Sr Bernice MC powerful sharing each Sat of Lent/Good spouses sharing what really matters!/"Into thy hand I commit my spirit" - +JMJ+

I came across John and Bobbi's engagement pictures and was very touched by how we took them in both our beautiful church in Marshall and her's in Ghent.  It just spoke volumes of what they valued most in their lives and now into their marriage.

As I pondered each of his older sisters and their values they looked for in their spouses... I am filled with great appreciation and happiness to see that they looked for men of Faith also.

2 year old Regina Maria yesterday in Pennsylvania ready for her great Uncle Bob's wake.  

7 year old Josephine Francis in PA for Uncle Bob's passing.  

Oldest sister Bernadette, who is now 11.  These are Nancy's 3 girls and they have 3 brothers too.  

I have been intrigued by Sr Bernice of the Missionaries of Charity, who shares every Saturday such stirring and special stories on Hallow.  I was happy to find her picture and a story shared by the KCs! 

Encounters With Mother | KofC.org 

Some 6 year old pictures of baby Joy I came across.  She will be 7 on March 31st, so this was about 6 years ago.  She was not very happy to be by these big scary calves in the calftopia.  Today they put out the big calf shed - Calftopia as they have now 14 baby calves.  They are adding up with 5 yesterday and 3 today so far. 

Ruth, Luke and not too happy baby Joy 6 years ago.  

Wonderful farm wife/farmer Ruth Ida!  We appreciate so much our farm family - Ruth, Paul and their 7 children from 19 to 2!  Little Tom now has his mom to share more time with now that the in town remodeling is done.  Now she just has to flip the 2 Airbnbs a lot.  

Just to show that Joy was a happy girl - just not sure about those big scary calves.  Today when she got home from school she ran up and gave me a big JOY HUG!  Such a loving and happy girl that lives up to her name!  

The last time that Ruth's bunch was in Kansas with Hallel our nun was about 6 years ago.  I just got wind of a fake plan for this summer.  Evangeline will be receiving her First Communion on July 14th at the Monastery with her Godmother and Godfather!  How I would love to think that Ruth could get down there for that. 

Hallel has come this way so she has met her Thomas Robert.  We all know that he is such an amazing gift of New LIFE for our farm family!  

It was so wonderful when we had our Nancy and Susan/Hallel both in KCK!  It lasted about 3 years and we could stay with Nancy in Shawnee and spend time with our Community of the Lamb and our special family of Nancy and Bill!  

They now live in Delano and have added George and Regina.  They have a ministry called Catholic Sprouts and Domestic Church Project.

Welcome - Catholic Sprouts

Domestic Church Project App Q&A - Catholic Sprouts  

One of the hardest part of their move to Delano, MN was leaving behind the time they had every week with The Community of the Lamb.  Little Monastery " Lumen Christi " - Community of the Lamb  

Special time sharing our Faith with Nancy's family in Shawnee 4 years ago.  

Sharing time with Mary Morning Star nuns in Ghent with John.  You experience entering the stable where baby Jesus was born as they cover the chapel with straw... a very real and powerful and humble experience!  Humility is coming very powerfully to me these days of Lent and now that thanks to Ruth I am doing Hallow  Hallow - #1 App for Christian & Catholic Prayer, Meditation, Bible + Sleep  

Danielle Rose - Litany of Humility

How can a person pray for this?  So hard, but the Lord asks us to do this!  

From the Psalm 31 today - Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.  Yes, lord i am yours!  May I die to self and serve without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus many little sisters and little brothers

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory. 

For your love is better than life ...

So I will bless you all my life...Psalm 63:2-4

 

 

“Video caelos apertos, St Stephen cried

as they stoned him:  ‘I see the heavens opened’.

The elevation is the moment at which the eternal

is made manifest in time, in the ‘divine mystery’,

the moment of vision on the Mount of Vision.

