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!
Walking a mellow cooperative cow this morning after washing her and her calf, whom Simon had walked ahead of her.
The fair lies ahead the second week of August, so the work on animals and projects is gearing up on the farm.
Spending time with this sweet boy while John works on his Anatomy class and mom is at work. John expresses how nice it is that he is getting to know his dad more now, and grandma feels likewise!
He is so very good to care for with lots of smiles and eye contact, and eating and sleeping and smiling!
Joy and Luke watching their hard working momma on a very special beautiful morning. How we pray that we can have drying weather to get the hay baled. Lord, hear our plea!
Ruth got some pictures of Joy in the FFA jacket handed down from her older sibs! LOVE!
I am just back from seeing my ortho doctor to investigate why my new knee grinds when I stand up. I was very worried about it, and am assured that it is merely some scar tissue behind the knee cap, and not that my entire knee is going to pot. Whew!!! So maybe with some strengthening exercises it could get better and I will not need a new knee again. The thought was so scary! Doctor was even nice enough to assure me that my weight has nothing to do with this. In my current state of being down on myself - I was sure that this would be the issue. Sigh!!!
I do take heart in my kids noticing that I am much more active and doing more and better when I am with them! I am on the path to being a better old lady...
The youngest Lanoue - Joy is 2 now and loves to be outside with her mom and grandpa Pat! People say that she looks like her pretty pretty mommy, Ruth with her grandpa Larry's red hair.
One more for good measure... Joy is fitting for her name as she is such a happy girl for the most part. When she is crabby or mad they call it a "ginger snap!"
Love this memory from 5 years ago on the Big Lake Michigan with the then 11 going on 12 as Maria was just a few months from having Romeo on Grandpa Pat's birthday in September. Now the grandkids have reached 18... the girls had baby girls next, and now Maria had #6, Nancy had #5, and John #1... all boys!
Together 2 weeks ago! Hopefully they will come together again at Christmas... a grandma can have fake plans and pray, pray, and pray some more.
It is kind of mind blowing to think about George being 5 months in 2 days! Hector was 4 months a couple days ago and Jude is 3 1/2 months...
The 3 boys make our love grow bigger not stretched more thin.
Thriving boys with their mommas.
It is fun to read the story of Joseph in Genesis 44...when he reveals himself to the brothers that sold him into slavery today … it is striking to hear him say that there was a deeper reason behind their actions against him..."I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you." Just as when John was struck with brain cancer after his half-hearted prayer for Faith, and we realized this WAS his answer to that prayer... Jesus is in control in the storms and crosses in life! His plan is mysterious and not as we would have ever imagined that plan being for us. Just as Joseph could see the Lord's hand in his suffering and rejection by his brothers.
Our Lady of Guadalupe over his shoulder and his foxy by the paw!!! Grandma got some time in Jude's quiet home this morning. John had to run an errand and grandma thinks first off that she wants to do a photo shoot of her youngest grandchild... #18!
He was a very cooperative little guy with bright looks and smiles and so very good!
He is now rolling on his tummy and getting his thumb in his mouth! I had 4 thumb suckers so I know how good they can be at being happy with what God gave them... their ever ready thumb!
The day started with breakfast with our two young men here putting on Totus Tous - Totally yours! They were wearing their white Totus Tuus polos, so I asked them about th occasion today. "The parish pot luck tonight." A good reminder to me and Pat!
Yes, this will be a Jude kind of day around here!
I am heading back there after lunch to help John on an anatomy course he is taking over the summer and then home again to make a hot dish for tonight's pot luck.
A memory of 7 years ago of baby Gus... John holds Jude just like this now, and they all seem to like it just fine. It was fun to watch Jude turn his head towards his dad when he heard him speak and he enjoyed the Disney tunes we heard as background music. Jude and his dad hanging out - studying, listening to tunes...
And laying on his tummy sucking his thumb. A good life for all!!!
A handful of flowers from my gardens in the process of weeding ahead of the rain over the last few evenings!
Praying and cheering for the Twins!
The first reading for today is Genesis 41 - the story of Joseph and his brothers after they have sold him into slavery, but God had another plan for him to rise in power and save the world from starvation. Seeing his brothers again in their need and hearing their suffering for what they had done to him... it moves him deeply!
"Did I not tell you not to do wrong to the boy?
But you would not listen! Now comes the reckoning for his blood." The brothers did not know, of course, that Joseph understood what they said, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. But turning away from them, he wept.
How often are we sorry for hurting someone close to us? Actions and words that hurt are so deep and hard to heal. I pray that we may find peace and healing with those the closest to us in our domestic Church/family!
Those blue eyes are from his grandpa Dale...
In the Gospel Jesus sends out the 12 including Judas, who later betrays him, as Joseph's brothers did to him! Jesus is killed and over comes death on a cross with his resurrection and coming to dwell in us through His Holy Spirit. The message they are to proclaim - "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"
Yes, we can find a small slice of heaven here on earth if only we die to self so that Christ can work through us! We may become his hands and feet and return to those the closest to us the LOVE and unconditional forgiveness we have been given!
