 After the game, right in the middle of the excitement, the starting pitcher's mom, for the other team, came up to me after the game, hugged me and said what a good game our boys played, and what good sports they were.

Wow, Central Heights Vikings, you have CLASS!!! You taught me a very needed lesson; I know when I have been on the losing end, I have not been the fan that makes a point to congratulate the winning team, and truly mean it.

After that loss, we turned around and had to play the very next game. Our boys decided they did not want their season to end with a loss. Somehow, they got it together, and with extra innings, we came out on top 6 to 5!

LESSON #2 During the game, I did notice the other teams crowd, (i don't usually notice, not sure why i did this weekend) we were up 4 to 0, and their crown continued to yell and cheer and be positive. Even though things weren't going well for them.

Proverbs 15:15 says, For the poor, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.

We cannot always choose what happens to us, but....we can choose our attitude toward each situation. The secret to a happy heart is filling our mind with thoughts that are true, pure, and lovely, with thoughts that dwell on the good things in life. This was Paul's secret as he faced imprisonment, and it can be ours as we face the struggles of daily living.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to remember to look at my attitude and what I choose to dwell on. I pray I can dwell on those things that are pure. I pray Lord, that my attitude will be the same as yours Father God. Help me to see things the way your eyes see them and hear the way you hear. I ask these things in not just the easy times, but in my struggles.

Phil. 2:5, Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.