Farm memories

At the time this picture was taken... I was living in the inner city of Flint, Michigan. I had no idea of what went on on the farm... Although until I was in 3rd grade we had lived on a building site in a suburb on Flint... the land had been sold off for a subdivion of new houses that seemed to "grow" out of the fields that had once been farmed... we had an old log cabin in the back yard that my dad used for a garage. My mom did have a garden and I loved to sing of my love for Jesus under the clothesline and remember a big weeping willow that we would sit and play under. My parents eventually decided that we were too protected and needed a dose of the real world so they moved us into the inner city of Flint! I then became a true city girl, but always had a fondness for the country! When I met Pat... I was charmed by the special stories he shared with me about a true family farm where they all helped out and work was a necessary part of each day as the animals were cared for all the way from milking some cows moning and night to chickens to turkeys at some points along the way. One thing that they never have had is pigs... My husband, Pat, knew at a young age that he loved the farm and when his older brothter, Ed returned from serving in the armed services they and his younger brother, Don, decided to farm together. Some things have changed over the years, but they continue to do well and enjoy their work and show it with success in all they do! Pat has shared with our kids livestock through some family jobs like putting cows and calves out to the pasture which they are busy doing tonight... but the real hands on has been through 4H... The kids have great memories of the weeks/months in the summer that they have spent working with their beef animals getting them ready for the fair! I am eternally grateful that this city girl met a wonderful Catholic farmer that has a passion for his animals and his land!Following in their dad's footsteps the kids are demonstrating their "show technique". I know that this is a bad copy of this picture and I am on the lookout for a better one, but for now it will do. John was too young to show but he got to help walk them around the yard or chase them from behind so that they would walk forward instead of planting their feet and putting on the brakes. There was also those that got headstrong and some of the kids got dragged down the driveway a few times. Pat's rule of thumb - always wear long pants and work boots, but when the hot summer heat is out there... it's mighty inviting to wear shorts and tennis shoes. This year we have no one showing... that will be a change for us until our grandson, Simon is a few years older... Then it will begin all over again and Pat will once again pass on his love of livestock and the farm! Some cute stories of the kids and the love of the farm in their blood... When Ruth was doing her student nursing job in Houston, Texas told her dad that she would drive out into the country to see cattle. Nancy has little patience with those that do not know what they are talking about when it comes to anything farm.... and dear Susan loved to tell us that she could see "cows" in the hills around Saint Pierre, France in the letters she sent us while she was in formation to join the Community of the Lamb. One day she amazed all the Little Sisters and Little Brothers by going to try to get a calf back through the fence that she thought had gotten seperated from it's mother. It has become a living legend among the community! She was dressed in the long skirt that they wear until they take the blue habit... When she gets her week to come hiome it will be interesting to see if she will be out to check or help with the cows in her habit?!? The room that John now has upstairs for the last year was Susan's before she left and she had put up a border of cows grazing in a pasture along with calves because she loved cows! Even Maria, who we all knew to be the least in love with working with fair animals.. when we had the big "family jobs" of putting cows and calves out to pasture...her job would be to stand outside the gate and keep track of numbers. When she came home after 5 months in the monastery... We were all working out with the cows and calves and she was thrilled to be out there and exclaimed that we had a wonderful life and wasn't it a wonderful time to share together as a family. "I have been so lucky to have my life growing up on the farm!" she said realizing that the life she thought she had given up to enter a cloistered monastery for the rest of her life was now returned to her! And it was a gift that was appreciated and kept on giving! John has had some special animals that he has shown at the county fair and on to the state fair - Baby and Bertha and her calves year after year have been very good memories and experiences. His last year at the State Fair... the year before last... he also won the interview contest that all the kids in livestock are in... just showing how much he does know about the farm and livestock in particular. Now he wants to use his agricultural knowledge and his desire to persent himself in front of people to find a place for himself in this world! It is wonderful to look at this picture and think of each of the kids and how their being brought up on the farm has been such a positive thing for each one of them. Pat and I have always said that it is a wonderful way to raise a family, and being out here in the country it cerrtainly caused them to be close to each other... they were each other's best friends, and continue to be! Thank you Lord for our wonderful life on the farm! Following in their dad's footsteps the kids are demonstrating their "show technique". I know that this is a bad copy of this picture and I am on the lookout for a better one, but for now it will do. John was too young to show but he got to help walk them around the yard or chase them from behind so that they would walk forward instead of planting their feet and putting on the brakes. There was also those that got headstrong and some of the kids got dragged down the driveway a few times. Pat's rule of thumb - always wear long pants and work boots, but when the hot summer heat is out there... it's mighty inviting to wear shorts and tennis shoes. This year we have no one showing... that will be a change for us until our grandson, Simon is a few years older... Then it will begin all over again and Pat will once again pass on his love of livestock and the farm! Some cute stories of the kids and the love of the farm in their blood... When Ruth was doing her student nursing job in Houston, Texas told her dad that she would drive out into the country to see cattle. Nancy has little patience with those that do not know what they are talking about when it comes to anything farm.... and dear Susan loved to tell us that she could see "cows" in the hills around Saint Pierre, France in the letters she sent us while she was in formation to join the Community of the Lamb. One day she amazed all the Little Sisters and Little Brothers by going to try to get a calf back through the fence that she thought had gotten seperated from it's mother. It has become a living legend among the community! She was dressed in the long skirt that they wear until they take the blue habit... When she gets her week to come hiome it will be interesting to see if she will be out to check or help with the cows in her habit?!? The room that John now has upstairs for the last year was Susan's before she left and she had put up a border of cows grazing in a pasture along with calves because she loved cows! Even Maria, who we all knew to be the least in love with working with fair animals.. when we had the big "family jobs" of putting cows and calves out to pasture...her job would be to stand outside the gate and keep track of numbers. When she came home after 5 months in the monastery... We were all working out with the cows and calves and she was thrilled to be out there and exclaimed that we had a wonderful life and wasn't it a wonderful time to share together as a family. "I have been so lucky to have my life growing up on the farm!" she said realizing that the life she thought she had given up to enter a cloistered monastery for the rest of her life was now returned to her! And it was a gift that was appreciated and kept on giving! John has had some special animals that he has shown at the county fair and on to the state fair - Baby and Bertha and her calves year after year have been very good memories and experiences. His last year at the State Fair... the year before last... he also won the interview contest that all the kids in livestock are in... just showing how much he does know about the farm and livestock in particular. Now he wants to use his agricultural knowledge and his desire to persent himself in front of people to find a place for himself in this world! It is wonderful to look at this picture and think of each of the kids and how their being brought up on the farm has been such a positive thing for each one of them. Pat and I have always said that it is a wonderful way to raise a family, and being out here in the country it cerrtainly caused them to be close to each other... they were each other's best friends, and continue to be! Thank you Lord for our wonderful life on the farm!

