Praying for Eyes to be Opened - There are None so Blind as Those Who Refuse to See

Hello out there -


I keep thinking about the bill that was passed in New York. Why? How?
Abortion up to birth for any reason? Dear God, please open the eyes of these
people who do not want to see!
The following is part of a post I wrote three or so years ago:
What if? What if we promoted the pro-life message in such a way that everyone
got it? That everyone understood that a baby is a baby, not a choice. That even
though abortions are legal, no one would choose to have one. That an abortionist
would see that he or she are taking a life, instead of saving a life, that instead of
being called an abortionist, they would want to be called a doctor. You are probably
thinking "dream on sister" and maybe, probably you are right. I just know that right
now I feel an urgency about spreading the pro-life message. I just want to spread
awareness about the help that is out there. I want people to know that abortion is
not their only option. In the early morning hours, my husband and I pray for the
unborn on the East Coast because we know that abortions are already in progress.
We pray throughout the day for all the unborn everywhere, for their mothers and
for their fathers to say NO to abortion and YES to life! We pray that the abortionists
will walk out and say, NO MORE, I will not take another baby's life, not today,
not ever! Please pray with us for the unborn, please pray for the baby girl or baby
boy's mother and father, please pray for the abortionists.

Please pray for an end to abortion.

Bye for now, Sharla

If We Don't Speak Up Our Voices Will Be Silenced

Hello out there - I've been writing/typing letters in my home office all morning long.
Before I share the reason why I was diligently working on these letters - I want to
write about hopeful/faithful news.


Several pro-life people met at the Tom Green County Courthouse on Tuesday,
January 22, 2019 - the 46th Anniversary of Roe v Wade - A time of silent prayer
was planned from 12:15 pm -12:45 pm in memory of all the unborn babies who
have died since abortion was legalized in all fifty states. Walking up to the courthouse
steps and seeing people already there, and more people arriving was very touching.
People from different faiths gathered together in unity for a time of silent prayer.
I'm not sure about the exact number of people but my estimation was between
sixty - seventy, give or take a few. Some people have said even more. When the
opening prayer was over, we all bowed our heads and prayed in silence. And silent
it was - even the noise from the traffic during this busy time seemed to quiet down.
Everyone I've spoken to has remarked about how amazingly quiet it was. The people
who came out of the courthouse while we were praying were so respectful - they
didn't make a sound. The chirping birds even seemed to whisper their songs during
our quiet prayer vigil. After the closing prayer, people hugged and visited before
going their separate ways.
A time of unity, a time of remembrance, an uplifting time of prayer.


Last night, my daughter and I spoke to the Confirmed Faithful Class at
St. Mary's Catholic Church. We each have a story of faith and life to share. We are
both passionately pro-life and being with the youth and sharing our stories is
always a blessing.


This morning I received a text message letting me know that our silent prayer vigil
was on the front page of our local newspaper! Everything about the article was
positive; the title, the pictures, and the story.
Pro-life supporters rally at courthouse - the title
The pictures are beautiful and moving - truly capturing the heartfelt, sincere, peaceful
prayers of the people who came out to pray.


Now, back to my letters. Something else happened on Tuesday:
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law legalizing late term abortions.
Abortion is now legal up to birth in the state of New York. Andrew Cuomo says that
he is Catholic. The letters that I am writing are to the Catholic Bishops, Archbishops,
and Cardinal Timothy Dolan.


The title of this bill is, "The Reproductive Health Act or RHA" and the passing of
this bill also allows non-doctors to perform abortions.
This a quote from Governor Cuomo, "Today is sweet, because in a few minutes, I will
sign this bill, and another New York national precedent will be established, the most
aggressive women's equality platform in the nation is going to be a law in this state,
and that's the way it should be."


