"I have definitely renewed my love of the Catholic Church and everything in it..." Maria a few months into college at St Thomas 2001

With Maria in Rome in 2003 while she was studying there for a year... we went to see her over Holy Week!


Why start here today?  It started with a conversation of my dad asking where Ruth went to college, and all my college stories for each of the girls and how we and the Holy Spirit definitely had a lot to do with the girls' taking this huge step in their lives!


Here is the Maria story...
Well, Maria headed off to the big city - St Paul for college.  I will always remember the stunned and overwhelmed look on her face as she stood on the busy street by campus the day of our college visit.  But she headed up there, and decided to live in the chemical free floor and had a nice roommate.  She shared later that within a short time she asked a seminarian friend where she could find an E-free church, and he said these famous words - "We have to talk."  Well, I am forever grateful to this young man, because thanks to him and the Holy Spirit listening to our prayers for our daughter... I received this letter at the Thanksgiving TEC 173... Susan was making her first TEC and team Verly was there.  I opened this letter from Maria and it is now taped inside my Bible;

"I love you!  I am sorry if I have been stubborn lately with this statement, but it is true.  You have also loved me, even when I totally turned against you and all that you believe in.  Well, now you know that your prayers are definitely answered, because I know that my faith filled a lot of your prayer time in the last 2 years.  My relationships at college have really helped me.  I have definitely renewed my love of the Catholic Church and everything in it, but I still am in need of prayers for me to continue to grow in faith. I don't think that I ever told you this, but you and dad are amazing.  You raised all of us in The Church and built us a faith foundation on which we can grow on,  Thank you!"  Maria Teresa... she told me that not only did she not miss a Sunday mass, but now she was going to daily mass!  And Yes -she quickly embraced Catholic Studies and decided to study in Rome for her entire Sophomore year!  So powerful! 

Ruth's wedding November 22, 2003... including Maria just a few weeks before she entered the Poor Clares to discern her vocation as a cloistered nun. 

Today in sharing the guidance we provided for our children as they headed out to college... not heavy handed but we had definite input for each.  For instance, Maria was looking at a private Protestant University and her dad and I said that we would only pay for a private Catholic Education... hence she reluctantly headed to St Thomas and was soon head over heels in love with The Church and deeply immersed in the Catholic Studies program there!  Studying in Rome and discerning religious life and coming back to St Thomas to complete her bachelors and then get a scholarship for her masters in Catholic Studies!  Meeting Joseph, who had discerned the priesthood in a high school seminary by Chicago and then minor seminary at St Thomas!  Two young people, who loved Jesus and His Church and asked his plan for them = that they marry and be open to life and raising LIGHTS!

My dad was deacon at Maria and Joseph's wedding along with 4 other priests including a "family priest", Fr Germain Louwagie from Guatemala!

After a heartbreaking conversation with someone close to me that has jumped ship from my beloved Church... the young people like Maria and Joseph and Hallel and Ruth and Nancy and Bill and all their wonderful Catholic friends that have faithful families that are loving and building up The Church... that is what I see all around me and where my heart soars with HOPE and JOY and knowing that we are called to stay in those pews and evangelize from the inside!!!  

I recall Maria and Joseph's wedding and the thunderous voices of their young friends on fire for The True Church responding throughout in Latin and that clear ring of Truth coming from them so boldly and on fire for the Truth shared through Jesus and His Church!  This is what rings in my heart, mind and soul when I say that I love, love, love The Church!!!

This is my picture of HOPE for The Church!

And this... my deacon dad mother at prayer each day for our family!  For The Church that they love and brought me and my siblings into!  All 13 of us!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html


Lord, how we love you and your Church!  We thank and praise you now and forever!  Jesus, we trust in you!!!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

4 years later with the baby girls in their arms!  Yes!!! Jesus in the Tabernacle behind and in the midst of them!  Sharing our Faith as a family is a small slice of heaven here on earth!

"Jesus took her mother and father and went into death and brought her out..." Hallel on the phone with my parents

Hallel with her niece, Mary Angela, in KC over New Years. 


Mary is 11 years old and this was about the age of Susan/Hallel when on the way home from a week of girl's camp at Schoenstatt in Sleepy Eye... she told me that she thought she was going to be a nun.  The path to sisterhood was not a straight direct one, but it did prove to be words inspired by the Holy Spirit for her!

Going full circle... Mary made her first week of camp this last summer and enjoyed it very much.  I am sure that she will now have Schoenstatt camp as part of her summers and that of her sisters coming behind her! 


