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!
Mary is worried that Luke is going to grab the little black boy kittie... but Luke seems to like the soft warm live body he feels on his tummy! I think that I can predict a constant line of kitties in your future little Luke. Just ask your sibs - I think they can name about a dozen or more kitties they have shared their lives with already!
Cute and close! The kitten's name is Oreo.
Soon they will be crawling around trying to get their bellies off the floor!
Luke looks about ready to give the orange one a taste...
"I like this kitty, and he likes my blanket too grandma! I think I will really love kitties taking a part in my life... they are soft and soon we will be running around together and I will laugh at them as they play with me! It is great to meet my new kitties... Life is looking to be a great thing, and I love sharing it with all the animals God made."
Luke holding his first kitty with the help of his big sister, Mary. She is a real pro when it comes to caring for baby kitties as they grow and get cuter and more fun. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barb
David and Snowball connect while out in the nice weather on Sunday. There is something so gentle and sweet about the look in the eyes of Snowball and the recognition she shows the kids when they call her name and reach out to her! No wonder she is one of the most beloved pets among the cows. Also the fact that she is recognizable with her white face - in a herd of mostly black she is a standout for sure!
Just floating on air after sharing prayer with my two men! John stayed another night with the talk of a winter blizzard - we are all very relieved to see that the ground barely got a dusting of snow, so a lot less work than we thought. Pat and I share prayer in bed before we get up in the morning from the Magnificat, and then go into the readings for the day and then usually we share for a while about things on our hearts. When John is home - the three of us share breakfast, and then John and I will do the morning prayer in the office on our phones! Since he has been staying in Canby and helping Fr Craig - they do the office together and now John and I know the proper way to do it! After we do the petitions John and I share our petitions, and this morning John's prayer for his brain and continued healing and protection flowed over into how the news of his brain showing changes this last time gave him an abrupt change in his direction..."Lord, I see that this shadowing on my brain made me change direction and turn to YOU." How true are the difficulties in our lives - the Cross - that makes us weak and wounded and small and humble and then we reach out to HIM, and he picks us up and carries us!
I will always recall when I had my hip replaced and felt like a total weak failure - I had the opportunity to talk to Hallel in France. As I was pouring out my patheticness to her - she in her wisdom reminded me that "when we weak is when we turn to Jesus, mom." "Well, than I want to be weak and pathetic always, because I want to belong to HIM!" And so when I encounter those times of failure and sickness and sin and darkness and all that makes me know I need Jesus always - I am thankful and realize that these "shadows" are there to remind us that we need HIM! It was so devastating to hear that John's brain is showing changes due to the radiation he had to live, yet he continues to see that this is also a call to leave all behind and follow Christ and His Bride, The Church!
John took Luke over to introduce him to the Most Beautiful Lady in the world - Mary, Mother of God and our Spiritual Mother! John and I were laughing and kidding each other this morning as I found two that he had missed in the count of 30 in our family room! "She is in our hearts and thoughts as we are surrounded by her beauty!" said John. Today as he prayed he thanked her for holding him close throughout his journey called brain cancer/healing/finding the path ahead.
The Gospel today is amazing and it was a joy to read it before bed, with Pat and with John! Jesus tells us to be healed, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." He also tells us to stay away from sin - "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." This is only possible if we humbly keep our eyes, hearts, minds and souls focused on HIM at all times in all situations and always taking those sins that do happen to HIM in the sacrament of reconciliation!
Johnny feeding little Luke... how he loves his first food!
Jesus, we are filled with wonder and awe at how You love us unconditionally, and if we only acknowledge how we need you and are nothing without you... Knowing that each closing of a door means that we are to change direction and always Trust in YOU! We are given life-giving waters flowing out from YOU to keep us always bearing the fruit for the world. May our fruit reflect the Spirit alive within us -" But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," Galatians 5:22 Jesus, we long to be totally yours! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Pat in for Sunday dinner on Sunday with our farm family of Ruth and Paul and their 5 - serving dessert around the table! Ruth now has a wonderful blog promoting the family farm - http://familyfarmexperience.blogspot.com/
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"I have heard your prayers and seen your tears, I will heal you."2Kings 20:5
April fools? Paul put Luke on today with an April Fools greeting...
It just so happens that Luke was getting an "applestach" from John as he was feeding his hungry mouth applesauce... enjoy!
Patrick in Texas found some muddy water to play in in the desert! He certainly would be in hog heaven here on the farm these days!
