"A peaceful island for me."

I am iced in at my mother-in-laws here in town after taking a turn helping out with her, as she recovers from some issues related to her age.  I know that at our farm are 2 grandkids under the watchful care of John and Pat is there with all he needs to do for the animals outside.  To be totally honest I am content to be here on this "island of peace."  With the request of allowing some to help her "alone" - I am so happy to be here with the door closed and some peaceful time alone!

Where do I find this "island of peace" throughout my days of this journey of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT with never a dull moment? Little Dave praying the rosary for his brother, Patrick, back 2 years ago is where I find my "island" in each day... through the gift of The Rosary!  

 Therese and David joined me visiting the Cathedral of St Patrick in El Paso 2 years ago... I certainly find so much peace and know that I need not be anxious or worried because I have an army of Saints, My Spiritual Mother, Mary the Mother of God, Jesus, and The Church, not to mention my guardian angel as well as my 7 children praying for me from heaven!  So much help to keep on the narrow path and shoulder my most Cherished Cross!

 As a woman... Mary is such a gift to me, and models for me how to say "Yes" to all those requests made of me... it seems that the requests made by those the closest to me are the hardest to happily perform!  How I LOVE to have her always with me!

 Time spent in the Adoration chapel gives me the most beautiful place of PEACE!   I plan to go there soon, and just sit in His presence.  I place each member of our families in the monstrance or tabernacle with Jesus!  I have seen answers to these prayers!

 PRAYER TO
SAINT MICHAEL
THE ARCHANGELSt. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..


O glorious prince St. Michael,
 chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,
 guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,
servant in the house of the Divine King
and our admirable conductor,
 you who shine with excellence
and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil
, who turn to you with confidence
and enable us by your gracious protection
 to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

 The rosary in my fingers and a new life in my arms... sweet Bernadette two years ago just after my return from my month with Maria and her miracle baby, Patrick, born dead and brought back to new life!  Talk about an island of peace - feeling the fingerprint of God upon me!

Today with the first reading of God creating the world in Genesis... all the world and the LIFE in it are GOOD!  "God saw how good it was...  God looked at everything he made , and he found it very good." Don't you just feel that way sometimes - when you can find that small slice of heaven/a peaceful island?  The world can be Good and we can find our way into the LIGHT leaving the darkness of sin and death behind!

 Mary with her namesake, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the chapel in Kansas City.   We all love to spent time there!  It is our home away from home!

I am yearning to get some time away to go to my haven of Faith with my family/Community of the Lamb in KC!  It might have to wait until our daughter, Little Sister Hallel, comes there for Easter, but that gets closer and closer!

 Augustine pointing to their icon of the trinity.

I have shared in the past that I listened to a call to religious life, which was instrumental in bringing me with great excitement and joy into the Catholic Church with my family - all 13 of us 43 years ago!

http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
I have come to realize that I now am blessed beyond belief to have a daughter, who is a nun, in large part to my own heart-felt desire which was no for me, but as a result I encouraged and fostered this option in each of my children!

Maria visited with Patrick for the first time a couple years back.  Pat's mom with her 3 - now Maria had added Romeo here with us and two in heaven!

I must say that having my 7 children in heaven is a gift for me and allows me to keep my eyes on my true "treasure in heaven."  Talk about an island of peace in the midst of this crazy world.

 I was explaining my love for how I have witnessed Ruth's little ones eat her chin out of love and gratitude for her...

 I have seen this over and over again in the loving icons of Jesus and his Mother, Mary Most Holy!  It fills me with the greatest of JOY and Peace to see this sight!  Knowing that Jesus is totally in LOVE and gratitude towards his Mother for saying "yes" and sacrificing her all for him!

 Another example of so much beauty!

 I adore this picture!  It portrays how much I LOVE The Church!  I have no reservations whatsoever!  I love, love, love The Church!  I am on fire with so much LOVE!  Yet, it is where I find contentment and peace no matter what I face!