The bishop of Albany, New York wrote a very powerful letter to Governor Cuomo
and you can find the letter on Patheos.com and the Facebook page for the Diocese of
Albany. The title on patheos.com is "Do not build this Death Star": Albany's bishop
writes to one of his flock, Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Bishop Scharfenberger is very honest and he brings up several questions
that we need to think about. Several things stood out in his letter and the reality
of what Bishop Scharfenberger is concerned about should scare us all. Could
being pro-life one day be a hate crime in the State of New York? That is just one
of the extremely important issues Bishop Scharfenberger brings up in his letter
to the governor of New York.


The following is an excerpt from my letter:
Last night my husband and I watched the news and witnessed the celebration
that took place in the courtroom when the bill to kill an unborn baby up to
birth was passed.
I watched in shock and horror as people clapped and cheered and gave each other
double high fives! I could almost see the blood of the unborn babies dripping
down the walls and the devil hovering above with his claws reaching out to the souls
of all those who celebrated. If I was an artist I would paint that picture and add
angels and our beloved martyrs weeping and crying. You could see the evil spirits
hovering on the shoulders of each person who celebrated the passing of this evil bill -
a bill that says it is okay to kill an unborn baby up to birth for any reason. A violent
death for the most innocent among us.

I found this picture and knew that it was the one I needed to share.

May God have mercy on us all - please speak up now before all of our voices are silenced.

Write letters - they don't have to be long letters, just say that you are not okay with this law.     Write to your representatives, congressmen and congresswomen, your pastors, your priests,      your bishops, everyone and anyone who will listen!

 Write letters to your newspaper, your church paper, and let your voice be heard!  

Don't think that this can't or won't happen in the state you live in. New York legalized abortion        in 1970 and just three years later it was legalized in all fifty states!

Speak up now while you still can!

                                                                  Bye for now, Sharla

                                                    

Open My Ears, Lord - I Want to Hear Your Voice

Hello out there! I went to the Pro-Life Mass that was held at our parish last night.
The scriptures for last night really touched my heart. I listened to the words from
God and tears welled up in my eyes. I've read these scriptures before and they
always "speak" to me. Being a pro-life advocate is very important to me but there
are many times when I wonder if anyone is listening. In January of 2013 I asked
our priest if I could speak at the end of Mass. I wanted to invite people to come and
pray in front of the Planned Parenthood (which closed eight months later) on Fridays
during the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign. I was given permission and spoke
after each Mass that weekend. I had a table with sign-up sheets out in the vestibule
and I would hurry out there as soon as I finished speaking. After the Saturday night
Mass only one person signed up - my sister-in-law. I went home and told Jim that
I just didn't know what to do. I didn't sleep very well that night. I tossed and turned
and prayed. I asked God to please give me the words because no one seemed to
be listening. The next morning I got ready for the 10:00 am Mass. Jim could tell
that I was down and he told me not to give up. To make a long story short, I ended
up being the Lector/Reader that morning. The person who was signed up did not
show up and I was asked to step in. I had not read the scriptures before hand because
I wasn't scheduled for that weekend. The following is the first sentence from the
first reading:
Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a
burning torch.
To this day, I remember how my heart began to beat as I realized, "God has given
me the words, these are the words! I will not be silent - I will not be quiet!"
Needless to say - my voice rang out strong as I invited people to sign up that
day - and you know what? - They did, they signed up and they came out and
prayed!
Six years has passed and my voice has grown stronger. Oh, there are days when
I am tired, frustrated, and just need a short break. But for the most part -
God's words - the words I asked Him for - keep me going, for when I am weak,
He is strong.
Let's put on our battle armor and vow not to be silent because the unborn babies
need our voices to ring out strong.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the
armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the
devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities
and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in regions
above. You must put on the armor of God if you are to resist on the evil
day; do all that your duty requires, and hold your ground. Stand fast, with
the truth as the belt around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and
zeal to propagate the gospel of peace as your footgear. In all circumstances
hold faith up before you as your shield; it will help you extinguish the
fiery darts of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the
spirit, the word of God.
Let us join our prayers together.
Please God, open our eyes to what You want us to see.
Open our ears to what You want us to hear.
Give us the courage and strength we need to do Your will at all times.
In Jesus' Holy Name we pray, Amen.

