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!
"you are God's building" - "Temple of God"/Taking out 100 year old fence -horses then and tractor now/Broken in pieces
On November 1st 5 years ago Therese had her first baby sister, Evangeline Mary! Between them are 3 brothers, so Therese was overjoyed! I got them matching dresses and had such a wonderful time taking pictures of the two of these beauties.
They are so much like my girls and are official Verly girls with their dark hair eyes and complexion. To this day they share a room and a very close relationship. Evie adores her big sister and needs to know that she is close by, and with Maria's home schooling that is almost always the case.
This is their new baby sister, Magdalene Rose, who is now 6 months old... I am sure that she will join the girls' room in the next year. This is #7 for Maria and Captain Joseph with brother, Hector, between her and Evangeline. At this time of year I am starting to discover through my memories that there are a lot of births at this time as well as half a year celebrations for those born in May.
Another November 1st birth was Luke Paul 8 years ago! Here are the 5 including his 4 older siblings. They added Joy 4 1/2 years ago in May and now they are adding a baby brother in 10 days - another November baby and #7 for Ruth and Paul. Exciting times and many prayers have surrounded our new grandson in the womb from the moment we knew he was there - new LIFE growing our LOVE!
Birdie Barbara is a May birthday and is now a year and a half! This is her 6 months picture from a year ago and she is so much like my girls, too! She is officially a Verly girl in every way including her name as she belongs to John and Bobbi Verly!
Wow! Simon did such a powerful and confident job of leading the singing at mass!!! Mary served along with one on Simon's classmates. It was quite something to see young adults using their talents and putting their faith into practice as examples for their siblings and other young people gathered with their families at mass.
Mary and Simon - I thought that I was just a proud grandma and so that was why Simon sounded so great, but many have told me that he sounded amazing and the word "professional" even from some.
Thank you to these young adults putting their faith into action.
I so wanted to share here over these last few days - Sunday I was so tickled to find the first reading in Mass - Elijah and the widow! It was the reading that Little Sister Marie was led to when she was told to beg for their food from the poor! It enters into my talk for Emmaus retreat next weekend! I shared the story of the woman with tattoos indicating that she had been in prison and gangs - "I can give you a glass of water." The Gospel coming to life!
Pulling a hundred fence posts or more yesterday of a 100 year old fence at the back of the field around our farm. I was very nervous and in the tractor, while Pat walked and did all the hard work, including standing in front of the tractor while I would come up to him. Many prayers!
The end was in sight I thought... then the really hard part of digging out and rolling up the 100 year old fence wire! It really made me ponder how much has changed over those 100 years, and what it would have been like with so much more physical labor including horses rather than tractors.
Barb wire added to the picture of how tricky it was to handle.
Another part of my talk for last weekend that has come to me over and over again is that inner temple where The Holy Spirit comes to me in prayer and has guided and directed me in my life day to day. My talk is on knowing God through prayer, and that is hand and hand with the Holy Spirit in my life!
Today's feast of The Dedication of The Lateran Basilica - the Pope's church... has so many readings which say what I know and love about my times of prayer throughout my days!
Brothers and sisters: You are God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
This 2nd reading today - St Paul says it ALL! We are all so blessed if we only turn to Him in humble prayer. We are set free to hear and obey Him out of LOVE if only we rid ourselves of our sins in the Confessional!
Admiring this hard working man, who never gives up! Once he sets his mind to something, he does nothing less than accomplish it no matter what it takes! Some of the fence was in pieces and buried, but he will get every last bit out!
This has carried over into discovering that he had told his sisters years before we met that he would only marry a Catholic. Knowing his determination - I am starting to give his prayers for me a lot of credit for all 13 of us coming into The Church 50 years ago and 44 years before we met! Mind blowing!
When he starts rolling it up - he is on his knees!
The Gospel today is Jesus chasing out the money changers from The Temple! Yes, we all have our ways that we are being unreverent to the temple we are! Jesus is there to fight against the evils that want to make our inner temple of the Holy Spirit dirty and not allow the wondrous LIGHT to flood in and show us the beauty!
Hard working and never gives up! He just called to say that he is taking it into the metal salvage - 100 year old wire still used for something metal again!
Had to have some fun with pictures of DNR land with milkweed pods in the late day...
A phone call while I was in the tractor yesterday brought tears... A reminder that there is brokenness in our lives. A call to prayer and hope for forgiveness and reconciliation. Time is the healer... as is prayer without ceasing. How I love to have Our Lady with me on my journey of Faith/Family/Farm!
Jesus, how we love you and are blessed to have our time with you each day in our inner temple of prayer - LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT shed there by the Holy Spirit in our souls! We know that we are loved and forgiven unconditionally and may we return that to those the closest to us! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Two years ago we had chickens here and snow outside!
It might snow tonight...
Bringing the cows home two years ago. This year after being on stalks for a month, they are in the green pastures as we only started to get rain after the harvest of our half crop due to the drought.
We had had 60 degree days - it looks a lot colder 2 years ago.
Yes, lots colder!
A great picture from Kansas a few years back!
LOVE in a picture!!!
The evening star through my clean picture window!
Simon ready for our family brunch after mass on the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary time after leading our song at mass so powerfully and beautifully! Thanks Simon!!!
Pumpkin tarts need whipped topping! Thanks again Simon!
Work of art
18 month old Birdie Barbara at the piano her dad and Aunts played years ago!
Always need 2-3 to do it justice.
Grandpa with Birdie and the grandkids all around - Sunday is special when we gather for mass and sharing family time supreme!
Old and young sharing time!
His love for LIFE and for me - what I love so much about my Most Cherished Cross! Bless-bless, Barbara
13 months apart - 2 1/2 year old Jude and 1 1/2 year old Birdie Barbara, my namesake... they make me smile and how I love to watch their antics!
LOVED to read this meditation by Dom Boylan (1964) as his book - This Tremendous Lover was instrumental in mom falling in love with The Catholic Church years before we entered. I do need to read his book someday, right mom?
How about this line...we may safely say that even the malice of men and the demons will only lead to good for us, as long as we remain in the love of God and are united to him by charity. Wow! How I pray for this and trust that it will happen to mend the divisions!
Mom groaned over his book when she found it in a bookstore as a minister's wife!
St Mother Teresa of Calcutta today speaking the Truth of LIFE is the most beautiful gift from God!!!!! Respect all life from conception to natural death!
Pope Benedict XVI speaks of The Church as I see it! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Church with no reservations!!!
Dad once pointed out to me that St Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks my language!
Her final words - "I am going to The LIGHT, to LIFE, to LOVE." Yes!!!
Happy Feast Day Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity 1880 -1906 Feast Day: November 8 Patronage: sick people, loss of parents Elizabeth of the Trinity, born Élisabeth Catez was a French Carmelite nun and religious writer. Elizabeth entered the Dijon Carmel on August 2, 1901. She said, "I find Him everywhere while doing the wash as well as while praying." Her time in the Carmel had some high times as well as some very low times. Today, we know about all that she felt and experienced in her writings. Elizabeth died at the age of 26 from Addison's disease, which in the early 20th century had no treatment.
No comments:
Post a Comment