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!
A friend shared this wonderful quote by CS Lewis today - Wow! "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." -C.S. Lewis This is so true in describing the way that life looks through our Faith! What a wonderful set of eyes we are given to look at the wonder of our domestic Church/family, and the small slice of Heaven we are given through our experience of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT with Christ and His Bride, The Church! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke looking at my world with the eyes of Christ!
Susan's bell collection out of the box and in the light of the window. She asked for a couple of them to be sent to be used at her new monastery in Marseille, France. In their silence throughout the day they use the bell to call them to prayer and meals. What JOY to have this special collection my mom did for Hallel be something that she can use in her LIFE of poverty, chastity and obedience. Which to send to her? The crystal ones have a wonderful sweet ring to them. Who would have known that a bell would be something that she would want to take with them.
We had a surprise time shared with our Son-in-law, Joseph last February 4th to visit John at seminary and Joseph was there for a baptism so he joined us at the seminary for a Family Breakfast in his old stomping grounds... Joe had considered the seminary for a couple years too! I am convinced that these men that are listening to the Lord, and having the years of formation in the seminary makes them wonderful men for our daughters as husbands and fathers! Joseph is a wonderful man filled with very strong Catholic/Christian values and principles! Both of his parents were in the , so that was big in his considering this as a path he wanted to follow. The is something new and different for us - my dad had been in the army, and Pat's brother Ed, who he farms with. But to have someone so close to us, along with his wife, our daughter Maria, and their children.... well, that has brought it right into our faces in a very real way! We see that the is a hard place with not a lot of Church/faith, but that Joseph has a very big calling to share that faith and that he does! It is a very important place to share Faith as there is not much of that in the .
This is a recent picture of Joe and Maria's beautiful kids... because Joe was in Afghanistan I was there last October for the birth Patrick - it is so glorious to look on Patrick so healthy and totally whole and happy! I will not go into the story here of Patrick's traumatic birth - I have written it all out on a page on this blog... http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html Today in the Gospel the Disciples ask Jesus to "increase our faith." Luke 17 There are so many ways that my faith has been increased by watching and learning from my kids and their families. The big LIFE issues that have come to us in the form of cancer and born dead to just name a few have taught me so much about Faith and has increased my Faith! In many ways I feel that the prayers that poured around John as a huge ocean really did move that mulberry tree and planted it in the sea! The miracle happened and it was the result of John's half-hearted prayer for Faith! Having our daughter in The Community of the Lamb has increased my Faith - the times I am allowed to share with them in their LIFE and the knowing of their prayers for us! Having the Saints around me each day of my journey has increased my Faith and now to meet and know the name of a special Saint - Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity... She has the same inner temple as I and has guided my sharing here - LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
Luke is very peaceful when he has close time with his siblings! Rose wanted to sit on the bed and hold him in her lap and stroke his soft hair - Luke really liked it too!
Jesus, we need to increase our Faith and there are so many ways that you answer this plea! We learn from the little ones in our midst - reminding ourselves that although you are God - you came to earth as a tiny newborn boy - Luke will be baby Jesus this year in the Christmas program! We are super excited as he is the first child or grandchild to be baby Jesus! Looking at little precious Gift Luke we see that he is here with us due to the Faith Ruth and Paul have in You to protect all LIFE and the doctors to be your hands and feet in bringing him here safely! We are also reminded of how we prayed for the safety of Joseph in Afghanistan a little over a year ago! There was so much danger all around him and it took constant prayers to keep him safe and bring him home without harm inside or out! How we need to continue to pray for those in harm's way in the ! We also lift up all those that are affected by the huge typhoon in the Phillipines! We humbly ask with your Disciples this day for increased Faith in the midst of all that life throws our way. You, Jesus, are in control in the midst of the Storm - may the people affected by this huge storm cling to that Truth! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Two brothers enjoying peaceful and loving company one with the other! David loves babies and little Luke knows it!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke!
"O Lord, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way."
Psalm 139 from mass today - one of my absolute favorites - talk about being in the palm of his hand!
David discovered that his finger is Luke's favorite nuk! St Martin of Tours, pray for us - you were a man that served in the and then became a soldier for Christ alone!
Onward Christian Soldiers Hymn for all those that serve God and our Country!
Here's one for my little warrior for Good against evil - little David!
God's not dead - Newsboys
Here is God's not dead to Narnia images of battles!
The Narnians - King Peter, Queen Lucy, and little Trumkin the dwarf - yes, that is a beard on Patrick!
A cute old fashioned corduroy jumper on a well rested little girlie after her 3 hour nap in grandma's bed...looking out the front picture window at the 20 heifers !
Ribbons in her hair and MOOOOs out in the pasture out the front window...
With puppy on the couch...