I was sharing with my parents that I had to seek out nuns in habits to expose my girls to this back when they were girls and now there are two orders of habited nuns close by to us... The Handmaids in New Ulm and the Sisters of the Mary the Morning Star in Ghent.  Also we have Aunt Little Sister Hallel showing them the beauty and JOY of consecrated life and I know there are already fake plans for Mary and Therese to go there and spend some time in a few years from now!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/susan-angela-agneslittle-sister-hallel.html

A gift this morning!!!  My parents each sat in the wing chairs and I on the footstool with the phone on the desk on speaker phone and we all had a half hour conversation with Hallel in KC!!


My parents at their age are not able to make the trip to KC to see her, so I have been encouraging them to give her a call.  But I could see that it was not going to happen, so I decided to make the call while I was here and it fell into place!  My parents could both here her happy voice and ask questions and learn a bit about her life, and feel like they have touched base with her while in the U.S. for the first time in 9 years. 


"I am not sure if we have ever sat down and had a talk with Susan/Hallel." said my dad, and with 35 grandchildren that could be very true indeed.  For sure they have not spoken to her since she left to join the Community... this fall that will be 10 years! 

 Hallel in KC walking into the light on one of our visits. 


It was cute to hear her share that tomorrow there will be "loud cries" in the monastery.  "Nancy and her kids are coming for their hour of adoration, and it gets loud in the chapel.  I try to go there and pray with the kids some of the time."  But we both know that she loves the little ones and it is a joyful noise unto the Lord!  Even though I can't see Hallel while we were talking... we could hear the smile in her voice!

A peaceful sleeping Josephine Francis taking a nap on Hallel. 


There were those powerful moments in our conversation and it only seems right that the Gospel for today would be a big part of that as I know how much Hallel and The Community has "menducated" each line starting last night! 


She shared this deep and powerful Holy Spirit moment about when Jesus went into the room of the dead girl with her mother and her father and brought her back to LIFE!  "Jesus took her mother and her father and went into death and brought her out to life."  How powerful is that for all those parents, whose children has left behind their good life and entered sin and death and that with Jesus we can go in to death and bring them out alive and breathing in and out and a heart beating with LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT!    A beautiful promise and something to cling to!  The healing hand and heart of Jesus!!


We also discussed Cora Jesu/Heart of Jesus that has started to happen in our diocese and how it all ties into the other part of the Gospel of touching the hem of his garment!
Here is the story from my page devoted to Hallel's call;
"There is one story which happened towards the end of Susan's time in the Discernment house - there was a gathering called Cor Jesu - Heart of Jesus - which had begun among the Catholic young people at St Thomas.  Susan invited me as she was to do a small sharing as part of the night.  She stepped up to the podium and simply and shortly spoke of her love for Jesus and his Bride, the Church.  Then Fr Craig and some other priest put Jesus in the monstrance in the altar for adoration and around the base of the monstrance was a scarf/altar cloth that draped around and hung on both sides.  The church was packed with young people and we were invited up to hold onto the hem of his garment in a close and personal time with Christ.  To add to the power and glory there was reconciliation going on with numerous priests at the same time as well as amazing praise and worship music being led by groups of talented guitars and singers!  The most powerful sight to behold was a sister, who had been Christ's bride probably for 20+ years up on her knees and holding onto his garment in intimate prayer time with her spouse!  I share this story when I give talks at TEC for the Church People of God with the song by Danielle Rose- If I touch him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaCR24-tkWI  Danielle too considered a call and lived for a time in a convent in New Orleans - she discerned out but continues to work for Christ as a musical missionary!  "

Danielle Rose - If I touch him

Jesus, I love you and your Bride, The Church, always there to help me down the narrow path!  Thank you for the call of Hallel,  and her joy and beautiful insight into Jesus/The Word of God made flesh and dwelling among us in Mercy and LOVE!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

I have my nun because of my call to discern this amazing wonderful LIFE of a spouse of Christ!  I am so blessed to be able to share in her contemplative life from time to time!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

And to have her wonderful prayers surrounding our family!  Mom and dad shared with her that they pray for her daily and she thanked them for this needed help in her daily following Jesus!  We love all there is for the Church and do not pick and choose!  "We love Pope Francis! He is leading us to Christ and acting as Christ in the world."  Hallel

Pat reading me the Gospel the night before... 2,000 swine? "the Jews wouldn't eat pork!"

Cleaning day with mom and dad... we are done with our chores and then sit down for a visit. 

Mom grabbed her rosary while we discussed the Gospel for today.  "It's weird to think of 2,000 pigs rushing into the sea and drowning after Jesus sent Legion of evil spirits into them.  It was over the sea, so they weren't Jewish people who don't eat pork." 

