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!
I remember my dad taking this picture of my 4 girls dressed alike and even I had made a skirt of the red plaid for myself!
Today is 2nd daughter, Nancy's birthday - my Easter girl! Her birthday has landed on Good Friday a few years, but never Easter. I just got off the phone with my dad... he called me! He sounds so lonesome and talked about finding comfort in watching Dr Pol, "which your mother loved and she considered him her friend these last years." He misses seeing his family, and it breaks my heart! I told him that as soon as I am allowed to visit - I will be there! "Your not invited now." Sad but true!
The oldest 3 all in frills! My mother also started her family with 3 girls!
Matching Easter dresses and then there was John - that boy in blue!
Pat's mom dressed her last two sweet girls alike here!
Nancy adored her grandma Ann! She is named after her, too!
LOVE at their wedding!
Nancy with fair calf in black and white!
At the fair- memories that she now loves to share with her growing family. They are looking at joining 4H up where they live outside the Cities!
Maria's confirmation day! How we LOVE to share our Faith as a family! We will soon number 30!
I smile to see them dressed alike in Bride's maids dresses at Maria's wedding! I also give myself some credit now that Little Sister Hallel is dressed in a blue habit along with the hundred plus Little Sisters in her Community of the Lamb! She doesn't find that funny though...
My wonderful parents on their wedding day - August 30, 1949 - they had celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary!
Going through pictures... Leaving Maria with the Poor Clares behind the enclosure where she discerned for 5 months! So powerful!
At this time all the nuns are cloistered - even the active ones!
Out helping some years back during calving. It is wonderful to have the young willing family on the farm now!
Farmer newly weds 41 years ago!
Pat;s parents helping us plant the garden from the experts! Ruth has her garden in this same spot and is a wonderful gardener like both her grandmothers!
I have been finding so much comfort in these late Lenten readings since my mother passed. Lent and Christ getting closer and closer to his suffering and death... we also hear from him such words of Truth! Today he speaks to the Jews.. Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” John 8:51 I can find so much there, and without a doubt I know that my mother kept and pondered and taught, and studied, and wrote, and shared with me ... the Word, Jesus, in Spirit and Truth!
Ruth and Pat eating apples 40 years ago.
A card I found in a thrift store led to this... the mother on the hill had 3 girls and the cow... I added Ruth, John and the building site behind, and Pat on Don's horse, Smokey. I have fake plans to make one now for Ruth... all the buildings have changed and the house has been transformed into her farmhouse!
Missionaries of Charity have this... Jesus thirsts for us!
My mother holding Susan for Maria and Nancy to meet. Mom would come to help me out with new babies! LOVE!
Ruth reading to her baby sister, Nancy. Ruth had cow wallpaper too!
Mom's shoe picture...missing pants girls! But then you couldn't see our shoes!
Taking lunch to dad in the field... family time has to be discovered when the farmers are busy!
One of me with my sisters to point out that mom dressed us alike, too! I will lay off the old pictures now... well, maybe.
Nancy made crowns for herself and her sisters. "We are all princesses!" Yes, each one is that... I learn from them how to be a better mother, wife and Catholic all the time! Who could ask for more than to be taught by your kids? The Best!!!
A sign of spring - clothes on the line on a sunny but windy day.
Jesus, your clear words and message these days as your death looms closer and closer... keep my word and you will never see death! How we need to give ourselves entirely to you and hold nothing back. May we get rid of all that comes between us and you, by laying our sins at your feet in the confessional. Be with our families/domestic Church, country, and world at this most difficult time! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
The sheets smelled good!
Dad is lonely and it just is hard right now with his being unable to see family on a regular basis. Lord, comfort him and hold him close to your heart burning with love for him. Bless-bless, Barb
Anniversary of St JPII death in 2005! My hero of family and LIFE!
Joy hoping for baby kitties on her birthday. I have yet to hear if this happened for her and her brothers and sisters. Baby kitties is a very big deal around there!
Joy celebrated her birthday with just her family last night - with 5 older siblings and parents that makes for an instant party! Grandpa was sharing that she was so excited to get her own scooter like her older brothers and sisters. "She held her hand over her mouth which was smiling so wide when she opened it in the morning." Pure JOY!
New life in the barn and in the house with baby kitties soon to arrive!
We now have 55 calves here, with about 120 to go. If we keep having 10ish a day that could add up quickly! Yesterday we only had 5, but 3 of those were within 10 minutes of each other! We will see what today holds for us. I have cow TV on my phone next to me as I post this for today...
No more twins since these, but each time they reach in to check because we have had so many this year... 6 sets and counting!
My mother's art work inspired me to use her own art work to use as the body of the Cross I made in her honor to place on my Easter Tree, which was brought in over the weekend to put forth leaves and possibly some lilacs in time for Easter like no other!