Playing that she is talking on the phone... super cute! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Yesterday was Patrick's 13 month birthday, and Maria put this on her blog. It was one of those pictures that the kids said come mom and bring your camera and this was what she found! Super great when your kids give you a lasting gift like this... Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Luke at his first mass this morning.... in the background up on the wall over the alcove of St Joseph is his patron saint, St Luke, looking down upon him and the church of The Holy Redeemer in Marshall, MN. Next week we will have to have him pose in front of him on his baptism day a week from today. Some people were very surprised to see a 9 day old baby at church, but we feel that this is where we celebrate most powerfully in our shared faith and are united to Heaven in such a special and profound way through His Word and The Eucharist! We know that we are united with our Susan/Hallel so far away in France as we all come to His table and we are fed the Living Body and Blood of Jesus Christ!
Luke in front of the St Luke the bull window in Church. We share patron saints little Luke, as I chose St Luke for my namesake/patron saint as a new Catholic. My entire family converted when I was 21, and I share this story at length on the page I have devoted to the story of the conversion of the 13 - http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html I am very humbled to have my dad reading what I share here faithfully, and now and then I will get a very sweet email from him - this happened yesterday as he wrote me about Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity... I googled her and discovered that she lived and died just 100 years ago. My dad quoted this written about her - "She was totally given over to the Divine Presence within her and oriented all of her inner energies toward continual adoration of the three Divine Persons, whom she called 'the beloved guest of my soul.' As she lay dying in a humble cell of her Dijon Carmel, on Nov. 9, 1906, she uttered these last words: 'I am going to the Light, to Love, to Life'." I think you can see why my dad wrote me about her... it seems that I now have a name for a Saint who has been guiding and directing my sharing here! Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity is a fellow soulmate and is assisting me to the Truth on this journey called LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Another prayer she is famous for and I will now adopt more -
"Elizabeth was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 25, 1984. Her feast day is celebrated on November 8. Her best-known prayer is "Holy Trinity Whom I Adore"[1] which she wrote out of her love of the Trinity. Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity is a patron of illness, sick people and loss of parents." Wikipedia How good to have someone to pray to for these hard times in life!
Yes, she became a Carmelite nun just like St Therese!
Jesus, thank you for the LIGHT my dad has brought into my life by leading us all into Your Church! Now he continues to give me such JOY and brings the beauty of The Church ever more and more into my mind, heart, and Spirit! He just introduced me to a special lady that is with You in Heaven and has guided me thoughts by the direction of Your Spirit that dwells within me. Jesus, with Blessed Elizabeth among your Saints in Heaven praising you and bringing your Truth into the minds and hearts of we your servants. Jesus, we trust in You, and long to share your Truth with all those in our lives - most especially those in our domestic Church/family. Amen and Hallelujah http://www.discerninghearts.com/?page_id=6570 A wonderful page of her prayers! Here is her Trinity, I Adore you prayer
"O my God, Trinity whom I adore, let me entirely forget myself that I may abide in You, still and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity; let nothing disturb my peace nor separate me from You, O my unchanging God, but that each moment may take me further into the depths of Your mystery ! Pacify my soul! Make it Your heaven, Your beloved home and place of Your repose; let me never leave You there alone, but may I be ever attentive, ever alert in my faith, ever adoring and all given up to Your creative action." Blessed Elizabeth I am so glad that I found you and have a name to call you - I feel exactly like this inside my most sacred space - my inner temple!!!!
"O Eternal Word, Word of my God, would that I might spend my life listening to You, would that I might be fully receptive to learn all from You; in all darkness, all loneliness, all weakness, may I ever keep my eyes fixed on You and abide under Your great light; O my Beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never be able to leave Your radiance." Once again - WOW!!! You are truly like me inside - truly my sister in Christ and in love with Jesus, and His Bride, The Church!
Your Grace is enough by Matt Mayer
Great Grandma in our newly remodeled Church basement getting some time to discover peaceful and beautiful Luke Paul - she 94 and he 9 days old!
Rose and grandma had a job today - we got to sit in the pickup and record the weights and whether the cow was pregnant or not - good news only 4 were open or not pregnant! Out of 135 that is pretty great! Rose was very good and very interested with all the slamming and banging and yes - some yelling at the cows to move up towards the headgate.
Here is our pet Snowball in the headgate - she is pregnant with a good size calf - she was the first to calf last year...
Rose watching her daddy, Uncle Johnny, the vet and grandpa working hard.
Happy little girl in the pickup while dad is keeping her interested with his work with the cows.
Ruth and the other 4 came for a while to get into the action...
Ruth and Luke come to take over the recording so that grandma can get little Rose inside for her nap.
Luke's first preg checking at 8 days old! One of many to come little Luke - you and mom look so special sitting there in the sunshine on a fall day in November. Many years we have preg checked closer to Thanksgiving so this is early for us. It was a really nice day for a family job and all of us got to enjoy some of the work.
Dave checks in with the vet - he likes to help chase them forward in the chute!
Mama kitty, Cookie, comes to check out the new arrival - Luke Paul... It has been a big day of preg checking and cleaning out the garden tonight. It sure was nice to have men here to help me do that big job. Jesus, it sure makes the work almost an enjoyable time to share it with family. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke and family
