The kittens are growing with fat bellies - good mama cat, Cookie

Ruth had to show me her favorite - Fluffy.  They have discovered that there are 4 females - the grey striped, and one male - the orange named Pumpkin.  As Ruth said like her family - there were 4 girls with Ruth being the oldest and then John.  Ruth is a cat lover and many summers she spent with kittens very much a part of it, and even nursed her shares of baby kittens!  One batch had their mother die in front of us just as we were leaving for Valley Fair.  We put the kittens in a box and bought a syringe and cat milk replacer at the vet on the way out of town.  Ruth went back to the car and fed them about every 2-3 hours during that day and then for the weeks afterwards until they started to eat kitten chow.  They became full grown cats and one was a pet until it was hit and found in a ditch by our neighbor, Mandy!  Ruth is definitely a cat/kitten lover and has put her time in caring for them even assuming the surrogate mother role!  I think that she is enjoying having a batch of kittens in a clothes basket in the house...

David with the basket of now 5 kittens - one didn't make it,but the remaining are fat and sassy.  Dave picks them up by the head, and they seem just fine.

Dave holding the runt - his favorite - Tiny

Now with the only male and his other favorite - Pumpkin!  Maybe he will have blue eyes just like David when they open in a week or so

Mary poses with another female - unsure the name of it - it will probably change a few times over the next weeks. 

Out to pick grandma a bouquet of phlox to take home - they are beautiful bright purple and smell good too!  So glad that I stopped in for a quick visit on a beautiful day!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless

Our Father - "encourages us in every afflicition." 2Corinthians 1

"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord...His praise shall ever be in my mouth."  Psalm 34 from the readings today

Today marks a very special day for me.  It marks the 36th anniversary of my best friend Marge Verly's wedding in 1977!  It was a very hot day that year and I traveled down here to Marshall on a bus to attend her wedding.  I was pretty naive to think that I could stay at the farm as a guest, when they have a huge family of 10 children that all were wanting to stay in their home with their parents!  They never made me feel that way at the time - they made room for me and were most loving and gracious, but now looking back I see that it was kind of a dumb thing that I did.  But by being there I was more visible to Pat's mom of my Catholic ways, and Pat tells me that she pointed out to him that a good Catholic girl, such as myself, could be just what he needed.  I guess the fact that I went out to sunbath with my rosary and two piece swimsuit also made a forever impression on him.  So, although I imposed thoughtlessly on the family at this big time... I see that the Holy Spirit used it to bring Pat and I together and a year later becoming man and wife!  Pat became my Most Cherished Cross, and daily we administer the Sacrament of Matrimony to each other.  On the way home from our planning session we were discussing the sacraments that we can use daily in our lives in The Church... of course, we mentioned the Eucharist as most important and LIFE giving, and also reconcilliation, but we did not mention that the Sacrament of Matrimony is that also for us that are called to marriage!  "Look to Him that you may be radiant with JOY, and your faces may blush with shame.  When the poor called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him.  Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord."  Psalm 34 blesses us this day in the mass!

Little Rose was so sweet at her aunt's wedding!  She is a version of me as a child as well as my girls... so special to have the LIFE continue with such warm memories!  Today the Gospel is the Beatitudes in all their beauty and Truth for us to live by each day.  They are good to ponder and pour over, so I will add them here...

5" Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.The Beatitudes He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Matthew 5: 1-12

The thing about the Beatitudes is that they are speaking to us when we are weak and in need!  It is when we turn to God in our lives.  We all know that when things are going along without a hitch in our lives that we kind of forget God, because we are doing just fine on our own, thank you very much.  Hallel reminded me of this when I was saying that I was so weak when I had my hip replaced.  "Mom, when we are weak is when we turn to Jesus."  Yes!  That is what I always want to be weak and needing HIM!  Even the one about being pure in heart... what do we have to accomplish this?  We deny our selves and live LIFE with the help of the Spirit following the narrow Path called LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  I look at Hallel and her Community that spends their days in contemplative prayer and works actively on their purity of heart... with every moment of every day, with every breath that they take, and every beat of their heart.  What a reminder of our need to be small, weak and lowly/poor to find Jesus blessing us and giving us the graces to be all that we can be - LIGHT to the world!

