Sunday, February 26, 2017

Lead Me, Lord and I Will Follow

Good morning out there! I want to share a post I wrote back in July. I was looking for
a prayer I had written in a previous post and I came across this one post that jumped
out. I read the post and read it again. I could feel the pain I felt that day. When you
believe in something with all of your heart there are days of despair. Days you just
wonder, "Does anyone care what I write or say?" But then you realize that as long
as you know what is right and true, you will continue to speak up.
The following is the post I wrote that day - and my heart still aches the very same way.


(Previously posted on July 22, 2016)
Hello Out There - A quick post before I dash out the door! Please pray for the babies
today! The unborn and their families are really on my heart. This morning I prayed for
them as I walked - I pray for them every morning but this morning I really cried out
to God, Our Father to please spare their little innocent lives. I prayed for a conversion
of hearts. I prayed that the abortionists would be overcome with grief and dismay and
shame for ending the lives of the precious unborn babies. I prayed for the mothers and
I prayed for the fathers that they would realize that this is their baby, their own flesh and
blood. I wish I had more time to write today but I have so much to do I don't have time.
I couldn't leave until I wrote this short little post imploring each of you to please pray.


I just opened my "Living Faith - Daily Catholic Devotions" and the title just jumped off
the page - Seeking, Weeping, Finding
This is the scripture for today -
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"
                                                         John 20:15


 I'm really weeping now!  Dear Jesus, I'm looking for You in everyone I see! I'm
weeping for the unborn and for the mothers and the fathers. I'm weeping and sobbing
and crying out to You because I just don't know what to do - You have placed this message
so on my heart but what do I do? What do I say - Please Jesus help me, please show me
the way! My heart aches and my tears flow, I cry out to You to save the unborn. I pray
for conversion of hearts because only You can soften their hearts. Please Dear God,
please have mercy on us - please God help us with this fight - help us be strong, courageous
and true - help us not give up! Dear God, I hear you and I'm listening and I'm trying but
please open my eyes if there is something I'm missing that I'm not seeing. Here I am,
Lord, here I am. Amen.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Pray Without Ceasing

Hello out there - it is a beautiful day. Sharing some prayers that are always on my lips
and in my heart. God bless you all.


My prayer today is for the unborn, the innocent little babes.
My prayer today is for the little ones who are hungry and abused.
My prayer today is for the children who have to grow up to fast.
My prayer is for the teenagers who move from one foster home to the next.
My prayer is for those who live in group homes and those who have no home at all.
My prayer is that all these children, from the unborn baby in their mother's womb,
to the fully grown young ladies and young men, that they will be loved
and protected, nurtured and fed. I pray that they have shoes that fit and clothes
for all the seasons. I pray that they have a roof over their head. And not just a roof,
but an actual home where they feel safe and feel loved and special.
Dear God, please, protect all children everywhere. Amen.

I pray for those who are hungry and those who have no home. I pray for those we serve
with families of their own. I pray for peace and understanding for those who live on the
streets. I pray for Jesus to guide me, to be His hands and feet. Amen.

Dear God, please watch over all these countries where war has broken out.
Please God, protect the innocent people and their families. Please protect us
all from the terrorist's plots, attacks and threats.
Thank you, God, for our many blessings. Please be with all those who are in
need. Please God, show us and guide us to how we can best help others.
You created us all, please help us to love our neighbor,
care for one another, and to pray for those who seek a better life.
 In Jesus Name I pray Dear Lord, Amen.


The Divine Mercy Chaplet -  This is a wonderful, calming prayer. I usually sing
the words quietly and sometimes I sing out loud.
The refrain goes like this:
For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
 (It is easier to keep up with if you have a rosary, but if you don't,
 you can count on your fingers.)
1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, Pray (1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary
and The Apostles Creed.
2. Prayer - (Pray this 1 time) Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in atonement for ours sins and those of the whole world.   
3. Pray this refrain 10 times:
  For the sake of His sorrowful passion,
 have mercy on us and on the whole world.
You repeat steps (2) & (3) for a total of (5) times.
4. Conclude with (3 times)
  Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,
 have mercy on us and on the whole world.
5. The sign of the cross and Amen.


