Friday, January 30, 2015

Coffee and A Road Trip for Life - Part 2

Good Morning Out There! I know I told y'all that I would post the rest of my story
about the Texas Rally for Life on Tuesday and today is Friday, so I am three days
late, I'm sorry! Life happens and sometimes things just don't go as planned! I hope
you all have had a good week, and I'm sure that your week has been busy also! I
stopped my story on Monday right before the part about the March for Life and the
Rally!  If you didn't read my post before this one and you have time you might want
to read it just to get "the whole picture!"


The Texas Rally for Life in Austin on Saturday, January 24, 2015 was an incredible
experience. In my previous post I told you how our day began praying the rosary
at the Planned Parenthood on Ben White. Beginning the day this way, really puts
things in perspective, I mean,  this is why we march. I can't adequately describe the
feeling of standing in front of a fenced facility where abortions are performed. Just
knowing that babies lives are taken from them at that place leaves a sick feeling in
your stomach. A surgery center is suppose to be a place of healing, a place to help you
get better. When someone goes to an abortion facility it isn't to get better, it is to pay an
abortionist to end the life of their baby. It is a very sad and sobering experience.


Arriving at St. Vincent de Paul Church and seeing a packed parking lot was uplifting.
Going into the Sanctuary and seeing the young children pantomime the Joyful
Mysteries of the Rosary while the older youth lead the prayers was a much needed
reminder about God's love and a visual image of the strong pro-life presence of families,
and people of all ages. As we sat shoulder to shoulder, stood side by side, kneeled
right next to each other, with young adults from youth groups all across Texas
standing along the walls, I was overcome with joy and peace and happiness, because
together, with God, we are strong. A Pro-Life Mass was celebrated by
Most Rev. Joe Vasquez, Bishop of Austin. He gave a wonderful homily, and the
entire Mass was beautiful. I remember kneeling and praying at the end of Mass,
thanking God for such an amazing morning.


Driving to get to the March took a little time but we made it. We found a parking place
pretty quick. I was so excited when I saw all the people parking and walking towards
the gathering area for the March. We ended up towards the front. The Knights of
Columbus led the March. It was awesome, there were pro-life people everywhere!
I loved all the different pro-life t-shirts, the banners, the signs! I loved when we prayed
the mysteries of the rosary, sang the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and when someone would
holler out, "We are" and the rest of us would holler back, "Pro-Life!" It was great!
Back to the signs, several of the teenagers held signs that said, "My Generation Will
End Abortion" others held signs that said, "We are the Pro-Life Generation!" Many
of the signs were hand written on poster boards. One of these signs said, "1/3 of My
Generation is Missing" another one said, "I Survived, but Roe v Wade won't Survive
Me!" Another one said, "A person is a person no matter how small!, Dr. Seuss!"
We marched several blocks to get to the capitol. The weather was perfect, and being
with so many pro-life people of all ages, so many teenagers and young adults, was
absolutely fantastic!


As we walked onto the Capitol lawn, pro-abortion protesters jumped out at us yelling
in our faces, waving their signs with crude statements. We just kept walking and totally
ignored them. We stood in the shade of the trees and listened to the Guest Speakers
for the Rally. Each one had a story to tell, Abby Johnson was the MC, and she shared
a little of her story as she introduced each speaker. I don't have time to tell you about
each speech, but I do want to at least tell you about one.
Her name is Claire Culwell, and the story she told brought tears to my eyes. I listened
as tears streamed down my face, she was adopted when she was about 2 1/2 months old.
She was premature and only weighed a little over 3 lbs. when she was born, and she
had several problems that required casting for her little legs and lower body. She looked
for her birth mother when she was grown, she is in her mid to late twenties now. The
story her birth mother told her changed her life. Claire survived the abortion that
killed her twin. I can't imagine hearing those words. Claire's story is one you should
read about. If you go to the Texas Alliance for Life page and click on pictures from the
Texas Rally for Life, you will see her beautiful picture, and you can read the rest of her
story. When all the speakers were finished we walked back to our vehicles. There were
at least 2,500 pro-life people there, I've heard different numbers, even as high as 6,000.
That wouldn't surprise me, there were people as far as I could see and then some.


