
My family shortly after we added the 4 after their parents were killed in an accident in 1967 in our beloved Lake Michigan!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
Why share this to start today? My youngest sister, Carol, just left after a nice visit and Michigan came up as I am longing for out time there... we would always take our week over the 4th of July, and it is quickly here! Many reasons that this spoke to me today, so....

New Catholics shortly after our conversion in 1971... all 13!!
When I am here with my parents our story of coming into The Church is so real and powerful. Dad and I shared morning prayer in the Office of Readings/Breviary as he is a Permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church and needs to do morning and evening prayer each day. Since John was in seminary for that year... he and I have the Breviary on our phones, and today my readings were different from my dad's in his... we discovered that he was off by 2 weeks and we discussed how being united in prayer by all the millions across the world that are priests, monks, sisters, and lay people that are sharing morning and evening prayer... imagine the power of that shared prayer!!! HUGE!!!

Deacon Robert Cross/my dad baptizing daughter, Nancy Anna, in 1982. Dad baptized all my children! My sister, Mary, who died of cancer when she was 28 in 1986 was her Godmother as was Pat's sister, Margie!
Mary is so very much a part of my time here with my parents! Carol was speaking about her death and how she suffered without support to grieve at that time. I reminded her of my miscarriage here at my parents' home the night before Mary's wake, and how I even thought that I might be joining Mary with my horrible hemorrhaging... a very tough time for me!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

My parents at "the farm" shortly after we became Catholic! I thanked my mother this morning for bringing us into the True Church. "Every day since has been a gift!" I said and meant!
Mom shared that at some point years before our conversion..."I realized that Jesus gave us one Church/His Bride, and I'm not in it." She pondered why more do not come to this place, and spoke about her Baptist minister grandfather, who preached against other churches including the Catholic. Yes, mom and dad listened to the Holy Spirit and were led into the True Church!
The famous Easter hat/John falling down picture taken just across the river when my parents lived in TF,MN in 1991. We have been coming up here for many years with our beloved Michigan summers beginning with 1998 up until 2 years ago now. It got into my blood with my family and now my grandchildren miss our weeks there. Sigh!
Deacon dad baptizing our first child, Ruth Ida! Faith/Family/Farm so much intertwined and giving our LIFE so much beauty and Truth!
Sharing our Faith as a family is my most perfect JOY! All 26 of us in our immediate family share our Faith with each new day! How I love to read the words of the readings for each day starting the night before as I have learned to do from Hallel's Community of the Lamb! LOVE!!!
Today continuing in The Sermon on the Mount!
"But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Matthew 6
I love and cherish my inner room where I am in constant prayer without ceasing! To share with my parents in their peaceful home is such a gift! thank you, Lord!
Dad is 93, and just had a miraculous healing through his Vets hospital reversing a "permanent tube coming out of his back from his kidney." His doctor said that they hadn't realized how amazing my dad is when they said he needed it, but he certainly could have it now internally and so they did! Such a relief for my dad and mom! Now to get my mother healed up from her broken ankle! Time and prayer!
Thank goodness for his new walker to allow him to keep active picking up branches ahead of the man who mows for them.
Jesus, may we always recall all that you have done for us, and place our trust in you. The Truth is filling each day with so much! Your Church is a joy to embrace with each new day! You in Word and Body and Blood... we are full of Jesus! Jesus, we trust in you.
Desk work while we had a nice visit with Carol! Bless-bless, BarbAmen and Hallelujah



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