New Blog!!

Hey y'all!! So I have another new blog up! I just posted my first post a few minutes ago.  Here's the link:https://christledjourney.blogspot.com/2019/01/new-year-new-blog.html?m=1

Let me know what y'all think! (I haven't finished configuring the pages and all of that,  but I wanted to get something posted. 😉)

Where Trouble Lies Part One!

Good evening! I know this is kind of a late post, but I just wanted to let y'all know that I just posted the the first part of my new story "Where Trouble Lies" a few minutes ago! You can go to my new blog to read it there, or you can read it on this post.  Please comment and tell me what you think. I love ideas on how to make my stories better and how to keep them interesting. I hope you enjoy! :-)

With love in Christ,

Mallory Beth

Part One

Fort Worth, Texas

1887

A small frightened squeal from one of the pupils in the front row, caused Rosaline Carter to look up from her stack of papers, and glance to where the sound had come from. Her gaze met with seven-year-old Victoria Weller.

“ Victoria? Is everything alright?”, she asked the first grader. The girl looked up at her teacher, smiled, and replied shyly,

“ Yes Miss Carter.” she looked back down and continued her arithmetic assignment.

Rosaline smiled and again started grading the fourth through sixth grade history and arithmetic papers that had been due that morning.

“I love my job!”, she thought to herself as she finished writing a sentence of praise on Alice Cromwell, a fifth grader, who had just mastered the concept of multiplication. The thing she loved about her job was seeing the progress that her students made over the months of work. She never thought that she could admit how grateful she she was to her family and friends for all encouraging her to take this next step in her life. It had been a year since she had accepted the board's offer of teaching grades one through eight in the town's one room school house. She had started out as the teacher's assistant when she was 17. The previous teacher, Ruth Hopkins had married Reverend Cummings last Spring, and Rosaline was the one chosen to take her place. 'I hope Ruth and the Reverend are doing well. They just got back from their honeymoon; I hope to see her in church on Sunday..-'

Another yelp from one of Rosaline's students jerked her from her deep thoughts. She looked about the room, and caught a glance of one of the older boys throwing something small at the back of ten-year-old Jennie Anderson. Every pupil's eyes shot the front of the room, as Rosaline said to the boy in the back row,

“Samuel Warner, please do not make me have to ask you to not pester the younger students again,” the teacher said sternly but kindly, then looked down again when her scholar had angrily nodded. Samuel's family had just moved to Texas from New York to start a cattle ranch. Rosaline could tell that Samuel was the only one in his family that hated it there, and she felt sorry for him. But just because he was missing his home, it didn't make it okay for him to bully the younger students. She'd found herself kneeling by her bedside many times at night praying for wisdom from the Lord for ideas on how to handle Samuel. 'Oh, Lord! Ruth warned me about the older boys, but I told her I'd be fine; that I could handle them. But he's the only one of them who's given me trouble so far this year. God, what do I do?', she prayed silently.  

Part two coming soon....

Homeschool Civil War Ball!!!!

Good evening, everyone!! I have some exciting news for you guys out there that are homeschooled! My older sister hosted a homeschool civil war ball for two years (2013-2014). But when she got married and moved away at the end of 2014, the balls unfortunately couldn't be planned from so far away. But now, in a little under a month, my sister her family are coming home!! I can't believe that so much time has passed! But God has truly blessed us, and let the time go by faster. 

So in lieu of that, she's very anxious to get the balls up and running again. I know it isn't for another eight months, but I'm so excited about it that I just couldn't wait to share it. If you guys live close to the venue, I hope you and your families can come! :-)

Here's few pictures from the ball from to years ago.

I will update you later on as the ball gets closer about some details like dress code. 

Your Sister in Christ,

Mallory Beth

Renewed by His Grace new blog post!!!!

    Hey, guys! Just wanted to let you know that I just posted on my new blog. 

Hope everyone is having a great Summer! :-)

http://onlyhisgrace2009.blogspot.com/2016/06/summer-fun-part-3-of-katies-journey.html

New Blog Post!

