Saturday, April 29, 2017

Day Seven - Saturday - Praying the Joyful Mysteries of The Rosary

Good morning out there! How are y'all this beautiful Saturday morning? I have really
enjoyed sharing the daily mysteries of the rosary with all of you. Many times I will
think about the scripture I just read and will be reminded to pray for specific people or
things that are going on in the world.
An example would be: This morning as Jim and I were praying the rosary and I read
the First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation - And when the angel had come to her,
 he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28) - I prayed for God to
 please help all couples see that their baby is a gift, no matter what the circumstances
 are. I prayed for couples to accept the gift of life and love and nurture their babies. I
also thanked God for blessing Jim and I with our ten grandchildren and we prayed for
each one of them and then we prayed the "Our Father" and followed with the ten
"Hail Marys."
Another example would be: After reading the scripture that goes with the Second
Joyful Mystery - The Visitation - Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a
loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit
of your womb." (Luke 1:41-42) - I prayed that all couples and especially young mothers
be surrounded with family and friends to guide them and walk with them through
their pregnancy and be there to mentor them as parents. I prayed that people would
reach out especially to those who may not have family close by and for those who
are dealing with an unplanned or crisis pregnancy.
These are just some of the things that I think about as I read the scriptures. You will
probably think about something or someone else. That is the blessing that comes with
praying the rosary - it will help and guide you as you pray.


Are y'all ready? Let's pray the Joyful Mysteries of The Rosary!



I'm going to post the steps first and if you need a refresher on the prayers, scroll down to
the bottom of the page.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Joyful Mystery is The Annunciation - And when the angel had come to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace,
the Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) "Hail Marys"
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation -
Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."
(Luke 1:41-42)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Joyful Mystery is The Birth of Jesus -
She gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and
laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Joyful Mystery is The Presentation -
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law
of Moses, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, just
as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb
shall be consecrated to the Lord." (Luke 2:22-23)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Joyful Mystery is Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple -
After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.
The following are the prayers of the rosary -
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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.
These pictures go with the Joyful Mysteries - The Visitation and The Birth of Jesus


Friday, April 28, 2017

Day Six - Friday - Praying The Sorrowful Mysteries of The Rosary

Hello out there! I hope you all have had a wonderful week! Have you been able to
pray the rosary this week? I hope that these posts have helped you get started or at
least interested in praying the rosary. Jim and I will have to pray the rosary on the
way to a baseball game tonight. We didn't have/make time to pray this morning
before he left for a job. We are going to watch our oldest grandson play baseball
in a small town about twenty miles away. Perfect distance for us to be able to pray
the rosary! Well, I don't have much time so let's get started! Today is Friday and
we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary on Fridays.
The following are the prayers of the rosary -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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.

Now that you have the prayers of the rosary, the next step is teaching you how
to pray the rosary.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Sorrowful Mystery is The Agony in the Garden-
He was in such agony and He prayed so fervently that His sweat became like drops
of blood falling on the ground. When He rose from prayer and returned to His disciples,
He found them sleeping from grief. (Luke 22:44-45)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) "Hail Marys"
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Sorrowful Mystery is The Scourging at the Pillar -
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged. (John 19:1)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Sorrowful Mystery is Crowning With Thorns -
They stripped off His clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about Him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on His head, and a reed
in His right hand. (Matthew 27:28-29)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery is Carrying of the Cross -
And carrying the cross Himself, He went out to what is called the
Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19:17)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery is The Crucifixion -
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit",
and when He had said this He breathed His last. (Luke 23:46)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.
Just a reminder -
The Joyful Mysteries are said on Monday
and Saturday; The Sorrowful Mysteries are said on Tuesday and Friday;
The Glorious Mysteries are said on Wednesday and Sunday; and The
Luminous Mysteries are said on Thursday.


