Baby Birdie was pretty new here, and it has been so fun to watch dad in her life as she grows and is more and more active and alert. We love her gentle and peaceful ways and sweet smiles!
Sweetness that makes us happy and fall in love more and more. This day last week she prayed morning prayer with us while her dad was shopping.
There has been much turmoil inside of me with the conversations I have been having with both sides of the issues/election. The Gospel today as dad and I were reading it together spoke volumes in directing me to the proper path! It is a verse that sometimes leaves me a bit distant and unsure, but today it seemed like a roadmap of Truth!
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Just talked to Ruth about our next canning job... next week we will probably have to do both tomatoes and apples! This was our huge job on Monday! 95 quarts of tomato soup! Dad is having some today - it is already our fake plan - how he loves his tomato soup!
The ducks by the hay mountain! Literally it is a mountain this year with over 500+ bales!
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Matthew 18
A friend contacted me in dismay over a dear Catholic friend that has a Biden sign in her yard. I suggested that other than acting rashly, that she should invite her over for coffee and lovingly explain to her that this is a proclamation to the world of Marshall, MN that she is embracing the Democratic liberal stand on abortion, openness to living out the homosexual life-style, and many other evils that the Catholic Church absolutely and justifiably tells us to not practice or promote! If then she only turns her back to my friend, I see that the two of us should meet with her, and if she then turns her back on what The Church is commanding us as True followers of Christ to do... then with a sad and forgiving heart my friend would be justified in withdrawing.
As I was sharing with my wise prayerful father this morning the ways I am being pulled these days by the disappointment of dear friends that are taking the liberal agenda as their own...He reminded me of the line from Jacques Philippe in his book Interior Peace..."The only way to diminish suffering that burdens mankind is by forgiveness." "We need to forgive." said my father. How does that fit with this?
I see that it doesn't mean that we cave in to their way of thinking, and just shrug and allow them to go blindly down the path into the Culture of death and darkness. We need to speak out and stand for the Truth and do it with love and forgiveness in our hearts! Jesus was not easy on the "blind fools"/pharisees - he called them out and so must we!
Trump makes it all so hard for us! If it were a kind and peaceful Christian man like his vice-president, Pence, it would be so much easier to love and follow the LIGHT we see in him. No, we have this rough self-centered man heading up our country and our party! Yet, we must and long to follow the Truths we are given through The Church and the only place to find that is with The Republican party!
Ruth's beautiful landscaping around the farmhouse she grew up in! The pine tree is to put lights on at Christmas! So cool! Ruth has honored her farm house and made it a thing of great beauty!
I just feel such a deep sadness at how good friends and family are being misled. I would think that looking at what our Church asks of us to follow and believe - I for one LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ALL that the Church teaches and asks of me. I do not leave out any of it! I see the Truth in ALL of it and find so much happiness and peace in my Catholic Faith! How can we take matters into our own hands with our bodies with contraception, callously take the life of the innocent child in our wombs or allow others to do this without pointing out to them that this is a most precious LIFE to be protected and cherished no matter the cost, watch others live out a life of sin with cohabitation or homosexual lifestyle... Lord, these are all accepted and promoted! How did our world come to this?
Wow!
How do we forgive and yet not waver from the Truth? I see that the big work that dad and I do and my husband and I do morning and night is PRAY for them! We are loving and forgiving and longing for them to come into The LIGHT of Truth! Happiness beyond understanding is found in doing and living out all the The Church asks of us!
Jesus continues to minister to us today in the Gospel...
"...Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
Dad and I do see the Holy Spirit at work in our daily work/prayer! We started praying for one of my sisters on our chaplet, and a week later she had a stent put into her heart and no damage! That was prayer!!! So many prayers when you have a family of 140+! Dad living with me is praying so beautifully for my kids and how I love that. He sees Hallel and her life as a bride of Christ and living the life of poverty, he sees Nancy's ministry - Catholic Sprouts and her coming up finals in a huge competition with Our Sunday Visitor, he sees John once again between jobs and how hard that is! Thanks dad, your prayers mean the world to my family and I!
https://catholicsprouts.com/
Going around the corner to their new addition - now stairs going out to the clothesline .
I was struck today by the Saint for the day St Jane Frances... a married woman, who after her husband died she raised her 4 children but also began a new order, which welcomed women not accepted on other orders due to age or infirmity. She opened 90 convents before she died!
These amazing words are so powerful..."He is more in us than we are in ourselves." Yes, Lord, I am yours!!
"We should go to prayer with deep humility
Right inside is a washing machine and easy access to the clothesline now with the stairs coming out. She has such a vision, all of this would overwhelm me... after our original remodel in 1987 before we moved in... I cared nothing to make any changes! After 30 years it does make sense that a lot of change needed to happen. Ruth takes it by the ears! I am in awe!
and an awareness of our nothingness.
We must invoke the help of the Holy Spirit
and that of our good angel,
and then remain still in God's presence,
full of faith that He is more in us
than we are in ourselves."
St. Jane Frances de Chantal
France ~ 1572-1641
Widow of the Baron of Chantal, mother of seven
__________________
Founded the Order of the Visitation Sisters
with St. Francis de Sales - 1610
Motto of Visitation Sisters: Live Jesus!
_________________
Honored by the Church for the holiness of her youth,
of her married life, of her widowhood, and of her religious life.
Feast Day - August 12
Lord, you dwell in me in my inner temple where your LIGHT shines brightly to fill me with your awe! How I long to die to self so that you may fully dwell in me and I may become your hands and feet and speak your Truth. Give us your words, O Lord, and with love and forgiveness in our hearts, minds and souls may we proclaim the Gospel of you, Lord Jesus Christ! WE are so blessed to have Your Church there to lead and show us the narrow path leading to heaven forever! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
John's video of his finding Faith through brain cancer - he is now married with 2 precious little ones! The Lord at work and now we ask for his plan to be revealed. John would share his story and shout it from the rooftops as a lover of Christ and His Bride, The Church!
Danielle Rose - the Litany of Humility
Tauren Wells - Hills and Valleys
Peter Mayer - Holy Now
She couldn't attend mass and it appeared on her wall!
During an illness when she could not attend Mass, the Lord allowed her to see Mass miraculously "broadcast" on the wall of her room. Centuries later, #EWTN broadcasts Daily Mass to those who cannot attend.
Happy Feast Day
Saint Jane de Chantal
1572 - 1641
Feast Day: August 12 (New), August 21 (Trad)
Patronage: forgotten people, in-law problems, loss of parents, parents separated from children, widows
Born to the nobility, Jane was raised by her father after the death of her mother. Jane married at age 20, had 4 children and was widowed at age 28. Forced to live with her father-in-law, she spent much time in prayer and received a vision of a man who would become her spiritual director. The man was St. Francis de Sales. She became his spiritual student and close friend. In 1610 she founded the Order of the Visitation of Our Lady for widows and lay women who did not wish the full life of the orders.
Saint Jane de Chantal
1572 - 1641
Feast Day: August 12 (New), August 21 (Trad)
Patronage: forgotten people, in-law problems, loss of parents, parents separated from children, widows
Born to the nobility, Jane was raised by her father after the death of her mother. Jane married at age 20, had 4 children and was widowed at age 28. Forced to live with her father-in-law, she spent much time in prayer and received a vision of a man who would become her spiritual director. The man was St. Francis de Sales. She became his spiritual student and close friend. In 1610 she founded the Order of the Visitation of Our Lady for widows and lay women who did not wish the full life of the orders.
It's so hard to sit and be still and quiet in today's world but that is how we can hear God's voice the clearest.
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