It was special to share prayer with Pat on the phone last night.  Afterwards he followed the example of The Community of the Lamb and read me the Gospel for the next day.  Listening to his voice read me this powerful story of healing the man with Legion of evil spirits and cut himself with rocks.  How glorious to hear his voice proclaim this amazing story... it really was a fresh and exciting Gospel! 

My wonderful breakfast thanks to my dad!  He serves me with joy each morning and sits down with me!  I am a spoiled girl!!!


Jesus, thank you for me having both my parents here in there own home, and for our wonderful times together.  It is a wonderful gift of LIFE that continues to shower over me.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke.. off to visit my sister nearby.

Mary and the Trinity with the snow.  A home that you truly can tell is Catholic!  LOVE it!

Dad on one side and mom on the other and time of sharing and praying.  I am home away from home!  thank you, dear husband for giving me this gift!

A watercolor in the bedroom where I stay here/my room... that I painted in 2013.  Fun to see and makes me want to paint my memories here, too!   Fake plans to call Hallel in KC tomorrow and allow my parents to have a visit with her since they can't make it to see her there while she is here this year. 


They are saying that they are coming to John's wedding in June!  I am thrilled at that, and have promised them that they will stay in my home in their old 4 poster bed!!!

I am over the moon excited to think that my parents will be able to make it to John's wedding and come and share some time in my home!!!


This was their bed since their marriage 68 years ago, and it was old then!  When they moved away from Taylors Falls in 1995... it became mine!  Now to hope that they could come and use it again gives me over the moon happiness!  I love Fake Plans like this!



“Love Mary!… She is loveable, faithful, constant. She will never let herself be outdone in love, but will ever remain supreme. If you are in danger, she will ha...sten to free you. If you are troubled, she will console you. If you are sick, she will bring you relief. If you are in need, she will help you. She does not look to see what kind of person you have been. She simply comes to a heart that wants to love her. She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you, embraces you and consoles and serves you. She will even be at hand to accompany you on the trip to eternity”
St Gabriel

"The Old Rugged Cross"/Sunday dinner after Together in the Eucharist!

Tears come to my eyes at the gift I am given regularly now... having time with both of parents in their peaceful loving home!

Dad and I had a fun time laughing about how our name has been used and abused over his long 93 years of life... he will officially be 93 on March 6th, so almost there!  "When I was a skinny kid of 18 in the army during WWII.. one of the other soldiers called me "the old rugged Cross', and I was anything but that!" said my dad.  "Well, dad, he was prophecying as now you are truly an 'old rugged Cross." 

The Cross is hugely important on our journey of Faith, and I love this sign of Truth which came to me with birth... Barbara Cross now Verly!

He sure does well now that thanks to the VA he has his new ability to hear thanks to his cochlear implant!  He was sharing with me his love of Jesus and the Mercy he pours upon us with forgiveness and healing... much like the paralytic lowered before Christ, who first forgave his sins and then healed him..."Rise, take up your mat, and walk."

So blessed to be taught at the feet of first my dad and then my mom!  She has written a Bible study for the entire Bible, and was sharing with me a thread she had followed through I Kings and II Kings!  Her insight into Jehu and how he makes us understand our President Trump and how he is cleaning out the swamp...


https://www.catholicdiagramteacher.com/
My parents' website with all of their lives works... my mother with her Bible study, and her books and my father with his talks given to Alcoholics over the years.  Both sharing their LIGHT with the world of darkness and sin and death.


Yes, I am one lucky woman to have both of my parents alive and as well  as can be expected for today... who knows what tomorrow will hold when they are 88 and 92, but how I love to be here sharing their faith filled days!  Out discussions are lively and happy and from deep to light in the blink of an eye!


http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html  A glimpse into the miraculous gift I have been given as my parents led us 11 kids into The Church, and each day since has been a total gift!!!

In my parents' home are the two statues gifted them when my father left his ministry as Permanent Deacon in St Frances De Sales Church in Manistique, MI!  My mother's beloved books of Faith and in the center our family picture... surrounded by their daily prayers for their family!  We have now reached over 120+!  Many prayers and how we are lifted up and depend upon them!


The rug was one my mother made for my sister, Mary, who died at age 28 in 1986 from cancer!  How she is in my heart and prayers!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/now-stories-of-johns-4-sistersruth.html

Mass shared with my parents across the river in TF... they lived here 25+ years ago, and there are so many fond memories of their house on Angel Hill here! 


