Praying cat..."This is the Lord for whom we looked." Isaiah 25

Herbert out in the gently falling snow this morning with Mary and Francis over his shoulder praying that he could come in out of the wet and cold - "Jesus, I know that you love all us creatures too.  Would it be too much to be warm and dry at this point?  I know that Mary and Francis are not complaining, but I am only on the road to sainthood and have a long way to go yet.  Yes, I could learn from them and suffer in silence.  But I am only using my meow now and then after all.  Mostly I am sitting here praying and trying to get eye contact with my human.  My soft winter coat is as white as the snow and very soft for patting and stroking - Let me in!  Please!!!!"  I think this is the epitome of pleading eyes, face, whiskers, ears, and everything else! 
Yes, I am home and not in Rochester due to the "storm" we are warned about.  It wasn't to be for us to go to Rochester today, and we are feeling a bit at loose ends with all the gearing up a person does when they know that this is coming up for quite a few months.  The prayers and positive thoughts that come over and over with the scary memories of this time of year 4 years ago!

Such an amazing Gospel today - fulfilling the first reading from Isaiah 25!  Jesus on the mountain - healing all those that are laid at his feet..."The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel."  Matt 15 

The world was deeply touched when Pope Francis kissed this disfigured/deformed man - imagine if that touch had made him whole/healed!?!  That is what those around Jesus witnessed with his touch!  I try to put myself there with the crowds and watching their loved ones regain their sight, hearing, body made whole, speaking, healed of mind, body and soul!  What rejoicing!  Then to realize that this has been happening for a 3 day period along with teaching and praying with Christ!  The physical hunger would have been forgotten with the witnessing of God at work through this humble carpenter!  Yet, after 3 days it must have added to the whole scene of out of this worldliness!  One more miracle that is more hidden and the crowds are unaware that he took only 7 loaves and a few fish to feed the thousands of hungry gathered there on the mountain of the Lord!  Just as our Lord lies hidden in a small piece of bread/host and wine - His Body and Blood!  He cares for us in all our needs from the most basic to those deep within us!

 "I write to encourage young and older mothers to keep going. One more life. One more soul. A whole new person. The possibilities in one person are breathtaking. I meet so many women who wished they would have had more children, but I've never met a woman who wished they didn't have so many. God gave women the gift of fertility really for a few short years in the perspective of a lifetime. I pray that I treasure this gift and use it wisely. "Lindsay Boever
http://mychildiloveyou.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-most-families-have-2-children.html?m=1  I would encourage you to take the time to read this entire sharing!  It is wonderful and this picture I borrowed from it says it all!  Look at each one of those precious faces - knowing that each one is here to be a LIGHT to the world!  We are asked to be open to LIFE by our Church and look at the wonderful result of that - growing in our knowledge and LOVE of HIM in the midst of a family filled with LIGHTS/children/siblings!  "This is the Lord for whom we looked."  Isaiah 25

 The banquet has been set for us - sitting on a mountainside eating bread and fish with our healed family around us - that is truly a glorious banquet of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! 
Jesus, we are so filled with YOU this day!  The Choice food of Advent!  "Earnestly indeed may you long for Christ's Advent, and prepare your heart to be his dwelling-place... Jesus gives himself to none but those who anxiously look for him.  Our Lord hears 'the desires of the poor' (Ps10:17) and bends his ear to listen to the sighing of their hearts after him, for that is all he cares for in the children of men.  When their sighs reach him, he comes into their souls."  St John of Avila (1569)  May we sign after YOU each day at all times, O Lord!  May we continue climbing the Mountain of LIFE carrying our Most Cherished Cross and following after YOU, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and Healer and our Food from Heaven!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

"YOU BEGIN TO CHANGE. You begin to see each child very differently. You begin to look at your oldest as not being five-years-old, but as only having 13 years left at home and that takes on a whole new perspective. You start cherishing their baby hood and know that most things are phases. You start realizing how fast it really is going and you start to slow down. You know that they will eventually sleep and even if they don't, it suddenly and weirdly becomes "okay." Why does that happen? When I just had Dominic and was getting up with him in the middle of the night, I truly was the most tired person in America. Really. I would take two naps a day because I thought I was so tired. You adjust. I don't feel anymore tired now than I did with just one. You just keep going and God keeps you going. A very wise mother of nine told me, "The days are long and the years are short." I want to change it to "Some days are long, but to me the years are way too short." You begin to see things changing from one season to the next, and you start to change. You will say, "Just last summer, he loved to ride his bike outside, now he is more quiet and wants to stay inside while we go out."

You see, these are the lessons in the school of motherhood. With each new child, you are promoted. God chips away at us and refines us and makes us beautiful. Why are mothers of large families edifying? Why do we want to be near them? Do not misunderstand my words that mothers of two children have nothing to teach us. That is not what I am saying. What I am saying that with any job, usually the person whom has been there the longest and has the most experience is pretty wise. "

Lindsay Boever - http://mychildiloveyou.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-most-families-have-2-children.html?m=1

Rose learning the JOY of being a big sister!  Jesus, we see the beauty of your plan called Family/Faith/Farm!

Casting Crowns - the Voice of Truth

Patrick in El Paso last week with family friend,  Fr Mattias... today Patrick is having a circumcision - Jesus, hold little Patty Joe in the palm of your hand.  Bless-bless, grandma, who loves you and can't wait to hold and kiss you in 8 days!