I just did a blog post HERE on how you can help out on donating money to the Memorial fund for Julee/Preslee,... so please visit- you won't want to miss out!!!
But, here are also some other ways you can help out on donating to a great cause for our dear friend Julee:
A sweet friend at "Pumkin Butter" is doing a great auction on kid's goodies, so check it out!
A long time follower & sweet friend Karen at "Karen at Home" is featuring an auction on her blog for Thirty One Gifts... check it out!
Check out another dear friend of mine at "Life Sweet Life" for a great "HOG" auction you won't want to miss also benefiting this great cause!
My good pal Kelly at "Kelley's Korner" is representing some awesome ways to participate in the silent auction with some gift cards! You must check them out!
A sweet local friend & awesome gal at "Living the high life" is doing a great auction item. We just adore her work- fabulous girl!
Check out a local gal that I personally love, "Amy Hannon" for some other great "Hog" goodies, she is a doll! I follow her on Instagram, she is a local gal by us Arkansas gals & I adore her so much!
**There is a great list of how you can add to help with silent auction items- please go HERE for more information**
Sent this to my dear friend Julee tonight:
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. - Romans 12:12
I wanted to share a couple of ways you can help support our friend Julee! A memorial fund has been set up in honor of Matt at Summit Bank:
Preslee Turner College Fund
Summit Bank
PO Box 965
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
Summit Bank will also be adding an online donation button on their website (summitbankdirect.com) in the coming days.
Also, visit HERE for more information on the silent auctions that are soon to take place. I will continue to keep my blog updated of ways you can help.
We appreciate all your prayers, support & love to Julee. It's been a week since Matt has passed & I know tonight is probably hard for her re-thinking of what took place & of course the coming days ahead. She posted this on FB tonight:
There are a lot of things I would like to say but right now all I can say is Thank you for your prayers! They have carried me through this week. I just can't believe he has been gone a whole week. I just thank the Lord that I have a reason to get up every day. Our sweet Preslee is going to get me through this along with all of your prayers and support!
We often times question our life & things that happen to each of us personally. "Why" is a question that I have had on my mind since my friends husbands death on Saturday evening. I just haven't been able to get that question mark out of my head. I have tried the past few days to make sense of everything but I don't think I ever will. All I know & can say that is truth is that it was somehow in God's plan although we don't want or know how to just except that right now.
Yesterday I road down to the funeral with 2 of my friends & we would have moments of just talking aloud, then quick moments of silence as we would feel our friend Julee's heartache. We actually passed the spot where the crash took place & it just took my breath away as I gripped the wheel. I just simply can't imagine or do I have words to explain that tragedy.
We were listening to the radio before we approached that spot & this song came on. It's been a song in my life right now that I wanted to share because it's on the radio a lot & has just touched my soul personally through the past several weeks of my life that I have been going through some hard times.
Us girls softly sang it quietly in the car.
The funeral was televised yesterday, if you follow Julee you probably watched it live. I had several people say they caught it even from Canada. The important thing to remember about the service was that Matt was a Christian man, he lived a life for Christ, loved his family, daughter & sweet baby girl Preslee. My heart is with Julee, I just hurt for her. No words...
There are so many wonderful people doing donations, I am working on a few right now. But go over to Kelly's Korner and have her sign you up for a day to have letters mailed to Julee. What a great thing to partake in! It's the small things that matter the most, she will love reading them.
I also have to add that our friend Jennifer is one amazing woman & friend. She was with her since the day of the crash & stayed until yesterday after the funeral, talking her through this, being there, & loving her. She is one great friend & we all adore her. Please read her journey HERE. Jennifer, I love you girl, thank you for being such an amazing woman of Christ.
I sent this verse to Julee & thought I would share it's very dear to my heart.