The graces received from daily mass- Little Therese just back from 7:15a mass with her dad..

Therese in the tree with our dog, Roger. She thought that it was great fun to "climb" the bent over box Elder tree that is on the edge of our grove by where we have a fire pit... Being farmers we do not truly leave and take the time to go camping for enough days to make it worth while... instead we enjoy the times in the evenings that we can start a fire and make "hobos" on the fire and just enjoy some time away from the day to day and away from the TV in the evening! What we really like is that we can go in to our nice beds and bathrooms... so it is perfect "camping" for us. Therese has been to mass with her parents more days than not. When she was in the womb.. She attended mass daily, and maybe only missed a day or two when her mom was in the hospital to have her... Maria uses snugglies and carries her babies on her front from early on, and little Therese loved it in there as does her little brother, David... Her parents picked up right where they left off as soon as she came home from the hospital and there are very few days that she is not at mass with her mom and now her new 4 month brother, David Joseph. Both Joe, her dad, and Maria, her mother, considered religious life... Joe was in a pre seminary High School close to Chicago and then a few years considering the priesthood in seminary at St Thomas.. at the same time Maria came back from studying in Rome and went into the Poor Clare monastery for 5 months considering a vocation. The Lord had other plans for them as now they are entered into the vocation of Marriage and have two gifts from God, Therese and David! They however attend daily mass throughout there journey and now are "hungry" for our Lord...daily they receive him Body and Blood and take him forth into their lives and deeply instilled in their family - the domestic Church! Going to mass with her parents each day is very natural and normal for the two little ones, and a huge blessing to their wonderful new little family. Thank you Lord, and may young families come to know you, love you, and serve you! Jesus we trust in You!

