Thankful for Sundays and God's Amazing Grace

Hello out there! This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice! Sunday is such a special day. I treasure the slower pace, and am thankful to Almighty God our Father, because He knew we would need a day to rest. Our phones don't ring as much, very few text messages are received or sent, coffee is finished before it gets cold, and the highlight of our day is going to the 6:00 pm Mass on Sunday evening.

This morning, Jim opened the kitchen windows so that we could feel the morning breeze. He had filled up our bird baths that are in the front yard last night. We have a regular bird bath, next to our statue of St. Francis, not far from our kitchen window. And two "red-neck" bird baths that are next to an oak tree closer to the road. One of the "red-neck" bird baths is an oblong stock tank. This tank is used by the thirsty deer, stray dogs, including a three legged dog that jumps right into the stock tank every-time he runs by (cools him off and he get a drink), Jim calls him Lucky! Several birds splish-splash as they take a bath! Our cardinals came and visited us this morning - three couples! Three bright red handsome male cardinals and their lovely wives! They flew in and out of our large oak tree and jumped all over the ground until two squirrels dashed by and they all took flight.

I glanced through the newspaper this morning and quickly folded it back up. There is nothing I can do about all the craziness in our world right now except to pray. I pray for our eyes to be opened to God's words, His message for us, His path for us. I pray for God to help me hold my tongue, to listen more and speak less. And I say this in all seriousness because I have a tendency to say too much, always have an answer, always want to help, and sometimes people just need a listening ear. I pray that these posts/stories I write will touch the hearts of those who need them the most. I pray that God will continue to remind me of the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

the Courage to change the things I can;

and the Wisdom to know the difference.

I'm thankful that Jim and I are able to spend time with our children and grandchildren. I pray that as they grow older and look back, they'll remember how much we love them and the example we have tried to teach by our actions, not just our words. I pray that they will remember how much we depend on God and how thankful we are for our many blessings. God is always with us, through everything He is with us. Sometimes He walks beside us, sometimes He carries us, and He always loves us - through it all - reach out to Him, answer the door when He knocks, and always seek His guidance.

Last night, Jim and I sat on the back porch and enjoyed the evening breeze, the starry skies, and the skinny, crescent moon. We solve the world's problems on our back porch. We pray and hope for people in office to seek God's counsel, to use their common sense, and then we pray the Serenity Prayer. I told Jim that I think about St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta a lot. She was an amazing, giving, and courageous woman of God. Can you imagine what she saw everyday? She and the religious community she founded, Missionaries of Charity, took care of the poorest of the poor on a daily basis. Jim and I talked about how there was no end in sight to their mission. Everyday, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick and dying who lay in the streets. Getting up every morning, praying and going out to take care of the many who so desperately need their help. Look up the Missionaries of Charity to find out more about all they do and where they are located.

One of my favorite quotes from St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is, "God doesn't require us to succeed; only that we try." I've also heard the quote this way, "God hasn't called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful." Either way, the message is simple and one I carry in my heart. If you know me, or you've read other stories from my blog, you've heard my pro-life/pro-family message. I will share my message of life, of adoption being a loving, life option, the miracle of life from conception, and the help that is available for pregnant moms and their babies. I will pray for the fortitude to work each and every day, even if it's in a small way, to be a voice for precious unborn babies and their mothers and fathers as well. I will continue to reach out and share the beautiful message of life because planned or unplanned; a crisis pregnancy or a much prayed for pregnancy; a baby is a baby.

I will close with a prayer I wrote five years ago:

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 too 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.

Thank you for taking the time to read my stories!

Peace and blessings to you and yours! Bye for now, Sharla