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. – Psalm 28:7
Julee posted today on her blog. I was at a stoplight when I saw it was posted & pulled over in a parking lot & wept aloud in my car. Avery had school today & while I never love to be away from her I had a little time to myself to just think, cry for my friend, & prepare myself for the funeral myself & 2 of my friends will be driving to attend tomorrow early. I say "prepare" but I don't think we are ever prepared for something like this. I have text 2 friends the past several days along with Julee's best friend Jen checking in on her & all I can say is "my heart aches". Because it literally does.
My friend Kelly posted on her blog earlier about hard times & I couldn't have said it better. It is so true about life right now. There are times when I just think I can't handle much more bad news, & something else happens. This situation has thickened me to the core & made me draw even closer to God than ever in my life.
...God helped me to realize in a quiet time last night that life is going to be like this & without these moments of hardship I am never going to grow. If my Dad hadn't had his heart issues & now this horrible tragedy with our friend, I would still be skipping around just "enjoying life". Don't get me wrong, I WANT to enjoy life. But my priorities just weren't straight. It's not about who we have as friends, what we wear, what we are able to show. Life is about much more precious than "stuff"... it's about the legacy we can leave behind like Matt Turner has left behind for all of us, his wife & daughter. It's about what people can say about you that bettered you towards Christ. Life is about knowing our purpose for being here, & letting others see your joy of Him & being that light that someone may need on a dark day.
{We never know others situations}
I know Julee made her way outside of the house yesterday with her best friend Jennifer. How awful for someone to be rude, un-kind, have road rage, have a bad attitude, be snooty to her, or anyone wherever we go.... And my Dad, we were at Wal-mart the other day & I was telling him while walking through the aisles that it's sad we aren't nicer to more people in society because we never know what others are going through, whether they are sick or even just lost a loved one, had surgery or just got diagnosed with cancer. I told him while we were walking that it would break my heart if someone at the store was hateful to him after what he went through!
...My point in sharing this is we never understand other's life struggles & we should each think of how we are in public or our lives before we mistaken a dark moment for someone. ALWAYS treat with kindness & love that of Christ & take the high road. I am no miss perfect, but I'm telling you, God uses situations like this through people, (and even me), to share so that this world can try to be a better place. I am thankful for all I have learned through others testimonies, it's helped mold me into who I am today!
Thank you for all of your prayers there are so many ways you can reach out to help donate to Julee, her daughter & family through many blogs linked to mine as well as local shops. I will do another post as I continue to hear of all the wonderful things are community is doing. And please watch Kelly Korner's blog for the letters to Julee.
We will give her a big hug from our amazing blogger world tomorrow.
I wanted to post this amazing video that our news team put together on behalf of Matt, Julee & Preslee as well as their families.
I will be traveling with some of my friends & sisters in Christ to be with our Julee this week for the funeral. Please continue to keep her in your prayers she needs all of our support, love & prayers.
If you follow Melissa via twitter she is setting up to have people send cards to ensure we can get them to Julee. Also there are all kinds of donations being made at several locations you can check out! Our sweet Sarah at "Life Sweet Life" is setting up some arrangements for silent auctions to be go on this week so go check out her blog!
I feel so blessed to have such a great group of blogging friends in our community!
I have a heavy heart today as we have heard devastating news of our friend Julee's husband, who passed away in a car accident. You can read the brief story here.
My heart hurts for my friend today & I can't even fathom it. I'm just sad.
Please keep Julee & her sweet daughter Preslee & their family in prayers during this difficult time. A few friends & I will be attending the funeral we assume next week, but no news as of yet.
Life has been so great this past week or so. Things are moving along wonderful for our family, the weather has been just beautiful & lately we haven't gotten some rain with cloudy skies & even a few sprinkles.
Although we haven't been going to several of the games this season I have still be sporting my HOG colors on game days. This past Saturday Chad took me to the lake on a blanket & we enjoyed the cool breeze alone just catching up on life. We watched the game at a restaurant after & it was so relaxing! I love my sweet hubby...
