Friday, May 8, 2015

It's still Easter - Hallelujah, but the pruning hurts - Ouch!

 It struck me this day that Easter is still here and how I love to gaze upon the beauty out of LOVE that we experienced in the humble yet glorious chapel in Kansas City!  The Little ones just loved to take it all in with their eyes and their senses!
 Bernadette has watched her Aunt Little Sister Hallel and the Community sit on the larger stools and the smaller one is to rest upon as they are kneeling on the floor for an hour of Adoration.  It makes for a table and chair just her size and allows her to share in the experience she is very privileged to share in due to her Aunt saying "Yes" to her call to be Christ's bride, and to leave the world behind!
 We only have 4 granddaughters and 8 grandsons!  The girls love their dresses and know that being dressed pretty is important to show our love and respect for Jesus and his Bride, the Church!
 I tease Hallel that growing up dressing alike - she was the 4th girl and I really got into it with 4 girls!  Now she is dressed like 200 others in the world, and I helped with that! 
Yes, Dave, it is still Easter this many weeks later.  We are a few short days away from the 6th Sunday of Easter!  Yes, we are filled with His LIGHT, but that LIGHT reveals to us the many ways we are called to change in order to follow him more fully!
 
 John with the help of Jahosephat the cat/Fats for short, as we planted tomatoes just before the rain came.  John teased that he had to lose his job, because of my prayer for help in the garden.  It is a very hard and painful week around here, and the constant talk about pruning - the Gospel twice starting on Sunday and again on Tuesday, and again in morning prayer this morning - When seen in the light of Easter joy, our sins can weigh us down with discouragement.  Yet God's love disciplines and prunes us in order to free and purify us - sometimes a painful process - so that we may not die like a withered branch but live and bear much fruit in the risen Christ.  see www.magnificat.com
 The corn coming up in the field beside my garden.  We are glad for some rain, but this is just a start - we need much more.  Please, O Lord! 

Life seemed to be sailing along, and suddenly a shock as a door closed.  Hurt, shock, a huge piece of humble pie served once again... Why Lord?  Looking at it with the eyes of Faith we have been given through brain cancer - we once again are asking what is the plan? 
Today this is beside me... I have the Lourdes candle lit from our time there falling in love with Our Lady! along with some lilacs and my heart rock, which we found in a rock pile close in the pasture here...the work of art of nature, and a most prized possession!  This is reminding me to pray for John today as he is on a trip up to the seminary with Fr Craig and some boys from St Edwards.  It just seems so powerfully full of Jesus to me that this opened up to him so soon after the loss.  It was so fun that Fats jumped up on the chair and seemed to be praying as I was taking these pictures a few minutes ago.
Also in my prayer space is a small bull from John's bull collection which one of the grandkids brought down and - it just fits!  Also a prehistoric grinding tool we found when picking rocks years ago from about the time of Christ... a man-made rock.  Fats came closer to check out the candle flame and to be part of my picture as I think and pray for John to find his path in life.  We know that there is a wonderful plan and the pain of pruning will make it so glorious when we find it!  Yes, there might have to be more pain to endure, but we always cling to that knowledge that Jesus is in control in the midst of the storm!

 Just minutes after planting tomatoes the other day - Rain! 
 We prayed long and hard for rain, and it feels like a kiss from God to watch it water the earth! 
 Such a beautiful sight to behold!  Lord, keep it coming! 

Jesus, this day in the Gospel you tell us This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends... It is not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.  This I command you: love one another.  John 15: 12-17  How, Lord, did this happen for us - how did we find the ability to LOVE as you do?  Through the Cross!  We are asked by you to take up our Most Cherished Cross and follow after you - dying to self so that you may live in us!  That is what pruning is all about - the getting rid of all the ways we are selfish and deny your will to work in us.  Come Holy Spirit and reveal to us that perfect plan you have for our lives.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah
The air was filled with lilacs!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

The Truth!!!

Mercy has been shown to us - may we return Mercy to all those in our lives/domestic Church/family.
Matthew West - Hello my name is
Newsboys - We believe
 Our roots are so tied into this wonderful chapel filled with Jesus and this Holy School!

Jesus, we trust in you.

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