Our time begins!!/Easter JOY abounds with short nights/ “‘You must be born from above.’

Sweet sisters - 14 year old Therese with her baby sister, Maggie, who will be one in a few weeks!  How grandma is filled with Joy to have them here and giving me this gift. 

Leaving for the airport at sunset?  Yes, we are prepared to do all it takes to get our family together on the farm.  My time to share is just a tiny window as we gather at the farm for a big family lunch on this cold Tuesday of the Second week of Easter!  

6 hours after sunset we arrived back with our precious cargo - Maria and her 7 children!  2a to bed and a short nigtht - now some time to recover before we drive to Kansas City tomorrow to pick up two nuns!  Hallel and Benedict!  14 hours on the road with at least one of the children maybe 2!

3 year old Hector will soon be with his other 3 year old cousins - 3 boys in 6 weeks are now all 3!  

Maria's 2 youngest gave me this gift!  Oh my, a memory to remember this most important time in our family history - a home visit by our nun!  Maria hasn't seen her for 3 years and Ruth, Nancy and John for 2 years!  So excited!  

A quick Truth from the Gospel today in John 3 - Jesus with Nicodemus - Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  John 3

Come Holy Spirit and be with us on this crazy amazing family time ahead with all the travel, meals and sharing!  May we die to self so that we can serve without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in You..  Bless-bless, Barb and All!!!  
 

"Write down what you have seen..."/Divine Mercy 2nd Sunday of Easter..."You cannot say; 'This is your last chance...' "

5 month old Thomas was in the middle of the kitchen crying when I walked in yesterday afternoon.  His 17 year old brother, Simon, who is also his Godfather got down by him and Thomas immediately smiled and loved to have his big brother share with him!  

My heart warmed to see the two of them interacting...

"Oh, you have been crying." as Simon sweetly wiped a tear from his little face.  

Grandma tried to capture in pictures this sweet moment of Godfather and Godson, Big brother and baby brother.  Both are blessed to have many siblings to love and care for - family is a lifelong blessing and at times hardship.  

Fr Denny preached today on Divine Mercy Sunday about forgiveness and Mercy! He was speaking to families and I grabbed my small notebook from my purse so that I could write notes through my tears!

Simon showing Thomas an interesting thing he found -"Do you want to play with it?"

Soon Simon little Tom will be a "grab nabber!" Not yet.

Smiling with all the love and attention from his oldest brother.  Thanks, Simon, for loving and caring and always remember to forgive! 

With big sister, 5 year old Joy.  They are both blessed to have a big family.  Joy was so cute while Tom was away with mom and dad at Mary's State Speech meet in the Cities..."I miss my mommy and my daddy, but I really really miss my baby brother, Tom Tom!"  

"Behold the Lamb of God,

behold him who takes away the sins of the world. 

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb."

Fr Denny in white on the altar with Jesus in his Body and Blood on this Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday, after preaching to us about Forgiveness and Mercy in our families and our marriages!  

It is the Lord!  "My Lord and my God."  The words of St Thomas today in the Gospel according to John 20 - Doubting Thomas made me smile today now that we have a new grandson named Thomas.  I was especially tickled while Father was reading the Gospel and came to the line of Thomas when he sees the Lord and his wounds - "My Lord and My God."  I could hear Thomas' little baby voice speaking his joy and complaint at that exact moment!  

These are also the words I say now when Jesus is lifted up for us - "This is my Body and This is my Blood."  An older lady behind me many years ago whispered these words when they were lifted up and it struck me as Truth and a good reminder that it truly IS THE LORD!!!!

Some notes from Father's amazing homily- tomorrow I will share the link here so that you can listen and weep yourselves!

Father shared 4 points having to do with Mercy and Forgiveness/Reconciliation and Forgiveness

1. It is God like to forgive- we are acting like God allowing hurts to be forgiven.

2. Mercy and forgiveness are not popular or instinctive or reasonable.  We tend to be legalistic and think that it is proper to punish wrongdoers.You are considered a loser if you strive towards reconciliation with Mercy and forgiveness.

3.Forgiveness brings healing to the one who forgives and to the forgiven!  Our deepest hurts happen within our families.  Forgiveness releases the injured person...."Yes, you hurt me, but I choose to forgive you."  Failing to forgive affects all of our relationships in life.  We are not able to be as loving and it causes us to be under stress.

