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!
John as Godfather for little Raegan yesterday... Such a special way to celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter/ Divine Mercy Sunday! The day was glorious and it was so nice to get away with husband and son and share in this beautiful gift of Baptism for Raegan on such a spring like Sunday!
The glory and HOPE continues with the new day today - the Feast of the Annunciation has been moved to the first Monday after the Octave of Easter as it fell on Good Friday this year! Waking up to the Bright Sun rising and reading morning prayer and the readings of the Feast of The Annunciation... HOPE comes with The LIGHT of day!
Precious new member of The Church sweet little gift/miracle of LIFE, Raegan! The candles I use in my Advent wreath freshly washed and glowing with the Easter lilly - Today marks the feast/celebration of Mary's "yes" to allowing LIFE/LIGHT/LOVE to enter the world! How we cling to the HOPE we find in Jesus entering the world, and then giving his LIFE for the forgiveness of our sins - the Spotless Lamb!
I have been getting calls from John today from the clinic here in town... He has a worry with a rash that has taken over his face and head. His eye is surrounded by it and he is very concerned about this new mystery. He is asking for prayers from the family and now from his loyal prayer warriors! We have a call into Rochester and so that could be where we head, and also an appointment with an eye doctor here in town at 3:30p this afternoon. We will keep you posted, but please remember John in your prayers today.
In the Church of St Joseph is this modern version of St Peregrine's vision of Jesus reaching down from the Cross to heal him of cancer. We have included prayers to St Peregrine for John, of course, and to have this reminder of our journey in Easter glory yesterday was a powerful image, for sure!
Awaiting the Baptism - the healing Jesus reaches out to John amid the Easter beauty all around!
Jesus, we are called to trust in you and to fall on our knees in prayer with the needs that confuse and worry us! How we are called to always know that you love us and are in control of all that comes on this journey of cancer/healing/ and the new John. How John finds comfort in knowing of all the prayers that surround him from family and prayer warriors - giving him peace and acceptance of each bump in the road. Jesus, we are so filled with humble gratitude that you, God, came into this world to save each one of us in our own special way that we may embrace our Most Cherished Cross and find LIFE/LIGHT/LOVE! Jesus, we use the language of love between us - PRAYER - to find peace and comfort at this troubling time. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
The wonderful sky on our trip up yesterday... God sent one of his messengers to one of his creatures. That all powerful One none has ever looked upon, to whom it costs nothing to make worlds without number, approached a maiden poor and hidden, who at the same time longed ardently for the coming of the Messiah; who summed up in her great heart - great because sweet and humble, a heart ready to believe, to accept, to receive - all the expectation of Israel. It is even more wonderful than the sun seeking out a single violet in all the earth to unfold. Mother Marie des Douleurs (1983) How I feel the hope this bright day of the sun seeking out the small violet! Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
The healing waters of Baptism and the JOY of Easter!
Can we love her too much? I think not - she is my Mother and the Mother of God!
John surrounded by his sisters - today they are surrounding him with prayers and how he depends on those! He even called Hallel in Rome and has her and her Community praying for him.
One of my few bump pictures - with Nancy in all her beauty! I love the way my baby bump made room for itself with my zipper giving way...
Nancy just posted this great selfie of her family. I was able to have a nice visit with her this morning... and she described how Billy spoiled her - letting her sleep in and making a wonderful special breakfast that she ate with all 3 - really 4 - kids sitting in her lap sharing it with her. Happy Birthday Sweet Nancy Anna!
Our Lady is so beautiful to see in the midst of our lives -here she graces my the home of Pat's mom.... newly arrived from a friend, who is suffering from cancer. In the midst of a conversation with my mom about how she is dealing with Mary held up so high for many in The Church. "She is the new Eve." says mom.
Our Lady under the tree - how I love her and on Saturday she is honored in The Church. I am so excited to get into my room with all my Mary statues and paintings, and spread them out throughout my new home! Don't worry - there are more Jesus paintings and statues. I had such a fun day yesterday digging into my stuff and sorting through it and putting it where it belongs.
The risen Lord today tells us - "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15 How I burn to share The Truth/The Gospel/Jesus! I know that I am weak and do not have all the theological understanding in the world, but I do have a total unreserved LOVE for The Church and I take to heart all that it teaches. I do not pick and choose what I will follow - I believe and follow all without reservation! Why? Because I see it as the True Church instituted by Jesus with Peter as the first Pope! I find the fruits of The Holy Spirit alive in my life as a result of my following of Christ with his Bride, The Church.
No longer my home, but now filled with a young family. Mary is our Spiritual Mother always carrying our needs to her Son!
