"Here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills." Song of songs 2:8

There are many more pictures from Christmas Camp... so today as I ramble, I will share more of them... not necessarily commenting on each one.  I heard from some of my family that they scan the pictures and not necessarily read all my sharing, so I will try to keep it short...

I also received an email from a dear friend that made me even more appreciative of the family that Pat and I  have been blessed with!  I can't say that I take the joy of family for granted, but it sadens me to hear that others can only get a taste of family joy by reading and looking at what I share...  It truly makes me realize that I have much to pray for and that I hope that I can spread that word that with Christ's love at the center... healing and love can aboud in families! 

Yes, our family has it's issues just like any other... but there was some sharing after the rosary the last morning about some issues that we wanted to deal with yet not drive people away... as my son in law said so beautifully..."It is nice to just all be together."  And there can only be healing and love amoung such a large and diverse group with lots of Love, Prayer, and Forgiveness! 

Someone mentioned that one of the families that ended in divorce... the spouse that was no longer with us had tried to tell her children that they would no longer be accepted or included... they would be blackballed!  Over the years, even though they had heard this and at first believed it... they have come to see that they are every bit as much valued and given the same baby showers and wedding showers... right beside their cousins at the rate that they happen in my family there are most always happening within months of each other! 

That was so good to hear, and to realize that due to the love shown no matter what over the years... they realized that we genuinely loved them and cared for them! 

After this last year and a half with John's cancer... my feelings about presents has really taken a turn for the less than enthusiastic... Just give me quality time with my family... So I arrived at Camp with just a little non personal gift card for my 5 Godchildren... I felt that this did not show them the love and concern that I have for them... I have started taking my promise to pray for them very much to heart... I pray the 1st decade of the Luminous Mysteries - the Baptism of the Lord- for them daily... This has been going on for quite a few years now, and I know that the Lord is honoring these prayers and at work in their lives!

So it struck me that I would as a gift to both of us... seek them out and visit with them for at least half an hour... to catch up on their lives and get past the "small talk" and really find out some deep things and meaningful things to them!  I think that a new tradition has begun!

IT was great!  I must say that one arrived late and I kind of missed a really good conversation,but we did share about his upcoming wedding plans!  Congratulations David and Christy!  I had some of them hug me and thank me for the time that we spent together!  IT was a wonderful thing to do and was truly what the holiday is all about!

I did not tell them that I have been praying for them... maybe I should, but many of them are finding their way and are in maybe a better place with their walk of faith... I know and trust that the Lord is actively there in their lives loving and guiding them!  Jesus, I trust in you!

Knowing my parents and how they uphold the truth for us... there are times that they worry and are disappointed and usually let us know about it... yet we always know that we are loved and that they are pointing these things out to us out of their love and concern for us and our welfare! 

My dad shared that he takes very seriously the children that he has been given and getting them to embrace their faith and to "know" and follow Him!  "I worry for my children - all 11 of them!  I want us all to be in heaven together someday!"  How I pray for that every day for my huge family, and Pat's!" 

So much in the readings for today!  Today is the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth!  It is also the winter solstice - or the shortest day of the year!  It looks to be a glorious and sunny day out there today! 

Tears were pushing at my eyes as I read the first reading today.. I used part of it for my title today from Song of Songs 2:8-14    His love for us is so intense that He came in the form of a lowly helpless infant... How He is seeking us and yearning for us to come to Him and be His! 

"Hark! MY LOVER - here he comes springing acorss the mountains, leaping across the hills.  My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag.  Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices.

"My lover speaks; he says to me, 'Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and Come!  For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone.  The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, the song of the dove is heard over the land.

"The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.  Arise my beloved, my beautiful one,and come!

"O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.'"

These words were spoken to each one of us this day, by Him who loved us with His life!  They are so intimate and personal and loving and needing us to turn to him and accept his love that covers us as with a warm hug!  How we need him and yearn for the happiness and peace that he alone can bring into our lives!

Joseph returns to us... a man that has found his place and is filled with the joy of sharing his life in the army so far... yet he is amazed to be home with his famiy for 2 weeks... we are so grateful to the Army to allow him this time at this most Family Time of Year! 

It was good to see his face alight with joy!  Today in the Gospel - Luke 1:39-45 - Joy abounds!  Elizabeth gives us the Biblical words of the Hail Mary... "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the HOLy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, 'Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  And how does it happento me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fullfilled.'"

It has struck me with great joy to realize that the baby that is now starting to "show" in Nancy... is about the size of the baby Jesus in Mary when she went to see Elizabeth!  I have always loved this scene as a mother that has loved to be pregnant and wanted all the children that I could have!  There is such a symbol of the respect of life here!  It was even used one year for the respect - reverence for life weekend - the two pregnant women greeting each other... the joy was within and without!

Little David was so joyful to see his daddy again! The seperation is hard, but the joy at the reunion is so powerful after being apart for 3 weeks!  I see that with the struggle that the armed services is having with depression - that it is wise to allow them to be with their families for the holidays! 

We rejoice! Thank you Lord!  Although Hallel is with her new family in France... and we miss her tearfully at times... this is huge to have our sweet son in law reunited with his little family!

Uncle Bill got the 5 grandkids down by their tree and fireplace for some shots... a gift to grandma!  I promised to keep this short... I  am just so filled with JOY and the powerful realization of this profound and endless love for us!  To have it all rolled into the coming of a child and how I would long for that in my own life... now to be my daugther, who waited so long, now bursting with life and the joy that comes with it!  So many prayers went into this union of man and wife and now the blessing of family so soon!  I am a mess of emotions and prayers and gratitude and yes... a few worries that all will turn out fine!

Simon was so sweet with baby cousin, David... I just realized that it is his first birthday today!  WE got home from Christmas Camp a year ago to Maria going in and having her David! John and I were gone part of the day for our trip to Rochester for his last week of radiation... but we were happy to go to the hospital and meet our grandson/nephew for the first time!  He was so beautiful and truly filled me once again with the wonder of the Christ Child...looking at my new grandson just days before the birth of our Lord!

So Happy Birthday our sweet little "Boom-Boom" David Joseph!  WE are happy that you are with your wonderful family in Wisconsin... celebrating the wonder of life!  I know that you will get so many hugs and kisses and some wonderful songs and dances as daddy plays for you on his guitar and sings for JOY!

Dear Jesus.. we are so aware today of your endless and forgiving love... Allow us to turn into your loving nail scarred hands open wide to take us ever closer to your heart burning with love for us!  Thank you for coming to us in the form of the precious innocent human state of a Child yet God!  It reminds us so powerfully of the preciousness of LIFE!  Thank you for our little one year old as he celebrates with his family the day of his coming into the world.... A world where light abounds with Christ in the center of our lives and our families!  May we continue to dwell in your light and find your joy within our families!  Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"For Christmas says to us, amid our doubts and bewilderment:  God exists. Not as an infinitely distant power that can at best terrify us; not as being's ultimate ground that is not conscious of itself.  Rather he exists as One who can be concerned about us; he is such that everything we are and do lies open to his gaze.  But that gaze is the gaze of LOVE.  He is there."  Pope Benedict XVI