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!
At the foot of the Cross a year ago! Dear Angela hearing from her doctor after we had prayed the sorrowful mysteries together as my dad taught me during his 6 month stay here in our farm monastery, including the 7 last words of Christ for The Crucifixion, and 10 stations of the Cross for carrying the cross! Dad you fill me with so much for the journey!!!
Recalling this powerful time with my brother and sister-in-law the day before our family gathered for dad's funeral mass - All 10 of his kids in the midst of covid!!!
My father did the impossible - he gathered all of his children around him in death! The 10 of his surviving children together in the midst of still plenty of covid restrictions! We even had an outside reception together by the St Croix River!
My brother taking off his mask that he forgot was on... I am marveling at this as we are attempting to gather for our family Christmas - Cross Christmas Camp, and there are still those that are choosing to not come due to the current covid 19 situation in the country. Dad overcame the divisions and that is a wonderful gift to this very day!
Masking was still going on, and that is much less now as we yearn to get back to normal!
Dad in his deacon robe after being a permanent deacon in The Catholic Church for 44 years after bringing the 13 into The Church 50 years ago! Thank you, dad, for the greatest gift with each new day since!
Fr Drees assisted by our dear friend, Fr Custodio! Jesus comes to us in Body and Blood and The Word as we bid our wonderful father farewell until we see you again in heaven forever! We knew of the prayers for our family by dad and mom each day - every Monday they would do the litany of first and middle names of 34 grandkids and 58 now 60 great-grandkids!!! So amazing!
As dad reminded us shortly after mom died in a day on March 16th..."Your mother is praying more perfectly now for our needs from heaven." And 7 months later dad joined her - only apart for 7 months after 70 years of marriage!
Sweet Angela and Fr Custodio - they go way back even further than us! He was a priest at Basilica where she went to Catholic School. Fr came and gave us instruction for coming into The Church 50 years ago - all 13 of us! We than entered taking our First Communion at Christmas midnight mass at The Cenacle Convent!
My brother had this made to celebrate the prayer of my father!!! How we depended upon his prayers for us and our families, and know that they continue! I smile each hour of my Adoration as it is the first hour of Monday - 12m-1a and Mondays was when dad would pray first and middle names for the many even up to his last week here! He was such a man of deep prayer and Faith, which we shared 100%!
As dad would pray for the family he would "put a hedge of protection" around this family unit of that one. Here is the spiritual explanation of this most important part of his prayer over his family! How we need to have this protection around our hearts, minds and souls as the wolves are all around us with evil at the click of the mouse or every where we look!
A stunning morning on the farm as we have been doing a lot of driving and spending time in the car together - 13 year old David has been going for gun safety training 45 minutes away. Time to visit and pray and make a quick trip to Sam's in Sioux Falls. Time with hubby is rare and cherished. Thanks, Dave for giving us this opportunity and time to share with you too!
8 years ago - John with his Beloved Lady, Queen of heaven and earth in Jackson where he was starting a new job... He continues to love her, and his life now includes his wife, Bobbi, and 2 little ones... Jude and Birdie Barbara.
The pink Barbaras a year ago... LOVE to have a namesake now, and she is so wonderful and smart!
Today in the Gospel Jesus tells us to seek the lowest and most humble place, which is so true for me - I am a weak sinful mess! But what really grabbed me today as I read the readings last night before bed and again this morning with morning prayer on the road with hubby and David...
Were not the LORD my help, my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave. When I say, “My foot is slipping,” your mercy, O LORD, sustains me. R. The Lord will not abandon his people. Psalm 94
Lord, I am truly a mess and a piece of work! How I need you and long to die to self so that you may live in me. I do know that I will "slip" often as I stumble down the narrow path dragging/carrying from time to time my Most Cherished Cross. Yet, your unconditional LOVE and Forgiveness and Mercy keeps me from totally wiping out and staying down! Jesus, I am eternally grateful, and pray that I may in turn return that love and forgiveness to all those around me - most especially those the closest to me in my domestic Church/family. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
My two kittens that love me and look to me - "where is she going now?"
Always need two to give the memory justice for the ages! Barb and her pictures... Bless-bless, Barbara
Dad's man, Brother Victor, today is quite something. His mixture of France close to Lourdes where our daughter is living in Saint Pierre, France in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains, and his life as a monk in New York living on the fruit of the land = wonderful sharings that makes me smile!
Thanks dad, for Brother Victor - Apple and pear trees, peach and plum trees, all trees, bless the Lord!
Just back from our time with our Community of the Lamb in KC a week ago... the Gospel and the many meditations I am blessed with each day are drawing me into a deep place thanks to our nun and her Community!
Gus and I were blessed with time with them as they mendicated/chewed on the Gospel in morning prayer. I pointed out to Gus that they were looking throughout the Bible to find "echoes" to enhance the Gospel for that day. How they love and adore their spouse, Jesus, who is the Word made flesh and dwells among us!
