4th Family weekend- sharing The Chosen!/Nancy comes from Delano/The Gospel from Father's Day 2009 - Jesus calms the storms of life!

These two boys are just a short time away from turning 2... George on Feb 13th and Jude on March 26 - they are the bookends of the 3 boys in 6 weeks - Hector is between them on March 8th.

Nancy rolled in from Delano as she picked up the 5 from school and drove here for the weekend.  Ruth and I are maker of large meals for family time supreme!  Between our larders, canning and meat we manage to have great family meals at Ruth's wonderful open farm house home.

Grandpa had a little one on his lap for the entire evening.  When not the boys than Birdie, who is now 8 months and changing so quickly.

One thing about the two boys is that they both wanted the same toy, and although that got them to interact... it was not the happiest of learning to share and play together.  As Nancy explained - George is so used to having things taken away from him that he gets possessive.  Jude just has no one to contend with other than Birdie so...

Big Dave helping to feed Birdie so that he can have dessert.  She is so wonderful at eating and so smiley and happy to add to our family time!  We love all new life!  Maria reported after her ultrasound yesterday at 21 weeks that "Maggie is healthy!"  Birdie will have a little girl playmate just a year after her... that will seem like nothing in a few years.

Then the boys found a telephone toy to both want.  Not a lot of screaming just pushing and pulling, and no tears thankfully.

Thinking of my dad yesterday when we had his beloved Friday tomato soup.  Towards the end dad would have our homemade tomato soup for either lunch or supper every day.  He loved it so much and it gave me a lot of joy to have him here in my home enjoying the fruit of our labors.  That and applesauce were his mainstays.

An hour of prayer for Amy - Bill's sister with pancreatic cancer.  To help me I had a lit candle and a picture from 3 years ago of her loving nieces and nephews.  They love their Aunt Amy and the prayers of these little ones is constant for their beloved aunt.  

An email from Nancy with the week of prayer we are in the midst of for Amy.  Feel free to add to any hour no matter how many are praying!

Hey, Bill's sister's Amy is declining. The tumors are growing and spreading and her doctors in Pittsburgh are basically out of options, so we are rallying behind her with prayer. She has an appointment with Mayo on Tuesday the 2nd, so we are committing to a week of continuous prayer for her leading up to that. It would mean a lot if you would consider signing up for an hour or so to pray for her. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v91Ogt5N2_iweGKNkvn15gNHMVJXWmBcTTzSEtCbGu0/edit

Thank you! St Peregrine, pray for us! Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us!

After supper and a flash dance in the middle of the kitchen to Weird Al Yankovic while we did the dishes and cleaned up... we watched the first two episodes of The Chosen.  Joy found the cow costume and grandma couldn't resist...

Weird Al Yankovic - Eat it

Grapefruit diet - good dancing to these!

Always need two!

It was good to see our Jesus calming of the storm today in the Gospel from Mark 4!  That was the Gospel on Father's Day 2009 when we took John in to the ER with double vision and our cancer journey started.  When we called France to speak to Hallel - her words to me; "Mom, do you remember the Gospel today?"  "Yes, it was Jesus calming the sea."  "This is the storm and Jesus is in control."  

I needed to hear that and how I would continually give it back to him over and over as I would struggle to TRUST!  Bishop LeVoir added to our need to trust when he reminded us that at time of being worried and despondent when John faced whole brain radiation when the cancer grew back..."Repeat these words; Jesus, I trust in you."

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html

John's story continues with wife and two babies!  We are in awe of 11 years of healing and how he longs to share from the rooftops!

Sharing the life of Jesus in the Gospels from The Chosen...

Breakfast with the 3 youngest...

The Gospel is so important and special I will share it here...  Jesus speaks to us to have Faith and Trust!

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”  Mark 4

Jesus continues to calm the storms in our lives!  

Casting Crowns - Praise Him in the storm

Dad's prayer book and running around the circle 

Dad with me with each new day with all of his "work" in his prayer book after being a permanent deacon for 44 years!  Yes, I love and miss him dearly, but this is such comfort and help for the journey!  I am forever grateful for our 6 months here and all the time that Pat allowed me to have with them in their home together until that changed and they moved into Assisted living about a year before he died.  Even there I was able to spend days with them, and it fills me with gratitude and warmth on these cold winter days!

George and Dominic running around the circle and by Great-grandpa's chair and prayer books that both dad and mom left me to fill the beginning of each day with LIGHT from their many years of coming into The Church and sharing our LOVE for Jesus and Mary and The Church!  50 years ago this year!