4. We cannot say that "this is your last chance."  Don't bother counting how many times you are called to forgive - 70x7 times means that!  Divine Mercy is a way of LIFE!  There is no quota on Jesus' forgiveness of me.  We are called to imitate him by Forgiving

Husbands and wives

Parents and children

Help us imitate you, Jesus!

Easter Glory!!!  Father Denny ended his homily with the ending prayer for the Chaplet that dad and I would repeat daily on the porch after the rosary!

Divine Mercy Closing Prayer (Optional)

Eternal God,
in whom mercy is endless
and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us
and increase Your mercy in us,
that in difficult moments
we might not despair
nor become despondent,
but with great confidence
submit ourselves to Your holy will,
which is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen.

  Bishop Le Voir also wrote these words on our Caringbridge when John's cancer grew through his chemo!  "When in difficult moments repeat these words -' Jesus, I trust in you.' "

John's story continues now with wife and children!  

Chaplet of Divine Mercy - in song!  

The image for mass today!  The white streams represent Baptism and the red his Blood - the Eucharist!  

At the end of Father's homily I could not hold back the tears - there were numerous things in my heart - a couple of them are the words of the Motto of The Community of the Lamb - "Wounded, I will never cease to love."  So much needed as Father pointed out in our families where we are usually the most wounded!  

"It is the Lord!"  

Also the Truth that our spouse will become our Most Cherished Cross as Hallel pointed out to her sister, Nancy on the occasion of her engagement to Bill 12 years ago!  So beautiful and True! 

Nancy was engaged to Bill Bandzuch on April 10, 2010... We are all so happy for her as she has waited long for her Catholic man to come into her life. She had stood by her values and as a result it was especially sweet and special when she joyfully accepted Bill's proposal! We all gathered in Maria and Joe's back yard to help them celebrate that afternoon minus her sister in KC... Little Sister Hallel. We called her and she spoke to each one of us and even her neice and nephews ! A month later Nancy found this letter from her sister in the mailbox. It was mother's day and she called me to read it to me over the phone. I was blown away and at first thought how crazy it was that a young girl,who had answered the call to remain chaste and be a little sister had so much insight into marriage! But when I realized that she is now the "bride of Christ" it now makes all the sense in the world! I would like to once again share this powerful and wise letter here... Nancy, Look I am writing you a letter... aren't you impressed? Well, you better be because both you and I know how often this happens. I am writing to tell you now extremely excited I am about your engagement to Bill. I have to admit, when I got the news I wasn't really shocked but that night as it sunk in during adoration and the next day during mass I was so happy. My heart overflowed with joy for you. How beautiful to know that you have found your... most cherished cross. While I have never had the experience of being married, from what I hear is that he will truly be your cross. But not your cross as human eyes look at it, as a thing to run away from, as a thing of torture but rather as that which is truly the tree of life. It is only when clinging to the cross that one can truly live, it is the source of all life and of all love. Your marriage to Bill will be this, not something to run away from when it gets hard and when it hurts, but something to hold tight to, especially when it hurts because it is in this that you will find life and love. Know that it is through your marriage that Jesus wants to show you his great love for you and also that the best example that you can give to the world of Christ's love is a marriage lived in truth. So, in other words, know that I am so happy for you and that I love you a whole lot. Know that you are in my prayers during this crazy time of wedding planning; that you may not go crazy but rather learn to love each other better and that you may both have great joy and great peace. Remember to pray for me too! God Bless, Your little Sister Hallel

Ruth and Paul's family have a good problem to have - they need a bigger row for their 9 members of their family!  

I can remember that Mary wore this dress and Rose - now Joy and probably next will be Birdie Barbara in a few years!  

Sweet Jude was sad that he couldn't go to his cousins for breakfast on the farm, but we did have a family breakfast after mass - pancake breakfast!  "Jude wouldn't let them take his plate - he must have thought that he could eat more at Ruth's, so he ate more of his breakfast!"   

So excited for our family gathering around our nun in the next few days!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 50 - 33 here and 17 in heaven praying for us including our parents!  

