Letting the LIGHT in... "Have sight; your faith has saved you."/Grateful for each minute of FAMILY sharing FAITH

 The closest I got to having my parents in a picture with our family after we had the gift of sharing mass with them in the church where Nancy and Bill were married 9 years ago.  Mom was fading fast due to her chronic lungs making her short of breath...

 Sharing Sunday breakfast before we shared mass!

 Sharing mass now in the Cities where they have moved into Assisted living close to so many more in our family.

 Nancy and Bill's youngest, George, doesn't realize how lucky he is to be seen and to see his great-grandparents!

Mom and dad just had their 55th great-grand with 3 more coming that we are aware of!  So to be seen by them is not possible with such a huge family.  I considered it a huge privilege to have my family with them even for such a short window!

 I brought 3 from the farm to spend the weekend with cousins.  Big Dave is now 11 and Gus is 8, yet they are good cousin friends over the years!

I so loved being surrounded by Nancy and Bill and their 5 plus the 3 from the farm at mass!  The voices of the children and of Nancy and Bill proclaiming their faith with JOY!
Sharing my hymnal with first Rose on one side and then my mom on the other.  United in our shared love for Jesus and His Bride, The Church!

 Time to visit after mass...

The 2 who are now both 7 years old... Rose and Berna are the best of friends and will go through life sharing family times! Rose and Gus along with Patrick in Washington will all be having their First Communion and Reconciliation this year.  Berna will be next year, and we rejoice with these huge steps in Faith!

 George's first time in the church where mom and dad were married!

The Gospel today was a delight to read with Pat last night afer sharing evening prayer!  Luke 18 - the blind man on the roadside!
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
"What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

This story has it all!!!!  The man in darkness and calling out to Jesus, who speaks into that darkness with his question of what we want..."Lord, let me see."  Immediately he is brought into the LIGHT and then he follows after HIM!  Giving glory to God and also bringing many to The Truth of Jesus coming for all of us!  Dying for ALL of us!  Saving ALL of us!

 The new gathering space where Nancy shared 9 years ago was a grass area where they greeted their guests after their wedding...

 Outside on their wedding day - a wonderful new gathering space now!

 So beautifully happy!  It was so fun to see Father enjoying seeing them again still together and open to life and raising LIGHTS!

 I couldn't resist these of the girls with some of their show animals over the years!  Ruth with Carmel in the pasture.

 Nancy with TC...

Maria with Bertha

I think you can see why I couldn't resist randomly sharing these wonderful memories from fair/farm days!

 Back to the here and now!  Gathered around Father after a glorious mass where heaven and earth came together in total praise and joined the blind man, who was given his sight/LIGHT in "giving glory to God", who has fed us with the LIFE-giving Body and Blood of His Son, and Jesus in The Word!

 A most amazing picture of how much has happened in their marriage/family in the last 9 years.  And to realize that there are 3 losses in heaven that are also part of their family and keeps their eyes on heaven where they long to be united in heaven forever with Jesus, Mary, the Saints and Angels!

 A study of 9 month old George!  He is calm and sweet, but mom says that he is keeping her awake at night again.  I guess you can't be perfect, huh George?

 Straw in mouth and...

 out... too cute!

Thanks to Nancy and Bill for growing from 5 kids to 8 for the weekend!  Bill told Pat that it was fine to have that many underfoot!

 George loves to be snuggled by his loving mom!

Jesus, we are overwhelmed by your LOVE entering in when we call out to you.  The darkness is filled with your LIGHT and nothing is hidden from you.  We need to lay all of our sins and weaknesses at your feet in the confessional, and leave there praising and thanking God for all his unconditional LOVE and forgiveness!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

 Home to the farm in time to see these two sharing some hunting together!

Great father and daughter times are very important and we find that we are grateful for all the times we have to share with our wonderful FAMILY!  Bless-bless, Barb
 
Happy Feast Day
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
1769-1852
Feast Day: November 18
Patronage: perseverance amid adversity, Dioceses of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO.
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in France and lived through the French Revolution. In 1804 Rose befriended St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and entered the Society of the Sacred Heart. She dreamed of serving the Native Americans and at age 49 she and four sisters were sent as missionaries to the Louisiana Territory to establish the Society’s presence in America. With Divine grace, courage, an iron will and a lot of faith she started free schools for girls and Native Americans in Missouri and Kansas. The Native Americans called her "Woman Who Prays Always.” St. Rose is the first canonized female saint west of the Mississippi.

Danielle Rose - See you in the Eucharist