The way of the cross

As you enter our home... on the wall... at the top a crucifix from my mother in law that has been in the family generations... so appropriate as it is the symbol and reality of our lives... how we are called to embrace the crosses that enter our lives... marriage, children, jobs, vocations, daily living, the Church, the saints... all of these only come to fullness through the wonderful CROSS! Without the suffering and "death" that the cross affords us in this life can we come to know the joy and happiness that arrives with the ressurection! Then both popes... John Paul 2... he became pope just a few months after our marriage in Oct of 1978! How we love him! He was my total hero and everything he held up to us as Truth... I totally embraced and followed! His stand for Life got me thinking as a newly married woman that I wanted to do more than say that I was "prolife"... I wanted to do something about it! I joined Birthright here in town and even discovered that I was pregnant with my first daughter learning how to do the pregnancy tests! To this day this group of amazing women are a special part of my life, and all of my daughters have followed suit and are stong on the cause for Life! Benedict might not be as visible as JP2 was, but I know that he was together with JP when he did Theology of the Body ,and all the other amazing deep truths that he has brought to light for us! Benedict gave Susan-Little Sister Hallel Communion twice when she was in Rome! "I received the Body of Christ from the Vicar of Christ" She tearfully told me when she presented us with this wonderful picture. Ruth and Paul had their marriage blessed by JP2 in 2003... just 4 days after their wedding.. they threw their wedding dress and tux in the suitcase and flew to Rome and knelt before an aging and ailing Pope John Paul the second... He had one of his "healthier times" then and was able to do his General Audiences.... Paul is looking up at him and asking him to bless them with a "happy and healthy family". On their first anniversary they were blessed with two month old Simon and now the other two! It was so appropriate that JP2 did this blessing for couples... He was so huge on family... he called the family the "domestic Church" .... that is where the church needs to come to life and to take root.... In our HOMES! I loved the picture of Benendict with the baby and they are both in hats! Too sweet for words and shows the loving side of him! Then on the other side is Our Lady of Perpetual Help... a picture that they gave Maria to put on her wall when she entered the Poor Clares for 5 months... considering religious life... this is the Mary that we have in our church in Marshall also, and Mary is truly our HELP! Then a picture of Pat and I..... a loving moment... our parents, who are and were amazing! Tucked back there is Padre Pio... and in the middle of it all is a Mary of the Suffering from a Church in Italy... around her feet in the full picture are many of those that are suffering and martyred for their faith.... how I love to come into her loving and caring arms.... both were gifts from the parents of a foreign exchange student we had from Italy in 2003.... On the side the two weddings of Ruth and Maria with their siblings on their specail days! I love to sit on the couch with my rosary and chaplet and gaze at these wonderful gifts to me.... So many blessings given me from our generous and merciful Lord and Savior! They fill me with joy and wonder at the many blessings that have poured out on me in these 58 years... Thank you Lord from the bottom of my heart which is overflowing with love for you and your cross and your resurrection and your wisdom! Jesus I trust in You!

Ahumbled contrite heart you will not spur. Ps 51:19

Oh, the beauty, and the joy, and the peace that passes understanding... floods me as I kneel in Your glorious presence, O Lord! Tuesday is our day of Adoration... the time spent there is the best time of the week. I feel your healing, and your infinite mercy as I place each one in our families and myself in the monstrance with You! The litany is long with I being the oldest of 11, and Pat the middle of 10! You know each of our needs better than we do ourselves... We need only to turn to You, and You are there with Your loving and forgving arms wide open to us. We place our burdens at your feet... we look to you on the cross, above the altar, and remember that You gave Your life out of love for us... that is some crazy amazing LOVE! Jesus we trust in You! That ever difficult but important to remember Litany of Humility.... The virtue you ask of us over and over... how we struggle with it! LITANY OF HUMILITY... From the desire of being esteemed. From the desire of being loved. From the desire of being extolled. From the desire of being honored. From the desire of being praised. From the desire of being preferred. From the desire of being approved. From the desire of being consulted - Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being humiliated. From the fear of being despised. For the fear of suffering rebukes. From the fear of being calumniated. From the fear of being forgotten. From the fear of being wronged. From the fear of being ridiculed. From the fear of being suspected - Deliver me, O Jesus. That others be loved more than I. Others esteemed more than I. Others increase and I decrease in the world's eyes. That others be chosen and I set aside. Others praised and I unnoticed. Others be preferred in everything. That others become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should - Jesus grant me the grace to desire it. Meek and humble of heart, Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, hear us. Meek and humble of heart, Jesus. Hear our prayers... show us the way to You! Amen

When I was a new Catholic and soon to be confirmed in a huge adult confirmation at The Cathedral in St Paul along with my parents and a number of my 10 siblings...

