Clothes on the line, pick up sticks, take care of kids, baby in arms and napping there

It was nice to wash sheets and dry them on the line - a tent for the kids...  Ruth came to help put the cows and calves out on pasture, so I had kid care to do along with many loads of wash and meals and baking cookies.  Luke is running a temp and him and grandma spent a lot of time hanging out together.  He napped in my arms, while Rose took a 3 hour nap in grandma's bed.  Tonight I am tired.  The craziness of spring work is in the air - they are digging overnight!

tent time...

Leaves are bursting out!

 Babies all love pickles!!! 

 

Mary went out to the pasture to see Snowball - "She kicked up her heels and jumped around.  She was happy to get out in the grass!"  Bless-bless, Barb

St Philip and James - a week from today

Today is the feastday of St Philip and St James... I happen to have two brothers named Philip and James, so I am thinking of them today.  John and I just read about the feast day and discovered a cool thing..."It is Philip that Jesus turns to before feeding the 5,000(John 6:5-7).  For this reason, Philip is frequently depicted with a loaf of bread."  John and I thought this was fitting, as my brother Phil has worked as a cook most of his working adult life!  He too is feeding others.  Here he stands at Christmas time in his establishment.  Philip said yes to a TEC retreat years ago, and met Jesus in a very personal way there.  He experienced his first reconciliation since we had joined the Church 25 years before.  He was so filled with JOY and awe of being freed from sin and death! 

A year and a half ago we road tripped out to Pennsylvania for a family wedding with my brother, James.   Here I am with my two brothers, Daniel and James... they have been close always as they were just a year and a half apart in age.
 John was going down the list of my 10 siblings this morning after he had shared to the amazement of a friend the miraculous story of the 13 converting - my parents and us 11 kids - to the Catholic Church 41 years ago!  http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html  I have made a page about it on my blog as it is quite the story to share!  Not only am I blessed with sharing my faith with my children and grandchildren, but also with many of my siblings and their families... foremost would be these two brothers and their families.  Such a gift!  They share with me the two things I value most in this world - Faith and Family!  Praise Him, and His glorious Bride, The Church!

Little Augustine praying before our meal shared with the Community on our way home from Texas in February.

We are getting very excited as we start to see our trip down there in a week take shape.  It will be John and I along with my 8 year old granddaughter, Mary.  We will be bringing along a young mother with her 7 year old daughter, and possibly two high school girls that are discerning a call.  What is the occasion?  Three American girls, who have been postulants for over a year will be taking their habits and changing their names to Little Sister _____.  It has happened in the U.S. one other time in September of last year when they dedicated the newly built Little Monastery, Lumen Christi!  Marie took the habit and became Little Sister Inez! 

Mary got to sit by Little Sister Hallel/Aunt Susan to watch the transformation!  Each article of clothing that makes up her habit has a very deep spiritual meaning... the scapular the apron like piece that covers them front and back represents the Cross they bear for Christ!  The sandals is that they may follow after Christ wherever their Bridegroom may lead them!  So amazing!

 "Your habits are the color of the sky and the shape of the Cross."  Fr Jean Claude their Franciscan founder

Bringing forth the bread to become Jesus at the mass following.  When Pat and his mom made it to France for Hallel to take her first vows a couple years after taking her habit... they both were deeply touched by the mass the night before for those taking the habit!  To see them leave carrying their simple clothing and come back transformed and glowing was very powerful indeed.  They could then imagine how moved we had been two years before when just weeks into John's brain cancer journey, John and I were able in just 24 hours time decide to come to France and be there for Susan's taking of the habit and becoming for all the world - Little Sister Hallel!  We were puzzled at her name, but then she explained that it is the first part of "Hallelujah" - "Everytime someone says my name they are giving the God the highest praise!"  So powerful and we were lifted up at this huge time of family shock and need!  We were in the midst of the storm and this showed us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus was in control!

Hallel will not make it back for this huge occasion, but we know of her love and prayers for us in front of Jesus each day!

