Bird Nests, Seeds, Cats, and Trees!

Good morning out there! It is the beginning of a beautiful new day. Y'all know that
I am a happy, glass is half full, make lemonade out of those lemons kind of girl (lady).
I enjoy the simplest of things and am always amazed and thankful for the blessings
of each new day. I was washing dishes early yesterday morning and I looked out the
kitchen window above my sink and I saw a roadrunner dart across my front yard. I
laughed and said, "Beep beep" (like that old cartoon)! This morning I decided that I
better water my flowers while it was still early. I spotted a bird's nest in the tree that
has a special place in my heart. Jim had already left for work and I called him and
told him about the nest. I think this is a story for me to tell...…


In November of 2008 I had surgery to have the right side of my thyroid removed.
The tumor was benign but it kept growing so surgery was necessary.
While I was at home recuperating, Jim and our granddaughter (grandchild #3) who
was 2 1/2 at the time, planted some seeds he had found. They took a large coffee can
and filled it with soil and planted the seeds and watered them.  They placed the can in
our large kitchen window that faces the west and receives the afternoon sun.
The seeds sprouted and the plant grew. Before long, it was time to repot the plant and
then it was placed outside in the late spring of 2009. We realized that the plant was
actually a tree and it grew and grew. The small tree was planted in the ground and
pictures are taken each year.
It is some type of oak tree and when I water it I always sing a little song;
"Grow little tree, grow - planted with love, grow, grow, and grow."
I know, I'm sentimental and you make think I'm kind of silly but God has placed
a song in my heart and a child-like wonder that has never gone away only grown
stronger.
I watched as the mama bird and papa bird flew in and out of the tree getting their
nest ready. We have a cat (Tiger Lily) and it looked like the papa bird was on guard
duty. I told Tiger to get in the backyard and leave my birds alone! I don't think she
was listening! I enjoyed the beauty and peace and watered all my plants and prayed
some morning prayers - always giving thanks to God.
I hope you all have joyful, sunny, bird watching type day. I want to share this
scripture that popped up on my phone. It is from the Catholic Apparel Facebook
page (https://christianstyle.com).

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,

stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully

to the work of the Lord,

because you know,

that the labor in the Lord

is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Blessings to you and yours!

Bye for now, Sharla

Blessings on Pentecost Sunday

Hello out there! Today is Pentecost Sunday! Come, Holy Spirit!
The following prayer is from the May 2018 issue of our Catholic newspaper,
"West Texas Angelus" - I don't know who wrote this beautiful prayer - the editor
of the paper put it in, "The Prayer Square" on page 3. It is an awesome prayer!
The picture is from an old bible - Blessings to you and yours on this special
day and always!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit.
Replace the tension within us with a holy relaxation.
Replace the turbulence within us with a sacred calm.
Replace the anxiety within us with a quiet confidence.
Replace the fear within us with a strong faith.
Replace the bitterness within us with the sweetness of grace.
Replace the darkness within us with a gentle light.
Replace the coldness within us with a  loving warmth.
Replace the night within us with Your day.
Replace the winter within us with Your spring.


Straighten our crookedness.
Fill our emptiness.
Dull the edges of our pride.
Sharpen the edge of our humility.
Light the fires of our love.
Quench the flames of our lust.


Let us see ourselves as YOU see us,
That we may see You as You have promised us,
and be healed according to Your word.










