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!
Grandma had the JOY of having Ruth's 2 youngest for the morning while they worked on their new project at "the apartments." It is a very big important day as we are told that Pope Benedict XVI died today in Rome.
Every day this picture is in my kitchen under his predecessor, St JPII. Not only is he there for me to see with my eyes as he gives Jesus/the Eucharist to Susan/Hallel about 15 years ago, but my mother left for me her daily prayer book - Benedictus!
Such a blessing to me - mom loved him and read this for 10 years over and over! Now I will begin my 3rd year tomorrow! He is so intelligent and loves Jesus, Mary and The Catholic Church - I am right there with him!
My Pope wall! LOVE them so much! They are instantly Saints in heaven to me! I am sure Benedict will soon be a Saint and Doctor of The Church!
· "I don't prepare for an end, but for an encounter." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI - Rest in Peace, no doubt a future Saint and Doctor of the Church
Every day I see him with my eyes and share in his Wisdom and Truth in his daily meditations. His death makes it all that much more powerful and rich!
Joy was surprised to see that Aunt Hallel has black hair. She now wears a blue veil and she always has on glasses!
Hallel with Tom the week before Thanksgiving as they were traveling through after doing "a mission" in the Cities!
How she loves her Tommy! With a crucifix on his ship! Tom is such a delightful little guy and such a True newness of LIFE for his farm family!
Better of Hallel withe Benedict in 2006 or so in Rome! Ruth and Paul had their marriage blessed by StJPII in Rome after their wedding November 2003.
Joy learned something about her Church today. She knew that Pope Francis is her Holy Father, and that the Eucharist is Jesus. She is also aware that in 2nd grade when she is 7 she will receive her Holy Communion. How we love to share our Faith as a family! Nothing more wonderful than to share our LOVE for Jesus, Mary and The Church!
They are such wonderful kids for grandma
Had to get in the hot tub for a swim! Tom would squeal with delight!
Walking into our glorious church yesterday to pray my hour for Fr Denny - I walked in the back and found myself gasping with emotion at the stunning beauty that greeted me! Walking foward all I could do was take picture after picture. Alone with my Lord and Lady - I had stepped over into a small slice of heaven!
The poinsettias were glorious! I so appreciated that the lights were allowed to be left on for lone people like me to be blessed by the twinkling lights all around!
The closer I got to the nativity which has been adored and loved for probably close to 100 years or more! I focused on Jesus in the arms of his mother! To see the tabernacle with The Lamb underneath just put it all in such a LIGHT of the Truth of our Salvation from a tiny innocent helpless newborn to his death on the Cross for us!
The Gospel for today is from John 1 and it is amazing!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1
9 years ago on New Year's Eve with the steers in the monoslope.
Dad's man Brother Victor today said some memorable things to note! "All time is sacred and ALL time is God's time."
The entire sharing for the last day of the year in his monastery in New York. With each passing year - "eternity is much closer."
Bobbi shared this - too cute not to share!
The back of mom's worn daily meditations - Benedictus. So much to take to heart that this man shared with us!
I am starting 3rd year tomorrow add to mom's 10!
Folded in mom's prayer book and it was the wind beneath her wings when their Catholic Church was attacked! "Jesus will never leave his Church!" Yes, mom!!!
He became Pope in 2005 and stepped down due to age in 2013. He was huge in making The Catechism of The Catholic Church what it is today!
His words today on the last page of his book, Benedictus, by Magnificat. On the last day of the year, and tomorrow we begin again! There is so very much he shares that it takes reading it over and over to get more and more out of his wisdom and Truth!
More from John 1 - the amazing Gospel today!
But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
Oh mom, I am eternally grateful for your leaving this for me to share with you in heaven! Such a wonderful tie that binds between us as we both LOVE Jesus, Mary and His Bride, The Church with no reservations what so ever! Every last bit of what we are given!
The Holy Family to whom we lift up our marriages and families and those that are broken and hurting.
