Patrick is 5 on Columbus Day/Blessed John Henry Newman Day/Home from KC Day!

Hallel and Bernadette before mass yesterday in the gathering space looking over the table with special prolife cards and stickers.  It was such a gift to have Hallel come to mass with us at Sacred Heart parish just a few blocks from Nancy's home, and then to join us for Sunday dinner at Nancy's home!

Once more we can put on the barn that Hallel is Home Sweet Home meaning that she has returned to live in the U.S. for the first time since she flew to France 9 years ago!  Here she is with all the nephews in May... and there is a birthday boy in their midst!  Patrick (the middle one in the wagon) is 5 today! 

I just talked to him in Washington on this Columbus Day, so dad is home and there is no homeschooling due to the holiday!  Perfect!  Patrick sweetly told me that he wanted to have mom make him a chocolate birthday cake.  They rarely get sweets in their home, so I could detect the longing and joy in his sweet little voice at the thought!  It is so true that if we seldom get treats it makes them that much more wonderful and special! Happy Birthday my sweet Patrick!

Dominic was named after St Dominic, who is the patron Saint of Hallel's Dominican order... he is checking out the cross that Hallel wears around her neck.  In the next year or so, she will be taking her final vows and receive the Lamb to wear as a sign of being a dedicated Little Sister of the Lamb!  Little Sister Hallel! 

I had to pinch myself to see Hallel in Nancy's home!  This does not easily happen and I was so grateful that these 4 could come and share mass and a meal with us! 


The entire time was a blessing, minus the grueling trip down in the dark with driving rain pounding us, which made me question if this was truly in God's plan or a big mistake... much like the first  reading of Jonah today and how his turning his back on the Lord's plan resulted in the huge storm and being thrown into the sea and eventually the belly of a large fish  for 3 days!  The trip seemed to be an eternity of darkness and fear for our safety in almost blinding pounding rain and cars and trucks zooming past us! 


But we made it in one tired piece, and then the beautiful sun came out to reveal a happy Hallel, and we appreciated her new place to be for this year among a wonderful Community of those we have come to love in our extended family of the Lamb!

Sharing a meal... Nancy, John and Susan/Hallel sitting side my side!  I am still needing to pinch myself to realize that this is what this year holds for us... to have our nun here in the U.S.


We are discovering that Hallel will be working with "the young little Sisters" as they have decided to divide into two groups so that the two new postulants can have more instruction from Hallel and Benedict!  It sounds like some new and exciting things are going to be going on, and it just seems good that Hallel can be there to work with them and share her joy!  We have been told by others that have spent time with Hallel when in France or elsewhere that she is a shining light for them and helped them in adjusting to the newness of being over there or just being involved in The Community!

It was pretty miraculous that both John and Pat could go down there with me on this my birthday weekend!  It is usually prime harvest time of year, but the rains that made our trip down so challenging also allowed Pat to get away.  Such a gift!


I came across this amazing meditation on becoming the Word and taking it out to the world, which is what Hallel and her Community do!  While the 4 of them were with us for mas and dinner... some of the others were on mission where they are Christ knocking on the doors of the poor!

"The Word of God is not brought to the ends of the world in a suitcase.  We carry it in ourselves.  We don't set it off in a corner of ourselves, arranged in our memory as if on a cupboard shelf.  We must let it go to the very core of ourselves, to the very center around which our whole being revolves.  We cannot be missionaries if we have not sincerely, generously, and warmly welcomed the Word of God, the Gospel within ourselves.  The vital dynamic of this word is to take flesh, to become flesh in us.  And when this word comes to dwell within us, we become capable of being missionaries. ...

Once we have heard God's Word, we no longer have the right not to accept it; once we have accepted it, we no longer have the right not to let it become flesh in us; once it has become flesh in us, we no longer have the right to keep it for ourselves alone.  Henceforward, we belong to all those who are waiting for the Word."

~ Servant of God, Madeleine Delbrel (20th c French mystic)

The two postulants to be will be brought into their year of postulancy by Archbishop Naumann at the end of the month! 

