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!
A last rose from the mom's flower garden yearned to come in today and give it's gift of beauty to their gathering with old friends to share from the heart. The leaves from their maple tree as I went out to the mailbox with their change of address form for their mail to follow them to The Lodge of New Hope!
Praying with mom and dad this morning... many reassuring words were found and beautiful lessons and insight from my Deacon Father!
He just shared with his visiting friends the word from morning prayer we shared in the petitions... Direct our thoughts, feelings and actions this day, – help us to follow your providential guidance. Enlighten us, Lord.
So we go forth to New Hope as we follow Divine Providence and guidance we have been given.
Mom with her last rose from her garden here, and leaves from the tree in front of their home for the last 9 years!
The maple tree and their humble comfortable home here just over the river in Wisconsin. Much sadness is in their hearts and minds today.
In their souls they are trusting in Jesus leading them where His perfect plan is for them!
As dad read the Gospel today he heard the Lord speaking to him about them and their entering a new home... Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.'
Dad next shared this gem.."When we go on mission we don't bring Jesus with us, we meet him there, because He is everywhere!" We chuckled when dad read that they need not bring any clothes or money, because that is weighing heavily on our minds with their clothes to take and their limited income paying for all this... Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.
Mom signing for her oxygen for her trips to her new home...
The Lord did not tell them to take oxygen along for the journey! Hence, we are prepared for mother to have all she needs!
Dad read this part of the Gospel and it rings a truth to them about having their meals made for them and adjusting to their new home where the Lord is already there and will welcome them with Peace! Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'
Luke 10 - the Gospel today of the 72 being sent out! Moving much closer to most of their 11 children, their spouses and children... surely there are this many of our 140 close to them now! How blessed are they to have my parents there to teach them and model for them living their Faith with JOY!
Wonderful Cathy here cutting mom's hair and sharing a good visit with mom and dad and I! Reminding mother that she has mom to thank for introducing her, a widow with 5 children to my sister Mary's husband - a farmer who lost Mary to cancer 33 years ago. They have now been married for many years and together have 19 grandchildren! Wonderful that they can find comfort, love and support together!
She put a smile on my mother's face! Thank you, Cathy!
My mother has much to be thanked for as she listens to the Holy Spirit on this journey, which is taking a new route tomorrow. She is struggling with the change, but her new haircut is helping her feel better about the change.
It has been raining here for the last 3 days and night. Dad and I went out for a half hour of errands and he drove in the rain and the traffic going up and down the huge hill into the river valley. After this it looks like others will get him places as the Cities are a whole new animal for driving, and dad seems OK with it.
An attempt at fall colors up here in the rain.
Dad working at his desk one final time with the sign of the times overhead... their 70 anniversary a month ago. "We are into our 71st year!" Yes, and major changes are coming with that milestone!
Trying to cross his ts and dot his Is!
Mom's icon will be going with them and blessing their new home with Peace, Love and JOY!
A beautiful flower to focus on and gain strength for the journey.
They hope to bring their furniture and recreate the warm and special space they have for sharing their lives together and visiting with family and friends!
They will leave tomorrrow to be admitted with my sister, who lives just one mile from their new home, and then spend time in her home while these chairs and coffee table and TV and books are moved to their new assisted living. So that when they walk in there in Saturday it will be like home to them.
Special friends stopped in to say farewell, but promising to visit them in New Hope in the near future.
Jesus, how we love you and long to meet you wherever we go with each new day. Yes, we do take you with us, but we also meet you dwelling in the homes that we enter - you are there already! We place "peace upon this house" and we know that given the time to adjust and trusting in you being in control and guiding us by Divine Providence... we will find that peace and it will dwell there with us. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah!
A month ago on their 70th anniversary... I have loved my time here over the last 8 weeks! I am so blessed to have both my parents together and for this moment in OK health!
Angela, who made this sign with love will be here soon to pack up the books in boxes as the cases and the statues will be going with them into their new home. The books will be loved by others for the most part! Bless-bless, Barb
dad's is Todd and Mom's is Unus for Unity!
Yes!!!
