"Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life" Jesus to dad!/Praying for my dead/The big work prayer day!

With great devotion and reverence my brother, Dan, acquired from the head of each family the first and middle names of their children and grandchildren.  

Why?   Because each Monday dad would do the litany of the family - lifting up his 12 children and spouses, 34 grandchildren and those with spouses, and the 58 great-grandchildren.  He called them by name and not just their first names, but first and middle names!  Even two weeks ago on Monday the day after he had collapsed and looked to be leaving this world - he prayed for the 131 by first and middle names with little help from me!

John and Bobbi visiting my dad during visitation!  I am eternally grateful that they had these 6 months with my father.  John joined us for the office/morning and evening prayer some, and prayed the rosary and chaplet with us out on the porch a few days with Birdie Barbara in his arms!  

How my father loved to watch a little one grow from birth to 6 months - he would smile and marvel as she would wave her arms and legs - "She is getting her exercise!"

Nancy and Bill and their 5 gathered around!  Dad was so prayerful and excited for them as they competed in the Our Sunday Visitor contest for their Domestic Church project!  We rejoiced with them when they won!  

Dad got to know little 1 1/2 year old George well as he would stay here with me for supper and overnights!

George sitting peacefully on great-grandpa's lap - he knew him well!

Ruth with Luke, Joy and Rose... 

great-grandpa had just agreed with me that happy girl Joy had the perfect name, after Ruth described how she had been in a bad mood, but got herself dressed and announced- "I am happy now" with a big smile.  This was the day before he died when Ruth came over to help him sit up in bed for his last meal - breakfast!  He also made sure that Joy got a candy bar from his stash!  He truly was sharp up until the end, and engaged in my life on the farm and my farm family!  I am truly the lucky one!

Mom's painting arrived in my home yesterday and it is where it belongs - LOVE it so much!  First thing you see when you come into the dining room and living room - on my knees at the feet of Jesus!  

Dad's beautiful arangement from the Diocese and the roses for Our Lady that Dan made sure to have there!  LOVE!  So many acolaids from many priests, who will say masses for dad and mom!

Looking for consolation today on this feast of All Souls just a little over a week from dad's passing and 7 months from mother's - both so fresh and we have no idea really how this is all playing out for them.  Time in purgatory? I went to dad's prayer book for November 2nd so that dad could guide and direct me... This from St Ambrose and underlined by dad.

in the Kingdom of the Father!  Dad was certainly just and holy and righteous!  I will continue to pray for him!

Reassuring words from the Gospel today!

"...For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”  John 6!  How we love John 6, right dad!

When I went to Morning prayer on the day of his funeral mass!!!

His Gospel reading was from Luke 1 - the Canticle of Zechariah... so powerful and appropriate 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hOhV0n-0Bw&feature=youtu.be  Dad's wonderful funeral mass!

Dad did this and I am rejoicing with him now that he has left this world armed with his faith and his love of Jesus, Mary and The Church!

Dad had this prayer memorized - he was truly a man of God and shouted from the rooftops The Truth with unending Glory and Praise in The Name!

Words – certain words – have gained great significance for me. Reading the scriptures, these words have leapt from the page; I have even taken to underlining every time I find them. They center my life. The first is NAME.

How many times the scriptures tell us to honor the Name. In the Old Testament when God reveals His Name to Moses, the very ground where it occurs is declared holy, and God’s holy name is so sacred that the Old Testament substitutes “Lord” for every occurrence of the NAME – YAHWEH. He is Our Father, ABBA.

In the New Covenant, the Name is JESUS. “There is no other Name under heaven by which we are to be saved.” JESUS! When God’s name is treated lightly, when used coarsely as in the exclamation, “O God!” it’s painful, as it is when I hear the Name of Jesus taken in vain.

I desire GLORY be given to the NAME. Glory is the way we praise GOD in the Highest. This is to enter the radiance, the magnificence, the awesome presence of the NAME. GLORY BE TO YOU, O LORD!

We are not to be shy or timid about our praise of the GLORY, we are to SHOUT WITH JOY TO THE LORD! If within our spirits we feel this exuberant shout when we contemplate the Holy Name, our spirits are lifted up and we are filled with joy, and the temptations that beset us fall apart like the walls of Jericho which came down at the SHOUT of the people of God. These words – when placed in the context of the Catholic Church of Jesus – become radiant with life and, in this context, I bequeath them to the next generation of this family and to those many others that I have loved in this life.

Dad's words that we "see" in his prayer book used and prayed from daily!

Seeing it with eyes of Faith!

I am now leaving with hubby for some parts - how I long to continue to share and so it will happen according to the Lord's plans.  My rosary beads will be traveling through my fingers as we go up to Eden Prairie and back... time with hubby in our chapel on wheels!  Jesus, we trust in you.  May all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace!  Bless-bless, Barbara

LOVE the first reading from Wisdom, too...

Reading 1 WIS 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

Yes!!!