Gus between St Agnes, who protected the Lamb, St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross/Edith Stein.
Augustine loved his time back with the Little Sisters after they had lived there just half an hour away for 3 years and were there often sharing in the LIFE of prayer and taking the Gospel out to the poor as they beg for their food from the poor. Now have been gone for 2 years up by the Cities.
Time after morning and evening prayer with the Lord on the altar!
The meditation today in The Magnficat was so very good that once again I am sharing it here! She speaks of how the Apostles first and most important duty was to simply to be with Him. On this feast of St Simon and St Jude - this speaks so much to me of Hallel and her Community of the Lamb!
We have been led to a very special understanding of spending time in prayer with The Gospel and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us and then take that out with us into our lives. They begin the night before to repeat the Gospel speaking and chanting so that the Spirit may bring it to LIFE within them. "The closer we come to Jesus the more we are filled with God's unconditional love, and the more we long to give it away to the lost and the broken." Mary Healy
Hallel's Community goes on "mission" where they beg for their food from the poor! How can this be? Recall Elijah and the widow... I Kings 17... "Make some for me and you will never run out of flour and oil." Even if they are given only a cup of water... that is powerful for them and they share The Gospel with them and take their prayer needs with them and their time in prayer!
Jesus place on the altar as the Gospel says today in Luke 6
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself... Luke 6
How blessed are we when we are allowed "to be with Him." Times we can receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and those best hours of our week spent in Adoration!
Such a gift to have an Aunt as a nun and her wonderful Community just 6 hours away in the heart of our country! How we need their prayers to shine the LIGHT of the Gospel in this world of sin and darkness!
R. (5a) Their message goes out through all the earth. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. R. Their message goes out through all the earth. Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message. R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
5 year old Josephine observing their love for Jesus!
Peace and LOVE dwell here!
Dad's man, Brother Victor, sharing about the peace that is gifted to those that visit a monastery. This is so true for us and for many that are blessed with time in Lumen Christi Monastery/LIGHT of Christ in the heart of the poor in inner Kansas City, Kansas. Dad points out - They come here to undertake the never ending battle with evil that takes place in prayer. Yes!!!!!
Pope Benedict XVI speaks of this personal encounter with Jesus! Before being sent out to preach, they had to "be" with Jesus, establishing a personal relationship with him. Wow! Amazing!
So much today - every day since we came into The Church 50 years ago has been so full of Truth and LIGHT!
The Lamb - "Wounded, I will never cease to love." The Lamb shows us this Truth and gives us the strength to live it out in our lives!
The Trinity and the humble wooden tabernacle where Jesus is present for our time spent there in this peaceful place.
The icon used by The Community of one of my favorites - Jesus eating the chin of his mother out of love for her! I have seen my grandchildren to this to their wonderful mothers many times and why would Jesus not also love his mother enough to kiss and nibble her chin?
Love this Truth from St Maximilian Kolbe!
Until next time dear Little Sisters - we are richly blessed by our time with you and how we are enriched by your example of loving and serving without counting the cost!
A parting portrait...
Flowers and the Gospel in my room... A holy place of peace and love!
Jesus, we long to spend time with you and then share your LIGHT and Truth with all those we encounter - most especially those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family. May we die to self so that your Spirit may dwell in us and we may be your hands and feet. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
A few of Mary on her way to the National FFA convention in Indianapolis stopping at a Buffalo and cranberry farm.
Mary also sent a video of big brother, Simon, singing the National anthem in front of 51,000 at the opening of the convention with his chorus! Simon's voice is certainly his instrument!
A memory of Ruth digging with the huge tractor a few years back...
Paul's new manure spreader 4 years ago... the kids would not be in it today!
Snowball's calf is tame some years back too! Snowman is cute! Snowball was a special pet of Mary's years ago... how we love to have our young family on the farm making it a place of Faith/Family/Farm! Bless-bless, Barbara
Not sure if this is one rain or two, but it sure is wonderful to see 2 1/2 inches regardless! The grass is green and we are ready for the creeks to start running again. The Lord certainly has his own timing for answering our prayers. We hope and pray that the drought will not carry forth and next year will be better.
Felix finds a way to stay out of the wet grass...
Patrick in the arms of his family 9 years ago after 2 1/2 weeks in NICU after a traumatic birth!
PHOTO: Missionaries of Charity ~Home for the dying - Khaligat ~ Calcutta, India
"Just as Christ was sent by the Father, so also He sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This He did so that, by preaching the gospel to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15), they might proclaim that the Son of God, by His death and resurrection, had freed us from the power of Satan (cf. Acts 26:18) and from death, and brought us into the kingdom of His Father" - Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
Almighty God, You chose Your servants Simon and Jude to be numbered among the glorious company of the Apostles. As they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so may we with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