Ruth's farmkids certainly could show Patrick the ins and outs of rubber boots in the mud! It would be impossible to get anywhere on the farm without those rubber boots to the knees! It makes it fun out there, and I think that Patrick would absolutely love it! It is possible to get them so stuck that you have to leave it behind in the mud, or you can't move and fall on your bottom or face! Just ask Mary, who did a frontal fall from the 4-wheeler into a big mass of watery muddy manurey slop! It was almost a swim, right Mary?
Gus you had better get some tall rubber boots, because the mud will go right over the top of those... Just ask Big Dave, he came in with a wet foot yesterday - he got in over his boot! Life is interesting and always an adventure! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barb
Poor Patrick - you really need to come and see some real mud!!! You would be in mud heaven here!
Now that's a mud puddle!!!! Rose and Mary say that there is plenty to share, Patrick! Wish you were here...
With Jesus on the altar in the humble undecorated monstrance used by the Community - so familiar after the almost 6 years since Hallel has entered the Community of the Lamb - I was blessed with midday prayer shared with the Community in Kansas City on our way back from visiting Maria and Joseph and family in Texas in February! Last night I was transported in heart, mind and spirit to be with them as I read the Gospel for today the night before! It is a great loss to our very close family to not have Hallel in our day to day lives, yet there are those very powerful moments and experiences we have due to her call. We have learned from them to really "chew" and take in the Gospel each day starting the night before. How the excitement builds within me as I finish evening and night prayer and turn to the readings for he next day- What will the Gospel be? Joy fills me and excitement, such a wonderful frame of mind to enter sleep! Last night I was particularly struck with a closeness with my dear daughter, Little Sister Hallel, as I know she too is taking in Jesus through His Word!
In September - the gift of sharing time with Hallel and her community in Kansas City at the dedication of the Little Monastery there!
Even when Hallel was home for her home visit a year ago - her, John and I would mendicate the Gospel for the day - we would speak each line numerous times and then chant them. It is quite something to see how the Holy Spirit reveals deep seeds that are planted within the words. They even spend time sharing "echoes" from other places in the Word that speak about similar issues or points that come out. When they go out into the world to beg for their food from the poor - they also represent Christ as they are filled with The Word and share it! We see in the Community the mercy and non-judgmental attitude they embrace all they meet. This was so beautifully expressed in an article we just read in our diocesan paper - The Prairie Catholic - this idea of LOVE and mercy, which Pope Francis promotes!
The 5 together a year ago!!! Just praying with John and once again hearing him speak with so much LOVE for Our Lady - "the most beautiful woman in the world!" Just sharing email prayer with a mother of a 23 year old son, who has just had seizures return after hopeful surgery to correct the problem... possible scar tissue from the risky surgery that seemed to heal him. It reminded me of John and now the worries we are facing with his changes in his brain possibly due to the whole brain radiation. So hard on these young men to face these new challenges, and wonder what the Lord has in store for them. But as mothers we know without a doubt that the Lord does have a plan and is in control! I shared with her that I am using Lourdes water liberally and often, and know the LOVE John has found for Our Lady stems from his two trips to Lourdes and bathing in the healing waters of the miraculous springs both times! I am willing to share some that we brought back! http://www.dnu.org/news/newspaper/documents/JAN.2013MASTERISSUE.pdf John's article in the Prairie Catholic and his healing in his own words.
What JOY to see Hallel in the midst of our beautifully remodeled Church and with our Community of Faith last April!
Jesus, today in the Gospel you healed from afar , if only we have the Faith that it can happen as you say! The second miracle in Cana after the WINE! The wine was gallons and gallons of JOY! Your Blood comes from the wine and fills us with the ability to take your love and mercy into our lives and world. Most especially into our domestic church/family where we seem to struggle the most to give without counting the cost. To live the motto of the Community of the Lamb - "Wounded, I will not cease to love." is truly what you show us on the Cross and is not humanly possible! Only with You and your Truth can we embrace our Most Cherished Cross and find LIFE eternal! Jesus, we need you - we are weak and fail so often in our sinfulness. May we go forth filled with the knowledge and LOVE of You and your Bride, The Church. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"... another misreading of Pope Francis' message, 'which some Catholics fall victim to, is to say 'yeah, yeah, yeah, fine about mercy, but let me tell you about the rules.' "
Pope Francis 'is saying that's not the way to sell the faith. The most interesting thing about him... is his emphasis on mercy, and his repeated talk about Jesus and the Gospels and the primacy of charity, rather than rules or laws. If we want to evangelize, we need to describe what we love about the faith, and not the kinds of rules and laws, that we all should, of course, attend to. Pope Francis message is that what draws people to the faith is God's mercy... that we need to love God and our neighbors, that charity is paramount, that we need to take care of the poor, that the message of the Gospels is God's mercy." John Garvey from the article in the April Prairie Catholic - In the first year, Pope Francis has challenged all to live the Gospel
"Pope Francis' genuineness is his concern for the poor: 'It's who he is. The way he's living is perfectly consistent with the message he's preaching. He lives like a poor man, he takes care of the poor... it's not just a token. It's the best evidence of his sincerity." John Garvey
Hallel with her Goddaughter, Therese...