Today in the Gospel, O Jesus, you tell us all we need to know - "I am the Way and the Truth and the LIFE."  That is all we need, O Lord!  We are filled with wonder and awe as we recall how you have held us in the palm of your hand and given us such amazing experiences on our journey with YOU!  To look back at the conversion of the 13, to the Faith journey of each of my children whether led to marriage, religious life or brain cancer.  The ongoing blessings we are daily given through your Church - the feast day today which surrounds two of my brothers with the great blessings of their patron saints/namesakes!  The readings from Your Word each day, the Sacraments, the Saints, Our Mother of Heaven and Earth, Mary the Mother of God, and all the prayers we pray with every beat of our hearts and every breath that we take - "Jesus and Mary, save souls.  Jesus and Mary, Save souls."  So overwhelmed and filled with JOY and may Peace reign this day of fighting the mud to put cows and calves out on grass.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

My Most Cherished Cross - lover of LIFE and raiser of LIGHTS for the world!

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

"If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."  Jesus to us today in the Gospel John 14:14

Casting Crowns - Glorious Day

Today's Gospel the beginning of John 6!

There is no better place to start than the miracle of the loaves and the fish feeding the thousands/large crowd following Jesus because they saw the signs that he performed.  No better place to start the chapter of the Body and Blood of Christ and how we are to eat it to find eternal life!

I wish I could share the beautiful note Uncle Joseph sent to his Goddaughter, Mary, on the occasion of her first Holy Communion last weekend.  It is what this picture is expressing - "After you receive Jesus in His Body and Blood - close your eyes and recall that He is God."  This is somewhat he wrote to her.  Here we start the journey of the shocking news Jesus has for the world, and makes me wonder why all aren't in the Church and why anyone ever leaves Jesus in His Body and Blood there for us.  He comes to us and fills us with all we need to find eternal life!  So we begin the journey in The Church around the world of John 6... I looked ahead and it is truly going to happen, so fasten your safety belts!  We are smitten and filled with LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  Bless-bless, Barb

We are given divine help as we strive to follow the narrow path carrying our Most Cherished Cross.

Mid-afternoon awakening to Sun!

The sights and sounds around me... grass so green in the sunlight that it makes you squint, the wind drying the land as it blows in from the North, birds chirping through the open window, baby calves as the cow TV goes back and forth- not so many in the barn now that the weather has cleared but some are napping, eating feed from orange barrels, or licking others' eartags, or frisking around kicking their heels to the air, the muffled sound of Pat talking on the phone out in the garage, an occasional moo from the cows as they call their calf to nurse, a quiet house as John is gone visiting a friend, the TV is off, no radio, no music, only the sound of the wind and the green world as the leaves are making a faint appearance as they bud forth.  My lilac branch/Easter tree here in the house has a couple lilacs ready to open.  They are white and small but they are lilacs weeks ahead of those outside.  My rule of thumb - Mother's day is usually when we have lilacs!  I never am without one from the moment they first open just a few flowers till they are falling apart at the end!  I love them, and have an entire hedge around two sides of my house!

Not much today - my rosary is calling me after a tough night at work.  How I am refreshed and calmed by turning to Jesus through Mary in my rosary!  It is the source of Peace in my world.

Simon and classmates carrying forth their flowers for Mary.  As John says - "She is the most beautiful woman in the world and that is why you have her in some for 30 times in this room - you wanted to make the room beautiful!"  Yes!  My love for her and her mothering love is very evident to anyone who enters our home!  "Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women and blest is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."  My body, mind, and spirit is yearning to come to Jesus through Mary!

Jesus with your Mother at your side.. I am yours and come to you in my weakness.  May I always be weak and lowly so that I turn to you and need you to carry me and show me the way.  I long to see your face in all I meet in my day... Jesus, I trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barb
Good to see patches of blue sky behind the budding trees.  Now to warm up the world and dry up the fields and yards so that the animals and crops may do well. 

