Light Incandescent Fire Eternal - LIFE!

 

Sometimes I just need to make an acronym out of a word to really delve into the meaning it has for me... LIFE just called for that this morning, and for the "I" I came to the word Incandescent - looking it up - "characterized by ardent emotion or intensity or brilliance."  Wow!  That truly speaks so true for me of the LIGHT I witness in those that are luminaries for Christ and His LIGHT of LIFE and LOVE!  This morning Fr Craig had put this Utube video about the sisters of LIFE

So beautiful!  I pray that you can watch it and truly realize that there is a strong work in the world to protect all LIFE no matter the cost.  Of course, I think of Little Sister Hallel when I watch this, who is also in a Contemplative Community and also gives her all to the poor and all LIFE!  Being called to be His Bride is so precious and truly fills the woman/girl with such an incandescent glow of brilliant LIGHT.  It is visible to all those they encounter, and for those that are allowed to have LIFE in this world that allows the taking of innocent LIFE... that is a precious thing indeed!  Lord, please end abortion!!!!

Rose is now walking...

Lord, how we are filled with such a desire to scream with all our might that LIFE is a gift - without exception!  We long for each life to be protected and cherished - yet we find that there are those, who are not wanted and cast aside, or are not given the chance to live in this world and make a difference or shed their LIGHT here in this world.  May we show them your Truth and LOVE by being incandescent in the face of the growing evil/darkness!  As Pope Francis told the youth at Rio/ WYD - "Make noise!  Please do not water down your faith in Jesus Christ.  Make yourselves heard!"    Pope Francis continues..."We are all tempted to put ourselves at the center, to think that we alone build our lives or that our life can be happy if built on possessions, money or power.  But it is not so.  Put on Christ in your life: place your trust in Him, and you will never be disappointed!  You see how faith accomplishes a revolution in us, one which we can call Copernican, because it removes us from the center and restores it to God; faith immerses us in his love and gives us security, strength and hope."  He reminds us that we need to be "witnesses of JOY."  Our new Pope fills us with the basics we need to truly be LIGHTS in our world.  May we embrace our Most Cherished Cross and follow after HIM no matter the cost.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

This is the picture that John just put on his webpage he is developing for his call to not be silent - to "make noise" and share with the world that Jesus is walking with us, feeding us, and forgiving us our faults... we turn to Him in our weakness and know that Jesus is in control. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXaPwHPqJi4  Danielle Rose singing Wonderfully Made - Psalm 139

Miraculously in France for Susan's habit and changing her name - Little Sister Hallel!  "Everytime someone says my name they are giving God the highest praise!" 

 

 

Doing a rain dance? - no, walking into LIFE!

Little Rose is officially walking!  She is cutting it close to the arrival of her next sibling in a few months, but it has given her the freedom to head for what she wants in life - here it is the swing by the garden. 

First she had walked from the house out to where her brothers were on the hay racks.  She looks determined to join them up there.  Then the swings were spotted...

Always keeping an eye on brothers while they play with the hose in the garden.  With a baby brother coming after her - it seems like she could be a tomboy and for sure she will have the influence of brothers on both sides of her. 

Big sister, Mary, keeping watch over her. 

Lord, we need rain so badly - hear our plea for rain this night.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

Luminaries for Christ... Transfiguration LIGHT shine in us

I love the lighting part of photography!  I also love the pictures of our family worshiping together at mass.  I can never use flash in church and have to get them before or after mass, but I do manage to get a few there, and I find them very special...  We are there gathering to worship and receive the graces of our Faith - we love our Lord and yearn to be there together with HIM.  We take that LIGHT along with us as we go forth.  Last night I went to work at the Birthright office right after mass, and although it was very quiet with only one phone call.  As I was saying the rosary and looking around at all the messages for LIFE around me... I noticed that the rosary and prayers were very rich and deep.  I realized that I had newly taken my Lord into me in His Body and Blood, so that all things that are deepest within me - that I am more fully and completely HIS - this cast a great LIGHT upon my prayers and thoughts!  It truly was as though the great blinding LIGHT of Christ had entered me and I was His luminary shining with HIM within.  How I pray for this and long for this in each day of my life.  I find that this is the hardest to accomplish with those the closest to me in my domestic Church/family.  Why is it the ones that you love the most that you treat the worst?  Lord, help me to LOVE as you love -without counting the cost!

