The sick need the physician!/4th of July with my parents/prayers for dad at Vets/My Champion for LIFE!

 Thanks to Dan and Angela we shared a wonderful traditional American 4th of July meal with brats and beans and watermelon!

The beauty of their wonderful home and candles and wine made it the usual wonderful hospitality we have grown to love and expect from these two!  It made us have a very special 4th in the midst of the ups and downs of "aging is a shipwreck" yet "he is still dwelling in this old house."  Thanks, Fr Custodio!

They all made is home even though Evie screamed much of the 3 hour flight, I am told.  Hector sure looks wonderful as do all the rest!  After our 2 weeks together... they are a sight for sore eyes to know that they are back with their dad all in one piece of a masterpiece of a Faith-filled Family!

 Then to see my Bandzuch family celebrating with their huge 4th of July parade that Delano is famous for!

After living with grandma and grandpa for the month of June... I will miss them all and most especially wonderful amazing baby George, who I did not hear cry once really loudly while they were with us!

 Then there is this wonderful baby boy -Jude!

So precious along with his two cousins... all celebrating their first of many 4th of Julys!  So healthy and happy and we are celebrating them here with us adding to our love!

 From 5 years ago at the Big Lake!  The 11 with unhappy Berna and Rose Again!

Red, white and blue tie dyed shirts were the theme for that year, and Domo was only 3 weeks old!

Roses in mom's garden this morning with rain drops on the petals... Pat and John reported that it was pouring down rain this morning on the farm!

Pat has been busy tying up fair calves with Paul and the grandkids.  About 5 weeks from the fair, and some babies are crying for their moms this morning around there.  They also tied up a couple cow-calf pairs.  The work load just amped up around there and grandpa is a willing and able helper.

 Yes, I have been back looking at albums here - now of our first born, Ruth Ida.  I love this one of Pat gently picking up his first born as his huge hands gently lifting her speaks volumes of how he is my champion for LIFE and Family!

 His gaze of love during her baptism into The Church!  How the words of Baptism are so powerful when you hold that tiny life in your hands knowing that they are coming into The Church which Christ left us as His Bride!

Mom and I were sharing at breakfast about how in every movie that has a church in it.... it is always a glorious beautiful Catholic Church complete with stain glass, altar, statues and votive candles twinkling.  "It is The Church and that is evident as it portrays the REAL Presence of Jesus and Mary!"

LOVE our domestic Church which started with our sweet girl, Ruth Ida!  Jesus in the heart of our Family with His Bride, The Church, there to guide and direct us!  We love, love , Love The Church and embrace every part of it!  We do not pick and choose what we believe and what we follow!

 Mary and I on the farm... our bond was very deep and now she keeps my eyes on heaven as she is gone now 33 years due to cancer.

She is especially close on July 3rd... the anniversary of her death.  On that day I was told that my 14 week pregnancy was no longer alive.  I told Mary that baby Thomas, was going with her... "a part of me is going with you, Mary."  So many reasons to keep my eyes on heaven!  My sister as well as 7 losses!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

 The welcoming for our 4th of July fun!

Today in the Gospel we see Matthew's call by Jesus... Those that were sick and sinners gathered around him, like metal to a magnet.  How we all need him as we deal with our sins and weaknesses!
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
Matthew 9

Mom and I are here praying for dad, who is with my sister at Vets for some surgery today dealing with his chronic kidney issues.  We are lifting him up to Jesus with prayers that he may return home to us today and not be kept there.

 Dad having his wine cooler in their warm and wonderful home... actually they thought the air was too cold, so...

 each bundled up in a blanket... too cute!

 Like eating out doors without the humidity and bugs!  LOVE!

 Oh, and sweet corn, too!  4th of July spread extraordinary!

It seems that with each new day there is much to be brought to our dear and wonderful and life-giving physician in prayer!  Today dad and too much rain at home and the farm situation and family and the things that come up with mom and dad and having two young men on my doorstep at 4p tomorrow when I am 4 hours away... give it all to HIM!  Jesus, is in control!

 Mom's lush garden... all she sees are the weeds that she is unable to get rid of.  Thankful for a granddaughter, who is helping her.

 Lillys are stunning, too!

Jesus, how we need you to take all our burdens and give us peace knowing that you are in control.  We lay all them all at your feet and through your Mother we leave them with you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This gives us the reminder that we need not worry as you remind us 365 times in The Word - for each and every day!  Jesus, may we die to self so that you may live in us.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Yes, Lord, our domestic Church/home is where we must begin to share our Faith with JOY and LOVE!  May we serve without counting the cost.  "Wounded, I will not cease to love."  the motto of The Community of the Lamb.  Bless-bless, Barb

Hallel and all the Little Sisters and Brothers are traveling today back to France for 2 months!  Give them safety, Lord!

Taking advantage of mom's computer and getting some of these wonderful big pictures from Nancy's camera on here!

Ruth's flowers are like my mother's - it skipped a generation!