Two candles and a kitten

Rose is not quite sure what is happening to her today, but it involves candles, a kitten and siblings singing... It's your birthday, Rose! 

Good blow Rose, or was it David from over the chair?  It is a lively bunch around there with kitties now big enough to climb out of the box and roam around the house.  No, the kids had to give it a lift to join the birthday pic on the table. 

Grandpa and Rose enjoy the cake - purple frosting is special for birthday girls that are two.

 Blue sky for the first time in a week! 

Bring the sun now Lord and give Rose a wonderful 2nd year ahead with lots of fun out in the nice weather.  Bless-bless, Barb

A Rose for Our Lady

A Blessed May Day to one and all - we received an early morning call reminding us that Simon and the 3rd graders were doing May Crowning at 8:30a.  Pat, John and I headed in and were greeted by a sweet procession of each carrying a rose for Our Lady.  So precious and I can see Our Spiritual Mother of heaven and earth smiling at their devotion! 

Crowned Queen of Heaven and earth!  Today we are celebrating the 2nd birthday of our Rose Ida, as well as the 6 month birthday of little Luke!  What better way to celebrate than gathering in the beautiful St Mary's chapel to share a rosary with the young and sweet voices of children? There is no better way... other than an ice cream sundae shared afterwards to celebrate Joyfully!  Even little Luke loved that yumminess!

Simon placing his flower to make the glorious bouquet of homage to Our Queen!

 Luke is 6 wonderful months and is checking out grandpa's huge finger.

Rose with a smile and a rosary on her 2nd birthday!  Yes, she was named after the Rosary as well as Ruth's patron saint - St Rose of Lima.  Little Rose is also a beautiful blossom - rosebud opening up in the LIGHT of our Lord and his glorious Mother of God!

 Rose taking in a sight of a place that will become very familiar to her over many years of her lifetime...  Her Uncle John has warm and happy memories of May Crowning - he asked for a rosary on the way in to school this morning and knew just how it would be - a living rosary!

 Rose checks out grandma's old worn wooden rosary... many prayers have been said on that little Rose, and some for you every day since we first knew you were in the womb.  Lord, protect all life in the womb this day - most especially our two grandchildren in the wombs of Nancy and Maria.  And for all those that are considering abortion that they may decide to protect and give life to their little one.  End the horror of abortion, O Lord!

Whipping around the rosary might get more prayer power going?  Maybe Rose.

Rose finds a warm loving nest nestled in dad's coat.

Simon did a good job saying the last Hail Mary in his decade of the Rosary  Luminous mysteries - the second decade - the Wedding of Cana.   All the children were dressed so beautifully for Our Lady and were very reverent and there is something so spectacular about their clear young voices speaking the words of the Angel and Elizabeth from the Gospel!  Yes, the Hail Mary is entirely from the Gospel!  How I love to repeat those words as I pray for my family and needs that are asked of me in prayer. 

 Dad and Rose get a birthday snuggle at the May Crowning - a Rose for Mary!

 Happy excited Birthday smile for grandma!

 A Rose for Our Lady...

Surrounded by her older siblings including her sister, Mary, with her namesake... Happy Birthday little Rose on this day of devotion to Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth!  Today is also devoted to her earthly husband/protector, St Joseph the worker. 

A little girl led by the hands of her older siblings down the path of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT. 

Jesus with your Mother and St Joseph at your side - we are filled with wonder at the sound of the voices of children speaking the Gospel for our edification and walk of Faith.  We are blessed as the Catholic School continues to educate our children for generations, and bring forth the Faith that we share together in our domestic Church/family.  Bless little Rose Ida in her walk with you and give her many more years of following you and loving you and serving you and being a LIGHT in this world.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Happy 6 month birthday little Luke!  You are a delight to us!

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

"I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall be over in my mouth.

Taste and see how good the Lord is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

Hallelujah!"

Psalm 34 from mass today

Many years this will be a familiar place for little Rose

Gus singing happy birthday to Berna... he can sing it to Rose today!

Hail Holy Queen by Danielle Rose