Digging in and deep..."the whole meaning of our life is poverty and emptiness" Thomas Merton

Luke is a talker and loves to talk about monster trucks and tractors and Bobbi was a wonderful patient listener to him.  I think she will be a beloved aunt to Lukey tookey!  We are just 5 days from their wedding and the shop has two power washers going right now with orders that I come over and finish up the bathroom.

You would think that washing out toilets is my most hated job, but I came to the realization after cleaning out 3 refrigerators in 2 days, scrubbing showers and stoves... that these rank as my most horrible chores!  I am a frazzled mess with lots of time cleaning in the heat - 101 in our yard yesterday - and with constant thoughts about my parents and the edge of the cliff they are finding themselves now.  I am helpless to be there with them and that is really causing me a lot of emotional turmoil!

12 year old granddaughter, Mary, loves goats.  She is taking care of some goats just a mile down the road and she showed me around on a hot afternoon yesterday while to owners are at a goat show. 


 I must keep this short today and I am called upon to be cleaning for the wedding...  It is a lot of work and I find myself stressed with all the different factors and emotions.  It was a help to talk to family with level heads reminding me to let go and let God when it comes to my parents precarious position now.  It also was good to hear from a very important man to me when I was a new Catholic 47 years ago... Thomas Merton speaking about how when we leave all behind and follow after Jesus, as he asked the rich man in the Gospel today to sell all he had and follow Jesus,


"As peace settles upon the soul and we accept what we are and what we are not, we begin to realize that this great poverty is our greatest fortune... we become aware that the whole meaning of our life is poverty and emptiness which, far from being a defeat, are really the pledge of all the great supernatural gifts of which they are a potency."

The neighbors are so lucky to have this wonderful girl to help them out in their need!  She will be showing a goat of theirs in 4H this summer, too!


I know that when I die to self in total poverty and smallness and weakness... I was just sharing with my sister-in-law this morning that I love how he mother would talk about "dragging her cross" down the narrow path... I am so weak that this is how I would get my cross from point A to point B, by dragging it unable to carry it due to my weakness and unphysicalness!  Yes, it is not hard at all for me to see myself as one in total need of Jesus and His Holy Spirit to be in charge of my small mess of a life!

I think she said that this is a goat that looks like a funny kind of sheep!


Jesus, how I long to leave all the world behind and not be so tied into all that is going on around me.  May I die to self so that you may live in me!  I pray that I can be your hands and feet this day...serving without counting the cost!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Joy is such a good girl - two fisting icies while mom works hard on getting our shop ready for the Grooms supper in just 4 days!!!   Pat wants the tables in on the immaculate floor today!  He has two - John and Mary powerwashing walls and floors and everything  in their path! 

Using kid helpers today... they have some school left for the rest of the week before summer vacation started off with the big family wedding!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Love this!

Deuteronomy 4:39-40

Know, and fix in your heart, that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep His statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today.




Our gratitude to all who faithfully serve our country. Have a blessed Memorial Day!

Ginny Owens - If you want me to

Lauren Daigle - Come Alive