SHE DID IT!!!

First let me say this.....GOD is Faithful and HE is awesome! He cares about the big stuff, and oh, does He care about the little stuff too!

Natalie just played her last games on Saturday. Their team ended up with 12 wins and 2 losses. Pretty good for a first year team! All season, Natalie has struggled with confidence, while the other girls seem to have a double dose. (one day I will blog about that) While she'd get her hands on the ball, she'd merely pass it along to the one who scored the basket. Sometimes, lacking aggression and confidence, she'd have the ball stolen by some sneaky chick. A few times she'd actually shoot, only to have the ball swirl around teasingly, and then miss the mark. A big "Awwww" from the crowd would follow, with a big "Rats!" from me, her biggest fan. She's clearly not the most athletic on her team. Everyone on the team (except for naturally athletic Aieren) play other sports, while Natalie excels in swimming. I can tell you with assurance that she did her very best! I am so proud of her for not giving up, when sometimes it would have been easy. She didn't whine or complain that she wasn't as fast or as agile as the others. She knew she had to work twice as hard. While I know her scoliosis plays a factor in her balance and coordination and speed, she certainly never used that as an excuse. What a kid.

So, it wouldn't probably surprise you to know that I actually asked some friends to pray for Natalie this past week. I asked that God would allow her to make one basket. Just one. Just give her one moment of glory before the season is done. Everyone else had scored but her. She wasn't dwelling on it at all, she just simply said one day, "I hope it happens." This was my opportunity to teach her something! I said, "Ask God to help you. Then do everything you can to get those rebounds and shoot it right back up there!" I also told her Saturday morning that I could just sense a ferociousness coming out of her that I'd never seen before! I told her, "Today is your day! You are going to get that basket. I just know it!" She smiled and said, "I hope you're right!" I said with confidence, "I know I am!" Then I prayed some more!

I invited people to come since it was in our hometown, and I was so touched to have so many people care to come out and support not just Nat, but the whole team. Thank you Mom, Dad, Jim, Jean, Pam, Aimee, Fred, Amelia, Brayden, Serena, Meagan, Emi, Allison, Toby, Tucker, Lori, and Vince, and for those who couldn't come but prayed for her. With our big group of fans watching, Nat got hold of the ball. I held my breath and clenched my hands. She threw it up there with ease and she scored!!!! Steve jumped to his feet and threw his arms up into the air. The crowd went wild! I stamped my feet on the bleachers just like I told her I would and screamed my head off for my baby!! Grandpa Rogers whistled his ear-piercing whistle for good measure. Let me tell you...It was the best feeling in the world! I quickly gave praise to God for knowing just how important this was to His little girl too. He still manages to amaze me even though I know just how good He is. I truly felt He was there, watching that game with us. Oh, man, that was cool!

Needless to say, Nattie was pretty happy with her one basket out of all those games. Surely her defense and passes and efforts helped her team score too, but at least for us, that one basket will be remembered forever as the "one that won the game".

Thanks again for cheering on our Nat....your love means so much to us!!