Pray for each other and the world will be a better place! God bless you all!
                                                                      Bye for now, Sharla







Friday, February 24, 2017

Trying To Promote Faith, Family, Adoption, and Light in This Dark World!

Hello out there! I've had a busy and productive week - Not much time to sit and write.
I have a lot to say on several different issues. How, oh how do we get the message of
adoption as a life option out in this pro-choice/abortion minded world? Please pay
attention to the magazines your teens are reading. Some of the teen magazines really
promote abortion and other things you would probably be shocked by.
I am going to itemize things so I don't forget anything that I think is important to share!


1. Pay attention to the magazines, books and television shows your children and
    teenagers are reading and watching! Even if you are watching a family show - the
    commercials that come on will shock the heck right out of you!


I remember this one time when I was in junior high and my dad was taking my friends
and I somewhere. We were singing at the top of our lungs to some Olivia Newton John
song and my dad said something about it being an awful song. I look back now and
listen to the lyrics in my head and realize how right he was! (And I know that the lyrics
to that song were nothing compared to some of today's music!)


2. Listen to the type of music your children and teenagers are listening too! (to?)


I was in Walmart yesterday and today, and at the check out stand there were the typical
trashy magazines a long with a few decent ones. While I waited I placed the decent
magazines in front of the trashy ones that way I didn't have to see them. And more
important, keep the images from the children who might be in that line where those
magazines are at eye level for them!


3. Guess how much money Cecile Richards, the CEO of Planned Parenthood (president
of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America) is making?
She got a really big raise. She is now making ONE MILLION dollars a year! Our taxes
are helping to pay her ONE MILLION dollars a year! Please call your local
representatives and complain if you are as appalled as I am.
That is a whole lot of BLOOD MONEY!


The press release for my book is now being distributed. I am trying with all my heart
to share the beauty of faith, family, love, and promote adoption for the human babies.
Please help me with this important mission. There is good news out there - but people
won't hear it or read it unless we do our part. The liberal media, the liberal movie stars
and the liberal newspapers are pushing their own agendas.


The following is a copy of the press release for my book - God bless you all!


Headline

Author Sharla Ynostrosa’s newly released “Adopted and Blessed: Words from
 my heart” makes the case for adoption through story.

Summary of the release
 “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart” from Christian Faith Publishing author
 Sharla Ynostrosa is a powerful reminder of why adoption is so important.  From
 heartwarming to funny, this collection of stories reveals the beauty and power of life-
 giving adoption.

Full release text
 “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart”: a heartening collection of stories about
 adoption.  “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart” is the creation of published
 author, Sharla Ynostrosa, adoptee and pro-life advocate whose blog can be found at
 www.adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com.  Sharla’s family is her top priority.  She
 enjoys planting flowers and watching the birds, squirrels, peacocks, and chickens that
 visit her front yard. She and her husband live in San Angelo, Texas, where they are
 active members in their parish, Sacred Heart Cathedral.

 “My hopes and prayers are that more women will make the loving and beautiful
 choice—adoption. I was blessed to have been adopted at birth, and I wanted to share
 my stories in the hope that they will touch people’s hearts.” --Sharla Ynostrosa

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Sharla Ynostrosa’s new book reveals the
 inspiring message of adoption.

Sometimes, women are faced with an extremely difficult decision.  An unplanned, or
 unwanted, pregnancy can seem overwhelming for some. Letting these women know
 that people care about them and their unborn children is essential. Life is always the
 only option, but adoption is a loving and beautiful solution for those who need a way
 forward.

