"Stand before the sun of the everlasting light" St Ambrose/if it is too crowded to stand before Him or if we are paralyzed - our friends lower us there!

Baby Rose from 8 years ago in front of my huge picture window, which is now in Ruth's home on the farm.  The window has been replaced but still enormous and allowing in the outside.  Winter 2012 looks to be have been nice and open with sunshine as it is this last month or so.

I received an urgent call from Pat to come as the calves had gotten out... I am just back from the farm as after getting them back in, feeding hay and repairing other areas of the fence happened in this glorious day.

A 1997 version of our farmlife in watercolor.  My nest would have still been full as Ruth was to graduate the following year.  LOVE this sweet memory of our family farm life with all the current vehicles (Momma bluey van), pets, trampoline, Donny's horse, barns that are now gone due to wind and fire, the old blue pickup is now replaced by the old white pickup, which is a 1997 model.  Lots of changes as now Ruth and Paul live here with their 6 kids and all the changes inside and out including our new shop built about 8 years ago.

A watercolor I did for my Easter tree this year of the new farm family with the wonderful farm as of 2020 behind them.  Mary is holding a goat, which she now is a goat farmer, David with his ducks, the monoslope which was built about 10 years ago, and the new shop with the kitty cat payloader in front of it.  Ruth's new porch and addition on the other side!  Ruth's garden...

On the tree with the leaves bursting forth for Easter 2020... my mother had just died, and soon dad would be coming to live on the farm with me for 6 months until he joined her in heaven forever on October 23rd!

My original painting of myself and the 5 - I got the idea from a greeting card I found at the thrift store.  It had the mother, with 3 of the girls and the cow.  I added another girl and John with our dog at the time, Rusty.  We must have raised chickens that year, and Pat had his brother's horse from Montana and is riding off into the sunset on him... always busy around the farm.  All these buildings are now gone in the 30 years since I painted this.  I have told Ruth that I would like to paint one for her house as well now with the new farm family!

To make it complete the cemetery with my 6 losses, which has grown to 7 with the "twins" I lost making my 6 losses into 7!

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Ruth's quilt that she took to college... I used fabric paint to make my square.  Pat joined the family in 1998 we still had the old buildings.

October of 1998... Ruth had left to Bismarck for college at the University of Mary, my parents had moved to Michigan from Colman, SD... I see that I was missing my nest years, so I had us all together cooking, making pies with baby John playing in the flour on the counter making roads for his cars, canning jars on the counter.. my happy place.  Pat coming home in the red truck.  

May of 1991... what does this say?  Never a dull moment is how I describe my life on the farm - now 42 years!  A city girl come to the farm...  I am still learning.  

Winter 1991.  I see the smoke coming from the woodstove in the house.  Pat misses that in this house, and longs for a way to have it here.  It looks like 1991 was a snowy winter.  Pat would love to see 2020- 2021 to be less snowy thank you.

LOVE this from St Ambrose today on his feast and shared with me by my father and his man - Brother Victor-Antione!  In Christ you have everything you need... He is the Light!

I have been on a huge tangent, and I am yearning to do a comprehensive watercolor of my current life out to pasture on our small farm away from the big farm.  It would have to be at a time when our family was here like the end of this summer and fake plans for January 2021!

ADVENT assures us that Someone is coming

Who will fill our lives 
with everything we are looking for... 
____________________

The LORD is my light and my salvation -

whom shall I fear? 
The LORD is the stronghold of my life -

of whom shall I be afraid?

 Psalm 27:1-2

 

"Let your door stand open to receive Him,

unlock your soul to Him,

offer Him a welcome in your mind,

and then you will see the riches of simplicity,

the treasures of peace, the joy of grace.

Throw wide the gate of your heart,

stand before the sun of the everlasting light."

 

St Ambrose

Italy ~ 340-397

Father* and Doctor of the Church 
*One of four original Doctors of the Latin Church. 
He died on Holy Saturday (April 4) in the year 397 AD. 
His feast day in the Roman calendar is December 7, 
the day he was ordained bishop.

Spiritual father of St Augustine

Bishop of Milan
Model Bishop and eloquent preacher
Credited with composing the "Te Deum" hymn

Feast Day - December 7

LOVE this also which speaks to us of the many facets of Advent!  All ways for Christ to come more fully to be reborn into our hearts!

The readings today are amazing!  Isaiah 35 is every last word such a transformation, which we can encounter when we come to Jesus and give ourselves to Him!

The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.

Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water;
The abode where jackals lurk
will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.
A highway will be there,
called the holy way;
No one unclean may pass over it,
nor fools go astray on it.
No lion will be there,
nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.
It is for those with a journey to make,
and on it the redeemed will walk.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.  Isaiah 35

Yes, Lord, we long to see your face and be transformed and bear fruit that will last and change our world!

The sun is so bright and warm and we are happy to have this wonderful weather to get so much done!

With some cuties this morning.

The Gospel from Luke5 is the story of the paralytic being lowered in front of Jesus by his friends - determined to allow him to see Jesus!  Jesus is always seeking us and friends and family show us his yearning for us if only we come to him... sometimes we are paralyzed or there is much crowding around him and in our way like distractions and sins and darkness ... we are encouraged by prayers of others, and them casting light on the Lord looking for us in the confessional, or at his table of the feast of heaven and earth.   Lowered in front of him by our friends and family!  I see that my children take me deeper... I learn from them and am lifted up by their prayers as when Jesus forgives me I can take that bed of pain I have been lying on and carry it down the narrow path...

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,
“What are you thinking in your hearts? 
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 

He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on,
and went home, glorifying God.   Luke 5

A selfie in the bright sun with cute calves on this day in December.

Corn stalk bale castle with Pat on the payloader in the distance.. sun and no wind!  We are loving this weather!  

Lord, I am so weak and lowly and I need you to help me as I stumble down the narrow path carrying dragging my Most Cherished Cross.  May I die to self so that you my live in me , and I can love and serve you without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara

Thinking of the prayer warriors that have lowered me in front of Jesus!  TEC friends, family, my family of the Lamb, Poor Clare nuns, our dearly departed including my parents and my children and grandchildren that have gone before me!   Thank you, one and all for helping me on this journey!  I am nothing without Jesus, Mary and The Church each and every day!  

St Ambrose is a doctor of The Church!

Danielle Rose