Pat was smiling last night, and that hasn't happened for a while now with the stresses of calving heavy upon him. He said when John, the mission speaker, asked us to think about something good from the day that he thought about how wonderful it was to have Family all around for the beautiful day sharing with Joy and excitement the calving experience. He loved it! I too looked at our time shared as wonderful and find the meals we share around our counter as very special because it gives me great joy and satisfaction to see Ruth's 5 all there and eating with great gusto! The meals shared as a family are rare due to farming, so when it happens it is a most cherished time all together! I didn't take a picture of the meal table, but I have it in my heart!
Mary will be 8 in a little over a month, and she has always loved the farm and the animals. It is quite a change to see little Rose out in the barn and happy to be there. Up until a few days ago she would be afraid and cry by the cows and calves. I think she sees her older sister and parents out there peacefully and happily and she is learning to be content there too.
The speaker last night for the mission was wonderful! John was along with us and then headed back to Canby from there. John was very interested in hearing a man speak, who has done with his life what John feels led to do with his... speak with the intent of helping others down the path of Faith in Jesus and His Bride, The Church! John was very much wanting to get a chance to talk to him, and get some input. Listening to the speaker, John, share last night I see a strong resemblance to John our son! They both discerned the seminary, and their approach to the idea of marriage seems to be much the same. John continues to discern while the speaker shared his finding his wife and their courtship resulting in her conversion to the Church! His love for the Church just makes me smile and some of the pearls he shared were awesome! He speaks of how in order to LOVE we are called to die! I am really excited to email him the letter from Hallel about our spouse being Our Most Cherished Cross... I think he will LOVE it!
Icicles and piles of snow have been replaced by rain drops today! The two grandsons took hoes to the pile of ugly old snow that had built up on our deck, and I washed it with pails of water, and washed the patio door - I am so ready for Spring! It is like I have been released from an ugly dank prison to have that pile of snow off my deck!
Out taking pictures of the rain - I noticed that our Lady had a tear in her eye/raindrop. John the speaker spoke about his love of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and he did quote her often. I too love her so much, but my total consecration is to my Spiritual Mother of Heaven and Earth! I know she weeps with me for all the needs and with me for all the happiness... I weep happy or sad and in between! And then look past her to the green grass coming as soon as the snow recedes! That would be a happy tear!
Pearls from last night's mission:
"We can't know what it is to be human if we don't know God." So true when you consider that we are made in the image a likeness of God, and that He made us purely to LOVE!
"To discern is to ask what God wants of me."
"Faith is a pure gift... and leads us as Catholics to be wrapped up totally in the LIFE issues!"
"When we get God - we get LIFE!"
"You can't get to Easter without passing through Good Friday." I think you can see why I was sitting there with a big smile nodding my head in agreement. "You can't get to the resurrection without passing through the Cross." - Little Sister Benedict to us in the midst of our battle with John's brain cancer 4 years ago
"What is LOVE? I do good for your own good." We think of the other ahead of ourselves - die to self - we give without counting the cost!
"Always have a Catholic book that you are reading! There is so much to learn and we should never stop." So True! How I burn within me as I fill my mind, heart, and soul with the Truth!
Pat, John and I left there inspired and filled with a renewed excitement for The Church, Our Catholic Church! "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved The Church." Ephesians 5 "And how did Christ Love The Church? (Pointing to our amazing crucifix) He died for her! Wow! Husbands that is a tall order!"
Today the Gospel is the Lord giving us the words to pray in The Our Father! Just sharing morning prayer with Pat we share the Our Father in morning prayer and then we shared it as we read together the Gospel for today! Many times it is prayed each day - in the Rosary before each decade, and at times of stress. The epidemic of depression and anxiety and stress was mentioned last night along with the suicides... that it enough to put a tear in the eye of Our most loving and caring Mother of God! We need to find ourselves by dying to self and allowing the Word made flesh to come and dwell in us and show us our path following after Him carrying our Most Cherished Cross!
Lord Jesus Christ with your wise and wondrous Bride, The Church, ever there to show us the path to LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! It is so good to hear another filled with such love for YOU and your Church! May we simply allow You to come to us and take over our hearts and minds and souls - dying to self so that You may live and move and breath, O Holy Spirit, within us! May all around us witness the LIGHT that comes forth from us - "The glory of God is the human person fully alive!" That glory will be evident to all those we come in contact with, and may we see your face in all we meet! WE yearn to be filled with YOU and only YOU this day and always. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth: It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11 The first reading for today! So amazing and just a few verses away from the Scripture that changed the journey of my family and brought all 13 of us into The Church! http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
Danielle Rose - the Litany of Humility
This is prayed by Blessed Teresa's community every week! Try praying for it in our lives - watch out!
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