 “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart” is a collection of heartwarming, funny,
 and honest stories.  Written based on the author’s time at the Sack Lunch Ministry
 and four “40 Days for Life” campaigns, each story is unique and special in its own way,
 but they all share the author’s pro-life mission. Whether looking for some guidance or
 family-oriented, high quality entertainment, this collection has something to offer
 everyone.

View a synopsis of “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart” on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my heart” at traditional
 brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, Kobo or
 Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about “Adopted and Blessed: Words from my
 heart”, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.







Saturday, February 18, 2017

First Reconciliation, Families, and Making This World a Better Place

Good morning out there! Every day is a gift from God! Some days things may not
go as you planned, but that is life. I'm a glass is half full kind of gal. I'm not saying
that I don't have days where nothing seems to work out right. I just know that when
I have those kind of days, the sun will rise on a new day, and more than likely, that
day will be awesome! Doing something for someone else takes the focus off yourself.
The more you reach out to others and pray for others, helps you realize that everything
is not just about you (I mean me when I'm saying that)!
Being a wife, mother, and grandmother (nana) has given me more joy and happiness
than I ever could have imagined. My grandchildren are my extra special gifts from
God. They are all precious and unique in their own wonderful way and I love them
very much. I am so blessed to be their nana.
I received a phone call this morning from my daughter-in-law and granddaughter
(grandchild number five) who live out of town. They wanted to call and tell me about
her First Reconciliation. My granddaughter told me that she was the first one in her
group to go to confession. I told her that while I was praying my rosary yesterday
morning, I was thinking about her. This is a special time in her life because she will
receive her First Holy Communion this year. I had prayed some extra prayers for her
yesterday.
I love that I have that special bond with all of my grandchildren. It makes me very
happy that she wanted to call and tell me about her special morning! Jim and I will
be there when she receives her First Holy Communion - an extra special blessing for us!
Enjoy every moment you have with your family. Whether you are newly married or
have been married for a long time - hug your spouse and thank God for them.
Pray for them and with them! Communication is so important - talk to each other and
don't expect them to be able to read your mind! It's important to say thank you and
please, and do not take each other for granted.
If you are blessed with children - spend time with them, hug them, tell them you love
them, pray for them and pray with them!
They need your love and encouragement. They need stability and they need to have
God in their lives. Go to Mass together as a family. Pray before meals and pray
before bed. Pay attention to who your children are hanging around with. Be involved
in their activities. Children grow up so fast. Make the most of every moment!
And if you are blessed with grandchildren - what a gift from God! Enjoy every
phone call and every visit. Hug those grandbabies and hold them tight! Pray for
them and let them know that they are a gift, a beautiful gift from God!
If you are single and looking for your true love - make sure you are on the same page
and that you want the same things in life. Go to church together and make sure
to invite God into your relationship! A wedding is a day and a marriage is a life time!
Work harder on your relationship with your wife or husband than on that next
presentation or whatever at work (or at least work just as hard on your relationship)!
My message to everyone is this - If we take care of each other, love one another, and
act how God wants us to act, and not how the world wants us to act, we can be a
true blessing to everyone. And just maybe, we can make the world a better place!
My heart is full and my cup runneth over!
Thank you, God! Thank you for my many blessings! Amen
                                                                 Bye for now, Sharla



Friday, February 17, 2017

Sack Lunches and Adoption Stories!