Hey everyone! I just posted some of my favorite inspirational quotes that have really spoken to me. I hope they bless you like they've blessed me. :-)

http://onlyhisgrace2009.blogspot.com/2016/03/some-of-my-favorite-quotes-part-1.html

 

Have a blessed week,

~Mallory Beth

Blog Post!

  Good afternoon everyone! I just posted my first blog post over at Renewed by His Grace. Hope y'all enjoy it. :)
 http://onlyhisgrace2009.blogspot.com/

New Blog!!!

  Hello all! I wanted to let you know, that I am starting anew with my blogging. I decided to start with a fresh slate, and try to be a better writer. I haven't posted anything yet, but as you see, it is pretty late, and I will try to post tomorrow.
My blog is called Renewed by His Grace, and the link is, http://onlyhisgrace2009.blogspot.com/ .   Please go follow.  Thank you! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I know it's a bit late, but better late than never. 😉
The Lord has been so merciful to me and my family this past year. Almost one year ago, I gained a brother- in- law, and I couldn't wish for a better one! The Lord gave me the opportunity to volunteer at @fortrockfamilycamp with some amazing people and made great memories. I was given two sweet piano students to teach since May. God blessed us by adding to our family and giving us a little baby girl to love and to watch grow. And I just witnessed two best friends come together as one in marriage.

I know that the year isn't over yet, and there are new blessings everyday. But even though I feel like I've been through a hurricane,  the Lord has been in it all.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I'm thankful for everyone and everything in my life this Thanksgiving. I used to think this holiday was just for the food and fun, but what I've learned is, this is a time to sit back and count your blessings. To think of everything that God has blessed you with and to thank Him for it and to give Him the glory, not ourselves.
I hope you all had a blessed day with family and friends yesterday!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you all have a blessed Christmas day.  This is a time to remember the real reason for this holiday... Jesus Christ - God made into flesh. What are some of your favorite traditions?

With love in Christ,
Mallory Beth

Softly and Tenderly

This hymn is very dear to my heart. God saved my soul almost five years ago, and I will be forever grateful! Please take a few minutes to meditate on these beautiful words. 

"Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.
Refrain:
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?
Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.
Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me."

I would encourage you that if you know anyone who is lost and hasn't responded to God's call of salvation, please share the Gospel with them before it's too late! They're yearning for something more but just don't know what they are yearning for. So please, even if you struggle with witnessing ,(as I do), you can sew those seeds with your actions, a little smile or a few words to brighten their day. It will show them that we have something different about us, and they will either not like it and push us away or will want to ask us why we're so happy and content.
Well I hope you all have a great week. :-)
~ Mallory Beth

John 3:16

Katie's Journey Short Story 2

I know it's been a while since I posted anything, and I very much apologize for that.  I'm still writing on my story, but I just haven't had the time lately to get as much done as I would like. Please enjoy. :-) If you're just tuning in, visit the Katie's Journey Short Stories page.

Short Story 2

One week passed…

“Mother?” Katie asked her mother.

“Yes, dear?” her mother answered.

“What do you think the New World is like?” Katie wondered thoughtfully.

“It will be different than home, but it will be nice to get to worship God together freely”. Her mother

smiled at her. Katie stopped chopping the carrots that were on the cutting board in front of her to look out the window. She loved to look out at the beautiful scenery in the fall.

“ I hope it’s beautiful, with lots of trees, amazing sunsets…”

“Katie, you can chop while you speak,” Mother pointed to the chopping board and smiled.

“I'm sorry Mother”, Katie apologized. “I guess I’m getting a little excited about going to the New World.” Katie started chopping again. “Mother, do you think we will be happy there?”

“We’ll be happy as long as we’re together, darling.”

“I know…” Katie said slowly.

“It’s all right, Katie. Why don’t you go outside and take a break,” she nodded toward the window. “You've worked hard today,” She smiled.

“I have to ask you something first”, Katie stated. “ It will only take a moment”.

“ What is it, dear?'' Her mother asked curiously.

Katie set her knife down, and leaned against the counter. “ I feel as if I’m abandoning Father by leaving Plymouth. Although I know he would want us to be happy, it still feels wrong. Is it?”

