Snow on the roses/Prayers all around the world, and love voiced gives dad more time to do his work of prayer.../you have been saved through faith

Daughter and grandson came from the Cities to see dad... many calls from his many children - I am the oldest of 11 - that is a lot of love that poured all around him yesterday after a very scary start to the day!

A sweet fall arrangement from Glencoe for dad made dad smile the night before his looking like he was ready to leave this world..

After mass the family came to spend time with great-grandpa and maybe say their "good-byes" after mass.

Rose and Joy knows that he can hear them even though he looks like he is asleep and not responding.

Lots of prayers and pumpkins and surrounded by the angels and Saints!

Susan/Hallel called from France and we would gather around dad and visit with her including dad in the family sharing.  Hallel told us that all the Little Sisters were gathered together when they got news of her grandpa looking like he was dying.  "We all prayed for him."

At just about that time... dad woke up and sang the first 3 lines of Joy to the World to our amazing Hospice nurse, who was kneeling beside him!  We were amazed and have continued to be surprised at how he can wake up from a deep sleep to tell this one or that one that he loves them right back or sing and smile!

Joy to the world!!! The words are so amazing to come from him just an hour after we thought he was dying right before our eyes!

Prayers surrounding dad from all around the world!  Those prayers got him much better by evening!

Birdie Barbara here with mom and dad and Ruth's family of 8 for a big family breakfast and love and prayers surrounding me and my father!

7p last night he ate a popsicle and watched football!

Oatmeal and yogurt this morning!  

Watching mass and the rosary while eating breakfast... 

He then did morning prayer with me in our farm monastery.  I thought that we had shared that for the last time the day before!  I am in shock with this bumpy ride we are on together!  

God is not through with him yet!  He also did our Monday litany of the family with the 150 of The Cross Clan that depend upon his prayers!  He prayed for each of the 58 great grandchildren first and middle name with hardly any help!

Hospital bed is arriving soon, and so we start the next chapter, but I would not wager that he will not be coming out to the dining room soon again.  He is like a rubber ball that bounces back ... the words from St Paul in Ephesians 2

'...brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no one may boast.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them."  Ephesians 2

Dad doing morning prayer in his well worn prayer book - He continues to do the "good works" the Lord asks of him as he led us into The Church of Truth and now shares that in example and prayer!  So often yesterday I heard words of LOVE and gratitude for dad bringing us into The Church and his example of Faith!  "You have been saved by Faith!"

Catching his breath to pray for the 58 great-grands!!!    Prayers were so powerful today when I thought they would be no more on this earth, but coming from heaven!  

Jesus, we trust in you.  Thank you for this journey with hospice into a "natural death" which is totally in your hands and according to your plan for dad!  Yes, twice while I was getting dad in his Sunday shirt while mass was on TV - we heard the priest say "from conception to natural death."  "Dad this is natural death we are living out!"  I said, and he agreed just before he lost consciousness for a few hours and then he sang "Joy to the world" to me and the nurse!  Just as Hallel was praying for him with her Community of the Lamb in France!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless. Barbara

Snow just as we are about to finish with harvest!

"Dad, I guess you wanted to see the first snow."  He then made a face!