Jesus, we embrace our Most Cherished Cross/The Tree of LIFE this day and always as we follow after YOU.  We are weak and lowly and poor, and that means that we cannot do it alone - we need YOU and your Holy Spirit to find the strength to face all that comes to us in our days.  We are yours alone, and long to rid ourselves of all that distracts us from the journey called FAITH/FAMILY/FARM - LOVE/LIFE/LIGTH!  Jesus, we are so filled with wonder and awe at the ways that YOU are at work in our lives.  Lord, I love you and long to have YOU always guiding and directing me.  Your Church is there always for us to find the Truth.  I trust in all that the Church holds out to me without reservation.  Jesus, I trust in YOU.  Amen and Halelluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage thsoe who are in any affliction with the encouragement we ourselves are encouraged by God.  For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement flow.  If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragment and salvation; if we are encouraged, it it for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer.  Our hope for you is firm, for we know that you also share in the encouragement."  2 Cor 1: 1-7 The first reading in mass today - St Paul speaks of our ability to find Christ always there to carry us in our weakness and help us on the narrow Way!

Simon Patrick - a shining LIGHT!

"Jesus is in my heart." Simon after receiving his second Communion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiypaURysz4  Holy Now by Peter Mayer

My champion for LIFE - "The world needs LIGHTS!  Patrick Verly at our engagment weekend 35 years ago!  Yes, we married 14 months after meeting at his sisters wedding today 36 years ago.  I talked to Pat a little while ago- he remembers that the corn was knee high on that date as well as all the ditches were baled that summer... much warmer than this one!  Lord, we need heat units now for the crop - turn up the heat, please!

Planning the next Together Encounter Christ Retreat

John with a very good friend from 4H and from TEC- Together Encounter Christ, Celia, at the wedding reception last night.  Today we are gathering to plan the retreat for June in Bird Island.  It will be the weekend of June 22-24 and would be a wonderful way to spend this weekend plus Monday.  It is a 3 day retreat and has transformed Pat and my relationship by helping us to pray more and read His Word more together.  It is something that our 3 oldest daughters did, and each asked us to go.  Finally I had to say "yes" and it has been a part of my life ever since.  So if you want more info and would like to take a few days to come closer to Jesus in a very Catholic setting - check out this website - http://riverbendtec.org/index.html

Ruth and Paul made their TEC together in 1997.  They have worked many since and continue to feel that it is important and a wonderful way to share their faith with family and friends!  How wonderful it will be when our grandchildren turn 16 and start going to them!  That will be a wonderful time!  In the meantime, I would just love for many to consider this wonderful weekend!

Since John's surviving brain cancer - he has worked many retreats where he shares his story and returns to Christ his great JOY and gratitude for his healing and call to Faith.  So take this year of Faith as a time to walk more closely with Jesus and ask HIM for the deeper walk of FAITH in Jesus and His Bride, The Church.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

We are a family that shares the gift of TEC as also a TEC family. 

Ruth and Paul with their domestic Church/family taking up the gifts at mass this morning.  We love you, Lord!  Thank you for your healing touch this day as you healed in both the OT and Gospel this day!  You raise us to newness of LIFE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANiveIKVX0

Chris Rice - Come to Jesus

Wedding in the family

Little one year old Rose attended her Aunt Ann's wedding today.  Her older sister Mary was in the wedding as was her dad.  It was rainy and cool but was beautiful in every way. 

Rose on the altar after the wedding... cute alert!

Dad and Mary in the wedding... awwwww!

Group shot that is to be cherished on a rainy day in a beautiful big tent to keep us warm and happy on this glorious occassion on a cold rainy June 8th!  Jesus, we trust in You.  Bless-bless, Barb

Simon and grandpa! 

