"Behold the Bridegroom!" - He called you to be close to Him.../So much JOY in Kansas with 3 of our kids! +JMJ+

It was parents' weekend with our nun!  We are given the gift of coming so close to Jesus!  We are close, but our daughter is even closer and we are allowed to witness her deep love and devotion to her spouse, Jesus! So powerful and REAL!

The Gospel for the 32nd Sunday to my great excitement was the 10 Virgins from Matthew 25.  Some beautiful insight that was shared - Little Sister Marie, their foundress, pointed out that the foolish Virgins were not allowed in because they left to buy oil and missed the Bridegroom.  If they had stayed even without oil for their lamps - the Bridegroom in his Mercy would have allowed them in.  Our Lord is a merciful Lord - he forgives our mistakes and allows us to be close to him at the wedding feast! 

Our hour with Jesus and our spouses and daughters was so very rich and beautiful as we joined in some amazing songs!  These words were so amazing to me!  "Behold the humility of God..."  Yes, in a small piece of Bread is the Body of our Lord! 

We sat together as couples behind our daughters... Little Brother Francis Xavier then brought Jesus within inches from us and made the sign of the Cross with the Monstrance.  The sight of our daughter facing her Lord with such LOVE brought tears to my eyes.  How she loves her Lord in Word/Gospel and Body and Blood.  

Travel weary after 7 hours on the road to arrive in Kansas City at Lumen Christi Monastery just as mass was ending.  Hubby Farmer Pat loves to make a way for the grandkids to share time together, so we brought these 3 farm kids with us for the weekend.  

I must admit that I give hubby some guff for filling our truck to the brim and then some - 8 chickens, 3 kids, son John and Pat and I - all 6 seats filled and the entire back of the truck!  But it was a wonderful time and I am filled to the brim with so much happiness and JOY today!  I am burning to share some of it here, but at this point it too seems overwhelming!  

Knowing that I was being encouraged and allowed to make food for my 4th daughter and her family - I found joy in making 6 crumb crust apple pies from the pie filling we were able to put up last year.  Pies have always been my thing!  My sharing at Open Table where I found JOY in this last week - "Being able to be a mom for my nun, and make food for her and her family of the Lamb!"

In the back seat with Rose and Luke on Friday, and Pat drove much of the way with 6 year old Joy in the middle and John co-piloting. 

John is Joy's Godfather, and it was special to watch him help Joy with her 1st grade homework.  It is quite evident to see the scar where John had his brain biopsy 14 years ago to discover the type of brain cancer he had.  It left him with ataxia that continues to this day on his left side.  In a few cells they did discover that he had Primary Central System Lymphoma!

John and Hallel shared huge occasions in their lives 14 years ago - John's battle with brain cancer and Hallel taking her habit in France!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: John's cancer stories

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Susan Angela Agnes/Little Sister Hallel - the story of a Call . 

John's Spirit Juice Video - continues with wife and 3 precious children!  Next weekend John and Bobbi will be going down to spend some time with his sister and The Community of the Lamb along with the military family on Base at Fort Leavenworth!  So excited as Hallel will meet her niece, Lucy Marie, for the first time.  She is now 10 months!  

Within minutes of arriving on base on Friday - Bumpa had his lap full of the two youngest girls - 7 year old Evangeline and 2 1/2 year old Magdalene!  

Veteran's weekend - March 2022 - Major Joseph on his promotion with his family in Fort Lewis in Tacoma, WA.  We are thrilled that after a year on the East Coast after 4 on the West Coast - that they are now in the center of the country and just 7 hours away from us!  

I told Maria that she is going to regret living so close to all this family.  "No, but I am sure glad that I have a guest room set up for all the waves of family that are coming to visit."  

Sharing Night prayer and the Gospel for the next day before we went to bed...  "You cannot serve God and mammon."  Luke 16:15

Pat sharing with the 15 gathered around him - gesturing with his huge hands, which were a topic of conversation over the weekend.  

Me with my one year old #4 daughter, Susan, in 1986 - 37 years ago!

Salad, pies - yes, there is a taste test piece missing, and Hallel/Susan and mom 37 years later!  Quite the change!  

Preparing for Open Table at the Little Brothers' Monastery - The light of Mary the Mother of God Monastery!  

The microphone went around the table and we shared how we have been blessed in the last week.  

A time of deep sharing.  I love to be asked to be a mom, and I mentioned the pies...

Then the dessert parade that we have grown to love and expect at the end of the meal.  If there are children present they carry the sweets, but this time it was the daughters/Little Sisters!  

The JOY of song of angels and the taste of sweets!  

Dorotha joined at the same time as Hallel - they met for the first time in Chicago when Hallel went to get her green card to leave for France!  We go way back 15 years with her - another daughter to us!  

Jorey - a business owner from the neighborhood - "A year ago the Sisters came into my yard and sang for me, so I want to sing for them today."  2 wonderful songs!  I want to find them, and add them here!  

Hallel is famous for closing her eyes in pictures, and some things never change!  The 4 chickens we brought for them from Minnesota laid 4 brown eggs on their first day.  Actually they laid eggs in the box in the there!  The Little Brothers also got 4 chickens and equally were blessed with eggs from each!  

Maria and John came to help with the cleanup around the Monastery - leaves raked and burned behind the Grotto of the Incarnation.

I was able to sit at the grotto and pray my rosary above my head on the hill above the grotto there was a beautiful blue jay and a small woodpecker.  It seemed that all God's creatures love to be with Our Lady too!  So much JOY and PEACE!  

Farmgirl Joy and military girl Evie were full of questions about the Grotto and posed for grandma.  They are just 6 months apart and along with Josephine are the girl group and friends for life!  

11 year old Rose Again at the grotto of blessings and miracles - come here for healing!  

Evie and Joy giving Mary the Mother of God a kiss before they head back to base with Maria and John.

Hard working hubby taking some time to watch the fire after making many trips up and down the huge hill with a large tarp of leaves and brush from the garden.

The parents and sisters share a wonderful meal after our afternoon of work and prayer.  Special potatoes that I helped to criss cross to make them more special and flavorful.  

Vegetables ready to roast - the red maple leaves in the bouquet too.

Maria gathering up some leaves for our trip down...

Hector cheers her on as she throws them on the fire.

Hallel sharing that there are going to be some huge changes in their order - Community of the Lamb.  They will all be heading over to France in March and not return until June.  "We will be voting for a new prioress!"  Little Sister Marie, their founder, feels that it is a good time to pass on the reigns.  Many prayers that the changes may be smooth and good for all involved.  Jesus, we trust in you.  

Doing dishes after each meal is a huge undertaking with many hands - a time to share from the heart and keep their lives tidy.  

Hallel describes her life as "prayer and dishes."  So True!  

When she knew that we would be many after mass on Sunday - we promised to buy the food we would share.  

Our canning jars tucked away - so much JOY to share our homemade food with our #4 daughter and her family of the Lamb!

Selfie at the grotto in the beautiful morning yesterday before mass! I must end this for today - so much more to share, but I am needing to go to mass and work at Birthright!  

I love how they humor me!  Yes, I am spoiled in so many ways!  Thank you, Lord and Lady!  Bless-bless; Barbara and the 33 plus many Little Brothers and Little Sisters 

Close to Him!  Behold the Bridegroom!  

The Lamb in the cupala - the motto they live by - "Wounded, I will never cease to love."  Aglow in the Kansas sunlight!