Dappled Therese and Hector yesterday on her feast day! Love the fall leaves in Washington!
Today started with morning prayer for the Guardian Angels in the Prayer of The Church... the Antiphon from the first Psalm today Psalm 63
"The Lord will send his angel to accompany you and to guide you safely on your way."
So perfect for mom and dad with their move in 2 days! A promise to them that they will be cared for and are that the Lord is in control and he has sent his messengers from heaven/angels to show them the path!
Therese is now 11 and Hector will be 7 months in a week! Flowers from Therese grew in her garden and a statue she was gifted by a great Aunt of St Therese!
Today would be my mother-in-law's 100th birthday! She continues to be a part of our lives as she helped us get to France a year ago... 18 of us! We had gotten some inheritance from her estate just when we were making our plans and it covered our trip! We knew that she would love to do that as she had gone at age 92 to France for Hallel's first vows! With us in spirit with no doubt!
Remembering mom on her 100th as I prayed with my parents on this Feast of the Guardian Angels today! Dad had shared with mom the Word to them from the antiphon for Psalm 63
"The Lord will send his angel to accompany you and to guide you safely on your way."
Then later the reading from Exodus seemed just for them, too! "I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Be attentive to him and listen to his voice." Exodus 23:20-21
Praying for our family is so important to us all!
All the goodbyes that come with leaving here in a few days... the little chipmunk that likes to check me out when I sit on the porch. This looks like one that used to come and visit us at our cabin in Michigan. Probably not the same one!
A mysterious rosary arrived around the statue of Our Lady, and seems to be comforting when we are facing such hard and difficult changes that lie ahead. We are finding much to allow us to give control over to Jesus and Mary.
I found this memory from about 1962 when my mother was doing a painting of the 7 kids. It is most precious when mom cut it apart and only saved a part of the painting. She regrets it now, but what is done is done. This is my mother and her mother looking it over.
Dappled Therese and Hector... it looks like they had a beautiful fall day yesterday.
The Gospel today from Matthew 18 He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
Look at sweet Hector, and know that he is a model for us to be open and humble and trusting as a child! Guardian Angels look over us! Bless-bless, Barb
A prize that was lost in time, but this is our only picture of it now!
So good... too bad she destroyed a lot of it. It is crazy how we can be critical of ourselves and things we do.
Mom at the computer for the first time in months! She is accepting that there is going to be a change now, but still sad about it. Jesus, we need you and trust in you. You are in control in the midst of our storms of life!
How I love to sit at the feet of my parents in their home on one of these last days they have here. In three days they will be moving to the Cities - The Lodge of New Hope.
For the last 8 weeks I have been the middle of the week girl, and how I have loved my time with them! My time in my chapel on wheels coming and going 4 hours each way is a gift to me as I complete my 10 decades of the rosary and my chaplet as I come down the hill to Taylors Falls and then across the river to St Croix Falls, WI! It was nostalgic to think this could be one of my last times here as I drove down main street in the dark last night.
Keeping my parents in their own home for 2 months feels like a good thing now, and it is starting to sink in that it cannot continue on. Mom even is admitting that a change is on the doorstep!
Today we had our final visit with our wonderful Good Samaritan nurse, Sarah. She always arrives with a huge smile and calls mom and dad her "favorite couple". We parted with hugs and tears, and dad realized that her love for them in genuine as she wiped tears and promised to keep tabs on them and to call her if they like on the number she has left here with us over this last year of her helping both my parents!
Dad spoke with belief that she truly did love and care about them and did consider them a special favorite couple to visit. I see that she sees what I see... a married couple that have shared the ups and downs of 70 years together and continue to look to the Lord and His guidance - sharing that with all they encounter. Her last visit and farewell is a taste of what lies ahead for us with each step of the journey on to the next town.
The giant tomato I brought last week is now ripe and ready to be enjoyed! Ruth's amazing garden responds to all the love and attention she gives to it weeding and caring for it. As I said to Pat the other day; "Ruth has the life she grew up with, and has done a much better job of it!"
Love this picture from Ruth yesterday when she helped her wonderful mother-in-law, Phyllis, can her tomatoes into spaghetti sauce! They filled the 40 quart pan to the top, too!!! Joy helping stir before they filled exactly 40 quarts!