I will post the Joyful Mysteries again tomorrow and that will complete my week
of sharing the beautiful  mysteries of the rosary with you. I pray that you and your
loved ones will be blessed and cared for always! Lean on God, He will help you
through all of life's trials.
                                                                                   Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Day Five - Thursday - Praying The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary

Good morning out there! I opened the back door to see why our dogs were barking
up a storm and a very cool gust of air blew in. It is 49 degrees outside at 8:54 a.m.
on this gorgeous sunny morning. The high today is supposed to reach 90 degrees.
You've got to love West Texas weather!
We are on day five of our "pray the rosary on a daily basis" schedule! Today we will
go over the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. You will love them! But I won't be
able to post them until I get back from the Sack Lunch Ministry. I'm going to hit the
"Save" button and I will finish this post later!
Okay, I'm back! I'm going to post all the prayers first and then I will post the
Luminous Mysteries!
The following are the prayers of the rosary -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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.
I'm going to take a quick break and get something to eat and then I will finish........
Let's get started!
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Luminous Mystery is The Baptism of Jesus -
After Jesus was baptized, he came directly out of the water. Suddenly the sky
opened and he saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and hover over him.
With that, a voice from the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son.
My favor rests on him." (Matthew 3:16-17) 
 Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) "Hail Marys"
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Luminous Mystery is The Wedding at Cana -
His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever He tells you."......
Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them
to the brim. (John 2:5-7)
 Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Luminous Mystery is Proclaiming The Kingdom -
"As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without
cost you have received; without cost you are to give." (Matthew 10:7-8)
 Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Luminous Mystery is The Transfiguration -
While He was praying His face changed in appearance and His clothing
became dazzling white. Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
"This is My chosen Son; listen to Him." (Luke 9:29, 35)
 Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Luminous Mystery is The Institution of The Eucharist -
Then, taking bread and giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying:
"This is my body to be given for you. Do this as a remembrance of me."
He did the same with the cup after eating, saying as he did so: "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
 Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.
I hope that you have been able to follow the steps and I really hope that you
have begun to pray the rosary! There is so much turmoil and hate in our world
right now. I truly believe in the power of prayer and I know that God will
answer us.
                                                            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


Bye for now, Sharla




Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Day Four - Wednesday - Praying The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

Hello out there! I only have a few minutes to keep us all on track with praying
the rosary on a daily basis! Today is Wednesday, and we pray the Glorious Mysteries
of the Rosary on Wednesday. If y'all started out with my first post on praying the
rosary daily then the Glorious Mysteries will sound familiar because I posted the
information about them on Sunday. I am going to post them again today to keep
us all on schedule. Jim and I prayed the rosary this morning because I knew we
would not have time tonight. I have to teach the 4th grade CCD class tonight and
I was at the Sack Lunch Ministry earlier. I have some really good news about a
great group of people that stopped by today but I will have to tell you all about
them tomorrow!
Are y'all ready? Let's get started! (I switched it up a bit - the prayers are after
the steps!)
Since today is Wednesday, we will pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Glorious Mystery is The Resurrection -
"Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised;
He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him." (Mark 16:6)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) Hail Marys
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Glorious Mystery is The Ascension -
So then the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and
took His seat at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Glorious Mystery is the Descent of the Holy Spirit -
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. (Acts 2:4)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Glorious Mystery is The Assumption -
"You are the glory of Jerusalem!.......You are the great boast of our nation!.....
You have done good things for Israel, and God is pleased with them. May the
Almighty Lord bless you forever!" (Jud 15:9-10)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Glorious Mystery is 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. (Revelations 12:1)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.


The following are the prayers of the rosary -
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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.


Okay y'all, I've got to go now - I will post the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
tomorrow!


The family that prays together, stays together!
I know y'all can do it - At least pray one decade!


                                                                          Adios! Bye for now, Sharla



Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Day Three - Tuesday - Praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

Good morning out there! Another beautiful, sunny day ahead. My migraine is finally
gone and I am so thankful! I will be wearing sun glasses every time I step outside for
the next couple of days. My eyes are really sensitive after I've had a migraine.
Enough whining! I am very grateful that I am healthy and dealing with two or three
migraines a month is not something to complain about! God is good!
Today I am going to post the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Reflecting on these
scriptures really helps me put things in perspective.
I am going to hit the "Save" button right now because I have to get to the Sack Lunch
Ministry. I'll finish my post after lunch!


I'm back! I was blessed to be at the Sack Lunch Ministry volunteering with an awesome
group of people! I took a quick break when Jim stopped by so that we could change out
the pro-life banner. The one we hung up today has four precious toddlers sitting side by
side with just their diapers on.
The scripture, "God saw all that He had made and it was very good" (from the book of
Genesis) is the message on the banner. If that doesn't bring a smile to your face then
nothing will! We watered some of the plants, helped out at the Sack Lunch Ministry
a little more, and then we went to the Noon (12:10 p.m.) Mass. We came back home
and ate some left-overs for lunch.


Are y'all ready? Let's get started with the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. I'm going
to post all the prayers again and then I will follow with the mysteries. After you have
been praying the rosary on a daily basis for a while, the different mysteries/scriptures
will remind you of different things you need to pray about or people you need to pray
for. At least that has been the case for me. Example: The First Sorrowful Mystery is
The Agony in the Garden and that brings to my mind people who might be going
through an extremely difficult time. Praying the rosary helps to keep my focus on
family members and friends that I need to pray for. Let's get started!









The following are the prayers of the rosary -
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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.

Now that you have the prayers of the rosary, the next step is teaching you how
to pray the rosary.
Since today is Tuesday we will pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Sorrowful Mystery is The Agony in the Garden-
He was in such agony and He prayed so fervently that His sweat became like drops
of blood falling on the ground. When He rose from prayer and returned to His disciples,
He found them sleeping from grief. (Luke 22:44-45)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) "Hail Marys"
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Sorrowful Mystery is The Scourging at the Pillar -
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged. (John 19:1)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Sorrowful Mystery is Crowning With Thorns -
They stripped off His clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about Him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on His head, and a reed
in His right hand. (Matthew 27:28-29)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery is Carrying of the Cross -
And carrying the cross Himself, He went out to what is called the
Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19:17)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery is The Crucifixion -
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit",
and when He had said this He breathed His last. (Luke 23:46)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.

 I will post the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary tomorrow (Wednesday).
Everything else (the prayers and the order) will stay the same.
Yes, I posted the Glorious Mysteries on Sunday, but they are also said on
Wednesday and I am going to go in order for one whole week.


If you would like a rosary and don't have one, please contact me at
adopted.blessed@suddenlink.net  and give me your address.
 I will be happy to send you a rosary and a pamphlet on how to pray the rosary!


I hope that the rest of your day is full of blessings! Glorious Mysteries tomorrow -
as long as the Good Lord blesses me with another day!


                                                                            Bye for now, Sharla



Monday, April 24, 2017

Day Two - Monday - Praying The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

Hello out there! It is absolutely beautiful outside! The sun is shining and there is a cool
breeze blowing my feathery bushes (I guess it is apparent that I don't know the actual
name of the green feather duster looking plants) all around.
In yesterday's post I invited everyone to start praying the rosary. I typed out step by
step instructions and included all the prayers. I am going to post the Joyful Mysteries
of the Rosary today. I will include all the prayers again. I'm doing this for those of you
who may not know the prayers or the steps. And sometimes we just need a refresher
course if it has been awhile since you've prayed the rosary. Anyway, I just want to share
the moving prayers and scriptures of the rosary with all of you out there.
I have been dealing with a migraine headache since Saturday morning and I know that
being on the computer is probably not helping but I really want to share this information
with you.
Are y'all ready? Let's get started!


The following are the prayers of the rosary -
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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.


Now that you have the prayers of the rosary, the next step is teaching you how
to pray the rosary.
Since today is Monday we will pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -









The First Joyful Mystery is The Annunciation -
And when the angel had come to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace,
the Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) "Hail Marys"
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation -
Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."
(Luke 1:41-42)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Joyful Mystery is The Birth of Jesus -
She gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and
laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Joyful Mystery is The Presentation -
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law
of Moses, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, just
as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb
shall be consecrated to the Lord." (Luke 2:22-23)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10)"Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Joyful Mystery is Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple -
After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) "Hail Marys"
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.


