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!
Paul said that he was returning the favor of snapping a picture of me with my namesake before mass started on this snowy 2nd Sunday of Lent. I appreciate to have this with my sweet baby girl, who is so good in mass as we share our Faith as a family - my most favorite thing in the world.
Her adoring grandpa loves to hold little girls! She likes to see our whole face and pulls the mask out of the way. This mask thing is getting old and seems so strange and unneeded when you are surrounded by your family and away from any others.
After the snowstorm overnight there were only a few of us at the early mass. What a difference from yesterday when the yard was muddy and most of the snow gone... now there is a fresh beautiful blanket of about 4 inches!
Where are you under there, grandpa?
Rose again - Birdie did pull down her mask but grandma wasn't quick enough. There is never a shortage of little ones for the older cousins to hold and cuddle and play with. LOVE!
Rose thought Birdie looked like a cute baby Shrek with her two pony tails - one on both sides of her head. It was good for a laugh before mass started.
Thanks Paul... Grandpa usually has the babies in his arms, but sometimes grandma does too. Sunday is when I see the Truth of the sign for LIFE on the way down HWY 7 - REAL MEN LOVE BABIES. I love how my husband has always loved the babies and been open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!
Jude says "Hi!" to his patron Saint - St Thaddeus/Jude in the gathering space at the back of church! It is so wonderful that we have the Saints with us on our journeys in life! We have to much help as we pray to them, and know of their persevering in following Jesus to the point of being declared Saints in The Church - with our spiritual Mother of heaven and earth, Mary the Queen of Saints!
David blesses our food - we decided that with the snowy roads and the Camp Foley drive through lunch where Ruth and Paul had to work with Dave... that we should gather in town at John and Bobbi's home. How we love to share laughter, and a great meal with family after sharing our Faith in receiving Jesus in His Word, Body and Blood!
Fr Denny had mass today. I loved his homily and so wished that I had taken notes. He spoke about how in the Gospel today that God tells us of his amazing Son and that we need to recognize Him in all the Sacraments of The Church .
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Mark 9
Father reminded us that in Baptism we become sons and daughters of God and are invited into heaven with his family, and the Eucharist we are given the strength we need to live following Jesus in all that we do. Each Sacrament is there to reveal Jesus to us as The Son of God, and our Salvation!
It was so good to hear from Fr Denny that he is feeling well, and back serving his parish as a representative of Christ Jesus. It brings such a smile on my face to have our friend, who means to much to us over the years now living in our town and serving in our beloved Holy Redeemer. A special gift to us and how I love to pray for him on each Friday with 7 Sisters. My day to pray an hour for Fr Denny and all that he does to bring Christ to us!
Whipped cream has now joined our Sunday brunch either to put on top of parfaits or straight into the mouths of Jude and others.
Birdie at the head of the table with the bright snow world outside. It is supposed to be 50 degrees in a week! There will be mud for the beginning of calving but at least it will not be snow. Many prayers for a good calving season.
The piano, which was in our farmhouse until Christmas is now a hit in John and Bobbi's home
Wearing Birdie's apron - we now have an official Verly girl!
Snowy Sunday and Luke
Rose out to water the ducks... one is missing in the snow.
It's pretty and deep and hard to believe that in a few days it could be gone again...
This was yesterday - now snowcovered! Bless-bless, Barbara
I know that we are not supposed to expect communication with our nun during Lent, but I felt that there were some things that she needed to be aware of - if nothing else to lift up these needs in her day of prayer with her Spouse, Jesus.
In my time sharing their life with them... I know that they have morning and evening adoration with Jesus in his humble wooden monstrance on the altar. A very deep time of prayer, and I know that Hallel lifts up her family daily!
I wanted to send just a few pictures to update her, and this was one of the 5 I sent - it shows how much Birdie is growing and Mary's new baby bottle goat, Bubba, also. Birdie is now 9 1/2 months!
Mary and Birdie and her goat after our Sunday brunch after sharing mass. I had just gotten back from a week and a half away from the farm and hubby as I was needed to go along with Nancy to PA.
I really wanted Hallel to know about Bill's loss as they had gotten very close as both Nancy and Hallel lived close to each other for a few years in the Kansas City area. The Community of the Lamb was a weekly part of Nancy's life with adoration weekly and often they would go to mass with The Community of Sunday and share meals with them. I just know that hearing from Hallel would be so special even though it is Lent.