Ruth's bunch love their pasta, and now grandma Lanoue has sauce to give them when she has them in her home, too!!!
The giant tomato joined us in morning prayer today. How we love to know that it is St Therese Feast day today! She holds a very special place in our growing family.
Maria had an experience when she traveled to study in Rome for her sophomore year of college at St Thomas Catholic Studies - she read Story of a Soul by St Therese on the plane and felt the call to discern whether the Lord was calling her to enter a cloistered Monastery. She did return and join the Poor Claires for 5 months until she discerned out and met Joseph and married now with 6 children. Hence her first child is now named Therese Marie, and we wish her a special feast day today!
With John bringing his wonderful Bobbi into our family we also have a new connection to how St Therese, her patron Saint, led her over the 10 plus years to wait and hope for John being her husband! Her amazing story is so wonderful to share as she did share it with all the 250 friends and family gathered at their wedding reception over a year ago! Bobbi's story ...
After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special. She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband. Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!! Amazing!!! And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!
St Therese kept her filled with HOPE with all the years of nothing happening!
Sharing prayer here is the mountaintop experience of my days! Today we prayed for a sick young woman throughout our morning prayer. Dad prayed to St Raphael the Archangel, who is known for healing Tobit of his blindness.
The prayers of my parents for our family and their families is a powerful gift to all of us. It brings peace and trust in the Lord's control over our journeys!
I found the Gospel today a bit abrupt, but since I have appreciated it in light of mom and dad's move and always looking to Jesus and Trusting in His perfect plan for the two of them. The fact that they are still together is what I marvel at and cherish each moment I am given with them. I think that is a bit of what the nurse, Sarah, appreciated too... they are blessed with being a couple still!
The small words of the Gospel today in Luke 9; When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village...
That's the Gospel in its' entirety today... Yes, we are not called to call down judgement on anyone, but rather to just go on to another town. Their time here is now done, and there is a lot of peace in allowing them to have 2 months here to ask the Lord for his plan and now to proceed!
Mom doing her neb treatment with Blessed Solanus Casey relic in their home. He was included today in our prayer for the sick. He was huge for John on his journey to the other town - called brain cancer that brought him to Faith! https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
Lord, Jesus how we love you and want to proceed down the narrow path following you, but also walking with you as you help us in our weak and sicknesses. You are in control and we give it to you and Trust! Dad shared this prayer from his beloved St Ignatius, who brought us into The Church through his Ignation Exercises... Dad called it the Commitment to Jesus prayer, and I can see why!
Suscipe/Receive
St. Ignatius of Loyola
,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
Dad was speaking about having Hope, and how we gain it through giving it all over to the Lord and trusting! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
A Christmas picture from years ago... lots of family time and memories when I come here.
With my brother, Phil...
Phil and Dan - two brothers
Sister with sister-in-laws and Goddaughter years ago. It will be good for mom and dad to be closer to more of the family in the Cities. When I mentioned to dad how I thought I might bring them to live with me a few months back... we both realize that would not have been a good answer for them or me. I do love my time with them and plan to continue to make that happen. Maybe not every week... but at least monthly I plan to sleep on their couch that makes into a bed! Bless-bless, Barb
Brother Jim has been here when I come to take over... good to see him weekly for these months! Years ago with baby daughter, and baby kittens!
The Michigan picture with Angela and her bunch!
Social hour with mom and dad each afternoon! The wonderful family times my parents carved out for us! LOVE!
Happy Feast Day Saint Therese of Lisieux Doctor of the Church 1873-1897 Feast Day: October 1 Patronage: Missions St. Therese of Lisieux was a French Discalced Carmelite nun, popularly known as The Little Flower. She was a highly influential model of sanctity for others because of the "simplicity and practicality of her approach to the spiritual life." She entered Carmel at the early age of 15 and died of tuberculosis at the age of 24. Together with St. Francis of Assisi she is one of the most popular saints in the history of the Church. Pope Pius X called her "the greatest saint of modern times."
Now the curls!
