Thursday, December 31, 2015

MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE BLESSED!

Hello Out There! Today we will close out another year! I pray that 2016 will be a year
of love, peace and joy for all of you! I pray that you and your families will be blessed!
Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and a wonderful New Year!


My New Year's resolutions are:
Each morning as I wake I will pray and ask God to guide each step that I take.
Be kind and loving, treat others well.
Speak up for the babies, the precious unborn.
Pray for families, moms and dads to nurture their children and love them more.
Pray for the children that they will grow to love the Lord and follow His road.
Pray for God's mercy and pray for His world.


HAPPY NEW YEAR! GOD BLESS YOU ALL



Bye until 2016, Sharla






Wednesday, December 30, 2015

BLESSED WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF LIFE!

Good Morning Out There! Today is the Sixth Day within the Octave of Christmas!
And...................it's my birthday! I love that my birthday falls on this special day! I am
thankful for another year of life! Some people make resolutions or plans for their life
on New Year's Day. Now that I'm older, I usually do that on my birthday. I try to reflect
back on the previous year and think of some things that I need to add or change to my
daily life. Right now at this moment, I'm just thankful! I'm drinking a cup of hot coffee
and reading from my daily devotionals.


I want to share something from the Magnificat (a monthly Catholic book with
the readings from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and Responsorial
Psalms that will be proclaimed at daily Mass). The booklet also includes;
morning prayers, a hymn from the scriptures, evening prayers, a meditation
for the day, and a short story about the lives of certain Saints.
The following is from the readings for today in the Magnificat:

Canticle of Judith 16:1, 13-15
1)"Strike up the instruments,
 a song to my God with timbrels, chant to the Lord with cymbals;
Sing to him a new song, exalt and acclaim his name.
13-15)"A new hymn I will sing to my God.
O Lord, great are you and glorious, wonderful in power and unsurpassable.
Let your every creature serve you; for you spoke, and they were made,
You sent forth your spirit, and they were created; no one can resist your word."
The mountains to their bases, and the seas, as shaken;
the rocks, like wax, melt before your glance."
"But to those who fear you,
you are very merciful.


 1 Samuel 12:2
As for  me, I am old and gray. I have lived with you from my youth to the
present day.


Anna had grown old in faith and hope, but when she saw the Child of God's
promise brought to the temple, she sang in her heart a new song of praise
and thanksgiving. One is never too old to be surprised by joy.


This was the first scripture reading for today in my Magnificat. It was also the first
reading last year on my birthday. It's almost like a gift just for me, to read these
beautiful words on my birthday. I am growing older and grayer (or I would be
grayer if I didn't go to the beauty shop and get my hair colored)! But I am a
joyful woman, I have so much love in my heart. I really relate to the last line:
"she sang in her heart a new song of praise and thanksgiving. One is never too
old to be surprised by joy." I pray that God will always help me to see the beauty
in this world, to always be joyful and to be a light for all those around me.


                                              Prayer for the Morning
                                           To Christ our newborn king
                                   let us sing a song of rejoicing, alleluia!


I hope you all have a wonderful day! May God bless you abundantly!
                           Rejoice in the Lord always!
                                                   Bye for now, Sharla

Sunday, December 27, 2015

CALLING THEM BY NAME

Hello Out There! The 3rd Day of Christmas and ice is raining down! I thought it was
raining really hard and I looked outside and saw that the ground was being covered
in ice! I am thankful to be inside my warm home and I pray for those who are seeking
shelter. My husband is actually out in this weather because he wanted to go and buy
some cotton gloves for me to hand out at the Sack Lunch Ministry tomorrow. When he
left it was just misting outside and he called a minute ago and said that he already hit
a slick spot and to call the kids and tell them all to stay home. It is amazing how quickly
the weather can change. It looks like a winter wonderland right now. I will be glad
when Jim gets back home. I hope you are all having a joyful Christmas Season.
I wanted to share something that happened last week at the Sack Lunch Ministry.
Another parish brought all kinds of warm clothing to hand out, even some nice winter
boots. I wish you could see how the people's eyes light up when we have extra things
for them. We also handed out some more bags filled with hygiene items. Two of my
granddaughters were with me last Monday and they decorated sacks and the older one
helped hand out the sacks. A young man came in and I called him by name. I haven't
seen him in a while and he looked surprised and said "You remembered my name." I
smiled at him and replied that yes, I did and asked him how he was doing. My younger
granddaughter, who is 3 1/2 was coloring and I didn't realize that she was listening.
A lady came in and after she got her lunch she was looking through the clothes. My
granddaughter asked me what her name was, and I told her I didn't know. She looked
at me and said, "Go and ask her," I looked down at her and she said, "I want to know
her name." I went over to the lady and smiled at her and told her that my granddaughter
wanted to know what her name was, I told her my name, she smiled back and told
me her name and waved at my granddaughter. I told my little one the lady's name and
she repeated it. I realized something that day, how just knowing someone's name
can mean so much to them. As young as my granddaughter is, she seemed to realize
that. I like to take my grandchildren with me to help out when they can. I think it helps
them understand when we tell them to be grateful and thankful for all that they have.
I think it also teaches them compassion and why we should always do what we are able
to for others. Jim is back home, safe and sound, thanks be to God! I pray that you are
all blessed immensely during this beautiful Christmas Season! There are still 9 Days of
Christmas left, there is still time to bake cookies, send cards, make a phone call, or
stop by and see an old friend!
                            Rejoice in the Lord, always, again I say, Rejoice!
                                                                  Bye for now, Sharla

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

BABY GIRLS AND BIRTHDAYS AND THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

Hello Out There! Yesterday was my daughter's birthday. She is all grown-up now,
married with three beautiful daughters of her own. Last night Jim and I babysat the
girls while my daughter and her husband went out to eat. Their youngest daughter is
our youngest grandchild, our little number 10! They were only gone for about an
hour and a half, but at least they were able to eat their meal while it was still hot! I
remember those days, a mom's work is never done, and more times than not, your meal
has cooled by the time you get to sit down and eat! Watching my daughter take care
of her family, her devotion to them, brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart
swell with pride. Even though we have 8 granddaughters, we love so very much,
our daughter will always be our "Baby Girl" no matter what!
I know that I have said this before, but I will say it again, I love being a mom!
December is such a special month, and I am so thankful for my husband, children
and grandchildren! I still have so much to do before Christmas Eve, but I keep
reminding myself that Christmas is a season, not just one day. The twelve days of
Christmas begin on Christmas Day and go through the Epiphany. I've decided that
instead of stressing out, I'm going to truly celebrate the whole season! My neighbors
may get baked goods on the 2nd day of Christmas, and my Christmas cards may get 
mailed out on Christmas Eve and arrive on the 3rd day of Christmas! My plan is to
spread Christmas cheer not just during the season but throughout the whole entire year! 
So if you're like me, a little behind, take a deep breath, write out a list, make yourself
a cup of hot cocoa, and just sit for a minute and be blessed. Be blessed with the true
beauty of what Christmas means, the true gift is love, and it can't be bought! Spend
time with your loved ones, have a special family night. Take a treat to someone who
lives all alone. Call a distant relative, just hearing your voice will be such a gift. Pray
with your kids and hug them tight! Tell your spouse you love them and kiss their cheek!
Remember to thank God for giving us His Son. Wow! Thank you, God, for giving
us Your Son! Amen.
                                  Blessings to you and yours!        Bye for now, Sharla

Sunday, December 20, 2015

COME, LET US ADORE HIM!

