Today there is a warm spring rain falling on 3 large fields that the guys managed to get planted in the last 2 days. They planted until the rain made them stop, so they are feeling good about what they got accomplished, and in Southwest Minnesota we just don't complain about rain! Sharing morning prayer with a sleepy Pat, after some late nights, there was so much JOY in it as it spoke of how we are created anew by the Spirit! "All creation sings praise to God simply by being fully what the Creator intended. In the risen Christ, through the life-breath of the Spirit, all creation is brought to fullness in the great song of praise sung by a world made new." see www.magnificat.com
This just sings the most beautiful melody/symphony within me... especially witnessing the world coming to LIFE after such a long grueling winter! Having the JOY of being out on the porch last evening with the vibrant green grass all around us and the warm breezes blowing around us, and the leaves ready to burst forth from the trees and shrubs, and a sweet 1 year old brown eyed little girl content and enjoying the first spring that she remembers, after standing my the window longing to get out of the house and explore and look with new understanding eyes - the wonder of the world around her! As Pat said today about growing up with a lot of siblings - "You are just busy and distracted by all that is going on around you. LIFE is busy when you have a lot of siblings!" Pat should know that very well as he is 6 of 10! I, on the other hand, started out my family of 11 siblings - so I had 14 months where the world revolved around me. When my sister came along - I wasn't the caring and accepting oldest one as Ruth was- I think I was a bit of a pouter and let it be known that sharing the spotlight was hard.
Here is Patrick in El Paso... He is learning to eat and just loves to chew on the spoon since he is teething too. We just laugh when we see the size of his hands holding that spoon... He is so perfectly named after his grandpa Pat who has the biggest hands of anyone he has ever met - except for a Dairy farmer named Philip! The wonder of Patrick's story of healing adds to that symphony within today. That LIFE-breath of the Spirit came into Patrick when he was born dead and brought back to LIFE! He had a close encounter with Jesus and His Cross - the Tree of LIFE - just within minutes of being born dead after being without oxygen for 20 minutes! He just had an EEG - checking his brain as he has siezures shortly after birth and has been on siezure meds since. His brain is healed, and he is being weaned off his meds! He is healthy, and developing beautifullym and reminds us of the Spirit at work to this day! The Hallel Psalm of total Praise to Our God was used in morning prayer and is also the psalm in the mass shared the world over today in the Catholic Church!
Psalm 148
praise him in the heights above.
praise him, all his heavenly hosts .
praise him, all you shining stars.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
fruit trees and all cedars,
small creatures and flying birds, "
More El Paso pictures - After watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - the 3 (?) became Loyalty fighting all evil with Aslan! Ever since little Dave was here Augutine, who will be 2 on the 25th of May has started to pick up sticks to be his swords to fight for right and defeat evil! Little Dave has a strong sense of this, as I have shared after my month with them! He was in awe of the statue of St Patrick in the St Patrick's Cathedral just blocks from where his brother, Patrick, was in NICU - the most critical baby in there!
David knew that he was a good guy when he saw the snakes all around his feet as he chased them out of Ireland!
Do you love the words of St Paul as much as I do? Today he speaks so powerfully - not in one of his letters - but preaching to a crowd in Athens in Acts! "The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sancturaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is He who gives to everyone LIFE and breath and everything. He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for Him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. For 'In Him we live and move and have our being,'..." Paul preaching to those in Athens!
Wow! Can you imagine being there and listening to this man on fire - filled with the Holy Spirit- a man, who was knocked to the ground by the risen Christ as Paul was on his way to arrest and have killed those that followed HIM? Just as we never have walked with Christ on this earth - yet we know and LOVE HIM with our lives and our breath! Jesus promises us that Holy Spirit in the Gospel today..."I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you to all Truth." John 16
Joe comforting Patrick while he is teething - he sleeps better on mom or dad in the midst of the pain. New teeth are through on the bottom!!!
Jesus, we are so filled with a tremendous burning LOVE for YOU with each beat of our hearts and with each breath that we take - "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." That is the Spirit teaching us the Truth of your LOVE for us - you showed us that LOVE on the Cross - the Tree of LIFE - and you asked us to follow after YOU carrying our Most Cherished Cross! How we find LIFE there, O Lord! We embrace our Cross and find all that you promised us - the Truth - LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! We are overwhelmed with the Fruits of Your Spirit of Truth..."But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," Galations 5:22 We long to truly reveal this fruit and share it with those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family. With those the closest to us we tend to treat the worst, Lord. Why? May we truly live by the motto - "Wounded, I will not cease to LOVE." That is where the Cross truly comes into our lives, and that is when we need to deny ourselves and give without counting the cost. Hear our prayers this day. Come Holy Spirit and fill our inner temple with your LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT breath! Jesus, we trust in YOU! Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"Halleluia, halleluia. I will ask the Father and he will give you an Advocate to be with you always. Halleluia, halleluia
When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you in all Truth."
"Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me." St Patrick
Therese in a tree on May Day - May Crowning where a wonderful "priest that loves kids" - dubbed by Therese... led the procession to a park for a picnic... Therese discovered the wonder and JOY of sitting in the cool silence of the tree!
This little girl is in the car with her brother on their way to spend 2 weeks on the farm while mom and dad go to Europe... Do you think I am a lucky grandma? Yes!
I know I have used this a lot lately but it is just so True of the Spirit in our LIVES!
Holy Now by Peter Mayer
.Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left ...unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen
LOVE is new LIFE!!!!
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