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!
Dad reading Isaiah 55:1!/shoulder to shoulder canning 123 quarts of tomatoes... then on to my folks!
Pat and I with our counter full of 123 quarts of tomatoes. I love St JP II holding Jesus in the Monstrance over our shoulder, as he was the pope, and how we loved him, for the first 27 years of our marriage! He and my husband are my champions for Family and LIFE!
We started at 9a and worked steady until 5pm on our 8 pails of tomatoes! My hard working husband his been toiling with Ruth and I and her 2 year old, Joy, who is the only one left at home now. Ruth took this of Pat and I...
She was training Joy to take our picture with the full counter of our 123 quarts of tomatoes! Joy did a wonderful job and made us smile throughout our long family day sharing canning. We had 6 canners of spaghetti sauce equaling 101 quarts of sauce and 22 quarts of juice. Ruth and Joy are spending a chunk of the day at our house processing them 14 at a time in two canners!
Joy needed a booster seat, but she cheerfully turned the colander and made juice along with grandpa and mommy!
She made all that juice, and has been involved in family canning days since we was just a tiny baby... now she can help and keep us smiling throughout the day! As we all say - her name describes her to a T!
Juice on the chair, with 2 canners waiting and 2 on the stove and one canned and one on the counter waiting... 6 canners of spaghetti sauce! With the 120 we already canned - we should have plenty for our 7 families we feed!
Joy tasting our hard work and yummy food!
Grandpa loves that big pot he bought at a auction at our Catholic School about 30 years ago! "Nothing burns on the bottom as it is so thick and heavy!"
Those big arms stirred so well that we had no lumps this time. We really have this down to a science and we work like a machine. But having my strong willing husband really made for a good day and some ironing out of some things we deal with - like corn starch getting lumpy while the sauce is heating. Pat's stirred those away masterfully! Thanks, honey!
Pat showing Ruth his big pot shining clean and no burn on the bottom! Ruth counting jars and it looks like Joy is in the fridge ….
Ruth's amazing tomatoes make it easy when you have these to cut in 8 - 6 gallon pails! They were on the vine just shortly before they were made into our food filled with freshness and goodness!
Taking a minute to capture family time supreme!
The crew in the midst of putting our hard work into jars!
Ruth and I laugh at how we fill the pots so full that it is not possible to stir them - right to the brim! Amazing and Ruth said as she left for home. "We are kind of crazy!"
A beautiful sight for all our day of family work!
Then my wonderful husband drove me up to my parents home for my shift of caring for my parents! We saw the full harvest moon in the dark rising...
So blessed to have morning prayer with my Deacon Father on a St Robert Feast day today!
St Robert Bellarmine quote for this feast day!
"The school of Christ is the school of charity.
On the last day, when the general examination takes place,
there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle,
the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian.
Charity will be the whole syllabus." - St Robert Bellarmine
"The Holy Eucharistis offered to us
on our pilgrimage asfood so that we do not faint
on the path to the fatherland,
especially at the time when,
tired by a long journey,
our forces are apt to wane…
The Lord left His Body in the Eucharist
as a pledge of heavenly beatitude."
St Robert Bellarmine, “Comments on Aquinas’ O Sacrum Convivum”
St Robert Bellarmine
Italy ~ 1542-1621
Jesuit theologian, writer, and cardinal
Key voice and action in Counter-Reformation
Dubbed: "Prince of the Apologists"
Doctor of the Church
Patron of Canon s, catechists, students,
those with Down's syndrome
Feast Day - September 17
The office of Morning prayer was such a gift this morning and dad and I prayed back and forth on the Psalms of the day. He shared with me some spiritual direction he has gotten about the move they will be making to assisted living in the Cities soon. He has always looked for direction and listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit! https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
I Timothy 3 today in the first reading describes what my father fulfills as a Permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church since 1974 with the first class of Deacons for the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St Paul! "Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain, holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything. Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well. Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus."
Being from my dad and mother's household/family... I am saying here that we were managed well and The Faith was shared with us with JOY! Sharing this faith now with both my parents together in their old age is blessing upon blessing and grace upon grace and Joy upon joy!!!
How the tears leapt to my eyes when we came to the scripture reading from morning prayer this morning... READING Isaiah 55:1
All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Usually dad has me or mom read the reading but today he read it loud and clear. The verse that brought our family into The Church 47 years ago when he and mom were on An Ignatian Exercise weekend retreat at The Cenacle Convent! To have him read these Eucharistic Words today knowing what this has meant to me with each day since... it was such a powerful moment and pertaining to how my dad listens and acts on the promptings of the Holy Spirit! LOVE!
My husband and dad sharing about how we cared for his mother in her home.
He now willingly and lovingly allows me to leave him for 3-4 days each week to care for my parents! Thank you, dear Patrick, my Most Cherished Cross!
So sweet! My husband with his breakfast on a pillow eating with my mother, who was not able to come to the table this morning to eat.
Pat feels that this was one of the last times he will have to stay with them in this home as they are at the point of transitioning to the Cities closer to family!
Breaking bread together with my mother... sweet!
Such a loving Gospel today about a mother and her only son... Jesus is moved by her profound loss and raises her son from the dead! When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, Luke 7 The Lord shows us so much compassion and the love of a son for his mother and her for him is so powerful and special. Pat was a wonderful son to his mother and shared mass with her each Sunday since his father passed away about 21 years ahead of her. He cares much for my mother, too!
The Lourdes candle from my mother-in-law when we made the trip to France and Lourdes when Susan/Hallel took her first vows in 2011! Lit with the intentions for prayers as we have come very close to Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette visiting there 3 times now, and her involvement in John's healing from brain cancer and finding Faith through that battle!
His story - how he longs to share it!
Prayers for John as he continues to have issues with his eyes since whole brain radiation. We pray and trust in Jesus and Our Lady of Lourdes holding him close to their hearts - Sacred and Immaculate!
Jesus, how we love you and are overwhelmed by your unconditional love and forgiveness. You touch us and we are healed and brought back from the dead and given to those we love! May we die to self and be raised to love and serve you and each other without counting the cost. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah!
A memory from 2 years ago in KC... we were there for Hallel's birthday which is tomorrow. We will miss this year, but I have fake plans to get there soon! Nancy is suffering to not have them close by anymore. I predict that she will be going down there, too, soon. Like MEA break from school!
Tomatoes and onions galore while Pat cuts onions for our sauce yesterday. He loves his onions and makes sure there are lots in the sauce. He is not a pasta guy but loves his Italian dunkers/Cheesy bread with sauce... Yes, add hamburger to the sauce, too! Bless-bless, Barb and parents, kids and grandkids!
Ruth's blender died after so many years of HARD work! Family canning is a warm and happy place for us! LOVE in a jar!
Danielle Rose - The Saint that is just me
Jeremy Camp - dead man walking
Pat is now at Nancy's house for lunch seeing Dominic, Josephine, and George along with Nancy! Family time is worth the cost of zig zagging through the Cities!
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