Hello Out There! A quick post before I call it a night. Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent.
We had all of our children, two sons and one daughter, their spouses, two daughter-in-laws
and one son-in-law, and all ten of our grandchildren with us this weekend! What a huge
blessing to be able to spend time all together! We had so much fun, we laughed and played
a crazy white elephant sock exchange game, 18 of us in our living room. We've lived in
this house, our home, for over 24 years. The guys barbecued and the bigger kids played
outside. We had all kinds of snack foods and the little ones played inside. I bought one of
those children's Nativity Scenes (Ages 1-5), and they all loved it. I placed it on their little table
in the living room and someone was always moving the figures the way they thought
looked best! I took a ton of pictures and got lots of hugs and kisses!
We went to the 6:00 p.m. Mass this evening and it was wonderful, the Cathedral was packed!
Jim and I have to get up really early because tomorrow is our day to spend an hour at
the Adoration Chapel so I will have to close for now.
The evening prayer in my Magnificat is:
                               Jesus Christ has opened the gates of heaven:
                                   come, let us adore him!


I pray that you have a wonderful week, and that we all slow down and enjoy this
beautiful time of year.


                          JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!


                                                                           Bye for now,
                                                                                            Sharla

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

THIS POST COULD BE THE LYRICS FOR A COUNTRY AND WESTERN SONG! BIG HONKIN TRAILERS AND PICK-UP TRUCKS!

Hello Out There! I need to add another story to my post from this morning, you know, like
those promotional commercials, BUT WAIT! This morning I was in a sentimental, happy
mood. I wrote a post for my blog about my son's birthday and some other stuff. I made
the bed, opened the blinds, turned down the heat, straightened up what needed to be
straightened up and headed out the door. I also drank two cups of coffee while all of the
above was going on and then I chunked a handful of almonds and a few chocolate chips in
one of the kid's Tupperware cups to take with me (one of those personalized, protein
breakfast on the go type of thing)! I drove to Sam's and picked up supplies for the
Sack Lunch Ministry, this was the stock-up kind of day, not the run in and grab some
lunch meat and fruit on the go kind of day. I don't steer those big honkin carts very well
and the cashier had to stop me before I ran into register stand. I smiled kind of sheepishly
and thanked her. I loaded everything up into my pick-up truck and headed to the church.
Parishioners from St. Ambrose Catholic Church volunteered today. I was so happy to
see all of their smiling faces, and really happy that they helped me unload all those
groceries! Once everything was taken care of I dashed off to the YMCA to exercise
for a little bit. Then I dashed home to eat some lunch and as I was headed back out the
door to go and buy groceries for "The Ynostrosa Household" because lately, that has
been on the back burner, the BUT WAIT happened..................
Jim called and said that the clutch had gone out in our son's truck. Yes, the today is
his birthday, son's truck. This was the plan, Jim was leaving work to drive over there
so that our son could take his truck out to a job he was trying to finish up. Jim thought
that once our son's truck wasn't pulling the big honkin trailer, it would shift gears
better and he would just head back to work in that truck, but..................I needed to
keep my phone close by, just in case he needed me to come and get him. I drove to
Academy to pick up some gifts, I said some prayers on the way. I was just finishing
up when my phone rang, it was Jim, and he needed me to come and pick him up.
I paid for my items and drove across town. Jim and our son's truck were in a small
church parking lot. I rolled down the window and said, "What's the plan?" We talked
about some different ideas and decided to try and get the truck a little closer to home.
Jim said that he thought he could drive the truck real slow in 2nd gear and for me to
drive behind him with my hazard lights flashing. We drove like this for all of 2 blocks
and Jim pulled into another parking lot. I thought we were just going to have to
call a tow truck, but no, that was not Jim's idea. He told me to pull in front of the
truck and he would attach a chain from my rear bumper to his front bumper and I
could pull the truck....................I know what you are thinking, and yes, we have done
this before, more times than I care to remember! I rolled down my window, took off
my sunglasses, said some more prayers, and slowly started to drive. We weren't
even out of the parking lot before Jim motioned for me to stop. He parked the truck
and climbed in my truck. He said that it would just be better if he waited for our son
to come back when he finished his job and they would pull the truck. I was really
relieved. I drove Jim back to work, and when I started laughing he just looked at me
and shook his head. I said something like, we are getting too old for this, and then he
laughed too. I dropped him off and headed to Wal-Mart to buy
groceries for "The Ynostrosa Household". My basket was over flowing when I
checked out, I loaded all the groceries into my truck and drove home. I received
a call from my son telling me that he had just dropped off the trailer at our house
and he was going to pick up dad and they were going to pull his truck home.  I said
some more prayers, arrived home and unloaded all the groceries. I was getting ready
for church when I heard the guys drive up. I went outside and gave my son a hug and
told him that I was sorry that this happened on his birthday, and he said that was ok,
at least it didn't happen the other day when he was traveling out of town. I smiled,
because I'm glad that he has that (glass is half-full type of attitude)! We told him
to head home, he lives about 45 minutes away, and I knew that his wife had fixed his
favorite dinner and dessert for his birthday. He told me that his sister had just
called and that she was on her way with some goodies she had baked for him. We
told him to go on home, the goodies would still be "good" tomorrow!
Our daughter and granddaughter arrived, they brought in the gift and then my
granddaughter and I drove to the church for the "La Posada" celebration. It was
wonderful, I'm back at home, Jim's asleep and I am drinking a cup of sleepy
time tea and sharing my adventures with y'all! In one of my earlier posts I talked
about my adventures during advent, this one ranks pretty close to the top.............
right below what happened last week.............................Driving my truck right behind
Jim's truck while he pulled the stock trailer because the sheep messed up the wiring
for the lights!             Blessings to you and yours! Goodnight, Sharla







DECEMBER BLESSINGS OF LIFE AND LOVE!

Good Morning Out There! I hope you are having a wonderful week! Today is Wednesday
of the Third Week of Advent. In my Magnificat, the "Prayer for the Morning" is
Love and truth walk in God's presence: come, let us adore him!
I love this time of year. Today is my son's birthday, and next Monday is my daughter's
birthday, and next Friday we celebrate the birth of Jesus! My birthday is at the end of
this month. New life, new beginnings, blessings.... December is a special month!
I woke up this morning and thanked God for a beautiful new day. I looked out the
window and smiled, just so happy to be able to see the beauty of God's creation! I talked
to my son on the phone and wished him a Happy Birthday, and told him that I couldn't
believe he was 32 years old! I still remember the day he was born, it was a Friday
morning and it had snowed during the night. Jim was at my side that morning, holding
my hand. We didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl, and I still remember
hearing the words, "It's a boy!"  a son!
When I was a little girl, my dream was to grow up and get married and have children.
I wanted to have a large family and be a stay at home mom. I wanted to bake chocolate
chip cookies for them to eat when they came home from school.
My dream came true, I love being a wife and mother, and a grandmother too!
Being married and having a family is a vocation, and I thank God everyday for blessing
me with my husband, children, and grandchildren. I put my whole heart into taking
care of my family. I love to cook and bake for them. I make sure our home is always
picked up and neat (although it doesn't get dusted as often as it should). I make sure the
fridge and pantry are stocked, thanks be to God we are able to do that.
I'm just feeling a little nostalgic, tears of happiness and a heart full of love.
I pray that all of you who take the time to read my blog posts are blessed during this
special month and every day of your lives.
                                     Blessings to you and yours! Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, December 10, 2015

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE IN MY HEART!