He sure loves his foxy to grab, snuggle, kick and lick.
Love this! When I say a photo shoot... I mean business!
How do we heal those wounds after we have sold someone into slavery and cast them away from our lives? Humility and honest sharing of our apologies for the pain we caused them. Seeing that the Lord indeed looked over them and cared for them and had a plan for it all! Pray for them without ceasing!
Love Our Lady over his shoulder, and hope and pray that she is there always for Jude as he goes down the narrow path with our Lord and Lady!
Sweet Mary, Mother of heaven and earth, I love you with each beat of my heart and every breath that I take. Bring me and all that my life holds to your Son, Jesus, to fill me with all the fruits of the Holy Spirit... Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness...
Lord, how we long to fulfill all these in our day to day lives!
Sweet sweet boy to make all our love grow more and more!
Smiles all around! I think he will love to listen or watch the Twins with his dad and grandpa, Pat! I have always loved to see Pat and John share this love. The tie that binds them along with sharing their faith - accentuated by John's battle with finding faith through brain cancer 10 years ago!
So powerful and now we have the new John, who Loves His Lord, His Lady and His Bride, The Church with his all!!!
Getting to know grandma a bit better...
Jesus, how we are in need of your power and might to share humbly the Unconditional LOVE and Forgiveness we have been given by you! May we give without counting the cost. Jesus,we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
The 3 new grandsons two weeks ago! Jude is now 3 1/2 months, Hector was 4 months a few days ago, and in 3 days George will be 5 months on the 13th! Jude was the first one to roll over and now he has found his thumb. They all are the best sweetest good natured and healthy babies! We are so blessed! Bless-bless, Barb
Even grandpa's big arms would have a hard time holding these 3 together, so he joined them in the shade on the blanket during our fabulous week of family!
Oh LIFE is a gift to be protected and cherished no matter the cost!
Maria carrying Hector and walking with Hallel as she sees the Grotto of the Nativity of Mary and Jesus for the first time in KC a few weeks back.
I talked briefly with Hallel a week ago and she expressed how tired she was getting ready to leave for France for 2 months on Friday. They have now left the Monastery - Lumen Christi/Light of Christ in the hands of family and friends of the Community of the Lamb. I was willing to take a week, but they found enough locally to care for it a week at a time.
Simon came along and we all gathered at the Grotto after supper on our last night there in KC.
Hallel read the Nativity story from Luke to us and pointed out the glorious images on the walls of the Grotto. Evangeline shows her love for her Aunt nun, Little Sister Hallel. She won Hallel's heart in the few short days we all had with her living with them in the monastery!
It was so special to be welcomed into their home now that Nancy has moved from Shawnee, KS. It was a wonderful 3 years of being able to see both of our daughters - staying with Nancy and her growing family and then visiting Hallel and The Community for mass, adoration, or meals and visiting.
This new page of now staying with them and eating, praying, and sharing in their day to day lives much more is very special and we all feel very privileged to have this intimate time with our daughter and her Community, our family of the Lamb!
This girl loves deeply and with great enthusiasm!
Hallel had us each come up and give our needs and sorrows, and concerns to Mary and Jesus..."place your hands on hers and give her all that is on your heart." Evangeline gave Mary and Jesus a kiss with the help of Aunt Hallel.
The 13 of our family that gathered with Hallel and got some precious time with Maria and her 6... meeting Hector for the first time!
It seems that I am in a bit of a funk since returning from my parents. One thing after another is pointed out to me as a fault or weakness.. and the mountain is getting large and disappointing for me to try to move or climb or even look up at. A huge slice of humble pie to keep me down and small and weak and humble! It hurts, but it gets me moving to be better and lots of apologies in the process.
So great to see these two together again. Hallel got to meet #3 grandson of the 3 new ones born within 6 weeks of each other. Hector went with Maria to France in womb along with Jude and George, but we all had to wait to meet them. Hector was 4 months yesterday, so he didn't have to wait that long to meet his Aunt Nun!
The words that jumped out to me today in the readings are reflecting the way I am feeling about myself and the work that I need to do on myself... From the Psalm today; "you try me with fire..."
The rest of it sounds hopeful though.. "Though you test my heart, searching it in the night, though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me."
Psalm 17
Yes! I know that I am a piece of work, Lord, and thank you for correcting me!
School of the Word with the Community while we were there... At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." Matthew 9 - the Gospel today!
Yes, Lord, I need you to shepherd me so that I may serve better. Humbly and dying to self so that you may work in me! Bless-bless, Barb
I borrowed this great happy picture from grandma Lila yesterday of sweet little Jude! He looks like he is getting nuzzled by a sheep in his tummy and is very much enjoying it!
How fun it is to have him so close to both of his grandparents!
Jude is our youngest of the 18 grandkids and our oldest is Simon at 14. He came over to help grandpa repair our fence in front of our little red barn.
Thank you, Simon! Soon there will be the cows and calves in here eating up the long grass for a few days. The fence needed to be solid to keep them in.
