Celebration day/Life goes on each new day

I came across this fun picture of the 3 toddlers about a month ago in the heated shop in the back of our old white pickup.  Today is the big day of Ruth and Paul getting their new red pickup along with media coverage, and driving away in it.  The kids will all be there, too, but won't all fit into the pickup as they drive away.  We will bring Luke with us, I guess.

We just had a fun conversation with Maria on the phone in the midst of our morning prayer.  Pat got to talk to his Patrick and got a lot of "yeses" to his yes and no questions.  Maria called to get an update on Pat's mom, who is going through some changes in her health.  She just spent 3 days in the hospital working on her aging heart - at 95 things get tired!  She is home, but continues to have to find ways of dealing with her new normal.  She is in our hearts and prayers and the family is there for her.

We got the amazing news that Ruth and Paul had won first prize and their first ever pickup - a brand new one!  Today the kids get out of school and at 10:45a this morning they all gather at the car dealership here in town to get their new pickup.  They won't all be able to climb in a drive away as they cannot all fit!  We will probably have Luke with us, or Paul will drive away with all the kids and minus Ruth.  It is a good problem to have!  This morning at prayer we thanked God for the wonderful example of farmers/agriculture/respect and love of God's world/openness to family/living a good and respectful marriage/sharing and living their Faith/teaching the Creighton Model method to allow couples to follow the teachings of the Church and by natural means have children or prevent if necessary/and how to raise lights for the world of darkness/lies/sin/death!  Ruth and Paul and their beautiful family are lights on that lampstand enlightening the world in so many powerful and wonderful ways!

 Everyone loves to be with grandpa even for moving the wagon just a few feet in the new shop!

In the first reading St Paul to the Hebrews 13 - St Paul covers a lot of basics in our Christian journey... hospitality, sharing with those that are suffering/in prison/ill-treated.  He reminds us to keep marriage pure and holy.  "Let your life be free from love of money...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."  Even though our health, our family, our job, our house, our world, our town, our wealth or lack there of changes - Jesus is always the same - filled with unconditional love and mercy for us no matter what!  WE in turn must return the LOVE we are shown without deserving it to those around us most especially to those closest to us in our domestic Church/family.

 Today a new pickup will be presented to our daughter, her husband, and their 5 children!  We celebrate with them!

Jesus, we are reminded in the Psalm today that "The Lord is my LIGHT and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom shall I be afraid?"  Psalm 27  There are the ups and downs of life and yet you are always with us.  It seems that when we find ourselves down and sick and hurt and weak and struggling is when we turn to YOU , O Lord.  Yet, may we give you the glory and the honor for all the good that comes our way, and may those times when the spotlight is upon us show Your LIGHT to the world and sometimes using words!  We long to die to self so that you may live and work through us, O Lord!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

 The toddlers at play - it seems that they are together in a group whenever they can... sometimes getting along and sometimes tussling!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

St Paul Miki and Companions pray for us on this day of remembrance/feast day!

 "The reason they aren't fighting over the steering wheel, is because Berna doesn't care about driving it."  Nancy about Patrick and Bernadette getting along in the cab of the pickup!

 Making a sign of our JOY!

Lots of excitement is building! 

God's not dead with Narnia pictures - Newsboys

Into the "good" wind!

I thought this warm snuggly picture is good for this cold windy day with the small amount of white snow being blown here and there.  We are soon off on a long journey to and from a bull sale in South Dakota.  We will visit a lot and solve the world's problems and come up with some new ones too!  It is today the "good wind" as we have St Agatha along with us on her feast today.  Her name means "good" in Greek and she has taught the world the goodness we find in giving our all to God!  St Agatha we love to have our world colored with your Good!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

Kids, puppy, a bottle of milk, kitties, going to a bull sale 3 hours away...

 Luke's big brown eyes were beautiful in the bright sunlight as he smiled big at grandma and played/layed on the puppy.

 The puppy thought Luke's bottle was very interesting and chewy, so there was some cute back and forth between the two of them. 

 Luke wrestled it away from Holly, and

 The chase was on!!!

 Then she went out with Mary and David to pick the eggs - there were 7 - and to look for a mysterious black cat that likes to spend time in the chicken house/bunny house.  I would call that stray cat heaven.  David shared that Holly got into the pen with the chickens, but he got him out before harm could be done.  Whew!

 Then a couple kitties got in for some snuggles, photos and purrs!

 Rose and her soft purry kitty in the sunlight!

Soft looking Rose Ida with her soft purry kitty!

 David joins the kitty fest.

 Heart melting softness in those eyes. 

I probably won't have the time to share here tomorrow as I am going to go with Pat to a bull sale in Aberdeen, SD about 3 hours away!  Pat is here looking over the bulls with his little mini me, Luke!  Lots of sharing as we will have 6 hours on the road.  We do enjoy sharing time away like that.  My husband/Most Cherished Cross is a very good communicator.  I can't complain in that department, and that is a blessing, I know.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

 I can't get over how sweet he is inside and outside!

