Billions of prayers being answered, and St JPII and St Mother Teresa at work in heaven for LIFE! YES!!!!

 
As complete as we get... only missing Joseph over a year ago when Hallel was home for her home visit... it had been 4 years since her last one!  In the 15 months since we have had 2 more join our family/ in heaven... Nancy has had 2 losses, Max and Catherine.

Nancy's family picture, while Gus holds his baby brother, Maximilian, as we gathered at his graveside to pray and mourn his loss.  Father Craig officiated and moved us deeply with the Truth -"You are a prolife family."  Yes!!! 


With hope high these days at the thought that our constant prayers for the end of abortion could be possible... I was struck with the billions and for sure millions of prayers that have been said asking for the end of this horror... the taking of innocent human life in the womb!  In the 45 years since the legalization of abortion in 1973... there has not been a day that goes by I have not pleaded with God to end this atrocity!


 Just one prayer a day for me alone equals...739,125!  I would say that any time it crosses my mind, heart or soul... I send up a prayer over and over again, so I am sure that needs to be multiplied by 10 and goes into the millions!!! Then multiply that by the millions of people, who can see the reality of LIFE needing to be held sacred from conception to natural death and we easily get into the billions and maybe trillions of prayers for LIFE!!!!

We are overjoyed to have Hallel living in KC this year!!!  Nancy, who lives there has seen her a lot/weekly for Adoration hour on Wednesdays, and the kids have had some special time with their Aunt Hallel and they with her!  The Best!!! 


I have loved to be able to take down our homemade meat and canned food... knowing that she is there to enjoy our food and have a touch of home while here in the U.S.!  The simple things that bring happiness and joy!

Hallel with her Spouse in KC as she placed Jesus in the Monstrance for me to have some time with Jesus!  Her love for him is so inspiring to me, and 18 of us have tickets to France for her final vows/wedding on August 15th/the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven!


All those prayers for LIFE have to be heard and to think that there is a real chance to get some right minded justices in the Supreme court and put an end to this horrible law of the land/culture of death!  How I have rejoiced knowing that my hero for family and LIFE, St John Paul II, is in heaven working to end this atrocity that equals slavery and the holocaust in total disrespect for human life, but has extinguished so many more millions of lives than either of the other two!  Over a million each year = 57,000,000+!

5 years ago for Hallel's first home visit in April 2013... Each girl had a baby.  Now John is married a month to Bobbi and Hallel's wedding is in August! 

The 2017 version with the baby girls!  LOVE!!!


Now add to the power of prayer from Heaven with St Mother Theresa of Calcutta - who died in 1997, so that is 21 years of relentless work ending abortion from heaven and there is no doubt of this is there?!


In front of Hillary Clinton and others, who championed abortion, Mother Teresa spoke these words;
"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself.
And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even His life to love us. So, the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love, that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.
By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems.
And, by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion.
Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion..."

Her amazing speech leaves no doubt of her work in heaven!!! 

Jesus, we are so hopeful this day that all those prayers are to be answered at last!!! 
These words from Lamentations today in the first reading..."Rise up, shrill in the night,
at the beginning of every watch;
Pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the Lord;
Lift up your hands to him
for the lives of your little ones..."  So much human blood crying out to you along with all our petitions and tears at the thought of their horrific and painful deaths!  Lord, why?  We are storming heaven and when others wonder..."You and what ?"  An truly is at work in heaven lead by your Mother, Mary the Mother of God!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bring an end to the taking of innocent human life!  Amen and Hallelujah

Ruth and Paul in Rome in November of 2003 just days after their wedding - asking St JPII for a "healthy happy family."

Prayers answered here!!!  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Maria's family

Nancy's family a few weeks before they lost Max... in the picture too and always in their hearts!

John and Bobbi love life, too!!!  With their 5 Godchildren on their wedding day, and praying for them each day.  Asking the Lord to bless them with family, too!
LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT is what we gain when we embrace our Most Cherished Cross!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Today we remember the First Martyrs of Rome, put to death after being made a scapegoat for the great fire (which was rumored to be started by Nero).

Pray for us that we may be courageous in standing for our Faith no matter what consequence it may bring.

The amazing Gospel for today... end the culture of death, O Lord!
http://www.neonnettle.com/news/4411-donald-trump-prepares-groundwork-for-abortion-ban-in-all-50-states

Danielle Rose - The Saint that is just me

***PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THIS CALL TO PRAYER!***

According to reports, President Trump will announce his nominee for Supreme Court Justice on July 9.

