The Holy Spirit, Respect and Good Manners, Being Thankful and Prayers!

 Hello out there! It's a beautiful, cloudy, birds are singing, back door open, kind of day!

Pentecost Sunday

In the Magnificat, our daily devotional, today's Prayer for the Morning is:

The Spirit of God fills the whole universe: come let us sing praise, alleluia!

And one of my daily prayers is: Come, Holy Spirit, breath of God, please breathe on me!

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

This post will be full of this and that - no particular order - many thoughts, ideas, and helpful hints running through my mind!

Good manners never grow old or out of date! Yes, please, thank you, your welcome - those words should never go out of style! Saying "Excuse me" when you need to walk in front of someone, "Thank you" if someone holds open a door for you, etc. Make eye contact, smile. Being respectful to others is so important. Be a good example for your children and grandchildren! What we do and how we act is important - as the old saying goes - "If you're going to talk the talk you better walk the walk!"- lead by example.

Shopping Cart Tips:

Shopping cart baskets go in the "Basket Corral" not left in the parking lot by your vehicle. Last week as I went to put my basket away I had to rearrange some of the other baskets to get mine in there. A young man walked up with his basket and asked, "Did you make this mess?" We both laughed, and I said, well I'm trying to fix it! He smiled and told me to have a good day and I replied for him to have a good day as well. His smile and laughter made my day! I told Jim about it as he was helping put the groceries away and he said, only you would try to organize shopping baskets, and that made me laugh again!

And, if I notice "the corral" is overflowing with baskets as I'm walking into the store, I'll grab one of those baskets and use it! (I'm sharing these tips for those who are physically able to do so!)

AI Generated Message vs A Real Live Human Beings Voice:

I'm an old fashioned/old school kind of gal. We do not have an Alexa in our home. Jim and I just holler if one of us is in the other room, we use the light switch to turn our lights on and off, etc. The other day Jim was trying to leave a message for some business and it was an "AI" generated voice mail. I know the world is changing but I still like to hear real voices on the telephone. When people call Jim's phone they hear my voice (believe me, no one is ever going to think my voice is AI). This is what they hear:

"Hello, this is Sharla with JY Welding. Jim is busy working right now, but if you leave your name and number, he'll call you back just as soon as he is able. Hope you have a blessed day. Bye-bye.

Now honestly, wouldn't you rather hear a real person's voice on the other end of the phone instead of press 1 for, 2 for, and a zillion other options! 

Prayer:

If you don't think you have time to pray - here's some suggestions:

Thank God for a new day the moment you get out of bed. Pray before meals.

Pray for your family and friends when you are driving to work, running errands, taking a walk, etc. 

When I pass a school bus, I say a quick prayer for the driver and all the children on the bus. The same goes with every school I pass; I pray for the students, teachers, and all who work there. Driving by a hospital, pray for the patients and their medical team. If you drive past a park or anywhere families are gathered, pray for them to have a safe and wonderful time.

At the end of the day, think of all your blessings, and give thanks to God.

When you pray for others, you'll soon find that you are praying all the time!

Tomorrow is Memorial Day 

I'm thankful for all the men and women who have enlisted and serve in all branches of our military. To all of our veterans, thank you! I pray for their safety and their families. I pray also, for our police officers and first responders and their families. You all have our upmost respect!

That's all the, "This and That" for now! 

Hope y'all have a blessed week!

Peace and blessings to you and yours,

near and far, wherever you are!

Bye for now, Sharla

Family Memories and the Photos We Hold Near and Dear

 Hello out there and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, near and far, wherever you are!

Feeling nostalgic on this Mother's Day! I've shared 500 plus stories on my blog over the past twelve years. Stories about life, family, faith, adventures, laughter and tears, scriptures and prayers! 

Moms, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, sisters-in-law, God mothers - I hope you all have a blessed day!

I love following scripture - I think it's perfect for today and everyday!

Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

I love this scripture and the story it tells. I close my eyes and can see Elizabeth and Mother Mary greeting each other. I can see the joy in their faces and the bond they share. About four and a half years ago I had pneumonia and a horrible cough. I couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake up Jim so I grabbed a blanket and went into the living room and settled in my recliner. I began praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. When I came to the Second Mystery - The Visitation, I closed my eyes and meditated on how that greeting must have been. I wondered about the village they lived in and how the women must have gathered together to cook and take care of their children, the comradery they must have shared. I finally fell asleep as I prayed the soothing and repetitive prayers of the rosary.

Cousins - A sweet picture and a journey:

I found an old picture the other day - Christmas 1965. It's a picture of my cousin Angie and I in front of the Christmas tree at our grandparent's home in Stephenville. I was not quite two and Angie would turn three in January. Here is the visual - A polaroid photo of a live Christmas tree with red and silver balls and lots of silver tinsel! Angie and I were wearing the cutest dresses that poof out from the net petticoats that used to be in little girls dresses. Angie's hair was dark brown, and mine was blonde. We were holding  hands and smiling. She and I always had a special bond - we were both adopted!  She passed away almost sixteen years ago. I went to stay at the hospital with her the weekend before she died. Our aunt had called to tell me that she wasn't doing well. Jim went and filled my car up with gas and checked the tires while I quickly packed an overnight bag. I'll always be thankful for the time I had with her. We talked and we cried. She told the nurse that we were cousins, but more like sisters. I didn't want to leave her that Sunday but I had to be at work the next day. I told her that I would be back the next weekend. I prayed and cried as I drove back home. She died during the week. I'll always treasure the time we had together.

Life is full of "Polaroid" moments! Snap shots of memories that you hold near and dear to your heart.

Go out and be a light in this world! "Make haste" to be with your loved ones!

I'm definitely buying tinsel for our Christmas tree this year!

Peace and blessings to you and yours,

near and far, wherever you are!

Bye for now, Sharla