John and I preparing to pray morning prayer from the office yesterday morning... the LIGHT streaming in the huge picture window was very bright and illuminating - very reminiscent  of the feast day we are celebrating today - the Transfiguration!  John is here now - starting a webpage that will be helpful in his ministry of not being silent now that he has been given LIFE!  We just watched together - John seeing it for the first time - an amazing Utube video called Adoramus te - We adore thee, O Lord... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGmK8rIX8H0  The story is that our friend, Fr Kucera, was watching some Utube videos and was very surprised to see at about the half way mark a picture of John being anointed in Mayo hospital the day before his brain biopsy!  It is a most beautiful and powerful picture and Fr Craig sent us the link - as I watched it suddenly there was John - I burst into tears at the power of it in the midst of this beautiful creation of the highest Praise and recognition of the LIGHT shining there on the altar in His Body and Blood!  The Church has it ALL!  To "see" the reality of Faith is the utmost message that Christ is alive and well in this world of darkness - LOOK to the LIGHT! 

Our wonderful cabin in Michigan has all windows looking out to the South - the Big Lake Michigan is before us!  So much LIGHT/LOVE/ LIFE shared there as we gather in a single space to share the larger domestic Church/family time.
Jesus, the bright and beautiful LIGHT we see in you this day of the Transfiguration... may it shine through us as we are luninaries for YOU.  May we become what we behold as we see with eyes of Faith that You are truly God and man.  How could you humble yourself so much out of LOVE for us - not only taking on the human person, but then submitting as the spotless Lamb in sacrifice for our sins?   We are changed from the inside out as we embrace our Most Cherished Cross as you have asked us, and follow your example of sharing the Truth no matter the cost, and cherishing ALL LIFE without any exception, being open to LIFE without thought of self, Not being silent as we are called to share the work that Lord has done in our lives.  Life is so rich and full and any thing but boring as we embrace your LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT within us.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."  I John 3:2

"As we gaze in the dark faith of prayer upon the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ, we are transformed into his likeness.  As the leave the work of prayer for the work of charity in our world, we live in his likeness."  2 Corinthians 3:18

Watching for grandpa to come to the cabin - he is the Champion for LIFE and raising LIGHTS for the world... a  legacy that has now passed on to the next generations!

Bernadette discovering ice cream cones thanks to grandpa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaVg0cWkgAw&list=TL0tYmhBjh3EI  Casting Crowns - the Voice of Truth

 

Smile says David

 

Peace

There are times in the day when I am filled with such calm and peace...  Those times are usually related to prayer.  Those times are scattered throughout my days and for sure the beginning and the end of the day.  How wonderful is this wafting of gentle breezes through my soul as I am drawn into the presence of My Lord and his Queen Mother of heaven and earth throughout the landscape of my day.  Praying with my husband before we get up, then hoping to have a window to pray the office with John as we join with those around the world that are praying these prayers, reading these psalms and readings, and singing these hymns!  There is so much power to know that there are thousands of priests, nuns, deacons, seminarians, and lay people in The Church that are joining with one voice in prayer and praise!  If there isn't huge comfort and JOY and peace to be found in this place of prayer and worship - I don't know where you could encounter anything more than this.  Then I either say my rosary as I am traveling to work and then have it in my pocket to give me that peace and assistance to remind myself that I am the Lord's and with the intercession of Our Spiritual Mother - I can do a good and caring job for those that I work for and with.  If I am home than I long to get my chores done and to spend some quiet time with my wonderful rosary - saying up to 10 decades of the rosary for my 5 children with their families and my husband and on and on...  I am soon to bed and to my evening prayers and JOY of JOY - reading the Gospel for tomorrow.  I find the excitement building within me as I look ahead and it is always a blessing to me.  I carry that deep within me as the new day unfolds before me and once again I am immersed in peaceful rivers of graces through prayer - with every breath that I take and with every beat of my heart.