A great neice 2 years ago at my mother's graveside - dad was living here with me and was very touched by this super sweet picture!  

St George, pray for us!

Jesus in The Word, Body and Blood!!!  We are blessed!  

It is the Lord!  

Dad always reminding me of the power and Truth of The Name!  The ending line of the Gospel today made me smile at dad united with us in The Eucharist!

these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.  John 20:31

I also heard the Lord telling me with St John today - "Write down what you have seen..."  Rev 1  Yes, I did not walk the world with Jesus as John did, but I have witnessed Jesus at work in my life over and over and it is my greatest JOY to share what "I have seen."  

Danielle Rose

Tauren Wells 

O God beyond all praising

 

The Lord's plans not mine!/"it is the Lord"/TEC!!!/Roots of Birthright in my life/Oh dad, The Name of Jesus!!!

6 years ago a precious memory of grandpa Pat in from fixing fence - this year that is a distant job with a cold wet spring - he is showing grandson, Luke, how to gently hold a baby chick.  

Our family farm life is so special and how I love to see my pictures of hunky husband and baby kids and animals!  Hubby and I are kind of disappointed, yet grateful at the same time that our nun called yesterday and changed all our fake plans!  

Baby Thomas heading out at 6:45a to cheer on his big sister, Mary, at the State Speech meet in the Cities yesterday.  I did not write here yesterday as it was a day filled with family and prayer.  Yes, that is pretty much my life in a nutshell.  

Next week will be crazy with huge family gathering, but it just got easier for all the travel I was planning on doing.  Hallel called to tell me and she and Little Sister Benedict will bring one of their vans and drive themselves.  Yes, it means that I don't have to put in a 14 hour day to get them here, but also that I will not have time visiting with The Community in prayer and overnight.  

Tom and Ruth and Paul off to the Cities for the State Speech meet.  Mary did not advance to finals, but was honored and thrilled to be there!  

A bird's eye view of the State meet!  Exciting times for Mary and her team!

Much excitement building with our first TEC retreat in close to 3 years coming to Marshall this summer!  We already have 2 grandchildren sighed up and am reaching out to any and all that we meet! It will be June 25-27 here in Marshall Catholic School!   TEC has been huge for our family and has given us another family!  Our TEC family has prayed us through many of our huge times of need - John's cancer, Baby Patrick born dead and brought back to life!  Oh my!  Prayer became REAL for me from my first retreat to today - that is October of 1999 to now!  I have worked most of those retreats over those 23 years!  So powerful!!! Such an instrument of Evangelization!  

A peaceful joyful light filled time of prayer for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters.  I delighted in the beautiful flowers, fountain, Tree of LIFE!  Attending the Vigil we missed out on the beauty by the light of day!  Easter continues for 50 days until Pentecost!  

Lilies are prefect and everywhere!  The smell of heaven!  

Lillies and the tabernacle - "It is the Lord!" echoes in my heart, mind and soul from the Gospel yesterday when Jesus appears on the shore, tells them to lower the nets on the right side of the boat, they make a huge catch, John says to Peter - "It is the Lord." and Peter jumps in to swim to Jesus!!!  John 21

Ready for Divine Mercy Sunday tomorrow!  "Jesus, I trust in you."  

Jesus in the tabernacle - "It is the Lord!"  Surrounded by Easter JOY and Beauty and Glory!  Reading the Office of Readings were so stunning and filled with LIGHT!  I shared my time with a Hispanic man and woman that kneeled on the floor in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe and prayed out loud in Spanish.  Also another woman that prayed with me and ended with the Stations at the same time I was praying that decade of the Rosary - Jesus takes up his Cross!   United in prayer!  

The Vigil candle is lit once again to show the presence of The Lord - it really struck me on Holy Thursday when Fr blew it out and it was on the side altar where He was.  Then on Good Friday it was not there as he died and was not present!  He LIVES!!!  "It is the Lord!"  Yes!!!

Our Lady is beloved by the Mexican people - Our Lady of Guadalupe brought millions into The Church!  How we all love her!!  Saturdays are devoted to Mary the Mother of God!  

