Catching up on the road - 6 hours hauling beans with hubby/time with grandkids/Archangels show us God's love!

Sweet Tom with my kitty, Ignatius - Iggy.  He loves his apples off our eating trees, and Ruth reports that he now has his front 2 teeth on top and that is probably why he has had a runny nose lately.  Today he had his 9 month check up and he is the picture of health.  Tall and healthy and happy! 

Grandma dug out a stocking cap a couple days ago as it was nippy.  We attempted a photo shoot in the golden corn field across the road.

Golden path through the field.  The men are back to combining corn today again as they are reaching the end of their bean harvest in the next few days.

Kind of messy looking with a cute brown eyed boy making it cute none the less.

On the porch swing with corn and leaves off our 100+ year old Cottonwood tree.

He is such a sweetie - he is taking his nap now after he got all those shots in his leg at his doctor visit today.  Ouch!

I was surprised that Iggy seemed OK with Tom and his apple being this close.  Iggy has lived the summer outside, but the cold will make him become more of a housecat once again.

Grandma had Jude and Birdie for the evening... our wonderful tomato soup for supper.  It was so good!

Why we do the work!  

Play in the hot tub after supper.

Birdie showing me her clean toes.

7 years ago - 200 quarts of applesauce!  We are having fake plans to do apple pie filling tomorrow.  That should be our last big canning day.  We do have some tomatoes to do yet, but it will be juice or stewed and less jars.  

Loading the truck for a big trip to Brewster Bean plant an hour away.  The turn around trip takes at least 3 hours with there and back plus unloading.  I  went along with hubby for 2 turns and it was surprising that most of those 6 hours together was visiting and catching up on our lives.  

Loading the truck is done quickly and then on the road around and around.  So many prayers for safety for our guys!  I had my rosary beads traveling through my fingers as we moved down the road visiting and sharing.  I was very excited to share with him about the wonderful glorious experience I was given at the Instillation of our new Bishop Chad Zielinski!  

New shepherd: ‘Pierced to the core,’ bishop comes with heart in hand | News, Sports, Jobs - The Journal (nujournal.com)  Article about his instillation

Arriving at the soybean plant in the tiny town of Brewster close to Worthington.  We discussed the possibility of going to Kansas City to see Hallel and her Community of the Lamb over MEA break in 3 weeks as it looks like the crop could be out.

A new snuggly cat to the farm that needed a home.

Making himself at home on the blanket while Tom is now able to stand up to furniture as he is getting closer to walking in a few months.

The 12 cows on our pasture behind our home were out catching some sun yesterday morning.  This weather is so perfect for us and for the cows.  We still are in great need of rain as they creeks are dry and the grass is in short supply.  Lord, hear our prayers! 

Yesterday was the feast of the Archangels as we traveled through the farm land with so many combines and tractors and trucks working to take out the crop.  

We meet them in the Bible and they show to us the LOVE that God has for his people.  They make me feel close to God and safe from the harm of all the evil that is around us in this messed up world! 

Never alone!!!

Add to them our guardian angel with us... we are very blessed and protected!  

As I sat in the truck - I could watch hubby unload the truck on the side mirror.

Openning the floodgates for the beans to pour into the storage underneath the truck quickly as the line of trucks was growing longer and longer.

Getting the broom to sweep in any that might spill around the truck.

Our load being loaded by Brad, and then back again with lots to share as we travel and my prayers to Our Lady going on in my head and my heart for our family.  Each decade is prayed for my 5 kids and their families and needs.  I than added one for my hubby - Embracing my Most Cherished Cross = a combination of the 4th and 5th Sorrowful - Dragging my cross, and dying to self and not counting the cost in the crucifixion.  

Onto the truck...

The surplus on a huge pile in the middle of the plant in Brewster.

A long wait 

Tile in the kitchen is making such a difference!  

Stopped by the house to see the progress and have my late breakfast after mass, water aerobics, and then a fasting blood draw for a physical next week - gulp!

A quiet breakfast with the new ceiling in the dining room overhead!  Soon paint and the kitchen coming together will be huge.  

How I smiled when I just walked out the door and across the street to pray for Father Denny with 7 Sisters in the peaceful beautiful church with the fall decor and Jesus in the tabernacle.  Just myself and the custodian washing the tile floors in this huge space!

Beckoning me to come and find PEACE and JOY and LOVE in his presence - sharing The Office of Readings on my phone along with Morning Prayer of The Church.  When Fr Denny first came to live in Marshall - I was in the Adoration chapel and he came in to pray.  He turned on his phone and was reading and I knew he was praying with iBreviary  It is the Prayer of The Church on your phone or computer.  So now I smile as I take out my phone to pray for him as we share The Prayer of The Church!  

I round out my hour praying the rosary - on the 4th Decade I include walking around the church praying a station of the Cross on each of the 10 beads.  