TODAY we are imploring you to begin a novena to three pro-life American saints, that the selected nominee may be a steadfast pro-life advocate, unwavering in their desire to protect life from conception until natural death....

Novena available here: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/novena-to-three-american-saints-for-life.cfm

 More prayers can only help right?

St Peter and Paul... the best!!

Time with grandpa and Joy... he came from the pasture and found Joy with grandma while the rest went to the dentist.  Joy only has 2 teeth on top and 2 on the bottom, so not needing a dental visit yet!  We enjoyed the porch together with a nice breeze...

Roger was interested in an icy that they shared...  Super cute!


The day has flown by trying to get the lawn mowed ahead of the heat... over 100 with the humidity and the temps!  My rosary is calling me, but the Feast of St Peter and Paul has to be addressed a bit because they are out of this world AMAZING!!!

Icy beggar... Joy is no pushover!


This is when we would go as a family to the Big Lake for our 2 weeks over the 4th of July!  It sure would be a small slice of heaven today and during this heat wave!  The year we battled John's brain cancer Ruth and Maria went with their families and Pat and I missed going due to John.  So I have missed my weeks there.  I am sad to have it gone now for our second summer!  The grandkids are sad too!

 Our last summer on the Big Inland Sea - Lake Michigan - July 2016!

Rose and Mary!  How good would that feel today?  We have Camden which is very refreshing as it is spring fed!  Sigh!

Our beach had sand!!!!  Sugar sand!!!


I am leaving here today with some sadness missing our wonderful prime family time away in Michigan!  I need to hold it in my heart and be grateful for those years and take what comes now on the farm.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

My favorite water coloring on the beach... blue water was usually part of the picture!

Joy missed out on Michigan, and won't have the sadness we have because it is no longer in our lives.  She sure makes our lives fun and happy, though!

Love that happy grin!!!  She sure has fun with LIFE! 

"Listen to these words of mine and act on them..." Matthew 7 Projects of LOVE!

Rose tasting the product of our family job/project of picking, cleaning and making strawberry jam.  6 ice cream pails of strawberries became 30 pints of beautiful freezer jam!  Thumbs up!!!


We love to make food for 6 families and with Ruth's 6 we have a crew to get the job done quickly and efficiently! 

Rose with her mom and Mary took the tops off the strawberries and cleaned them... then they went over to the crushing station with Simon and David hard at work, after they got 7 cups they brought them over to me for a 4x batch... to add the pectin and sugar and put the finished jam into jars!


4 1/2 year old Luke took some tops off, and Joy was underfoot and in the action of a family job.  The background music gave Joy some dance moves that made us all smile!  She is good at bringing JOY to our lives!

On our knees picking berries... Simon and Mary picked with Ruth and I.

Joy thinks they are good, too!

6 pails for jam and one for Bobbi and John, who missed out due to work... We had fake plans to do this over the weekend, but went to KC instead.  KC was so special to share with both Hallel and Nancy!

Of the surviving 7 kittens - Blackjack is the favorite.  "Look into his eyes." said Mary, who obviously is loving him!

Ruth's spectacular garden!!!


While we were away for the weekend... the playhouse was moved to the farm and put under the silver maple tree!!!  LOVE!  It is now the home of the kittens until they are big enough to find homes for them in about a month!

Rose loving that the kittens are living safe and sound in her playhouse filled with wonderful ways to play with her imagination and artistic projects!


I am filled with heavy thoughts concerning our country and our world this day!  Pat has been spending time immersed in the debate of the liberals and the conservatives about our president and the new development of possibly getting a conservative majority in the Supreme Court and maybe doing away with the horror of Roe vs Wade!  How did our world ever come to accept the taking of innocent human life?  I am sick at it all!!!

Rose with the special one... Blackjack.  They saved him from the mouth of the dog shortly after this was taken.  One of his nine lives gone for sure!  As much as they love this kitten... there is no comparison to human life!


The Word is filled with much that tells us of how God values each life from conception to natural death!  I think of Psalm 139, and The Visitation where the two in the womb... St John the Baptist, who is about 6 months in the womb recognizes his Savior, who is in his first trimester and jumps for JOY at He whom is bringing newness of LIFE into the world!


Psalm 139
¹³ For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
¹⁵     My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed.
¹⁷ How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ I try to count them—they are more than the sand;
    I come to the end^[a]—I am still with you.

Trusting kitten laid calmly on his back in her hands... Rose had written the names of the cats and kittens on her black  board!