I had the delightful chance to speak to their young priest, Father John Drees, after mass.  I asked the Holy Spirit to make a way as I was certain that he would know some of the 4 that had gone to St Thomas... Maria, Joseph, Susan/Hallel, and John!  He was standing there as we walked out and I was able to speak with him and discovered that he knew all 4!!  So much fun to share with him, and he with me about how he and son-in-law, Joseph studied in the same area and he knew of Hallel and the community and had studied there with John for the year he was in seminary!  Nothing better than to share with these amazing young people that are answering the call so powerfully and beautifully!


From my perspective... the Church is alive and well and becoming better all the time with the love I see coming from all these young followers of Christ and His Bride, The Church!

A fun trip up to drive past my parents' former home after mass!  It looks much the same from the outside and we shared the many fond memories we have from our years coming here to their charming home on Angel Hill!

One of my favorites on Angel Hill on Easter 1991... the Easter Hat/John falling down picture that we all laugh about to this day!  A Classic!  Good for a smile at any time whatsoever!

Another heart touching picture from 4years ago... I wrote this;
Now there's a son, who loves his Mother! Don't worry this mother is not jealous... I am thrilled to see her there with him each day! I love her, too, more than I can say, and look to her each day with all my heart as I prayerfully put all my children, husband, and needs in her hands! Mary, Mother of God, come to our assistance... our port in the storms of LIFE! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless — with John Verly.


This picture brings back a hard place for John at this time.  He was a 4H program coordinator in Jackson, MN, and had just been told at Mayo that it was starting to look like he would have dementia after his whole brain radiation!  I will let you hear from him about that in this promotional video he made in Chicago last spring...

Thank you, Lord!!! How he longs to share his LIGHT with the world after finding his faith through surviving brain cancer!

One more walk down memory lane back in the 80's - mid 90's of our family journey! 

The traditional Sunday Dinner with mom and dad... wonderful!  Filled with discussion of the mass, homily and readings from today!  A point of discussion also was the second reading from St Paul to the Corinthians about married versus unmarried.  Yes, we do work at pleasing our spouses, yet we try to keep the Lord first in our relationship!


Was St Paul a single celibate man or married?  I tend to think of him as single and single minded in his love of Jesus and work for The Church!  My parents and I also discussed the authority of the priesthood... it appears on the day of ordination and is beautiful to witness indeed!

Mom's table is always a work of art indeed!  I am so happy and spoiled and filled with happiness to be here spending these wonderful gift days with my parents!


Jesus, how we love you with our all!!!  May we die to self so that you may live within us and we may become your hands and feet!  May we carry/drag our Most cherished Cross and follow after you down the narrow path to heaven forever with you, Jesus, Mary, your Mother of heaven and earth and all the wonderful Saints!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

John and Bobbi with Hallel and The Community of the Lamb in KC last weekend!  They had a wonderful time together and report that their marriage prep day yesterday was amazing!  Love the work our Church is doing to get marriages off on the right foot.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Love my Sunday JOYFUL pictures!!!  Last week after mass with youngest granddaughter, 10 month old JOY! 


The humble truth shared by Mr Rogers!


 
St Teresa of Calcutta !




Embrace the mysteries of Our Faith.

How often to I push aside my day to day duties because they don't seem important enough? I feel the need to do Big Noticeable Things. But St. Angela reminds us God calls us to be faithful in the small, sometimes unseen, tasks of our vocations.

Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me

Danielle Rose - Pursue me

Danielle Rose - See you in the Eucharist

On the road again... TEC and mom and dad with St Angela and Blessed Virgin Mary/making my bed!

My parent's 4 poster bed has belonged to me since their move from Taylor's Falls in 1995! Our grandkids marvel that Pat and I fit in this double bed...


In this master bedroom, which Ruth and Paul added onto this house... they had a kingsize bed, and with their growing family - now including 6 children it makes quite a bit of sense.   Pat loves to snuggle with the babies, and little ones, so I am usually pushed out.

In such a huge bedroom we even have a loveseat at the end of our bed!!!  On it I have displayed this quilt square I made for a quilt Ruth put together when she left for college.  I painted this imaginary family portrait...


I got the idea from a greeting card I found at the Thrift store which had the mother with 3 of the girls and the cow and random buildings behind.  I added the 4th daughter, John and hubby along with our buildings behind.  LOVE it!  Seeing it brings back my wonderful nest years with the ups and downs of loss and birth.  The thing about the pain of loss is that it causes you to love and appreciate the life you are given to raise as LIGHTS and ALL LIFE!  The picture is complete with a cemetery and my 7 losses in the background!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

I was motivated to take these pictures this morning as I was preparing to leave for a few days with my parents.  I had come across a challenge one of my Catholic sites - Pray like Mary and clean like Martha - that we should share pictures of our made beds.  Making my bed is huge for me and gets my day off to a good start!

