The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
It is getting to be a routine to arrive at Ruth's home each morning to give her some help for an hour or so, and then bring her big sweet 18 month old baby home with me for the day. Today is preg checking day for the cows, so John and Paul are here and Rose and I will have a job too of writing down the information that the vet gives them. I know that there is little time to write today, and I got some wonderful pictures of Ruth with Luke and Rose out by their little red barn with the Welcome Luke Paul sign on it. It is a mild day and breezy, but Luke seemed to think that it was fine.
Today is a day of celebrating The Church - St Paul Lateran Basilica! It is the "mother Church" of Rome and the world. As a convert at 20 years old - I found my home and The one and only Church here! It is so wonderful to share that with all my kids and their families! Little Sister Hallel and her Community of the Lamb are such a shining LIGHT in this world and brings us to such a powerful place of the Beauty of the Church and those that are called to be the Spouse of Christ!
I love to pray at all times and without ceasing - in my inner chapel there is beautiful LIGHT streaming in the stain glass windows of the most glorious beauty, on the altar is my Jesus in a glowing jewel incrusted gleaming monstrance! I have been reading The Real Presence by St Peter Julian Eymard
"Since your adoration is so imperfect, unite it to that of the Blessed Virgin at Bethlehem, at Nazareth, on Calvary, in the Cenacle, at the foot of the tabernacle; unite it to the adoration which is being actually offered up by Holy Church ( I know that Hallel's Community has an hour of Adoration each day!), to that of all the saintly souls who are adoring our Lord at the present moment, as well as the entire celestial court which is glorifying Him in Heaven. Your adoration will then appropriate the holiness and merit of theirs." St Peter Julian Eymard
I found this wonderful picture on facebook today! This is a picture of my amazing Church on this day to celebrate The Church! Two Saints that lived in my lifetime and influenced me in ways of LIFE/family, LOVE and LIGHT! Then to have Our Lady there too! That is such a masterpiece of Church for me!
Jesus, thank you for the wonder of all that is given to us to help us on our journey of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! I fall on my knees in Adoration of You and your Bride, The Church! May my adoration be united with all those that are at this moment giving you the highest praise ... Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation, and Petition! Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord." Psalm 34:8
It looks like Luke is tasting LIFE and finding it good.
Grandpa went outside so Rose wanted to follow him. She ended up riding along belted in the seat of her daddy's new tractor.
In out of the wind with her grandpa... the new tractor is really nice to have a cab and a special seat of the little ones that like to spend time with grandpa on the farm.
Little girl in a big tractor in the mud after the snow is melting...
A little girl outside with her Ernie doll - a few minutes later they both fell in the mud. Outside adventure came to an end at that point. Tomorrow morning preg checking of the cows - John is home to help out. It was great fun to have him here to share supper with Pat and I and now the guys are sharing watching the Timberwolves together by the warmth of the wood stove. It is nice to have the slower pace with harvest behind us! We made it through the crazy busy time of harvest in one piece! Jesus, thank you for watching over us and for your care for each one of us. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Rose, Ernie, and Lilly the dog...
Happy one week birthday little Luke - we LOVE you so much!
Who did Rose have to say goodbye to first and for the longest this morning before she got on her coat and boots and hat and came over to grandma's for the day? Her little brother, Luke! Today is his one week birthday, and it is almost like Rose needs to assure herself that he is real and that she truly is a big sister to a new little brother. He sleeps by mommy's bed in the same bassinette that Ruth, her mommy slept in by our bed, and that Pat slept in by his parents bed too! We should have done a running notebook with all the names of the many babies that have slept in it... I think it would be closing in on 50 for sure! Most of my grandchildren have used it and all of our kids were beside our bed in it and Pat would reach out and shake it when the baby had no reason to cry with a full belly and a dry diaper... it shakes very nicely with those big farmer hands and the babies often responded to the motion.
It is always interrupted writing these days with little Rose here to fill our days with 18 month activity... Of course, grandma has to have her little photo shoots too. There was a warm relaxed feeling this morning as Rose watched grandpa build a fire with the snow covering the ground it just has a cold winter feel to the house and the air outside. Pat and I reminisced about the many kids and grandkids that have stood there with grandpa as he builds the fire. It is delightful to have this little girl here - just her all by herself. Mom can't have her there, because at 18 months she still needs to be lifted up and down a lot, and Ruth can't do that with her incision. We have found the best thing for the 3 of us - Ruth, Rose and me is to bring her here for a day of being the princess on the farm. All the way up the driveway when I brought her over this morning she was making the "MOOOOO" sound. She knows that cows and calves live here. It is very great to have the chance to step back in time with our sweet little girl around here. We were remembering how special it was when Ruth and Paul moved here from Blue Earth when Simon was 1. I became his baby sitter while Ruth worked half time at the hospital. He loved the farm and going outside with grandpa - we have some precious memories of his bringing Pat's jacket and boots to him - telling him that they needed to get out and do chores! Such JOY with the little ones to share LIFE and to see it through their excited and new eyes.