This image!!!  I am so moved and saddened by it!  How can a mother do this to her child?  The bond is there and the LOVE is of God for that LIFE in her womb!  Yes, we are called to give of ourselves in order to nurture and care for them and share our Faith with them with JOY! 


Karrisa Collins writes:
"Joking aside...
Children are a blessing. We say it but don't speak it. I am guilty of this as well.
I scroll through Facebook and see people joking about being pregnant and joking about not being pregnant. The newest joke is who can make it through the summer without getting pregnant. When I go places, my life seems to be a joke to many. A joke about not owning a television or having anything better to do.
But God taught me a few years ago that life is not to be taken lightly. It is sacred. It is only given by God. It is a serious matter. It is a big deal.
When and why did we start taking life into our own hands?
The other day I was at the store standing in line at the cash register. The sweet cashier congratulated me on my 7th baby. The woman checking out turned to me and said, "Oh hunny, you need to put an aspirin between those legs!"
I have to say I have never had this personally said to me. I was pretty shocked. It was supposed to be funny, but why? Why is it common humor to joke about not wanting more children?
I understand children are hard. They make us sacrifice dreams and desires we had planned out. But I have never met a family that said they wished they never had their last child. Every single child has been a blessing. Every parent says that they can't imagine life without every single child.
So why is it that we joke so much about having or not having children?
Everywhere I turn, I am discouraged from trusting God and having more children. I feel for the many women that just started on this path and have to face the daily persecution of trusting God. Everywhere we turn, pregnancy is made a joke and looked down on.
When I read the Bible, all I hear is encouragement to continue trusting God. I read of people pleading for more children and celebrating life. God's favor is poured out by multiplying families.
So where did we go wrong? Why is life no longer celebrated? Why is life now limited when it was once begged for?
I think the first place we need to start is in our words. Are we encouraging people to value life? Are we making inappropriate jokes about someone else's new pregnancy or telling them it is time to stop?
The first step to valuing life is watching what we joke about. "

Karrisa Collins and her beautiful family!

Ruth working on making steps and a garden around her sweet playhouse she made a few years back!
http://familyfarmexperience.blogspot.com/2014/06/diy-how-to-build-you-own-playhouse.html

She has had thousands of visits to this site and well deserved!!!   It is a stunner!  She built is 4 years ago!!  Luke was a newborn and now they have added Joy to enjoy it for years to come!

No longer here, but moved to the farm!!!

Joy is mom's little side kick!  She is 15 months and should be walking soon!!! She loves the outdoors and will get many years of fun from her mom's wonderful playhouse!  Rose helped mom do the hanging basket for 2018 on the farm!

Joy eye to eye with the kittens in their new home!


Lord, may the hearts and minds be opened to the Truth of how precious LIFE is from conception to natural death.  The Rock upon which our domestic Church/home has been built!  Today in the Gospel your words of Truth and LOVE direct us into The Church/your Bride!!!
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Yes, Lord, we face difficulties in our lives, but we have Faith in your Way, your Truth and your LIFE!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Watching the bean field grow all around them and in the shade of the wonderful silver maple tree with many memories of me with my kids here!  What a gift to have my life back through Ruth and her wonderful "yes" to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke


St. Irenaeus, pray for us that we may Glorify the Lord by our lives.

Dad... look at this!
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https://bit.ly/2sZbJ6y

Danielle Rose - Wonderfully made

"Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth" Ps 48 "This is Hallelujah calling!"

A cute Text from Nancy this morning after our quick yet wonderful time in KC over the weekend...  "Let it be known!  This morning Josie ( to the left of Bobbi)  pointed to the picture of Bobbi on our fridge and said, clear as a bell, 'Bobbi!'   And since she only has about 10 total words, this is a big deal.  So Bobbi should feel very special!" 


How special indeed are these girls to have this special new Godmother in law... Uncle John has truly blessed them with a special lady in to help them along the narrow path of their spiritual journey!  Uncle John is a good gift giver, but now they will have a special meaning to each and every one as well as prayers for each. 

A special bouquet of LIFE!  Such a blessing that they were honored with a very important part in the wedding showing just how much they are loved and cherished and prayed for by their loving Godparents.  I can say first hand that John prayed for his 4 each day we prayed together without fail, and I have no doubt that it will continue!