After a few moments, her mother turned to her. Katie could see the tears in her eyes as she declared , “I know it is hard, and this very thought has gone through my head a lot as well. It kept on pestering me at night until I couldn’t stand it any longer, and so I prayed. I asked the Lord to not be angry with me for moving on with our lives, and I now know that God is not; nor is your father. They both want us to be happy.''

Katie felt tears in her eyes and she had to turn away from her mother so that she wouldn't see her cry.

But Sarah Cross knew her daughter well enough to know that something else was on her mind.

“Katie, what else is bothering you so that you have to turn away from me? ,'' she inquired in pure concern. Katie decided that she wouldn't worry her mother with what was on her mind right now. She knew it would be a lie, and a sin, if she said that there was nothing on her mind, but she didn't want to talk about it.

“Nothing, Mother... I am just thinking of father again,” she smiled, feeling a little prick of guilt. Her mother still had the look of both confusion and concern, but she didn't want to push her daughter too far. Then Katie declared , “ I think I'll go outside to think a little bit. Is that still alright, Mother?''

“Sure it is, Katie. Supper is on the stove and Abigail is asleep, so I can manage for a while.", her mother smiled. "Oh and look, Charles and Jacob are walking outside. Maybe you should go say hello.

~

Katie glanced out the window, she spotted Jacob and Charles walking up the lane. She glanced over at Charles, he was tall and handsome 16 year – old young man. They had all been best friends since they were young. He was the most gentle and kind young man she had ever known, and he had a wonderful faith in God. He and Katie had a lot in common. Charles's father died when he was 14 years old and than he started working for Katie’s father to raise money for his family when he was 15. He had been a lot of help around the farm when Katie’s father died a year later.

Katie came back to the present, and grabbed her shawl and waved goodbye to her mother, all she could think of was how she just wanted to be alone to think. She almost wished for a moment she could avoid Jacob and Charles, but she knew it would be disrespectful to do so. So she slowly walked up to them, and decided that she can take a walk by herself later.

As she was getting quite close, Charles smiled at her and stated cheerfully,

“Hello, Katie! How are you?''

“Hello, Charles,'' she began as she faked a grin, “I am alright, what are you two doing?''

“We were going to see if you would like to come with us for a walk on the pier, Jacob said said that it's your favorite place to go on a stroll.”

Katie looked at Jacob,who had not said a word the whole time they were talking. He kept on staring at her, as if he sensed there was something wrong with her. But she tried to hide her sadness, and talked to Charles, who was awaiting her answer.

“Yes, Jacob was right, that's where I do a lot of my thinking, and it is very peaceful up there for me and I am sure for others too... ,'' She knew she was rambling and felt embarrassed at first, but then she caught Charles smile at her with amusement and she had to laugh at herself. “Yes, indeed, I love to go, Charles, thank you,'' Then she turned to Jacob and inquired, “ Shall we go and tell mother where we are going?''

Jacob nodded and started to walk off without saying anything else and she told Charles that they would be right back.

When she caught up with her brother, she whispered , “ Is there something that I have said or done that has made you angry with me, Jacob?”

“I am not exactly angry with you, but are you sure that you're alright, Katie? Because it seemed to me that you were trying to hide something back there with Charles,” he said with a little hint of concern in his voice, but the rest was anger.

“I am fine, Jacob-”

“I don't think you are, Katie!” Jacob interrupted more loudly. “ I thought you were alright with leaving Plymouth, but now you're acting as if you don't want to go at all!”

“ I am still having a little bit of trouble getting used to the fact that we are leaving our family and friends. That if we leave here, we might never see them again!” she hesitated, “Well... there is no need to talk about it right now. Let's go tell mother we are going, and we don't want to keep Charles waiting.”

Katie hurried to the back door of their home before her brother could say anything more, and they walked in. Their mother was in the same spot that she was when Katie left.

“Jacob, Charles and I are going to the pier for a little bit. Is that alright?”

“As long as you are back for supper, dears. But why don't you ask Charles if he and his family would like to join us for supper.” their mother smiled at them.

“Sure, Mother.” Katie smiled back at her. “ Bye,” she said as she and Jacob walked out the door.

