I left out little Mary with Teeny Jesus.... Saturday to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St St Charles Boromeo

Maria pointed out that I had cropped out little Mary/Evangeline Mary with her teeny Jesus.... so I recropped this special one of my little Saints striving to be the saints that Jesus is calling them to be.


My house is full!!!  There is such a warm feeling when my table is full and my beds are full.  Pat even got home in time to tuck them in and say prayers with them!  It was kind of miraculous after most nights being around midnight or later!

A better one of Mother Mary and baby Jesus for All Saints Day dress up. 


The Queen of all the Saints is very special to me with each new day.  I had fake plans of going to Confession for First Saturday and then to a friend's funeral, but that all changed with the kids here this morning... waffles shared with grandpa, too, hot tub time for the 3 youngest, and cartoons, now they are clamoring for snacks, so soon lunch time...  Pat and I see how easy they are to have here, and how much they love their former home.  Pat and I love how we can have our large family here and they are comfortable with all the wonderful room!

A table full for supper and wonderful eaters!  We had hamburger patties left over from the Catholic Food stand at the County Fair... eating memories!

Comfortable in their former home!  David and Simon had a friendly game of battleship before Simon headed out to his first junior high dance!  Exciting times in the lives of growing kids in the Catholic School!

It was a costume dress up dance, so Simon wore his police costume from Village People.  He had a great time and "everyone was impressed with my dance moves!  I got bouncy when the music was bouncy."  He said that there was no pairing up..."they had one couples dance, but we all just danced."  Love it!  Pairing up of for the birds, and keep it to groups!

The Village People/YMCA

Luke and Rose had a great time in the hot tub... how I love our new bathrooms, and the kids have a great time bringing over their swimsuits to play in the Jacuzzi!  I am so glad that the winter remodel is now behind us and we can enjoy the fruits of our labors!


The Gospel today is one of those humility reminders that we need to seek the lowest place.  I must say that it comes more naturally to me after being sent down to the bottom place some times in my life.  How?  By seeing myself through others' eyes... a lot of it has to do with this sharing I do every day on this blog.  I know that many close to me don't read it, and some read it because they are paranoid about what I am gong to say about them or pictures I will put on here, some say that I am fake here and that it is not reality...  Yes, there are times that I look to the positive, but it is a form or therapy and prayerful hoping that I can improve myself on this narrow path and I am weak and not strong enough to carry my cross... rather I drag!

I have two cats that came over here a few months after the big switch of houses.  They were so traumatized when we left that they hid for a couple of months.  Then they were brought over here, and were so happy to see me!  Mary won over Jososephat last night, but he still gets nervous with all the activity of having 5 kids here. 


Jesus, thank you for a step back in time to when I had my nest years.  The happiness of kids to be back in their former home is fun for all of us.  keep me humble and allow me to die to self so that your light may shine.  St Charles Borromeo was a man that modeled for those he shepherded "We must walk in front, and our spiritual subjects will follow us more easily."  Modeling for them how to humbly give our all without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Sweet Romeo Joseph is St Joseph the worker... talk about humility lived out in St Joseph.  He never uttered a word recorded in the Gospel yet he protected, loved, and cared for Jesus and Mary.



“Let every knee bend before Thee, O greatness of my God, so supremely humbled in the Sacred Host. May every heart love Thee, every spirit adore Thee and every w...ill be subject to Thee!” — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Memory from 6 years ago.. Augustine in the feed bunk.

Danielle Rose - Small things with great love


Litany of Humility


O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.


That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

Stiving to be Saints/learning from their examples/open to life/giving our life!

What JOY!!!  5 years later to see Patrick looking amazing as St Patrick gives me such a reminder of how we were all touched by the healing hand of Jesus!  The Gospel of today from Luke is how he heals us no matter the situation or the limits we set up for ourselves.  PRAYER is what we cling to!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-story-of-little-lamb-grandson.html

St Patrick's Cathedral in El Paso just a few blocks from where Patrick was in NICU!  Much time spent on my knees there and placing my hands in that of St Patrick... praying for the healing of his namesake, Patrick Joseph. 

Surrounded by other saints - Romeo is St Joseph the worker, David is Blessed Miguel Pro, and Therese is St Philomena, who was a 13 year old Virgin Martyr.  Imagine how these saints come alive for the kids as they model them surrounded by many others.

In our home with the 4 girls and John, we would read from a book of Saints to them most especially during Lent and Advent when we would gather for family prayer before bed together.  We would sing praise and worship songs, pray, read from the Bible, say a decade of the rosary, but by far the most loved and asked for was reading the lives of the Saints!  They would have their favorites and ask for them over and over.  What do the saints show us, and why are they so special?  Because they show us that no matter what we face that we can persevere with Christ and His Mother.  And the Saints are in heaven to help us down the narrow path carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross! 

Therese is St Philomena, who was a virgin martyr at 13 when she resisted the desires of the Emporer.  She holds the arrow she was shot with and was healed, and the anchor she was drowned with and survived...eventually she was beheaded.  Obviously she knew very well the story of this young Greek princess and how she loved Christ with her all!!! 