Oh my!!! Such TRUTH!
So glad you continue to be with us from heaven now!
Sweet picture of The Holy Family! Getting excited for a new baby soon in our family too! There is nothing more wonderful in this world!
The beauty of winter white snow and my statue of Mary in white with the setting late day sun. So nice that the days are getting longer with each new day now! More LIGHT!
Doing the stations as I pray for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters yesterday. I need to pray in front of Jesus in the tabernacle and there is so much beauty to lift me up!
St Luke window adorned to add to the beauty! St Luke is my patron Saint - I took his name when I was confirmed as an adult in St Paul Cathedral. He was a physician and I was in nursing school. Since I have been so grateful to him for all he has given me about Mary and the early days and years of Jesus in the Holy Family! Also Acts of The Apostles, too!
Jesus, I am sure you are welcoming Pope Benedict into Heaven today. Thank you for his wisdom and all that he has given The Church now and always. Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54 - 34 here and 20 in heaven.
"Be not afraid...
open wide the door to Christ.
... become the saints
of the new millennium."
Pope St John Paul II
"Do not be afraid of Christ!
He takes nothing away and He gives you everything.
One goal I had for our last day together at the Garvin tubing hill was to get my 3 youngest together! It took having Maria hold her Maggie as they are very attached, but I love to have my 3rd daughter, whom I see the least only after Hallel, in the midst of the 3 sweet babies - all now 1 to 1 1/2.
Gina takes the spoon out for a smile, too!
As our family was up and on the road going in two directions after once again the weather changed our plans and made us realize that we cannot really make plans and stick to them - fake plans! The snow started midafternooon at Garvin and was very thick and scary as we tried to travel back to our farm. Nancy had to rethink her plans to go home last night and both she and Maria were up and on the road about 6:30A! So many prayers to get all home safely continue as Maria and Major Joseph will be 2 days on the road to get back to Charlottesville, VA!
Rose with her baby brother, 13 month old Thomas ready to go down the hill with grandpa Pat. It was a great family day, and so far the last 2 years we have had enough snow to end our time with a family day of tubing and using the warming house. We ate both lunch - Ruth grilled hamburgers, and supper in the warming house - Bobbi picked up pizza and brought it out at the end of her work day.
Regina and Tom ready to go with grandpa down the big fun hill in the BIG inner tube!
A snuggle bunch on the couch as we watch the kids go down the hill out the windows facing the hill. I have Birdie, Gina, and Evangeline, and grandpa has Tom and Joy.
The fireplace and the heaters made it nice and warm. The littles took turns taking naps in the pack and play.
The view - Jude and Birdie passed on going down this year.
Birdie on the tube the night before our big day at the hill. There is so much preparation for so many to get all they need to be able to be in the snow for the day, but eventually we manage to get there and as it was we had about 8 hours of fun and family and all came back in one piece. Happy that we did all that it takes! Hubby this morning was saying that getting through those rough patches certainly is worth it. It makes the JOY that much bigger!
Talk about JOY this little guy loves to stand and take a few steps between mom and dad. His squeals of delight made us all belly laugh and he would respond with more gleeful sounds!
Ruth made hamburgers on the grill for the 22 grands and 8 adults missing a few for work.
The truck made many rounds getting those down the hill back up for the next go round. Lots of snow and temps around 30 with little wind. Yes, we did have snow in the afternoon.
Took many of the 3 littles in the light coming in the window.
Such a perfect feast for today as we are so filled to the brim with FAMILY! Yes, it is the Feast of the Holy Family - Joseph, Mary and Jesus! Pat and I prayed morning prayer together after we had the empty house after having 15 here overnight! All up and gone in two directions at 6:30a!
Ready for the slide and ride back up in the truck! Therese and some of the others were out there the whole time and only took breaks for meals!
