The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
Up early to drive to spend some time in Kansas City with 2 of our daughters. We brought along some farm kids to play with cousins and see their Aunt Hallel at Open Table. Rose meeting her cousin, George, for the first time!
Two 6 year old cousins and wide awake George. A short night is having an effect on sharing now.
Hallel seeing the girls before we shared a meal and the Gospel for today!
The Gospel from Luke 18... the Pharisee and the tax collector parable. We mendicated the verses and they put on a very special skit after our meal... so powerful when the humble man praying...'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' At the end of the play the humble man taught the prideful man to pray and ask for the Mercy of Jesus. LOVE!
Sharing the Gospel before our meal.. we repeat each phrase 3 times and the Holy Spirit speaks to us... how the humble man shone with the LIGHT of Truth! "But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Lord, may we be humble and realize how sinful we are and how much we need you. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
Little Sister Marie Jean shared her meal with the kids!
So wonderful for Nancy's family to be able to share closely with The Community of the Lamb, and that Hallel is here in the U.S. to share with our family times and times we share richly with them... Like open Table each Saturday!
New little George is now baptized and how we love him!
I arrived a few hours after Jude and mom got home to find him wide awake and studying his dad. It is a thing of beauty how they become aware of those familiar voices from inside the womb... and we all know that John is a talker... are now before them in the light of this world!
"So you are the one that wanted me and loved me and prayed for me with mom at night before bed. I love you, dad, thank you for LIFE!"
Getting familiar with this new little one!
Jude sharing our first meal/celebration of his filling our arms with new life and JOY of a healthy miracle baby! So many prayers for years of yearning for the Lord to answer their prayers for a spouse and family... so quickly and beautifully answered! The gift of new life is beyond any other answer to prayer! LOVE!
Wow!!! ST JPII, my total hero, speaking the Words of Truth - open to LIFE and raising the lives we are given as LIGHTS for this world! The Culture of LIFE!
The Gospel from Mark today is Jesus reminding us of how we are to love and serve God with our ALL/totally.. The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these."
Mark 12
So much LOVE! Studying his new home with mom and dad, as their domestic Church/family begins!
When I consider the call to love others as much as I love myself... the only place I can feel this is accomplished is with my children. I fall short on my husband, and others around me... I know I should and could do better. I do see that marriage is a way of working away at the selfishness that erupts from me when I am hurt or annoyed by him. The motto of the Community of the Lamb is good for me to be reminded..."Wounded, I will not cease to love." Look to the perfect Lamb slain for me!
Joining us for supper and sharing our happiness that he is safely here and how we marvel at the work of the Lord in this perfect masterpiece!
Grandma seeing the prayers answered in my arms!
Grandma's closest thing to seeing the 3 boys together... I will be in KC this weekend and take along George's and mail Hectors to him... then one day next week... it will be grandma sleeper day and they will wear them and get me pictures of each one to "see" the 3... a grandma can dream!
Jude's is newborn and the other two are 0-3 mo!
The wine is from their wedding in June! Now used to celebrate the arrival of their son! So much to celebrate that our hearts are full and our heads are spinning, and we feel LOVE grow with each new arrival!
First day home and looking happy and content!
It was so special to hold him and share our wonder and awe at how the Lord listens and answers our prayers according to His Perfect Plan!
Lord, we adore you and long to love you with our mind, soul, heart and strength! We need you and are filled with so much joy at your beautiful plan for our lives. It is hard to trust and wait, but how we rejoice to feel your touch of LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT on our lives. Seeing new life in our arms is beyond a gift and miracle! Thank you, Lord! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
Remembering my first one... the nest was where I loved to be! Now with all 4 now enjoying their nest years, and Hallel here in the U.S. sharing with our family, too! The Best! Bless-bless, Barb and all!
Nancy with George at his Baptism... the only family able to go was Hallel! Now that is a miracle and so special!
Our glorious Church helps us on the journey... from the beginning!
Reminds me of the 19 going to France!
22 with 2 brothers and a sister-in-law for Hallel's final vows! August 2018! The mountain moved to France!
