How to KNOW Jesus... touching his Body and understanding the Scriptures... today in Luke 24

The three boys in the clouds in their Easter suits with arms around them... grandma had fun cutting and pasting them from the family pictures in the matching suits that I got for them!  George is almost 2 1/2 months now, Hector is 1 1/2 months, and Jude will be one month tomorrow!

There are fake plans flying around with hopes of getting the 3 along with their families together this summer on the farm.  I would go to most any extreme to make this happen!  Pat has yet to meet his Hector...named after his grandfather, Hector Louwagie!

Where I cut Hector from... he is awake but looks sleepy in the heart of his loving family in Washington.

Maria shared this family time yesterday... family rosary with battles each day of who gets to hold Hector.  Today Little Dave gets the JOY!  My two weeks with them was so special as we prayed together every day, even while mom was in the hospital having baby boy Hector.

Sharing prayer in the home as a family and bringing Mary into our homes as St John did at the foot of the Cross when Jesus gave his mother to us.. Our home becomes a most peaceful and holier place and truly our domestic Church/family!

This gem thanks to Ruth's wonderful camera is now on my updated family wall and where Jude came from with both of his parents holding him!

In the clouds of my mind... New LIFE is the theme this year of my butterfly for 2019!  My Easter tree in the house since Palm Sunday weekend.  Now they are talking about another 5 inches of snow on Saturday again!  Sigh!  Praying for safety for the calves again.

I am marveling at the readings from mass today and how Christ really is telling us the key to know Him, LOVE Him and follow Him down the narrow path!  Luke 24
"Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see...
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures."

We are daily able and called to come to Jesus in The Eucharist!  Touch him and be fed at the Banquet of LIFE!  Now 2 days in a row he has opened the Scriptures to them and revealed himself!  Daily He is there for us in The Word!  How I have come to love finding Jesus there and each night as I come to read the readings for the next day... I feel the excitement building!

 The 3 new babes on our wall of FAMILY!  I can just look and look and look and smile and smile and smile and rejoice and rejoice and rejoice!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  LIFE is a gift to be protected and cherished no matter the cost!

Mary and Jesus, too!!!  And a painting I did last year of our losses in heaven.  That is now outdated as Nancy lost Catherine a year ago.. shortly after Easter!  We now have 7 children and 5 grandchildren keeping our eyes and hearts on heaven!

Up close of the family picture I have of Nancy on the wall with her now 5!  Baby George is filling their empty arms after a very painful year with two losses... Maximilian at 20 weeks, and buried here in the cemetery here in Marshall.  And Catherine at about 12 weeks a year ago.  The pain of loss leads to deeper LOVE!

The picture I used to pluck George and put him in the clouds with his cousins!

If and when they are together this summer... this grandma might be a basket case in a good way!

I smiled inside and out to see Psalm 8 today... filled with the rejoicing at the handiwork of our loving and forgiving God!  Married to a farmer for these 40 years there is much about this Psalm that speaks of how closely and personally we are allowed to experience His work in this world and how we are placed with responsibility to feed the world and care for it!
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
or:
R. Alleluia.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field...

Lord, we need the fields to dry and the animals to be safe in this wet weather!  So many prayers to you, O Lord, as we have no control over the weather and we depend upon the sun and the rains at the proper times!

Such a combination of huge hard working farmer hands filled with new LIFE and how he loves those little ones!  He was always open to LIFE and how did we justify having a large family in this messed up world?  "The World needs LIGHTS!"  Yes!!!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

I loved reading this article this morning and how she describes having that new life in you over and over without end!
https://www.neworleansmomsblog.com/2019/04/22/well-are-you-done-one-mamas-thoughts-on-adding-to-her-already-big-brood/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=New+Orleans+Moms+Blog&utm_content=%22Well%2C+Are+You+Done%3F%22+%3A%3A+One+Mama%27s+Thoughts+on+Adding+to+Her+%28Already+Big%29+Brood&fbclid=IwAR1U9GYrTGMvyU4JHxweedLMmiT_u6tnCN3gU2GQa-GtwZbPihrjCPjtvZ0

And then? Memories flood my mind, and tears fill my eyes. How can I say that I’m done? How could I ever be done with the dizzying feeling of seeing a positive pregnancy test? Two lines that have changed my entire life every. single. time.

How could I be done with waking up one day with a tiny little bump, knowing I’m kissing my jeans goodbye for at least the next year, and pulling that soft elastic panel up over my belly? Rubbing that tummy and talking to the person growing inside of me, while they listen to the thump-thump of my heartbeat as it lulls them to sleep?

How can I say for sure that I am done feeling the flutters of life within me, even after having felt it so many times before? I could never say for sure that I am done with feeling my baby roll around in my belly, “rearranging furniture” as I like to say.

