Happy Birthday dear Anna Verly!!!!! Today marks 94 years of a great LIFE. All of us close to you are deeply affected by your Yes! to LIFE. Married to your 6th child, Patrick, and knowing of the suffering that was going on for you and your family from the time he was in your womb... it is so revealing of your strength and ability to take the hard times in life and find Faith to get through. Grace, your second child, was in the hospital in the Cities after gangrene set into her leg, which had been run over by the rock wagon. You got on the bus - carrying Pat inside of you - to see her when you could. You have shared that the bus driver would wonder if you were going up to have your baby, but then would come back still big and pregnant. To watch your little girl suffer and cry for you when you had to leave and get back to the work of family and farm, and then the scare of Pat's birth with hemorrhaging just before his birth. "That's all I need to lose you and the baby." your husband said. Miraculously all settled down and Pat arrived healthy and with those huge hands, which are a sign of his sturdiness! Hand which now seem to have been given to Pat's namesake, Patrick, in El Paso!
Here is Patrick a few days ago with a cowboy hat, training pants and a gun in his big hands... more like a gun in the hammer position. I think that you can see how large his hands are... it gives his grandpa Pat a lot of JOY!
This morning as John and I were sharing the morning office together - The Guardian angles! Every day I pray that each of our guardian angels be vigilant in watching out for our domestic Church/family! There are stories I could tell of evidence of those prayers being answered. One coming to mind was Maria speeding down country roads to a destination some years back. She didn't see a stop sign, and went zooming across a highway, and a car came flying by her just as she crossed the road. Like so close... when she told me about this, I immediately thanked her guardian angel and knew that prayers had been answered for her. Now I am praying so hard to our new little grandson's guardian angel, that he is watching out for his safety over this last month! It just makes trusting in the Lord's LOVE and HOPE for all to be well to know that they are there helping us through life. "Heaven denies us nothing that assists us... these celestial spirits have been placed at our sides to protect us, instruct us, and to guide us." St Bernard Jesus reminds us today that children are close to God..."I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of the Heavenly Father." Matt 18 I find great comfort and support in this life knowing that I have 7 in heaven looking upon the face of the Heavenly Father, and praying for me and their family! Wow! That is mega powerful for us! It has taken the idea of Guardian Angels up a notch for me!
Mom Verly surrounded by her family a few weeks ago for her birthday celebration... The little ones love her as they know how she loves them in return.
John and I prayed our intentions together this morning, and we have been praying for Pat's mother and mine, as they both are having health issues lately. John spoke with great understanding about the role of suffering in bringing us to Faith in HIM and finding Jesus in our lives. His big complaint over his formative years was that he didn't have faith or know what he believed, because life had been easy for him and he had never had to turn to his faith! "I don't feel anything." he would moan to his family. The summer of 2009 was a life changer for him, as we all know, when he half-heartedly prayed for faith... he got brain cancer to bring that saving suffering - Most Cherished Cross- to him. His story is beautifully shared by John in this article from our diocesan newspaper -
http://dnu.org/news/documents/JAN.2013MASTERISSUE.pdf I have also devoted a page to the more complete story with pictures - http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
I thought it was pretty cute this morning as John prayed for his grandmothers, who both are doing some suffering related to old age - "We need to suffer to find Jesus, but maybe give them some healing and comfort, O Lord." We know that they have had their dose of suffering over the years, O Lord, so maybe they could get by more lightly now. That is our birthday prayer for you, grandma Anna!
Ratera with her beautiful gift for her mom... great-granddaughter, Mary, prays for her wonderful great-grandmother every night as their family prays together before bed!
Jesus, with our guardian angels always gazing at your face and giving you the highest praise - Hallel praise... may that carry over to our hearts, minds, and souls this day as we hope to serve you without counting the cost. We are forever grateful for all the help we get as we travel through this LIFE. We are humble and weak children of yours and need to be taken by the hand and led away from danger. When we are jumping on the bed or climbing up on something that is dangerous in life - we need your guiding hands to put us firmly on the ground on her feet and set in the right direction - carrying our Most Cherished Cross and following down the narrow path to YOU. You show us so much LOVE and Mercy and unconditional forgiveness - may we in return give that same mercy, love and forgiveness to those in our domestic Church/family. Keep all the farmers safe as they are working long and hard at taking the crop out. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Always willing to work and help - great-grandma working beside 5 year old, David! That willing work ethic is being passed on now to 3 generations!
Bless-bless, Barb
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
― St. Thérèse de Lisieux Pat's mom lives her life in this way. I am forever grateful for her life-lessons to me. I will never be the farmwife she is, but I always have her to look up to.
“My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice, these are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words, I know it by experience.”
― St. Thérèse de Lisieux, The Little Way for Every Day: Thoughts from Therese of Lisieux 
The best of family times!!!
Danielle Rose - The Saint that is just me
Please take time to listen and watch this - so beautiful!!! Danielle writes her music in front of Jesus on the altar in adoration. Yesterday I had a physical,and the nurse asked me - "Where are you going after this?" "I am going to be with Jesus in Adoration." "O, what is that?" "We believe in the Catholic Church that Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist - His Body is transformed from the bread - He is put in a glorious sunburst monstrance, and we can come and spend an hour or more with HIM!" "I do believe that we need to come to Jesus in our lives. How can those that don't turn to him do it?" "It almost makes you want to be Catholic, right?" "I do believe that we need to spend time with Jesus!" "It is the best hour I spend of my entire week!" "I can see that." said Nancy, the nurse.
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