The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
Hallel surrounded by nieces and nephews during her home visit.
I had a good visit with Hallel on the phone in KC yesterday. She gave me a lot of strong spiritual reminders of how that is where we need to really work on ourselves in the first and most important place in our struggles. She reminded me that I should get to confession "not just to confess your sins, but also to receive the graces that come with this close encounter with the forgiving Lord." Yes!
It gets to be a bit much some times I would say...
With first Saturday this weekend... I have fake plans to get there for confession after mass. Hallel also spoke to me about "Hope." So it rang like a bell today in the first reading from Romans - "For in hope we are saved.... if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance." I need to grab onto this and hold on for dear life right now!
I do not think about hope much... I much more focus on peace, joy, love. But the need for hope is very real to me right now as I face some issues that seem insurmountable as they have been circling in my life in a viscous circle round and round for almost 40 years.
I feel the Trust arising within knowing that I am loved and healing will be coming if only I trust in him. I am also very confident and lifted up by the prayers of my little sister and my family. Hallel reminded me that "wounded I will not cease to love" which is the motto that The Community of the Lamb lives by, and "mom this is true for you, too, right?" Yes! I do choose to continue to love!
This came up on my memories from 5 years ago... John moving to Jackson. With that memory comes a dark time for John when he was told that due to his whole brain radiation that he was beginning to show signs of dementia in his brain. He became very depressed and struggled with hope. How he begged and pleaded and "yelled" at God, and then found out that his scan had been misread!
This is the final version of his promo video he made in Chicago this summer... He tells the story in his own words. Now armed with HOPE and knowing that his life was saved for a purpose, he burns to share with all how we can find Faith when we are faced with crosses in our lives. Through them we know that we need Christ!
The Gospel is the faith the size of a mustard seed... so tiny and yet it grows big enough to hold birds in it's branches... this is what the Kingdom of God is like! John asked for faith and it was tiny at first but grows ever larger with each hurtle he jumps over and with each person he prays with and touches with his story! https://vimeo.com/spiritjuice/review/230771236/49697ae19b
Jesus, may we never give up on love and strive always to retain HOPE in the face of all those impossible situations in our lives. "Wounded, I will not cease to love." Jesus, we trust in you, and know that you have the plan for us to become less and less and you more and more. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
Lilacs make me happy and fill me with HOPE.
Talk about a hope giving promise about the cross in our lives!
I didn't realize the cross in the sky when I was capturing the silhouettes of Mary picking a corn leaf off the fence in front of the cows out in the pasture a few days back. But there it is for all to see, and it really strikes a cord with me as the cross is very big for me right now. I am going through some rough times of fighting the selfishness that I deal with and the poor mes, so when I cross myself I feel the Cross upon my shoulders and know that I am weak and lowly.
Mary moves on the remove the leaves off the fence - with the big winds of late the fence was loaded with corn leaves wrapped around them. The wind is back today, and making life kind of miserable for every one trying to get the crop out of the fields.
Yesterday was a big day with much going on, but reading these words from St Paul of the Cross really stuck with me after witnessing the beauty of my world in the pasture the night before. Unable to share it yesterday... I yearned to today, and there is much more in the readings that are calling out to me. I know that I should pick and choose, but somedays it is kind of a hodge podge of this and that, because it is all so wonderful!
Mary picking off corn leaves from the fence with the bulls around her in the pasture...
With the Cross heavily on my shoulders or what is probably more appropriate as I barely drag it along...the words of St Paul to the Romans today remind me that Jesus is there with me... "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8
We are called to follow after him, but he does surround us with his love and feed us food for the journey and give us help when we bring Mary into our home after he gave her to us at the foot of the Cross, and then all the Saints... we have so much help!!!! How can we give up?
The wind made a soft fluffy leaf pile using wonderful corn leaves! Mary was a little nervous about what could be underneath... like a cow pie, but the leaves were very deep and sweet smelling and soft!
We didn't get to the State Park to jump in the leaves this year, but we got our leaf pile just the same!
