"Now to just live it." Little Sister Hallel from Rome today

A lot of family times, thoughts, conversations overseas, texts, prayers are filling me to the brim these days of waiting and praying.  Yesterday was a special day of sharing our wonderful lives here on the 3 generation farm - with the 4th in the wings- with small children in the inner city.  Children that have no idea of what the farm is about - they think milk comes from the carton and no further, and no idea where eggs and meat come from or the many thousands of products that our corn and soybeans go into that they use and consume every day!  The Department of Agriculture was here to film Ruth, Paul and their kids sharing in simple terms with an elementary school in the Cities the life we have here on the farm!  They included the older generation - Pat and I too! 

It was very cute to hear the kids explain to kids about their lives.  Yes, it was simple, but that is what they want and need when you are talking to kindergarten- 3rd graders that have never been on a farm.  They even introduced our dogs to the kids!
It was such a fun morning around here.  Both Pat and I had a chance to talk to Hallel on the phone in her new home for the year in Rome!  Yes, she will be called upon to learn Italian now to add to her English and French.  Her dad was kidding her that her prayers are more powerful..."While we were praying for you to come to Kansas City, you were praying for Rome and you won."  Pat to Hallel with a chuckle in his voice.  We do know that she loves her time in Rome and being able to be close to Pope Francis and all that happens in the heart of our amazing Church!  We shared how much we find his message of loving rather than judging hard yet wonderfully True that the Lord calls us to live this out in our lives.  How powerful today to read in the Gospel this exact command to us!  Knowing that Hallel has mendicated this Gospel starting last night... reading and chanting each line up to 12 times really allows you to take it into yourself and like Lectio Devino the Spirit causes much to really speak to you deeply! 

Rose feels safe with grandpa surrounded by the 130 weaned calves - When they asked each kid what their favorite farm animal was... Rose said proudly "Cow!"
"Hallel, the reading today was that hard one about giving beyond what we are asked and to expect nothing back.   Also that we not judge. You know that because you have repeated it many times already."  "Yes, it is hard, and now to just live it." 
Sometimes the Gospel is a wonderful one about  Jesus feeding the 5,000- very Eucharistic, or of his healing all those that he touches and who touch him, or his calming the storms of our lives or taking us by the hand as we walk to him on the water... we feel so very loved and special... just as this says to us in the words of St Therese..

We are beloved by God, and there are so many ways we are shown the proof of this unconditional LOVE and forgiveness and mercy.  But after we are loved in this way... we are called to return that love to those around us.  We are called to give without counting the cost.  We are called to love those that hate us, when we are hit on one cheek to turn the other, to give more than what someone asks of us and not expect it to be returned to us... we watched  Jesus do this for us on the way to Calvary and on the Cross and he asks us to follow him carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross and following after him!  This is hard, and it is good to be reminded of this!  Now we must go forward and in our weak and imperfect way live it out in our lives! 

The kids in the barn with the calves and the camera recording how special our life is on the farm!
Hallel shared that the 3 Americans in Saint Pierre - she just spent the month of August there with them and the rest of those in Europe - are adjusting more and more.  "Leaving your country and everything familiar behind is huge for them.  For each one there are different things they are dealing with, but slowly it is getting better."  I am sure they were so happy to see Hallel there for that month together.  It was good to catch up on them and to hear that there are 2 new postulants from America!  So wonderful to know that the Community is growing and sharing the LIGHT with so many countries - how our country needs to have this shining LIGHT on the hill - Lumen Christi - LIGHT of Christ in the heart of our country!

"What is your favorite farm animal?"  In front of their picturesque red barn with the sign - Lanoue Family Farm - on it the kids answer this question for those inner city grade school kids.  It will be interesting to see the final video and we were asked by Hallel to send her a finished copy.  I am sure it will be short and simply beautiful! 

Rose melting the hearts of all those watching as she says with this precious smile - "Cow."
Jesus, life is too full sometimes of all the ways we are called to love and to serve.  What a wonderful gift to be able to simply share the gift of our lives on the farm through the faces and words of the little ones!  How right is that?  Thank you for the happy and wise voice of our daughter so clear from across the ocean!  It is such a blessing to know that she will be in Rome for the year, and most especially through this big gathering about the family values this fall!  We know that none of the dogmas of the Church will ever change, and we know that we are called to not judge and to love and forgive as You do, O Lord.  How does this all work?  Be with all those making guiding us and directing us in The Church.  How we love this amazing Catholic Church we have been blessed with.  It was very good for both Ruth and I to share with the kids that sharing our Faith as a family is the most important and special part... Faith/Family/Farm in that order!  May we live out the call to give and give and give some more without any pay back... without counting the cost and until it hurts, and then turn the other cheek!  Radical and crazy and more than we can do alone... Yes!  But trust in HIM, and lean on HIM and let HIM carry us when we are too weak and lost and sick!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

A chance for a family picture of sorts... we are so thrilled to have Ruth and family sharing our love for the farm!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke the crazy-Catholic and city-girl come to the farm
"Stop judging and you will not be judged.  Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven..."  Luke 6  The Gospel for today!

"But if you would become an interior man, you must give God an overflowing measure.  Whatever outward thing hinders your inward recollection must be given up.  Study yourself.  Carefully scrutinize your conduct, affections, intentions, works, words, clothing, adornments, friends, property, honors, lodging, pleasure, manners.  Look into your whole life.  Find out every single thing that hinders God's dwelling within you; relentlessly cut it all off.  For this is an absolute condition of your becoming an interior man...  When one has systematically taken up this way, when he has cut off all hindrances to his spiritual life, than it happens that many wonderful sweetnesses come to him, pouring through both his soul and body a joy far above any known to this earth..."  Fr John Tauler (1361)

 Some curious calves to brighten your day..

 David finds an egg to show grandma and the inner city kids his age!

 Monkey hat Rose in the corn field...

 Mary and I washing dishes last night and talking about our time doing dishes with the Community in Kansas City..."Mary, did you know that not only don't they have a dishwasher but they don't have hot water and have to heat it on the stove when they wash dishes?"  "No, grandma, why do they do that?"  "They live humble and poor lives and this is one way.  Have you heard of sister showers?"  "No."  "They take a bath with water in a bucket... they have to warm up that water too on the stove."  "I know they don't have comfortable beds to sleep on, but I didn't know that about their showers.  Do they pour it over themselves?"  "Some might, but mostly they wash their hair and bodies out of the bucket of water."  Mary learning about the call to poverty that Hallel lives out.  "Mary, your mom helped me with the dishes when she was your age - we didn't have a dishwasher up until then.  This is bringing back a lot of memories new and old."  It was special to do dishes with Mary last night.

Dad here is John in your sweater heading out to work this morning.  His grandpa sweater is special to him!  Thanks and thinking of you today, dad.

In memory of 9-11-01... how can it be 13 years already?  May we recall how it all brought so many closer to their Faith or searching for Faith! 

Where were you when the World stopped turning - Alan Jackson

A collection of Third Day for Maria and Joseph and family

Just had a great talk with Maria on the phone... she is at peace with the week wait, and all are adjusting to the idea of having him on Monday the 15th - Pat's 60th birthday the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows!   "Unless it is crazy in labor and delivery in the full moon like Tuesday, I should have him that day."  Jesus, you are in control and we trust in YOU.

 The three kids keeping busy with a maze of chairs... Romeo look at the fun in store for you!