It has been great fun to have Romans for the first reading for the last few weeks! Romans entered in very large in our journey with Patrick a little over a year ago now. This morning this phrase really spoke to me - "sanctified by the Holy Spirit." The definition of sanctified is set apart for sacred use. This is what the Holy Spirit dwelling within me does for me - I who am nothing on my own am set apart for sacred use. This can only occur as the Spirit is working within me, and I must be the clay in His hands! I ask to be a humble earthen vessel used for the basics in LIFE. The drop of water that is poured into the wine at the consecration and mingled with Christ in His Blood! Embracing my Most Cherished Cross and bringing LIFE into my family/domestic Church. Through the Holy Spirit within me I am set apart to raise those children we have been blessed with to be LIGHTS! I can only do that by allowing the Spirit to use me in this sacred and most important above all works - bringing the Way, the Truth and the LIFE - Christ into our home and in that way we share a small slice of Heaven - the Kingdom of God - here on earth!
Jesus, we are filled with YOU in the Spirit that dwells within us and sets us apart for sacred use! May we love and serve you in one another - most especially those in our domestic Church/family. The home is the most important place for our Faith to be shared daily in all that we do one for another without counting the cost, by sharing the Gospel in Word and deed, by sharing the LIVES of the Saints, by prayer without ceasing, by attending with JOY and desire the Sacraments of Eucharist, Reconcilliation, taking in hand the sacrament of matrimony as we ask the Spirit to assist us each day on the road to holiness/sainthood... So much can occur in our homes/domestic Church as we raise LIGHTS for the world of darkness and sin. Help us in our weak and sinful state to become the prudent steward - not doing wrong but for the good alone. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke with one week old Luke in front of the sudden winter landscape.
"To make holy desire grow in you and not flag, I want you to open your mind's eye and come to know God's unspeakable love for you. In love he gave you his only-begotten Son, and that Son gave his life for you in such blazing love that it should melt the hardness of any hard heart... After you have acquired purity in the way I've described, you will see there is no service you can do for God, so you will extend your love to your neighbors, doing for them the service you cannot do for God. You will visit the sick, help the poor, and console those who are troubled. You will weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. I mean you will weep with those who are grieving in deadly sin by being compassionate and by offering continual prayers for them in God's presence. And you will rejoice with those who are glad because they are true servants of Jesus Christ crucified, always happy to be in their company." St Catherine of Siena (1380)
I love her - she is a lover of the Cross - the Most Cherished Cross!
We had kids' wine for a toast in wine glasses for supper tonight - still feeling the need to celebrate the safe and healthy arrival of our precious little Luke! Mary has on one of her mom's work scrubs as she was nursing her brother, David, who had the stomach flue today. No school tomorrow, so grandma will be needed to help out with the kids - most especially little Rose.
Rose thought the bubbly grape juice was really yummy most especially in that fancy glass. It made us all feel like something special had happened - it did! We now have a beautiful Luke Paul here to share our family times with.
Welcome Luke - we LOVE you! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
So many prolife posters that you see speak to the fact that those that think that the taking of life by abortion is OK were born and wanted and given life...
"Smile. Your Mom chose life! or -Everybody that is for abortion has already been born." There is much about Luke that makes him a symbol of the Truth that LIFE is a precious thing to be cherished and protected no matter the cost! He is the 3rd miracle baby for Ruth and Paul after they were told no more children after rupturing delivering Mary! That makes every minute spent with this new healthy and beautiful boy a gift and a wondrous small slice of heaven here on earth! Knowing that there are those that feel they can choose to take the new life within them if it isn't convenient, or a "mistake." It makes these lives that much more special as they came into the world in the midst of the great lie/darkness/sin of legalized abortion! Yet little Luke is a shining example to each one of us of how miraculous is LIFE - that two parents that love each other and embrace their Most Cherished Cross can have this perfect little LIFE here to share and grow and flourish - the seed was planted and now has yielded a gloriously bountiful harvest of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
Blessed with another sweet bath time for the family...
Jesus, today in the Gospel you shared how those that are lost are constantly being sought by YOU, The Good Shepherd! May the Truth of LIFE being a most precious gift seen in little Luke and each one of your little ones bring many of the lost into your LIGHT - that they may "see with the eyes of their hearts" that LIFE is a precious gift to be cherished and protected at all costs! St Gianna Beretta Molla is a shining example of giving her life for the life of her baby in her womb - the Pro LIFE Saint! Intercede for those little ones that are in danger this day, St Gianna! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianna_Beretta_Molla How we long to end all taking of innocent LIFE, and we ask that you use us for this means. Working with Birthright - one girl at a time has made a difference and saved lives! We thank and praise you for the LIGHTS that have been saved to make a difference in this world! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"If you must choose between me and the baby, no hesitation; choose – and I demand it – the baby. Save her!" St Gianna
A masterpiece - work of art!
"A person's a person no matter how small." Horton the Elephant
Open the eyes of my heart Lord - Michael W Smith
Luke was so awake after his bath... just had to share a few more!
Encountering new LIFE... a work of art!
Brushing that beautiful dark hair - so much like Rose's hair was!
One more of the 5 in pajamas!
"Our body is a cenacle, a monstrance: through its crystal the world should see God."
"The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day."
"God's Providence is in all things, it's always present."
"One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving." A few more amazing quotes of St Gianna!!! Wow! I need to pray to her more often! There are proven miracles of women and babies being saved by her intercession!
Luke went to Faith formation with mom and dad tonight, so when he got home all the kids piled on the couch in their pjs for a picture. Grandma wants to have them all on her wall. I have all the grandkids there and I am missing looking at my new little "excellent" Luke, so now I can get him up there surrounded by his loving sibs! His mom told me tonight that he is excellent for her. He is getting a lot of milk from mom and is very content and good for his mom! She smiles at her perfect little guy with great gratitude for how good he is and how perfect he is in every way! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
