Are we a people fit for the Lord? St John the Baptist help us to become less so that Chirst is more in us!

Love this one of Paul with youngest daughter on his shoulders and dancing with oldest daughter, Mary, at the dance we now have after Santa comes to our big family Christmas!

Such a great dad and so "fit" to be able to dance with two of his girls at the same time!  The word "fit" from the Gospel today grabbed me as the angel was telling Zechariah about his son to be given them in their old age... St John the Baptist!
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall name him John.
And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb,
and he will turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord their God.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of fathers toward children
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people fit for the Lord." 
Luke 1

Ruth with my dad at CCC!

I am just back from my first morning therapy and lots of car issues to deal with so late at this today.  The "fit" is very much a part of my recovery now with my new knee being 6 weeks today.  I am having to relearn how to go up and down stairs after years of taking them one at a time due to the pain.  I am on an exercise bike each time and realizing that the one collecting dust in my home is calling out to me and that my future of being more active and vital is part of the plan for me and my hope!

I do not discount the need to be more and more fit for the Lord to be in charge of my life.  The motto of St John the Baptist of becoming less and less so that the Lord may become more truly does say it all, and who better to help us than St John the Baptist?  The Saints are very real and powerful in my life and all those named John are especially close to me after naming my only son here on earth with me  "John."

The angels words of "you shall name him John" ring clearly to me as we had Luke for our boy's name through the 4 girls and after those 9 years and all the many Lukes… Luke Duke and Luke Skywalker to name 2, and influenced by our beloved John Paul II.... John was the right fit!

Bernadette, Rose and Luke... when I ask the girls why no Barbara, they remind me that I have my Luke as St Luke was my confirmation Saint when we converted to the Church when I was 20... all 13 of us!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Shortly after we faced John's brain cancer 9 1/2 years ago on Father's Day... it was the feast of St John the Baptist so this Gospel and his intercession with us on the journey was huge and so comforting to us!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html

John's story of healing and finding his faith!

John and Bobbi with my parents...

John continues to count on their prayers for him and his wife and soon to arrive child.  My parents assured them of their daily prayers for their new little life.  How we are lifted up by the prayers without ceasing of my parents!

Pat found this necklace of Our Lady when he got dressed for camp... "I wanted to bring Mary with me!"  It was gifted to us by granddaughter, Therese, who couldn't be with us for the weekend, so it was special to have her with us in spirit and Truth!

Joy giving Mary a kiss...

Ruth's family bringing up the gifts at mass over the weekend in Amery, WI!  Witnessing to the beauty of a big family - open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html


Open to life and raising LIGHTS!  82 of our 120+ Cross family gathered for our family Christmas last weekend!

There were 8 missing from our own family... Maria, Joseph, Therese, David, Patrick, Romeo, Evangeline and Little Sister Hallel.  They were all missed, and we will be spending Christmas in KC to see our nun... we must go to her as she cannot come home.  We rejoice that she is close by in the U.S. after being in Europe for 9 of the last 10 years!

 Gus with his sweet Nativity he made out of popcycle sticks at camp!

Rose and Berna crafting together!

 Ruth's beautiful nativity with Lake Wapo out the window... Beauty inside and out!

Our heart is full of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT as we celebrate the Faith we share as a family... there is nothing better and allows us to have a small slice of heaven in our domestic church/family!

Lots of talent and JOY!

Jesus, we love you and are so blessed to have this Advent time of year to come closer to you as we become less so that you can be more and more in all that we do and say.  May we become a people fit for the Lord!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

The Belgian making his Belgian cookies last night... "I say my Our Father too fast."

Yes, he has always made the kids laugh with his quick prayers learned with the family rosary at night growing up!  It will be interesting when he prays with my parents in a few days as we have fake plans to spend the night with them on Friday and then the next day, too!  Dad comments on how fast I pray... Pat is a level above that!



Maria's family doing the family rosary... Maria's words from her blog

At some point in the morning or early afternoon we pray our family Rosary.

Currently, due to dad's weekday working hours, 

this is now our only full-family and only-us rosary of the week.

On weekdays the kids and I pray ours while Joe is at work. 

He completes his during bedtime routines.

On Sundays, we get to Mass early and pray the rosary with the congregation.

our manger is getting a bit more comfy, 

but we still have a way to go before it is fit for a King!