This picture is now outdated as Nancy and Bill have a newborn son, George. In a few weeks Maria will welcome her son - #6 child, and finally John has added wife Bobbi on June 2nd and they will welcome baby Verly at the end of the month! I long for the day that all our new babies are here healthy along with their mothers and getting them together. A mother can dream!
"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me." Mark 9
The Gospel today speaks our language and leads us to the Truth shared by The Catholic Church that families are to be open to life... It is so true that welcoming siblings and sharing with them our love and our everything can not be compared to acquiring things and stuff. The addition of family allows us to die to self and give without counting the cost as Jesus asks of us, and things and stuff makes us more self centered and concerned about me. There is no happiness found there in that selfish place... where as by caring for others in a growing family is not always easy, but can offer a small slice of heaven in our domestic Church/family if only we allow our heart to grow more and more belonging to Jesus and not we ourselves.
Pat was sharing that a person from Congress was saying that people should think twice about bringing children into this mess of a world. I told him that we heard that 40 years ago at our engagement weekend... When we shared that we wanted to have a large family, not one of the other couples agreed with us! They all said that at most 2 kids or one or none due to the mess the world was in in those days. It made me question if we were being selfish to want to have a large family - "The world needs lights!" Pat wisely told me and that has become the motto our family lives by... now to the next generation!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html
More words to us from Jesus in the Gospel today:
"If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."
Stressing to us how we are called to be humble and not assert our wants of desires or selfish motives above those around us... most especially those closest to us in our domestic Church/family, who tend to be the ones that we treat the worst and are the hardest for us to give and love and forgive those things that drive us nuts... as their faults seem glaring to us!
The raising of LIGHTS is taken very seriously by our children and their families! After these last 2 1/2 weeks with Nancy's family and sharing in their prayer each night gathered as a family - Wow!!! We were so impressed when we spent some days with Maria's family at their family rosary and prayer together and studying of the Faith with sincere love and devotion. I will be heading that way soon to help out when their son arrives!
Pat told me about an article he read where a wife went from loving everything about her husband to when they got married and 6 months later loved nothing about him... she became very critical of all that he did or didn't do. She finally came to the realization that this had happened and she was not happy and took steps to look for the positive and point those out and change her heart. Pat then said that he felt that I do a fairly good job at appreciating him, but it really convicted me to be more positive. As Ruth and Paul live their marriage as being "life-giving" to each other in what they say and do! So important and life would be much better if we did that with each new day. Lord, help me!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
I am eternally grateful for my parents bringing us into The Church 48 years ago! Each day has been filled with wonder and JOY and the strength that I have needed to face some major struggles including John's brain cancer, Patrick' traumatic birth, and the Lord's plan for our family to grow with many losses as well as those of my girls!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html
Both of our parents were role models for being open to life and the blessings of growing up in a large family.. Hence on our first date we both agreed that we would like that for ourselves in our marriage.
It will be exciting this weekend when Ruth and I will host both sides of our family for a baby shower for new mom, Bobbi! Celebrating with JOY new life and all that means for our family, John and Bobbi's new family growing in love, and for the world as a new life/new light to raise to cast out the darkness with the culture of LIFE that our amazing Church promotes in this crazy world! A world that just rejected in Congress the protection of a human baby that survives an abortion to get medical help and their life protected as they then have a right to life! How has it come to such savagery?
Between the 3 that are 6(Rose, Patrick and Bernadette) and the girls that will soon all be 2 (Josephine, Evangeline, and Joy),we have the boys that will all be 5 in September (Luke, Dominic, and Romeo)! Now we will have 3 in a month and a half! Originally they were all due in March. Bobbi termed it "March Madness!"
Jesus, how we love you and long to reach heaven forever with you, Mary and all the Saints along with all those loved ones we pray for without ceasing. We are so blessed to have you in Sacrament and Word to help us down the narrow path as we carry/drag our Most Cherished Cross and follow after you. My lifeline - my rosary and your Mother with me each day along with your amazing Saints! May I become the Saint that is just me and die so self so that it is all YOU and not this weak lowly woman. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
This woman is a champion in her fighting the lies of Satan and for The True Church!
"Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and
the one most helpful to us.' - St Alphonsus Ligouri
"He makes it ever clearer to me
that He wants me to burn with love for Him
in devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Every time I receive Him
I must feel renewed that longing
which stirs within me to live for Jesus only and
to obtain the grace of preservation from so many sins
which I should certainly commit
if He did not come to my help.
How can I remain deaf to His invitation?"
Pope St John XXIII
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