Birthday brownies and ice cream in their refectory - pinch me I must be dreaming!


Today the Gospel also is one of great meaning for my daughter's community, who consider themselves one with the poor much like the Good Samaritan did not look down upon the half dead man and pass on the other side, rather he got down in the gutter with him and tended to his needs from what he had! 


I love this meditation on The Mystery of Compassion by Jean Vanier, who works with the developmentally disabled;
These people show their 'helpers' their capacity for love, the forces of love in their hearts.  A poor person has a mysterious power: in his weakness he is able to open hardened hearts and reveal the sources of living water within them.  It is the tiny hand of the fearless child which can slip through the bars of the prison of egoism.  He is the one who can open the lock and set free.  And God hides himself in the child.

Grandpa Pat sees how much the grandkids love Hallel and she them, and he is determined to make a way for them to get to see Hallel as much as possible in this next year!  And when Pat Verly wants to make things happen watch out!

Reading the words by Jean Vanier about the small hand reaching out and changing us... brings me to 5 years ago today and the traumatic birth of Patrick in El Paso... I was there as Joe was in Afghanistan, and Patrick was born dead and brought back to life - I baptized him in the middle of NICU!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html


Yes, there is a very powerful connection between us, and hearing his sweet voice today brought tears of JOY to my eyes!  As usual there is way too much filling this day with way too much to share as I go on and on and on!!!

As we sat around Nancy and Bill's table yesterday noon, after sharing mass at their parish eating one of our wonderful whole chickens with all the trimmings.. Thanksgiving dinner early... Little Sister Benedict reminded us of this occasion 9 years ago when they came to visit us on the farm for the first time!  Hallel had flown to France to join their order just the month before.  4 year old Simon had just looked around the table and with his sweet voice spoken this powerful wonderful Truth - "We are all family."  This picture is always in my prayer book and in my heart!

In Nancy's home in KC!

Singing the blessing song over our meal before we eat... a most special tradition we love from our Community of the Lamb!  Morgan here on the end is a girl from Minnesota, who invited us to come on the 29th for her becoming a postulant and sharing our joy over Hallel with her family... some of whom are having some struggles with her choice to be a Little Sister some day.

As of today these two, Patrick and Rose again, are 5 year olds!  Next month Bernadette will join them.  These 3 are so special to each other and growing up together is a gift they will always share!


Jesus, I am over the moon with all that you have filled me with on this day home again on the farm after a whirlwind perfect time with family in KC for the weekend!  Thank you for making a way for my hard working farmer husband to come with us, and for getting us there safely and giving us a most wonderful smooth sailing trip back home yesterday.  Yes, it was worth the trip and all was filled with LIGHT/LOVE/LIFE!  We are so happy for Hallel to be here and guiding the young Americans that are saying "yes" to your call to be your brides.  I was so happy to share with sweet Morgan yesterday my own story, and how I now have my Hallel because of my own discerning a call to be totally yours.  "That was not the plan." I said pointing to my Most Cherished Cross Patrick Gerard, "but instead I was to have my nun, Hallel."  Lord, I love you and thank you for our extended Family of the Lamb!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html  Love to share my story and shout it from the moutaintops!  Take the time to read and be amazed at how the Holy Spirit is at work!!!

Joseph with his wonderful 5 children - Patrick has dad home to celebrate with him today!  So special!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

A picture is worth a thousand words, but I think I did both today... sorry.  It was just so amazing to have such wonderful time with Hallel and her Community and to see how happy she is to be here!  So many prayers for her each day, and we are blessed to have hers for us! 


She called me and asked me to pick up some things for their new living conditions - I rejoiced to be part of the family... "Mom, could you pick up a few things?"  LOVE it!

His feast day it today too!  I do have a mission!

I do experience this... I love love love all that the Church teaches... I just accept because it is all Truth!

My hero speaks the Truth, too! 

Yes! 

Danielle Rose - Pursue me