Must add, my adorable fun comfy shirt was given to me in the mail from the fabulous Bekah at Kiki La'Rue! Go visit their FB page here & like them! She is beyond a sweet friend to me in Dallas & mailed me 4 shirts & several pieces of jewelery from their shop... why? Just because!!! I was so grateful to receive these goodies & literally cried going through everything. It brightened by day during the storm I was going through with my Daddy...
One Saturday before visiting Daddy at the hospital!
A few weeks ago, Avery had her first field trip. I volunteered to go & I was so glad I did! She had a blast visiting the fire station & then we had a picnic in the park. I am so pumped that my camera is finally fixed but have to pick it up, but for now more Instagram pictures via this blog post!
Can you tell priss didn't want to go to school?
Her look changed after she saw her sweet friends Brenleigh & Eden!
We are so ready for FALL! My house is completely decorated for the Fall & I love darker cooler nights & lighting my candles!
I made Mom a beautiful Fall wreath as a welcome home present to her & my Dad!
We have been starting to dress in our fun fall clothes! So ready for October so we can dress in Halloween!
We have finally started buying pumpkins & one day this past week we sat in the backyard on a blanket with snacks & painted our hearts away!
Speaking of the pumpkin world, this past weekend we also went to the local pumpkin patch by our house. I just adore it. The sweet couple that own it live in the house next to it & it's just precious & so sweet!
We have also been enjoying this fall weather this weekend riding our bikes on local trails!
Last week my Aunt & Uncle dropped into town for a few hours on their way back from Dallas & saw my Dad. My sister in law came over with my nephew too & we enjoyed a nice lunch! My Dad is looking SO much better! He is doing AMAZING!
And I have been visiting my parents quite often lately & we have enjoyed doing one of his favorite things; sitting on their porch watching the lake. It has been overcast days lately & just so peaceful. We walked today too, 8 laps down their driveway & 1/2 way down the street & back.
I am so glad he is healing- each day is so much better than the day before.
Things have been progressing so much with my Dad. Of course he is still gaining so much strength & gaining weight better through eating; which he has needed. Life hasn't been the easiest road lately emotionally, but I am still gaining strength each day & thanking my Lord for it! We know through Him, all things are possible!
Can you guess who came home on Thursday? OH PRAISE JESUS!
I can hardly believe it that finally, Thursday evening almost 15 days of being in the hospital, they let my Daddy go home. He was so stinkin' restless not getting any sleep, it was just time they let him go & build his strength up at home.
Boy were the last 2 weeks a ride!
I have never had my faith tested, my heart ache nor my body just tremble like this in my entire life. When we at times think of others trials or what they may be going through it's not often that dear to our hearts because it's not "our family" enduring the pain. I have always had sympathy, prayed over others & even hurt for them; but never realized the difficult pain that they were actually going through... until I myself lived it. There were several days that I felt helpless hanging my head while trying to drive myself back & forth to the hospital wondering if too ANYONE in this world could possibly understand the ache my heart had. I truly at times thought, "will my Dad make it"? Of course I trust my Lord, but you just simply never know. I felt as if my heart chains were literally being yanked & like I have stated in several of my previous posts, I begged for God's mercy. There are several days I barely remember because I just starred quietly at him for hours in ICU with my Mom.
I remember many days & nights sitting in ICU for 6 days just holding his hand knowing that God was there. I felt warm even though it was freezing in there. I rested several days watching my parents as they would both sleep. My Mom never left my Dad's side. NEVER, not once. I had to beg her to walk out & take afternoon strolls around the hospital.
I have never in my life had my faith tested; in this depth anyway. This heart surgery that was suppose to be a simple "fix his heart & we leave & recover"- turned out to be 2 weeks of my life where I learned to trust God. I learned that it was okay to be upset at the process, emotionally exhausted, & that God WANTED me to beg for him, but also trust that He had his will on the situation, no matter the outcome.
I will never forget one day I was eating in the Cafeteria alone during lunch, which I often did for the past 2 weeks & the cook said, "you are back, are ya ever going to leave"? I first wanted to smack him, but then knew it was the opportunity to be positive & reach out & just said, "God is working on repairing my Dad's heart, & mine too because I am learning faith & trust in God". He smiled really big. I was glad anyway that I was able to just plant a seed.