 Grandma likes the snuggles with her little Luke!

 Watch out Ruth he can open the door himself!  He closed again, because it was cold out there! 

"I like this bull grandpa."  "Yes, that is a good one Luke.  Maybe someday you will be out there helping me and your dad with the cows, calves and those big bulls, too!" 

"This world is not enough for our happiness..." Blessed John Henry Newman

"Should we blow out the candles now, Uncle John?"  The 5 showed up to help John celebrate his 26th birthday... I only had a 2 and a 7 - we figured he has just begun his 27th Year! 

 

John is preparing to give another talk this evening for FF here in Marshall.  There is much conversation about his message and just what it means for young people.  Not that if you pray for Faith in your life that you might get brain cancer so why do it?  But rather that our lives are all going to hold hard difficult painful events - the Cross - and we need Jesus in our lives to come through them finding LIFE eternal, LOVE everlasting, and LIGHT of Truth!  John's message - we need our Faith to see us through the hard times we will all face in our lives. 

John frosting his first ever birthday cake. 

 

In the Gospel today Jesus is disappointed by the "lack of faith" he found in those, who were from his native place - home town!  John shares in his story that he grew up in a Catholic bubble and took his families' faith for granted.  "I don't feel anything." he would say, "I have never needed to turn to my faith - it has never been tested."   Well, when he half-heartedly prayed for faith, and week later he had brain cancer and the fight of his life, and now the new healed John, who has found Faith! 

 

Here is a wonderful sharing on Faith by Blessed John Henry Newman (1890)

What is meant by faith?  It is to feel in good earnest that we are creatures of God; it is a practical perception of the unseen world; it is to understand that this world is not enough for our happiness, to look beyond it on towards God, to realize his Presence, to wait upon him, to endeavor to learn and to do his will, and to seek our good from him.

It is not a mere temporary strong act or impetuous feeling of the mind, an impression or a view coming upon it, but it is a habit, a state of mind, lasting and consistent.  To have faith in God is to surrender one's self to God, humbly to put one's interests, or to wish to put them into his hands who is the Sovereign Giver of all good.

The Pose - John and Susan/Hallel have perfected this many times over the years!

 

This is being shared on FB today... John has survived, but shows wounds from cancer lingering on his mind and heart and soul.  He is the "new John."  There continue to be day to day struggles with jobs and asking if there could be "a vocation."  We also know of young people that have not survived, yet they touched the world and we honor their memories and LIGHT they shared in their short lifetimes!  We think of Lisa, who humbly made sleep mats for those that are poor and sleep in the ground all over the world with her last few years battling cancer.  Making a difference one person at a time!  We just heard about Zach Sobiech, and how his song Clouds has touched millions and his story has changed lives.  A larger scale of a life that continues on in Spirit and makes a difference in this world! 

Zach Sobiech - Clouds sung by the largest choir

Zach singing Clouds

 

Jesus, we are reminded today by St Paul to the Hebrews 12

Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as his sons.  For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?  At the time, all discipline seems cause not for joy but for pain, yet later brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.  May we remember this when things don't go the way we want them to, yet You are in control and your way is what we need to find the path to LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  "The world is not enough for our happiness," and when we try to find it in the world we are always disappointed and find ourselves surrounded by darkness of sin and death. Use John's story to touch many this night.   May we die to self so that you may live in us!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

One more of the instant party called kids from 10 thru 1 that are excited for candles, singing, cake and ice cream! 

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

 

He definitely gives us food for thought on this journey of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! 

Flash birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Ruth with her 5 showed up just as John was heading out for play practice...

 I found a 2 and a 7 so it had to do for candles as we had discussed that his 27th year is starting today - he has reached the milestone of 26 today. 

 So John stopped by for them to sing "happy birthday" with his coat on and...

 quickly blew it out and headed off to play practice... a flash birthday!

 John frosted his own cake. The first time he has ever frosted a cake with the verbal help of mom.

John has learned a new skill to add to his list of accomplishments in life.  It still is nice to celebrate with family even in a flash of fire one minute and then smoke as you head out the door the next!  It is a celebration no matter how long or short.  It shows our love no matter how small.  The more humble the better in many ways!  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Bless-bless, Barb

"I love you all and you are all very close to me." Hallel

Both Pat and I got messages from Hallel a few weeks ago that she was going for a week's retreat in Poland.  Yesterday we received this postcard from her displaying this icon - Our Lady of Czestochowa, and some very powerful words on the back of the postcard.  John and I just read about this icon, which is hugely venerated in Poland!  We read about the two scars on her face and they were inflicted in the 1400s by the Hussites that stole it - they slashed the painting and it bled!  Even though they have tried to repair - they remain, and so powerfully now as I share Susan's insight to her family and "everybody."

