Breaking the rules - an email to France during Lent/"The Today of God"/"A people peculiarly his own" Dt 26/"Love your enemies..."

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

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

"One life is all we have and

we live it as we believe in living it.

But to sacrifice what you are

and to live without belief,

that is a fate more terrible than dying."

St Joan of Arc

 

"Ask Jesus to make you a saint.

After all, only He can do that.

Go to confession regularly and

to Communion as often as you can."

 

St. Dominic Savio

_____________________________

 

“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 and communion.” 
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 soul meets 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.

Zach Williams