The Gospel today is so encouraging and beautiful, too, in Luke 13 Jesus heals the woman who has been bent over and crippled by a evil spirit for 18 years! With chronic issues that come with aging and realizing that I am barely struggling along the narrow path and not really carrying my weight... facing another knee surgery, which fills me with dread and anxiety, yet knowing that in the long run... usually 6 months later... that I could almost be like new. Jesus, I need you! How I would love to have instant healing, but this woman suffered for 18 years and then.... you reached out and touched her! Facing 6 months of gradual recovery and lots of pain at first and lots of hard work learning how to bend again. So many lessons we are asked to learn and look to you...
"Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God." Yes!!!!
David and Mary were good helpers for which I was very grateful! Hard working farm kids!
I found this today on FB from 4 years ago... now they live on the farm!!! So many wonderful changes!
Ruth teaches...
Another... They were teaching kids up in the Cites about the farm
Meet the kids from 4 years ago... they now have Joy, too!
Some of our cows are now out on stalks across from the farm. There was a lot of corn on the ground after the hail, so they are having a yummy time out there until the weather gets bad.
I spent some months slowly reading a book about the life of Servant of God Dorothy Day, so when I see her quotes I am especially interested and touched knowing her heart for the poor with all her strength back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.... she died in 1980. Today she writes about "compassion" in response to Jesus healing the woman suffering for 18 years on the Sabbath!
"It is so hard to reconcile oneself to such suffering, such long enduring suffering of body and soul, that the only thing one can do is to stand by and save the dying ones who have given up hope of reaching out for beauty, joy, ease and pleasure in this life... To see these things in light of faith, God's mercy, God's justice! His devouring love!... Compassion - it is a word meaning to suffer with. If we carry a little of the burden, it will be lightened..." May I do better LORD!
The LIGHT reveals the beauty of the world!
Jesus, I am weakly and poorly and lamely following after you... Help me to do better. To love and serve you in all those around me. To be compassionate as you teach us today in the Gospel! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Precious feet on a stocking cap... Yes! LIFE is a gift and so many prayers that abortion may be abolished and all life will be cherished from conception to natural death! Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
St Pio, pray for us.
Missed her yesterday!
Blessed Chiara Luce Badano was born in 1971 in the town of Sassello, Italy. Chiara was your average girl who liked to sing, play tennis, and be with friends. Growing up, she knew it was important to do God’s will, even when she didn’t want to, especially when it came to doing the chores.
At the age of 17, while playing tennis, Chiara experienced a sharp pain in her shoulder. Shortly after, she ...was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, and was given a grim prognosis. Although difficult, she accepted that her illness was the will of God and offered her suffering up to Jesus. This diagnosis is where her story of true heroic virtue began. Chiara had a great sense of redemptive suffering, often saying: “If this is what you want, Jesus, so do I.” Regardless of how much pain she was in, she still showed much love and radiated joy to all those she encountered.
On October 7, 1990 she passed away in the presence of her friends and family at home. Even until her last breath, Chiara remained joyful and happy. Her last words were: “Goodbye. Be happy because I’m happy.” Chiara Luce Badano was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on September 25, 2010 and became the first member of Generation X to be beatified. Her feast day is celebrated on October 29th. Bl. Chiara Badano, pray for us!
Yesterday was cold snowy and wintery, and 6 month old Joy wore her snowflake shirt in honor of what appeared to be the beginning of winter. Her almost 4 year old brother, his birthday is in less than a week, wore his entire winter clothes after mom found him on the deck with bare feet to move the snow off the railing. "It is no longer bare foot weather, Luke." his mom told him.
Thankfully the weather is now beautiful sun and approaching 50 today, so our ready to think that winter is here is not true and a beautiful November to keep working at harvest is still possible and prayed for without ceasing. So many prayers to get us through harvest time getting all the work safely and sanely done!
The snow did help us get to see the kids in a play last evening at the Catholic School... Rose is the cutest penguin in the center! Simon worked back stage and Mary, David and Rose were in the production. Lots of giggles! Happy Feast Day to Simon today as it is St Simon and St Jude, two of the 12 who were sent out to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God!