     

Peace, Prayers, Memories and Thanksgiving

Hello out there! We have been blessed with rain this week! And lots of it!
I hope you are all doing well. This morning I was sitting on the couch in our
living room and reading today's scriptures and prayers from my daily devotional,
Magnificat. The morning sun was shining in the window and the candle I keep
lit for all of our prayer intentions was flickering behind the fireplace screen. I had
finished reading and was saying my prayers. I looked around our living room
as I prayed and an overwhelming sense of peace came over me. I smiled as I looked
at the pictures and realized how special our living room is to me. It is the perfect
place to pray and meditate. There is a picture on the mantle of the fireplace that
Jim gave me for Christmas; the picture of Jesus feeding the people and the quote
says, "You feed them." The wall on the north side of the living room has a framed
picture of Jesus; the Sacred Heart picture and below it is a small, metal Stations of
the Cross, a gift from my cousin. A chest, stained avocado green sits below,
my mother stained this chest back in the mid 70s not long before she passed away.
On top of the chest sits a bronze statue of Jesus with the lambs that my
daughter-in-law gave to me. In the hallway, back behind the living room, hangs a
picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The small printers desk below the picture is the
one my dad put back together, piece by piece.
Our living room is full of pictures of our children and grandchildren and furniture
that is a mis-matched set of memories that all fits together just right. The rocking
chair was my great aunts. Two of the little end tables were the ones I grew up with
and another table was my grandmothers that sat between her and my grandpa's chairs;
the crossword puzzle on her side and an old pipe with tobacco on his side.
A lamp and the TV guide usually sat on top right in the middle. My prayer time
lasted longer this morning as I thanked God for my many blessings. Our home is
full of memories, laughter, love, and sometimes tears. I don't need or want new
furniture and I'm thankful for what we have.
I pray that wherever you are, near or far, your home is full of good memories,
laughter, love, and sometimes tears, tears of thanksgiving.
I pray that you have a quiet, peaceful place where you can pray and feel God's
presence. The Holy Spirit is always with us - surround yourself with peace and
love in your home, with your family, and with your friends.

 I took these two pictures this evening to add to my story - Faith, Hope, Love
Family, and Home!

I drew a green vine with green leaves and red hearts as the flowers on the sacks
for the Sack Lunch Ministry this week. I wrote the following verse next to
the picture - "Jesus is the vine and we are the branches." Another one of the
volunteers wrote the same message. We enjoy decorating the sacks - another way
we show that we care. Go out and be a light in the darkness - little
things mean so much!
I found the following prayer in the May 13, 2018 issue of the National Catholic
Register.
The Fatima Angel Told the Shepherd Children to Pray This Prayer in 1916
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore you profoundly, and I
offer you the most precious Body, Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present
in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges
and indifferences by which he himself is offended. And through the infinite merits
of his most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of you the
conversion of poor sinners.

Moms, Prayers, First Holy Communion, and Hamburgers!

Good morning out there! I hope you are all doing well! Happy Mother's Day Monday
to all the moms, grandmas, aunts, godmothers, foster mothers, and special women
who mean so much to all the children in your lives!
Jim and I have a subscription to the National Catholic Register that is published
bi-monthly (we receive it twice a month so I think that is right)! They have really
good articles and the latest edition, May 13, 2018 had some prayers and quotes that
I am going to share with all of you.


"The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother."
St. Therese of Lisieux

Prayer to Our Lady, Help of Christians
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet,
imploring your perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their
children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers, forget me? Grant then to
me, I implore you, your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow,
and especially in all my temptations. I ask for your unceasing help for all who
are now suffering. Help the weak; cure the sick; convert sinners. Grant through
your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.
Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that, having invoked you on earth,
we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.


I will have to share the other prayers later - it is time for me to head out to help
with the St. Francis Sack Lunch Ministry.


Real quick - last Sunday, May 6, 2018, our youngest grandson made his
First Holy Communion. He was so serious and he looked like a little red-headed
angel! He and his Pa (Jim) had gone shopping the week before to pick out his
clothes; khaki pants, long sleeved white shirt, a dark red tie, and a vest. He also
wore a very special tie-tac, the one his father wore at his First Holy Communion,
and his older brother had worn it too! Our daughter and son-in-law were his
sponsors and we took lots of pictures and then we all went out to eat hamburgers
at this really neat restaurant.
Six adults and eight kids - hamburgers and French fries and shakes, oh my!
A very, very special day for the Ynostrosa Familia!




