Heritage of Faith and Family and Farm!

Simon laughed so hard when Nancy told the Simon at the desk to put his coat on and come home - "Oh, my goodness!  There are two Simons!"  She exlaimed and Simon just busted out laughing!  It was special to be once again going from room to room with the 3 that attend the same school that Nancy, John, Pat and all of our kids attended!  I know that Nancy would without hesitation love to have Augustine able to attend Holy Redeemer, but there is already talk of the Catholic school he will attend in Plymouth, and we are sure that will be wonderful too! 

Walking in the door of the school... we were asked how many generations had gone there so far...I knew that Pat's mom had attended Catholic School through 8th grade, so we are on the 4th generation of Verlys/Lanoues!  It has been wonderful and to see the pride and joy of our grandkids to show us the things that they do... it is a delight and a real walk down memory lane for all of us!  Those 8 years since John left there just flew by!  I am sure for Pat, when Ruth started going there - it was a similar feeling!

Ruth and Paul were gone on a Future Farmers weekend, and Paul speaks glowingly of how Ruth is blossoming before his eyes in her representation of Agriculture! Pat says that if Ruth had been a boy that she would have been his farmer, although she wears other hats that she serves the world with... Creighton Model instructor and wound care nurse - most importantly wife and mother!  Such a testament to how being open to life and where the Lord through the wisdom of His Bride, the Church, will lead us!  I will forever remember the day that she came home from seeing the doctor after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary, and tearfully telling me that the doctor told her no more children.  I felt so horrible and responsible for encouraging her to Vback after having a C section with her first... I certainly didn't want to tell her to do anything that would endanger her and the baby, but I just knew that she should get a second opinion on such a monumental decision with her fertility!  I encouraged Ruth and Paul to go and meet with the Catholic woman surgeon, who had saved her uterus after she had been airlifted to Sioux Falls - ruputuring her uterus as Mary was coming down the birth canal!  They met with her, and she made them promise that they would not get pregnant for a year, and then with careful monitoring they would get the baby here by C section as soon as it was ready - she now calls David her gift, and in April after giving her womb almost 4 years between - she will have another child that would not have been here without prayers and being open to the call to LIFE!   In order to promise the surgeon to wait out of necessity - they learned and followed the Creighton Model method - Ruth not only learned it, but she became an instructor and now helps other women, who struggle with fertility issues or need to wait for children for one reason or another!  So wonderful to use natural means in which both spouses are involved in abstaining in the fertile times if preventing according to the wisdom of our amazing Church!  When we use this system then there is always someone else in the picture - Christ and His Wisdom and will!  So amazing to know that our divine providence includes the gift of our families!  - how I prayed and cried that they could be here with us, but now looking at the complete picture I see that having them there is drawing our eyes and thoughts heavenward, and that losing them from this world makes us appreciate and genuinely love one another that much more!  We are a very close family, and I see that this openess to LIFE is the root of our LOVE!

I know that there is a sense of uncertainty and a bit of worry amongst my daughters as the result of living through my own history of struggles with my childbearing years! Now my 3rd daughter has had 2 mischarriages in the last year, and both times I was with her!  Now being pregnant once again in Texas while her husband is in the ... the first thing she told me was that she didn't want to see me for her first trimester..."Mom, you can't come and see me!"  She said in a joking but very real tone!  The day she came home from her ultrasound and took 3 year old Therese on her lap... she told her that the baby had died and gone to heaven and the two of them cried long and hard together!  How I had prayed that my girls would not have to experience the loss that I had... yet I see that they have such a deep sense of respect for LIFE in their openess to family and also in the ways that they minister to the world in LIFE issues!  I see them taking stands for LIFE and working to promote LIFE in many ways!  I see that my parents also influenced me in this way, and shortly after we were married I joined Birthright - "I want to do something for LIFE... I don't just want to say that I am prolife... I want to BE PROLIFE!"

Jesus, I am so grateful for the way that you have been in control of my life!  The Most Cherished Cross of marriage and family has been hard at times, and the tears have been rivers at times... now I can see the wisdom of the losses and the ones that are watching out for us from heaven - 6 angels that we shall meet someday!  Our eyes are drawn heavenward and the day of meeting shall be so filled with wonder and JOY!  Thank you for this weekend with family to remind us of all the blessings that have flowed over us as we follow the path called Faith/Family/Farm!  I had always felt that the farm was such a wonderful place to raise our large family, and although it really didn't quite work out as we thought it would - it is the best ever!  The wisdom of my husband,when at our engaged encounter, even I was confused by the lies of the world that it is selfish to bring little ones into this mess of a world..."The world needs lights!"  he said so stong and clear and without hestitation!  Yes!  The world needs lights, and the Most Cherished Cross has become the blossoming Tree of LIFE!  I am overwhelmed by the Truth which comes from the Holy Spirit within the Temple of our Souls!  Jesus, we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens."  Ephesians 1:3

The words of St Paul are amazing!

"Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again: Rejoice!  Your kindness should be known to all.  The Lord is near.  Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 4: 4-7