It makes me recall my wonderful father, who lived with me the last 6 months of his life on hospice here in my farm monastery!  We would share the rosary and chaplet of Divine Mercy on my porch each day at 3p, and on the sorrowful mysteries on Tuesday and Friday we would have a station for every bead of the 4th decade - Jesus takes up his Cross or drags his Cross!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic!

Dad brought all 13 of us into The Catholic Church 50 years ago - each day since has been a pearl of great price! 

Joy 4 years ago - she is now a big sister to Thomas Robert!  How she loves him and he loves her.  She is so blessed to be able to be a big sister as she is #6 and Tom is #7!

Golden Fall days with my companion Tom! 

Psalm 139 from mass today is one of my all time favorites and speaks so powerfull of the gift of LIFE!  The motto of our domestic Church/family is to be Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!  How we embrace this truth that The Church holds out to us and we find such happiness here!

If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.  Psalm 139

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

My dad underlining in his prayer book yesterday - the Archangels!  

Pope Benedict XVI on the Feast of the Archangels yesterday..."Faith makes man light.  We become like angels.  We can fly, because we no longer weigh so heavy in our own estimation."  

A new way to look at light, and very cool and deep which you can count on Pope Benny showing us on our journey - so much with each new day!!  I am overwhelmed with your love, O Lord and Lady!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Now dad's man, Brother Victor... I love when dad underlines and shows me how much the beauty of this monk sharing his life with us meant to my wonderful wise father!  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54 - 34 with us and 20 in heaven including both my parents that died 7 months apart after reaching 70 years of marriage and our family of over 140+!

Danielle Rose 

Zach Williams

 

Discipleship requires our ALL - a flood of nuns and priests!/Our new Bishop! Prayers answered bountifully!!!!

Handmaids of Jesus!

As we pulled into Sleepy Eye for the Instillation of our new Bishop - this most beautiful sight greeted us!  So many emotions flooded me to see this sight in the place where I would send my daughters to spend time with nuns in habits in the only place in our diocese they were - Schoenstatt Sisters of the Lake!  

Such a beautiful sight for me!  In the bright fall sunshine on a gloriously beautiful day for our Church and our diocese!  Especially for me!  I was determined that my girls would consider this call, and Susan/Hallel shared with me as we were coming home for her week with the sisters at Schoenstatt camp - "Mom, I think that I want to be a nun."  

We arrived early and were right next to the middle section reserved for "religious."  First to arrive were 3 Schoenstatt sisters!  I had to smile with such JOY knowing that because of them I now have my nun! 

Live Stream — Diocese of New Ulm (dnu.org)   - the livestream of this glorious occasion!   

I could not resist as it was such a personally powerful sight to behold in such glory!  I myself was considering becoming a nun, when I answered my father that "yes" I wanted to come into The Catholic Church as a 20 year old convert.  "I want to be a nun, so yes, I want to be Catholic!"    Dad and mom brought all 13 of us into The Church against the tide leaving with Vatican 2!  I know that they were rejoicing with me yesterday at this glorious occasion of Bishop Chad becoming our Bishop!

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic! 

A Postulant with a 2 sisters.  The story continues with the Handmaids and our own nun!  Susan was going to St Thomas and lived in a Discernment house with 3 of the original women that were listening to a call to begin a new order.  The Bishop was not very quickly acting, and Hallel answered her own personal call to enter The Community of the Lamb in 2008.  She had returned home and wept in the Church in the wee hours of the morning before mass every day asking the Lord to show her his plan for her!  

Here is her story as she shared on Nancy's daily podcast - Catholic Sprouts!

The Catholic Sprouts Podcast - Catholic Sprouts

Hallel's own words about becoming a nun!  She mentions Schoenstatt camp!  

She shared all 5 days that week!  LOVE!

Wenesday sharing

So stunningly beautiful all around us!  

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John overhead!  Today St Luke speaks just exactly in strong words the life of these men and women that say "yes" to his personal call to them - to be His Disciples!!!

And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."  Luke 9

Fr Denny at mass this morning reminded us that although Jesus sounds harsh - he is pointing out to us that if we want to be his disciples it must be our top priority - he is emphasizing how we are to leave all behind.  We certainly have witnessed this with our nun - she was not able to attend her brother's wedding and other occasions like holidays.  It is hard,but they do not turn back but do the work of proclaiming the Gospel through a life of prayer!  

So much beauty!  

St Luke - my personal Saint that I took on the day of my confirmation at a huge adult confirmation at the Cathedral in St Paul with my parents and siblings!  Barbara Lynn Luke!  So appropriate with my being called rather than to being a nun to being a farm wife to a farmer with many cattle over these 44 years

So amazed to be in the midst of all these women religious in their varying habits!  My heart lept for JOY to see with my eyes and heart the huge change over the last 15 years in our diocese!  To have The Handmaids and Mary Morning Star Sisters filling convents that have been empty and using a Catholic school in Ghent that has closed years ago for their cells!  

The tears lept to my eyes as I read this meditation from the Gospel by Father Simeon!  It speaks of the amazing LIFE our nun has embraced and really all of us in our marriages and daily following Jesus down the narrow path with heaven forever as our goal!  

