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!
Mom and dad on the vigil of their 70th Anniversary. I was soon to head down the road for home, so they gifted me with a picture just before supper!
The first reading from Thessalonians today gave me a smile as they have 70 years of married life behind them. How we are blessed to have the two of them together for this occasion in their own home with my brother, Dan.
I Thessalonians 4 This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality, that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor... For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
This took the whole day to get, and it very precious to our family! A month ago we had a party scheduled at the park in their town - for mom's 90th birthday and their 70th wedding anniversary. It turned out that dad was in the hospital very sick over the time of the party so it was canceled.
Today dad wants to take mom out, but she is the one who is not up to it. We still have hope that they can manage to get some celebration time in maybe this evening when mom seems to have her best part of the day.
We are so happy at how dad has bounced back and his glowing good health we are holding onto with a vengeance! So much hard work on his part getting back his strength and on his feet. Now our prayers and concern are focusing on our mother!
My mother's diamond ring is now over 70 years old - probably 70 1\2 years with their engagement being about 6 months. The original band is still there, but a new setting! We were comparing wedding rings while we waited for her CT scan of her lungs in radiology yesterday. "I have never lost my diamond." I am on my 3rd having lost the first two out of my settings.
The ring on her other hand is the birth stones of her 12 children. Talk about saying "yes" to life and being open to children. Being the oldest... I think you can begin to guess that I am approaching that 70 mark. I will be 68 in about 5 weeks!
Nose to nose they have faced so very much in their 70 years!
I love to share their ministry of prayer for our very large family! We are approaching 140 strong with 3 new little ones in the womb. Mom and dad pray for them starting in the womb and dad amazes the grandkids and great-grands by calling them by first and middle names!
Receiving Eucharist in France a year ago for Hallel's final vows under the cross on the hill! They take the host and dip it in the blood and then place it on our tongue. I have held onto the specialness of receiving Jesus in this way by continuing to receive on the tongue.
I am thinking of Hallel today also as the Gospel is the 10 virgins with their lamps lit. Often we see the Little sisters with their lamp lit for their Bridegroom during these special times! ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. .. the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked... ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:1-13
Hallel receiving her lamp lit for her Spouse, Jesus Christ!
The Community certainly spends each day ready for their Bridegroom as they are contemplative and spend their days in prayer and dishes!
Jesus how we long to see you face to face at the end of this journey. On the way we need to be ready at all times as we know not when. We thank you for the 70 years with our parents. Bless them this day and forward down the narrow path carrying/dragging the Most Cherished Cross - one another. Jesus, we trust in you. bless-bless, Barb
Simon and Mary showing their pigs at the State Fair a week ago. Their dad, Paul, said how much he liked to see how they worked together and looked out for each other!
Paul wrote;" Both Simon and Mary showed their pigs and it was enjoyable seeing their teamwork and growth as show-people. "
Mary with her pig - she had trained it to sit for a marshmallow. She had to say goodbye to her pig and come home without it as they are sold and sent to the butcher from the fair. Life and death lessons are learned on the farm and in 4H!
We are rejoicing with my dad after so much good news at Veterans yesterday! Meeting with his cancer doctors all the tests were surprisingly positive and my sister reported that they were so impressed with everything about my dad! He certainly has bounced back to his old self and then some!
Dad wanted to resume his job of doing the dishes after supper last night as he feels stronger and more positive after such a good day yesterday.
A sure sign by actions speaking louder than words!
Psalm 90 today seems to speak of my dad and how we are finding Joy in the morning of this new day with so much good news yesterday about his health! Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy! Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
How I love to pray with my parents in the mornings here! The office is read morning and evening by my dad, who is a permanent deacon in The Church. Last week my mom joined us, but this week not able to - according to her she is just not up to it!
Mom did sit with us and although her eyes were closed she would join from time to time with the prayers from memory. Dad spoke often of their suffering now in this late end years of their journey. How they are asked to join the Lord in his suffering for their redemption. "I think of the good thief on the cross beside Jesus...'Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.' "Today you will be with me in paradise.' I ponder that this suffering might be helping us come into his presence and see His face when we leave this earth and not face long painful times in purgatory." He then looks over at mother and sees her in her failing health, and asks her to try to be more positive and work harder at eating and walking...