 

But we are not meant to think of the vision

as something which, however precious and sublime,

is fugitive, impermanent:  essentially it leads

on to the moment of communion, and that in

its turn points onward to the life that is to be

 led in the world when the Mass is over.”

Gerald Vann, O.P. - The Paradise Tree

 

 

"Therefore, do not lose by saving,

but gather in by scattering.

Give to the poor, and you give to yourself.

You will not be allowed to keep what you

have refused to give to others."

 St Peter Chrysologus

Stained Glass:  Elevation of host.  Rothenburg, St Jakob (Bavaria).  Artist: Rafael Toussaint

 

Pray - Fast - Give

 

Sandbox on a 60degree day in Feb/Hallow thanks to Ruth/"...yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!" - +JMJ+

2 year old Tom in the window of the beautiful playhouse that mom built probably 10 years ago now.   I love his glowing smile and the dimples he inherited from grandpa Pat!  

Stopped by the farm to gas up my van after my chapel on wheels had been to Balaton with MOW.  Found my Tommy out with mom by the garden while she cut down her asparagus - "I love to work in my garden and to do it in February is amazing.  Tom and I went to Menards and I bought him some sad toys for February in the sand box."  60 degrees!!!

60 degrees in a sweat shirt and playing in the sandbox!  Mom recalled this late summer how her yearned to play in the sand with his trucks and couldn't sit up yet after his accident.  Now thankfully he is as good as new. "He couldn't sit up yet, and I had to hold him up so that he could play in the sand."  

Thank you Lord and Lady for healing our sweet boy and continue to keep him safe always!

Mom cutting back the asparagus while Tom plays in the sun and the sand.  Who needs to go away to find a beach with sun and sand?  Such a wonderful winter we are having!  Tomorrow might be a bit more seasonal with cold, snow and wind.  

Front porch of Ruth's playhouse now about 10 years old and still solid and sweet for the kids and kittens.  Sure enough there will be some spring kittens soon on the farm.  

 Tom and dad, Farmer Paul, watching Cow TV yesterday after we shared mass and brunch no the farm.  They are watching a cow getting ready to calf.  

Just about done taking down the asparagus vines getting ready for the new spears to come up.  Tom is learning from his wonderful mom how to be a wonderful gardener!   

The trees are confused putting out buds in this warm spring weather.  We all are a bit confused, but happy for each beautiful day all the same.

Once again I have my kids to thank for taking me deeper in my Faith journey!  Ruth was so excited to share with me Hallow - #1 App for Christian & Catholic Prayer, Meditation, Bible + Sleep  

When one of my children express a way to grow in my faith - I listen!!!  She is so right!  I spent a lot of my day yesterday catching up since it began a daily journey beginning with Ash Wednesday.  So powerful as we follow Fr Ciszek - He leadeth Me is the book they are sharing.  

One of the stories of surrender from Fr Frankie Cicero!  Wow!  

Nothing like a shovel to dig with and a watering can in the sand on a 60 degree day in February!  The year his mom was born in 1980 we had a warm winter like this!  

Mom spoiled her 2 year old boy with sand toys!  I am so happy that Ruth has the JOY of a sweet little guy to share her days with.  I marvel how the Lord has given Ruth and Paul 7 precious children over 17 years!  Each one is a gift to our farm.  Pat and I marvel at the happiness we are given with each one.  Our Tom is such a delight and total GIFT to us!  Thank you, Lord and Lady!  

Farmer dad with his youngest, Thomas Robert, who is 2.  We are blessed with 6 older siblings that are all such good helpers in our big farming operation.  How we thank the Lord and Lady for their love and hard work.  

Our Cow TV allows us to keep an eye on the cows in the house.  

Tom a year ago in grandpa Pat's giant gloves.  From every indication Tom is a farm boy through and through.  After all his first word is "Moo!"  

The farm family is doing something very special during Lent - the Stations of the Cross as a family!  Joy with her art work for the 11th Station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross.  She needs to change the number from 9 to 11!  

