"We bring our self-absorption, our sense of privilege and entitlement to the hill of Calvary to throw it off there."

Rose out with Mary's bunny, Beverly, on a wonderful day!

 Yes, spring fever has hit with a vengeance and the fact that it was registering at 52 degrees in my car on the way back from the Cities yesterday contributed to it majorly!  I heard word that The Lanoues were putting up their trampoline and had eaten lunch out on their table on the porch.  I drove straight there to check it out.

 Ready for spring!

So many powerful messages today in morning prayer and the Word read around the world in The Church today!  Jesus in the Gospel reminds "people in the synagogue" that they need to leave behind their self-absorption, or sense of privilege and entitlement - as the Magnificat says - "We bring our self-absorption, our sense of privilege and entitlement to the hill of Calvary to throw it off there."  In sacrificing this self-importance we receive purity.  Jesus tells us about Naaman, who was healed of leprosy in the first reading from 2 Kings, he also mentions Elijah and the widow from I Kings 17... the story that answered Little Sister Marie's calling to beg from the poor.  "If you make me a loaf, your jar of oil will never run dry and your jar of flour will never be empty."  These two were not of the chosen race, yet they were used in a most powerful way to reach those that do not know the True God!  The people of the synagogue tried to throw Jesus off the hill in their anger - Luke 4, but he passed through them.  It does sting to have our feelings crushed, yet this is how we find a humble place where Christ can come and minister to us.

 Rose puts on her rubber boots with a place to go!

 Ah, yes, the mud has come with the warm weather!  Thank goodness for rubber boots!

 She got her boot stuck and grandma had to give her a hand out and then she went to wash them off in a mud puddle.

 How grandma loves kids and puppies in mud puddles in rubber boots! 

 Today the wind is blowing wildly so it isn't nearly as fun outside. 

I was so excited to see that the meditation for the day is by Venerable Thomas A'Kempis... my hero from my early Catholic days over 40 years ago. 
The true lover of the Crucified, in order to conform himself to Christ hanging on the shame of the Cross, does not flee from suffering, nor is he troubled by the wayward.  For him who sees Christ as his LIFE, suffering and dying for him are accounted a great reward.

 Farmgirl 2 1/2 year old Rose Ida, is very familiar with picking the eggs for mom.

The more fervently one loves God, so much less does he fear death and the greater is his desire to be dissolved in Christ so that he may live happily with him and eternally enjoy the company of the angels in heaven. Venerable Thomas A'Kempis

 Rose hard at work picking the eggs with chickens looking on.

 Keeping an eye on the chickens...

 Ruth made an old cupboard as their laying box.

 Rose reminds me so much of her mom, who used to go into the chicken house at this young age and feed the chickens, too!

 My little girl, Ruth Ida, all grown up and feeding chickens again and now with kids of her own!  How she loves to pass along her farm love and values to her kids, and they appreciate their life on the farm!  If you have your prairie Catholic today you will find a great article about Ruth and Paul's promotion of agriculture and award in the center of the newspaper!

 Rose and Beverly the bunny.

 It is a great life to have on the farm!  I love that Ruth is so in love with the life she had growing up that she is now having it with her family!  That is the most supreme of compliments!

Overnight we had a calving hour!  Between midnight and 1a we had 5 calves born!  I walked to watch cow TV and it seemed that all the cows were calving at the same time!  Not quite, but it was kind of crazy amazing!  Pat and I are both tired today with some hours awake during the night.  Here was one of the newborns this morning looking cute and frisky when we were out there vaccinating and moving them out of the barn. 

Pat and Paul vaccinating while I watch the gate and try to get some pictures... yes, we squirt some medicine in their noses...

Jesus, we are reminded over and over that we need to realize that there is no way we deserve all that you give to us under the name of your unconditional love!  Speak to the world in our day through the eloquence of Word and Sacrament faithfully preached, reverently celebrated, and profoundly lived by those who bear your name.  see www.magnificat.com  These words from the closing prayer in Morning prayer today really tell us how you are at work in and through us as we carry forth your Word by how we live and when necessary use words!  What must it look like if we could profoundly live out your Word in the flesh and The Sacraments we are healed by and fed and nourished for the journey as we follow you down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross.  By embracing the Cross we find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT as it has become the Tree of LIFE!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen

A cute pair in the barn this morning - this is her first calf!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

One more from The Basilica yesterday.. taking me back to my early romantic Catholic days, but I have never recovered I am still head over heals in love with The Church!

Venerable Thomas A'Kempis - His The Imitation of Christ spoke to me eloquently of seeking humility through asceticism. 

From one nailscarred hand to the other - the East is to the West!

East to the West - Casting Crowns

Our glorious wounds - Danielle Rose

A cute one from Maria today - taken in Jan in Wisconsin!