Pray for Patience

What a roller coaster week.

In dealing with the fact that last week one of Jaque's friends backed into her chair (SHE WAS NOT IN IT), it has been emotional for me to say the least.

As you all know, I take my job seriously, and expect those in similar settings to do the same. I was very upset last night in dealing with the insurance co of the boy -- and about to blow a gasket.

Then Jaque got home and had a rough night. One of few since we have been home. Softball is something she misses dearly. It was her life. It was her release, and it was her world. I guess this, and other things had piled on her. She was upset.

I reminded her of the day that she almost died, for the second time - what had happened. Chris was in her room with her....and he and the doctors came and found me. They said that if she did not improve, she would be on life support. We got on our cell's and called everyone to the hospital. Grandma's and Papa's, Uncles and Aunts, Cousins, friends - everyone came. As they came - they called our extended families, churches, friends, and I am sure even foes. They all started praying.

We went in with Jaque, TWO by TWO and laid our hands on her and prayed. Everyone got mad at Prissy cause she prayed so long (God love her). Each group patiently waited for their turn, and lined up again as soon as they came out. It was before visiting hours actually started, but the guards and the nursing crew knew that Jaque loved breaking the rules. They knew her life depended on it.

Our church family, as I am sure others, skipped the service and started with prayer for her. I could see the Oxygen monitor go up number by number, and could just feel the prayer around her. My point is that I told her she did not have to handle this alone.

She must keep leaning on the ones that love her. If nothing else, call and say Grandma - I don't want to get into details, but pray for me and I love you. I told her that we are all here for her. And that some point in all our lives, we just need someone to listen.

I read a scripture that she has had taped on the bathroom mirror since long before her accident. It was explaining that when you do what you can, God will do the rest.

She may be in that chair for the rest of her earthly life, but she must believe that God is not done with her. I believe it with all my heart. When God speaks to me, he says "Keep her ready, and keep her growing closer to me."

Then I told her that if we could go mudding right now, would she feel better. She just smile and told me that she was going to tell Payton that she had her couseling session for the day. I think she meant it as a compliment.

See guys, the devil is trying to get to her. She will get her leg braces on Friday. She will get a little more of the "Glory that God has in store for her." When something good is happening in your life, and the devil smells your victory approaching....he tries to step into the batters box and hit a homer.

But what he forgets is the amount of people that this little ol' #8 pitcher has in her stands. He forgets that she is the strike out queen with the ERA of .47. He is underestimating that her curve ball is just practically UN HIT ABLE!!!! And as soon as he is ready for the 65 mph fastball, she is going to change it up and strike him out. What that devil should be afraid of is when she gets ready to step in the batters box.

She really amazes me daily with her beauty and her attitude. I think that college approaching quickly, the messed up chair... it just weighs heavy on her heart. I told her that not even taking into account her chair, life would be very stressful right now. I told her how proud I was of her for how wonderful she has turned out.

I thanked her for not being as much trouble as her daddy was at this age. She laughed and then we agreed they are just alike.

Please keep her in your prayers as school quickly approaches. Also, please confess to God today that "He will restore health unto Jaque and heal her of thy wounds." Jer 30:17. Prissy receive this scripture from the Lord himself. It has been with us throughout and remains as strong.

Thank you all for keeping up with Jaque. Hope that Life is treating you well. And remember, as I often have to remind myself, we must give our worries to God. We must leave them in his control, and his WILL will be done.

Love you all, Carol.

Do you have to know your lost to be found?

Think about it. In dealing with the idea of not seeing someone for a while, in not talking with them....we think that they are lost. They are lost to us, to the family and friends that they know, lost to those that love them.

They are out searching for something, but do not know what they are searching for. I had to deal with this recently with someone close to me, someone that I love dearly. But I had to think, did this person know that she was lost? Or did she get so wrapped up in what she was searching for, that she just did not know how far she had gone?

Nevertheless, you all know me. I stand firm on the fact that PRAYER is the only thing that can reach people. And it reaches the lost at a faster speed than any other.

I was (with many others) looking for someone and I saw a shooting star. As all of you that know Jaque have heard, shooting stars are special. As they seem to follow her when she is troubled, trying to guide her to the way out. I guess you could say that they have found her when she was lost. They found me, Courtney, Chris, and Toby as we were lost on the way to Little Rock the night that Jaque had her wreck.

When I saw mine, I spoke with God. I told him that each time I had seen one, I had prayed for Jaque. But this night was different. I told the Lord that I knew Jaque was doing well, and that someone else needed this shooting star to find them. They needed a way out.

Well, I know that through the hard work of my parents, my sisters, and countless others..........God Answers Prayer. Our family member was found. Isn't God great. Did she realize how lost she was? Not sure, but we all know how FOUND she is!!

The night that Jaque's accident occured, a lady from Haworth OK was on Deal or No Deal and won a penny. Yep, $.01! I have not ever watched that show since, but remember thinking, wow - she just put Haworth on the map. Then I thought, no - Jaque will put Haworth on the map.

The course I did not know, the direction of the compass is still a mystery, but Jaq has put Haworth on the map. It is a map that our families followed to find each other time and time again since her wreck. She helped us find one another.