Rose's art work of Jesus meets his Mother - the 4th Station.  Beautiful!  

The First Station by Rose - Jesus is condemned to death.  

Middle of the night prayers with John and the litany of our families - all 250+!  

CS Lewis is amazing - Fr Shawn preached using his words from The Great Divorce.    It makes me want to reread it again.  Thanks Fr Shawn!  

Jesus be more and more to me with every day of my life!  

Our Sunday brunch after sharing mass - I sat next to my Tom and he loved my kitty cat mug.  

All but Mary making robots for a contest to see which is the best built and can overcome the competition.

5th Station - Smon helps carry the Cross by Rose Again!

3rd Station - Jesus falls the first time.  

2nd Station - Jesus takes up the Cross - come follow me!"

From mass today - from Daniel 9  yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!   How amazing is that!  Thank you Lord and Lady!

LOVE this from 33 days - Most Cherished Cross!  

Lighting a candle to Mary the Mother of God with my sweet Joy!  How we love her and turn to her with all our needs!  

The first 6 Stations by Rose - so amazing and beautiful!  Love that the farm family is following Jesus on his Way of the Cross!  "Take up your Cross and follow me!"  Yes, Lord!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus many little Sisters and Little Brothers

 In quietness and trust is your strength...

Isaiah 30:15

 

Praying Woman - Kathe Kollwich

 

"Your watchful care after Communion is no less

important than your devout preparation before it. 

When we keep good watch over ourselves after

Communion, it is the best preparation we can make

for receiving greater grace.  Beware of much talking:

stay by yourself in some place apart and

there rejoice in the company of your God;

there you have Him within you, and the

whole world cannot take Him from you."

 

Thomas a Kempis

 

Pray - Fast - Give

_______________

LOVE Thomas A Kempis!  From my early Catholic days - Immitation of Christ!

Goodness of God - our TEC Song fills my heart with JOY and LOVE!

Danielle Rose - Litany of Humility

Small things with great love

The Saint that is just me

  

80 baby calf pictures with Tom/Mary takes first X3!/Villain John makes me laugh/"I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word." - +JMJ+

Granddaughter Mary with mom and dad on Saturday at the Marshall Speech meet.  As someone said to me today - "It is astounding to take 3 firsts in 3 different categories!"  Humor, Creative and Duo.  I just noticed that she is wearing her great grandma Beatrice Vercoe's pink pearls!   A special touch that makes me smile!

Grandpa bringing the newest calf over for Tom to see.

Tom came over today while mom cleaned the Parsonage and we went over to see the 4 new baby calves.  The first one arrived over the weekend while we worked the TEC retreat, and the newest one arrived last evening while some of us were at John's play - Disaster!  

Such a cute baby calf less than 24 hours old.  The number 4 means that he is the 4th calf with about 180 to go yet.  Lord and Lady be with us this calving season and help it to go smoothly.  It is the year of the S.  

Daddy came to help Tom get comfortable with a baby calf.

A close encounter was just fine with 2 year old Tom.  Such a sweet and happy farm boy he is!  

His big brothers Simon and David help outside quite a bit.  They even fed the cattle so grandpa Pat could go to a parents' weekend in Kanas for our nun, Little Sister Hallel!  

The calf gave Tom a "kiss" on the cheek!

So precious.  Pat says that when he rides along while he feeds the cows and calves that he gets very excited.  Tom is taking his time talking, but "moo" was his first word and continues to be what he calls cows.  

Grandpa's big hands keep the calf in control, and a kiss on the cheek!  

Tommy doesn't like the very friendly chickens, but they sure like to follow him around the barn.  Grandpa Pat sure loves his brown chickens and their wonderful brown eggs they lay every day.  

A cute pair outside - so far a very nice February for calving.  Thank you, Lord!  

A cute 3 generation one of Tom with his dad and grandpa.  How we love to have our young family on the farm and all they do!  