One year old Regina Maria had her birthday on the first day of CCC on Dec 16th - today that was 2 weeks ago today. As my sweet sister-in-law, Angela, says - "Now we are only 5o weeks from CCC next year!" LOVE how we both love spending the weekend before Christmas with my family!
Jude and Hector in the light - they are only 3 weeks apart
One looks than the other...
The best I could do of the 3 boys playing a game together. George looking and smiling is the oldest by 3 weeks above Hector. Our 3 boys in 6 weeks and one of the really special thing about this is that they all went to France in their mother's wombs for our nun's final vows in August of 2018! LIFE is so real and True for us that they are counted in the 24 that went to France!
This morning while praying with hubby on this Feast of The Holy Family after our huge family time we just completed... we prayed for more LIFE to be loved and respected knowing how many are opting to have no children or only 2 at the most! Also how new LIFE is trampled and destroyed so callously in the womb and even if a little one survives an abortion they are left to die! There are many family pictures with pets rather than kids!?! Our prayer - "Lord and Lady may LIFE be loved and cherished in our domestic Churches/families!"
Our marriage stories with the words of The Holy Spirit from my Most Cherished Cross/husband at our engagement encounter - "The World needs LIGHTS!" Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS is the motto we carry forth now into the next generation from my hero for Family and LIFE - Patrick Verly!
Ruth works so hard to make all our times special with wonderful environment! Her Christmas Afghan on the couch made my picture taking that much more special! Special Christmas fabric made the tables special too! You amaze me Ruth!
Sweet Tom and some Hot chocolate for warming up grandpa Pat!
We actually have more grandsons than granddaughters! After our 4 girls in a row and "then you had that boy." It was great to see them away from screens and playing and playing and playing together! Ruth has 4 boys, Nancy has 3 boys, Maria has 4 boys, and John has one! 12 boys and 10 girls. They are catching up...
These two girls are both 6 and 5 year old Joy is in this group of 3 girls that are cousin/friends!
Our 2 Davids playing a game. They are a year and a half apart - little Dave Librande was just 13, and Big David Lanoue is 14 1/2!
A lively game to Mafia to end our time. We slowly got back to our place where the kids watched Sister Act, and the adults had their last hour together laughing loudly together in the kitchen! Until next time and safe travels to all!!!
Pat with his arms full of our two babies that are just a month apart! We have #23 on the way in a few weeks and many prayers for John and Bobbi's little one in the womb.
Ruth brought out her grill to make us all a wonderful lunch of our homegrown beef - hamburgers with all the trimmings - even tomatoes and grilled onions and mushrooms! Ruth does it all so beautifully for all our our enjoyment!
My brother, Dan, and I are very close and LOVE our Church equally and totally! We both read The Magnificat daily, and share back and forth. Yesterday he sent this meditation to me with his LOVE! It is truly marvelous and LIGHT filled! Just read it and marvel as we both did!
Grandpa is determined that he would get Maggie to love and go to him, and here he is taking her in his big arms to take out to the car... not quite!
Such a momma's girl especially at 6:30 in the morning just as she is awakened!
There were times with pop and candy that he had her in his lap... Next time Maggie!
Loading the 9 for a two day trip!
It was an amazing Christmas that lasted for 2 weeks and we are so grateful that the roads were good coming and now prayers for going back to Charlottesville, VA!
Pat and I are talking about a trip to KCK soon to see our nun, if she will have us in her busy life there.
LOVE this for today from St JPII - my hero for FAMILY and LIFE!
Our prayer these days include 3 broken marriages we are aware of. Pat was sharing that marriage is not all sweetness and LIGHT as we all well know. There was tension and words and battles over our times together, too. But you don't thrown in the towel and walk away! "Getting through the hard times makes the good times that much better." Yes, the words from Colossians 3 today ring like a bell of Truth!
Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him... Colossians 3
Pray for us that we may forgive and find healing in our families and couples in their marriage!
Such an example to us of TRUE LOVE!