Good Morning Out There! I haven't written a post in eight days! I have a lot of catching
up to do! I wanted this Advent to be a time of prayer and quiet reflection, decorating our
home and baking, everything done in a peaceful and joyful setting. What was I thinking?
I mean, whose life was I thinking about? It must be one of those Hallmark Christmas movies!
My life is always crazy, busy - in a wonderful, joyful, loud, boisterous and crazy kind of
way! No, there is not much time for peace and quiet reflection, but everything does get done, eventually!
As a matter of fact, I'm fixing to head out the door, but I wanted to at least start writing
about my Advent adventures! I don't think adventures is supposed to be an adjective/adverb
for Advent, but in my life, it fits! I'm going to hit save right now, but I (hope) plan on
finishing this post sometime later on today! Stay tuned....................... Sharla's Advent
preparations for Christmas will return!
Hey y'all, I actually made it back to my computer today! Guess what the morning prayer
in my Magnificat (that I am just now reading at 2:30 p.m.) is:
                                    Arise and greet the Lord with Joy!
I am a joyful person! I do try to thank the Lord for a new day right when I wake up but
sometimes I have to stumble around a little bit, maybe drink a few sips of coffee and then
I am greeting the Lord with Joy!
I really wanted to be able to write a new post each day of Advent, sharing some prayers
and some scriptures. One of the reasons I have been so busy is that I have been in charge
of buying the supplies for the Sack Lunch Ministry we have at our parish. I really like
making sure that we have plenty of supplies, I love helping make the lunches and handing
them out. People from another parish collected money and then went and bought a bunch
of the travel size hygiene items and some goodies and packaged them in large Ziploc bags.
They collected a bunch of coats and caps, scarves and gloves and delivered them to
the cafeteria on Monday. Some of them stayed and helped the people look for the right
size of coats and gloves after they picked up the goodie bags along with their lunches.
Watching those in need excitedly picking out a coat or another cap or some gloves was
such an amazing blessing. I'm just so thankful to be part of this much needed ministry.
Everyday this week people have dropped off individually wrapped goodies, more scarves,
hand crocheted caps and waters. The reason I had to dash out the door this morning was
because I had to go and get more groceries for the sack lunches. I was in a happy mood
as I shopped at the store and loaded up the supplies in my truck. I drove to the church and
some of the ladies helped me unload the supplies and put them away. The volunteers for
today already had the sack lunches ready. We have wonderful, hard working, faithful
volunteers who keep the Sack Lunch Ministry going!
I headed back home and planned what I was going to fix for lunch. My husband and son
like to come home for lunch. I heated up leftover goulash and added some more green
chilies and seasoning to the pan. I heated up tortillas, made lemonade and got the tea
out of the fridge. The guys came home and ate lunch while we talked about what jobs
are lined up for next week. After they went back to work I cleaned up the kitchen and
then sat down to eat.
I was thinking about Advent and the Sack Lunch Ministry and taking care of my big
family and I realized something. If we do all these things with love in our hearts, then
that is part of the preparation of Advent. Jesus wants us to love one another, to take
care of each other.
I am going to try and slow down just a little, take some deep breaths, and carry on.
This is an easy thing to remember: Pray before breakfast, pray before bed. Read from
the Book of Luke, smile at the sales clerks and if you have time, take some baked
goodies to an elderly neighbor or drop by and visit an old friend. Sing songs, bake,
decorate a little each day, drink a cup of hot cocoa. But most important of all..............
Remember -             JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
                                   
                                                                                           Bye for now, Sharla





Wednesday, December 2, 2015

SPEAKING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN ISN'T ALWAYS EASY

Hello, this is a hard post for me to write. I have been thinking and praying and praying
and thinking about what I want to say. I'm sure that most of you have heard or seen the
news about the shooting at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado. Three innocent people
were shot and killed and nine others were wounded. I'm sure that many others who were
taken hostage and witnessed this horrible killing spree will have nightmares for years to
come. There are many questions that have not been answered and we may never know
the real reasons behind this cruel and senseless tragedy.
I can only imagine how devastated the loved ones of those who lost their lives and those
who have been injured feel. My heart and prayers go out to them.
Being pro-life means that you want to protect all life. The pro-life people that I know and
work with would never condone any type of violent rhetoric. We peacefully pray for the
conversion of hearts, peacefully pray for an end to abortion.
Unfortunately, abortion is a very political and hot button topic. It didn't take long for the
mud to start slinging. I really hoped that for at least a little while, everyone would keep
their comments to themselves, and let the families mourn and the wounded heal.
That didn't happen and it didn't take long for the name calling to start.
The last couple of nights Jim and I have talked about this situation a lot, we have also
prayed about it a lot.
Jim and I are pro-life and being pro-life is truly our way of life. The way we treat others,
the organizations that we support with our time and our money are all things that help
people. Praying for the unborn and their families has become such a part of our daily
lives. Last night I told Jim that I wanted to say something because the innocent
babies are still dying from abortions every day. This tragedy has not stopped the
abortion business and I just can't keep silent. I don't know the reasons why that man
did what he did. But I do know that I have to keep speaking up for those who cannot
speak for themselves.
I woke up several times during the night, I prayed and I asked God to give me the words.
The unborn are innocent victims and I will continue to be their voice.
I don't write about abortion or the innocent babies to make people angry, I write because
I want people to know the truth so that maybe they will reach out to help someone
in a crisis pregnancy. I want people to know the truth so that maybe someone will help
promote adoption for the human babies. I want people to know the truth so that maybe
someone will reach out to help those who are in need of healing because they have had
an abortion. Please continue to pray for the unborn, please pray for their families and
please pray for the people in Colorado.
I heard a lady on one of the television news stations basically say that abortion is legal and
we just need to accept it. Well, it may be legal, but that doesn't make it right. Jim and I will
continue to speak up for the babies and we will pray for them and their families.
Please pray for us and I pray that Advent will be a special time for you and your families.
                                                       Bye for now, Sharla

Sunday, November 29, 2015

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Good Morning Out There! Today is the First Sunday of Advent! It is a cold and rainy
day here in San Angelo. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a very
blessed day! Family and friends joined us for a wonderful meal. The grandkids had so
much fun together, and the adults enjoyed visiting. We packed up leftovers for everyone
to take home. Jim and I really enjoyed our time together on Friday. It is so nice when he
has some time off. No, we did not go shopping! We picked up around the house, and then
we ran some errands. We stopped by our daughter's home to drop off some things that
were left at our home the day before. We just ran in for a few minutes, gave our grand-
daughters a hug, and headed back out. Our son and one of his friends were working and
we dropped off some extra tools that they needed, plus some lunch! Jim and I stopped
at a small café for a bite to eat on our way home. Once we were home I fixed a plate
of leftovers to take to a friend who was at work and when I got home Jim had a roaring
fire in the fireplace! Yes, it was a very nice way to spend the day!
I opened up my Magnificat this  morning and the Prayer for the Morning is:
          Let us shout with joy at the presence of the Lord, for he comes!
One of my friends gave me a years subscription to the Magnificat and I have really
enjoyed reading the daily scriptures, the Psalms, and stories about the saints! The
following is one of today's readings:
We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted,
support the weak, be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil;
rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.  (1Thessalonians 5:14-17)

                                  Be vigilant at all times. (Luke 21:36)
I try really hard to remember that Advent is a time of preparation, a beautiful
time to reflect on the things I need to work on in my life. I pray that I will spend
this Advent following the scriptures that I read each day in my Magnificat!

Blessings to you and yours!                 Bye for now, Sharla

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

MY HOME SMELLS LIKE THANKSGIVING! AND I AM THANKFUL!