Jim and I headed back to San Angelo, tired from waking up at 2:00am, but energized
from the wonderful experience the entire day had been. I was disappointed with the
media coverage. The liberal media refuses to acknowledge the huge pro-life presence that
is growing stronger each year. The liberal media refuses to acknowledge the young
men and women who carry signs that say, "My Generation Will End Abortion!" You
know what? I believe their generation will end it! Thanks be to God!


           Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will
       be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives. The one who seeks, finds.
               The one who knocks, enters.       Matthew 7:7,8



Monday, January 26, 2015

Coffee and a Road Trip for Life

Hello out there! I have so much to share with y'all, but I also have to go to the
grocery store, so I will post part of my story today, and the rest tomorrow! Guess
where Jim and I were on Saturday? That's right! We were at the Texas Rally for
Life in Austin, TX. The whole day was an amazing experience! It was such a huge
blessing to be with so  many pro-life people of all ages.
Our day began at 2:00 am, no that is not a typo, the alarm went off at 2:00 am!
Jim got up and went in the kitchen and poured coffee in our mugs and brought
them back to the bedroom. I was still in bed thinking what in the world are we
doing waking up at this time of night? By the time I rolled out of bed, approximately
2:15 am, Jim was already dressed, and telling me to get moving. After drinking
about half a cup of coffee, I started waking up. By the time I finished that cup and
started another, I was roaring to go! We left the house at 3:00 am, by this time I was
talking a mile a minute! Jim nicely reminded me that he was not quite as talkative
as I was that early in the morning and to try and just enjoy the drive for a little bit!
Well that lasted all of ten minutes or so! Anyway, he drove to Mason and then we
switched and I drove to some little place right outside of Austin, then Jim took over
so I could navigate/pay attention to where we needed to go!


This was our schedule:
7:00 am - Met in front of the Planned Parenthood on Ben White in Austin to pray
the rosary with other pro-life Catholics.
9:15 am - The Living Rosary at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Austin, TX
The children pantomimed the Joyful Mysteries and the students lead the congregation
in praying the Rosary for Life. The Dominican Sisters of Mary organized this
beautiful Living Rosary. Absolutely precious, awesome, heart warming, etc.!
10:00 am - A Pro-Life Mass was celebrated, and the church was packed! We
were shoulder to shoulder in the pews, and there were teenagers from parishes
all across Texas standing all along the walls! My heart was so full, and still is
when I think about all the young people who are pro-life and proud of it!


I'll have to tell you about the March to the capitol and the Texas Rally for Life
on the capitol steps and lawn tomorrow! Wonderful, amazing, incredible, so
very, very thankful we were there!


I have to go to the store now, my dogs, Bella and Stormy, need food, and so do we!
Y'all have a great day! I keep thinking about this bible verse:
Seek and ye shall find...I so wanted and needed to see an abundance of other pro-life
people and what I witnessed on Saturday will stay in my heart for the rest of my
life! Blessings to you and yours!                 Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, January 22, 2015

How Many More Babies Have to Die?

Good Morning out there! Today is the 42nd anniversary of Roe v Wade. I woke up during
the night to loud, booming thunder. I heard the rain pelt the windows, and as I listened, I
thought how appropriate this storm seemed. Not a gentle peaceful rain, but a loud, hard
rain. I could almost hear God say, "Why, what does it take? When will you wake up? How
many more babies have to die, isn't close to 58 million enough?" I stayed awake, I couldn't
go back to sleep. I'm listening, I'm trying, hear I am Lord.
Last week I sent the local newspaper my blog post from December 4, 2014. I thought it
would be a good article for today. I received an email telling me that they couldn't print
it in the section I asked for because the story was written as a poem. I understood, so I sent
them a very short poem to be printed in the Letter to the Editor opinion section. That one
was apparently not appropriate either. I look in todays newspaper, and they published an
article about where trash cans should be located. REALLY? That is the best they could
come up with for today?
My heart is so heavy, and I'm sorry if you've already read these and were looking for
something more today. But these posts are what my heart feels today. God Bless You All.


Hello out there, my heart is sad today, I wish I knew what to say. I try to make others see,  the gift of life a baby will be.
Please God, show me the way, so that I can make a difference today.
 As tears stream down my face I pray, why does my heart ache this way?
 Please God, give me the words, please guide my hand as I write this verse.
 How do I make others see, the horrible death that abortion brings.
Please God, give me strength, please give me courage, to fight this fight
that curses the earth.
 Please God, show me the way, that I can make a difference today.