Therese with the 3 and the cows and calves behind them

Oh my!!!  LOVE!!

The three faces of a 2 year old, a 3 year old and a 2 1/2 year old!

The huge meals on Ruth's beautiful porch... a small slice of heaven!

The 3 baby boys!!!  I will end with them for today!

4th with my parents...Abraham did not spare his only son/the paralytic

Discovering pictures of my newborn Nancy Anna while looking through mom's scrapbooks yesterday.  Mom would bring her nice camera and take pictures while I gave the first bath at home.

Pictures that I had never seen before of my sweet second child!  The emotions are always deep and powerful when I share time with my parents, who are still together in their own home.

 Ruth watching with interest as I bath her baby sister.

My sister, Mary, whose anniversary of her death 33 years ago yesterday, was living with me and helping me take care of Ruth and my help on the farm leading up to having Nancy.  I was on increasing bedrest due to toxemia and she came to help me in my need.

I have always told Nancy that she had a patch of fur on her head with her thick dark hair...

 Mary was then Nancy's Godmother as my dad baptized her.  LOVE this so much and finding these make me very filled with emotions on this 4th of July at my parents.

 My sweet tiny baby girl just had another baby - #5 with her in this world and 3 in heaven.  LIFE is a gift!  How I prayed that my girls would not have to experience the losses like I did.  Yet, they keep our eyes on heaven and being united with them someday. Maria's daughter, Therese, speaking about the two siblings she will meet someday in heaven..."We will have to have a very big van for all those kids!"
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

 Newborn Nancy and Easter Lilly... I always call her my Easter girl and April 2, 1980 must have been right around Easter that year.

 Great pictures to discover now 37 years later as I just stayed with Nancy for the birth of her 5th child, George Blaise!

The readings for today are so powerful as Abraham shows us how we are to follow after our Lord and Trust!  He is asked to sacrifice his only son, and so he comes right up to the moment and the Lord "Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am," he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."

Can we even come close to this amount of faith and trust?  So mind blowing to think of having Isaac carry the wood on his own shoulders on which he was placed as a sacrifice.  We are likewise asked to carry our Cross after our Lord, and die to self so that he may live in us!

My mother's mother, Grandma Vercoe with Ruth.

Mary left our farm - in love with the farm life, and found her dairy farmer, Gerry!  LOVE!  She had two years as a farmer's wife, and then she left this world due to cancer.  I pray for her path to heaven and feel her prayers for her family.  Yesterday mother was not feeling well, so dad prayed that Mary would help her out.  Mom did begin to feel better.

https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
The Gospel today is the paralytic and it came to mean so much to us during John's battle with brain cancer 10 years ago!  John lowered into the presence of Jesus  by hundreds of prayer warrior - friends and family!

His story of finding faith through brain cancer!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html

 Dad doing the dishes after supper... he learned from my brother Dan that this is honoring to mom,who has cooked the meal that he does "the clean up."

 A wonderful servant taking after his mom and sister, who were always up waiting on people.. my dad makes me breakfast each morning!

 Dr Pol marathon is with us these days...

The 4th of July 5 years ago!  Dominic was just 3 weeks and we had 11 grandkids with Simon being the oldest at 9!  We now have 18 and we gathered at the farm... Michigan is no longer ours to travel to, and we are discovering that if we are all together is all that really makes it wonderful family time!

Counting all our blessings on the farm last week!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

The Gospel

Holy Now - Peter Mayer

From huge family times to small family times in an hour! "A temple sacred to the Lord"/Faith/Family/Farm!

 A parting picture through my tears at the airport yesterday... as our family time supreme comes to an end with Maria and her 6 leaving for home in Washington state.

We all agree that it was mostly wonderful with those times that make it even a better story to share down the road with a flat tire on her way from the airport to KC, and a 12 hour bug that went through most of the kids of Nancy and Maria.  When you get 18 kids together there is bound to be some of that passing back and forth, and we just say "come ahead, because family time has no pricetag and no one need stay away we take you bug and all!!!"

This came up from 3 years ago today!  Family Time is the Best is my sign on the barn!  Maria was due to have Evie on Nov 1st and Josephine was just a couple months old!  John was at Catholic Heart Work Camp and unable to join us along with Hallel in Rome.  We had 13 going on 14 and now we have 18 grandchildren!

Our sign on the barn this year for our family pictures only missing Hallel for our children and two son-in-laws, Joseph and Bill...Heavenly Family Time!  WE feel that we are gifted with a small slice of Heaven when we are all together.

We stopped to see Nancy and Bill's new home in Delano on our way to drop off Maria at the airport at about noon yesterday.  George and Hector on the floor together with the 2-3 year olds adoring the other's brother.  It is so wonderful that the little ones got to know and hang out with their cousin and take the first steps to becoming life-long friends!

 Two girls that have a baby brother teaching them how to share and care with gentle loving touches and smiles.

Sibings are so  much more important than things!  There is no comparison one to the other.  The life lessons that you gain my sharing your family with many brothers and sisters makes you a light in this world as you share your Faith with JOY in your domestic Church/family!