Jesus, I love you and am so grateful for the gift of The Church and your Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth! I have so much help on this journey, because I need your help to be able to love and serve you without counting the cost! I am a weak and sickly old woman, who is not much help for spreading the Good News, but what little I have I give to you. May I die to self so that Your Holy Spirit may work in and through me! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
This greets me each day now. Adjusting to our new life, Pat and I... Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
A vision of Mary the Mother of God?
The Hope of Apostles of every age is symbolized by a vast begging woman. Her feet stand on a lost world, and she holds in her arms the people whom nobody knows. She shares their infinite poverty but she is smiling as she looks to heaven, waiting for the redemption that will come like the dawn.
Servant of God Madeleine Delbrel (1964)
The post card with Pope Francis from Susan/Hallel in Rome on Feb 8, 2016
"How much I desire that the year to come be steeped in mercy." Pope Francis - Misericordiae Vultus
Hallel writes - This is my prayer for you, for me, and for the whole family. May we all experience how merciful the Lord is towards us, so that we may be merciful and forgive one another!
Mother Angelica - rest in peace.
Hail Holy Queen by Danielle Rose
So excited to find this selfie of my birthday girl - Nancy Anna Joan of Arc is celebrating her birthday today! I just got to talk to her and it looks to be turning out to be a special day as she deserves! Billy let her sleep in and made them a wonderful breakfast - from Dominic's chin it looks like chocolate cake could have been on the menu!?! Nancy you have 4 kids on your lap and you are one lucky mom and wife! Wishing you a wonderful 34th year! We love you and miss you being close on the farm! Love and Prayers always, mom and dad and family!
What JOY! Finding this on Maria's blog today! LOVE! Let there be LIGHT in a bundle of LIFE!
I remember vividly taking this picture of sunrise on a July morning almost 8 years ago. Ruth had gone to Sioux Falls to see if her baby was ready to come via C-section. I was watching her other two for them. She was told to wait another week, and then David, her first miracle baby arrived! Since then she has had 2 more after she was told no more kids. This now graces the wall of my home - reminding me of the wonder and beauty of LIFE and how we are able to put our trust in HIM! Ruth got a second opinion and was told by the Catholic woman surgeon, who saved her uterus after rupturing - "Look at me. You will wait a year to get pregnant and let your uterus heal, and we can monitor you closely and get the baby here safely." Yes, there were many prayers along the way, too.
When I asked Ruth if she wanted to take it with her... "it is attached to the wall for now." It is like having the sunrise always!
Such wonderful readings, once again, this morning! The same Peter, who denied Jesus 3 times, is now speaking with boldness of Jesus our Savior! There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved. Acts 4:12
We tend to forget just what this means in our lives... Jesus is in control, and he tends to every single one of our needs in such personal and caring and loving and forgiving ways!
This cool spring morning with white puffy clouds... the sun, blue sky and puffy white clouds just is a picture of feeling good to me.
Then the wonderful Gospel from John 21 - Jesus on the shore directing their daily livelihood of fishing with a miraculous catch - "It is the Lord." says John and Peter jumps into the sea to get to him! Then Jesus cooks breakfast for them and feeds them... such a powerful wonderful picture of Jesus always with us on our journey and giving us all we need to face the disappointments, crosses, pains, suffering, frustrations, weaknesses and sins and failures and giving into temptation, on and on. He is there for us and if we allow him to take control of our lives - we too will find that all these things can have a hugely good outcome and foremost is our forever in Heaven with Jesus, Mary and all the Angels and Saints. That is all we yearn for after all!
Threatening rain yesterday, but thankfully it missed us! Warm rains for the crops and not cold rains which are dangerous to all our baby calves on the ground, O Lord.
The intercessory prayers from morning prayer were especially good reminders of how we need to Trust in HIM!
You told your disciples to cast their nets once more into a lifeless sea:
hearten all servants of the Gospel who have grown weary and discouraged at their lack of success.
The harvest is plentiful, O Lord: send us laborers.
You cooked a meal for your disciples beside the Sea of Galilee:
-nourish and sustain all servants of the Gospel who have given away the resources of their souls in service of your people.
The harvest is plentiful, O Lord: send us laborers.
You yourself are the Word you sent your disciples to preach:
-enrich in prayer all servants of the Gospel, that they may feed your people abundantly with the Word of LIFE.
The harvest is plentiful, O Lord: send us laborers.
Mary through Ruth's now my budding lilac tree!
I am in the midst of a very wonderful "mother feeling" this morning. John came home in the middle of the night with an ailment which needed a mother's attention, some meds and sleep. I was able to care for him and cook him breakfast and pray all along, as a mother will. It is a gift to me, and I trust the he will find healing soon from this mysterious ailment. It might sound kind of lame that I am enjoying this special calling, but it is fulfilling and my maternal instincts are strongly at work, as are my nursing caring vocations.