Respect Life from Conception to Natural Death

Good morning out there! I've been re-sharing many of my posts from years past.
I came across this poem I wrote a while back -

"Once upon a time, in the world we live in today,

there was a lady whose hair was beginning to turn gray.

 She had a great big smile with dimples on each side.

Her love of life shone through her smiling eyes.

She felt so very blessed, 

with so much love in her heart.

The gift that God had given her - to share stories from her heart.

The words would come to her as she sat down and prayed

Typing on her keyboard day after day.

Sometimes she wondered, "Is this really what I'm to do?"

She would pray and she would listen

 and there would be a tug upon her heart.

A tug that softly says - the words will come - don't depart.

These stories you tell, are a message the world needs today.

So she sat down at her desk and began to type once more.

Listening ever so intently to the calling of our Lord."

I would have gray hair if I didn't visit the beauty shop every now and then!
There are days when I feel like I've said it all and I ask myself if there is anything
more I can say. Some days the words don't come to me and I look back at all the
stories I've written before. I think that sometimes I have so much to say that I don't
know where to start. I wonder if I can make sense of all the feelings that are so
strong in my heart. The following scripture comes to my mind:

2 Corinthians 5:7

We walk by faith, not by sight.

On Thursday, January 10th, I was blessed to share my pro-life message with the
RCIA Class at Sacred Heart. The core part of my message was that we need to
respect life from conception through natural death. I get pretty animated when I speak.
I walk back and forth and my hands are this way and that way - sometimes I make
people laugh (especially when I share my, "You might be Catholic if" stories) and
sometimes the truth of what I say will bring tears to your eyes (and mine too). I talk
about my adoption story and how thankful I am for my life. I share pictures of my
children and grandchildren because I want people to understand that adoption saves
generations. The grim reality on the other hand is that abortion ends generations.
I shared a story about my father this time - it's the first time I've spoken about it
publicly. The story is about respecting life until natural death.
I have to tell you this - when I sat down today I really wasn't sure what I was going to
write about and I'm constantly amazed at the words, the memories that God places
on my heart. So...let me tell you a story:


If you've read the stories from my blog you know that my mother died when I was twelve.
My dad was the sweetest man and he took such good care of my mom, she had cancer
and was sick for a long time. When I moved away from home, got married and was
blessed with a family of my own, my dad would come and visit.
He would go and visit my brother and his family and then come and stay with us.
I have so many memories of him being with us. He would sit at the bar in the kitchen
and chop onions and peel potatoes for me when I was cooking. He liked to watch TV and
in the fall he would shell pecans for me as he watched the football games. He would run
errands with me and we had the best visits - always talking! My dad developed
Alzheimer's in his later years. He had stopped calling me by name about three years
before he died. He recognized me but whether he realized I was his daughter or not I
don't know. I cherish our visits. He lived in a nursing home for the last year and a half
of his life. I would go and see him and put an old movie on - we loved watching
John Wayne Westerns and old war movies. Our favorite John Wayne movie was,
"McClintock." Jim would always buy candy bars before he would stop in to see dad.
He loved seeing his great grandchildren, his eyes would light up.
My brother and his wife would come and visit and he was always so happy to see
everyone. I don't know who dad remembered or if he remembered that we were his
children. The point I stressed was that whether my dad remembered who I was or not,
I knew who he was - he was my sweet dad and I will always be thankful for the time
I spent with him.

Respect Life from Conception to Natural Death

Blessings to you and yours,

Bye for now, Sharla

Almost 61 Million Babies Have Died from Abortion in the USA Since January 22, 1973 - Where is the Outrage?