My day has vanished with 5 hours of picking up bales with my husband. St Jude comes to mind and heart today as he is one of those Saints that you pray to for impossible/hopeless/lost causes/desperate cases/ all of which I feel to be today after being misunderstood and put in my place firmly. My heart is heavy and my rosary is calling out to me.
Ruth taking time to put Luke's winter clothes on, and today it looks like we can wait awhile again.
Melting now... hopefully it will wait a month to get serious about winter!
Jesus, being humbled is hard... Jesus give me a joyful spirit to love and serve without counting the cost! Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
Paul's new spreader
"Just as Christ was sent by the Father, so also He sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit.This He did so that, by preaching the gospel to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15), they might proclaim that the Son of God, by His death and resurrection, had freed us from the power of Satan (cf. Acts 26:18) and from death, and brought us into the kingdom of His Father" ~Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
The bales are now frosted with snow!! I am watching the snow swirl in the wind down from my roof and the roar of the winds. Ruth just reported that she dug out the winter clothes last night in anticipation of today, and it is a good thing! Joy and I had a beautiful evening two days ago... the calm before the storm.
Roses in the snow... that is how quickly things change around here. We are hoping and praying that this will pass and the farmers can return to harvest. After working til 3a and many short nights... they are trying to catch up on rest this morning. Still so much to do!
As John and I were praying morning prayer and doing the readings this morning before he cautiously headed out for his half hour drive to work in a neighboring town... reading that first reading from Romans really struck home to me! Most especially the words about his "inner self" and how that is where he delights in all things holy/the law of God. My inner temple/prayer space/most gloriously lightfilled chapel filled with Jesus and Mary and The Saints! How I love them all and how wonderful is all that time I can spend there, and yes it does become my gage for the times that I sin and do wrong and fall into "doing the evil I do not want, instead of the good I want."
Snow on the pumpkins... just plain cold and wintry all of a sudden.
How can I do better in following Jesus? I was reminded yesterday that we become what we love, and I LOVE the Saints! They are my total thing and each day dedicated to a certain saint is such a powerful experience of Faith for me. I have The Queen of Heaven and earth always with me also in prayer and helping me, and most of all bringing me to her Son!
Some of my favorites? There are so many...each of my grandchildren is names for a Saint, so when I pray my rosary and after the Hail Holy Queen... I do the litany of our family first, middle and confirmation names and then all my losses... it is quite an amazing list of so many glorious and wonderful examples of Faith no matter what they face. They can certainly help us on this journey from heaven. YES!!!
I so pray to St Ages for all the youth that are put in the house of prostitution with all the moral evil just a mouse click away... she left there untouched! She can certainly help in this battle!
Quite the contrast... Therese with her picture of us at the ocean this summer with her and her farm cousins on her sweet card that came in the mail yesterday!
Yes, Therese is a huge saint for us! Maria named her oldest first daughter after the amazing St Therese, who wrote Story of a Soul, which Maria read on her way to study for a year in Rome , and then discerned cloistered life for herself with the Poor Clares for 5 months! http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/now-stories-of-johns-4-sistersruth.html
So sweet... she knows that her Godmother, Aunt little Sister Hallel is now in KC, and she would love to be able to see her and her cousins. It was very special to have them here for 5 months this last winter on the farm. From time to time when dad is away with the we have them living with us. Talk about close and personal!
It looks like I have a new sweet pen pal!
Short sleeves.... today Joy would have to be in a snowsuit!
It sounds like bales getting picked up is on the schedule. I had better wrap this up quickly! I will have my beads to keep me company and a prayer in my heart and my glorious inner temple!
Therese loves babies/LIFE and sewed this blanket along with the sweet family cross stitch!
Jesus, we long to be with you forever in heaven. May we spend time in your presence this day no matter where we are. Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
OH my!!!
Love it!