John is still sleeping and his breakfast awaits... "Come, have breakfast." says Jesus in the Gospel today - the risen Jesus after they have toiled all night with no fish and then following his direction they fill their nets! How he loves us and looks after us, if only we turn to him and swim to him through the sea between us filled with all that separates us from him. Get to Jesus today! Let nothing come between us!
Jesus, your concern for me is overwhelming - I am unworthy of your endless LOVE and unconditional forgiveness. May I always recall how you show me so much Mercy and care for all my needs - and may I return that to those I encounter this day... most especially those closest to me in my domestic Church/family. We place calving in your hands and are grateful that the rain did not come now. Be with John and all those that are under the weather this day. And may we live by the Motto of The Community of the Lamb - "Wounded, I will not cease to love." It is so much harder to be loving when we have been hurt. Give us that grace this day. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah!
Aglow with the ever rising sun... Jesus Rose as Rose Ida sweetly reminds us!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
From Maria's blog - Therese in the windy field in Missouri!
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So fun to find this one today! The tribe of Maria and Nancy together for Palm Sunday weekend/Therese and Billy's birthdays!
Sitting on the beach, eating food after a long hard night, leaving all that was between us and Jesus behind after we swam to him, listening to him speak to us in His Word... nothing better!
Nancy's beautiful sharing from KC today... they are having fluffy clouds in blue sky too, and a goose!
Mercy Me- Flawless
John called to tell me about this song -" it is about finding faith through the Cross."
John surprised me by stopping in to let me cook for him before play practice. I thought to have our first meal in the dining room as a kind of house warming meal. So fun!
No nice glasses, so we used our jelly canning jars to have with our steak supper. Thanks John for stopping in and making a special celebratory meal in my new home. Yes, the smoke detector went off, but then we had the patio door open and the fresh warm air while we ate. Bless-bless, Barb
The big cottonwood tree has buds on it and the cute red barn is looking more and more like our new home.
Ruth put in a wonderful farm sink in her new kitchen, and while the counter tops are waiting the dishwasher is on hold and we are washing them by hand. Last night, Wednesday, we watch the kids so that Ruth and Paul can teach Faith Formation... I started to fill up the sink to do the dishes and Rose started washing them all! "I am getting big!" So many times a day we see how much Rose is growing and maturing in such a special way.
Luke loves to help her, too! Ruth went without cupboards over her sink and cupboards facing the yard so that she could watch the farm work going on outside at all times. So important with her young kids and all that goes on out there. She is out helping her dad now, and Luke and I are hanging out in the house.
This is what greeted me today - Luke in the sink more playing than doing the dishes. Ruth recalls working a retreat with her friend, who also had 5 kids in the family and her comment - "we have 7 dishwashers in our house." This could come across as a bragging statement, but in reality it is saying that all the members take turns in washing the dishes by hand, and therefore it is a humble statement. This is prime family time - sharing the dishes at the sink together. Yes, Luke is now shirtless due to wet sleeves...
That is a happy face, and sweet too!
Two wonderful readings, once again, today! Acts 3 continues with Peter speaking filled with conviction and The Holy Spirit - how it stirs the soul to hear his eloquent and convincing words to all those drawn to them due to seeing the cripple healed! Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration... For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from the evil ways. St Peter to us...
Cow TV - two calves overnight...
The Gospel today - Luke 24 - The risen Jesus comes into their midst showing them his humanity in the flesh - dead and now resurrected - filled with new life yet still bearing the wounds of crucifixion and scourging. Why? To remind us that our wounds though healed remain to remind us that we are human and weak and need to place all our hearts, minds, souls, bodies, work, play, breathing, praying, each beat of our heart into his hands... Jesus is in control!
Luke hard at work and having fun at the same time!
How often in a day do we need to hear the words of Jesus to us- "Peace, be with you."? For me it is a constant mantra in my heart and mind as I fret about this or that and feel frustration that my life is not my own! To take a deep breath and keep busy and find my rosary beads or just repeat in my heart and soul - "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death." What peace floods me as my Mother walks with me and I am reminded that she also bears his wounds inside her mother's heart and soul... and cares for all my needs so personally and lovingly!
At home and happy to be farmkids!
Jesus, both yesterday and today you opened the scriptures to your people! This is so powerful for me on my journey... to grow in my knowledge of your Path for me as I carry/drag my Most Cherished Cross and find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Yes, I have wounds and scars to remind me that I am less than perfect and rely on You, Jesus, to heal me and help me to love and serve you in those around me - most especially in my domestic Church/family. May we give LOVE - the healing and mercy and unconditional love and forgiveness we have been given... Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
My new yard this morning - the heart rock welcomes me and the red barn - birds find the puddle to take a morning bath... peaceful, right? Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