This being Tuesday... I am longing to go and spend the best time of my week in Adoration and I pray an additional decade of the rosary - 1st luminous - the Baptism of the Lord, for our 5 Godchildren each day, if I can manage.  I have loved our long trips to and from KC as well as mine up and back to my parents as I can get all 10 decades of my rosary as well as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in which I pray for our dead... done in entirety!  LOVE my chapel on wheels!

Now with John and Godson, David, who asked Bobbi to be his Godmother on the microphone at the reception!  LOVE their sweet faces!  So much love to go around, and a true example of the more you give away of love, the more you are given!

Oh my!!!!  These little ones are truly made to feel so special and cared for and loved and prayed for!  The Lord asks us to "do unto others as you would have them do to you."  Matthew 7 today in the Gospel.  These little ones were entrusted to John and Bobbi to love and share their faith with, and they are honoring that wholeheartedly!


A cute story from Nancy, who has the privilege to live close by Hallel, as she is living here in KC for the year.  Nancy will get calls from Hallel when there is a need, and she can see her weekly when Nancy and the kids go to Adoration at Lumen Christi/Light of Christ Monastery.  "She will call me and say; 'This is Hallelujah calling!'  "  Yes, Hallelujah comes from her root "Hallel!"  It means total praise of our Lord, and the words from the Psalm at mass today, Psalm 48, echo that Truth and JOY..."Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth."


O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.
R. God upholds his city for ever.  Psalm 48:10-11

How fun to find this on my camera from 3 weeks ago when I had this little shadow here with me... she had a thing about putting on my shoes, which is a delightful memory of her mom and sisters and brother doing the same.  Little kids in big shoes is about as cute as it gets in my book!  It is nice to have my life back for this interlude, but I do miss her companionship... maybe not quite full time.  She was very good for grandma, too!



"Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few."  Jesus words to us in the Gospel today - Matthew 7


The gate is The Cross!!!  Yes, it is painful and difficult and hard, yet it brings us to LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

Out in the pasture with Pat til dark last night... he had to walk the fence and the water was over his rubber boots due to all the rain so far.  Now we are praying for sun and heat units!  I got to be in charge of plugging in and out the fencer and enjoying the view of cows and calves grazing on the lush green grass. 


Jesus, we are yours... the work of your hands!  May we honor each other with love and respect as we carry/drag our most Cherished Cross down the narrow path to find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT and come to dwell with your forever in heaven.  May we die to self so that you may live in us and we may be your hands and feet. May we give the love and mercy and unconditional forgiveness we have been given to those around us... Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Peaceful times/prayerful times/hubby at work doing the hard and difficult jobs that comes with feeding the world.  May I be a better and more helpful servant.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Specialness with Hallel and her Community of the Lamb!  We are so blessed to have her here for the year, and now on to France for her marriage/final vows in August!  18 of us!!!  Someone said that it sounded like Home Alone mayham!  Heaven forbid!!!  Prayers for all of us to be there safe and sound and with minimal stress and incidents... Deep breath!!!

It was so important for them to see her close to the wedding!! I think that 3 weeks was doing pretty well, as it only worked out in about 8 hours for them to say "yes" and jump in with us!  The Holy Spirit is in charge indeed!!

As Susan/Hallel describes their lives - "we pray and wash dishes."  Rose , Bernadette and Bobbi along with Pat washing.  A lot of times the girls will have on a blue apron!!!

Such a wonderful lesson on sharing in the work as well as the food and fellowship.

Rose and Bobbi still at it after a mountain of dishes!  Surrounded by Little Brothers hard at work!

The boys helping clean up at the new Monastery of Mary the Mother of God/Little Brothers are building just down the street! 

Hallel in her apron... our family time included helping her and the Community, but also John and Bobbi had some time to share their wonderful wedding day with her! 


Bobbi's story she shared at the reception as well as with Hallel!
After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special.  She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband.  Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!!  Amazing!!!   And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!

Family time supreme!!!  With talk of our big family trip coming up to support and give God all the praise for his call to his spouse, Hallel!!!  I must quit this sharing, but.... I am overwhelmed by it all!!!

Our wonderful Family of the Lamb!!  Hallel has shared with us many new members of our family and their prayers have been huge in our journey!!  John's battle against brain cancer 9 years ago, for example!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
As well as Patrick's traumatic birth!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html








“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”







Mary, the New Ark

Sharing the LOVE he has been given!

Ginny Owens - If you want me to

Danielle Rose - True love/the Cross

"Sanctity is not rigid like cardboard: it knows how to smile,

to give way to others and to hope.

It is life - a supernatural life." - St Josemaría Escrivá

Happy Feast Day St josemaria