In a few weeks we will welcome the arrival of our 6th grandchild, and there is much excitement and prayers for him... A month and a half ago Maria was to head out on her big adventure to Georgia, and my main goal was to get the 5 grandkids together for a keepsake photo shoot... I am thinking that I will soon be able to see Maria and her two little ones in the next week, so the excitement is building! I am also to expect my Johnny home after finals this evening, so I am blessed and excited to see him! We have always been close, but especially so after sharing a year together fighting and finding healing from brain cancer! On Monday we return to Rochester for his every 3 month check up, and we continue to trust and be positive that we are healed!
Trying to get 5 kids of varying ages to all smile for the camera... it is usually a funny combination of activity! And to look at it over the years, and laugh at the antics is a gift that gives and gives... Today with all the comings and goings and uncertainties of what is going to happen... it is always an unfolding journey with our families. The time we spend supporting each other and being there when needed is important in helping us along the road called FAMILY! It is a road with twists and turns and ups and downs and mudslides and snowstorms along the way! But most of all it is a road filled with wonderful scenery and sunrises and sunsets and all the glory in between...that reminds us without a doubt that the Lord is with us every step of the way, and He created us with LOVE, and reveals that to us each and every day!
How amazing it would be for the 5 to be together again, and to welcome the new little cousin soon! There is a possiblity that Maria and the kids could be coming to pick up a car and some of their things that are here in the basement... so just the possiblity is exciting... Otherwise I could be going that way with their car and stuff and flying back, so I will be able to see them this week one way or the other! That is exciting too! The cousins miss each other, but it would be a lot for Maria to bring her two kids along on a plane and then drive all that way with them too! As I am experiencing and writing about today... we all first of all pray about how things are to work out, and then each give our input, and finally it will all fall into place! It does look like Maria will be living probably with the kids in St Paul after 6 months, while Joe is stationed in Cuba, so then we will be seeing them more regularly! But we are learning with the that all can change and nothing is for sure. 
I am so blessed by the ins and outs of family, and truly rely on my prayers daily to reveal the directions it will take me, and all of my kids, and husband. Today with the weather preventing the planting of the crop... there is a tension related to all that, yet Pat continues to be the eternal optimist and trusts that it will still all turn out fine. He just prayed this morning for all to fall into place for a "boutiful crop." Our shared prayer time and personal prayer time is very much what we rely on to be the best that we can be, and to support all those that need us to help them on the journey - those that we live and work with!
There is much excitement today in the readings for the day - the Martyrdom of the first martyr after Christ - St Stephen - happy feast day to our Godson, Stephen! And also getting into the real meat of John 6 in the Gospel today... the readings that really scream out to the world that Christ is asking us to partake of the Eucharist, and that He has truly given us his Body and Blood to eat at the Banquet of LIFE! Jesus tells us; "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." John 6:30-35
One reason that Maria is coming for a car to use, is so that she will be able to get to daily mass. This stems back to her conversion back to the Church... leaving for college determined to leave the Church, and join an E free. She had a lifechanging conversation with a seminarian at St Thomas... she went from attending half heartedly on Sunday to going every day to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and to devour the Word in the readings for each day... they are universally read in every Catholic Church throughout the world! This daily mass attendance really has not changed for her, and throughout her amazing faith filled journey as she studied in Rome for a year, entered the Poor Clares for 5 months considering religious life, and meeting Joseph, courtship and marriage, and then having a 2 month old on their first anniversary... daily mass was always a part of her life as a young woman, who made her faith her own in the True Church! So for her to go to these lengths to have an opportunity to go to daily mass is not surprising to any of us! 
Well, the journey has yet to be layed out before us this week... it will prove to be very much of an exercise of prayer and go forth. Jesus,we put all of it in your hands... knowing that you are in control and all that you ask of us is to listen to your voice.... as spoken to us in your amazing Word, and in the needs of those that surround us in our families and seeing you in the faces of all those that we come in contact with! We are yours - use us to your honor and glory, and may we serve with a smile and cheerful spirit! WE know where we can go to get the strength for the journey and the food of Eternal Life - your Table! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb the Fervent
The letter taped inside my TEC Bible from Maria in 2002...
"I love you! I am sorry if I have been stubborn lately about this statement, but it is true. You have always loved me , even when I totally turned against you and all that you believe in. Well, now you know that prayers are definitely answered , because I know that my faith filled a lot of your prayer time in the last 2 years. My relationships at college have really helped me. I have definitely renewed my love of the Catholic Church and everything in it, but I am still in need of prayers for me to continue to grow in this faith.
I don't think that I've ever told you this, but you and dad are amazing. You raised all of us in The Church and built us a faith foundation on which we can now grow on. Thank you! Maria Theresa"
"Let us be renewed so that we may thus attend the new feast of the new Lamb, for today we shall not be feasting on the flesh and blood of brute animals as the Jews did, but on God himself, on our Lord Jesus Christ who was sacrificed as our Passover. He is our new, completely sufficient, and rich banquet.... Christ is a sufficient sacrifice for everything and for everyone: to atone for sins, restore peace between God and humankind, win a hearing for human prayers, and overcome enemies... Since we have been invited to the table of Christ, let us prepare a similar one for him: let us love him as he has loved us, humble ourselves for him as he humbled himself for us, and be ready to die for him as he died for us." Ralph the Fervent (1101) was a French Diocesan Priest... Lord, may I be Barb the Fervent... I love this! 
hi. I came across your blog as i was looking for information on Ralph the Fervent! Thank you for including the quote from today's Magnificat reading. Your farm focus is really interesting. I work as an ag writer in Calgary, Canada for a company called AdFarm. We specialize in agrimarketing communications. I'd love to chat with you further via email about the blending of faith and farming, a topic i'm working on in my spare time. my work email is ron.wall@adfarmonline.com. Blessings. Ron.
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