Hello out there! I hope you've had a wonderful day - I woke up in the middle of the
night a couple of nights ago and I had all these thoughts running through my head.
I finally began to pray and ask God to help me put things in order - to be at peace.
I decided to make a list first thing that morning and prioritize. I fell back asleep and
when I woke up I got busy. I sat at the bar in the kitchen and drank a cup of coffee
while I made out my list - I flipped it over and wrote my grocery list on the other side.
I accomplished almost everything on the list and bought groceries and filled my car
up with gas today. We have been busy at the St. Francis Sack Lunch Ministry!
I love that ministry! We've spent lots of time with our grandkids - love that special
time with them!
What weighs so heavy on my heart right now is the upcoming anniversary of
Roe v Wade. January 22nd, next Tuesday, will be the 46th anniversary - 46 years
of legalized abortion in the United States. Almost 61 million unborn babies have died
in the United States since abortion was legalized.
I'm going to copy and paste some of my previous posts on this matter - I need to share
but I'm just so busy right now - I'm going to have to make some decisions because I
don't have the time to write like I need to - that's why I can't sleep - too much to do
and not enough energy or time.

I wrote the following post on 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, here 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? 

February 12, 2015: (Part of a pro-life prayer)

Today I commit myself never to be silent,
never to be passive, never to be forgetful  of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
and never to  stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters
are protected, and our nation  once again becomes a nation with liberty
and justice, not just for some, but for all.

January 19, 2016

I WILL FIGHT FOR THE UNBORN,

THEY ARE BABIES, NOT A CHOICE!

Hello Out There! The 43rd anniversary of Roe v Wade is almost here. So many

thoughts are running through my mind. I have so much I want to say but I just

can't seem to put all of my thoughts in order. My heart is so heavy and I am really

sad, but I know that I have to keep speaking up for those precious little ones who

have no voice. I wrote something back in July 2015 and it really says exactly how

I feel this week so I'm going to re-post it. When I get my thoughts in order, I'll post

those too!

My heart is so full, I have so much to say,
it is gorgeous outside, the start of a beautiful new day.
This morning I woke with a pain in my heart,
knowing my mission, just not sure where to start!

 God has opened my eyes and has touched my heart.
To save the unborn I must do my part.

What should I do, what do I say?
I ask the Lord as I pray and pray.
He fills my head with words to say,
so I write and I write each and every day.

I cry out to Him to show me the way,
How do I make a difference today?
I just don't understand why it's so hard to see,
the horrible death that abortion brings.
What must I do, What must I say?
So I write and I write each and every day.

I send letters to the paper, I write posts for my blog.
I put pictures on face book, and pray for new laws.
I weep for the babies, their innocent lives lost.

What am I missing, am I not doing enough?
Please God help me, please show me the way.
How can I make a difference today?

Then my heart begins to ache,
I know I must speak up!
I know God is telling me, don't you dare give up!
Keep going, keep writing, don't you see?
What you do makes a difference, you are listening to Me!

It matters to God! It matters to Him!
I will write and I will post and I will write again.
I won't give up, I will be their voice!
I will fight for the unborn, because they are babies, not a choice!

                       Precious little babies in your mother's womb,
                 you are not a choice. You are a blessing, a gift from God.
                 I will speak up for you, and I will fight for your life. I will
                     write letters and posts and pray. I will speak up for
        you each and every day!

Legalized abortion has killed over 57 million innocent unborn babies.
Please speak up for the weakest among us, please be their voice.

July 16, 2016

  Life is a Blessings! Babies are a Gift!                                                         

Good Morning Out There! I have been working on a project that involves the posts
on my blog. To complete this project I have had to read my posts/short stories from
when I very first started my blog back in March of 2014. I came across a post
yesterday that I wrote two years ago and I am going to share it again today. I hope
you all have a wonderful and safe weekend! Blessings and Peace to you and yours!
                                                             
What if? What if we promoted the pro-life message in such a way that everyone
got it? That everyone understood that a baby is a baby, not a choice. That even
though abortions are legal, no one would choose to have one. That an abortionist
would see that he or she are taking a life, instead of saving a life, that instead of
being called an abortionist, they would want to be called a doctor. You are probably
thinking "dream on sister" and maybe, probably you are right. I just know that right
now I feel an urgency about spreading the pro-life message. I just want to spread
awareness about the help that is out there. I want people to know that abortion is
not their only option. In the early morning hours, my husband and I pray for the
unborn on the East Coast because we know that abortions are already in progress.
We pray throughout the day for all the unborn everywhere, for their mothers and
for their fathers to say NO to abortion and YES to life! We pray that the abortionists
will walk out and say, NO MORE, I will not take another baby's life, not today,
not ever! Please pray with us for the unborn, please pray for the baby girl or baby
boy's mother and father, please pray for the abortionists.

Please pray for an end to abortion.

Today! Wednesday, January 16, 2019

I miss writing stories for my blog!

I have to take the time to write when thoughts come to me, if I wait, too many
other things happen and important items get left out! I am going to start writing
again - even if it is in the middle of the night!
I pray for all of you out there, near or far, wherever you are,

may God bless you and keep you safe!
Please pray for an end to abortion - please pray for pro-abortion people - that their
hearts and minds will be touched with the true horror of abortion.
Please pray that their eyes will be opened and that they will speak out

against abortion. Please pray for the unborn - the innocent victims - please pray
for the voiceless - please speak up and be their voice!

 

#prolife #adoption #whywemarch

Begin Your New Year With the "Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph"

Hello out there - Happy New Year!
I'm just going to jump right into this post! My birthday was two days ago and I am going
to share some of the daily scriptures from my Magnificat for that day (December 30th).
As Catholics, (maybe other religions as well) we celebrate
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on the Sunday after Christmas.
I was so happy that my birthday was on the same day this year!

The following is the Suggested Prayer of the Faithful for that day.
(Magnificat - December 2018 Issue - page 439)The intentions and prayer
that follows is all from the Magnificat
That the family of the Church will be strengthened, purified, and renewed
through the grace of Christ's Body and Blood.
For those charged with protecting society: that they will build a world in which
family life is revered, protected, and promoted.
For the universal respect of all human persons: that the culture of life will transform
every human heart.
For blessings on all families: that the love, the unity, and the self-donation of the
Holy Family will overflow to all families and make them truly happy.
That families, especially those who suffer, may find in the Birth of Jesus a sign of
certain hope.
For family members who are alienated or estranged: that the unfailing power of
the mercy of Jesus will reunite and reconcile loved ones.
Loving Father, bless us with your love, which is the bond of perfection.
Let the peace of your Christ control the hearts we offer to you with thankful
prayer. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Back to my words...… I loved that and had to share it! The Magnificat has
the daily Mass readings and I will share where you can find them in your own
bible.
The first reading was from the Book of Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Then was Psalm 128
Followed by the second reading from the first Book of Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
They also have an additional set of readings to choose from since it is a special day
but I'll skip those and go on and share:
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:41-52
Look these scriptures up in your bible - they are all such wonderful teachings!
The Magnificat also has morning prayers and scriptures and evening prayers and
scriptures. The following is the evening prayer intercessions from page 452.
God's love endures for ever. Let us pray:
R: Hear your children, O Lord.
For all grandparents:
-make them strong, loving, and wise. R: Hear your children, O Lord.
For all families blessed with living grandparents:
-fill them with respect and love for the aging. R: Hear your children, O Lord.
For all the elderly abandoned by their families:
-fill them with peace of heart and grant them the companionship of others
in their loneliness. R: Hear your children, O Lord.
For all our family members who have died:
-bring them in joy to your eternal home. R: Hear your children, O Lord.
Personal Intentions. (my own prayer) Thank you, God, for my loving, close
knit family. May we always take care of each other. Amen.
Today is a new day, the first day of a new year - May you be blessed with all
that you need and with an outpouring of love within your own family!
Well I better get busy - I have stew meat simmering on the stove in my large
iron skillet! I also have all the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies out
on my counter top! It's time to bake!
                                                    Blessings to you, near or far,
                                                          many blessings to you wherever you are!
                                                                    Bye for now, Sharla