I will post the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary tomorrow (Tuesday).
Everything else (the prayers and the order) will stay the same.


I forgot to post this yesterday - The Joyful Mysteries are said on Monday
and Saturday; The Sorrowful Mysteries are said on Tuesday and Friday;
The Glorious Mysteries are said on Wednesday and Sunday; and The
Luminous Mysteries are said on Thursday.
 (I have been known to say the Joyful Mysteries on the Sorrowful Mysteries day
 and vice versa depending on what is happening in my life - the most important
 thing is to - Pray the Rosary on a daily basis!)
Pray with your family, Pray by yourself, Pray as a couple,
Pray with a group of friends!


I am going to rest my eyes for awhile. Hopefully this migraine will completely
go away soon!


                                                                     Bye for now, Sharla





Sunday, April 23, 2017

The Importance of the Family Rosary - Pray Together as a Family - Pray Together as a Couple!

Good morning out there! Today is Divine Mercy Sunday and the 2nd Sunday of Easter!
I received a much needed reminder about something very important this morning.
Jim and I were sitting in the kitchen and drinking a cup of coffee. He was reading the
newspaper and I was looking through yesterday's mail. I opened the letter we received
from Guadalupe Radio Network and read it. There was also a two-sided insert titled,
"The Importance of the Family Rosary" and a pamphlet on how to pray the rosary.
The reminder I needed was that we need to pray the rosary in our home, together on a
daily basis.
I pray the rosary when I walk outside and when I walk at the gym. I periodically pray
the rosary with a group of friends in the courtyard at our parish. Jim and I pray the
rosary with our friends and fellow parishioners before Mass in the sanctuary on Sunday
evenings.
The point I'm trying to make is that Jim and I rarely pray the rosary together anymore.
We both have our individual prayer times but somewhere along the way we stopped
praying together, as a couple, on a regular basis. We still pray together before meals and
at Mass. Many times we will pray the rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet while we
are traveling but not on a daily basis.
This morning while Jim was reading the paper I kept on saying, "listen to this," as I read
different quotes and information about the importance of praying the rosary together
as a family. Jim would lay the newspaper down and listen as I read different things
to him. The sad thing is, we know how important it is to pray together, to pray the
rosary together, we just haven't made praying together a priority lately.
I feel like God is reminding us, calling us to pray the rosary together again. I invite all
of you to begin praying the family rosary together. Families all over the world need
prayer. We all need God in our lives. Jim and I are going to make praying the rosary
together on a daily basis a priority in our home. It only takes 20-25 minutes to pray the
rosary. If you don't think you can fit this into your schedule then try praying one decade,
that will only take you about 5 minutes. I know you can spare 5 minutes! I am going
to explain how to pray the rosary for those of you who may not know how. I will try
really hard to walk you through it step by step on a daily basis for the next week.
Are you ready? Let's get started!
I'm going to list all the steps that are in this pamphlet published by the Marian Press.
You can still pray the prayers of the rosary without actually having a rosary. Use
your fingers to keep count of the prayers.


The following are the prayers of the rosary -
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.
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.
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 our death. Amen.
Glory Be To The Father
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.
Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,
to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our
sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious
Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.


Now that you have the prayers of the rosary, the next step is teaching you how
to pray the rosary.
Since today is Sunday, we will pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.
1. Make the Sign of the Cross and then say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Marys."
4. Say the "Glory Be to the Father."
5. Announce the First Mystery -
The First Glorious Mystery is The Resurrection -
"Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised;
He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him." (Mark 16:6)
Then say the "Our Father"
6. Say (10) Hail Marys
7. Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
8. Announce the Second Mystery -
The Second Glorious Mystery is The Ascension -
So then the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and
took His seat at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
9. Announce the Third Mystery -
The Third Glorious Mystery is the Descent of the Holy Spirit -
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. (Acts 2:4)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
10. Announce the Fourth Mystery -
The Fourth Glorious Mystery is The Assumption -
"You are the glory of Jerusalem!.......You are the great boast of our nation!.....
You have done good things for Israel, and God is pleased with them. May the
Almighty Lord bless you forever!" (Jud 15:9-10)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
11. Announce the Fifth Mystery -
The Fifth Glorious Mystery is 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. (Revelations 12:1)
Then say the "Our Father"
 Say (10) Hail Marys
 Say the "Glory Be to the Father." Then say the following prayer -
"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in  most need of Thy mercy."
12. Say the "Hail, Holy Queen" after all five decades are completed.
13. Make the Sign of the Cross and say Amen.