“The devotion to the Eucharist is the most noble because it has God as its object; it is the most profitable for salvation, because It gives us the Author of gr...ace; it is the sweetest, because the Lord is sweetness Itself.” — Pope St. Pius X
I was convinced that most all of my future grandchildren would suck thumbs or fingers down the road. Well, here is #15 and she is my first!!! Wonderful little Joy sucks her middle two fingers on her left hand, which is different from the thumb that her mom and her 3 younger sisters all sucked, but it equally helps her to be a contented baby.
She is very much in love with table food and mixed with our home made applesauce... she opens her mouth like a baby bird and downs big bowls of squash or carrots mashed up. Yes, that is squash around her mouth! Since I did not have a high chair... I used my clothes basket for her to sit in for meals and playing with toys. We shared a big day yesterday while mom and dad were baling corn stalks across the road... about 600 total!
I had too much fun with her first topknot on her newly coming in red hair. She is our second grandchild with wonderful red hair! We don't have any fair haired - only a couple with dishwater dark blond.
The dark blustery morning was filled with helping hubby, so my train of thought has flown away with the wind. With the wind and the snow forecasted... I swept the leaves out of the garage and closed the door and then went and pulled beets and carrots, and now have some beets cooking on the stove to go with my late lunch... so I am determined to finish this in the time it takes for those to cook. The thought of snow got me moving on some final fall stuff, I guess, and it feels good to have that done.
She can sit up now, but still needs some protection and this was a good solution. Joy is a good name for her!
One thing that struck me during morning prayer with John in the light of the kitchen was the reading from Isaiah about how "I will... make crooked ways straight." How often does it seem that life is out of control and you are going backwards or sideways or one step forward and two back in the dance of craziness and life is out of your control and not your own? Most every day, right? But then we see that there is truly a plan and Jesus is in control and all we need is trust and we can see that things have been smoothed out and made straight and it has all been part of helping us die to self so that Jesus/the Holy Spirit can be in control and help us always looking forward to our goal of Eternal LIFE! St Paul to the Romans is all about that today - "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
Squash face and purple topknot and the sweetest softest look under the sun! Ruth kind of groaned when I told her that I had her first topknot in. LOVE!
Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the words of the Gospel today..."I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing." "When Jesus talks about fire, he means in the first place his own Passion..." Yes, we are then to join in that fire of the Holy Spirit which rids us of all that keeps us apart from Jesus and ignites our lives like a torch!
Grandma had too much fun!!!
Jesus, I am yours and I want to burn up in your love!!! May I die to self so that you may work through me. Be with the farmers keeping them safe and sane. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
The blanket the Therese made for her... the crosstitch family she made for it is so special! It is my prayer that Therese and her family can see us soon. Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke
Her dad called and wanted us to come out to the field , so we grabbed a few bale pictures!
Dad and Joy...
corn stalk and Joy Jean Jellybean
Bales as far as the eye can see! She liked it up there... it was a beautiful evening yesterday... today not so much.
Just because...
That is out of this world!!!
About ready to grab my beads and be quiet!
I have a grandson, Augustine and John chose him for his patron saint... he's amazing and big around here!
"My little way is the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute self-surrender." -St Therese
Sometimes I don't feel smart enough to really love God. ... Like I could maybe love God more if I understood theology and scripture and philosophy a bit better.
Like living a God-focused life is a bit too grown up for me.
Like I'm a bit too silly and foolish to be holy right now.
But then there is St. Therese and her little way. Her invitation to take the easier, more direct path to heaven.
A path to heaven where we are invited to recline in God's arms as he carries us.
A path to heaven where we are called to be children, not academics.
A path to heaven I can start walking right now. Even in my foolishness and simplicity.
“The most beautiful and stirring adventure that can happen to you is the personal meeting with Jesus, who is the only one who gives real meaning to our lives.” — Pope St. John Paul II
Painting by Raúl Berzosa
Casting Crowns - One step away
Love this in the heart of our wonderful family - 25 strong with 10 in heaven praying for us, and one in the womb! Faith/Family/Farm makes the world go round and the crooked way straight!
Lilacs make me happy and fill me with HOPE. 