Hello out there! It's Friday! On Tuesday I was at the .................you guessed it - the
Sack Lunch Ministry and I realized something that all of the volunteers for Tuesday,
had in common. One of my friends was helping out on Tuesday (she is going to be a
regular volunteer - yay!) and let me just go ahead and say that all of the volunteers from
the Sack Lunch Ministry are my friends! They all have big, caring hearts and are all
wonderful people! But back to what we all have in common - Adoption has blessed all
of our lives in one way or another! Two of our volunteers have adopted children. Another
volunteer has a great-granddaughter who was adopted. A couple who was volunteering
has a granddaughter who was adopted and I was adopted! How cool is that?
Everyone that volunteered on Tuesday has been blessed by adoption! Eight! That is the
number of children (including myself) who were blessed to have been adopted! And
remember - adoption isn't just about one life, but generations! Isn't that amazing!
We all share a unique bond! An amazing, adoption is a loving life option, kind of bond!
Carmen said, "Sharla, you need to share this on your blog!" We all shared stories about
what a  beautiful gift adoption is and what a blessing adoption has been in all of our
lives! I just knew that y'all would love this!
I hope you all have a great evening and a weekend full of blessings!
                                                          Blessings to you and yours,
                                                                            Bye for now, Sharla



Monday, February 13, 2017

Yellow Rose Petals and a Monstrance in the Sky!

