The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
Hallel Psalm 145 -"I will bless your name forever and ever!"/mountains? - "the storms shall scatter them" Isaiah 41
Grandma in her happy place with 7 month old namesake, Birdie Barbara! The little Christmas dress was right there when she got up from her nap, and beckoned to me! Birdie was happy and my phone did not distract her, so I giggled with glee and took way too many pictures to share today as I pour my heart out here.
I had discovered this precious baby Jesus to accentuate the sweetness factor of my 7 month photo shoot that made my day tinged with some heaviness light filled and joyful!
I always love to find an Hallel Psalm in mass and today the gift of Psalm 145 was a special find as Pat and I sat beside the Advent wreath doing night prayer and then sharing the readings the night before for today. We have gained this gift of savoring and loving the Word by starting to "chew on them"/mendicate them the night before from our Community of the Lamb... Hallel's order.
As Hallel/Susan shared with us when she chose her name... "Whenever anyone says my name they are giving God all the glory!" She also shared that the last 6 Psalms are Hallel Psalms - 145-150! Reading this line from Psalm 145 today spoke of this truth! "I will bless your name forever and ever." Yes, if Hallel sounds familiar - it is the first part of Hallelujah!
I couldn't get enough of her sweetness! She gifted grandma on her 7 month birthday!
The reading today from Isaiah promises us that those "mountains" that seem impossible to climb or to get around on our journey are going to be ground into dust and blown away by the storms of our life. Both mountains and storms are times when we look to Our Lord and Savior to carry us as we recall in the footprints story/poem!
As happens a mountain has come in my path and I am defeated and overwhelmed by this, yet I have knowledge that I am loved and have been given so very much to help me stagger down the narrow path. Even to the point of Jesus carrying me, and also I am aware that his loving Mother given to me at the foot of the Cross is also helping to carry me and hold me close to her heart as she takes me to her Son!
Always know and love Jesus sweet Birdie Barbara! He loves you with his life!
I love these words from St Peter Damien today;
Just as the human race could not be redeemed unless the Son of God were born of the Virgin, so too the Virgin had to be born from whom the Word was to become flesh. That is, first a house had to be built in which the King of heaven might deign to descend and be a guest. I refer to the house of which God said through Solomon: "Wisdom built itself a house and hewed 7 columns for it." The virginal house rested on seven columns, because the venerable Mother of God was endowed with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The bridal chamber had first to be constructed that would receive the bridegroom as he came for his marriage with holy Church.
What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we may understand the beauty of Our Mother of heaven and earth?
No wonder she is amazing and our wise caring mother of God!
Sucking her thumb with a cute warm (?) snowman. She could not be a better or cuter or sweeter or happier little baby girl! She reminds me of my own girls, and that is an added sweetness!
Getting back to the message from Isaiah today that shows me that this huge mountain will be made low and although there is a storm raging all around me... it is in fact blowing away that dust which the mountain has been ground into!
I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. I will make of you a threshing sledge, sharp, new, and double-edged, To thresh the mountains and crush them, to make the hills like chaff. When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off and the storm shall scatter them. But you shall rejoice in the LORD, and glory in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41
One thing that the huge storms in my life - John's cancer, grandson, Patrick's traumatic birth, this new development... that they teach me that I have to give the total control over to Jesus and Trust! Jesus is there reaching out to me and taking me by the hand as I begin to sink with my lack of faith! Even in the boat as the waves toss me... I am terrified, but am given so many life preserves by our Church! Jesus in Word and Sacrament, Body and Blood and words of forgiveness from Jesus in the confessional, the Saints that come with each new day, The prayer of The Church, time with Jesus in Adoration... I am surrounded by his loving and forgiving arms and find comfort as the storm blows away the mountains of hurt, anger and pain and sinfulness in this struggle down the narrow path with heaven as my goal!
Danielle Rose - Walking on waterJohn's story now with wife and children - more prayers answered in miraculous ways!
A new arrival on the farm - Teddy the adorable new puppy. Pat says that he is not sure if he knows how to walk with 3 year old Joy around to carry him. He is very content with her smiles and belly two arm hold.
14 year old Mary takes him out to meet her goats - they ran away, and the cows... big and scary. He will become a cow dog, but at 9 weeks he is a small scared baby missing his mommy on his first day away from her.
Mary protecting him. He peacefully sat on her lap for the 2 hour trip home. I think he is attached to animal lover, Mary Angela!
The sunset was stunning last evening and very early! We are approaching the shortest day of the year!
Second week of Advent reminds us that we call out with each breath that we take and every beat of our hearts..."Come, Lord, and set us free!"
From dad today in week 2 of Advent morning prayer!
Continuing in Isaiah 41 today we are assured that we can indeed bear fruit of Faith into our world!
The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain, their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the broad valleys; I will turn the desert into a marshland, and the dry ground into springs of water. I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it. Isaiah 41
Now dad speaking to me! The Eucharist - Jesus is there for us with each day in The Church!
4a with Jesus alone in the dark has shone a marvelous LIGHT! Lay your burdens at his feet and Trust! He has always come to my aide and answered our prayers. Yes, at times in life that is a mystery that we will only understand when we enter heaven. "Jesus, we trust in you" has so very much Truth and meaning as we place it all in His hands!
A visual of "Hallel"! Hallelujah! You are our King of heaven and earth!
Smile and baby Jesus in her grip.
Lord, we love you and give you all the Praise! Hallelujah!!! We are overwhelmed by your unconditional love and forgiveness... may we in turn give that same love to all those around us each day - most especially those the closest to us in our domestic church/family. May we give without counting the cost and die to self so that you may live in us. May we remove the beam in our own eye and not try to see other's faults with that in the way! WE appreciate the help we have received as we stagger down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross as we are yoked with you. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Nice weather - 54 degrees yesterday means that our calving barn is getting a facelift! The old tin was probably 60 years old, and yellow where the sun didn't get to it!
Icon from my parents aglow on his second week of Advent. Very closely aware of my parents with me on this journey this year as they both left within 7 months of each other starting in March with mother and dad followed in October! Last Advent and Christmas I had some powerful times with them... so special to me now! Bless-bless, Barbara
So excited for her feast coming in a few days! I love to sit by her at the foot of the cross in Adoration in the Big Church!
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