With calving here - the Cow TV is getting all the kinks out.  Ruth and Paul have Cow TV on in their house 24/7 and Paul is the main man overnight for helping when needed.  Thanks Paul!  Old grandpa Pat can get some good sleep most nights during calving, and that is wonderful for him now that he is knocking on 70.

Tom safe on this side of the fence where he can watch dad helping get the right calf with the right cow.  

Safe in daddy's arms.  Tom came back with me and crawled into my bed and took a nice nap after we got back from the farm.  

A snuggly and warm in grandma's bed for a nice nap.  He makes my heart swell with love and gratitude for him loving grandma and our home so much.  Our home is so peaceful and quiet compared to his busy house with 6 older siblings on the big busy farm.  A peaceful haven for our little Tommy boy.  

A week ago I was frantically getting ready to be at our TEC retreat.  Still glowing inside after such a wonderful special encounter with our Lord.  

Our song for the weekend - Goodness of God

I played it for Pat and I before he headed over to the farm for the day.  It strikes a deep cord inside of the prayers and the love we encountered last weekend and now carry forth into our lives!  

Pat's brother, Mel Verly, in Henderson, Nevada called and was watching us on Cow TV.  Paul is showing David the camera.  "So crazy that I can watch you in Marshall, MN from Nevada!"  Mel helps us watch for cows that are calving.  

Tom on one side and a cute calf on the other.  Yes, I got a bit carried away with baby calf pictures with 2 year old Thomas Robert, his dad and grandpa.  

Dad and Tom helping the calf go outside and find his mommy.

Little Tom and his farmer dad, Paul.  

Tom's 2 older brothers, 15 year old David and 19 year old Simon doing chores a few weeks ago while both their dad and grandpa were gone.  Thanks guys!  How we love to have our young and willing farm family.  They even had to weld a metal plate on the spout that had a hole in it!  

A reflection on the wall of St Mary's chapel during our TEC retreat last weekend.  A sign of how loved and blessed we are by this wonderful 3 day Together Encounter Christ retreat that has been a part of our family since Ruth made her first one when she was 16 - 28 years ago!  

The 3 older girls each went and asked me to go - I could no longer say "No."  My spiritual journey was deepened with PRAYER becoming so REAL and powerful - with each beat of my heart and each breath that I take - "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." 

A great one from 8 years ago - we have added Joy and Tom since!  LOVE baby calf pictures with dad!  

CS Lewis speaks in such beautiful terms of our heavenly home we long to enter someday with our Lord, Lady and All the Saints and our beloved dead!  

Arch villein, John, at his play - Disaster - last evening.  A lot of laughs!   

Ruth and Rose too!  

Prayed my rosary before mass today- praying for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters while Pat was at That Man is You at 6a before mass.  7 Sisters prays means that there is a woman praying for each priest every day of the week.  So important to protect and support our priests that bring LIFE into the world with the Eucharist every day.  

Oh, Lord, please end the horror of abortion!  Protect lives that are in danger this day.  I have no doubt that St JPII and St Mother Teresa of Calcutta are working tirelessly to end this horror!  

So powerful at this time of Eucharistic Revival in our Glorious Church!  

I am now attending daily mass thanks to my husband getting me "more active."  I started doing water aerobics at the Y at 8a, so why not go to mass at 7a to start my day?  When the priest lifts up the Body and Blood at Consecration - I repeat the words of St Thomas - "My Lord and My God."  to help me concentrate that it is The Lord there for me! 

The Psalm today - Psalm 130 is reverberating in my heart, mind and soul - I trust in the LORD;

my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
For with the LORD is kindness

and with him is plenteous redemption;  Psalm 130

Lord, I long to love and serve you more and more.  May I die to self and serve without counting the cost.  I trust in you, Jesus, Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus many little sisters and little brothers.  

A good one for Lent!

Another song from TEC weekend - Small things with great love by Danielle Rose

Also Danielle Rose = The Saint that is just me

Will Morrison too