Wednesday, December 25, 2019

47 years of JOY! the LIGHT OF LIFE has come into our world! 2019 Christmas is unlike any other

All that I wished for happened this Christmas morning!  I wept sharing the Most Glorious Christmas mass with my wonderful father at The Nativity of the Lord Catholic Church in St Paul while my brother sang to us in their choir!

They granted my heart's desire with a picture with the glorious nativity scene in front of the altar.  So many powerful memories here with the baptism of Therese 11 years ago, and the years that Dan and Angela lived close by along with Maria and Susan's years at St Thomas... I shared with dad that for 3 years of College at St Catherine's I would leave home and commute there from our home by the Basilica.  Dad and I both crossed ourselves as we passed by The Basilica of St Mary, our parish as new Catholics and my dad's first Deaconate position as a permanent deacon about 45 years ago!
Such a familiar wonderful place to me!  I was amazed to find myself here with my dad, who brought us into The Church on this day - Christmas midnight mass at the Cenacle Convent in 1971!  We are 47 years in The Church - all 13 of us as I am the oldest of 11!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
 Back from mass with my mother, who is under the weather, dad sharing Jesus with her as he had the pix around his neck and had the priest give him the Body of Christ to share with her!  On the wall the Christmas tree that we all made at CCC with our handprints.  "There is a big empty wall and it fills it with our family love for them.  They love it!"  Paula, my sister, reported to us!
 Dad reading the Gospel from John 1 -
ohn 1:1-14
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1:2 He was in the beginning with God.

1:3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being

1:4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Such words of Truth and Wonder and Glory!!!  Sitting next to my father surrounded by such beauty of Jesus in Word, Body and Blood and the music of Angels to the highest heaven as Heaven came down to earth and brings shining LIGHT into the world of sin and darkness!  The tears flowed as I reflected on how each day in The Church has been the most glorious gift to me! 
 Sharing Jesus in His Word from John 1 and in His Body!
How my parents love Jesus and share their Faith now for close to 50 years after they listened to The Holy Spirit bring them and their family into The Church!
The scene shortly after we arrived at Nancy's for Christmas!  We knew that we would be sandwiched  between our daughter and her 5 and my parents and that was just what we wanted! To share with FAMILY older and younger!
Joy sharing Midnight mass here in Delano with Nancy's family - Sharing mass with family as we welcome the child of Peace - our humble loving Lord, Jesus Christ!
 Stunning beauty all around us and shared with our family is the BEST!
The Nativity at St Maximilian Kolbe midnight mass!
 Family with baby Jesus!
 Bill's mother gifts family jamies each year!
 Fog and snow this winter.  After 3 years in mild KC... the snow is loved by the kids!  "We can make snowmen!  I love the snow!" Bernadette shared on the way home from mass.
George having his first Christmas along with cousins, Jude and Hector!  Lots of candy and toys!!!  "I think that I love Christmas!"
 My Christmas gift from Washington!  We have fake plans to head that way in less than a week with maybe a stop in KC to see our Little Sister Hallel and family of the Lamb.  They are going on fumes now after being up all night with the Vigil!  They don't want to miss a minute of Christmas!
The Bandzuch bunch last night with Jesus in the manger!
 My Most Cherished Cross with our Hallel a few weeks back.  We will see her during Christmas season and get a real hug and some glorious family holy time!
 Many prayers for my mother to bounce back- having a Christmas in bed, and we only opened up one Christmas present - the others are all waiting under the tree.  It was good to get some hugs and kisses in and sharing Jesus - the LIGHT of our world on this glorious anniversary of our journey in The Church!  So amazing to share mass with the king of our family to whom I owe my total gratitude for listening to the Holy Spirit and saying "yes"with Mary, the Mother of God!
 The farm family - Ruth and Paul at CCC!  They are celebrating with Paul's family today!
Precious Jude is having his first Christmas with mom and dad today!  He charmed all at CCC along with cousin, George!  Such wonderful happy healthy boys!

Thank you, Jesus, we are so precious to you that you came into the world as a new helpless LIFE depending on Mary and Joseph to care for you.  May we treat all as those precious gifts to you.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah
The 5 together 2 1/2 years ago - due for another home visit from Hallel this summer and getting the 5 and family together will be my JOY!  Faith/Family/Farm - my JOY!  Pat and I are soon to be on the road like in about 3 days to see our two daughters in KC and Washington!  I guess that we need to come to them now as they are tied down with vows to their Community or 6 kids and husband... we are always wanting to share in their lives... Bless-bless, Barb
O Come All ye Faithful

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