                                                                   Blessings to you and yours!
                                                                             Bye for now, Sharla

I'm so thankful for my life!: Cheap Wine on Ice, Old Country Music, and Dancing ...

I'm so thankful for my life!: Cheap Wine on Ice, Old Country Music, and Dancing ...: Hello, hello to all of you out there! I have been blessed with so much joy this weekend. A birthday party, a baby shower, and a faith based...


A sentimental post I came across and want to share again. A story from last year right about this time.
I'm so very thankful for my life!

Praying for the Children

"Once upon a time, in the world we live in today,
there was a lady (if not for the beauty shop) whose hair was turning gray.
She had a great big smile with dimples on each side.
Her love of life shone through her smiling, brown eyes.
She felt so very blessed, with so much love in her heart.
The gift that God had given her - to write, to speak,
to share stories from her heart.
The words would come to her as she sat down and prayed.
Typing on her keyboard day after day.
Sometimes she wondered, "Is this really what I'm to do?"
She would pray and she would listen and there would be a tug upon her heart.
A tug that softly says - the words will come - don't depart.
These stories you tell, are a message the world needs today.
So she sat at her desk and began to type once more.
Listening ever so intently to the calling of our Lord."

Let the children come to me; do not prevent them.....

Then he embraced them and blessed them,

placing his hands on them.     Mark 10:14 & 16

Starry Nights, Rainy Mornings, and Sunny Afternoons

Hello out there! Last night I could see all the stars in the sky - I forgot to check the
mail yesterday so I decided to walk out to the mailbox at about 10:00 p.m. I looked
up at the starry night and smiled - twinkling stars were shining bright - I did a little
twirl in the driveway and then walked down to the mailbox and gathered our mail.
When I came back inside I told Jim all about the stars.
We have the most gorgeous sunsets out here too! We love to look up at the sky and
see a different, colorful sunset each night.
This morning when we woke up it was raining - sometime during the night the clouds
covered my bright shiny stars and the Good Lord blessed us with rain. We are always
thankful for the rain! Right now, the sun is shining bright!
I have a lot on my mind and in my heart. I know I always have much to share but right
now the words just don't make sense.

I'm going to post the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary - Prayer always makes sense!
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 (3) 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.


Have a wonderful weekend! Blessings to you and yours!

Mama Mary, Please Pray for Us!

Good morning out there! Last night I went to the May Crowning at St. Mary's
Catholic Church. The Mass was beautiful and the procession to take flowers up
to the statue of Mother Mary was very moving. Last night was also the kick-off
to our month long "Rosary for Life Crusade!" After Mass we met out by the grotto.
Chairs were placed where people could sit and visit while we handed out cookies
and drinks. The young children took their snacks and dashed off to play on the
swing set and slides. We handed out pro-life prayer booklets and talked about
our pro-life mission and how to protect our children and grandchildren from the
many issues they face.
Think about this - you have to be 17 or older to go to a Rated R movie or be
accompanied by a parent, guardian, etc. But a young teenage girl (I'm talking
about a 12, 13, 14, 15 year old, etc. can go to a Planned Parenthood or another
facility like that by themselves and receive birth control, STD testing, etc.
Isn't that frightening? Does that make any sense at all?
Be vigilant - pay attention to who your children are talking to, what shows they
are watching, the music they are listening to, the books they are reading.
Be involved in your children's lives - don't take for granted that because they
checked out a book from the school library that it is appropriate.
Communication is so important. Go to Mass or a church service together as a
family. Pray together - get in the routine of saying a prayer with them while you
are taking them to school. Pray before meals and pray at bedtime. Hug your
children and hug your spouse and let love and laughter flow throughout your
home.

Last night we came together as a community of Catholic parents, grandparents,
aunts, uncles, and friends. We prayed the Litany in Response to Abortion at
the end of our time together. This litany is a very moving prayer. I will try to
post it later on this week.
Please pray for families everywhere!
Today is Wednesday- The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary (The prayers are at
the bottom if you need them)

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.