Good Morning out there! I have been awake since 2:00 a.m. I started praying for my
family and I mean all of my family and Jim's family too (and that is a whole lot of people)!
I prayed for our friends and members of our parish and everyone that has asked us to lift
them up in prayer. I thought that I would get sleepy at some point but I kept thinking of
more people to pray for! Before I knew it I could hear the perk, perking of the coffee pot
and the alarm went off! The alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m. on Mondays because Jim and I
have to be at the Adoration Chapel by 5:00 a.m. I was wide awake by then and I jumped
up and went to the kitchen and poured us both a large mug of hot, wonderful coffee! As
we were getting ready to go I was talking ninety to nothing and Jim just gave me one of
those looks that said something like, "It is way to early for you to be so perky. I think I
like it better when you are hard to wake up!" I just ignored the look and kept right on
talking. I was planning out my day and I had been awake for two hours talking to God so
I was already on a roll! I love beginning our week by spending a quiet hour in adoration. I
was getting a little sleepy about fifteen minutes before it was time to go but I opened my
Magnificat back up and read about some of the saints. I perked back up when the cool
breeze hit me as we walked out to the truck. I then exclaimed that I was hungry and I got
another look! And I said, "I've been awake for four hours!" and so my sweet husband
stopped at the Stripes store (or whatever it is called now) and said he would be right
back. He came out with a white paper sack and then ran back in and got some napkins
because he knows how messy I am! He bought these yummy things called, "bun on a
run, or bun on the go, or something like that" anyway, a warm yeast roll with breakfast
sausage and cheese baked inside, is what it is and oh my goodness, it was so good!
Jim didn't say it, but I knew he didn't want me to get "hangry"! I can be a little grouchy
when I'm hungry!
While he was getting ready to go out on a job, I started making up the bed. I grabbed my
pillow and leaned over on the bed. I was thinking about going back to sleep. Jim reminded
me of the many things on my to do list. I made a face at him but stood back up. He
laughed and I gave him a hug and kiss goodbye. He headed off to work and I finished
making the bed, opened the curtains and all that kind of stuff you do in the morning. I
was going to tell you all about our weekend with the grand-kids but sometimes when I sit
down to write a post, another story comes out instead! But I'm going to go ahead and
tell you while it is still fresh on my mind! (Another long post!)
I will share some of the highlights of Saturday:
I spent time with three of our granddaughters on Saturday morning. It was beautiful out-
side so we spent most of our time in the front and backyard. Bird baths were filled with
water and yellow rose petals (from my wilting roses) were scattered around my statue
of Mother Mary and a few were saved for the statue of St. Anthony. Jim had modified
the frame for my cloth canvas painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe and it was hanging
on a wall underneath the carport. Our youngest granddaughter, number ten, who will
be two in March pointed to the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
She said, "Jesus Mama" and I smiled and said, "That's right, Our Lady of Guadalupe is
Jesus' Mama!" The oldest of the three girls is grandchild number three, and she is a big
helper. She filled the bird baths up, took out the trash, and made lemonade. She is a
wonderful big sister! The middle sister is grandchild number seven. She was the one who
scattered rose petals and then she hugged the statue of Mother Mary and kissed the top of
her head! She also kissed the top of the Saint Anthony statue's head and then she walked
over to the statue of St. Francis and asked, "Now who is he?" I told her who he was and she
gave the St. Francis statue a kiss too. She will be five in April. Being around children makes
you happy. They bring joy to your heart. I love their innocence, their faith, their love of
everyone.
Saturday afternoon, our son and his family came over. They had all been helping with  a
brisket dinner fundraiser for some family friends. They all got ready for Mass at our home.
Our son and his wife left to go to the 5:00 p.m. Mass in Ballinger where all
the married couples vows were renewed. A steak dinner and dance followed in the parish hall.
They have five children. Jim took the oldest three to the 5:00 p.m. Mass at our parish,
Sacred Heart. Our oldest grandchild, number one, who is also our oldest grandson, and his
sister, grandchild number four are altar servers and were scheduled for this time.
Jim and our other grandson, grandchild number six, enjoyed the Mass.
I stayed home with the two youngest granddaughters, numbers eight and nine.
Number eight is three and a half and number nine will be two in March. I was going to
the 6:00 p.m. Mass (our regular time) on Sunday. Play time and bath time and water
splashed everywhere! The youngest, number nine, heard me sneeze and said, "Bless you"
I sneezed again and heard her quiet little voice say, "Bless you" again and I picked her
up, gave her a kiss and thanked her. Jim and the three oldest came in the door. They were
all hungry. We still had some brisket left over and I had made a big pot of beans.
Tummies were fed, the little ones were asleep, the two oldest were watching the second
Cars movie, and Jim and our youngest grandson, number six, were outside looking at
the stars with binoculars. I walked outside and looked at the stars with them. Our grandson
told me to look at the (I thought he said monster) in the sky. I told him I saw the monster
and he said, "I didn't say monster, I said "Monstrance" and I looked at him and then looked
back up at the sky and I saw it! He is six and a half and the same sweet little boy that
thought our bird bath was a holy water font when he was not quite three. He told me that
the Monstrance planet was God's planet. That all the planets and stars are God's.
Wow! Do you have your dictionary's out yet? If you are not Catholic I know you are
wondering what in the world I'm talking about.
The definition from "The New American Handy College Dictionary" says -
monstrance - a receptacle in which the host is presented for adoration.
That definition is not complete.
The host that the receptacle holds has been consecrated and the consecrated host is placed
behind a glass in the center of a beautiful gold or silver (precious metal) monstrance that
holds and protects it.
Monstrance is a Latin word that means, "to show".
Children are amazing. They are like little sponges! The soak up everything they see and
hear so fill them with love and faith and joy and wonder and hope and goodness and more
love!
Our son and daughter-in-law had a great time! They don't get many date nights so we were
glad they had such a good time. They picked up the kids close to midnight and Jim and
I stood outside and waved goodbye.
I won't tell  you how late we slept on Sunday! It was awesome! Jim made pancakes for
breakfast and I made a really big pot of coffee and we drank it all!
We went to Mass on Sunday evening. Our daughter, son-in-law, and their three girls were
at Mass also. The oldest, grandchild number three, was an altar server, and the middle one,
number seven sat right by me. The youngest of them all, number ten, was close by.
Thank you, God, thank you for our many blessings!





Thursday, February 9, 2017

Praying With A Humbled Heart

Hello out there! I hope your day has been full of love, laughter, hugs, and prayers!
I know I talk about the Sack Lunch Ministry A LOT but I always leave feeling so
very blessed. I so enjoy spending time with the other volunteers and I truly love
reaching out to those we serve. Today something happened that touched my heart
and humbled me at the same time. One of the older men who comes daily to get a
lunch asked me if I would pray for him. He told me about a report he had received
from the doctor and was concerned. I thought he just wanted me to keep him in my
prayers and I told him that I would, that yes, I would pray for him. I quickly realized
that he wanted me to pray for him right then and there. I took his hand and held it
with both of my hands, closed my eyes, and I prayed for this sweet man. Just writing
about this makes me emotional. So many people need our prayers. So many people
need to know that we care. Please pray for Dennis, and please pray for all those we
serve. Have a wonderful evening. Hug your spouse and pray with your children.
Hug your children and pray with your spouse. God bless you all.