I could no longer find the post and did notice that there was next to no response.  I had way too much to say, so I decided to put it here quickly before I head out to pick team for our upcoming TEC retreat here in Marshall and then on to my parents, who now live in St Croix Falls across the river from Taylors Falls!  In those 23 years they have come almost full circle!

Making my bed goes much deeper for me... I love the look of orderliness and it seems to get some of the wrinkles out of my soul as well.  My mother always had the beds all made, and I found a lot of joy going upstairs in my farmhouse and making the beds and tidying up their rooms.  I sometimes would lie down on the made bed in one of my kids rooms and just look around at the décor or think and pray for them.  It was special to be in Susan's room with the cow and calf border around and look at the peaceful scene and be filled with contentment and happiness at her beautiful example of accepting and loving all along with no care for the material. 

Since the passing of Pat's mom just a little over a year ago... we have gotten the gift of the rosary of rose buds that was over her bed.  It comes from the coffin of Pat's dad, who died 20 years before she did.  So precious to us!  The rosary is huge for me and my prayers for my family! 


Mom always had the Sacred heart of Jesus and the Immaculate heart of Mary in the middle of it above her bed, and we do too, along with our picture from our wedding day.  Pat has a special papal greeting to his dad, and his mom's TEC cross from the TEC she made when she was 82, and a family picture taken just months before his mother died with her 9 living children at the wedding of her granddaughter, Julia!  A miraculous happening indeed!

The picture from the wedding brings so much joy to us, and that smile of Mom's face was rare at this point for her!  It says it all!!!


Jesus with Mary and St Angela Merici today we thank you for being with us in our homes... may they be a place of great JOY and a small slice of heaven here on earth as we share our Faith with JOY!  Go with me today and be with my family back here at home!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

ALL LIFE is a gift from conception to natural death.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Martha Luke

LOVE!

With Pat and Paul...

St Paul to Timothy and Titus - it's a family matter... like your grandmother and mother before you

Some of our family at Easter in KC!  It has Joseph in it, which seems to be rare due to his duty calling... so it is my choice to portray the love of my LIFE - Family! 


I always put Faith first then family then farm, although farming is not a vocation but rather a life, so they are all quite equal by degrees.  Faith and family are so intertwined one with the other and for that I am eternally grateful, and every day when Pat and I share our morning prayer... I always thank the Lord "that we share our faith as a family!"

My parents in the center of our CCC family picture this year - I count around 90, so there are about 30 missing as we are now around 120+.


On this feast of St Titus and Timothy it seems that the feast of the Conversion of St Paul is going forth into the next day as these two were his beloved helpers in the work of evangelization/spreading the Gospel of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT/Christ!  I love what St Paul writes to Timothy!
"as I recall your sincere faith
that first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice
and that I am confident lives also in you."  2 Timothy 1


How beautiful and important is this sharing of the faith within the family?  This is where the seed is planted and nourished and our faith is made our own!

Sharing the rosary with my parents each morning of CCC! 


How I thank the Lord for my parents example and direction in my journey into The Church.  Each day is filled with so much and I am over joyed at all the blessings and graces that are poured upon me!  My Spiritual Mother is with me and I am never alone with her taking me to her Son, my Jesus, and all the Saints showing me to persevere no matter the cost!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Only missing two!!!  This is all I care about... I care nothing for material gifts... only for the joy and the time of family togetherness.  A gift beyond price!


Jesus, our family is a small slice of heaven when we place you above all else and share our faith as a family with JOY!  May we share prayer and song and be loving and forgiving and give without counting the cost.  . (3) Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations. Psalm 96 from mass today!
May we love and serve one another and find that happiness here on earth, which is so hard to find.  Jesus, we trust in you.  amen and Hallelujah

Time with Jesus in prayer is the best!!!  I had the gift of sharing time in adoration with my husband yesterday!  It seemed to cast a wonderful glow of light upon the rest of the day.  Thank you, Jesus... it takes the three of us to make our marriage work!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

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

Praise God for His endless mercy (and patience) with our human frailty.

RESPOND to the invitation of Jesus Christ Himself.

Consider attending Holy Mass daily during the season of Lent.

If this is already your routine - add a daily Holy Hour.

This year Lent begins Feb 14, 2018.

He has prepared the Table - and invited YOU!

John's promo video once again...

Tauren Wells - Hills and Valleys

Lauren Daigle - Come alive

Lauren Daigle - Trust in you