This!!!! YES!!!! I love my chapel on wheels! I thought that I was going to take Meals on Wheels to Balaton today, and was looking forward to my chapel on wheels and my Rosary! It was canceled last minute and I was given this gift instead. So grateful!
May they dwell in the heart of our Domestic Church! Hear our prayer, Lord and Lady! Bless-bless, Barbara and the 34! The new life in the womb counts!
Prayers for Pope Benedict, who is on his death bed and asks for our prayers!
Jesus is The Way, the Truth and the LIFE! How we adore Him in Word and Sacrament of His Body and Blood! The Church is His Bride and we LOVE her!
Never too much!
Dad loves him so Colossians in The Office of Readings today!
Oh dad! How I love for your to continue to teach me!
After my craziness for the last 2 weeks - I am ready for some "silence!" From St Mother Teresa today! LOVE!
So important and powerful today from Pope Benedict XVI about family!
"The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life... the Family is the community in which , from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom." CCC 2207
The family of Nazareth is holy because it was centered on Jesus. Pope Francis
Da's monk, Brother Victor, so sweetly and beautifully speaks about the Holy Family! LOVE how he shares with us his life as a monk!
+JMJ+
Feast* of theHOLY FAMILY of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
*The Sunday between Christmas and New Year's Day.
If both are Sundays, the feast is celebrated on December 30.
May the example of the Holy Family, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, guide all families, especially those most troubled, to be homes ofcommunion and prayer and to always seek your truth and live in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us!
World Meeting of Families - Philadelphia 2015
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
had only one life, one purpose:
To glorify the Heavenly Father.
That is what we also must want.
To achieve it, we have to enter
into union with Mary and Joseph,
share their life - family life,
the intimate interior life
of which God alone is secret.
What happiness to be called to this life.
Our love will consist
in living with Mary and Joseph
on the love of Jesus Eucharistic.”
St. Peter Julian Eymard
"The family has the mission to
guard, reveal and communicate love,
and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in
God’s love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord
for the Church, His bride.
Every particular task of the family
is an expression and concrete actuation
of that fundamental mission.”
St John Paul II
________________________ Home life is the God-appointed training
533 The hidden life at Nazareth allows everyone to enter into fellowship with Jesus by the most ordinary events of daily life:
The home of Nazareth is the school where we begin to understand the life of Jesus - the school of the Gospel. First, then, a lesson of silence. May esteem for silence, that admirable and indispensable condition of mind, revive in us. . . A lesson on family life. May Nazareth teach us what family life is, its communion of love, its austere and simple beauty, and its sacred and inviolable character... A lesson of work. Nazareth, home of the "Carpenter's Son", in you I would choose to understand and proclaim the severe and redeeming law of human work. . . To conclude, I want to greet all the workers of the world, holding up to them their great pattern their brother who is God. (Pope Paul VI at Nazareth, January 5, 1964)
534 The finding of Jesus in the temple is the only event that breaks the silence of the Gospels about the hidden years of Jesus (Lk 2: 41-52). Here Jesus lets us catch a glimpse of the mystery of his total consecration to a mission that flows from His divine Sonship: "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's work?" (Lk 2:49) Mary and Joseph did not understand these words, but they accepted them in faith. Mary "kept all these things in her heart" during the years Jesus remained hidden in the silence of an ordinary life.
_______________________
Holy Family of Nazareth, help us to willingly
enter the hidden life of Nazareth, theschoolof Nazareth,
that allows us to enter into fellowship with Jesus
by the most ordinary events of daily life. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us. Amen.
__________________
CONSIDER THIS:
Perhaps a 2023 resolution might include resuming or beginning
the practice of writing/typing JMJ (Jesus, Mary, Joseph) atop
or at the close of your papers (emails) of correspondence.
It symbolically illustrates a worldview,
a mindset that reminds that we follow an example,
a way that is sanctified and greater than ourselves.
CONSIDER THIS TOO:
Ask the Lord to guide you to an icon, painting, print,
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