Dear God,
Thank you for our many blessings. Please be with all those who are in
need. Please God, show us and guide us to how we can best help others.
You created us all.  Please help us to love our neighbors, our friends, our families,
and to care for one another. Let us always pray for those who seek a better life
and for those who feel trapped in a life on the streets. Please help us be a light
in the darkness.  Amen.
 
                                                                     Bye for now, Sharla

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Make Spending Time With Your Family A Priority!


Hello out there! I have so much to say. It has been over a week since my last post.
This will probably be one of my crazy posts! The kind of post where I jump back and
forth from one story to another!
I will begin with what an absolutely beautiful day it has been. Jim and I went for a
walk first thing this morning. There was a slight nip in the air but it felt great to be
outside. We saw a road runner watching us from the brush. He took off running and I
listened for the "Beep-Beep" that you would always hear in that crazy cartoon! We saw
three male cardinals along our route and listened to their pretty songs. One was right on
the tip top of a tree just singing up a storm - Jim said that he was calling his girlfriend!
We finished our walk and when we got home, Jim popped some bread in the toaster
while I got ready. Toast with butter and I mean real butter and Red Plum Jelly is the
best! I drank a big mug of coffee and then dashed out the door. (I should have said,
"Beep-Beep"!) I went one direction and Jim was going in another direction. I helped
at the Sack Lunch Ministry for a little while. We had plenty of awesome volunteers!
The sacks were decorated with bright colored messages of God's love and reminders
of how special each one of us are. The children from Angelo Catholic School have
been decorating the sacks for us and they have done an outstanding job! I ran some
errands and then stopped at the grocery store. I decided to fix hamburgers for lunch.
I bought all the items needed for hamburgers and headed home. I sliced tomatoes and
purple onions while the patties were cooking. I cut up some lettuce and made a pitcher
of iced tea. Jim got home and sat down at the bar and we talked while I fixed our
plates. Homemade cheeseburgers with fresh vegetables are the best! I made a batch
of chocolate chip cookies on Monday and believe it or not - there are still some left!
This past week and a half Jim and I have both spent a lot of time with our grandkids.
We are very blessed to have eight of our grandchildren close by. We talked to our
granddaughters who live out of town last Friday. I mailed a package to them on
Saturday. We hope to see them soon. I've realized something during the past six
weeks or so. Sometimes I get a little too busy. Even if what  you are doing is a good
thing - you have to prioritize. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and I love
spending time with my husband, children, and grandchildren. The other day someone
asked me if I would consider taking on another project. I told them that I would pray
about it and let them know. After a busy weekend with my family I knew the answer.
My answer is no, thank you for thinking of me but my cup runneth over. My grandkids
still like to hang out with me! They don't care what we do they just like to spend time
with their Nana! What a blessing, what a gift! I've learned that it is okay to say no, and
when a moment of peace just washes over me, I know that God has given me an
answer to my prayers! Spend time with your family and if you are single, widowed
or lonely - reach out to others! Come and help us at the Sack Lunch Ministry or attend
one of the many classes that are offered at our parish or a parish or church close to where
you live. Let us take care of one another! And one more thing.....Please put down your
phones if you are eating out with your family. Talk to each other, ask about everyone's
day. Have a no cell phone rule when you are eating! It breaks my heart when I see parents
looking at their phones instead of talking to their children. Children grow up so fast!
Give them your time - give them your attention - let them know you love them!
                                                        Blessings to you and yours!
                                                                    Bye for now, Sharla