"Mary kept these things reflecting on them in her heart." Luke 2:19 - "The seed is the word of God. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word of God, embrace it with a generous heart, and bear fruit through perseverance." Luke 8: 11b, 15Mary allowed the Word to take flesh within her womb! May we as mother's also allow the gift of life to come forth from our wombs and then with perseverance form a "domestic Church" where they can become lights to the world and bearers of the Word!
Our Lady of the Clothesline! "How shall the young remain sinless? By obeying your word." Psalm 119
Our Lady of the Clothesline! "How shall the young remain sinless? By obeying your word." Psalm 119Wouldn't it be great to help our kids live a life with Christ? It is a challange to us as parents to give our kids the best gift that there is - faith and love for our Lord and for His Blessed Mother and for the Church! The years that we had those precious little ones in our homes and arms... it was powerful to attend mass and all the wonderful feast days and special times of the seasons of the Church... in our home Advent and Lent/Easter were exciting and close family times... where we would gather in our home for special reading and sharing of prayer and singing!
" A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks." Luke 6:45
A year ago when John was so sick... Lilly, our dog, was on death's door... John took her in to the vet and dutifully nursed her back to health... giving her a chunk of velveeta cheese filled with the many pills she needed to try to cure her "farmdog disease." Now today it gives John great delight to see his dog bouncing around like a puppy! A few weeks ago his Aunt Joyce followed the men around for a day on the farm... John and Joyce ended up giving Lilly a wonderful bath and brushing out by the pump! Now she even smells good!
Lilly's illness and need for John to "nurse" her... was a healing thing for John as he had to think about some other need than his own! When he left for 4 days of chemo every other week... he was very concious of lining up someone to be sure the Lilly had her meds morning and night and would call to check up on her and that she was getting her meds! As they both recovered over the winter... John would let her in to lay beside him on the couch with her head in his lap and they would bask in the feeling of well being and hope!
A year has brought a huge healing and change for both John and Lilly.. John helped her to come to health and she in turn now gives him Joy to watch her run and jump and takes courage and hope that with work and time he too will be able to accomplish that once again in his life. It is easy to forget that we have John's being here alive and without cancer to celebrate and not to still mourn the loss of his normal perfect use of his left side due to the surgery needed a year ago to diagnose the cancer of his brain! 
Today is the feast day not only of our Lady , but also ST Sharbel Makhluf... He was Lebanese and lived in the 1800s. One thing that really struck me about him is his devotion to God and Creator of the Universe in the form of bread - the Eucharist! He eventually became a hermit and "he celebrated mass close to noon so as to devote the morning to preparation, and the rest of the day in thanksgiving." Now that is living your life entirely within Him! It is powerful to imagine how close and deep that would take a person to GOD! St Sharbel we pray that you help us to take all doubt and distraction out of the way so that we can honor our God in the flesh... the Eucharist! May we fall before you in humility and love!
"How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!" Psalm 84 And that means within you and me... Come Holy Spirit!
"Even the sparrow finds a home,
" A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks." Luke 6:45
A year ago when John was so sick... Lilly, our dog, was on death's door... John took her in to the vet and dutifully nursed her back to health... giving her a chunk of velveeta cheese filled with the many pills she needed to try to cure her "farmdog disease." Now today it gives John great delight to see his dog bouncing around like a puppy! A few weeks ago his Aunt Joyce followed the men around for a day on the farm... John and Joyce ended up giving Lilly a wonderful bath and brushing out by the pump! Now she even smells good!
Lilly's illness and need for John to "nurse" her... was a healing thing for John as he had to think about some other need than his own! When he left for 4 days of chemo every other week... he was very concious of lining up someone to be sure the Lilly had her meds morning and night and would call to check up on her and that she was getting her meds! As they both recovered over the winter... John would let her in to lay beside him on the couch with her head in his lap and they would bask in the feeling of well being and hope!
A year has brought a huge healing and change for both John and Lilly.. John helped her to come to health and she in turn now gives him Joy to watch her run and jump and takes courage and hope that with work and time he too will be able to accomplish that once again in his life. It is easy to forget that we have John's being here alive and without cancer to celebrate and not to still mourn the loss of his normal perfect use of his left side due to the surgery needed a year ago to diagnose the cancer of his brain! 
Today is the feast day not only of our Lady , but also ST Sharbel Makhluf... He was Lebanese and lived in the 1800s. One thing that really struck me about him is his devotion to God and Creator of the Universe in the form of bread - the Eucharist! He eventually became a hermit and "he celebrated mass close to noon so as to devote the morning to preparation, and the rest of the day in thanksgiving." Now that is living your life entirely within Him! It is powerful to imagine how close and deep that would take a person to GOD! St Sharbel we pray that you help us to take all doubt and distraction out of the way so that we can honor our God in the flesh... the Eucharist! May we fall before you in humility and love!
"How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!" Psalm 84 And that means within you and me... Come Holy Spirit!
"Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young -
Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my king and my God!
Blessed are they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!" Psalm 84
"Halleluia, halleluia. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Halleuia, halleluia." The greeting of the Gospel from mass today! Yes, we are open and excited Lord to embrace the seed - Your Word - that has been planted in our hearts and souls. May we nourish it to abundant life by coming to worship and receive you this weekend at mass! And to share each day in our homes in the small church that dwells here among your families!
Another wonderful rain! The crops are luxurious this summer and we are praising him for the wonderful moisture and heat units that add up to a beautiful crop! I had to drive 10 miles an hour in the pouring rain last night... It came hard and fast!
It is a delight to watch things grow and flourish in the wonderful growing season! Thank you Lord! May we also grow and yield many "fold" as we serve you and love you with all that we do and say! Jesus we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia! Bless-bless, Barb
"Halleluia, halleluia. Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Halleuia, halleluia." The greeting of the Gospel from mass today! Yes, we are open and excited Lord to embrace the seed - Your Word - that has been planted in our hearts and souls. May we nourish it to abundant life by coming to worship and receive you this weekend at mass! And to share each day in our homes in the small church that dwells here among your families!
Another wonderful rain! The crops are luxurious this summer and we are praising him for the wonderful moisture and heat units that add up to a beautiful crop! I had to drive 10 miles an hour in the pouring rain last night... It came hard and fast!
It is a delight to watch things grow and flourish in the wonderful growing season! Thank you Lord! May we also grow and yield many "fold" as we serve you and love you with all that we do and say! Jesus we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia! Bless-bless, Barb
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