Jesus, we are filled with the fruits of your Spirit as we follow after YOU carrying our Most Cherished Cross and finding LIFE eternal/LOVE/ and LIGHT in the midst of the darkness.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

 

Sweetness and LIGHT! "Christ will give you LIGHT." Ephesians 5

Little Rose is trying to get some food for the baby goats, and missing a chance to pet them. 

We are most grateful this morning after gathering for much prayer last evening when the dark clouds rolled in...  we got about 1/2 inch and feel like it can finally rain.  It feels like there is still rain coming, so we continue to be hopeful that we will still get the rain we need to have a bountiful crop! 

My day has been disrupted by the Pat factor - it is now afternoon, and all thoughts to share have been interrupted.  Just thinking about how LIGHT is so important for us to "see" in the midst of all the craziness that comes with LIFE. Our lives can have a lot of twists and turns and be a bumpy road, but it is very true that if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus - asking that he reveal his plan to us - that all will work out.  We have had such crazy amazing proof of that Truth over the last years with John and Patrick's healings.  Add to that Ruth with her ever expanding family after she was told no more children...  The life in her womb is surrounded with prayer from the moment we know it is there!!!   Yes, if you Trust in HIM and put your faith life first - all the rest will fall into place according to HIS plan - not necessarily how we think it should be.

John continues to ask the Lord to show him the path he is to follow.  He gets strong reminders that he was spared to not be silent but to share with the world that the Lord is at work in this world - walking among us, listening to our needs, feeding us when we are hungry as He did today in the Gospel - feeding the 5,000 not including women and children, and healing us!  "When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured the sick."  He continues to do this in our day and age.... we have living and breathing proof of this in our son and grandson! 

Jesus, we look to YOU for all that we need to find lasting happiness and peace in this world of so much darkness.  We look for the LIGHT within our domestic Church/family and know that we are called to be open to LIFE and to raise LIGHTS for the world.  Show John the path he is to follow and a clear way to share the message burning within his heart, mind and soul - "Jesus is always here with us and answers our deepest needs - He looks with pity upon us and feeds us with Bread from Heaven - His Body and Blood!  We need never go hungry, but take HIM into ourselves and then carry his LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT into the world.  Jesus, we Trust in YOU.  Amen and Halleluia

Praying morning prayer with John in the front room this morning - thanking God for the rain after our prayers were answered!

"You spoke to me, and I listened to every word.  I belong to you, Lord God Almighty, and so your words filled my heart with joy and happiness."  Jeremiah 15:16  When we read this in morning prayer this morning - I thought of Hallel and how she loves Jesus in His Word!  I have learned so much from her and the Community of the Lamb!  I read with great excitement and JOY the Gospel for the next day, and ponder it over and over in my heart.  Today's was such a powerful one, and I am filled with such wonder and awe - Jesus, I recognize YOU in your Word made flesh and dwelling among us in this most amazing way. 

 

Fresh tomatoes with our eggs for breakfast - they were growing on the vine about 10 minutes before we ate them - that's fresh and I love the thought of all that freshness making us healthy in  the best sort of way! 

There goes Rose walking!

The fair is now only a special memory as we all recover.

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDzgpQ6LEFk  Pursue me Lord by Danielle Rose

 

A budding photographer beating grandma...

Mary took the best picture of the 15 and under age group and she is  only 7 years old!  She brought home a check for twice what I made with my showing.  I am starting to think that she has a better eye for what makes a good picture.  I get too much of my personal feelings in my pictures and I am starting to see that this is not the way to win the judges heart.  I probably will never change, but it is very interesting to see what takes the prize.  I do get feedback from people that come to see my pictures and appreciate the heart that I put into them.  Yes, they don't have the ribbons, but they are a snapshot of my life and I love to share it!  It will be fun to see how this all plays out over the years, but I think that even when Mary shows in 4H - she sees the beauty of showing in open class and does very well competing against other young people twice her age. 

Two of her other first place pictures on the top row... Jesus, we trust in you and enjoy the interesting LIFE we are blessed with.  There are always new adventures we can share with those that are the closest to us in our domestic Church/family.  Bless-bless, Barb