March 6th - a Cross Day!

You probably are thinking that I am calling it a Cross Day because of the words of Christ in the Gospel today - "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me..."  Luke 9: 22-25  I live by that reading each day of my life, but today I am speaking of my dad and brother, Dan's, birthdays and the fact that my maiden name and their last name is Cross!  Why am I starting with a picture of my little 4 month old Luke?  Because I just had Luke and Rose here for the morning, and we all feel that my adorable Luke with his little upturned nose looks like my brother, Dan, and we all know that Dan resembles my dad too!  So since I got to have grandma picture time on this blizzardy day of Luke - I will probably use him to narrate my sharing. 

Two brown eyed friends!  I had a fun conversation with my father this morning on his 89th birthday!  Just to have the gift of a conversation alone is huge!  My dad had a cochlear implant in the last couple years, so he can hear us and respond for the first time in years!  To have a phone conversation with him was so fun today.  He made me laugh when he told me that he had passed his driving test and has his license for another 8 years!  He can drive til he is 97!  Then he told me about the full body scans that he has every 6 months to check for melanoma!  We laughed because that doesn't involve getting into a scanning machine, but the eyes of a young woman intern!  "I feel sorry for those young woman doctors having to look me over from head to toe.  They even have to check my old man's hair!"  It is their big shopping day today, so my parents with the help of my sister, Marty, head out to all the surrounding stores to stock up for a month!  He laughed when I said that mom should make him a wonderful supper to celebrate with all their stockpile of food!  He shared that mom had gotten for him what he wanted - an icon of St Ignatius of Loyola from a monastery!  I found this one and copied it - I am not sure if it is the one my mom got for him or not.  "He has a mustache, so I asked mom if I should grow a mustache.  I have never had one, so I probably won't."  Like I said a fun back and forth with my sweet and special dad!  How I hang up just happy and excited to have had this special gift of sharing together on the phone!  He promised to include praying for calving on his rosary every day.  We love that!

Sweet Luke is now home for a nap. 
The first reading today is very appropriate for my dad as well as my husband!  It is the amazing one from Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 about Choose LIFE!  Both of these men in my life - my father and my husband chose LIFE and never wavered from it!  They never wavered on being open to LIFE, and cherished and raised their children in the Faith to be LIGHTS to the world!  Our Church, which my dad led us into after attending an Ignatius Retreat in 1970 at the Cenacle Convent - hence the love for him and desire to have this icon for his birthday - for the entire story you can read this page on my blog - http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html  The Church - our Church stands for LIFE as a beacon set upon the hill!  How I love the Truth of LIFE being so precious from the moment of conception to natural death!  So blessed to have chosen LIFE!  These words of Moses to God's people - "Choose Life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.  For that will mean life for you..."  So true!  Thank you, mom and dad for modeling for me how beautiful it is to say "yes" to LIFE!  Thank you, Most Cherished Cross, my husband Patrick, for being always open and accepting and wanting of all life no matter the loss or hardship!  LIFE is flowing like a river of life-giving water from the side of Christ upon the Cross! 

Rose with grandma's red glass from the window sill - "but the grape juice tastes so good when I drink it out of them with my lunch grandma!"
I told Rose when I fixed her hair with this special hair accessory - "This came all the way from Texas for you to wear."  I had borrowed it from Therese when I was there for my own hair... that would be goofy me!
I also had a great conversation with my John yesterday.  It was very short while I was out scooping and sweeping some corn in the shed.  He was just driving into the garage at the rectory there in Canby and had been out for the day delivering ashes and Eucharist to those in the nursing home and to homebound.  He is now a Eucharistic minister and excited by how he will be able to use that on a daily basis now.  "We had a wonderful Fat Tuesday party with a bunch of old people .  There was so much food!  And then they sent the left overs home with us too!  I am having a wonderful time here!"  Thank you, Lord!

A smiling tummy shot!
Jesus, after a tough day yesterday the sun has brightened up our world today!  We are reminded of the wonders of LIFE and how it has been shared with us by our parents saying Yes to LIFE and more than that - they took us on the most amazing Spiritual Journey to Your Church!  So many blessing pouring over me and the JOY continues with the birth of new life - two more in the womb and little Luke here so bright and shining in our midst!  Thank you for all LIFE, O Lord.  Protect all life this day from conception to natural death.  End the horror of abortion!  Jesus, may the Truth be revealed in the midst of the darkness of sin and death - a beacon of LIGHT for all to see and recognize the lies of Satan.   We continue to Hope in YOU, O Lord!  "Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.  He is like a tree that is planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.  Whatever he does, prospers."  The Psalm from mass today - Psalm 1! Jesus, hold my dad and brother close to your heart burning with love for them.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

I don't know why this picture did this, but I thought why not go with it!  I love you dad and Dan!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke








I was super thrilled to find the meditation for the day by my young new Catholic inspiration - Venerable Thomas A'Kempis!
"Oh, when will all these evils end?  When shall I be freed from the miserable slavery of vice?  When, Lord, shall I think of you alone?  When shall I fully rejoice in you?  When shall I be without hindrance, in true liberty, free from every grievance of mind and body?  When will there be solid peace, undisturbed and secure, inward peace and outward peace, peace secured on every side?  O good Jesus, when shall I stand to gaze upon you?... When will you be all in all to me?..."  Venerable Thomas A'Kempis (1471)
For the answers to all these burning questions and much more - get yourself a copy of Imitation of Christ and read it prayerfully and groaningly!  I was so filled with LOVE for Jesus and His Bride, The Church largely in part of this man's writings and that of Thomas Merton!  My two Thomases from my early Catholic days!
 
Deacon Robert Cross in the Catholic Church in Colman, SD about 15 years ago!  My wonderful family - new Catholics- Dan is holding the sign on the left in front of my mom... sorry Dan!