Saturday, June 21, 2014

The lilies of the field... "set your hearts on the Kingdom first." Matthew 6:24-34

I am hearing of much excitement coming from Texas Army base - El Paso.  At 2p this afternoon these three will be in the arms of their big strong farmer grandpa Patrick.  They will go to mass together, pack up their car, and try to get some sleep as the excitement will be building to crazy heights!  Pat is now in the air and will call when he lands for his 3 hour lay over in Phoenix.  He is beside himself with excitement and when it comes to bringing our family together he is one motivated man!  He has so hoped and prayed for our family to be in a 20 mile radius, but it certainly is exciting to have them far away and to take huge steps to bring us together after a long time apart!  Those times we have together are so precious!
Gus is very excited to hear that little Dave and Therese and Patrick are coming. Pat had a fun phone conversation with Therese last evening; "Patrick doesn't know about Michigan, so he isn't excited to go there yet. He will love Michigan after he sees what it is!"  One thing that is so special about Michigan is the wild flowers that are everywhere.. a lot of daisies sweetly bloom in all the ditches and the sanddunes too have many wild flowers growing in the amazing sugar sand.  Today in the Gospel is the verse about how God clothes these simple flowers so magnificently so we need not worry about his LOVE, care and Mercy for us... how much more does he care for our needs! 
Soon we will have all 11 of our grandkids together in one place/picture!  That is such an amazing happening and I am higher than a kite about it! 
33 Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well.
34 So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'
 These words from the Gospel today are so ringing true for me!  How we love our family and long for time shared together!  Now with Pat's adventure of flying and then driving back with Maria and her family - we will be together - an answer to prayer indeed!  We know that Little Sister Hallel cannot join us, but I have a feeling that there will be a long phone conversation with the phone passed from one to the other while we share our time together.  Of course, we know of her prayers as she daily puts The Kingdom first through the sacraments and HisWord and Prayer!  We are so blessed by these!

The title of this photo should be "thoughtful."
In the many graduation cards I wrote lately - I was always reflecting on the Truth that if you place Christ first in your life - all the rest will fall into place.  It seems that young people are very much thinking about what they want and not asking what God wants of them. This Gospel today is just saying this - we need to look to Jesus and His Bride, The Church, to find our Way, our Truth and our LIFE!
Coming back from Nancy's I have misplaced my prayer book, so I went on line and found the readings for today as well as the saints for today - there are about a dozen just for June 21st!  One was a special saint for young people on His Path - St Aloysius Gonzaga.  He reminds me much of John's current position of asking God what he wants for him.  I should pray to St Aloysius with the intention of John's path.
When we were getting ready to go to mass yesterday morning with Augustine, Bernadette, and Dominic... we talked about going to spend some special time with Jesus.  This is a familiar place for families that attend mass each week, and Nancy wants to try to get there to one weekday mass a week too.  She has a carrier to put Dominic in so that he hands are free for the other two... it could be a hard crazy thing to do, but it would be very good in the long run for their family putting Jesus first!
 
Some of those wild flowers in Michigan with a poppy from my mom's garden - my sister Mary's grad picture on the anniversary of her death - July 3.  We will be together on her 28th anniversary of her death this year!  Two of my girls, Nancy and Susan/Little Sister Hallel, are her Goddaughters!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
A bouquet of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT... in a week it will include 5 more!  So blessed!
The only way to our happiness - St. Therese of Lisieux Quotes
Third Day - Love Song

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