Holy Family - 4th day of Christmas comes with a blizzard/Christmas with little sisters in Kansas/'bearing with one another and forgiving" - +JMJ+

My kids and grandkids know the only gift I want for Christmas is to see them together dressed up for Christmas Mass smiling and sending love to me!  Maria missing Major Joseph, who is living in Poland for 10 months.  They now live in their forever home just outside of Taylors Falls, MN.  They attend daily mass at St Joseph's Catholic Church in TF.  A beautiful and familiar church where my parents attended towards the end of their lives.

Fr John Drees with Maria's 3 boys that serve daily mass so beautifully and reverently!  

Tom and Joy with the blizzard white out behind them - they came over to visit grandpa and grandma after Mass and celebratory brunch on the farm.

The farm family after Mass with the storm outside.  Simon is home from his work at ADM and Mary is home on break from college at the U of M.  Together!  

With the 7 little sisters and Postulant, Mary Grace, who spent Christmas with Pat and I living just down the hall in the room set aside for family.  My shirt says "Pray like a girl" with many amazing Saints!  These girls pray as their charism - so they are prefect examples of praying like these girls!  

Such a blessed Christmas that began with midnight Mass from 11p-1a.  Then Hot chocolate and cookies.  Pat then stayed up till 4a with them including Adoration.  The Community really doesn't sleep much, but we got to bed early Christmas night and slept in a bit on Friday morning. Pat made them sisters his yummy pancakes!  

Nancy's family in Delano looking festive and giving me my most cherished Christmas present!  They attend St Maximilian Kolbe Church and school!  

John's family with smiles and JOY!  John and I hugged as we won't see each other tonight as they are having a holiday from Adoration.  

Our family nativity about 11 years ago.  We will have one at our family Christmas at the end of the week at Lake Shetek Lutheran Camp.  Romeo was the baby Jesus and he is now 11.

How we love LIFE!  Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS is our motto we live by!  

And still December 28th also - the 4th day of the Octave of Christmas!  

Baby George is now 6, so this was about that long ago now... 

The sisters 2024!

Maria traveled to Poland to have a wonderful week with Major Joseph !  Such a blessing for them after they were apart for close to 6 months with another 4 to go until he returns to the U.S.

Out into the storm after Mass.

The two Patricks a few years back.

Therese with her little brother, Hector, while they were living in Fort Leavenworth 2 years ago.  They have discovered that they will be living in Fort Leonard wood when Joe gets back.  It is about 2 hours from the little sisters, and we are happy to know we can see two of our girls when we head down there.   

Pat's mom with Romeo and Dominic, who are both 11 years old now.  Mom died on Gaudette Sunday 9 years ago.  She loved little ones and had 10 children.  Her youngest, Ida, is know to say - "Thanks mom for having 10 kids!"  

Farmer Pat is now a breakfast cook.  Every time we go to visit one of our kids including our nun... he makes his wonderful pancakes, bacon and eggs!  He looks good in his  blue apron!  

Precious -  LIGHT came into the world!  

I know my sharing here is small, but it is how I share my Faith/Family/FArm!  

Beautiful healthy home cooking for her wonderful husband in Poland!  Joe took this picture showing his devotion!  Much in the readings today about how we are to love and care for our famillies!

Reading II Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17

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.  

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, 
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, 
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, 
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, 
so they may not become discouraged.

Yes, when I pray with Pat I pray that we may love and forgive as Jesus loves and forgives us!  The Holy Family shows us how to live this in our domestic Church/family!  Hear our prayer, O Lord!  

Lighting the oil lamps by the Nativity.

Blind little brother, David going up to say goodnight to Mary the mother of God.

Supper at the brothers sharing what we found deeply moving about the amazing Christmas services through the night!  I loved that I was blessed to share it with the Archbishop that brought the Community of the Lamb to the heart of our country!  

3 week old baby Christoph held by Francis Xavior.

Christmas Carrols after Christmas Day Mass!  

Percious baby Christoph laying in the hay while we honored the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!  

Archbishop Joseph now has retired and lives in a new home close to the little brothers!  He shared midnight Mass and breakfast with us,.  He also said the 11a Mass on Christmas Day!  I am in awe!!!  

He was the Archbishop that stood up for LIFE!  

So blessed to have this man now close by and sharing - it was wonderful to share with him here and there!  

Reminding us of how God came to the earth as a tiny newborn infant!  So helpless and truly new LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  

The Body and Blood of Jesus still is alive and well thanks to priests that say "yes" to his call!  

Bringing forth the cup.

Sharing his wisdom!  So grateful that he invited The Community of the Lamb to come to start this foundation in the heart of our country!  It is so important for them to be here!  

Hallel reading the first reading from Christmas Mass.