Visceral - Immaculate heart - deep inward feelings

John called me from outside last night, as he was helping Pat do some breeding - "Mom, the sunset is pretty special."  So I headed out to the edge of the field for some peaceful time admiring the corn now up a ways, despite the cold, and the honeysuckle bushes that have blossomed.  My little sidekick, Roger the dog, was with me too.  This morning is the feastday of the Immaculate Heart of Mary - a mother's feastday to be sure!  How I rejoice to know that I have this wonderful Mother, Mary Most Holy, to keep me strong in my compassionate call to be a Mother above all! 

This sweet picture was on Maria's blog today, and it just begged to be shared.  The Great JOY of Therese at the many blessings and graces we are given through our Church!  It is such a sign of Truth to see the fruits of the Spirit alive in the homes of our children as they share the Truth of Faith with their children.  They each carry forth the message of their father - "The world needs LIGHTS!"  Open to LIFE in their marriage and then raising them with great diligence in the Faith!  It is powerful to see the Fruits of the Holy Spirit shining on the lampstand for all to see -  ^{Galations 5:22-23"}But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  How we take the raising of LIGHTS to heart!  Maria is Catholic Homeschooling her children, and Ruth sends her to Catholic School, and then Nancy and Bill will do that too.  They all pray in their homes, and Ruth just added books of the lives of the Saints to be read in the evening along with their litany of prayers.  This was ever so powerful for our children, who are now the mothers in these young families.  Mothers that have inward deep feelings/visceral for The True Church and for their chidren to love and embrace The Way, The Truth, and The LIFE - Jesus and His Bride, The Church!  It is a small slice of Heaven here on earth to share The Truth with each one in our Family!  There is nothing more wonderful!

The corn is now getting some much needed rain today.  Lord, we thank YOU for loving us so much and giving us your Rock/Church to have a firm foundation for our domestic Church/family!  We are filled with great JOY to know and love YOU and your Bride, The Church within our families.  We are so filled with all that we are blessed and graced with each day... Your Word, Your Saints, Your Sacraments available each day for us - the Banquet of LIFE, Your unconditional LOVE and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconcilliation, and Your Mother, Mary Most Holy, who deeply and inwardly holds your Truth for us, and that grows and grows ever larger and consumes us totally, we pray!  Lord, help more and more of my selfishness to die so that You may LIVE in my heart!  "I treasure your promise in my heart lest I sin against you.  Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes... I take delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word."  Psalm 119  My heart is bursting with all that you fill it with that is good and wonderful!  I am a fountain overflowing in a glorious cascade of life-giving waters that YOU fill me with!  May that nourish and drench with LIFE all those in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"As for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance."  Luke 8:15

"... his mother kept all these things in her heart."  Luke 2:51

St Luke, my patron saint, thank you for sharing the wonderful message of Our Lady!

Rock picking time of year

Paul is getting the kids out to help him pick rocks now and then this spring.  They start out enthusiastic, but it gets old pretty quickly.  It was interesting as I traveled through the farmland up to see my parents to see many farmers out with thier 4 wheeler and small wagon behind alone picking rocks in their fields.  The job itself hasn't changed over the last 34 years we have been married, but the approach certainly has changed for many.  It used to be that we would get a rock wagon with people walking on each side to pick.  Now occassionally Pat will have one of the grandkids, but mostly it is just him out there alone with his radio or cell phone. 

Pat and Paul were out picking together the other morning - I stopped in to see the new baby kitties and they pulled in with this granddaddy rock!  They could see the top and dug and dug to get it out.  Ruth had them put it someplace so that it will be used in their landscaping but out of the way as it won't be moved again once they get it out of the wagon.  We jokingly say that the rocks have babies every year as the frost brings them up to the surface of the field.  This one came slowly to the surface and took a lot of effort and two stong men to tilt down the wagon and roll it on.  It probably weighs as much as all 4 kids put together!

You might call that boulder picking!  That could do some damage to equipment I think! Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

O JOY - baby kittens are here!

Wiggly snuggles come with kittens.