Hello Out There! I love this time of year! Right now my home smells like cornbread
and pumpkin and wonderful spices! I made pumpkin nut muffins early this morning,
and have made (3) casserole size (9x13) pans of cornbread. Yes, I mix up my dressing/
stuffing in an electric roaster, you know, the ones that are big enough to cook a turkey!
I make my cornbread the day before, let it cool and then break it all up and place it in
(4) gallon size Ziploc bags and toss them in the fridge. Tonight, Jim will chop up onions
and celery for me to sauté in butter and I will boil about (6) eggs, all of this will go into
the dressing tomorrow morning. I'll go ahead and add seasoning to the cornbread, I just
add it to each bag and shake it all around and toss it back in the fridge! I'm also going
to make a couple of cheese balls tonight to set out with an assortment of crackers. I'll
bake (2) pumpkin pies first thing tomorrow morning and then whip up the heavy
whipping cream to top them off! I always buy Cool Whip and Redi-Whip just in case
I don't have time to make my own, but I always end up making it, because it is so
yummy! I'll start adding all the ingredients for the dressing in my roasting pan about
mid-morning.  My son-in-law is cooking the turkey, not frying it, but cooking it in some
other type of contraption, whatever it is, the turkey tasted great last time! I'm heating up
spiral sliced ham and my daughter is making a couple of sides and a dessert and my
daughter-in-law is making a couple of sides and a dessert! Everything always tastes
great, and we always have plenty, enough for everyone to take home left-overs! The
kids play, the guys watch football, and me and my girls visit and we might even drink
a glass of wine! We usually have a couple of friends join us for lunch, the more the
merrier! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. I pray that you
have someone to spend the day with and a warm meal to share!
Blessings to you and yours!                             Bye for now, Sharla

Monday, November 16, 2015

WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE

Good Morning Out There! Jim and I went to adoration this morning at St. Margaret's
Adoration Chapel. I turned the page in my Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions to
today's date and two things just jumped right off the page and grabbed my attention!
The first thing was the title: We Are Called to Serve - Talk about grabbing my
heart! Yes, we are all called to serve! One of my favorite songs from Mass is
"We are Called" I have written they lyrics to this beautiful hymn in one of my
previous posts, I think it was back in September.
The second thing that caught my eye was that today we remember Saint Margaret
of Scotland, and Jim and I were at the St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church
Adoration Chapel! I thought that was so cool! I whispered out kind of loud to Jim
that information, he was kneeling and praying, so I got the look that said, can't this
wait, I'm praying! I just smiled and picked up my Magnificat because I knew that
there would be a story about St. Margaret in there, and there was. She was a
good wife and mother, she was married to King Malcolm III of Scotland and they
had 8 children. She was very giving and kind. Everything I read about her reverted
back to the title, We are Called to Serve! I love that we have such wonderful examples
to follow. I just wanted to share that with y'all, it was a wonderful way to start my
day! Blessings to you and yours!  Bye for now, Sharla


The song title is: We Are Called
Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom
of the city of God!
(Refrain) We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly,
we are called to serve one another; to walk humbly with God.


By the way, I did tell Jim all about St. Margaret on the way home!

Sunday, November 15, 2015

HUNDREDS OF HOURS PRAYING FOR THE UNBORN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Hello Out There! It is cloudy and misty and a wonderful fall day! The only problem
with this kind of weather is I want to hibernate and cook! Friday night I made a BIG
pot of homemade potato soup with spicy sausage! Grated cheese and saltine and/or
Ritz crackers on the side, and a pitcher of ice tea! Saturday morning I started soaking
pinto beans, took a brisket out of the freezer to thaw, and made a triple batch of the
original chex party mix! I cooked the beans and brisket and that is what we had for
dinner last night! This morning (Sunday), I made a big breakfast: bacon, sausage
scrambled eggs and refried some of the beans I cooked yesterday! We had toasted
tortillas also, and a BIG pot of coffee! This afternoon I made a pan of brownies with
walnuts! I am supposed to be dieting before the holidays, it doesn't seem to be working
out that way, but I am exercising! That has to count for something, I like to think so
anyway! I only have a few more minutes before I have to get ready for Mass so I want
to share something really awesome!
   I had to fill out a survey about our 40 Days for Life fall campaign. One of the
questions they ask is - how many people participated (approximately)? I ask people to
sign in when they come and pray, most everyone does. I went through the book and
counted each individual and added some walk-ins that I knew about and the total
of people came out to 220! Isn't that awesome?! 220 people came to the courtyard and
prayed during the 40 days! I decided to count up the hours that people prayed, most
people come more than once, and the total hours came out to a little more than 800!
Just think about that? 800 hours of prayers for the unborn and their families! There
were 307 - 40 Days for Life campaigns, an amazing amount of prayers!
    Going up to the courtyard each day, the pro-life banners proudly hung and the joy
of seeing people praying will forever stay in my heart. Just imagine walking into a
courtyard and seeing a mother praying while her children are drawing pictures and
writing pro-life messages with sidewalk chalk close by. Or think about this: You walk
into the courtyard and a man is praying quietly as he sits on a bench and a group of
ladies are praying the pro-life rosary together and another lady is praying by the
statue of Jesus. There were times that 3 generations from one family would be praying
together. Other times I witnessed a mother and her grown son praying, a grandmother
and her teenage grandson praying. I would walk in and see sisters and friends praying,
and the husbands and wives would sit side by side and pray, so many husbands and
wives prayed together, an absolutely beautiful sight! I saw families pray together, and
people would visit and laugh and share stories and sometimes cry. There were lots of
hugs, and a feeling of peace and serenity in the courtyard. I am thankful for every single
person who stopped by to pray, who prayed from home, and who prayed for my family!
I was so humbled and thankful when people told me that they were praying for Jim and
I. The 40 days is over, but the pro-life way of life continues on and we are already
making plans for the spring campaign. The banners have been taken down, and the
courtyard looks lonely, so stop by and say a prayer or two if you have time, keep on
praying for the unborn and their families, keep on praying for a conversion of hearts!
I am going to close with - JESUS PROTECT AND SAVE THE UNBORN or
as Jim says it - JESUS SAVE AND PROTECT THE UNBORN!
Blessings to you and yours!                Bye  for now, Sharla

Friday, November 6, 2015

LET MY LITTLE LIGHT SHINE!

Good Morning Out There! Yesterday I wrote a post about something that had
happened at the Sack Lunch Ministry the day before. After I wrote the post I
started thinking and was praying as I went about my morning. This is what
happened next:

After I finished writing, I went into the kitchen to fix lunch for my husband so that
I could take it to where he was working. My mind
kept going back to that young man and to so many others that I have met at the Sack Lunch
Ministry. I just wanted to cry, my heart felt so heavy. I started praying as I packed up
Jim’s lunch, and loaded everything into my truck. By the time I reached Jim I had realized
something, it was like a light had turned on. I couldn’t wait to share it with him. Jim climbed
into the passenger side of the truck and I said, "I figured it out! I know what God is telling
us!" Jim had that look on his face that said, oh my gosh, what has she gotten us into now?
I told him about my blog post, and how I wanted to cry and how my heart hurt. I told him
how I prayed and asked God what were we supposed to do because we can only do so
much. And then it hit me, like a ton of bricks, because I’m hard headed and that is usually
the only way God can get through to me. I felt like God was saying, yes, y’all are working
in the field hospital, providing food, hugs, smiles and kind words. Sometimes you provide
clothing and information, and sometimes money. The bandages that you provide are
needed, and then you pray and I (God) will take care of the operations/the major stuff.
I realized that God just wants us to be faithful, to do what we are able, and most
importantly to do something. I think about all the darkness in this world, and if I am a
light, and you are a light and if others will be a light, just think about how God’s love
will shine in us and through us!
There is a song we sing in Mass called, "We Are Many Parts" and it is one of my favorite
songs. The refrain goes like this:
We are many parts, we are all one body, and the gifts we have we are given to share.
May the Spirit of love make us one indeed; one, the love that we share, one, our hope
in despair, one the cross that we bear.
My plan for today is to go out let my little light shine!
Blessings to you and yours, Sharla



