7 years ago - 1 year old Bernadette with her Uncle John/Santa at our beloved Cross Christmas Camp 2013. There has been much mention of this wonderful family tradition while I have been here with Bill, Nancy, and children. The excitement is building as we approach our first ever VCC - Verly family Christmas Camp.
Now 2 1/2 year old Gus, who is now 9. So much has happened in these 7 years... including a wife and two children for John, and Nancy has added 3 children to her own family along with 3 losses. Many children to share her family life here with and also a growing number to keep her eyes focused on heaven and meeting her stillborn son, Maximilian, and her other two Peter and Catherine.
The number of children is 7 for me, and now 6 grandchildren added to that number of little ones praying for their old grandmother on her journey!
5 years ago after mass with John, Ruth and Maria with their families. Much has changed to add up to 30 with one in the womb! Maria has added Evangeline and Hector with baby girl on the way in the spring. Ruth has added Joy. John has added his wife, Bobbi, and his two babies, Jude and our youngest 8 month old Birdie Barbara. Our LOVE grows bigger with each new member!
So much excitement is building as we will all be together on the farm only missing our Little Sister Hallel!
Stunning works of art as the girls are busy making a patron saint for each of us to welcome us to our Camp! "I want it to be so Catholic that it is ridiculous!" spoke John
I think we are off to a good start with St Luke and St Rose to only name a few of the 30 saints that will be with us in the Communion of Saints that we so love and look up to and have as companions on the journey and Companions of The Son!
The amazing artists have toiled hours over the Saints that will welcome us to our Farm Verly Christmas Camp 2021.Other Catholic activities we are planning - a daily rosary, attending mass as a family with a joyfilled brunch to follow, a living Nativity, A dance to express our happiness and JOY!
I have experienced that kind of JOY! Usually it is when I am allowed to share Faith as a family! I think that is part of the reason that CCC has become so beloved for my domestic Church/family! That is when we are all together sharing all the activities including mass and meals and dancing and sharing ourselves with a larger circle of my family. That always was a special time for my children and grandchildren to spend some close days with my parents. This last year they both died within 7 months of each other! To now have camp without them was to be most difficult and sad. It could not happen due to the pandemic, so time will tell how this will be experienced next year as we hope and pray that we will return to the new normal - Christmas Camp for our family in memory of my wonderful parents!
From my dad this morning and St Leo the Great... Let God be known in the whole world, as these kings came from the world over to recognize the Christ child born of a woman... Son of God!
May we be part of the grace that invites all men to find Christ! May we die to self so that Christ may shine through us. and shine as children of the LIGHT! How I pray, O Lord, that our family gathering may be filled with health, faith, growth in love and truth and serving one another without counting the cost. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Mary, the Mother of God, is our spiritual Mother and how we love her and bring her into our homes! She will be with us as we gather, bringing unto us her peace, joy and love! The gifts of the Holy Spirit poured upon us by her Son Jesus Christ! The Saints are so very wonderful and important to us each and every day of our journey down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross towards heaven forever! Bless-bless, Barbara
https://catholicsprouts.com/
Sharing mass with Nancy and Family at St Maximilian Kolbe this morning...



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