Pat and I in January surprised the Community by making a trip to spend a couple days in prayer with them and bring them some of our canning and meat - they are some of our 7 families that we can for!
I brought along a paper picture of Hallel... it was special to have her along with us! She laughed about it, too! The Little Sisters were surprised that we would make the 7 hour trip when Hallel was not actually living with them this year, but in France for the year. "You are all our family, too, and we love to visit our family." responded Pat
Adoration with Hallel in KC... we know that she has us surrounded by her daily prayers for all of our needs, and it brings comfort and peace even though we miss seeing her in person. "I miss you my daughter, but I have no doubt of your prayers and we are united in prayer and in The Eucharist!" Danielle Rose - See you in the Eucharist
Such deep personal prayer time morning and evening along with mass shared... I see when Hallel comes home for a visit how she needs to find mass and adoration - to be close to her spouse, Jesus Christ!
I am so honored and blessed to have time to live this life with Hallel and her family of the Lamb! I see how I can step into two worlds thanks to my life as a farmer's wife/mother of 5/grandmother of 20 and yet thanks to my "call" to consider religious life, I now have my nun and can share in her life time to time. Some might say that I am "peculiar" to love these many pulls in my life, and I am overjoyed that "I belong to a people peculiarly his own." I love everything about The Church, and it fills me with JOY that we share it as a domestic Church/family, and that I am allowed to be a "nun" from time to time.
"I adore you, Jesus,..."
The first reading today from Deuterotomy is where we get that wonderful line about how each one of us belongs to Our Lord and his particular plan for each one of us as we journey down the narrow path dragging our Most Cherished Cross!
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised.” Dt 26
I am so richly blessed each day by dad's Brother Victor - allowing me to join him in the life of a monk in work and prayer! I loved today as he simply reminded us that we are to live in this day! "The Today of God." "Today we must allow the hours to unfold in the light of his love. God is love, and those who abide in his love abide in God, and God in them."
Leave the worries of yesterday behind and place before God's mercy... tomorrow we entrust to His providence. A message of finding some peace in our lives and all that pulls at us - bring it to prayer!
A picture of teamwork! Paul describes it - "Simon and Mary are the motivators. Ruth is the wormer, Pat the enforcer/implanter. Luke is the entertainment, Rose is the documenting queen, and I just get covered with manure in the back - the dogger." All jobs are needed today to get the job done.
Luke and Simon in short sleeves looks like they are enjoying the early spring sunshine!
It was a good read this morning in dad's prayer book for Lent from Vatican 2 with underlines and marks from dad. How we shared our LOVE for Jesus and His Bride, The Church! How he continues to lift me up...May we choose the way to Freedom with the help of The Church!
Dad loved The Name - "He is the only name under heaven in which man can be saved."
What does Jesus asks of us today? To love our enemies and pray for those that hurt you...
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father..."
Matthew 5
Taking this to heart today, and trying to return the unconditional love and forgiveness I receive and that I need and want to return to those around me.
Susan/Hallel shortly before she left for France to join her Community of the Lamb in March of 2008! with her precious Goddaughter, Therese. Another reason I wrote to Hallel even though it is Lent is so that she will send a letter to Therese on the occasion of her 13th birthday on March 18th. We are to send her special letters on this occasion of her "coming of age."
Lord, how we love you and wish to embrace each day as "The Today of God!" You fill us with so very much that our cup overflows! May we return all that we have been given to those around us - most especially those that we struggle with and are hurt by. "Wounded, I will never cease to love." Hard to do, but if you help me to die to self so that you may live in me... I will have half a chance to forgive and return the love to them. Come Holy Spirit, dwell in me and use me! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
So enjoying my beautiful roses! They speak of love growing fonder when we are apart. Embracing my "big Cross"/marriage to my Most Cherished Cross, Patrick. Bless-bless, Barbara
“There is no shame so great that God’s mercy cannot
shine forth from its midst. ... Jesus is not afraid
to go to the core of our shame to heal us.
Sins and secrets do not scare Him.
The serpent causes shame and hiding;
Jesus invites us to mercy andcommunion.” Fr Richard Veras
"When you go to Confession, know this,
that I Myself am waiting for you in the confessional;
I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in the soul.
