Good morning out there! It is a beautiful, blue skies, sun shiny day! This post/story is #514 and marks ten years of stories from my heart! Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read my blog. I'm humbled, blessed, and amazed that my stories are read from people all across our world. In the stats section of my blog, there is a page that lists the countries where my blog is read. There is also a map and the countries are colored with shades of blue if my blog is read there. This week, for example, there are more people in Hong Kong reading my blog than there are in the United States! Canada, France, Sweden, and Ireland are some of the other countries that are lit up in blue! Each week is different and I'm truly amazed!
I've always prayed that my stories would touch other people's hearts. I see each story as a seed that I'm sowing and I pray that God will do the rest and send my stories wherever they need to go, to whomever needs to read that particular story at that time. When I see the names of countries where my blog is read, I know that my prayers have been answered. How else would people from other countries find my obscure, little blog? Yes, I do post my stories on Facebook and Twitter (I still like the little blue bird more than the X). And as many of you know...I also send out text messages to my family and friends, with the link to my blog when I've written a new story. Thank you all for putting up with me! I've also been blessed to share some of my stories on Catholic 365. Please check out their website at Catholic365.com - for more inspirational and informative stories from other Catholic writers and bloggers!
I decided years ago not to have commercial ads appear throughout the stories on my blog. I'm glad that my stories are commercial free! I have too many favorite stories to pick one or two to share by copying and pasting. So I'm going to list a link to one story each for the first five years! And you can choose whether to read them or not!
I did copy my very first post from ten years ago today and it will follow this paragraph. As I re-read that that first story I excitedly wrote, I had no idea where that one story would go or how many stories would follow it. My life, just like yours, has certainly changed over the last ten years. Through it all, the laughter and the tears, the prayers full of faith and hope, the love shared, the joy and the sorrow, God has been right here. God is with us through all times and all seasons.
Blessings to you, my family and friends! Thank you for reading these stories from my heart!
Saturday, March 22, 2014
This blog is going to be positive, full of life, and informational. I'm excited to get started. I will post links to pro-life web sites, talk about good books, and share stories about my crazy, wonderful life!
Things have definitely changed from that first post! Blessed with more grandchildren and the oldest three are graduating this year! And so much more...life is a gift - go out and be a light in this big old world!
The story is from March 2014: Dad and the Banker story!
https://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2014/03/good-morning-out-there-this-post-is.html
January 2015: This story is one of my favorites! How I started drinking coffee and Jim did too! Love him!
https://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-cutest-little-percolator-i-received.html
One of my, "You might be Catholic if..... stories! January 2016:
https://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2016/01/you-might-be-catholic-ifyou-just-took.html
Love this one! February 2017: Family time!
https://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2017/02/yellow-rose-petals-and-monstrance-in-sky.html
June 2018 - 35 years of marriage!
https://adoptedandblessed.blogspot.com/2018/06/red-roses-lemon-bars-and-35-years-of.html
Peace and blessings to you and yours, near and far, wherever you are!
Bye for now, Sharla