Morning prayer and then prayer for our huge family including the 3 in the womb!
Whenever we come across 'justice" in prayer dad always puts in its place "righteousness" - needing to do what is right is justice. The "hallelujah" before the Gospel today is this... and seems to be echoing dad's sentiments of their suffering now in preparation for heaven... R. Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Although much of mom's issues have to do with her lungs... she is not truly struggling to breath other than SOB when she moves around. She is very peaceful and quite withdrawn - sitting for a lot of the day with her eyes closed.
Lord, how we long to come always into your presence in prayer, your Word, Your Body and Blood, Your Saints including the Passion of St John the Baptist today, Your Mother of heaven and earth always there to intercede for us, her prayer the Rosary prayer. These things fill our days with all we need for the journey. I thank you for this special time with my parents... help me to help them have some good days always looking to you and sharing in your Truth and LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
I love this from JRR Tolkien!
J.R.R. Tolkien's personal piety was simple:Confession before Mass,Mass every day and Rosary before bed. The sole ultimate focus of his devotion was the Blessed Sacrament.
Here is the conclusion of a very moving letter
he wrote to his son, Michael, in 1941:
''Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you theone great thing to love on earth:the Blessed Sacrament...There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth..." (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, no. 43)
In another moving letter, written 22 years later
to the same son, Tolkien writes:
''But I fell in love with the Blessed Sacrament from the beginning- and by the mercy of God never have fallen out again:but alas! I indeed did not live up to it...Out of wickedness and sloth I almost ceased to practice my religion - especially at Leeds, and at 22 Northmoor Road. Not for me the Hound of Heaven, but the never-ceasing silent appeal of the Tabernacle, and the sense of starving hunger. I regret those days bitterly (and suffer for them with such patience as I can be given); most of all because I failed as a father.
Now I pray for you all, unceasingly, that the Healer (the Hælend as the Saviour was usually called in Old English) shall heal my defects, and that none of you shall ever cease to cry Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.'' (Ibid. no. 250).
How I loved reading The Hobbit and His other Trilogy with John years ago! Now I see the underlying Faith journey he took us all on!
Mary amazes me and she will do great things in this lifetime! Up at the State Fair yesterday with a purple ribbon!
John's journey continues with now a new training for a job - radiology Tech!
Happy 9th Anniversary Nancy and Bill! LOVE this with my deacon dad looking on as well as two of Nancy's sisters, Maria and Ruth with a spot for our Hallel, who couldn't attend. also Bill's sisters, Tina and Amy!
Yes, Nancy has tears at her vows, a chip off the old block as we are both cry happy and sad.
Such a special day today as it is the Feast of St Augustine!
Placing the ring on his finger. These two have truly taken seriously their domestic Church/family where they share their faith with JOY!
Welcoming their 8th child in February - 3 in heaven and 5th here on earth with them. I had the honor of sharing in their family prayer for the 2 1/2 weeks I was with them when George arrived. The Saints and Mary with her rosary are huge for them each evening before bed.
Sharing the mass at their wedding.
My dad was deacon for Nancy's wedding and preached on Ephesians 5, which they chose for their wedding as they had been through Theology of the Body by St JPII!
21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.
23
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives
should submit to their husbands in everything.
25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26
to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27
and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wi
ife loves himself.
29
After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—
30
for we are members of his body.
31
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
32
This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about
Christ and the church.
33
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:22-33
With my dad HOH... he missed that the person reading this reading left out the first part by accident about submission. So we got the full homily on how we are to die to self and love without counting the cost in our marriage as we put Christ first!
The blessing of the husband and wife... Joseph was assisting on the altar!
Nancy's blessing... how she has shone bright in her ministry of sharing the Faith through her Small Things blog and Catholic Sprouts daily podcast! I am humbled and amazed and learn from her!
Today in the First reading from mass St Paul to the 1st Thessalonians 2:13 St Paul speaks about how we are given our Lord and Savior in The Word! "And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe."