A special prayer space that Nancy and Bill have made in a space in their basement with an old head board from a bed that they are not using.  So special to have a place set apart for worship and prayer in the heart of your home!

My time with my families always includes family prayer!  Family rosary and the Saints are huge for them.  LOVE!

 Nancy's kitchen filled with kids as we grabbed a quick lunch before heading to the airport

The kitchen open and full of kids!

The two 6 year olds eating lunch until next time we gather together!   We are hoping and praying that it can be at Christmas for Christmas Camp 2019!  That is only about 6 months away, and how we love to gather at Camp Wapo with my over 140 members of the Cross Clan!

How these words from the first reading from Ephesians 2 ring like a bell after our 2 weeks of Heavenly Family Time on this Feast of St Thomas...
"Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

With Jesus in the center of all that we do and share these last two weeks... we truly share this temple sacred in the Lord... "a dwelling place of God in the Spirit!"  Sharing Faith/Family/Farm has been the BEST!!!

Bernadette 6 years ago with her first topknot in Michigan!  I have discovered that our gathering for the two weeks we used to shard in Michigan can be as wonderful and so reminiscent of our times on the Big Lake now on the farm!

The last few years with Hallel's home visit 2 years ago and John's wedding last summer... we realize that seeing each other and sharing time with the kids all on the farm is just as wonderful and shows us that although we miss the beauty of the Big Lake... what we truly cherish is the time all together sharing meals and fellowship and playing to their hearts' content.  Sharing mass and from the heart in conversation.  As Maria said when she left: "We did everything."

Nancy's wonderful open home which promotes family time sharing!

Catching up with my parents in their peaceful home has been missed by me for over a month now!

An hour after leaving Maria with her 6 at the airport... I arrived to be with my parents for some days.  I will need to be back home by Saturday afternoon as we are having 2 young men stay with us while Totus Tuus is going on in our parish.  Each moment here is precious as my mom will be 90 in just a few days and dad is 94.  This morning's issue pain in my mom's chest... decided that it is probably lung rather than heart, but waiting for her visiting nurse at 1p.  Still had a wonderful breakfast thanks to my "servant" dad with both my parents.  So blessed to have them both together in their own home.

Heavenly Family Time!  How I am filled to overflowing with the gift I have been given with my children's listening to the Truth passed down by Pat and I and The True Church... that we need to be open to LIFE and raise those we are given as LIGHTS for this world of darkness and the culture of Death!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

I was sharing with my parents this morning how wonderful these 3 boys are!  George lived with me for a month and I don't think that I ever heard him really cry!  He was full of smiles and giggles and so wonderful to have.

All of the boys have such sweet dispositions and are so healthy and happy and to finally get them together was such a special time!  I am filled to overflowing with love and happiness to see this sight!  There is no doubt that they will grow to be friends as their cousins before them, and that is the best!!!

My mom would warm my heart by looking over at me and smile..."It is so wonderful to look over there and see you here, Barbara."  "I love to be here mom!"  I truly do!

Jesus, how am I so lucky to be blessed by oceans of family all around me?  It is so close to my Faith that I cannot separate them... they must be connected and united to find the Fruits of the Spirit in our homes!  "in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."  Yes, Lord, together we find that temple of Peace, LOVE, JOY, patience, kindness, gentleness which fills us with your Spirit!  May we given without counting the cost and die to self so that you may live in us.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barb

My 3 little girls were so fun for grandma to do their hair and dress them alike!

LOVE!!!

Memories so fresh and cherished pictures!

Domo and Romo best buddies!!!

My love and how he loves ALL LIFE!

This is all I want to take away from our 2 glorious weeks!  This will soon be on my wall...

Missing Joseph, Bill, and Hallel… all 18 grandkids together!

JOY!!!

 Many miracles and answer to prayer are what we see in this picture of their new wonderful family!



I pray these words with the Body is lifted up at the Consecration and The Blood is lifted up.  I recognize Jesus with my little Faith!  St Thomas, pray for us!

July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.
Our Lady of the Precious Blood, pray for and protect all priests who offer the cup of salvation to the world! Amen.

“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament … There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth.”~JR Tolkien

The Gospel - 

Danielle Rose - Nothing compares to you

Danielle Rose -  Do small things with great love

Holy Now - Peter Mayer

The anniversary of my sister, Mary's death 33 years ago today.  I lost a 14 week baby on this day also, and named him, Thomas, as it is the feast of St Thomas the Doubter today.  So many memories and to be here with my parents makes it so much more powerful.  We prayed that Mary would intercede for mom, who has pain in her chest and she does feel better!  LOVE to think of Mary with our Lord!

Happily in the middle of a FAMILY Sandwich! Farewell Maria and 6, and on to mom and dad! Jesus in the storm!

Now I am given the gift of time with my parents.  How I love that they are both together and still here to share their wisdom and LIGHT!  Bless-bless, Barb