The Lamb shows us that we need to die to ourselves so as to live as new creatures in Christ!  

So wonderful to see him yesterday and get a hug!  He asked about John and Hallel - he has been so supportive to us for Hallel's call to religious life and John's battle with cancer!  When I found him to talk to he was speaking with a couple of the Handmaids - thanks to Bishop LeVoir the Handmaids came to New Ulm to begin their order of Sisters!  Thank You!  

A picture taken from the computer screen to show the amazing sight of nuns in habits that are now in our diocese in 2022!  I would say 80+!  I even had to move over to have a sister sit by me as their section was full!  I was on cloud 9!!!

So many priests and Bishops from across the world!  How I LOVE The True Church!  

Archbishop Hebda from the Archdiocese in Minneapolis St Paul!  

Mother Mary Clare was one that was with Susan 15 years ago in St Paul, and Bishop LeVoir invited them to come and begin their order - now over 50 sisters!  I got a hug from her!  So much a part of Susan/Hallel's journey to becoming a nun!  

A few years ago I was at a retreat with a sister, who reminded me this Truth - "You have your nun because of your call!"  Yes!!! And what JOY and blessings I have and continue to get from being allowed to share in her LIFE as a Contemplative Little Sister of The Lamb!

Pope Francis announcing that he is our Bishop!  

Such a sight!  

Out to take supper to hubby as they combine beans.  

Sunset is around 7p and sunrise 7a - 12 hours of daylight as the days get shorter every day - fall has arrived!  

Corn stalk bales to be unloaded!  

The weaned calves are doing well.

Loved mom's daily meditations by Pope Benedict XVI today on marriage and commitment - "a man and a woman being turned toward each other in the reality of love."

Going back to time with hubby and Tom on Monday!  Tom was so excited to ride in the water truck with grandpa and they posed for grandma this special picture with the golden fields as a backdrop!  

Then we helped pick up corn stalk bales!

The rack we need to fill many times.

A kitten and an apple off the tree helped us on our journeys.

Many kittens over our 44 years on the farm and lots of them had adventures with our kids and now grandkids.  This one cried all the way home, so returned to his mother when we got back to the yard.

Getting tired 

Yes, I was hot and nervous driving the tractor and pulling 11 bales on the bale rack! 

Stopped by to see the Mother of God this morning - I was told the ongoing story I shared a few weeks ago of a young woman, who met her husband after waiting many years - both married for the first time!  He was a fallen away Catholic and she helped him return, and they had their marriage blessed by Pope Francis last week in Rome!  

Another miracle from their special marriage - he has only one brother, who has been distant to his mother and brother.  He came to the wedding and sat by his mother, and his mother was overjoyed!  I wept for Joy for another special blessing and answer to prayer!  

After mass and swim aerobics stopped by the house to pick up Tom and see the progress...

The white clean ceiling in the Dining Room!  Now maybe a light grey paint on the walls to finish the updating.  Exciting times seeing it come together so nicely!  

The carpenter knows this sweetie by name, and he is adorable if I do say so myself!  

Tile going up in the kitchen and then... that can start to come together!  Yes, white subway tile on the wall and under the sink.  

He wanted to jump out of mom's arms and come to grandma!  That ice cream sandwich he has as soon as he gets to my house is a hit!  

Ruth with her 7th child is so natural and beautiful to behold!  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!  

Ice cream sandwich bitesize - he eats the whole thing!  

Bill back with his family after 12 days overseas with work!  Happy to see them together!

Bishop shared how our prayer for a new Bishop over the last 2 years "pierced him to the core" when he found it on our New Ulm Diocese website.  Our prayers have been answered and we are filled with great JOY!  Thank you, Lord and Lady!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah!

The amazing altar lit up with tiny lights for this most beautiful occasion!  

From his homily - 3 things we need to do

1. Hear God

2. Give him your heart

3. Have HOPE!

Bishop mentioned that we need Eucharistic revival!  

St Vincent de Paul feast yesterday and he was part of our gathering!  I am amazed over and over by how much we are given each day from our glorious amazing Catholic Church!  I thought that as I describe my marriage as "never a dull moment"  - this is true for our Church also!  I noticed that tomorrow is the Feast of The Arch Angels!  Wow!!!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54 - 34 with us and 20 in heaven!  

"Who we love shapes what we become."

 St Clare of Assisi

 

 

When St Margaret Mary Alacoque left the world

and consecrated herself to God in the cloister,

she made a private vow and wrote in her blood,

 

"All for the Eucharist,

nothing for me."

 

It is useless to attempt to describe

the Saint's burning love for the Eucharist.

When she was not able to receive Holy Communion,

she broke out in ardent expressions of love like these:

 

"I have such a desire for Holy Communion that if

I had to walk barefoot along a path of fire to obtain It,

I would do so with unspeakable joy."

 

Excerpt from Jesus, Our Eucharistic Love

Fr Stefano Manelli

O God beyond all praising - the final hymn says it all!!!  

Danielle Rose