It isn't exactly wonderful harvest weather these days. It is dark and dreary with some light rain on and off, and this morning there was even some sleet coming down on the deck outside. One blessing we received from this rain yesterday, is Pat coming in fairly early last night, and spending some family time in front of the fire with him! Ruth even got to come home after just 8 hours and not working her 12, so they were blessed with some family time too! It was a wonderful gift, and I give a lot of gratitude to Our Lady/Mother of Heaven and earth, as I ask her to help me carve out family time/rest time on Sundays. I know that the guys are getting frustrated by the slowness that the crop is coming out, but this was a nice blessing given us by the autumn rains... reading morning prayer this morning this verse truly spoke to me, and looking at a year ago with Patrick... this same psalm must have been used in morning prayer - I was drawn to the verse just ahead of this one... "As they go through the Bitter Valley they make it a place of springs," This truly spoke to us of our experience of little Lamb, Patrick, daily growing more alert and showing us that he was making strides in healing from being the "sickest baby" in NICU to being a healthy happy boy coming home to his family in 3 weeks time!
Jesus, today in the Gospel you give us so much to ponder as you remind us so powerfully that we need to be "rich in what matters to God." Luke 12 As I write this I am having a side conversation with Nancy and John about what he will need as he moves out on his own to a small basement apartment in an old convent just a block from the Church in Jackson, MN. He is starting a job working with youth/4H there. There is a small list of things he will need to mostly make his own meals, yet the list is modest and he will use some of the extra kitchen things that mom and sisters will gather for him. John will be relieved to just have the basics to get by and nothing fancy is needed truly. There is a certain freedom, O Lord, when you keep things simple and humble and not get hung up on splashy and extravagant things. As you reminded us in the Gospel today - we cannot take it with us, and we need to rely on YOU, Lord! We are filled with such a sense of YOU being in control and caring for our every need as we ponder all the miracles/blessings that have come to us with the autumn rains of our LIFE! There is the distinct feeling around here that we can't get those blessed rains during the summer and they come in the fall just when the men are trying so hard to get the crop out. Why? Well, it was very nice to have some family time last evening and get caught up on the rest. I look out now and see patches of blue sky, and that means that slowly the crop will start coming out again. Be with all the farmers, O Lord. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
The moon over the barn the other night - a harvest moon.
Bless-bless, Barb
"You are a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in distress; shelter from the rain, shade from the heat." Isaiah 25:4
Brave by Sara Barielles I am trying to add a video done by the U of M Ampatz Children's hospital to this song... so cool
If I am unable - here is the link
Yeah! I figured out how to add it. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Justin Lothert's family as Justin passed on to Jesus yesterday - http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/justinlothert Justin was just a few years younger than John and a student at St John's. He is from a neighboring town where we have worked many TEC retreats- Bird Island. This is for you Justin! You had to face walking into the sunset of life way to young - so brave!
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