About a month ago my mom met her newest great-grandson, Dominic. He brings our family total to over 100! Such a testament to how precious LIFE is. I am forever fashioned by the "Yes" of my parents to 8 of their own and the adding by adoption of another family of 4. I am the oldest of 12, and that burning desire to embrace all LIFE is very deep for me. On our trip to Texas over 2 days, Maria mentioned to me that she felt that I was stuck in not going forward from my losses. "Maybe you had post-partum and never dealt with it, and you could use some therapy to be able to go forward." This was kind of a hard and shocking surprise to me. I have always felt that my losses were an important part of me and my journey of Faith.
I love the thoughtfulness of this one, and how Dominic seems to be concentrating on this person holding him.
I told Maria that I really feel unwilling to let go of my boys and one girl in heaven. I feel that they are very much with me and involved in praying for me and helping me resist temptations as I travel down the path of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT. As I pray my rosary I have a litany at the end and the names of all my children including these 7 in heaven is a literal litany of many Saints in heaven with us on our journey! Some of this diagnosing and counseling stuff just goes too far for me! I feel very strongly that this is a real daily and important part of me and my journey! It has cast me into a bit of a hard place right now, and pondering it yesterday - I thought of the Saints and how they are remembered daily and with us in the battle against sin and death. So to me my little ones in heaven are there for me in this way, and keep my eyes, heart and mind on heaven!
My mother had a very difficult loss - losing one of her twin boys - Lincoln Robert...
Today in the Gospel Jesus speaks to us in our times of struggle on the journey down the narrow path carrying our Most Cherished Cross!
Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Matthew 11:28-30 The Gospel for today
My parents walking me down the aisle in Basilica of St Mary on my wedding day almost 36 years ago!
Well, I have gotten a bit off tangent here as I am wanting to wish my mother a wonderful birthday today and a good year ahead. She has come through a lot of health stuff in the last year, and now has a pacemaker in to help. She has also come through some lung and gastric challenges and is in a better place at this point. I am so grateful for hearing a happier and healthier mom on the other end of the phone when I call. A call to my parents is therapy for me and generally is uplifting and soul lifting to share my life with them and they with me. I hold them in the highest regard and give them all the credit for listening to the Lord and going against the stream into the Catholic Church 42 years ago, when so many were leaving after Vatican II! My life is The Church... how I love it, love it, LOVE it!!! I share that delightfully with my parents, husband, and family! I am so blessed by this!
Jesus, thank you for my wonderful mother and her better health on this birthday #85! Bless her in this next year with better health as she and dad are at the head of our amazing family - we will be reaching 103 with the new babies to come and probably higher! "Aging is a ship wreck." is a saying my mother says, and it seems to be true from one day to the next. Help her to find this yoke easy and burden light in her 85th year. I thank you for their example of listening to the Holy Spirit and following the narrow path carrying their Most Cherished Cross. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
I will be getting on the plane in a couple hours - lots of mixed emotions in leaving my family behind. Yet, very ready to finally be home with my husband on the farm!
"Let it be well understood, therefore... that at least one in the day we should turn inwards with all possible recollectedness... And all who cleanse the mirror of their souls perfectly clear of the images of created things, so that God may pour in the sunlight of his divinity quite unobstructed, to them his yoke is sweet beyond all other possible sweetness." Fr John Tauler (1361)
The Afters - Broken Hallelujah
Mom and dad, I thought you would enjoy seeing this from facebook yesterday! I thought it was very special and knew you would love to see it. A gift to you today on your birthday, mom! Bless-bless
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