Nancy has shared how they were virgins on their wedding day! She also speaks boldly about how the two becoming one is a great blessing and healer in marriage!
St Augustine from his Confessions today in the Readings for his Feast day also speaks so eloquently and powerfully about how Jesus in The Word ministerd to him and brought him to the Truth! From the Confessions of Saint Augustine, bishop (Lib. 7, 10, 18; 10, 27: CSEL 33, 157-163, 255)
O eternal truth, true love, and beloved eternity
Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance into the inmost depth of my soul. I was able to do so because you were my helper. On entering into myself I saw, as it were with the eye of the soul, what was beyond the eye of the soul, beyond my spirit: your immutable light. It was not the ordinary light perceptible to all flesh, nor was it merely something of greater magnitude but still essentially akin, shining more clearly and diffusing itself everywhere by its intensity. No it was something entirely distinct, something altogether different from all these things: and it did not rest above my mind as oil on the surface of water, nor was it above me as Heaven is above the Earth. This light was above me because it has made me; I was below it because I was created by it. He who has come to know the truth knows this light.
O Eternal truth, true love and beloved eternity. You are my God. To you do I sigh day and night. When I first came to know you, you drew me to yourself so that I might see that there were things for me to see, but that I myself was not yet ready to see them. Meanwhile you overcame the weakness of my vision, sending forth most strongly the beams of your light, and I trembled at once with love and dread. I learned that I was in a region unlike yours and far distant from you, and I thought I heard your voice from on high: “I am the food of grown men; grow then, and you will feed on me. Nor will you change me into yourself like bodily food, but you will be changed into me.”
I sought a way to gain the strength which I needed to enjoy you. But I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is above all, God blessed for ever. He was calling me and saying: I am the way of truth, I am the life. He was offering the food which I lacked the strength to take, the food he had mingled with our flesh. For the Word became flesh, that your wisdom, by which you created all things, might provide milk for us children.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.
He is called the Doctor of Grace and this is a good taste of how he became that!
Simon, Mary and Therese 9 years ago! Simon, who is Nancy's Godson was 5, Mary was 4, and Therese was 2! So precious!
Sleeping flower girl after a big day for her Aunt Nancy and Uncle Bill!
John just a year after his battle with brain cancer... escorting up his two grandmothers.
Being here with my mother, who is fading away slowly and Pat's mother died 2 1/2 years ago after 2 years on hospice in which I shared in closely. Not only has these 9 years of marriage have included 8 children for Nancy, but also many changes in our huge families on both sides! The Lord is alwasy with us in all our ups and downs. If it weren't for the pain of the crosses in our lives the good times would not be near as wonderful!
Flowergirl Mary by her mom and Therese by her mom.
And of course we must remember to wish Augustine a happy Feast day today! Gus was their first born and was with them at 2 months old on their first Anniversary! Today he is 8!
How powerful to have this great Saint of The Church so interwoven and interceding in our family! Every night in their family prayer St Augustine is asked to join them on their journey of Faith and Family! Along with St Anne, St Willian, St Joan of Arc, St Bernadette, St Dominic and St Patrick, St Jospehine Bahkita, St George, St Blaise, St Francis... such a cloud of Saints! Then they end it with the prayer to St Michael the Archangel!
Nancy and Gus on the farm... We have fake plans for them to be on the farm this weekend canning tomatoes with Ruth and I! LOVE those big family jobs shared on canning days for our 7 families.
Special memories... John just reminded me that it is his feast day, too! He chose St Augustine as his confirmation saint! With the encouragement of his sisters, and surely the Lord worked in John's life bringing him to faith through his brain cancer! https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
Grandma, Gus and a super cute calf about 7 years ago!
Jesus, how we love you and yearn and hunger for you with each new day! May we die to self so that you may live in us and we may become your hands and feet as we serve without counting the cost! We are filled to overflowing with all the Angels, Saints, Jesus, Mary and her rosary prayer, and Jesus in His Word, Body and Blood coming to us with each new day! Jesus, we trust in you! St Augustine, Pray for us. Amen and Hallelujah