CCC 2024 - we now have 2025 in the books and it was lovely in every way!  So wonderful to share it with my grandkids and 3 of my kids with their families!

This has been a long project attempting to share my great JOY found in The Holy Family leading us into Jesus, Mary, the Saints and The True Church!  The wind continues to roar outside, and Pat has now gone over to the farm with Tom and Joy to help get the cattle bedded nice and dry after the blowing snow.  We have on the horizon our family Christmas beginning on Friday.  It looks like there can be snow for sledding at Garvin.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus 13 in heaven.  

Pray like these girls!  

Hallel describes their lives as "prayer and dishes".

CCC 2024

Another cute one of these two reuniting after 6 months apart!  

Every morning for the week I stayed with Maria's 7 - this gave me so much JOY and happiness!  a foretaste of heaven!  Bless-bless

  +JMJ+

Feast* of the HOLY 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 of communion 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 

ground of human character...  

Archbishop Fulton J Sheen

______________

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church

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, the school of 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 2026 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,

stained glass or statue of the Holy Family...

Or simply frame a Holy Card or 

Christmas card of the Holy Family.

Give it a place of honor in your home!

Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us! 

_______________________

Fourth Day of Christmas

Hail Holy Queen/Salve Regina as our Community sings it like angels 

Goodness of God

Good Tree - Hillbilly Thomists

Danielle Rose - the Saint that is just me

 

4th Sunday of Advent/CCC #40/David's 16th birthday to end a week with Maria's 7 - 3 grandsons serving - to John the Baptist and Joseph- +JMJ+

Sunday morning breakfast at our beloved Cross Christmas Camp - grandson David gives grandma a sweet smile to celebrate his 16th birthday!  Maria's 2nd child and born when we were in the midst of John's brain cancer 16 years ago.  

Young Dave with baby Jesus 12 years ago when he was 4.  

12 years later - Lucy, who will be 3 in a few weeks with beautiful baby Jesus!  

Maria and Major Joseph had been apart for close to 6 months, and were reunited for a wonderful week together in Poland!  They blessed us with some special pictures of the two of them!  He has another 5 months to go.  

Quite a picturesque town with many churches for them to get daily mass in each day.  

home cooking for her hubby in their Airbnb!   

Adoration after Mass on Friday with my 3 grandsons - David 16, Patrick 13, and Romeo 11 and Father John at the church my parents attended when they lived in Taylors Falls years ago, and St Croix Falls for 11 years in the 2000's!  

Speaking of Daily Mass!!!  I had the great JOY of having Mass each morning last week as I helped cook and care for Maria's 7 children while she was spending time with Joseph in Poland.  

I attended Mass here numerous times with my parents, and both funeral Masses for each parent was here in 2020. So powerful to now be attending here and seeing my grandsons serving!  

Praying in the shape of the Cross with the reverent altar boys at daily Mass each morning to begin our day in the right and good way!   

Deeply touched to witness this knowing that mom and dad are with us in spirit! 

I was staying with Maria's family right across the highway from my parents' grave - I walked in through the snow to find them very festively dressed up for the coming of Jesus!  

LOVE and miss you so much mom and dad - they died in 2020 just 6 months apart after celebrating 70 years of Marriage!  

Peaceful and beautiful on a river bluff on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin - Franconia, MN!  

My dad's last CCC was in 2019.  He came alone from his Assisted Living as mom wasn't up to coming.  Dad was dead by the next October after being on hospice in my Farm Monastery for 6 months!  This was a small year with about 50 gathered!  2020 didn't happen with dad's passing and covid closing everything down.  

2022 with maybe half of our family - dad and mom had passed so we included them with us!  

2024 was a big gathering for the picture - about 80...

This year - about 50 which is about a third.  As I say with a family our size with mom and dad and 11 kids and their families - it is still a large group!  It was a wonderful CCC #40!  

A special morning craft is part of our CCC fun!  Last year Therese made this adorable Holy Family!  

Jude is a Santa dude!  

My brother, Jim , does a wonderful job for the kids up until they graduate high school!  

A hug from Santa for Birdie and Maggie!  

2nd cousins that had so much fun playing!  

Cecelia and Magdalene too cute!  

Josephine with her beautiful star and the white world outside.

Birdie's stain glass window...

The joy of creating beautiful holy images!

Truth!  

4 years ago Nancy's family got the best gift ever!  A new baby sister, Regina Maria - Queen Mary!  Bernadette with her baby sister!  

Amazing Truth!  

Birdie Barbara a year ago with the precious baby Jesus.  She almost didn't make it this year, but did come with dad and grandpa.  She loves her CCC!  

Madalene with Santa!  

The star that Therese made with her beautiful roses!  

These 3 boys are all eleven now!  This was CCC 11 years ago!  Romeo was 3 months old, and it was the first time we got them all together in grandpa Pat's huge beefy hands!  Grandma got the clothes to match them just enough for this classic picture from CCC 2014!