I was contemplating my saints name.... I was in nursing school and the fact that St Luke was a physician was appealing to me... I thought that it made sense for a nurse to pick a saint that was related to medicine.  I also appreciated all the ways the I got to know and fall in love with Mary in his Gospel.  He writes about Mary much more than the others and also he speaks more about women than the other Gospels.  In morning and evening prayers we say the canticle of Zechariah and in evening prayers we say the Canticle of Mary - "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant..."  How wonderful and beautiful is the Magnificat and I don't mean the book we use for prayer and mass...I mean the amazing prayer of Mary... out of Love for her God and the miracle that He is working within her humble body!  St Luke's Gospel is amazing, and I totally fell in love with him through his words there and in the Acts too!  So that decided it for me... St Luke would be my patron saint as I joined the Catholic Church with my entire family at age 20... all 13 of us received our first communion, and then those old enough were confirmed at a huge adult confirmation at the Cathedral in St Paul and I became at that time... Barbara Lynn Luke Cross... 

It was a powerful day for me as I saw the Bishop lay hands on both of my parents ahead of me, and ask for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in them.  Also my sisters younger than I and a brother...  We had experienced the Charismatic movement, and been baptized in the Holy Spirit in a Episopalian Church in Detriot, so the Holy Spirit was not new to us, but the fact that the Catholic Church had it as a sacrament for all that were becoming full members as a adults was exciting and I thought to myself; "The Catholic Church has it all!"  "They have it all figured out in a beautiful and powerful way !"  And to experience all this in the amazing setting of powerful beauty and glory to new eyes to the Catholic Church - if you have seen ST Paul Cathedral, you know what I am talking about... and putting yourself in my shoes... being a Protestant where there are no statues and the cross is without his body and blood and the reality of his death is not paid attention to... I fell madly in love with my Catholic Church, and have remained that way ever since... without ever a waver or doubt!  It is a total LOVE STORY! 

I had been sitting in adoration last week and sat further back than ususal...I looked over to study the window by me as I knew it was the one of my patron saint... ST Luke.  I had to chuckle to myself, because for the first time it really registered that his symbol is the ox or bull... how appropriate is that for me as a farmer's wife with our beef animals, and the fact that we have bulls out in the pastures with our cows...  I have always noticed that the 4 evangelists that wrote the 4 Gospels - Matthew - a man or angel, Mark - a lion, Luke - a bull, and John - an eagle... I wondered what these meant, so I just googled it and this is what I found out.  I am including all 4, because I think that it is interesting and I will no longer look at the windows of the 4 evangelists the same...  I was especially touched by St Luke's... as it speaks of the sacrifice we are all called to in our Christian life!  Lord, help me to be a servant and to give of myself  without counting the cost!  Jesus I trust in You!  Amen and Halleluia! 

Matthew the Evangelist, the author of the first gospel account is symbolized by an winged man or angel. Matthew's gospel starts with Jesus' genealogy from Abraham; it represents Jesus' Incarnation, and so Christ's human nature. This signifies that Christians should use their reason for salvation.[citation needed]


Mark the Evangelist, the author of the second gospel account is symbolized by a winged lion - a figure of courage and monarchy. Mark has John the Baptist preaching "like a lion roaring" at the beginning of his Gospel. It also represents Jesus' Resurrection (because lions were believed to sleep with open eyes, a comparison with Christ in the tomb), and Christ as king. This signifies that Christians should be courageous on the path of salvation.[citation needed]

Luke the Evangelist, the author of the third gospel account (and the Acts of the Apostles) is symbolized by a winged ox or bull - a figure of sacrifice, service and strength. Luke's account begins with the duties of Zacharias in the temple; it represents Jesus' sacrifice in His Passion and Crucifixion, as well as Christ being High priest (this also represents Mary's obedience). The ox signifies that Christians should be prepared to sacrifice themselves in following Christ.[citation needed]

John the Evangelist, the author of the fourth gospel account is symbolized by an eagle - a figure of the sky, and believed to be able to look straight into the sun. John starts with an eternal overview of Jesus the Logos and goes on to describe many things with a "higher" level than the other three (synoptic) gospels; it represents Jesus' Ascension, and Christ's divine nature. This represents that Christians should look on eternity without flinching as they journey towards their goal of union with God.[citation

The Lamb sacrificed once and for all to take away our sins and make heaven available to us...

Pope Benedict XVI upholds the Lamb!

The Lamb in the altar in Saint Pierre, France is a symbol of the Community of the Lamb... "Wounded I continue to love." This is how they live their lives!