"Seek to serve him constantly"/Nancy coming for the day/dad praying for those living The Kingdom

 Joy in her mom's garden with a handfull of beans I picked to bring home for dad and I and Pat.  She just got back from her 3 year old check up and passed - healthy!

I had to run some tools and beverage on this hot day out to the men working on a fence, so I swung into the farm on my way by.

 Ruth's beautiful porch set up for the 4th!  How we all love to sit here and share family time!

Ruth informed me that Nancy is on her way for the day on the farm.  We hope she is bringing along her water slide, or I predict they will be heading out to Camden State Park and the pond there we frequented when the girls were growing up.

 Soon we will have tomatoes for eating and then the work begins!  Canning for 7 families!

First will be tomato soup as that is missed by my father very much.  I fed the last jar a month ago and have since done something that I haven't done in years - probably 42 years as that is when I came to the farm!  Buy tomato soup in the store! 

 I am humbled to see Ruth's amazing garden so clean and thriving!  Why humbled?  Because mine is a mess in comparison.  Pat has had to get on my case every one of those 42 years to keep the weeds out.  The plastic has helped, but still every opening has weeds that love to grow and grow and grow. 

 Ruth's luxuriant wax beans!  I got a big handfull off just a few plants!  She is a master gardener in my book. 

Ruth does say that she doesn't remember my gardening being that horrible growing up... probably because I had her to help me being the oldest of the 5, and I did have my kids help me weed and pick as soon as they were able.  I do miss the help now that I really need it!  I am grateful that Ruth and her 6 come and help me plant my garden as a Mother's Day gift of all gifts!  I can think of nothing better under the sun!

 Joy just back from her 3 year old check up!  She is wearing the stickers she was given.  Mom says that she is at the 99% for height and 70 for weight and healthy in every way...  I love her JOY smiles!

 It will be the year of many apples!  Joy getting ready to pick one, but left it to grow big and get sweeter.

Ruth was saying that the dread of all the work ahead takes some of the joy out of having so many apples!  Last year we had none, but this year we will be feeding many pails to the cows and spending days on applesauce and wonderful pie filling. 

 Apple JOY!

Dad is having an off day starting with a poor night of sleep.  We are hoping that it is just that - a small step back in his dance called dancing into the sunset of his life.  When we prayed this morning he asked mother to help him.  Along with the bad night, breakfast was poor, and he is requesting pain gel on his shoulder.  Each day is what we face as it is given to us...

 Dad on the porch where we share the rosary and chaplet each day at 3p!

Even on the poor days we still cling to our prayer time together and that is truly the "work" that we do together and keeps us reasonably calm and peaceful with one another.   Yes, we have those times where tempers flare, but they do not last long.

 Our view of the prairie landscape we gaze out at as we pray.

Even though dad had a poor night and breakfast was a failure... we still did morning prayer of The Church together.  It gives us the armor of God to face what lies ahead.  Dad also prayed for those that are sharing The Kingdom of God with all those they come in contact with.  Most especially he mentioned in prayer Little Sister Hallel and her Community of The Lamb, and how they live and share with all they come in contact with the life of loving and following Jesus in all you do and say and work and pray and beg from the poor!

 Love this of my Most Cherished Cross, farmer Patrick, a year ago with his 3 granddaughters, who are 3 going on 4 now!  Joy and Josephine will be together on this hot day on the farm!

 Visiting Mary while out pulling weeds from the mailbox.

These words from Psalm 105 from the mass today ring like a bell for me, who am given the strength from our shared work of prayer...
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
Psalm 105

I can say for a fact that I would have failed to continue on this journey with any kind of strength or willingness without the gift I am given of sharing with my father in his "religious life" as a permanent deacon for 44 years now.  it is my JOY and strength and allows me to weakly and poorly with poverty and humility serve him constantly.  Twelve weeks tomorrow and no way of knowing how long or how it will play out.

 Michigan from 6 years ago... those wonderful family times on the big lake are sorely missed by this old grandma.  There are fake plans to have us all together at the end of the summer! 

Today I will just relish having my two oldest together here on the farm... Maybe here for lunch on my porch.

 Sharing the office/morning prayer on Sunday with John and my father.  So powerful and special for me to have that kind of support from the men in my life.  Hubby and I pray morning prayer most days before we get up to face the day!

 A gift from Hallel on Sunday!  The chickens that will now give them eggs and...

 It looks like the source of a play about chickens.  As dad prayed today they share their message of how wonderful our Faith can be if only we share it with great JOY!

The Gospel from Matthew today... Jesus sends out the 12 to heal, and share that "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Matthew 10  Such powerful evidence of this LOVE for us is seen in those glowing faces!  Witnessing how Jesus can give us the fruits of His Spirit! 

Ruth has the vision and displays her beautiful newly remodeled farmhouse - over 100 years old and where she grew up on the farm - now filled with her 6 children!  Living the life she grew up with, and that fills me with so much happiness.  Knowing that she chose that and now lives it much more beautifully than I ever did.  I sit at her feet and learn from her how to be a farm wife. 

Paul and Ruth show me how to live married life also, by being LIFE giving and not LIFE taking.  All that is said and done is out of LOVE and gives LIFE!  I have adopted calling my Pat -"honey" and that helps me to be more loving in my voice and my actions.  It has taken me 41 years to learn that lesson and I still fail at the slightest provocation! 

9 years ago - 6 week old Augustine and his mom.  Today he might be out working with the men in the hot humid heat putting in a new fence.  He might wonder if it was a great idea to come to the farm today!

Jesus, how we need to have you with us each moment of each day!  May we die to self so that you may live in us!  So that we may give without counting the cost.  We are so grateful for the help that hospice has given us to stagger down this narrow path with our sights on heaven forever at the end.  To have mother there so recently truly keeps our eyes on you!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah



Checking out ocean life on the sound.  Seeing a part of the country that they likely will not visit again - all the way to the Pacific!

A night under their dome... More pictures to share another day!  Bless-bless, Barbara

Patrick's First Communion shared with the Lanoues!

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Saint Kateri portrait by Beverly Klucher.

Danielle Rose - If I touch him

the Gospel yesterday!

So powerful and the story continues - healed 11 years!

Ryan Stevenson - the Gospel

Ryan Stevenson - with lifted hands