Breakfast cooks 2019!  Our meals are shared and are always wonderful in every way!  

John with his oldest, Jude and cousin George who are both 6 now and in Kindergarten.  CCC 2019!  

O Antiphon for today - pure beauty!  

Bill and Nancy at CCC - Dominic is now 11 - so CCC 2014!  

Big Dave, Little Dave and Augustine... they still are close cousins!  

Classic 3 month old Romeo with Santa in 2014

My dad's final CCC in 2019 just before Covid hit!  Mom died in March of 2020 and dad in October of 2020.  A Christmas tree made from our hand prints!  

Blessed Solanus Casey was very important to us when John was battling cancer 16 years ago!  

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

John's Spirit Juice video

John with wife Bobbi, and Jude, who is now 6 and Birdie in her womb who is now 5 - CCC 2019.

The farm family 2019 - they have added Tom, who just turned 4.

The 3 boys that are each 3 weeks apart from the other.  Geoge, then Hector and finally Jude.

At David's 16th birthday yesterday.

We have made a plan to go to KCK for Christmas with our nun and her Community of the Lamb!  I was told that Archbishop Naumann will do the midnight Mass for Christmas and also the Mass on Christmas Day.  He has retired and now lives in his new home by the Little Brothers!  

Attending daily mass this last week and the readings spoke so much about John the Baptist and his importance in the story of our Salvation as he laid the way for Jesus to come and be our Savior.  Then we come to St Joseph and what a holy wonderful man of God he was as he believed what the Angel told him in a dream and protected Mary and her baby in the womb and when he came in the flesh to save us!  I am not sure that I have felt quite so deeply the importance of John the Baptist and St Joseph as I have this Advent of daily Mass with 3 of my grandsons so reverent on the altar!  I am filled with Awe and Wonder to witness their reverence and devotion. Thank you, Jesus!  

The fun dance after Santa - grandpa dancing with the little girls!  

Lights out and the lights!  

A 5 month old baby, Marcus, was a huge hit with the girls - for some it was the first time that they held a baby!  He was such a wonderful content and happy boy!

Marcus napping with his loving grandpa, my brother Dan!  

Cookie decorating - tree farm!  

Birdie and Evie decorating cookies - thanks Aunt Elaine!  

Babies Patrick and Bernadette 13 years ago - they are just a month apart in age - CCC 2012 - Patrick is 2 months and Berna is 1 month!  

On the way to CCC 2016 - Maria's kids visiting my mom when she lived in St Croix Falls just 15 minutes from Camp Wapo!  They have added Hector and Maggie.

17 year old Therese - loves all babies and Marcus was so peaceful and content with her.  So wonderful to have a baby to hold!  

Family rosary time after breakfast.  So wonderful to share our Catholic Faith as a family!  Nothing better or more important!  

Maggie in her cute second hand dress and jingle bell barrette.

Such a sweet boy!  

Maggie and Cecelia were cute together.

Getting ready for the family picture - Josephine with Marcus and Lucy.

Watercoloring last week - Tea Party

Maggie with Daddy.

Yes!

Grandma with my little sweet 4 year old - Magdalene!  

Reflecting on mom and dad - how I love and miss them!  They believed in family time supreme - Christmas Camp for the last 40 years and our cabin in Michigan where we each had a week on the shores of Lake Michigan!  

Christ the King!  

HRS Christmas Concert - Rose is an 8th grader and was an Angel.

Dan at Mass with us and Maggie has gotten to know him well living just outside of town!  

Angel Rose 

Evie and Maggie dressed for a tea party with the dolly, Anna!

Tom with the preschoolers singing in the Christmas program last week.

Decorating cookies for our tea party.

High Tea!

It was a fun week with our military grandkids!  Maggie was always close by grandma.  

Just 3 days away from the birth of our Lord!  Pat and I leave at noonish on Wednesday to go to KCK.  Our Christmas with our kids and grands will be January 2-4, so that allows them to spend Christmas with the other side as well as with their families.

The farm family had their family Christmas this last weekend.  We miss them at CCC, but they are needed to look after the farm and so they have their family Christmas the weekend before.  They do the nativity on light up the night as a family.  They go to a movie and other fun things.  

I have been working on this for hours - probably about 5 with doing laundry and making supper... It is high time to call it a night!  I just was so wanting to share my joy!  Jesus and Mary, I love you and long to share how wonderful it is to love you, your Church and your Saints.  May I die to self so that I may serve without counting the cost.  Jesus, I trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb and the 33 plus 13 in heaven.

Salve Regina - Hail Holy Queen - sung as our little sisters sing it like angels

Danielle Rose - Small things with great love

Goodness of God

Hillbilly Thomists - Good Tree