Saturday devoted to The Blessed Virgin Mary/Dedication of our family to her and her Son!

Nancy's youngest, Josephine, in May.. she is now walking and knows how to give her mom heck from time to time. 

The word is officially out... Nancy is expecting her 5th child!  She announced it live yesterday, and so... I feel free to share here.  I have been vaguely sharing that we are expecting our 16th grandchild, but now putting a name to it.  We don't hesitate to announce pregnancy to our family as we put great value on prayers ongoing from the beginning.  In doing this we are telling all that we consider life to begin at conception and value all life... our losses - 7 children and 3 grandchildren keep our eyes focused on getting to heaven where we will be united with them as they pray for us on this journey down the narrow path. 

Aunt Little Sister Hallel with JoJo in May after sharing mass as a family in the church that Hallel grew up in!

It is so wonderful for me to have Saturdays set aside specially to give Mary her day!  Yes, I focus on the readings for each day, but this gives me the freedom to go on and on about how much she means to me and my family!

This Beautiful dedication of our family prayer came up today...

The words are so small that I will copy them here:

Dedication of One’s Family

Most loving Jesus, by Your sublime and beautiful virtues of humility, obedience, poverty, modesty, charity, patience, and gentleness, You blessed with peace and happiness the family which You chose on earth. In Your mercy look upon my family. We belong to You, for we have received Your many blessings over many years and we entrust ourselves to Your loving care.

Look upon my family in Your loving kindness, preserve us from danger, give us help in time of need, and grant us the grace to persevere to the end in imitation of Your holy Family, so that having revered You and loved You faithfully on earth, we may praise You eternally in Heaven.

Mary, dearest Mother, to your intercession we have recourse, knowing that your Divine Son will hear your prayers. Glorious patriarch, Saint Joseph, help us by your powerful prayers and offer our prayers to Jesus through Mary’s hands. Amen.

This is my family only missing one Son-in-Law, Joseph, who I did add to the one I put on my wall... and now a new baby to add in April... This is the picture I hold in my heart as I pray this dedication prayer! 

 I love to see the tabernacle in our midst, and truly our faith is shared with all of them!  Listening to Nancy speak so eloquently The Truth on many topics of our Catholic Faith in these last weeks has filled me with so much awe and thankfulness for her taking serious her faith in her marriage and her family!  There can be nothing to compare to putting Jesus first in our lives and allowing The Church to help us get to heaven forever with Jesus, Mary, all the angels and Saints!

Maria's family, whom we are going to visit in a few days, along with Hallel a few months back.  It was family time supreme!  Paul is in the midst of adding these words on my barn...Family and Farm are the best!  Words to live by and never grow old!

Jesus, I am overwhelmed by you... your endless love and forgiveness for all that I stumble and fall on my face!  I am nothing without you!  How I love, love, love your Bride, The Church... with no reservations!  How I loved to be able to share with someone clinging to hurt and "wounded to her soul" that she could find healing in the confessional in the Sacrament of Reconciliation!  Yes, and then after laying her burdens down to come forth to receive you in The Eucharist!  For Jesus to come a dwell in her body, soul and divinity!  There is nothing else to say after that!  The Truth that will set us free, and we are given it freely by you, O Lord.  And then we are asked to give all that love and mercy we have been given to all those around us most especially those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

St Teresa of Calcutta we know you are interceding for families from heaven... I put our families under your care and prayer from heaven.  Amen

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit...
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me

In dedication to my girls, who take this very seriously in their children.  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!

http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Michael W Smith - Awesome God

in dedication to our friend, John, who died yesterday...His wonderful wife shared this on caringbridge;

 "We stayed awake with him throughout the night, not knowing when he would take his last breath.  We played reflective music, and then about 8:45 this morning I decided it was time to play something upbeat.  So I put on one of his favorites, "Awesome God".  As the song was ending, he opened those beautiful blue eyes, looked upward toward heaven, and took his last breath.  We are sad beyond measure that he is gone from our home, but he is ALWAYS in our hearts.  We thank God that his pain has ended.  He was such a good and faithful servant.  He taught us to love and to live life to the fullest."

  Jesus, hold his family and friends close to your heart burning with love for them.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen.