"Berna"- dette cuddling with a soft teddy bear. Her Auntie Sue/Little sister Hallel called her Berna when she was here for her home visit, so we feel closer to her when we hear it and say it! I can hear her kidding joking voice filled with affection for the little ones, and it brings the burning feeling of tears to my eyes! How we all loved to be together in reality for 4 days in April! We drove to Texas to pick up Maria and her kids so that we truly could get all the grandkids together and siblings together - minus a couple husbands, at one point one was able to join in the craziness called Faith/Family/Farm! It was further made so close by a huge snow that came just as we arrived up the driveway from our crazy trip from Marshall to El Paso to Kansas City and then back to our farm in Marshall. We got home in some sleet, and by morning there was so much snow that Hallel and I could not get to town to mass! We scooped a path 3 miles to Ruth's where all the rest were gathered and there we were snow bound together for days! John made it home from the seminary in a window between storms and so the siblings were together for the first time in years! My picture was complete!
Trudging through the snow to the house... the kids were unable to go to school to add to the completeness of our family time! This morning Pat came in to announce that it will be cold winter freezing up our world and the field around our house, and winter will be here! The kids seemed to understand that winter will officially begin and with it the more time in the house. Nancy and Bill will be heading to Pennsylvania for a week, and maybe chase the thoughts of winter away further East and South. Winter is a quieting down of LIFE as all lies frozen and dead until the miracle of Spring, which brings with it Hope and new LIFE! As a person, who has always had the seasons, I would truly miss the death of winter that leads into the JOY of new green and hope filled LIFE! Pat was just talking about how many a bit older than us head out of the cold for warm places like Texas and Arizona for the winter, and would we ever want to do that. For me... I want to always be close by to family, and although now Maria and Joseph live in El Paso, chances are that they will return to the Midwest in the not too distant future! I really have no desire at this point to live someplace away from the cold and away from family - to me that sounds cold and hard although you would be in a warm social place. Family is my social and my world!
Pat's talk about winter just fits in with these pictures of our family time - together for Hallel's home visit! There is much JOY building with the anticipation of the family from Texas arriving for two weeks just before Christmas! So exciting! The pictures could be very much similar on Dec 12th thru the 24th.. we just pray for nice traveling weather! Hear our prayers, O Lord! We wouldn't mind being snowed in for that week down here, but please make it nice traveling up for the Big Cross Christmas Camp weekend! JOY is in our heart, mind and soul!
So beautiful and so deep!
The Gospel for today was a difficult one! "To everyone who has, more will be given." Luke 19! - because the act of spending ourselves for Jesus Christ creates a space in us that Jesus will fill with himself." see www.magnificat.com Now that I can understand and the parable of the King who gave the talents to his servants can make some sense! The psalm from mass all around the world in The Church this day is amazing!
Psalm 17
"Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on walking, I shall be content in your presence.
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full."
Truly, Lord, we have been made to feel precious and cherished and mercy has been shown to us in our weakness... may we return it to all those we live with in this world!
Patrick getting a bubble sink with a crowd of Davids watching and the deep cold winter snow outside - How I long to see this in a month, no 3 weeks! The plan is for all the girls and their kids to live at Ruth's large wonderful home for the week after they arrive! Such a gift!
Jesus, we are filled with so much anticipation of time we will be blessed with to share family time! To physically share our time together playing, visiting, making large meals for a tribe of hungry kids after time playing outside in winter clothes! To pray together and share the JOY and Peace and Kindness and LOVE that comes as the Fruits of Your Spirit that dwells within each of us as we share our Faith in Jesus Christ and His Glorious Bride, The Church! This is the most cherished golden coins we have been given and we yearn to make them multiply and grow times one or two or more! WE are rich in all that we receive from YOU for our small unworthiness - may we be more and more YOURS! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
The kids are gathered for one of the big meals that we shared and will share! JOY and Happiness!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke!
Fun in the snow in April!
"Idle is our labor, worthless is our toil, ashes is our fruit, corruption is our reward, unless we begin the foundation of this great undertaking in faith and prayer, and sanctify it by purity of LIFE." Blessed John Henry Newman (1890)
Third Day - God of wonders
Preparing for winter with warm thoughts and prayers!
Gus leaves in the tractor with grandpa this morning to help grind hay bales - he loves to color big green circles - hay bales! Today they leave for home so it will be the last time with grandpa for just a few weeks!
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