I feel the blood surge in my veins with excitement at the Saints in my day to day life!  I have so much JOY in seeing that my girls are carrying them forth with their own children in such a beautiful and powerful way!  Today in The Church St Martin de Porres is honored.  A humble man indeed!  We do not need to do great things to be a saint, and Jesus himself tells us to be the least and to embrace humility!

Nancy sent this to me... Bernadette dressed up as St Kateri for a surprise visit to see Hallel at the Lumen Christi Monastery on All Saints Day!  St Kateri has such lessons to teach us of embracing the Cross/her being humiliated and ostracized for her faith and humbly serving Christ in her day to day life.  St Kateri, St Patrick, St Joseph, St Philomena, St Martin de Porres, Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us!

St George, St Kateri and St Gianna, the prolife saint, visiting the Community on All Saints Day! 


John and I shared prayer this morning and John in his petitions thanked the Lord that his wonderful sisters were open to LIFE and raising their kids as lights.  He then prayed, thanking God for Hallel and how she has been called and answered "yes" to giving her entire life to Jesus!  So absolutely amazing and special for the kids to have The Community of the Lamb in their lives!  I know that they will definitely ask the Lord his plan for them and that religious life will be a beautiful option for each of them!

Pictures of Evangeline Mary on her 1st birthday!  Mom made her the purse for her birthday!


Jesus,how we love you and our only desire is to be forever with you in heaven with your Mother Mary, the Saints and Angels!  Hear our prayer!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Proof positive - walking at one!   Pat sure misses them and was just saying that he wishes we lived closer to them... Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

Another special picture from Nancy - she said that her in with Hallel is the kids!  "She can't resist that cute 3 year old boy!"  LOVE this so much!

St Joseph is amazing!!!!

One humble guy that can teach us how to pray at all times!

"Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him."
-St. Augustine of Hippo

Stop resisting him. Stop hiding behind business and distractions.
...
He is there, patiently waiting to heal your wounds and offering you the rest you need. Simply stop, acknowledge He is there, and breath.

It is that simple.

All Soul Days Prayer Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

The Prayer of St. Gertrude, above, is one of the most famous of the prayers for souls in purgatory. St. Gertrude the Great was a Benedictine nun and mystic who lived in the 13th century. According to tradition, our Lord promised her that 1000 souls would be released from purgatory each time it is said devoutly.

Danielle Rose - The saint that is just me

Danielle Rose - Pursue me

Communion of Saints and family/holy souls each day..."that uniting look" St Catherine

This sweety is one year old now... her birthday was yesterday on All Souls Day!  A few days ago in anticipation of All Saints Day, Maria sent this to me with the caption of; "Our Little Lady with our teeny Lord."  Love it so much!  Happy birthday little Evangeline Mary!  She is now walking and she has teeth!

Newly 3 year old Romeo Joseph... he shares a birthday with grandpa Patrick on Sept 15th... is St Joseph the worker.  With his blue scapular made by mom with the lily St Joseph holds... mom wrote; "Isn't he the cutest little brother ever?"  Yes!!

Susan/Hallel with little Brother Clement a month ago in KC... they joined the Community the same year and he was the first American and Hallel the second within an hour of each other to take the habit and change their names!  Yes, Romeo is an adorable little brother and how amazing to have that wonderful order as part of our extended family!  The Best!  I thank the Lord every day that my grandchildren have The Community of the Lamb a close part of our domestic Church/family!

Clement showing John and Pat the altar they built and will go into the chapel of the Little Monastery they are building in honor of Mary the Queen of Heaven!


Nancy called me this morning to fill me on in the special time they shared with Hallel and the Little Sisters yesterday/All Saints Day!   It was just a short fun time and Nancy shared that the real joy for the Little Sisters is the kids!  "Dominic was St George and he had a sword which he attacked Hallel and Benedict with, and they ran around in the court yard together!"  "They love to see the kids!"  Such a wonderful half hour interlude with pure joy and beauty!

7 year old David is Blessed Miguel Pro in disguise...I just looked him up... he was a Mexican priest who was shot to death in hatred of the faith in 1927.  I think he had an underground ministry until he was found and shot in front of a firing squad. 


How I love the saints!  Today we go forward to remember our dead/holy souls that are on the path to heaven.  I do try to pray for them each day, as I hope and pray that my loved ones left behind will remember me!  This morning John and I named our dead including his siblings - 7 of them!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Can't get enough of our Little Lady!!!  Our Lady is with me and I am never alone!  I am longing to get to Adoration today!  When Father mentioned praying always for our dead last night at mass... my heart burned with yearning to have my time with Jesus today!  I pray that it can work out for me in the midst of our crazy harvest time of year!


I love love love The Church and each little piece which fills each day with so very much!!!  I have truly embraced and pray daily ..."Part of the joy of belonging to the Church is the privilege of helping the Holy Souls to enter heaven."  CCC  It is such a wonderful personal way to stay close to our loved ones!  For me.. I lost a sister, Mary, when she was 28 to cancer.  She was very close to me, and this is a way for me to help her on her journey and continue to share with her in The Communion of Saints and those holy souls on their way there!  I also have Pat's parents, brother, Don, a brother in law, niece, and of course the 7 little ones/John's siblings!