This is my story in the form of a poem:
Once upon a time, fifty or so years ago, a baby girl was born and she needed
a home. Never knowing the circumstances or the reason why, her birth mother
couldn't keep her, she had to say goodbye. This little baby girl was three days
old when a loving family came, and took her to their home. Now this baby girl
had a family of her own.
With love and joy and happiness this baby girl grew up, she never met a stranger
and her heart was full of love. She loved to hear the stories about her special day,
the day her family came and gave her their name.
When she was only eight years old, the scary news came, her loving mother had
cancer, the little girl was afraid. Her mother was strong and courageous as she
battled day to day, and when the girl was but twelve years old the angels came, and
took her mother away. She knew her mother was in heaven, no more pain did her
mother feel, and although she understood why, it had to be this way, the grief she felt
in her heart would never go away.
The young not quite teenage girl was strong, she was raised that way. She had
watched her mother suffer and never heard her complain. Her mother had prepared
her, knowing this day would come. Her love of God, her father, older brother,
church family and friends, would be there for her, as the years came and went.
She was now a young lady, thought she was so grown up, off she went to college,
another life event. She made new friends, and she had fun, but she
missed her dad, her brother, his wife, and friends back home.
Then one day it happened, a Sunday afternoon, she met a man, the most wonderful,
handsome man and her heart grew and grew.
Within a short time they were married, became husband and wife. So thankful God
had blessed her with someone she would cherish and love all of her life.
She had a new name, and a home of her own, she was also blessed with a stepson, she
quickly grew to love as her very own.
Expecting their first child, the baby grew, and as the mother heard the heart beat and felt
her baby move, she was amazed at what her body was going through. With her husband
at her side the doctor said "it's a boy" and the mother cried, my first born is a son, and the
emotions that went through her can never be described, but the love and protectiveness she
felt for this child was an overwhelming feeling that would never die. As she held her son
close to her breast, she thanked God for his life, for being so blessed.
When the baby boy was just three months old, the new mom found out she was expecting
once more. When her husband came home from work that day, he sat down in the rocking
chair and held their son, she knelt on the floor, and leaned against his legs, she shared
the good news of another baby on the way. He smiled and told her everything would be ok.
This happened during the time when the oil boom had gone bust, work was slow, there
had been lay-offs and his new job didn't pay as much. There would be no insurance to
cover the costs. They saved and worked side jobs to pay for the birth, the hard times
together, they grew so close.
The baby boy walked at ten months old, and his mom chased after him as her other baby
began to grow. The mother heard the heart beat and felt her baby move, and once
more, she was amazed at what her body was going through.
The baby boy was happy and had a beautiful smile, he was into everything, and his
pregnant mom was tired! Would this new baby be a brother or a sister, for the two boys
they already had, another son or a daughter, either way, they would be glad! The night
before the baby came, the mom was in the kitchen, she looked into the living room just
in time to see her baby boy dive from the chair into the presents beneath the
Christmas tree. She dashed across the floor and caught him mid-air, nine months pregnant,
not a moment to spare!
Early the next  morning, the labor pains came, they picked up their sleepy baby boy
and all loaded up in the black pick-up truck. They took him to his aunt and uncles and
told him they'd be back, and off to the hospital they dashed.
Just four hours later with her husband at her side they heard the doctor say "it's a girl" and
then they cried. Tears of joy, a daughter, a baby girl, and the emotions that went through her
can never be described, but the love and protectiveness she felt for this child was an
overwhelming feeling that would never die. As she held her daughter close to her breast,
she thanked God for her life, for being so blessed.
The next year was busy with two babies under two. The baby boy was fearless, and loved
to run and climb. The baby girl was carried upon her mother's hip to keep her off the floor,
and safe from baby brother who would zoom back and forth. The baby girl was happy, and
loved her mom and dad, she would laugh at her brother's antics, and stay close by her
mama's side. She loved her swing, and you can guess why, the floor was otherwise
occupied!
The years went by and the children grew up. They loved when their oldest son came
for a visit, their family complete. They were a close knit family, and shared so
much love. They were raised going to Mass and all their sacraments they made. God was
always a priority and still is to this day.
Three weddings have been celebrated and blessings of grandbabies galore, who could
ask for anything more!
Yes, it's true, this story is about me and my sweet, and amazing family.
I seem to get nostalgic this time of year. My son and daughter both have birthdays
this month. They were both born on Fridays, and it was cold and had snowed both
years. I remember Jim driving us home in our old black pick-up truck. There was a
Christmas tree in the living room to welcome us as we stepped in.
Their birthdays are right before Christmas, and mine is right after. We celebrate the
birth of Jesus right between our birthdays, yes, December is a special month for us!
I think back to the years when I was pregnant and how we got things ready for the birth
of our babies. It makes me think of how Advent is a time of waiting, of preparation.
Having been adopted at birth, I don't take life for granted. Life is a gift, and we are all
beautifully, fearfully, wonderfully made. Every baby should be able to grow up and
have a story to tell.