Here the misery of the soulmeets the God of Mercy.
Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls
draw graces solely with the vessel of trust.
If their trust is great there is no limit to My generosity.”
Our Lord to St Faustina
Our Lady is always there bringing us closer to her Son as she radiates the grace and love of God into our hearts. Let us never forget the love and motherly care Our Blessed Mother has for each and every one of us.
A week ago today I was doing my adoration virtually - an adoration chapel in Singapore with flickering candles to reveal that it was REAL. My heart was heavy and full after sharing in the last week of the loss of Amy, Bill's sister, who died peacefully surrounded by her family in her home the day before.
Nancy, Bill and their 5 children are back home in Minnesota, and adjusting to catching up on school and their ministry after time away for Amy and Bill's wonderful close knit family in PA. Something this major makes life around you seem to be less than important, but we are called to return to our day to day lives with heavy heart and the deep painful sense of loss leaving a huge hole in our hearts. It flavors with sadness all that we do... we are forever changed.
My sister, Mary, died 35 years ago, and she still brings me to a place of sadness and loss most every day. United with my 7 losses of my children in heaven, and now both of my parents in the last year... There is a continuing waiting for the dawn to arrive when we will be united in heaven someday. It certainly keeps my eyes, heart, mind and soul focused on getting to heaven to be united with my many gone ahead of me!
Sitting alone in the church while Pat is attending That Man is You... the world is dark and silent until people start to join me in the church. I love to pray for my friend, Fr Denny, each Friday and as the dawn arrives with the beginning of mass and it is Fr Denny today! JOY!
I have been allowed to share in the ministry of 7 Sisters for each of our priests. My day is Friday and I am to pray for my friend, Fr Denny! Each day both Fr Tony and Fr Denny are lifted up for an hour by a woman from the parish. So important to assist them in the work of Jesus they do for our parish!
The Psalm today speaks in a special way about the LIGHT entering my life each day through prayer and worship and the Rosary and reading The Prayer of the Church in my dad's prayer books... so much each day!!!
I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn. Let Israel wait for the LORD. R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; And he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities. R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand? Psalm 130
It is so good to see my special friend back healthy after he has gone through Covid. A week ago I had to pray for him in PA and virtually be with Jesus in Singapore! Today to pray for him with Jesus there in the tabernacle and then share mass with him!
His homily today on the Gospel where Jesus asks us to be make peace with any that we are angry with or have a damaged relationship. "Jesus is not just asking us to repent. He wants more than that! He is asking us to have a change of heart/Metanoia."
So comforting to hear Fr, who brought TEC to so many - first my 3 girls went, then they asked me one by one as they came home on fire for Jesus and His Bride, The Church! After the 3rd one I could no longer say that I was good with my Catholic Faith, and the prayer I experienced changed me to realize that prayer is REAL and the love language that gets me through each day of dragging my Most Cherished Cross and following Jesus!
Dark and silent alone in the church in the early hours. Our Lady of Guadalupe at the foot of The Cross - she takes my prayers to her Son for Fr Denny - how our priests need to have us praying for them each day as they minister to us!
Fr Denny was so much a part of dad's final days - he came and heard dad's confession and anointed him just a little over a week before dad passed. So comforting to have that special time for my father to have peace towards the end of his days here on earth.
Nancy shared that Amy had also had the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Anointing a week before she died. The priest came that morning of her coming home on hospice to bless and anoint her with Last Rites. "For Fr Tony to share how strong her faith was very comforting to hear at her funeral mass." Wonderful at such a very sad and hard time!
Fr Denny anointing dad's hands on October 11 - dad passed away on October 23rd
Dad and I shared the host.
The morning dad passed we had mass on EWTN. There was much talk about the respect for LIFE with the election coming up. The priest not only mentioned numerous times how we are to respect all LIFE from conception to Natural Death. My father modeled the peaceful passing with Faith in a natural death!
The rosary that continues to be in his hands in the casket... The relic of Blessed Solanus is now with me. Nancy and Bill took it to Amy and she placed it on her abdomen where she needed the healing. Jesus wanted her more. It is a mystery, but there is a measure of peace knowing how she loved Jesus and had the Sacraments shortly before she passed into the next life.