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Yes, dad, Thank you, Lord!  I am sure you are rejoicing with your beautiful voice restored with mom, the Angels and the Saints with Mary the Queen of heaven and earth!  I can only imagine!

I can only imagine - Mercy Me

Dad's wonderful Brother Victor-Antoine allows us to each day join into his peaceful beautiful religious life of a monk close to God and nature.  Today some hopeful signs of spring in this midwinter.

Soon we will start calving in about a month - so many prayers and cow TV and late nights and early mornings and prayers for good weather and not too much snow.  A sure sign of spring!  

Jesus, we thank you for some wonderful family time interspersed with prayers for Amy as we trust in you and know that you can heal and calm the storm!  How we love you and long to die so self so that we may serve without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Three weeks ago we had our first ever Verly Christmas in our heated shop!  All but Hallel!

She was there in spirit, which is in Truth as she lifts us up on prayer every day!

A week later she went with us to KC, and our family of the Lamb were so surprised that we would come there while Hallel was in France for the year.  "You are our family!" Pat reported and how we loved our time there with prayer, worship, song and laughter as we shared prayer and dishes!

Then a week away to Washington - 4 days on the road and 3 with our family there!  Evie holding onto grandpa Pat as we shared mass...

These two beautiful girls will be welcoming a new baby sister on June 1st!  She is healthy and growing and we are overjoyed to welcome our grandchild #20! We always have room for more to love and our love grows bigger with each new LIFE!

Sweet baby Birdie being fed by her 12 year old cousin, Big Dave!  A special time of caring for one another and watching them grow and develop!  LIFE is a gift from conception to natural death!  Lord, please protect ALL LIFE!  Bless-bless, Barbara 

Danielle Rose 

 

Waves of family fill me with gratitude and joy/The Kingdom of God where we dwell together with Jesus and Mary and the Saints in The Church/Kyrie!

8 month old Birdie Barbara gave me smiles this morning with her sweet topknot, her sweet little teeth and huge happy smile in her pink high chair!  Her Aunt Nancy is coming to visit for the weekend with the kids while dad is on a retreat.  I am sure prayers for his sister, Amy, will be huge for Bill.

In the dark stillness this early morning praying for my priest friend, Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  I had the entire church to myself with the Lord, Saints, Angels and Mary, our mother of heaven and earth!

I like to sit as close as I can to Our Lady of Guadalupe.   How I love her and ALL LIFE as she is the Patroness of LIFE - the black sash indicates that she is with child, Jesus, in her womb!  

Many prayers for Amy interspersed with prayers for Fr Denny with Morning prayer, Office of Readings, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Rosary led by Pat's cousin before mass.  Pat is at That Man is You, and so I have an hour of prayer before we share mass together. 

Nancy's note about Amy - feel free to sign up to pray yet... we have through Monday!

Hey, Bill's sister's Amy is declining. The tumors are growing and spreading and her doctors in Pittsburgh are basically out of options, so we are rallying behind her with prayer. She has an appointment with Mayo on Tuesday the 2nd, so we are committing to a week of continuous prayer for her leading up to that. It would mean a lot if you would consider signing up for an hour or so to pray for her. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v91Ogt5N2_iweGKNkvn15gNHMVJXWmBcTTzSEtCbGu0/edit

Thank you! St Peregrine, pray for us! Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us! 

My wall of family fills me with wonder and awe as I walk past our family picture "filling up the Church" just 3 weeks ago this weekend!  I find myself amazed that all of us were together only missing our nun in France!  We all attended the 8a mass on Sunday filling up row after row with our family!  My most favorite thing in the world is so share our Faith as a family!  

Fr Tony reminded us from the Gospel today in Mark 4 that we do not build the Kingdom of God, rather we dwell in it with the help of so many and so much with each new day.  Jesus in The Word, Body and Blood, the Saints, Our Mother always there to remind us to "do whatever he tells you" and taking all our needs to her Son. 

 I am blessed beyond telling by my father, with whom I shared his last 6 months on earth here in my home sharing in his religious life - Deaconate since 1976!  He has left me all his prayer books and special friend, Brother Victor Antione!

Dad receiving Eucharist from John just days before he died here in my home!  