 A few years back the Little Sisters from Kansas City came and did our hour of adoration with us.  I think those sharing the time with us must have thought they had died and gone to heaven to see 6 sisters in habits there.  Now we have 2 new religious communities in our diocese and one is just 6 miles away and contemplative!

 Jesus reaching down from the cross to heal John from brain cancer!  John shares that being surrounded by so many prayers allowed him to find total Peace in the midst of the biggest battle of his life, which brought him to Faith!

 Another example of eating his mother's chin out of LOVE!

 St Therese with her namesake, my precious granddaughter!  I have learned so much from both and strive to give my all to Jesus, die to self, so that he may live in me and use me to his honor and glory!

Jesus, I am thankful for this island of peace this day, and all the times I am given this wonderful place to gain strength and to give you the praise you deserve!  I love you with all I have, and I ask that all that separates us may be gone!  In the name of Jesus Christ!  Jesus spoke today int he Gospel about how we are to cleanse ourselves of falsehood and look to the Truth!  May we be LIGHTS for the world and only when necessary use words.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

 Making lasagna for the family on the occasion of the birth of Bernadette a couple years back... This is a very special blessed memory to me... the story of The Grocery Store girl!  I would like to share it here:
As we brought John up to the Cities - we had a homebase at Maria and Joe's home close to the St Thomas campus in St Paul.  It worked out well for this to be family central, as Nancy also lived with their family as well as 3 law students!  It was a lively place where we could make big family meals and since it was summer - grandma bought this pool complex for the kids to enjoy in the midst of the craziness and emotions of this shocking outcome for our 20 year old John!  As the family was all around John  - I took a day away to make FOOD!  I just needed a down day to make some homecooked food for the family, and get some mental health time.  I ended up at a big Cub Food store that was nearby.  As I slowly walked the aisles picking out what I needed... I got in line of a black checkout woman about my age.  She asked me the ususal - "How are you doing?"  I just couldn't say the usual "fine."  I said - "Not that good."  "You at least have money for food." she says, "unlike that guy ahead of you."  she points to a black man bagging his own groceries that has just paid with food stamps.  "That's true," I say, "but my 20 year old son has brain cancer!  Could you please pray for him?"  She looks shocked at me and slightly nods her head.  At that exact moment a young girl in the next lane says - "Are you from Marshall?  I think I went to school with some of your girls.  Did you say that your son has brain cancer?  Can I pray for you right here and now?"   I was shocked and nodded my head in astonishment by it all.  She bowed her head, and said a simple short prayer asking for John to be healed and protected as well as his family.  I looked up to see the checkout lady and the man bagging his groceries also bowing their heads in prayer - united in prayer!  That changed me!  I might have lost a bit of my fire since.  But for a long time after this happened I would pray in the street, on the phone, in an email  - I would no longer say that I was going to pray for someone - I would do it right then and there!  I call this the Grocery Store girl, and she started me into a virtual prayer warrior!  I was reminded of this the other night - John and I were talking on the phone, and we were talking about my working the overnight shift at the nursing home that night.  This is a hard task for me, and John knows it.  He said that he would pray for me, and immediatly launched into a wonderful sweet prayer asking Jesus to go with me and to use me!  I thought of my grocery store girl, and smiled all the way to work and many times during the night remember the blessings that we have received.  Just yesterday I called a special friend/daughter that is struggling with her faith, and we prayed on the phone!  Such a powerful connection!  Prayer is something REAL and powerful!!!  We certainly have discovered that on this journey.
Maybe you have noticed how I no longer say I will pray - I pray!!!  So powerful and amazing and life-changing this was for me!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

 In looking through my pictures for those of peace - my island of peace - I find it spending time with my aging parents in St Croix Falls!  I am so blessed to have the two of them together and loving to have me come when I can!  A wonderful "island of peace!"

 Miracle boy, Patrick, now shares the love he has been given with his new baby brother, Romeo!

So many ways I see the face of God always with me and in me and hopefully working through me!

Holy Now - Peter Mayer

Casting crowns - East is to the west