Thundersnow/Snow day/Recognizing Jesus in Word and Eucharist/First time hand sewing/Laughter!

I missed a trip to see Hallel and Nancy over the weekend, but as my friend Lila put it..."Divine Providence got us there to see Hallel.  We walked out of mass, saw your text, called and Hallel answered and arrived just before mass.  We were going to stay for the Angelus, but after the first song we said; 'How can you leave something so special?' "

It was super fun to get this from them and to know that no matter how brief... Bobbi's parents now understand our love for The Community of the Lamb and having our Hallel here in the U.S.!  It is also wonderful to know that we can include our daughter in the family comings and goings a bit more, and we can join with them also.

We are having an unexpected snow day today... Lots of prayers for the cows and calves and those traveling in this weather while John and I prayed the office!  "It is always a gift when we can do morning prayer together."  And today was no exception...

I just had some fun at John's expense as he hand sewed for the first time.... pink thread, on the outside, he left the thread on the spool and made the knot when he was done, and there was some blood involved as he poked one of his fingers... I told him that I will miss the laughter he brings into my life around here!  I just hope that there is lots of laughter in his home with Bobbi...

John and Bobbi with Goddaughter, Joy, and the Stations of the Cross over their shoulder.

John is sharing how these times are exciting, stressful, difficult, exciting, prayerful, and joyful all at once.  He and Bobbi are praying to St Joseph for their home and jobs, "so that I can provide for my family, Lord."  We know that this his plan is for John and Bobbi after years or waiting and asking... and that he has a wonderful plan for them as a married couple and hopefully a family!

Too cute to watch John being domestic, and the results made me laugh, which is the best part of all!  It always helps our humility factor to laugh at ourselves!   He did question if I were taking pictures of him when there was a flash of lightening, but the thunder a short time late got me off the hook.  Thundersnow is happening and school was canceled all around us.

It's a white world out there... I had better wrap this up as my internet is coming and going with the storm!


I shared with Lila how Hallel fell in love with the Community through her attraction and love for The Word/Jesus there!  How this has affected me in my own journey is profound and real!  The Gospel starting the night before his huge for me and we shared how the Holy Spirit can speak to us from a familiar reading we have read hundreds of times before!  There is a special connection in the Gospel today to The Community of the Lamb

Just back from a harrowing trip over to the farm with food and dry clothes for Pat! 

Arrived at lunch time and watched the snow come down like crazy and a new calf born on Cow TV.. this is what a snow day looks like in a big open farm house with 6 kids... Mom is making poke cake for dessert for lunch and she has many helpers!

Joy found grandpa's lap for lunch and John came over with me, too.   It was a good thing that he was along to help me find my way back home just before the total white out hit!  We both had our windows down to try to see the ditch on either side... otherwise we would have been in a ditch calling for help.  Traveling only 20 miles an hour and trying to stay in the middle of the road... we made it the 3 miles between our places!

The angel Maria stenciled on the big front picture window seems to ponder the crazy weather! 


It was nerve wracking to get there and back,  but now we are truly snowed in here!  That is a peaceful feeling now in our warm home watching the storm outside.  Pat has said that he will not be coming home tonight..."I am not leaving until the snow is done and cleaned up."  When I called to tell him that we got home safe, he told me that another calf is coming in the barn.

Sweet Mary went out to help grandpa with the new calf born at lunch time - her pet Cow, Banana, had a bull calf. 


Well, I think somewhere back there a few hours ago... I was starting to share the connection with the Gospel and The Community of the Lamb... "Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel
in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon."  Luke 4


This is from 1 Kings 17 and it was the scripture that Little Sister Marie was led to when she asked the Lord if he was truly asking their Dominican branch to beg for their food from the poor...

Elijah and the Widow

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ⁹ “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” ¹⁰ So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” ¹¹ And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
¹² So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
¹³ And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’”
¹⁵ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.


This was the answer Little Sister Marie received through scripture... so they knock on the door of the poor begging for their food and representing Christ in His Word ministering to them.  They have many stories of to poor being blessed by giving to them from their smallness - even only offering a cup of water!

A memory from 2 years ago... Rose will probably be out in the barn today, too!


We have a bottle calf... Rose loves to feed her. It is the year of"H"s for names so Paul named her Hillary... yes, she is quite annoying and this is political. Bless-bless — with Ruth Lanoue and Paul Lanoue.  Oh Hillary is still special to them and this is cow talk not political!




Jesus, be with all those out on this day.  We place calving in your hands and ask that you watch over all livestock out in this weather.  WE trust and depend upon you, O Jesus.  You fill us with so much wonder and awe at the gifts we are given from your Sacraments and Word!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Thankful for our tracks when we left....