I was struck by how close dad was to the Lord in many ways in our 6 months together.  I was especially happy in recalling how he had the Sacrament of the sick administered by Fr Denny here in our home about a week before his death.  Including confession and Eucharist along with the anointing with blessed holy oil.  Joy filled my heart to read this in JOY2DAY2U

 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of

the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with
oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith 
will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; 
and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. -  James 5:14-15

 

 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC):

 

1524  In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about to leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum. Communion in the body and blood of Christ, received at this moment of "passing over" to the Father, has a particular significance and importance. It is the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection, according to the words of the Lord: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The sacrament of Christ once dead and now risen, the Eucharist is here the sacrament of passing over from death to life, from this world to the Father.

 

1525 Thus, just as the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist form a unity called "the sacraments of Christian initiation," so too it can be said that Penance, the Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist as viaticum constitute at the end of Christian life "the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland" or the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage.

 

 

Continue reading about this

beautiful Sacrament and gift of the Church

See Catechism of the Catholic Church - Sections 1499-1532

Please call a priest

for this holy time

of preparation and passage.

 

Viaticum angels - wood engraving, France - 1891

"The world's thy ship and

not thy home." - St Thérèse of Lisieux

Dad voting just days before he passed away... Yes, dad the world's your ship and not your home.  You were a great captain of our Cross Ship!  Filled it with LIFE and brought us into The Church which is our true Ship that Christ will never abandon!

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Prayers and Scriptures shared in the Anointing with Fr Denny... seeing as this was the last time dad received Jesus in the Eucharist - this was dad's Viaticum!  

Dad was still able to have a visit and confession with Fr Denny.

The anointing of the hands.  The Gospel Fr Denny used for dad...

Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the holy gospel according to Matthew:

11:28-30

Come to me and I will refresh you.

Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Such a powerful sacrament so close to dad's passing from this world peacefully with the help of hospice as he walked into the sunset of his life.

Dad and I shared A host sharing Eucharist which was at the end of the ceremony.

The rosary he prayed with each day at 3p as we shared the rosary and chaplet together still is in his hands in the casket.  Blessed Solanus is here with us now invoked to help Amy find healing in her battle with pancreatic cancer.  

Dad's man, Brother Victor today led me to look up Kyrie - Lord, have mercy in Gregorian chant.  Dad fills my days with such beauty!

His Mercy endures forever.

From his other prayer book for daily uplifting - I have shared this one with my sweet sister, so we share them back and forth - this describes her to a "T" with her amazing ability to be the hostess with the mostest!  I said; "Who would have known that you are Benedictine at heart?"  So true of sweet Angela and her wonderful meals, home and ways to make her guests feel special and pampered!

Hanging out with Hallel and all dad's prayer books... wearing the necklace I was gifted a week ago when I walked into Maria's home!  Little 4 year old Evangeline said she had some beads for me and handed me this from finding it in the woods.  

Today it reminds me of all the waves of family that have flowed over and around me starting with our huge Verly Christmas 3 weeks ago, followed by a weekend in Kansas City with our Little Sisters and Brothers, then a trip to Washington to be with Maria and family, now tonight we expect Nancy with her 5!  

Offer it up!  I miss Hallel, but have been allowed to share with her time to time by email!  I also sent a package a week ago, but know that it will take a while to get to her.  Email is a luxury for sending pictures and family updates more often.  She even asked me to send some of the pictures of her in KC with us two weeks ago!

So much fun to take her along!  They were so surprised that we would visit without our daughter there now, but we assured them that they are our family.  We have such a wonderful time with them in prayer and laughter and sharing our food which we can for 6 families!

Sometimes it looks like she is really there, and we know that she is with us in spirit and Truth!  Her spouse, Jesus, on the altar in adoration we are sharing with them morning and evening!  LOVE so much!  

Always with me, and I am no longer embarrassed by my silliness.  I told the Sisters and Brothers that their moms do the same thing, but they just don't know it.

Fun after the dessert parade complete with sweets and songs and a parade around the table.  A favorite tradition we have always loved with our family of the Lamb!

With the Little Brothers - too fun!

The Gospel today is about the Kingdom and comes to us from Jesus, so I need to share it more here today...

He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.  Mark 4

Yes, the tiny seed is planted and with prayer and all we are given each day may it grow and grow to give shade to those suffering and refuge to those that are lost or suffering.  Use me, O Lord.  Lord have Mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.  Bless-bless, Barbara

My beads of many colors from Evie with my family united in our Faith/Family/Farm!
 

Kyrie in Gregorian chants!