I have to go... with my beads in my hands and prayer always lifting me up.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

"beauty created by faith and light that shiines out of the faces of the saints, through whom his own light becomse visible." Pope Benedict XVI

St Kateri, St George and St Gianna (notice that Josephine is holding a baby doll as the Pro life saint!)went to surprise the Little Sisters this morning.  The Community was up til 4a for the Vigil of All Saints Day today, and they will be heading out on mission soon... begging for their food by knocking on the door of the poor as Jesus!  LOVE this so much!  We love our Saints and The Community of the Lamb!!!

Luke the biker dude and a member of The Village People for Halloween last evening is having his 4th birthday today along with his 1 year old cousin, Evangeline Mary, and also the Feast day of their Aunt Little Sister Hallel!  A big day of celebration in our domestic Church/family!

The entire group - Luke, biker dude, David, construction worker, Mary a cowgirl, Rose an Indian, Simon ad policeman, and Joy an army girl... Ruth always amazes with her visions and ability to sew and find in thrift stores and pull it all together!   A true picture of family and farm being the best! 


My husband just told me that if all goes well that the corn could all be out by Sunday!  The end is in sight and we are always praying for safety and sanity and that all goes well!
The Indian shawl was found in the Thrift store... Rose loves it so much that she sleeps with it!

Spelling out the YMCA where ever they go!

Now grandma's version before they head out to fill others with delight!

Susan/Hallel with Luke in the same spot in May... Sharing a special day today, All Saints Day, as it is Luke's birthday and Hallel's feastday!  Since her name - Hallel- which is the first part of Hallelujah and means exactly that - "giving God the highest praise!"  We know that the Saints in Heaven with Mary as their Queen are joining the Angels in singing endless praise to the Holy Trinity!  So it makes perfect sense for this to be Hallel's day as she is on the path to sainthood as we all are to be. 

Today little "super baby" Evangeline Mary is 1 year old, too!  Here she is yesterday with her sibs... Therese is Bat girl, David is America, Patrick is Thor, Romeo is Batman, and super baby and Super dog... LOVE!

Family fun here, in KC and in Tacoma, WA!  Also exciting news that there is a new little one here and sharing the Nov 1st birthdays - Jerianne had a baby girl this morning!  Congratulations to you!

Mom and dad jump in and share family time going to grandparents homes and bringing a lot of JOY!  Family time is truly the best!


I am a saint lover!!!!  They fill each day with so much assistance and light and insight and HOPE!
 

"To become saints means to fulfill completely what we already are, raised to the dignity of God's adopted children in Christ Jesus...” … “This, then, is the meaning of today’s Solemnity:  looking at the shining example of the Saints to reawaken within us the great longing to be like them:  happy to live near God, in His light, in the great family of God’s friends.  Being a Saint means living close to God, to live in His family…” Pope Benedict XVI

There is just too much to share here and give justice, but Benedict XVI tells is so powerfully and beautifully here!  So true and how they are the wind beneath my wings!

Hallel with her fraternity for this year... "the young group" with the two postulants , with whom they will be sharing prayer and meals and formation in The Community of the Lamb!

How appropriate to share this from the first reading today in Revelations...

"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"

"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

"Wounded, I will not cease to love."  The motto of The Community and the example of the spotless Lamb slain for us!

In the cupala of Lumen Christi Monastery/LIGHT OF Christ in KC!

"The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now;"  I John 3  from the amazing second reading today... and really struck me with the way the world looks upon our morals and values and misled and judgemental of their following the wide path to destruction.  How did it all get so turned around?  Lord, may your light penetrate the darkness of sin and death!

The granddaughters love to put on the blue apron and share in the life of The Community!  Bernadette a year ago when I stayed at the Monastery for a week while everyone was in France.  Special time of deep prayer!

Sitting this close to Jesus in the tabernacle... it just felt that I should cover my head.

Wana be nun for a week.  I discerned as I was entering The Church... all 13 of us!  Now I am gifted with time to be a contemplative here and there thanks to my daughter, Nun... Little Sister Hallel!

http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

Jesus, in the Gospel you spell out a picture of a saint, which you have called each of us to srive after!  In the Beatitudes "we see the portrait of redeemed humanity made up of all the saints named and unnamed."  Needs to be shared here!

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."  Matthew 5

Yes, Lord, I long to see you face to face and to live by these standards.  Give me the strength to die to self, so that I may become your hands and feet!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara Mary Luke

A painting I did of Therese and her baby sister a year ago... this day a year ago I was jumping into the car and driving to St Louis to be with newborn Evangeline Mary.  She had a few minor bumps in the road and ended up alone in NICU in St Louis while Maria was at Ft Leonardwood.  Soon Maria and Therese were with me and together we brought her home healthy and happy a few days later!

the Real picture taken a year ago... after 3 brothers "T" had her baby sister!

So much LOVE!

A family for sure!

Lord, I have a long way to go, but it really is an exciting time in my journey! 

My constant help and companion.  How I adore her!

I can only imagine - Mercy Me

Danielle Rose - The saint that is just me