Rosary, farm lunch, glorious golden fall, "gird your loins and light your lamps."

 I spent a delightful afternoon with Pat's mom!  It reached 80 degrees so we sat out on the deck and shared a rosary followed by "lunch."   It always seems natural with my mother-in-law to hold desert til mid afternoon and have a small slice of pumpkin pie with half  a cup of coffee.  The forever farm wife she is, who taught me all I know... it is a special time to share!  It was just the way to follow our sharing a rosary together... such a blessing for me!

After traveling with grandson, Simon, for 2 days to North Carolina and two days back... I noticed that he watched the clock for meal time and was quite rigid that we should be stopping for lunch or supper.  Meals were mixed up with a big breakfast in the middle of the morning on Sunday, so the thought of another meal at noontime was not on the radar.  "Simon, do you know that on the farm there are two lunches?"  "What?"  "Yes, there is breakfast, then in the middle of the morning there is lunch, dinner at noon, half way through the afternoon is lunch again, and then supper.  That is because the farmers work very hard and put in long hours and so they need 'lunch' to have the energy to get through the day."  Simon pondered this for a while and decided that he could wait for a lunch later in the afternoon after all.

 Out in the early morning sun with the newly baled corn stalks glowing golden in the light along with the cows spread out on the corn field of stalks... a beautiful sight to behold!  It has been such a beautiful fall and the last few days of harvest continue to be wonderful!

Jesus tells us today in the Gospel to always be ready and to hold our lit lamp in the darkness awaiting and welcoming Jesus to come and fill our lives with LIGHT/LOVE/LIFE!  St Teresa of Avila writes this poem to a fellow Sister taking her veil;
Hold always in your hand
a candle bright;
Veiled, keep the watch
With loins girded well.
Be free of deep sleep,
Mindful of the danger near.
Do not be careless.

Be constant in care,
Fulfilling all bravely,
What you vowed today
Until death comes.
In keeping will your watch,
With the Bridegroom you will enter. 
Do not be careless.

 A beautiful golden sight to behold!

I love this and found it most powerful in evening prayer the other night from The Magnificat;
Christ turns false values on their heads: our weakness, not our strength, is the door we open to Christ; our humility, not our pride, is the road to success; our insignificance , not our self-importance, is our reason to boast.  And oddest of all, the suffering of the cross is our glory.

It is so good to read this Truth and be reminded of how we are called to die to self so that Jesus can live and work in us!  Reading the words of St Paul to the Romans today in the first reading fills me with so much excitement at how this man, who hated Christ and his followers was personally called and transformed by a personal encounter with Jesus!  A shining LIGHT as the Word is Jesus in the world bringing The Truth!

 Jesus, may we carry our light/lit lamp without fail, and reveal You to the world, most especially in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."  Psalm 40:8  From mass today and what I need to say constantly in my heart and soul!

Danielle Rose - True LOVE - she is coming to Ghent on Dec 5th!!!!  Oh wow!  I have loved her music for 10 years or more!  So excited!