I will post the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary tomorrow (Monday).
Everything else (the prayers and the order) will stay the same.


If you don't have a rosary and would like one please let me know and I will be
happy to send you one. I will also include a pamphlet on how to pray the rosary.
Send your address to my blog email -
 adopted.blessed@suddenlink.net


May you and your loved ones be truly blessed during this Holy Easter Season.
I posted the prayers for the Divine Mercy Chaplet on my blog yesterday if you are
interested.


                                                                             Blessings to you and yours!
                                                                                Bye for now, Sharla







Saturday, April 22, 2017

The Easter Season, Faith, Prayers, and Miracles

Good morning and hello out there! I hope your week has been full of blessings!
I haven't written a post since Good Friday. I have all these thoughts that I want
to share running around in my head. I will begin with some of the things that my
friend and I have been teaching to our fourth grade CCD class (classes about our
Catholic faith) held on Wednesday evenings. My daughter also helps us out but she
had to substitute for the Kindergarten class this week. The Ten Commandments,
The Corporal Works of Mercy, vocations, the liturgical seasons, prayers and the
importance of praying are some of the topics in our classroom discussions. We only
have seventy-five minutes each week with the kids and we try to cram everything
we can into the time we have with them. We have really gone into depth with the
Ten Commandments. They ask a lot of questions and we really try to explain things
in a way that they can understand.

This week we explained how Easter is a season and not just one day. We started with
the beginning of Lent. We told the children that from Ash Wednesday all the way to
Palm Sunday is forty days. Then Holy Week begins on the Monday following Palm
Sunday. We celebrate the Triduum during Holy Week -
Holy Thursday - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord
Holy Saturday - The Easter Vigil
And then we celebrate - Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Guess what? There is more! Easter doesn't end on Easter Sunday!
We explained about Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday, and so on.
There is so much to learn and share!
Tomorrow, the 2nd Sunday of Easter is also Divine Mercy Sunday. I have posted
the Divine Mercy Chaplet in a previous post but I will type it out again for those
of you who may not have read that blog post or for those of you who would like to learn
how to pray this beautiful, divine mercy prayer.
Did you know that the Easter Season (from Easter Sunday through Pentecost Sunday) is
fifty days? The Ascension is on Thursday, May 25, 2017 and will be celebrated on the
7th Sunday of Easter, May 28, 2017. The last day of the Easter Season this year is on
June 4, 2017, Pentecost Sunday. The daily scriptures walk us through the life, death,
and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jim and I will be married for thirty-four years on Pentecost Sunday! Easter is a joyful
season of miracles and blessings!
Some memories that touched my heart during Holy Week. On Holy Thursday, Jim and I
went to Mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Miles. Our son and six year old grandson
were two of the twelve people that got their feet washed during the foot washing
ceremony performed by the priest. Our grandson had such a serious expression on his face.
He is my little red-headed angel! Three of our grandchildren served as altar servers at the
Easter Vigil. Seeing them serve at Mass is such a blessing, it brings joy to our hearts!
This is an extremely long Mass, almost four hours this year, because we were blessed
with so many people being received into our Catholic church. Fifteen people were
baptized, received their First Holy Communion, and were Confirmed. Seven other people
received their First Holy Communion and were Confirmed, they had already been
baptized at some point in their lives.
Our "little Joan" turned five this week. She is truly a miracle. I know that God healed
her. I will always be thankful for the many prayers that were prayed for her healing
during her illness. The doctors, who worked so hard to take care of her and find out
what was wrong, were never able to accurately diagnose her complete condition.
They told us that whatever she had was very rare (I don't remember the accurate
medical terminology) and have been surprised by her recovery and how well
she is doing!
I wrote a story about her a couple of years ago. I will post the link if you would like to
read it. I get really choked up when I think about how sick she was. I will also insert a
picture of her praying in front of the Tabernacle. She has a special devotion to Mother
Mary and always asks for her prayers. Our God is an awesome God! Pray and have faith! http://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2015/06/mother-mary-mama-mary-and-my-little-joan.html
 These pictures go with the story, Mother Mary "Mama Mary" and my little Joan.