Thursday, November 5, 2015

TRYING TO BE A LIGHT IN THIS DARK WORLD

Hello Out There! Just a quick post-Yesterday at the Sack Lunch Ministry a young man
showed up early. We had never seen him before. He sat in the cafeteria with his head
down while he was waiting for us to start handing out lunches. I walked by him and
hollered out something to the ladies in the kitchen, he misunderstood what I said and
became defensive. I immediately walked over to him and sat down next to him. I told
him that he misunderstood and then I asked him what his name was. He told me his
name and then I told him mine and reached out my hand to shake his. We talked for about
10 minutes. He isn't from here and the lost look in his eyes broke my heart. I gave him
his lunch and told him to go out to the courtyard and I would send someone to visit with
him. I had just dropped by to leave supplies, it wasn't my day to stay and help and I had
an appointment. I went out the back door and climbed into my truck and said a quick
prayer, it went something like this: Ok Lord, how am supposed to help this young man?
Lord there are so many people in pain, how do we help them? Amen. I called one of
the Deacons and asked if he would stop by the courtyard on his way to the noon Mass,
he said that he would. I drove around the block and pulled into a parking space in front
of the courtyard. I got some money out of my purse and walked into to the courtyard. He
was sitting on a bench eating his sandwich, I sat down next to him and told him that if
he would just wait for a little while that someone would be by to talk to him. I handed
him the money and told him that it should be enough to get some dinner later on. I stood
up to leave and he stood up also, he gave me a hug and thanked me. He told me that he
was sorry he had gotten upset earlier, and I told him that I was sorry I hadn't just sat down
to talk to him in the first place! I don't know what happened after I left, I hope he is ok.
I prayed for him and all those who are like him with nowhere to go. I told my husband
last night that I felt like we are living in a time where the whole world is like a field
hospital. Some people just need a hug or a smile, and it is easy to fix them right up. Others
need so much more. I told Jim that I feel like we just walk around with band aids trying
to make it all better and sometimes they need major surgery. I just feel so inadequate
sometimes. I pray that God will always guide me to know what to do, to know how to
help. I just know one thing for sure, we have to be a light in this dark world.
I just needed to share this, my heart is sad. God bless you all, please be a light to others!
                                                                   Bye for now, Sharla

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

PROMOTING ADOPTION - SHARING MY STORY

Good Morning Out There! November is National Adoption Month. Yesterday someone
posted an article on Face Book about the cost of an adoption. I knew adoption was
expensive, but I had no idea that the average cost is $40,000 to adopt a baby. The article
also said that an abortion cost $400.00. Of course these prices may vary a little in
different places. My husband and I visited the Gladney Center for Adoption in Ft. Worth
about three years ago. They explained to us that since so many women choose abortion,
there are not as many babies placed for adoption, which causes the long wait and the
higher cost to adopt a baby. The Gladney Center is a wonderful place for young women
to stay during their pregnancy if they need or want a place to stay. They also have the
option of choosing the parents for their baby which is also called, an open adoption. They
can also choose to keep the information private.
 For more information:
www.pregnancyhotline.org
or call 1-800-Gladney
or Text talk to 43648 to speak with a counselor
Gladney Center for Adoption
6300 John Ryan Dr.
Fort Worth, TX 76132-4122
When we were there, I asked if they would give me some brochures so that I could
hand them out. They gave me brochures and testimonials from young women who
had stayed there and placed their babies for adoption. Every now and then I call them
and ask for more brochures and they promptly mail a large supply to me. I keep our
church stocked with these brochures and I carry them in a bag in my truck so that I
always have them on hand. I also make sure they are on display during our 40 Days
for Life campaigns.
I wrote a story about my adoption awhile back. The story was one of my very first
blog posts back in March 2014. I submitted the story to Catholic 365, an online
Catholic magazine, last fall. I was so excited when they published it. I want to share my
story again for those who haven't read it. If you have read it, I know you understand why
it is so important for me to share again.
I've always loved the stories about my adoption. When I was a little girl, my dad would tell me how they got the call sooner than they expected, and how they had to stop and buy diapers, bottles and clothes on the way to get me from the hospital. My mom, dad, big brother and my grandmother all drove from Stephenville, TX where my grandparents lived, to Ft. Worth, TX to pick me up! My dad would say that they picked me out special from all of the babies in the hospital, of course as I grew older I realized that part of the story was a very sweet addition. When I started asking more detailed questions, my mom said that my birth mother wasn't able to take care of me, and so she gave me to a family who could. My mom also told me that being adopted was special, and that I should always be thankful, and I am.
After I grew up and had a family of my own, my dad told me how they paid for my adoption.
I was born in the evening on December 30, 1963. My parents received a phone call on New Year's Eve morning that there was a baby girl ready for them. Not expecting the call quite so soon, they had to come up with the money so that they could bring me home. I need to give you a little history here so that you get the whole picture.
My dad was a science teacher in Sudan, TX. He also drove the school bus. Sudan is a very small town close to Lubbock, TX. My dad called the banker in Sudan to request a loan, and told him that he needed the money immediately. The banker asked if he had any collateral and Dad said, "Just my name." So the banker asked my dad why he needed the money and my dad told him that they were trying to adopt a baby girl and they were suppose to pick me up on January 2.
This is my favorite part, the banker said, "Well, go and get her, we'll figure it out when you get home." Isn't that awesome, I love it!  I also have an old, yellowed newspaper clipping from the Sudan newspaper telling all about the baby shower that the wonderful, gracious people gave my parents. The clipping says "Little Miss Sharla Kay, recently adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur ... was the honoree at a shower on Saturday afternoon at the home of....."
Just writing about this makes me emotional, I've been so blessed. There is just no way to describe how thankful I am for my life. But what breaks my heart is that you don't hear about adoption anymore, unless it's for an animal. We need to get the message out there that adoption is and should be the only other option. So many couples aren't able to have children, and want children.
Children are gifts from God, they are not a choice, they are a life.

I love that story, and I pray that there will be more people like that banker. I pray that we
will be able to get the adoption message out there. I look at my children and my grandchildren
and I am just so thankful that I was given the chance to grow up and share my story. Adoption
is a loving life option and adoption saves generations!
Please spread the beautiful truth about adoption and help me save more generations.
                                                               Blessings, Sharla


#nationaladoptionmonth
#shoutyouradoption

Monday, November 2, 2015

YES THEY'LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE!

Hello Out There! It is 1:43 a.m. and I am wide awake! The closing celebration for
the fall 40 Days for Life campaign was yesterday and I was so tired when we came
home from Mass last night. I was in bed and sound asleep by 9:30 p.m. About 12:45 a.m.
I woke up and knew that I wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon. I prayed and then
thought about all the loose ends I need to tie up today. Since I wasn't at all sleepy,
I decided to sit down and write a post!
How are y'all doing out there? I pray that you are all well, and that your week will be
blessed! I can't believe that the fall 40 days campaign has ended. We started off with a
great Kick-Off Rally followed by 40 days of prayerful vigil, fellowship, laughter and
tears. We closed out the fall campaign yesterday afternoon right before the evening Mass.
The closing celebration was very nice, kind of low key, but a wonderful blessing and
great way to end a very busy 40+ days! There ended up being about 28 people at the
closing celebration and we served cookies, coffee, and bottled water. Frank, our wonderful,
Music Ministry leader, led us in three beautiful and perfect songs:
"Blest Are They" was the first song he sang and we joined in for the refrain:
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you, holy are you! Rejoice and be glad!
Yours is the kingdom of God!
"We Are Called" was the second song and this is the refrain:
We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called
to serve one another; to walk humbly with God.
"They'll Know We Are Christians" was the third song and the refrain is:
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes they'll know
we are Christians by our love.
Frank picked out the most perfect songs for our closing celebration. Singing together
outside in the courtyard and sharing some of our experiences during the 40 days
was a beautiful and peaceful way to close out the fall campaign.
My friend, Candi, who has also been my right hand during this campaign, helped me
write out "Save the Date" cards for the 2016 Spring Campaign and we handed them out
along with stapled copies of the prayers we pray during the vigil hours.
The left over cookies and bottled waters are being donated to The Sack Lunch Ministry that
our parish provides to those in need, Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
I think I am finally getting sleepy, so I am going to go ahead and close for now. I'll
write another post about all the wonderful people and families who came out to pray
in a couple more days. God bless you all! Pray for families everywhere, please especially
pray for those in a crisis pregnancy, please pray for their unborn babies.
                                                             Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, October 22, 2015

PRAYING THE PRO-LIFE ROSARY

Good Morning Out There! Another busy day ahead. I am going to post another
copy of The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary for you! I love praying the
rosary and praying the pro-life rosary has really opened my eyes and touched my
heart. May your day be full of blessings!
The following is how we begin the rosary and continue on:


THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit. Amen

THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
SAY THE "OUR FATHER."
SAY THREE "HAIL MARYS."
SAY THE "GLORY BE TO THE FATHER."
The First Luminous Mystery:
Baptism Of Jesus
And when Jesus was baptized,...the heavens were opened and He saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on Him, and lo,
 a voice from heaven, saying,"This is my beloved Son," with whom
I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17)
All are called to become adopted sons and daughters of God
through baptism. We pray that children in the womb may be protected,
so that they may be born and welcomed into the Christian community
by baptism.
Pray (1) Our Father, (10) Hail Mary's, (1) Glory Be, (1) O My Jesus,
and then pray, Jesus Protect and Save the Unborn (See prayers below)

The Second Luminous Mystery:
Wedding At Cana
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."...
Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water."
 And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:5-7)
 Let us pray for strong marriages,
rooted in the Lord, and open to the gift of new life.
Pray (1) Our Father, (10) Hail Mary's, (1) Glory Be, (1) O My Jesus,
and then pray, Jesus Protect and Save the Unborn (See prayers below)

The Third Luminous Mystery:
Proclaiming The Kingdom
"And preach as you go, saying "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.
You received without pay, give without pay."
(Matthew 10:7-8)
Let us pray that these first words of Jesus' public ministry may be
heard by all. May they know that the Lord calls them to conversion,
and may they experience life-giving repentance.
Pray (1) Our Father, (10) Hail Mary's, (1) Glory Be, (1) O My Jesus,
and then pray, Jesus Protect and Save the Unborn (See prayers below)

The Fourth Luminous Mystery:
Transfiguration
And as He was praying, the appearance of His countenance was altered
and His raiment became dazzling white. And a voice came out of the cloud
saying, "This is My Son, My chosen; listen to Him!" (Luke 9:29,35)
May the eyes of all people be transformed, that they may see each
and every human life  as a reflection of the glory of God Himself.
Pray (1) Our Father, (10) Hail Mary's, (1) Glory Be, (1) O My Jesus,
and then pray, Jesus Protect and Save the Unborn (See prayers below)

The Fifth Luminous Mystery:
Institution Of The Eucharist
And He took bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it and
gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you.".......
And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured
out for you is the new covenant in My blood."
(Luke 22:19-20)
Let us pray that parents who sacrifice the babies for the sake of
themselves may learn instead to put themselves aside for the sake
of their babies.
Pray (1) Our Father, (10) Hail Mary's, (1) Glory Be, (1) O My Jesus,
and then pray, Jesus Protect and Save the Unborn (See prayers below)

Praying the Rosary of the Unborn has been a life altering experience for me.
I've always been  pro-life, but ever since I began praying the Rosary of the
Unborn, my heart has been touched in a way that made me realize just saying,
"I'm Pro-Life" isn't enough.
The scripture from the Wedding at Cana, where Mother Mary says to the
servants, "Do whatever He tells you." I now take that to heart, and I know in
my heart that He is telling  me to speak up for the unborn.
The scripture from the Transfiguration, God says "This is My Son,
 My chosen;  listen to Him!" After much prayer, I started my blog.
This blog is my way of speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.
These are the prayers we pray following each intention:
The Our Father - Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. Amen.
The Hail Mary - Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed
art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
death. Amen.
The Glory Be - All Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without
end. Amen.
O My Jesus - O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell,
lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need of
Thy Mercy. 
Jesus, protect and save the unborn.
I hope these beautiful scriptures, intentions and prayers bless your life the
way you need them to. God is always listening, keep praying!
                                                       Bye for now, Sharla

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

"WHY CAN'T WE LOVE THEM BOTH, THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD"

Good Morning Out There! I woke up with such a strong feeling in my heart to pray
for the babies. I don't have time to write a new post today but I want to share one that
I wrote back in August. Please keep praying for families everywhere! God bless you all!


Hello Out There! I just wanted to take a minute to share the Glorious Mysteries
of the rosary with you. The intention that follows the scripture is said with
the Pro-Life Rosary. Beautiful prayers, scriptures and intentions. We pray the
Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays and Sundays.
I keep hearing about how there is a war on women, the real war is against the
unborn, the babies are the ones who are killed in this holocaust called "choice."
Please pray for babies born and unborn, please pray that they will be loved,
nurtured and protected. Please pray for families everywhere.
As Catholics, we pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary on Wednesdays.
When we pray the Rosary for the Unborn, we add special intentions after the mystery
and the scripture verse.

The First Glorious Mystery
The Resurrection
"You need not be amazed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the one
who was  crucified. He has been raised up; He is not here. See the place
where they laid Him." (Mark 16:6)
Christ is Risen! By His Resurrection, He has destroyed the power of death,
and therefore the power of abortion. The outcome of the battle for Life has
already been decided: Life is victorious! Let us pray that all pro-lifers will
spread this victory to every segment of our society.

The Second Glorious Mystery
The Ascension
Then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into Heaven and
took His seat at God's right hand. (Mark 16:19)
By ascending to the Father's throne, Christ takes our human nature, given to
us in the womb, to the heights of heaven. He shows us that human beings are
made to be raised to heaven, not thrown in the garbage. Let us pray that the
world may learn this truth and reject abortion.

The Third Glorious Mystery
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign
tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them. (Acts 2:4)
The Holy spirit is the Advocate: He pleads our cause, for we cannot save
ourselves. We pray that He will make us advocates for the babies, who
cannot speak or write or vote or protest or even pray.

The Fourth Glorious Mystery
The Assumption
You are the glory of Jerusalem....you are the splendid boast of our people...God is
pleased with what you have wrought. May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty
forever and ever. (Judith 15:9-10)
The Blessed Virgin Mary was taken body and soul into heaven because she
 is the Mother of God. Mother and child are united. The Assumption reminds
us that they belong together. We pray that society will see that it cannot love
women while killing their children, and cannot save children without helping
their mothers. We pray that people will be touched by the pro-life question,
"Why can't we love them both?"

The Fifth Glorious Mystery
The Coronation
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon
under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Revelation 12:1)
Mary is the Queen of the Universe. She is the greatest creature, second only to
 God Himself. The church defends the dignity of women. We pray that
people will understand that to be pro-life means to be pro-woman, and that
to be pro-woman demands that we be pro-life.


                               Jesus, Protect and Save The Unborn Babies!


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

PRAYING FOR THE CONVERSION OF HEARTS

Good Morning Out There! It is beautiful outside! The sun is shining and there is
a cool breeze in the air, I love the weather in the fall! I only have time for a quick
post, but I just have to share this with y'all before I head out the door to the court-
yard! I posted a picture to go with this story. (The story is from Monday and Tuesday)
A couple of years ago Jim and I visited some of the Painted Churches east of San Antonio.
This picture was taken in Praha, (Flatonia) at St. Mary's -
The Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic church. The grotto outside was
beautiful. I love this picture of my husband, Jim reaching up and holding our
Blessed Mother's hands. He really sees things in a better light than I do most of the time.
Here is a current example: Monday night Jim tells me that he has felt a tug at his heart
to pray for Cecile Richards (CEO of Planned Parenthood), to pray that her heart be softened.
He tells me to ask the people praying in the courtyard to pray for her. I think that this is a
great idea, so I spread the word to please pray for a conversion of heart for her.
Everyone is on board, one of my sweet friends said that of course we should pray for her,
not one person was negative. Now here is the rest of the story and probably why I need
to go to confession Wednesday afternoon! A couple of hours ago (Tues. evening)
Jim and I were visiting and I told him that I asked everyone to pray for Cecile Richards
and then I told him my prayer (this is where going to confession comes in). I told him
that I prayed that she would have a dream where she stands in heaven and all the babies
that have been killed from abortion flash before her and that she sees the flames of hell
below her and that God tells her that she must change to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
and that the dream would truly scare the hell right out of her! Jim looked kind of shocked
and said, I was just talking about praying for a conversion of heart, but I guess if that is
what it takes! Anyway, my prayer was probably not appropriate, but I just want her to
realize how horrible abortion is and so you know, I will be in confession on Wednesday
telling our priest how praying for that was not nice and that we should just pray that
her eyes be opened and her heart be touched!
Dear God, thank you for my husband who is such a good and devout man who truly
cares for every one and is always praying for every one. Please help me to have a more
open heart. Amen.
Please do pray for everyone to realize the true horror and death that abortion brings.
Please pray for all who work in the abortion business to have a change of heart.
A baby's heart starts beating just 18 days after conception, isn't that amazing?
I hope you all have a wonderful day!   Blessings, Sharla



#defundplannedparenthood

Friday, October 9, 2015

PRAY, SPEAK UP, DON'T GIVE UP!

