6years ago today I took the picture of the 4 as John was leaving for home. Within a short window I added Hallel to make it complete in my heart and my mind.
Yes, it is an imaginary image, but it fills me with so much JOY so see my children together as they truly are spiritually each day - I lift them up on prayer as dad and I pray together on the porch at 3p - a decade for each of them!
I have been kind of naughty and send them pictures on email ever since we have been communicating on Zoom for the pandemic. A form of keeping in touch that I never thought I would be able to have. I guess never is a long time, and one email in a year is not overdoing it from her to me.
Dad and I are a week away from our wife/mother's funeral mass, and we are starting to get down the eulogy that will be read beforehand. I read him the Gospel, which is so fitting for this may, who has allowed the Holy Spirit to speak to him and direct him throughout his life and hence my life as the oldest of his 11 children!
"...When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you..."
Matthew 10 read all over the world today in every Catholic Church!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
My heart-felt hope is that we can all be together at the end of the summer! I will pray and make many fake plans for that to actually happen. I even hinted to Hallel that she might want to make their roadtrip at that time so that we can TRULY be together even if only for a couple days!
Hearing about how hard some families have with their loved one on hospice... I am more grateful than ever for having my father as alert and kind and prayerful as he is! We will add "Joseph" to our prayers as he is facing death from cancer with dementia, too, and it is so hard on the family as he is up all night seeing things and scared and yelling. So hard! I have nothing to complain about. Dad and I do our work of prayer and we find great JOY in it!
For dad and I - our PRAYER is our WORK, and we take it very seriously! May Joseph be held in the palm of his hand!
Jesus, as we enter this last week until we gather to celebrate the life of our mother/wife. We trust in you to give us the words to say. Her life was a lesson on being open to the Holy Spirit and following where it would lead, of being open to LIFE, of loving your Mother, Mary the Mother of heaven and earth and how she led us into The Church! She loved you Jesus, in your Word and Body and Blood and loved your Bride, The Church! May her and dad's marriage of 70 1/2 years be a strong reminder of how marriage and family is the domestic Church! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
So true and working on this Eulogy with my dad of his wife of 70 1/2 years this should be the message over all!!!
our family is where our Faith is shared with JOY! Domestic Church/family!!!
Marriage is so much of this!
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lordis to be praised.
31Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Proverbs 31
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