I know this is a long post but I want to get everything in! The following is how to
pray The Divine Mercy Chaplet -



This prayer is for the whole world.
It is really beautiful when we sing this Chaplet. (I'm singing this as I'm typing)
The refrain goes like  this:
For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

How to pray The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy:
(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 and then 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. End by making the sign of the cross and saying Amen.

It is a beautiful, peaceful prayer. I find myself humming or singing it a lot. I also pray
it if I wake up during the night. 

May God Bless you and keep you safe wherever you are, wherever you live.
Many blessings to you and yours during the entire Easter Season!
                                                             Bye for now, Sharla

Friday, April 14, 2017

"Prayer of St. Francis"

Hello out there - Today is Good Friday. My heart is heavy today. Praying and praying
for so many things. I hope you all have blessed Easter weekend. Some thoughts today -
After the rain there is always a beautiful rainbow and the sun shines again.
After Good Friday we are blessed with Easter Sunday.
It is always darkest before the dawn.
There is a silver lining in every cloud.
and Make some lemonade out of those lemons!


God is good and He is always with us-through the good days, the bad days and the
downright ugly days. Keep on praying and reach out to others. We need more faith, hope
love, kindness, and compassion in our world.


I love the prayer of Saint Francis - (The following is from a hymn we sing during
Mass - "Prayer of St. Francis")
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, and where there's doubt, true faith in you.


Make me a channel of your peace. Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness - only light, and where there's sadness ever joy.


O Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled, as to console.
To be understood, as to understand. To be loved, as to love, with all my soul.


Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
In giving of ourselves that we receive, and in dying that we're born to eternal life.


Dear Lord,
Please give me the grace and courage to always be a channel of your peace.
Please help me be a light to others and to always be faithful in what You have
called me to do. Here I am, Lord - I come to do Your will. Amen.


                                        Blessings to you and yours this Holy Easter weekend!
                                                                        Bye for now, Sharla






                      

Monday, April 10, 2017

Being Thankful For Another Day - Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Hello out there! Yesterday we went to the 6:00 p.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
It was Palm Sunday and everything was perfect! The music, the readings, the homily,
the wonderful environment inside the sanctuary, and the three altar servers did an
excellent job! By the way, the three altar servers are my grandchildren! I love that we
were at Mass together as a family. Now let me explain something about being together.
We don't all sit together because we are scattered all over the place. Jim is an usher and
he stands in the back until it is time to take up the collection and direct people during
communion. Our son-in-law had to help usher last night and he was by one of the side
doors at the front of the sanctuary. Our son and daughter-in-law were sitting toward the
front with their three youngest children (the two oldest were altar servers). It wasn't long
before our son and his youngest ended up in the vestibule. Our daughter was in the vestibule
with her two youngest daughters. Her oldest daughter was also an altar server.
 After I read the readings I walked to the back and tried to help out with the grand-
daughters. A trip to the bathroom with two of the little ones, beautiful hymns, prayers,
and communion, we were here, there and everywhere! Jim and myself, our son and his
wife and their five children, our daughter and her husband and their three daughters -
I call that an awesome way to spend Sunday evening! Before Mass we gathered in the
courtyard and the palms were handed out and blessed. It wasn't long before the little
one's palms were confiscated, and as the grandmother I just had to laugh. Prayers and
blessings - blessings and prayers and the hymn that stays in my mind - "Jesus, remember
me, when you come into Your kingdom" sung over and over, softer and louder, such a
beautiful melody. Before we went to Mass last night, Jim had talked to our oldest son
on the phone. He and his wife and daughters live out of town, they had gone to Mass
in the morning. Yes, we are here, there and everywhere but we are together. I wish they
had been with us at Sacred Heart but I'm glad they were celebrating Palm Sunday at
their parish. We all need God in our lives. In one of my previous posts I talk about an
analogy a priest used on the Catholic Radio Station, he said, "God is the peanut butter
that holds us together" - I love that! He explained that if you put two slices of bread
together they will fall apart but if  you place peanut butter on the bread - they stick
together! God is the peanut butter in that sandwich that helps hold you together!