Good Morning Out There! It rained yesterday afternoon and last night, I'm always
thankful for the rain! It is nice and cool this morning, overcast and looks like we
may receive some more showers. That is enough about the weather forecast, I don't
have much time so I have to move on to the next item!
It has been a wonderful week in the courtyard! Beautiful weather, awesome people,
super-great kids, sidewalk chalk drawings and messages that will grab your heart and
bring tears to your eyes! Praying for an end to abortion, praying for the babies, born and
unborn. Praying for the mothers, praying for the fathers, and just praying for families
everywhere. I have to share this one story with you. There is a mom who brings her
children with her to pray. Her daughter is nine and her son is pre-school age. They pray
the pro-life rosary and the children draw with the sidewalk chalk. I wasn't in the court-
yard during the time they stopped by to pray, but I knew that they had been there without
even looking at the sign-in sheet. I saw a chalk drawn picture of a lady with a tear on
her cheek and the message said, "Abortion hurts the mothers too." The other
picture  was of Spider Man, and the message said,
 "Spider Man will adopt the babies." I smiled, kind of a sad smile, because it hurt
my heart that these beautiful children truly see the ugly truth about abortion. Their
sweet little hearts know the truth.
When I see the young mothers out there praying with their little ones, sometimes
pushing them in a stroller around and around the courtyard as they pray, I smile and
I thank God. When I see the teenagers out their praying, I smile and I thank God.
When I see people my age and older in the courtyard praying, I smile and I thank God.
When I hear the laughter of little ones playing in the courtyard, I smile and I thank God.
Last night I went to the Pregnancy Help Center Dinner/Banquet. I'm a table host and the
yearly fund-raising event is always enjoyable. The Pregnancy Help Center does
exactly what their name says, it helps young ladies and women. They provide free
pregnancy tests, free sonograms, parenting classes for the mothers and the fathers.
They give away baby clothes of all sizes, everything has been washed, even the new
clothes. They give away maternity clothes and all the people who volunteer and
work there are so supportive, caring and helpful. The young parents earn points for
every class they attend and then they use their points to purchase items like diapers,
wipes, baby shampoo, etc. This is the website: www.pregnancyhelpcenter.net
If you go to their website there is a phone number you can call to find a pregnancy help
center in your area. This is a really important thing to remember, pregnancy help
centers do not take any money from you, they truly want to help you and your
baby. Planned Parenthood is a business, and they only care about the money you
will pay them. The abortion industry is a money making business, don't forget that.
I am going to re-post something I wrote a while back because I feel like it needs to
be re-written and re-read again.
The world we live in today believes that a woman's choice is more important than a baby's life,
and that is a lie. The world we live in today believes "live and let live," unless you are a baby in
your mother's womb. If  you are pregnant, there are two lives to think about now, two lives to
take care of. Please, choose life for your baby. I've talked to women who are still devastated about
an abortion they had years ago. It has taken decades for some women to finally heal after an
abortion. I've read articles, and heard testimonials, I've cried with women as they have shared their stories with me. I write this blog not only to save the baby, but to save the young woman from the heartache, and guilt she feels after having an abortion. No one wants to talk about this subject because it just isn't very comfortable, it is certainly not politically correct unless you are pro-abortion, and people just don't want to get involved. So, here I am, because I truly care, I truly want to make a difference. I want to get the message out there, abortion is an ugly lie. I'm not saying that choosing adoption for your baby will be easy, and I'm also not saying that raising your baby will be easy. But I know if you choose life for your baby, once you hold your sweet baby boy or baby girl in your arms, you will make the right decision for both of you.
A baby's heart starts beating just 18 days after conception, listen to your heart, place your hands over your stomach and think about the baby boy or baby girl that is growing inside you, that tiny little life is a miracle and needs you. Listen to your heart, don't listen to the world. You are strong enough to take care of your baby, and if you choose adoption, you are doing what you feel like is best for your baby. Please choose life for your baby, there are people out there who will help you.
I wrote that post over a year ago and the words just stay in my head and on my heart. I hear the
pro-abortion people tell women that they can be anything they want to be, but then they tell
them that they aren't capable of taking care of their own child? What kind of sick advice is that?
I am here to tell you that your child is a gift, a miracle, a human being, and .....
YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH, YOU ARE CAPABLE ENOUGH AND
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY!
BEING A MOM IS A GIFT AND IF YOU AREN'T READY, ADOPTION IS A
LOVING LIFE OPTION. PLEASE, CHOOSE LIFE!
Well, I guess y'all know how I feel. I have to get ready to head to the courtyard.
I wish that every day I could write about something silly and light hearted. I wish that I
could just bring a smile to your face. But I have to write what is in my heart, I have to be
honest. This blog is my way of trying to do something, trying to reach someone, and praying
that God will guide my hands and that I will type His words.
                                                            Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, October 1, 2015

HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL! SAVED BY GRACE and JESUS, PROTECT AND SAVE THE UNBORN!


Hello, Hello Out There! Today has been a beautiful day! I have a small flag hanging 
by my front porch that says, "Happy Fall, Y'all!" I laugh every time I read it, because
it sounds like it was made just for me!  Now................back to the serious, awesome
stuff going on in my life!
In my post yesterday, I was going to tell you about two more things that happened
last week, but I only had time to tell you one of the stories. So here is the second
story:
I've told y'all about the kick-off rally, and shopping for the groceries at HEB, and
how we saved so much money, and the precious children's books we got for free
with our coupons. This is what happened next..........................
I am driving out of the HEB parking lot at about 12:30 p.m. and I remember that
I wanted to get a personalized pro-life t-shirt. Keep in mind, I need to be at the
courtyard by 3:00 p.m. to start setting up for the rally. I drive down the street to a
athletic store, park and run inside. I explain to the young lady that I know I waited
until the last minute, but.............is there anyway I can buy a t-shirt and have the
word ADOPTED printed across the front and pick it up by 2:30 p.m.? She goes
into the back and checks and then lets me know that they will be able to do it.
She brings out different colors of t-shirts for me to pick from. I pick hot pink and
ask if I can have something printed on the back also? She says, "yes" and so I am
standing there talking to myself trying to think of what I want on the back. I don't
even realize that the young lady is paying any attention to me until she says,
"How about, SAVED BY GRACE!?" My eyes fill up with tears and I reach across
the counter and pat her arm and tell her that she is an angel. She tells me not to cry
because she will start crying too! Isn't that the most amazing thing? I tell her why I'm
buying the shirt and invite her to come and join us in the courtyard. I pay for my
shirt and tell her that I will be back at 2:30 p.m. I call my friend, Candi on the way
home and tell her what just happened. She had been shopping with me at HEB.
Anyway, I go home and get ready. I pick up my shirt on the way to the courtyard,
and then I pick up one of the teenagers who is going to help set up. My husband
meets us up at the courtyard and other people arrive to help also. My friend, Candi
arrives in a baby blue t-shirt and turns around so I can read the print on the back,
"JESUS, PROTECT AND SAVE THE UNBORN!"  is what it said. She told
me that after I called her she went to the same store and bought her own
personalized t-shirt because she wanted to surprise me! I just hugged her, she is such
a blessing to me!
I've already told y'all how wonderful the rally was, how thankful I am for all of my
wonderful friends and my sweet, supportive family. I love sharing this story with
all of you.
I pray that you are all blessed with love and laughter, with hugs and tears.
I pray that you are blessed with family and friends, and most importantly
the knowledge that God loves YOU so very much.
Life is a gift from God, and how we live our life is our gift back to God.
                Blessings, blessings to you and yours!     Bye for now, Sharla              

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE ROSARIES, NEW FRIENDS, A GIFT FROM GOD!