No wonder she found great JOY in getting this for her and her dolly, Anna, for her birthday a few weeks ago! Made by mom with love and worn with a recognition of its meaning - listening to the call!
Sitting behind Ruth and Paul and their 5 is great, but it makes mass very active and interactive! At one point Pat was making many smile around us as he proudly had Luke on one large arm and Rose in the other. He wants to hold them and asks for them plus they come to him and beg to be held. He has always been the one to hold the babies in church and they seem to relax and find comfort and peace in those large arms. Although there is much going on when you share mass with 5 kids 9 and under... I still found great meat and potatoes served with the Word read at mass today! I heard Paul telling David that he needed to pay special attention to the first reading from Samuel about the anointing of David as future king of Israel.
I am not sure of how much of the reading David heard other than his name mentioned numerous times, but after mass he asked me to take a picture of the Cross in the front of Church with him in it... he then knelt for it. Reminding us of the cute video of 17 month old Patrick genuflecting that Maria had on her blog!
The day is going to be windy warm muddy, and I have been called in to work this afternoon, so I need to keep this short... there was so much in the readings today! Of course, Ephesians 5 can't be beat with St Paul speaking so eloquently about LIGHT! He says that we once were darkness - not in darkness- and that really brings us to the reality of how deep it goes! What really grabbed me was how he talked about exposing the works of darkness - yet not to even mention them- "for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret"... Wow! Aren't we all drawn to all the horrible details of evil and wrong people do? Isn't that what sells magazines and draws us to watch the most horrific shows on TV and movies? Sex and violence and the most twisted evil - we look for more and more to fill us with that darkness that seeps in deep! It makes you see that pointing out the negative and wrong things is a downward spiral, and that it is much more uplifting to look to the LIGHT , "for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. How can we call smearing the good name of someone because of some evil and wrong that has been dug up is helping anything? "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you LIGHT."
94 years between Great-grandma Ann and little Luke, but there is LOVE there!
The Gospel!!!!! John 9:1-41 It was long and powerful and once again much was going on around us, but each word was like a bell ringing in me! So amazing!!! It starts with Jesus assuring us that this man born blind was not being punished nor were his parents for their sinfulness, but rather "it is so that the works of God be made visible through him." How we felt this through the journeys of John and Patrick! That through them many were taught the power of prayer, and that Faith is alive and well, and that Jesus is walking among us healing just as He did... that it is still "day" and He is still at work! Such a powerful picture of this man... he uses the words that Christ uses - "I am" - showing that "the LIGHT of Christ produces goodness in us by which we come to resemble Christ himself." see www.magnficat.com
I was very moved by this Gospel and found huge recognition of the way that Christ calls us to LOVE as He does , ministering to the needs of those blind and lost filled with darkness! It is they who are brought to healing and The LIGHT and those that are sitting in judgment that are given the darkness. Lord, I am wanting to get rid of all darkness and come totally and fully into the LIGHT. May I follow you carrying my Most Cherished Cross! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
The troops have arrived to enjoy a glorious day on the farm!
"The Lord anointed my eyes: I went, I washed, I saw and I believed in God." The man born blind John 9
Those hands have done lots for the good of Faith/farm/family little Luke!
I found this when I looked back a year... Rose was 10 months and Mary was close to 6. Tomorrow is to be 60 degrees here, so the shirt sleeves might happen again. But there is a blizzard warning for the Monday. We get a day and that's it! Oh well, someday it will be here to stay. Lord, we trust in YOU. bless-bless, Barb
Rose and Our Lady...
Now a year later it is fun to see Bernadette wearing the same dress - with the siblings and cousins sharing - clothes get a lot of use out of them!