This morning I read in the newspaper about the terrorist attacks on two churches in Egypt.
As of this morning, forty-four people had died. So much violence, so much hate. Why?
They were celebrating Palm Sunday also. This type of news just breaks my heart. How
many families were there together just like us? Please pray for peace, please pray for
comfort for those who mourn their loved ones who died in these senseless, horrible
attacks.
Hug your spouse, and hug your children and grandchildren and hold them tight.
I went to a Women's Conference this past fall and one thing that one of the speakers
said has really stayed with me. If you died tonight what would you regret? What would
you wish that you had taken the time to do?
I had been so busy, that I had not cooked a good home-made meal in close to two weeks.
After I listened to the speaker and went  to Mass it was time for the lunch break. I drove
home and began to bake. It was a Saturday and Jim had a job that day. I made a double
batch of buttermilk biscuits from scratch. I peeled potatoes and chopped onions and
cooked a pound of spicy breakfast sausage and made a huge pot of spicy potato soup.
I grated cheese and made a pitcher of iced tea. After the biscuits were done and the
soup was simmering, the cheese was grated, and the tea was ready - I made a batch of
chocolate chip cookies with pecans. When Jim walked in the door and smelled the
wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen, I wish you could have seen the smile on his
face. He said, "I thought that conference was all day?" I told him that it was, but I came
home early because I had something more important to do. Sometimes you can get too
busy, even if you are doing good things, remember to prioritize. I have been a lot better
about saying "no" when I already have a lot to do. I've also learned to ask for help and
delegate a little more.
I left the conference early that day because I needed to come home - I wanted to come
home and I am so glad that I did.
Tomorrow is not promised - spend time with your loved ones. If you are married, spend
time with your spouse. If y'all are blessed to have children, do something together as a
family. Turn the phones off and thank God that you still have each other.
May you and your loved ones be blessed during this most Holy Week.
Remember - that before the Resurrection, before the "He is Risen" -
Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins.
Take care of your family and love one another.
Pray and pray and thank God for each day.
                                                            Many blessings to you and yours,
                                                                        Bye for now, Sharla

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Reflection and Prayers

Hello out there! I hope you've had a good week. The season of Lent is always a time of
reflection for me. I look back and I look ahead and I try to take one day at a time. I think
about things I need to do, things I should have done, and pray for patience and guidance.
I love this prayer we pray together at Mass:


I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.


I also like this short little prayer to pray at night:


Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep,
that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep,
rest in his peace. Amen.


The "Magnificat" is a wonderful daily devotional with daily scriptures, prayers,
hymns, and inspirational stories of the saints.


"the Word among us" is another devotional that has the Catholic Mass and Daily
Meditations.


I just wanted to share some prayers with you and the daily devotionals that Jim and
I read from. Beginning the day with prayer and scripture really helps with the daily
bumps and curves that life throws our way.
I pray that you all have a restful night, and a wonderful day tomorrow.


                                                   God bless you all!
                                                                Bye for now, Sharla


Pray without ceasing and always lift your spouse and children up in prayer!
Hug your spouse, hug your children, and give thanks to God!
Take care of each other and speak kind words!
Treat others as you want to be treated!
And don't ever forget - God loves you so very much!