When they were outside, Katie walked ahead of her brother towards the place where Charles was waiting for them. She didn't want to speak with Jacob at that very moment, so she called to Charles,

“Are you ready to go?”

Charles replied, “I'm ready if you and Jacob are.” He smiled down at her.

“First, I want to invite you and your family to supper. That way your mother and sisters are saved the trouble of fixing it. We'd love to visit with you, and I know Mother would enjoy the company!”

“What if I go and see if Mother and the girls have started cooking, and I'll let you know. Then maybe we could go to the pier another day. Is that alright?”

“That's perfect! I probably need to help Mother with the cooking anyway.” She turned to Jacob and inquired, “Is that ok with you too?”

Her brother nodded, and said, “I have to feed the animals and water Mother's garden for her, so that would work.”

“ See you in a while, then.” Charles answered with a smile.

As he walked away, Katie thought, “ I'm glad that's over! It's not that I don't want to talk to Charles,but I don't have to pretend any longer.” But she was wrong...

As she started to walk off towards the house to help her mother, Jacob stopped her by saying quietly,

“ We need to talk, Katie.”

“ Not right now, Jacob. I have to go help Mother with supper.” She said as she started to walk a way.

“ Katie, I -”

“No, Jacob! I do NOT want talk to you right this minute, alright?” Katie angrily interrupted as she turned to face her brother. Katie instantly saw the hurt in his eyes, and knew that he was only concerned for her welfare. This time she spoke with a softer tone, “ Jacob, I really need time alone to think and pray before I speak to you about this. But my words came before I even realized what I had said. I'm sorry! Can you ever forgive me?” Her words came so fast, they came out in a jumble of pleading emotion.

“Of course I forgive you, Katie! I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, but I was concerned. Take as long as you need.” Jacob touched her shoulder, then he simply smiled and walked to the barn.

~

Katie sat up straight in her cot, breathing heavily. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks, and tried to calm herself. She dropped her head on her backboard, and thought,

'Why am I still having these dreams, Lord? I don't understand... I thought I had let what happened to Father go. It's been over two years, and I still feel like it's my fault. But I can't change that... can I?'

Her thoughts went on for most of the night, until she saw the small light of the sunrise on the horizon. She decided that she needed to get up and start on her chores, since it was sunup. She climbed out of bed, and quickly put on her dress and bonnet. 'Help me to be strong today, Lord. I need your help to be strong.'

She kept saying that over and over to herself all the way down the stairs. At the the bottom, she stopped, sighed deeply, and stepped into the kitchen. 

Did you like it?

Would you read more if I posted it?

Are you enjoying this Fall weather? 

~Mallory Beth

Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Tomatoes

My grandma found this really yummy salad in a magazine recently. If you love bacon, cheese and tomatoes, you'll love this! :-).

Here's what you'll need:
Salad:  1 head of broccoli
  8 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed (we used Colby cheese)
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Sauce: 1cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste.

Hope y'all enjoy this!
Your sister in Christ,
Mallory
P.S. How have you all been? I have been so busy that I haven't had time to post anything.

"Changed" by Rascal Flatts

I had heard this song about a year ago, and I loved it! I don't agree with everything that Rascal Flatts sings, but this is a powerful song about how God can really change the heart of a person.  I just felt convicted to share it with you. :-)
I don't know why, but Blogger still won't load my videos.... so here's the link.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvHw-QcLjZg


Hope you all have a great week! :)


P.S. What do you and your family do for Easter?

Wonderful Song- What Do I Know of Holy by Addison Road

I found this song on You Tube a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I should share this with you. We've started to sort of stop listening to CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), but this song really spoke to my heart, and I hope it does to you too. :)  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6J5TzSE_18

P.S. I couldn't get the video to upload for some reason, but here is the link. By the way, I loved this song so much, that I chose it for my dance solo this year. ;)

I hope you have a blessed rest of the week!

~ Mallory Beth

Katie's Journey: Short Story 2 Coming Soon!

I have finally had time to sit down to write more of my story, so I wanted to let you know that I will have it posted as fast as my brain will allow. :)