Seeing God in the column of cloud... His kindness for a thousand generations!/Jalapeno cucumbers

I loved finding some great pictures from a month ago on Maria's blog this morning!  How we were blessed with meeting the newest members including her son, Hector, for the first time!

Holding our youngest baby boy, Jude, who is 4 months now.  Maria was in John's wedding a year before and now both Maria and John have new baby boys!  She spoke about how much she loved to meet their growing family, and so we are all filled with wonder and awe at the hand of the Lord in answering heartfelt prayers by John and Bobbi to find a Catholic spouse, but also to give them a family.  The Lord is good and his kindness to a thousand generations as he promised Moses in Exodus today!

Maria with her Goddaughter, Mary Angela, spending some face to face time sharing is the best!

Mary had a powerful experience at Beloved girls camp at Schoenstatt last week!!  Today Simon goes for the boys camp called "Greatness", grandma will be praying for him to see God in the column of cloud at the door of the tent. I was very impressed in the first reading where all the people stood at the door of their tents in recognition of the presence of God in the column of cloud that covered the entrance to the meeting tent after Moses entered and spoke with God face to face... We too recognize the presence of the Lord in His Word and in the Body and Blood of the Eucharist.  Is there any more powerful times as when we see him present in the tabernacle or in the monstrance in Adoration?   He is present and in our inner chapel we speak to Him face to face!

Her arms around Godson, Dominic Patrick!

Another place where we can gaze into the unconditional eyes and heart of our God - Moses stood there with the LORD and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;..."  Exodus 34

Yes, we can enter the confessional and lay our sins and burdens before our Lord and His words come to us from the priest telling us that we are forgiven and to go in peace to love and serve the Lord!  

My Most Cherished Cross getting to know Hector and make him smile and laugh!

There can be no pricetag given to family time, and we strive to make it happen even when it is a challenge - like traveling 2 days one way!  Pat has fake plans to try to get out there with grandkids in tow before school starts.  Time will tell and we depend upon Mother Nature, too!

Love to see this!  The 18 eating our homemade tomato soup.  Ruth got her first tomato already so before we know it we will be making first spaghetti sauce, and then tomato soup to feed our 7 families!

 Hector yesterday... he is now 4 1/2 months old... finding his hands!  Pondering and praying showing that he will be a thoughtful man of God!

 George is a month older and starting to look for food.  Berna feeding him mashed bananas. Not sure if much is getting in his mouth...

 Jude is the youngest at 4 months and has found his toes...

Also rolls from front to back and back to front and plays with toys.  Hopefully the three boys can get together for Christmas somehow and by then they will probably be crawling in three different directions.  One thing for sure, if we can keep them side by side... they should be sitting up together.  A grandma can dream!

You can tell that sweetcorn time is late this year with all the pictures coming up on my memories. This one from 4 years ago in my old kitchen on the farm is especially poignant.  What a difference 4 years makes with the crazy late spring and summer, but also to know that this is now Ruth and Paul's bedroom and bathroom!  

Also John now is a husband and father!

Hector started with one finger a month ago and now it is his entire fist!  He sure is a wonderful sweet boy as are his cousins.  We thank the Lord with each new day for our "3 healthy happy grandsons."

 Nancy's deck in Delano with the table which Ruth and I both have ready for meals outside.  We are excited to see it first hand this weekend when we are there for an overnight and Pat seeing their new home for the first time, and the next day sharing mass with them in their new parish.  Then we will be heading up to St Croix Falls, WI for my parents party celebrating mom and dad's 70th wedding anniversary and mom's 90th birthday!  They will be meeting our two grandsons, Jude and George for the first time!

The Bandzuches are getting to know their area with gusto!  They went to the county fair last weekend and Berna got close to this cutie.  They are 2nd hand farmkids, so 4H could be in their future.  

My dear mother posing with Maria - a pretty good one indeed!  I was so happy that Maria stopped in to see mom as she traveled from Wisconsin time with Joe's parents to come down to the farm!

Love this of my mom with the 6 and she did meet Hector, too!!!  Dad was in the hospital at this time, but he told me that he had bought ice cream sandwiches for the great-grands in case they stopped in.  They did!


My brother Dan's wife... our amazing Aunt Angela put up Maria's bunch and fed them!  She sewed Maria's wedding dress and is always there for us and any of our kids!  How we love her beautiful home and hospitality!  She is beyond amazing!

Another reminder of how much we are loved and need to return that love to all...
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Psalm 103 from mass today.

Holding a kid bouquet - even Hector is happy to be with Aunt Angela/Chacha!

Lord, how we are loved by you and forgiven of our sins and weaknesses if only we give them all to you.  Why do we think that we want to hide them from you, when you know them already?  You are there with your arms wide to hold us close to your heart burning with love for us.  Jesus, may we die to self so that you may live and breath and touch those in our lives with the same love we have been given.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Love this so much as Hallel is sharing in our lives more now that she lives in KC for the last couple years!  We were blessed with living with them while we visited and shared in cooking, washing dishes and drying them... eating with The Community and how can that be silent with 9 kids?  Not!  

In a year I am fake planning for a home visit to the farm for Little Sister Hallel and the family all around her!  Family sharing Faith on the Farm - my small slice of heaven!  Bless-bless, Barb with my domestic Church/family here and in heaven!

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Such a great reminder of what it means each time!

LOVE!  

The big table with The Community of the Lamb - always welcoming and room for more!

Casting Crowns - the East to the West

Danielle Rose - If I touch him

Peter Mayer - Holy Now

 I followed my mother-in-law's advice and took a pail and knife to the garden.. it should have been 2 pails and I ended up putting the overflow of beans in my smock pocket...

 What is that strange round thing?

 It was growing on a cucumber vine, but...

 It had the shape of a pepper, and about a foot away was a jalapeno plant.  Could it be?  A cross of a cucumber and a jalapeno?  Yes!  It is sweet and juicy cucumber with a bit of heat from the jalapeno... Yummy!

A mother nature curve ball that is kind of special indeed!