Simon ran the screw gun and after they were tacked on... grandma was free to take a few pictures of him at work.
Screwing it up...
Both readings were WOW today! I really liked the first reading from Genesis 28 with Jacob encounters a Holy Place at a shrine on his travels and has an amazing dream after laying his head on a stone from the shrine. God comes to him and assures him of how He will look after him...Jacob awakes and expresses this;
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed, “Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!”
17In solemn wonder, he cried out: “How awesome is this shrine! This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!”
Yes, there are Holy places where the Lord is at work and Our Lady is interceding for Him! Lourdes is one such place - John fell in love with Our Lady there and she interceded and took part in his healing! There is also a Grotto now in KC - The Nativity of Mary and Jesus - where prayers are more powerful and real and it is a gateway to heaven!
Pat cutting the boards and Simon and I getting them up.
These places of holiness and closeness to heaven exist in every Catholic Church in the tabernacle is Our Lord there to come close to us in that most special REAL way! My hour each week of prayer now for Fr Todd is coming into this spot in front of the tabernacle close to Jesus... a gateway to heaven!
Simon on his knees making the boards strong around the little red barn where just a week and a half ago we took family pictures as all the kids were here except for Hallel… all the 18 grandkids together for the first time!
Heavenly Family Time! A picture of LIFE!
We are overjoyed to know that a Grotto was placed in the heart of the University of Mary Campus in Bismarck, ND! Out two oldest went there and Nancy asked the president; "Where is Mary at her university?" Now she is there in the heart of campus and John asked a girl to pray a decade of the rosary there for him when she returns to school for her masters! Another "spot" of closeness to Jesus through Mary!
The three rolling baby boys! We were so delighted to get them together at last! All 3 such wonderful boys - so healthy and happy and loved!
Now they joined the rest of the grandsons - 11!!!
I must mention the Gospel too!!! The raising of the dead of the little girl of the official, and on his way there the healing of the woman with the 12 year bleeding as she comes up behind him and touches his garment! "22Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured." May we find that kind of Faith to know our illness and believe that Jesus can and will heal us if only we touch him! How can we touch him? In his Word, Body and Blood and in those around us when we care for them ahead of our own needs and dying to self so that He may live in us and heal us and stop our wounds from bleeding!
Yes, only 7 girls! But each one so precious!
Jesus, how we love you with all that we have. May we die to self so that we may become your hands and feet! We are so filled with the strength that we need to serve without counting the cost when we are in your presence in those special "spots" on this journey of LIFE/LOSVE/LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Mass at Bird Island Catholic Church yesterday for TEC gathering! It always reminds me of my brother, Phil, who met Jesus so personally in the confessional at his first TEC 19 years ago! I love you Phil! Bless-bless, Barb
Jesus is the center of our Lives!!! May we give to others the unconditional love and forgiveness we have been given by him to us! No matter whether they deserve it, as we are undeserving of his LOVE!
John's healing to find faith! Take the time to watch this promo video!
We had just butchered chickens about a week ago and I had the joy of dressing my 3 little 2 and 3 year old girls alike! The cows were up by the house in the pasture, and like a dream of mine come true... I watched the 3 giving me this gift to cherish always!
This came up from my memories from 6 years ago on the Big Lake! Year old Rose, almost ready to walk and loving the big waves.
This time of the summer has a certain sadness connected with it as I recall the many years of our family gathering at the cabin in Michigan. Growing up with my family on the lake in the summers just put deep in me the love for time on the Big Lake and a yearning to be there especially in the heat of summer when that coolness by the lake is so wonderful!
Dad's prayer space and worn prayerbook waiting for his return from spending the night at Vets after a procedure yesterday. I am on my way back to the farm to get ready to welcome two young men, who are putting on Totus Tuus in our parish this next week.
Mom loves to look over at the reading monks that she found in Salvation years ago, and how wonderful they are to hold up dad's prayer books in his special spot. We talk about what the future ahead could hold for my parents, but for now "we have all we need here." One day at a time is a good way to take life at 90 in 10 days and 94 1/2.
Mom with the 3 girls overhead watching Dr Pol. "He is my friend!" We are especially taken with the fact that he is working in Midland, MI! That is a town we used to pass through from Flint to Grand Traverse Bay each summer going to our cabin on the Big Lake! Michigan is very deep and special in our hearts!
A lot of what Dr Pol does with cattle is familiar to us with our 170+cows and calves. Many of the things that farmers call him to help with Pat and Paul do themselves. It is fun to have mom and dad see just how much it takes to work and care for these large unpredictable animals and their offspring. Mom is a huge lover of big dogs, so she loves to see them being loved and cared for, too! A win all the way around and a great way for her to happily spend some time waiting for her hubby to return from Veterans!
I am soon to head out on the road to home. I thank you Lord for being a grateful sandwich filling between both my parents together here in their own home and kids and grandkids all around me and sharing with me. Jesus, we trust in you. Bless-bless, Barb
