How Pat loves his little ones! He woke up this morning to an empty house, and commented on how different it would be if Nancy and her two little ones were here as we awoke. "Gus would be asking me to go outside and feed the cows in the num-num Brum-Brum. And little Bernadette would be reaching out to grandpa to pick her up and hold her on my lap while I had breakfast." He says this with a great longing for the little ones to make his life fun and joyful and meaningful. It seemed to me that he timed coming home for meals - late - so that all the kids would climb on his lap and help him eat- he always had many little hands either feeding him or themselves! Then the winter naps with the babies were about the most wonderful thing Pat could ever imagine. That is one picture I have at least once with each of our babies - Pat sleeping with the baby! He has recently had a couple naps with little 18 month Rose Ida - and he was just saying the other day that he misses her and we will have to have her come over this winter for her cuteness around the house and eating lunch on grandpa's lap and then the winter's nap! The other day she didn't think it was nap time yet, but grandpa put his big arm over her and she fussed for about 30 seconds before she was quiet and shortly asleep! That big arm makes fighting futile, so why not give up and give in to restful sleep?
I do feel a bit lacking compared to Pat - when I see the girls smile with LOVE at their dad as he cares with great diligence for the little ones around him, and the little ones continue to come! How we pray for their safe arrival every minute we know they are in the womb! That is one thing about our family - as soon as we know that there is a new life we share it openly - knowing of the importance of prayer in the growth and healthy development of that little life! Maria with her two losses - is always calling us as soon as she knows she is pregnant! She relies on prayers very much to keep her safe - now we pray for her uterus to heal and for safety with any future children!
Yes, we are for the moment - two old folks by the fire, but our home will not be empty for long. It really feels different to not have John here after his 5 months of being home looking for work. It is great that he has found a new path in Jackson, MN. We have seen him every weekend since he left due to work on the farm or family occasions - like Luke's Baptism last Sunday. This weekend he is determined to stay in Jackson and meet his new Church community there. He has been coming home a lot during the week to speak and share his story/journey called prayed for Faith/brain cancer/healing/the light went on. He is coming to the end of speaking engagements - we counted close to 20 sharings since July - now he is praying and hoping that he might begin doing this in his new Winona Diocese!
I am excited to go over to Ruth's shortly to see her little family! I just called over there and while we were talking heard that Rosie was busy with some little things she is gathering up in a collection. She told me that Luke slept almost 4 hours overnight and continues to be a very good baby. I heard that she got the older ones out to the bus before 7a in their boots and snowpants on this cold wintery day. Paul is gone for a meeting in the Cities, so she is handling them all alone! Pat said something to me the other Sunday that made me pause - "I was always there to help you Sunday morning." I found real fault with this statement as I usually had all 5 kids ready to go plus his clothes laid out so he could rush in late and leave... He then said that he was always there to help me get the kids in to mass from the car. That is true and is huge!
So you see that we are finding things to talk about here by the fire - and yes, we still are keeping busy with family, faith and farm! There is a slight possibility that we will be heading to Kansas City to see the Community in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow. To see our family there would be such a blessing on this weekend of Christ the King! Today we are surrounded by the bright LIGHT of St Cecelia, and the Gospel reminds us to clean up our temple and rid it of all that comes between us and Jesus! Come Holy Spirit and fill us with all that it Right and Good!
Our hearts melt with LOVE for the little ones - they instruct us on how to depend on HIM and give us much JOY. Each new one makes our LOVE grow bigger - it doesn't stretch the LOVE we have more thin!
Jesus, we are soaking in the quiet that fills our house this day. I listen to Pat doing business on the phone as my fingers fly over the keys. Why? I have this deep burning place within me that is a combination of Faith, Family and Farm! It is the wonderful LIFE that we have been given here. I yearn to share this long and loud with all that care to listen to me. I feel that most especially Pat's message to the world and to me, when I questioned whether it would be selfish to have a large family... "The world needs LIGHTS!" This is so important to share! This allows us to know that the Church encouraging couples to be open to LIFE is truly a call to transform our world to one that recognizes the Truth! It is a call to parents to do their most important jobs of sharing The Faith in their domestic Church/homes! That is where we teach our children that Jesus is the Way, The Truth and the LIFE foremost and without hesitation! We cleanse our temples/ domestic Church/homes of all that makes it a "den of thieves" and make it "a house of prayer." So much JOY can be found and Peace will reign when we share Prayer as a family! Each of our daughters and their husbands do this nightly - we have been praying with Nancy and her 3- 1 in the womb- each night. And when we are at Ruth's putting the kids to bed - we pray with them too! So powerful, and we see that the prayers we had with them are now carrying forth with their little ones! My sister just mentioned that dad and mom would get us up as new Catholics before school...all 11 of us... in the 3rd floor ballroom of our Minneapolis home to pray each morning - I remember learning the rosary there, and now it has been my daily companion for 42 years! What am I saying? My parents taught and led me into the most amazing journey of Faith! If you are interested in reading our story of conversion - http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html here is the page I devoted to the way the Lord touched us! Jesus, it seems that Thanksgiving has arrived early for me - I am filled with such gratitude for your chasing away all that comes between us so that we may LOVE and follow YOU in all ways - most especially in our domestic Church/family! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-Bless, Barbara Luke
"O God, who gladdens us each year with the feast of your handmaid St Cecelia, grant, we pray, that what has been devoutly handed down concerning her may offer us examples to imitate and proclaim the wonders worked in his servants by Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Collect from the beginning of mass this morning
May you always grow in the knowledge and LOVE of HIM, sweet pure little girls!
Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me
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