The grief of the Mother at Cross and tomb is transformed into joy.  Sprung from the root of David, Mary's risen Son leads the feeble, the frightened, the blind, the deaf, and the lame home to the glory of that Kingdom where she reigns as Queen.  (see Magnificat)

My two cats under the Easter Tree in bloom - the barren branch brought in on Easter Sunday is putting out leaves and flowers - the Tree of LIFE!

My butterfly for 2022 is devoted to the 3 new LIFE we have welcomed in the last year!  In the arms of Mary and held in her Immaculate heart!  

He is risen with Mercy and LOVE pouring from His side with the Waters of Baptism and the Blood of the Eucharist!  

The guys out bedding after the rain with the resurrection Cross in the patio door reflecting on Cow TV

Grandpa with Simon and David - how we love and appreciate our big farm family so willing and able to do all the work!

Those 250+ bales of corn stalks are being used liberally to keep all the cows and calves healthy along with lots of hard work and prayers too!  

Sweet Joy by the big picture window watching mom and dad come home!  How I am blessed with my time with her and Luke - They shared with me after blessing our food for supper that dad asks them what their "ups and downs" are for each day.  We shared that together and both Rose and Luke said that their ups were sharing time with grandma.  Talk about butterine me up!

Joy also shared with me that she really misses mom and dad, but who she really really misses is her baby brother, Tommy.  "I really miss him and love him so much!"

We also said "Hallelujah" many times during our time together.  "The teacher said that we should say it more times than once when we say it."  Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!!

Waving and excited to see mom and dad and baby Thomas!  How lucky is this 5 year old girl to be a big sister?  So very lucky for her to be #6 and now Tom to be #7 in our big wonderful farm family!  LIFE is the greatest of ALL gifts!!!  

Jesus!!!!

There was so much yesterday in the Readings and again today about the power of The Name of Jesus - a huge Truth that my dad shared with us at the time of his passing!  I now have his prayer book with Name circled and underlined every where it can be found and that it a whole lot!

ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
“Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”
After threatening them further,
they released them,
finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God
for what had happened.  Today in Acts 4 - The powers that be told them this - after the man crippled from birth was healed in "the Name of Jesus!"

From the bare altar on Good Friday and Holy Saturday - to Easter JOY!!!!

I had a special conversation with one of  Pat's cousins a few nights ago.  She and I started volunteering at Birthright about the same time!  I was married in 1978, and I can pinpoint exactly when I decided that I wanted to do more than say that I was Prolife - I wanted to do something for the cause.  I found a special group of women, whom had started a Birthright in Marshall! 

 I know that it was 1979 and I was learning to do the pregnancy test we offer girls that come in, and it was positive!  I was pregnant with my first daughter, Ruth, who is now 42 in January!  There were many times that I would be doing pregnancy tests on myself over those years of my "nest".  I have had a total of 11 pregnancies with 5 children here with me.  7 losses, but they were a LIFE no matter how brief!  They are named and keep my eyes on heaven where I long to join them!  I also have 6 grandchildren now there and borh of our parents!

That is 41 years of Birthright!!!!  We are gathering in a couple weeks to thank and celebrat with 3 of our founders!  So excited to thank them for ALL they have done for LIFE!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!" 

Divine Mercy is so powerful and important for me and my domestic Church on our journey of Faith/Family/Farm!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 50 - 33 here and 17 in heaven! 

For Grandson, George, on his feast day today.  My prayer that he always slays the dragon in his life!  

May we always recognize the Lord!!  "It is the Lord!"  "My Lord and my God!"

Office of Readings for today - First letter of St Peter!

Yes, we will be allowed to do that in Truth in just a few days!  The Lord's plan is always the best!  So excited and trying to relax and let God!  

It is the Lord!!!  

Mom and Pope Benedict today!  Fr John Drees is still up where mom and dad were living in St Croix Falls, WI!  He stood up for the Truth in The Church when it comes to Gay Marriage - Marriage is only to be between one man and one woman.  Father was ostracized, but mom and dad continue to pray for him from heaven - a true man of Faith and The Truth of The Church!  

Loving the leaves of the Tree of LIFE!  

Dominic's Cross and the leaves as the grass is turning green slowly but surely!  

Danielle Rose

Salve Regina as sung by The Community of the Lamb in night prayer each night!   

Hail Holy Queen!