Good Morning Out There! A quick post before I head to the courtyard! I forgot to
tell y'all about a couple of other really warm your heart kind of things that happened
last week! I shared with y'all about the baptisms of our two youngest granddaughters,
and that we went out to eat afterwards. After the second baptism, a week ago Sunday,
we went out to eat at a family owned Mexican restaurant in Ballinger, TX. My son
and his family go there after Mass quite often so they know all about our family. He
told them about the 40 Days for Life campaign. The owner and her daughter make
rosaries and they told him that they would like to make some special rosaries for me
to give away during the 40 days campaign. Right when Jim and I walked into the
restaurant we were greeted with hugs from the owner. She calls out to her daughter that
I am the one that they are making the rosaries for. She comes to greet me and says that
she will dash home and pick up the rosaries that they have already made. Plus, she wants
to make a couple of copies with information about what the different colors of beads
mean. I was just overwhelmed at their welcome. These beautiful, warm people touched
my heart in a way that I just can't describe. The daughter comes back and has
15 beautiful rosaries that they had made, and tells me that they will make more.
The beads are bright and colorful.


Pro-Life Rosary Colors represent:
WHITE - For the intentions of our Holy Father.


ORCHID- The Lord's passion and death, increase in faith, hope, and love in
all people so that all people will CHOOSE LIFE, also in reparation for
the suffering Christ endures each time an unborn baby is killed, someone is
euthanized, or whenever death overcomes life in this world.


AQUA - For the intentions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
WHITE  - For peace in our world.


RED - In reparation for the blood spilled from every baby aborted.
WHITE - For the mothers and fathers of these little ones, that they may
receive the grace to repent.


BLACK - For the medical profession that participates in pro-death activities.
WHITE - For their conversion.


RED - All anti-life laws in the nation/world be reversed.
WHITE - Strengthening of every pro-life law.
BLUE - For new and strong pro-life laws to be enacted in our nation/world.


GREEN - Our hope for mercy, justice, truth, peace, and life will be realized.
WHITE - To end all pro-death activities through the intercession of
Mother Mary, under the titles of:
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Queen of Peace
Our Lady of Fatima
Mary, Undoer of Knots


I found out later that the owner's son has been praying for me. I can't tell you
how humbled I feel, and how very thankful I am for his prayers. My life was truly
touched that day, there is know way to describe how grateful I am for this wonderful,
faithful, pro-life family. I felt like I was given a beautiful gift from God.


I didn't expect this first story to take so long...................I really have to get to the
courtyard so I will write about the other heartwarming story later!
            Blessings to  you and yours!       Bye for now, Sharla





Friday, September 25, 2015

PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS! BLESSINGS AND PRAYERS!

Good Evening Out There! The Kick-Off Rally was great and the 40 Days
for Life Campaign has begun! This has been a wonderful week! My heart
has been so blessed by all the helping hands that pitched in to make the Kick-
Off such a success. My dear pro-life friends and family helped set up tables and
chairs. They set up the canopies, decorated with balloons, fixed and served the
hot dogs and kept the ice chests stocked with waters. Cookies and brownies
were brought by the families, and some people dropped off cookies even
though they weren't able to stay.
One of my best friends met me at HEB to buy the groceries for the rally. We had
so much fun, and you would not believe the coupons and sales that were exactly
for what we needed! Our God is an awesome God, and we saved so much money
at the store. You won't believe this, but HEB had coupons for the cutest little children's
books, many of them bible stories and we got twenty-four of them for free! We
were so excited and we were able to give each family with children a beautiful
book at the rally! The music ministry from our parish out did themselves with
praise and worship songs. They passed out song sheets and we sang along, we
also got up and did the hand motions and danced to many. The children danced
and colored the courtyard pavement with creative and thought provoking sidewalk
chalk pictures and messages. We had students from the Pro-Life Rams and the
Newman Center from the college come and join us, they seemed to have a great time.
The courtyard is in the down-town area and a couple of the homeless men stopped by
to see what was going on, we invited them to come and eat, and they did! One of them
even stayed and helped us put up the chairs and tables. An absolutely great way to start
the 40 days!
I drove up to the courtyard on Wednesday morning at about 6:50 a.m. There
were already three people praying! Everyday has been a blessing! Yesterday the
Mom's Group held their weekly meeting in the courtyard. Four beautiful young
women, one expecting her second son soon, there were two baby girls, and two
toddler boys! Listening to their laughter and squeals made me smile.
I looked out from where I was sitting and noticed a man who comes to get a lunch
from the Sack Lunch Ministry sitting on one of the benches, another man, a
parishioner was praying the rosary, the moms were visiting, the toddlers were
playing, and I just thought what a perfect picture!
I have to go and wash the dishes now. I'll keep you posted about the blessings in
the courtyard! Have a wonderful weekend and please take just a moment each
day to say a prayer for the unborn, for babies, for families everywhere!
Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
                                                               Bye for now, Sharla

Monday, September 21, 2015

LOVE, JOY, FAMILY AND LIGHT - CELEBRATING TWO BAPTISMS

Hello Out There! What a beautiful Sunday afternoon! In the past three weeks, our
youngest granddaughters, #9 and #10 have been baptized! All ten of our grandchildren
have now been baptized in the Catholic Church. As the grandmother of these ten blessings
from God, I couldn't be happier, and their grandfather feels the same way! The kids
call us Nana and Pa, and they are all unique and precious to us.
As I've said before, we have 8 granddaughters and 2 grandsons. So the numbers I give
are when they were born.
We baptized granddaughter #10, three weeks ago after the Saturday evening Mass
at Sacred Heart in the little chapel. She looked so beautiful in her white baptism gown.
What made it even more special -  she wore the same gown her oldest sister (#3)
wore when she was baptized, also at Sacred Heart but in the big sanctuary.
I wish you could have heard the other grandkids voices as we prayed the "Our Father"
during the baptism. From the smallest to the tallest, their little voices praying
in one accord will stay in my heart forever.
We all went out to eat afterwards, our daughter, her husband and their three little girls,
including #10-the shining star of the evening, our son, his wife, their three little
girls and two sons, our only grandsons! We ate at a Mexican restaurant with several
tables pushed together. I smile when I think of all the laughing and joy that evening
held. One of my favorites moments was when we all prayed together before we
ate our meal, giving thanks to God for everything.
We baptized granddaughter #9, after the 11:00 a.m. Mass today! She was baptized
at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Olfen. She was also beautiful in her white
baptism gown. What made it even more special - she wore the same gown her
oldest sister (#4) wore when she was baptized. My heart was touched again as we
prayed in one accord, the smallest to the tallest, their sweet voices were heard.
Both baptisms were beautiful and the babies did so well. It was like they knew that
this was something special, something powerful, something that must be done.
I want to share something else that touched my heart today. Grandson #1 and
granddaughter #3 (cousins) were sitting side by side in the pew in front of my
husband and I at Mass today. They are nine years old now, and when I saw them,
I thought of a time not so long ago, when his father and her mother, sat side
by side at Mass learning to follow God to grow up in His ways.
Yes, today was a blessing, my husband and I, two of our adult children and
their families all at Mass together, celebrating another baptism, continuing to try
and follow God's ways.
We went out to eat at a different Mexican restaurant today, our large, happy family
including #9-the shining star of the day. Crowded tables blessed with food, and also
laughter, love, and thankfulness!
Blessings to you and yours!                     Bye for now, Sharla