Where are we now?
I sat at church this morning & just cried. The first song that came on broke me. We sit with my parents, Dad is the usher. The fact that he wasn't next to us today was hard, but I knew he was at home resting. I enjoyed praising God so much this was the first time back since his surgery. I wept with tears as I sang the songs praising God for his mercy & glory & for giving me a new found faith in Him. I have said this many of times does this mean I'm perfect? No. But changed.
This is our church singing the song that they sang this morning, but this was from a few years ago during the winter:
Dad has now been home for 3 days & has been healing. He lost tons of weight while he was in the hospital because he wasn't able to eat normal food for 2 weeks! But we are trying to fix that now & help him to gain his strength back. We take several small walks around the house a day, today he walked outside with me & Avery & Chad to the mailbox & back 4 times. After dinner we made a circle around the house 6 times. He has improved so much & to GOD BE THE GLORY!
{Avery sang, "I'm in the Lord's army" while we walked}
I want my Daddy to know that his heart surgery not only repaired his heart but mine. I feel this is that time in my life that I will ALWAYS remember when I am 80 years old that I learned to trust God, no matter what. I feel this is that moment, this was it, that changed my heart & outlook on life. I take so many things for granted & while I have always been close to my parents, this made me love them a billion times more & respect them & appreciate their love for each other.
I want to thank you all for your prayers, support, cards, gifts, e-mails, notes, texts, phone calls... I have had so many people reach out to my family & oh my goodness I am forever thankful. Dad wants to right a blog post to everyone soon so be watching for it. He has a great testimony of how the Lord has too changed his heart & softened/molded him into even a stronger man than he was. We get emotional when we both talk about it; when he is better I can't wait for us to sit on their porch & re-live God's wonderful grace on our family.
I don't even have words to explain it, just watch it. LISTEN to the words. It's my life right now.
On the way home from my Dad's 12th day at the hospital tonight I was feeling so defeated. I'm emotionally exhausted trying to hold it together. I find myself mad & frustrated & shouldn't be. I am just ready for my Dad to leave the hospital & go home so our lives can go back to normal with him. I am ready for him to have complete healing; I am ready for him to feel whole again.
CRAZY how God works, but this song came on & I caught it from the beginning in my car & just balled down the interstate thanking God for reassuring me of where I need to keep my focus, on Him.
{I love how it says, "What if the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise"}
Dad update:
It's been another hard few days. Dad's tube finally came out but they haven't started giving him normal foods again. They are slowly going to be starting him on liquids again tomorrow to see if he can hold them down. We PRAY that whatever was making him so sick will go away. It's his HEART that is needing healed. Early morning his heart went back into a-fib & some a-flutter as well. As of now they are just monitoring trying to figure out the right steps to take to get control of that. He can't leave until those 2 things are under control, so I have no clue when this hospital journey will end. But, we are hopeful by the end of this week.
In the midst of this journey with my Dad I have just felt completely defeated some days. I was completely surprised & on cloud 9 when my friend from church asked to take our family fall pictures as a gift. Crazy story but her Dad too had heart surgery the WEEK before my Dad. She has been going through the same hard trials I have & has been keeping in touch with me. It's is neat how God can use a situation & bring people together. So this weekend she took a few pictures of my family & I could not be more impressed, & thankful.
Visit Katie's Facebook page HERE & like it, she is so great! I love her stuff, SO talented!
I LOVE all the prayers & notes/e-mails I am getting from all of the world about my Dad! It is so refreshing to hear that I am not the only girl here in Arkansas battling some life changing things. I love hearing from you. My Dad reads these too & every single note so don't be shy! Tell him where you are from & that you are thinking/praying for him; it touches his heart so much!
We love you all!
Let Him have all your worries & cares, for He is always thinking about you & watching everything that concerns you. 1 Peter 5:7