Friday, January 16, 2015

Please God, Show Me the Way that I Can Make A Difference Today

Good Morning out there! I want to re-post a poem I wrote back in June. With the
horrible 42nd anniversary of Roe v Wade coming up next week, this poem keeps
coming to my mind, weighing on my heart.


 Hello out there, my heart is sad today, I wish I knew what to say.
 I try to make others see,  the gift of life a baby will be.
Please God, show me the way, so that I can make a difference today.
 As tears stream down my face I pray, why does my heart ache this way?
 Please God, give me the words, please guide my hand as I write this verse.
 How do I make others see, the horrible death that abortion brings.
Please God, give me strength, please give me courage, to fight this fight
that curses the earth.
 Please God, show me the way, that I can make a difference today.


 Hug your spouse, hug your children, reach out to someone in need.
 Drop off a donation at a Pregnancy Help Center, visit someone who is homebound.
Simple things mean so much, we can all make a difference if we don't give up!


Blessings to you and yours this weekend!


                                                    Bye for now, Sharla

Monday, January 12, 2015

Moving Cover Picture of a Sculpture That Shows Forgiveness

Good Morning out there! A quick post before I head out the door to help with
the Sack Lunch Ministry at our church. I changed the cover photo on my blog
with a picture of a sculpture that is so moving, it breaks my heart every time I
see it. I saw the picture of the sculpture at Raphael's Refuge last June. I'm going
to paste a copy of the definition of the sculpture, and information about the
sculptor below. To see the picture, just click on view my complete profile.
I hope you all have a wonderful day full of many blessings!



Sculptor: Martin Hudácek


Banska Bystrica, Slovakia


 


As an art student, Martin Hudácek of Slovakia was moved to create a sculpture to draw attention to the devastation abortion can bring to the woman, and to the fact that through the love and mercy of God, reconciliation and healing are possible.


The sculpture shows a woman in great sorrow grieving her abortion. The second figure in the work is the aborted child, presented as a young child, who in a very touching, healing way, comes to the mother, to offer forgiveness.


Martin, who named the work "Memorial for Unborn Children," said the sculpture also "expresses hope which is given to believers by the One who died on the cross for us, and showed how much He cares about all of us."
                                                            Bye for now, Sharla

Friday, January 9, 2015

A Cinnamon Stick, 40 Days, The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Hello out there! I hope y'all are having a good day. My last post was about my cute
little percolator, and the beginning of coffee in the mornings for Jim and I. The evening
after I posted the story on my blog Jim sat down and read it. We laughed again, and
I asked him if he remembered the percolator. He said that he remembered it was small
and a cream color. I replied, "Yes and it had flowers painted on it." I told y'all in my
post how we always drink Folgers Coffee. Well, that night when I prepared the coffee
and set the delay brew button, I decided I wanted to add part of a cinnamon stick to the
brew basket. The next morning when I poured the coffee, I could smell the cinnamon,
I thought it might be a nice change. I tasted the coffee and thought it tasted pretty good.
Jim drank a cup, but he was not impressed. Needless to say, last night when I made the
coffee, the cinnamon stick was left out. I can always sprinkle ground cinnamon in mine
if I decide to try something different again!
I posted updated information on my 40 Days for Life face book page yesterday. I changed
the cover picture. I replaced it with a picture I took of several of the brochures we have
about abortion, adoption, healing after abortion, and help that is available at the
pregnancy help centers. We offer the brochures in English and Spanish, we also have
several prayer cards that are available. Take as many or as few as you like, some people
read them while they are at the prayer vigil for the unborn.
I have to finish some paperwork for the family business so I better close for now. I hope
you all have a wonderful weekend!


Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me."      John 14:6


A quote from Mother Teresa:
Keep the light of Christ always shining in your hearts. Only He is the Way to
be trodden. He is the Truth we must speak out. He is the Love we must love.


                                                      Bye for now, Sharla

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The "Cutest Little Percolator" I Received at My Bridal Shower, Many Years Ago

Good Morning out there! Wait, I have to go get a second cup of coffee before I
begin! I'm back, with a hot cup of coffee, a little cream, a little sugar! I was going
to write about something else, but I've decided to share a neat story instead.


I really enjoy drinking coffee in the morning, my husband does too. It all started
with a gift I received at my bridal shower many years ago!
When Jim and I got married, I was 19 and he was 27. I wanted to be the perfect little
house wife! I would get up and make breakfast every morning before Jim would head
off to work. He has always been a welder, so oatmeal or cereal just aren't a good
breakfast when you have a physically demanding job. I would fry up bacon and
eggs, and fix toast with butter and jelly. Well, I received the cutest little 4-6 cup
percolator as a gift at my bridal shower, so every morning I would make coffee.
I remember asking Jim what he took in his coffee, and he said "milk and sugar."
So it began, every morning, no matter what I cooked for breakfast, Jim and I had
one or two cups of coffee, we both added milk and sugar. As the years came and went,
so did the coffee makers! Large percolators, Mr. Coffees, the percolators were my
favorite because I liked the bubbly, gurgling noises they made! Jim stopped putting
milk in his coffee, you never know what I want in my coffee, sometimes cream,
sometimes not, always sugar (use to be Equal, then Splenda, now Truvia). Anyway,
no matter what we ate for breakfast, we always had a cup or two, of coffee! We prepare
the coffee the night before and set the delayed brew button, that way, when we wake up
the coffee is ready. I always say it is like magic! I love waking up to the smell of a
fresh pot of coffee! We use Folgers, not the flavored foo foo kind!
About five years ago, Jim and I were taking a walk. We were talking about all kinds
of things, and we both stated that we were glad we didn't smoke cigarettes, and
he was glad he had stopped dipping many years ago, and such. Anyway, Jim said
the only thing we both had to have, was coffee in the morning. Then he said that it
was all my fault! I said "What do you mean all my fault?" Jim replied that I made
coffee every morning and set a cup for him on the table with his breakfast. So he
figured I must be a big coffee drinker, and he didn't want to hurt my feelings since
we had just gotten married, so he drank it! Well, I started laughing hard, you know,
the kind where you double over laughing. When I stopped laughing like a hyena,
and got my breath back, I told him that I just knew he drank coffee since he was
older than me. Both of  my parents drank coffee, my grandparents drank coffee,
his parents drank coffee. Besides all that, I got the cutest little percolator for a gift
at my bridal shower, and so that must mean that you drink coffee once you're
married! Well then Jim started laughing, not like a hyena, but pretty hard. So when
he stopped laughing, he said to me, "You mean all these years we've been drinking
coffee, it wasn't because you were already a coffee drinker, but because we received
a percolator as a wedding gift?" To which I laughingly replied, "Pretty much!"
I really enjoy my cup of coffee even more now, because I think back how Jim would
drink it, not because he was a coffee drinker, but because he thought I was.
I hope your day is filled with blessings, go and make some happy memories with
your loved ones!
I'm going to close with a couple of scriptures that I love.


Genesis 2:21-24
So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he
took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then
built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought
her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and
flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called 'woman,' for out of 'her man' this
one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the
two of them become one body.


1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not
snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger;
neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but
rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope,
its power to endure.
                                                 Bye for now, Sharla





Saturday, January 3, 2015

Spring Campaign - 40 Days for Life!

Hello out there! A quick post to share some news!
    
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! On the 10th Day of Christmas I share the news that the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign begins on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 and goes through Sunday, March 29, 2015! We will be praying in the courtyard at Sacred Heart Cathedral from
7:00 am - 7:00 pm each and every day! Please let me know if you would like to sign up for
one hour each week, or be in charge of sign ups for your church or parish. We pray for families everywhere, we pray for the unborn, we pray for their mothers, we pray for their fathers, we pray
for the world. Have a wonderfully blessed day! Please let me know if you would like more information, thank you!
Oh, I also have a face book page specifically for the campaign:
40 Days for Life - San Angelo, TX


Have a great day everyone!      Bye for now, Sharla