Dearest mom, dad, and everybody,                                                     Jan 24, 2015  Poland

Today I went to Czestochowa and I prayed for each and everyone of you by name, for your joys but also for those things which are more difficult.  I know that Our Lady heard this prayer and that she is with each one of you.  When I was looking at this icon I saw those two wounds on her face and I think that Our Lady is trying to teach me, and all humanity, that our wounds can become a source of life; we do not need to hide our wounds, rather we need to let new life flow from them.  Easy to say but to live....  Do this work in me, Lord, because this is the true way to find Life and joy and not to stay/remain in that which hurts and is difficult.  Today it is "snowing" (it is more like flurries) but it is the first snow since I was in KC for Holy Week 2 years ago...(I posted a blog post about the her last time with snow while on her home visit on my blog last night... http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/2015/02/wake-up-world-pope-francis.html)  The Lord heard my prayer!
I love you all and you are all very close to me!
God Bless,
Your little Sister Hallel

There is a pretty snow coming down... this is John's 26th birthday today, so I had him in some new birthday clothes bought by mom, and out on the holy deck with Our Lady and St Francis.  John just headed in to have lunch with his cousin here visiting from the Cities.

It has been a morning filled with birthday celebrating, prayer, lots of texts with Pat's family as his mom is spending a few days in the hospital here in town to get some heart issues taken care of, and reading and rereading these words of Hallel's as we learn of this amazing icon of Poland!  The Gospel for today is most powerful, too.  When it is read and shared 3 times between reading it the night before, with morning prayer with Pat and with John after sharing Lauds/the office... it is a form of Lectio Divino and really makes parts jump out at you and makes it sink in deep and life-changing!  This is the way of Hallel's community to start the night before mendicating the Word - chanting and speaking each line over and over - up to 12 times each!  I have shared how excited I get to read it the night before, and this one from Mark 5 did not disappoint!  The raising from the dead of a 12 year old girl and the woman, who comes up behind him and touches his clothes to be healed of her 12 years of bleeding! 

 My baby is 26 today!  Doughnuts with 26 candles to really make it sink in... it makes me feel old!

The first reading today is amazing also from St Paul to the Hebrews..."Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us  and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of Faith."  Hebrews 12  St Paul is not saying that we won't have scars from our wounds, but that we take those wounds and bring forth LIFE from them!  I am realizing that John's story of being allowed to have brain cancer to discover Faith is not one from which people run away... it is merely reminding us that no matter what we face, and there is hard/difficult wounds in all of our lives, that Jesus is there to give us LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT which He gave us through the Cross and He asks us to take up our Cross and follow after Him!

 26 candles gives off a lot of LIGHT and heat! 

I have personally witnessed those that are able to reach out and touch the hem of his garment!  I have shared being invited to come up to Cora Jesu - Heart of Jesus - gathering by Hallel/Susan about 7 years ago.  It was a Church up on St Thomas campus filled with young people singing praise and worship to Jesus in the monstrance in the altar - around the base of the monstrance was a scarf/altar cloth.  Two at atime people could come up and hold onto his robe and  have that intimate contact with Jesus their lover and healer!  So powerful!  There were priests scattered throughout the Church hearing reconciliations - the sacrament of healing!  Everytime I hear this Gospel it feels like I was there and witnessed this scene - I have!

Danielle Rose wrote a most amazing song about this Gospel - If I Touch Him

Then she reminds us that when we take him into ourselves through The Eucharist we are continuing to be touching him!

 We lit our Lourdes candle this morning for our prayer time! 

I think that it is obvious that I am so full today of so much that it is overflowing from within.  I pray that there is some sense from all this!

 Our grey kitten joining us in prayer this morning.

Jesus, may the wounds we have not be hidden so that we may humbly share with all those around us.  May it be revealed that we share this pain of life - the Cross which brings us to find LIFE/LOVE/LGIHT - not only to find it but to share your life through those wounds.  Yes, Our Lady is truly there to show us those wounds and bonding us to her as we also have wounds to show!  She brings us to LIFE and shows us how we are called to bear her Son, Jesus, to the world - most especially to those closest to us in our domestic Church/family!  It is crazy to read her heartfelt words of ending saying that she is "very close to me."  How can that be when we have not seen her for almost a year and a half?  It is because of our shared Faith and she knows that we are touched by her prayers and sharing this beautiful insight she has received from this powerful icon.  We share Jesus in His Word each day.  Jesus, we trust in YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah

Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

 

By his taking flesh and coming among us, and through the sacraments he continues to touch us even today; transforming our hearts, he unceasingly enables us to acknowledge and acclaim him as the Son of God.   In faith, we can touch him and receive the power of his grace.  Saint Augustine, commenting on the account of the woman suffering from hemorrhages who touched him and was cured, says: To touch him with our hearts: that is what it means to believe.

Pope Francis

We love you, John!  Happy Birthday!  Bless-bless

Newsboys - we Believe!