Danielle Rose - the Litany of Humility Listen and consider this call to humility! St Teresa of Calcutta and her sisters prayed it weekly! So hard, but we are called to die to self and follow His example. Lent is good for this practice and prayer. Jesus, we trust in you. Make me humble. Bless-bless
Danielle Rose - wonderfully made
Please end the horror of taking life in the womb! May the culture of death come to an end!
We are so happy and excited to share our wonderful newest grandson, Jude. He arrived 2 days ago and is perfect in every way!
Pat and I have been praying morning and night and all the time in between for our moms and babies to get through safely and to have them all here - 3 boys in 6 weeks! - is certainly a wonderful joyful feeling and we are so thankful!
They are to come home today, and so that next step of first time parents is soon to happen as they begin time in their peaceful home as a family! Both of their parents live close by, and are thrilled to help out as needed.
How I am loving seeing John being a dad for the first time! As his aunt reminded him that he has had a lot of preparenting time with all the nieces and nephews over the years.
I just got a very positive update from them... Jude let them sleep for almost 6 hours over night! Not too sleep deprived yet...
Baby George on his Baptism day on Sunday in KC welcomes his newest cousin. Visions of them running around the farm together along with Hector is filling my heart!
Jude is a precious gift to our family, and the beginning of John and Bobbi's family. Our love is growing with each new life we welcome!
Psalm 95 from mass today speaks of how we are His... He made us and loved us always from conception on! Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
Little Lamb sweet newborn Jude... the Shepherd is watching out for you!
Those big strong arms provide comfort and the fussing ends in that secure embrace of love from grandpa Pat! He prides himself at being the baby whisperer... how he loves LIFE and has passed on the family Truth that we are to be open to LIFE and then raise them as LIGHTS! https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html
"O grandpa, you make me feel safe and warm!"
You can only imagine the fake plans for getting these 3 new boys together in matching bibs and polos sitting on grandpa's big lap... sigh! It brings back the special times when John and Brad (who were 6 weeks apart also) sitting on their grandpa's lap about 30 years ago. It is also true that they both now have sons about 6 months apart. The Lord's plans are wonderful and make you just shout for JOY sometimes on this journey of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
I am looking forward to bringing supper tonight to their home and holding baby Jude once again. So filled with wonder and awe at the beauty of Creation and miracle of new life!
Jesus, how we adore you and love you and are filled with so much thanksgiving for the beauty of this new life we can now cherish always. We are yours and you created us and knit us together in our mother's womb. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
So many prayers!!! Jude seems to know that prayer is where we get our strength, and the rock on which we place our lives to be His forever. Mother Mary holds him close to her Immaculate heart and brings him to her Son, Jesus, and his Sacred Heart burning with LOVE for him! Bless-bless, Barb and family now of 29!
So many prayers... a candle lit during his delivery. Now we need 3 little boys added to this picture in less than a year! Also Hallel… love that the picture of our family is often out of date with the arrival of new members - our LOVE grows larger and larger! Always room for more LOVE!
A new leaf on the tree of LIFE!
Joy getting her bike to ride in the springtime day...
Signs of spring... it seems like they are under the snow drifts all winter...
snowmelt tulips can't wait to bloom!
Yes, after a big family job of moving the cows and calves... Ruth and Paul and their 6 had their first meal on their beautiful porch last evening...
It got grandpa and grandma out there too!
Love my laughing husband as we shared supper on our wonderful porch... thanks to Ruth and Paul for leading the way and all the vision and work they did to make our home so special. We switched places 3 years ago this Good Friday! What a lifechanging move for all of us! So wonderful to have a young family on the farm!
Laughter is the best medicine and enjoying a wonderful evening after our long hard winter is so wonderful and lifts our spirits along with the JOY of having our 3 new grandsons here safe and sound and filling our arms and our hearts with LOVE!
40 cows and calves in their new spot..
The best I can do to get the 3 together... Day 1- George Blaise on Feb 13
Day 1 - Hector Joseph on March 8th
Day 1 - Jude Dale on March 26th!
LOVE them all so much! 3 little boys to share life together!