Am I done with the adrenaline rush of going into labor, feeling simultaneously like super woman and also so worn out that I could equally run a marathon or sleep for a week? Feeling drunk with brand new love while laying with this perfect baby on my chest, nursing for the first time – done with the little squeaks and sneezes and yawns?

I could never be done with the romance of it all, the way my husband looks at me, the way he rests his hand on my giant belly, the way he supports and encourages and plays such a critical role next to me when I’m in labor. The way he falls in love with each new baby snuggled close to his chest. The way I fall in love with him all over, every single time.

How would I ever be able say that I’m done with meeting a brand new person, with their own personality, likes and dislikes, yet who fits perfectly in with their sisters? Am I done with seeing my girls meet their new sibling for the first time? Am I done with watching new lifelong relationships and bonds form and grow together?

Am I done with soft blankets and tiny outfits and footy jammies? First gummy grin, first steps, first words?

How could I ever?

So when you ask me if I’m “done” having kids, you should know there are so many things that you are asking if I’m ready to give up.

The truth is, I could absolutely say I feel overwhelmingly grateful and happily move forward into the next chapter of life.

And I could also see myself with that round belly yet again, thrilled to hold another baby in my arms.

You should also know that there is no way I feel like can make that decision. It’s too big, too permanent. It’s above my pay grade.

God knows better than I do, so I’ll just say we’re giving it to Him to decide. Only time will tell.

by Katy Dean

I could never prevent or say that I was done!  We had 3 losses at the end.   Two boys I carried for 20 weeks, and one I lost at 14 weeks!  The Lord's plan came into our family and His plan was not my own!  If I had known that John would be the last one.. I would have wept for days, months, years...Believe me I did weep a lot with those horrible losses!  What did that loss do to our family?  We are extremely close and LOVE ALL LIFE!   FAMILY was very close to my Faith, and continues to this day!  Jesus, knew that I needed all those prayers of my 7 in heaven and it keeps my goal always to be there someday and meet them all!!!  

My Farmer with his youngest of 18 grandchildren, little lamb Jude!  He is my champion for LIFE and embracing my Most Cherished Cross/the Tree of LIFE, I have gained 12... 5 with us and bringing so much JOY as we share Faith as a family and 7 in heaven along with 5 grandchildren!

My Cross/Tree of LIFE for 2019.. "I promise unto death!"  Final vows of Little Sister Hallel in France in August with 21 of her family, and John and Bobbi's wedding in June on the Feast of Corpus Christi!  I have not come down to earth yet, and feel that I have one foot over into Heaven!  Pure JOY!  

Jesus, how I love you and am so overwhelmed by your LOVE for us!  May we never recover from our looking to you in all that we do this day.  May we give without counting the cost and die to self so that you may live in us!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Halleujah

Soon to have baby chicks and this lady becomes a chicken farmer for a couple of months!  Those are not fake plans but real!  Grandpa Pat will have to show 2 year old Joy Jean how to gently hold a baby chick probably next week.  My hunky champion for LIFE!  Bless-bless, Barb

HapyyFeast Day
Saint Mark the Evangelist
1st century
Feast day: April 25
Patronage: notaries
St. Mark also known as John Mark was one of the four Evangelists. St. Mark was a member of the tribe of Levi.



Talk about wisdom!
https://catholicsprouts.com/j1st-074-the-just-one-small-thing-podcast-is-back/?fbclid=IwAR3Xwq2y_WzylMC-pHOnbyH50jhzLSHiionSs3Z1BRq1i7vDeFc0T_8y2aQ
Nancy's Catholic Sprouts!

Peter Mayer - Holy Now

Danielle Rose - the saint that is just me

Danielle Rose - Nothing compares to you

PRAYERS TO ST. JUDE THADDEUS FOR SPECIAL INTENTIONS

i. "St. Jude, glorious apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the person (who betrayed our Lord) has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of things despaired of. Pray for me, who is so miserable; pray for me, that I may finally receive the consolations and the succour of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (ADD YOUR PERSONAL REQUEST HERE), and that I may bless God with the Elect Throughout Eternity."

"May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be Adored, Glorified, Loved & Preserved throughout the world, now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, please pray for me. Saint Jude, Worker of Miracles, please pray for me. Saint Jude, Helper of the Hopeless, please pray for me. Amen."

ii. "O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, for I am so helpless and alone. Please help to bring me visible and speedy assistance.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (state your request) and that I may praise God with you always."

"I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you by publishing this request. Amen."

iii. "Holy Saint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, Great in virtue and rich in miracles, Near kinsman of Jesus Christ, Faithful intercessor of all Who invoke your special patronage in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depths of my heart And humbly beg to whom God has given
such great power To come to my assistance. Help me in my present andurgent petition, In return I promise to make your name known And cause you to be invoked. Saint Jude pray for me and all those who invoke your aid. Amen."

St Mark pray for us and St Jude, pray for us!