Fr Denny came to pray with us after dad peacefully took his last breath while Pat and I were praying with him. Holding his prayer book - after praying the prayer of The Church morning and evening for 44 years as a Permanent Deacon in The Catholic Church! I am now blessed to have the prayer books of both of my parents and one that they found 2nd hand from Lydia. The wives of he deacons were asked to pray with their husbands and so the ministry is for them to share as a couple.
Pat shared this morning that Scott Hahn spoke to them at This Man is You, about how we are each other's cross in marriage. "He spoke about St Teresa of Avila being shown many crosses and asked which one she wanted. 'I want the big one!' The Lord answered her; 'No, the big one is for those that are called to marriage!' " Yes, we truly are each other's huge Most Cherished Cross!
Father Denny here for us at our time of loss. I was so glad that dad got to meet the man I have talked about for the last 20 years since I made my TEC retreat... 2 months later Pat made his, and eventually all of our children joined us! It has been very important to Pat and I in our marriage and very instrumental in getting prayer into our marriage. Together Encountering Christ is a very important part of our marriage and domestic Church as a tool to share our Catholic Faith with our family and friends!
My father's prayer life was so important to all of us! I was able to share with him for 6 months in my home is prayer for each one - first and middle names each Monday! Talk about a man, who was as sharp as a tack!
Wearing his deacons stole was so appropriate and reminded us that he is an ordained minister now in The Catholic Church! He left behind his ministry in the protestant church, and the Lord allowed him to serve on the altar in The Church! Mom would have to pinch herself to see him assisting the Bishop in The Cathedral of The Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis - our home parish and where Pat and I were married!
Dad brought all 10 of us together! Covid was still a pretty big thing, but we gathered together for his mass and at the cemetery around his final resting place.
There are fake plans to go up there and visit dad and mom on dad's birthday a week from tomorrow. Going out for Mexican food nearbye after with many of my siblings will be what dad would have liked!
The youngest member, Birdie Barbara. It was great for dad to be here, meet her and the other of our 19 grandchildren, and he knew that we were expecting our #20th, too! Dad and mom modeled for us a love for life and open to life and raising LIGHTS!
We love you dad, and thank you for bringing us into The Church, and showing us how to pray without ceasing. We are so grateful for the prayers we are surrounded by from you and mom now united in heaven forever with Jesus, Mary and all the Saints. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
May we have a change of heart and forgive without counting the cost. "Wounded, I will never cease to love." The motto of The Community of the Lamb is so very hard to do most especially with those the closest to us in our Domestic Church/family. The ones the closest to us hurt us... they are the hardest to forgive and the easiest to treat badly... May our hearts be changed and our love shine through - may we love and forgive as we are by The Spotless Lamb of God, who showed us how to give without counting the cost! Bless-bless, Barbara
My roses from Pat for a late Valentines are giving me so much JOY - so very beautiful. John said that he prayed to St Therese to send him orange roses... here they are!
Each one a work of art!
Little 2 year old George with his granddad in PA - Pappy! George seems to have a sense of comfort with the grandpas around him, and they are blessed by his sweet snuggly ways, too! Thank you for the love of children as we navigate our narrow path to heaven.
Yes, we lose loved ones on this journey. We are given much love with each new member in our families - our love grows bigger and more!
It was so good to hear from Fr Denny that he is feeling well, and back serving his parish as a representative of Christ Jesus. It brings such a smile on my face to have our friend, who means to much to us over the years now living in our town and serving in our beloved Holy Redeemer. A special gift to us and how I love to pray for him on each Friday with 7 Sisters. My day to pray an hour for Fr Denny and all that he does to bring Christ to us!
Whipped cream has now joined our Sunday brunch either to put on top of parfaits or straight into the mouths of Jude and others.
Birdie at the head of the table with the bright snow world outside. It is supposed to be 50 degrees in a week! There will be mud for the beginning of calving but at least it will not be snow. Many prayers for a good calving season.
The piano, which was in our farmhouse until Christmas is now a hit in John and Bobbi's home
Wearing Birdie's apron - we now have an official Verly girl! 
Snowy Sunday and Luke 
Rose out to water the ducks... one is missing in the snow.
It's pretty and deep and hard to believe that in a few days it could be gone again...
This was yesterday - now snowcovered! Bless-bless, Barbara
