I went back to our caringbridge entries around this time last year, because I know that the day is closing in for our anniversary of the MRI that showed the tumor growing back and the start of radiation... About a week yet til that... I found this entry for today, and it made me happy,so I thought that I would cut and paste it here for you all... I had a exciting night just before sunset... Pat, I and Paul brought the cows home across the field from the back pasture... Ruth and the kids were up in the yard and had the job of keeping them away from the round corn stalk bales... I will add some of those pictures along with our sharing from a year ago!
JOY! It is the theme of the day for us around here! Every morning, since we got back from France... John comes down the stairs in the morning with a smile on his face. Who could ask for anything more than that? I usually hesitate to wake him, but I long to have breakfast with him and have some time to read the morning prayer together. I call up the stairs and he answers sleepily and in short order joins me for food and prayer. WE laugh and enjoy watching the now healthy dog sit and look at us with pleading eyes out on the deck... She now has shifted to beef flavored dog bone treats from her chunk of velveeta with hidden meds as she is done with them.... She is healed! The last few mornings, while John waits for his dad to let him know when to come out and help, Lilly comes in for some snuggles. True Pet therapy for both the boy and the dog!
Except for that first week and a half between the first and second chemo... John has been happy with each day that comes along. He would probably tell you that there is no way anything could compare to the week he was in the Cities when the Twins were winning there at the end of the season, but he just is so good at taking it as it comes and finding the good in the situation. A good lesson for me to learn from him! He has promised me that he will write you all tomorrow after he has had his first PT in the swimming pool today. That should be fun to read!
There is one quote that I have been so wanting to share ever since I read it the other night! It is once again from my early mentor, Fr Thomas A'Kempis... and is so fitting with this idea of Joy!
The most devout King David danced before the ark of God with all of his might... He made instruments of sundry kinds, he set forth psalms, and appointed them to be sung with Joy; he also oftentimes himself sang to the harp, being inspired with the grace of the Holy Ghost. He taught the people of Israel to praise God with their whole hearts, with with voices full of harmony to bless and praise him every day.
If so great devotion was then used, and such celebrating of divine praise was kept up before the ark of the testament; What reverence and devotion ought now to be preserved by me and all Christian people, during the ministration of this sacrament, in receiving the most precious body and blood of Christ.... behold thou art thyself here present with me on thine altar, my God, Saint of saints, Creator of men, and Lord of the angels.
I have had John say to me in the past that... "Why aren't poeple jumping up and down with Joy after they have received Jesus?" And it is a justifiable question... but when you realize just what A'Kempis wrote there about just how great a thing has just happened when we receive our maker, Lord of the universe in the form of bread and wine tranformed into Him!... It is pretty awe inspiring and hence the deeply interior devotion that it instills... Yes, we take that forth with great joy into our lives and allow it to tranform the dullness of day to day into LIGHT!
In ending today, as John and Pat and Ed are all out around our house now taking the corn out, I would think it be fitting to share a verse or so from the "Hallel" psalms...the psalms of praise and joy... Psalms 145-150. These are the exact psalms that A'Kempis is writing about... King David dancing and singing in front of the ark!
All living creatures look hopefully to you,
and you give them food when they need it.
You give them enough and satisfies the needs of all.
I will always praise the Lord;
let all his creatures praise his holy name forever. PS 145:15,16,21
Mary with Lilly tonight! They both love to be around the cows together!
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his temple!
Praise his strength in heaven!
Praise him for the mighty things he has done!
Mary found her special friend, Snowball!
Praise his supreme greatness.
Praise him with trumpets.
Praise him with harps and lyres.
Praise him with drums and dancing.
Praise him with harps and flutes.
Praise him with cymbals,
Praise him with loud cymbals.
Praise the Lord, all living creatures!
Prasie the Lord!
Oh, what joy fills our hearts Lord at all that you give us! Help us to spread the joy of your presence within us to all that we come in contact with this day! Amen and Alleluia! The Verlys
Bless-bless, Barb
"Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at his disposition, and listening to his voice in the depths of our hearts." Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
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