Thanks Jaque. And by the way, in case you all did not know this, we have the three best set of parents that anyone could ask for. Grandma Kay and Papa Larry, Grandma Donna and Papa Danny, and Papa Phillip and Mama Melinda..........God Bless YOU.

Tell me, do you have to know your lost for God to find you? Help someone see the power of Prayer and the power of our God. Let them see it through you.

A shout out to TXK

What a wonderful fundraiser! $2800+ raised from the Tourney. Special thanks to Coach Andy for all his hard work. This money is greatly appreciated by our family and will be used to push that girl into getting a good workout in theraphy!!! She also is getting ready for a new chair - so this will help ensure that we can get the latest and greatest so that it can be the lightest. Kind of like batting with a Wal-mart bat vs a rockettech -- 14 home runs later - what would you choose?

It was great seeing the girls. I think that Jaque was greatful for the love and support that she received. The jersey from TC was a nice touch. She got to watch Katie, Ashley, Britt, and Ariel work their tails off. And I think that they might have gave Coach John a few more gray hairs. lol All her former Coaches were there: John, Andy, Wayne from Vipers; Roddy from Firestorm; Troy from Dallas Mustangs; Mark from McC Storm. What a testimony to the impact that she made on them and them on her. Her umpire Gene said it best. He said that he had never met a girl with more natural talent and strong legs in all his life. I reminded him that God has a reason for that.

Someone said that they were so impressed with Jaque's overall outlook and how well she looks. I told them that it was people like the parents and kids at the games that have been praying for her -- that has pulled her through.

I told them that has been hard on her not having any real girlfriends to hang with. But her friend Emily asked her to spend the night and they had a great time. I am not sure the relationship there, but she said that Emily's dad was even gonna build her a ramp. WOW. It is the little things that mean the most.

Those softball girls are a great group of kids that you just do not find every day. I guess it is because they have been in the trenches together. They learn eachothers strengths and weaknesses. They learn to play together to get a job done.

Teammates. Well, that is what she will find in a freind. What is that they say, a true friend will not bail you out of jail, but is sitting next to you in the cell. That would be Jaque to anyone she has ever met.

I am thing of trying to get Jaque an app for American's Next Top Model. What do you guys think? You think camo and fat babies - or the worn out jeans and the 22 pistol?

As college quickly approaches, her life will begin to get busy again. She is enjoying summer. Hangin out at the lake, river, and fishing a lot. She even went off the rope swing at the river. She had her friend carry her up, and she swung off the end into the water. A guy watching her get carried up asked if she thought she was a princess. Tater said - she is our princess. Good Job Tater.

May you all face a fear today in the name of Jaque. Grad it by the horns and just "BOW UP." Love you all, and praise God for his mighty hand in Jaques healing. Jer 30:17!

What an Independence Day!

God speaks to me. He speaks softly at times, and very loudly at times. Most of the time he will get my attention.

Courntey was talking about visiting our church this weekend. She said that Pastor Jason talked about three little pigs. What is your house built on? Chris and I have been working hard getting ours built on a rock. The past few weeks we have been dealing with our typically 18 year old daughter. We are so fortunate that she is a good kid. I am very strict and he is understanding.

I told him one night that I am Glad that God has us together. I told him that we must be united to be able to get her through this time. And that if he and I were fighting, it would not work. Fortunately, we do not fight about Jaque. We have learned that she is much more like him than me. So, I take the day to day, and he handles the big items better than me. I asked him if he had prayed about the situation with Jaque and this boy that she really likes. He said something (not sure want to put that in here lol!) I said that sometimes the only truly honest thing that you can do is pray about it. And I reminded him that pray does work. That it may be in the car, while you are in the shower, while you are waiting in line at Wal-mart.....doesn't matter where you do it, just matters that you DO IT.

This weekend was wonderful. We experienced her and her boyfriend spend all day at the lake with our family. A little insight is that this is out of the norm. Usually he wanted to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. It has been a hard road for him with our family, much to his own making. Yes, we have very high expectations for Jaque and that was even before her accident. She is so loved. And now.....well the stakes are even higher. So Chris and I have been trying hard to make sure that she can make her own decisions, but in doing this, that she is not doing harm to herself. He saw how wonderful all our family is - including Uncle Aaron and Uncle Lane.

She, of course, on most issues, is typical on her first reaction. But we have found that if we leave her alone for a bit, she is a very rational 18 year old kid. I worry with her "gut" reactions, but know that she has a very level head on her shoulders.

Pray for us all -- that we will understand God's guidance in helping Jaque choose a school. Pray that God's healing continue to work through her. Pray that her boyfriend feels the heavy weight of our God on his heart. Pray that he is the man she thinks he is. Pray that through her he will come to know God and the miracles that he shows through Jaque.

I tell her often that God saved her for something great. She, with all of our support, will fulfill his works.

Saturday the Texarkana Fastpitch Association will host a benefit tournament for Jaque. It was one age group last year, and is set to be three this year. See, God is great. We will be there to throw out the first pitch. Hopefully God will send his softball warriors to her. She misses that great support system that she has had through the first 16 years of her life. Please say a prayer for the success of the tourney and that everyone plays safe!

I am working on my house on stone, what is your house built on?

Love and miss you all.