Easter Tree 2020... each year I make a cross and a butterfly that shares some of the big events of that year or Lent/Easter. This year that had to be the loss of my mother just 2 weeks ago. March 16
Such an amazing keepsake as my heart is full of grief and comfort at the same time. The Word of God is that for me and most especially after Sunday reading of Lazarus - John 11! Jesus' words to Martha share the Truth that my mother will never truly die, but is living now with Jesus, Mary, the Saints and her dead that have gone before her!
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” John 11
The other side... How mom touched me the most!!! By giving me LIFE and modeling a mother, who is open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS! By her and dad bringing all 13 of us into The Church 48 years ago! Each day since has been a gift to me, and to share that with both of my parents was a small slice of heaven here on earth for me! https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
On the tree! The Gospel for today speaks of where my mother found her Truth and ministry - Jesus in The Word!
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8 Mom burned to share Jesus' Truth and published many articles and pamphlets, she taught and developed a Bible study that covered the entire Bible! How she loved Jesus in His Word! https://www.catholicdiagramteacher.com/ Check out the site where she personally dictated and shared her study, books she wrote, and dad's chalk talks to Alcoholics! So amazed that just a few years ago she took this upon herself! Fr John Drees at her prayer service was intrigued and said that he was going to check her work out!
Love this from my parents to the world!!!
Words about my parents from their site! The Catholic Diagram Teacher Site is the outgrowth of years of learning, loving, and teaching the Faith of Jesus Christ in the Roman Catholic Church. Becoming Catholic is a lifetime adventure for everyone. What we present is for those baptized Catholics who filled with the Holy Spirit are responding to the Church’s strong encouragement to become a closer, knowing friend of Jesus. We have special thought for those who may be newly considering the claims of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.
My Maria had a close bond with my mother, Nancy! They were both intellectual introverts so they truly saw eye to eye on all levels. I and my mother were bonded at heart, mind and soul by our LOVE of The Church and I had followed my parents lead from the beginning with Baptism by the Holy Spirit at around age 16 and then following them to a Charismatic prayer group at The Cenacle Convent when we moved to Minneapolis! Next was our entry into The Church - all 13 of us!
Nancy received Christian formation in the North Baptist Church, Flint, Michigan where her grandfather was minister for 27 years. At age twelve her family transferred membership to the First Presbyterian Church. She met Robert at Kalamazoo College, married, then completed her degree. The couple had eight children. Adopting four who were orphaned in a tragic auto accident completed the family. When the Holy Spirit led a group of Presbyterian women to look again at the Bible truths of the role of woman, an art/music/narration drama was developed. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit transformed her religious life and stimulated a life-long search for Truth. The insights gained eventually led to the Catholic Church. The entire family made their profession of faith at the Cenacle Retreat House in Wayzata, MN, at the Christmas Eve Mass in 1971. From that time with the help of uncounted faith-filled Catholics, she has taught Bible classes, Apologetics and RCIA. Her studies and life experience have resulted in a long list of unpublished books.
I really like this image she has there too! I am feeling like I am discovering a treasure that she left for our family!
The beautiful icon of Jesus, Mary and Joseph she gave to me over the summer when I was there each of 8 weeks midweek. It seemed at the time that she was preparing to leave not just her home but this world. Now we see the Lord's plan!
This she shared was made on wood from our barn in Miltown/WI.."I left that side like that so that we would always recall where it originated from... barn wood." To me "the farm" years were my early romantic years as a new Catholic and head over heels in love with The Church! I recall reading Thomas A'Kempis there and doing much caligraphy of things he wrote in Imitation of Christ! Also scripture verses with art instilled by the peaceful farmland all around me as well as the LIGHT shining forth from within me! I also read Thomas Merton, Seven Story Mountain.
The farm - early Catholics... I really can't say that I have ever lost that excitement and deep LOVE with each new day of this journey with Jesus, Mary, The Church, The Saints, the rosary, PRAYER in my inner temple, so very much beauty and Truth with each new day!
Mary at the foot of mom's Cross!
There is a better mom than you my dear wonderful mother! I know you agree with me!
Jesus, how I am overwhelmed by your unconditional LOVE and forgiveness that surrounds me in my weak sinfulness. May I die to self and allow you to work in me. Come Holy Spirit and fill me with LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT that I may go forth as your hands, and feet and voice of Truth! I am yours and I long to love and serve all those in my domestic Church/family as you fill me with so very much each new day! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
The classic... Mary is now missing, and Phil in the drivers seat lost a twin brother at 3 days old, Lincoln, who is buried in New Hampshire. Now united with mother. Mom would always say that she could not relate to me and my 7 losses, but she lost a daughter at 28 and a infant son. That is much harder than I! Our eyes are focused on heaven where they dwell now with my mother, who remained in the Word and TRULY was and is the Disciple of Jesus! Bless-bless, Barb
Now she is terrific 3!!! Joy lives up to her name!
A Easter and Holy week like no other! Jesus, we trust in you. Wisdom from Benedict XVI for Lent (and life!): "Pain is part of being human. Anyone who really wanted to get rid of suffering would have to get rid of love before anything else, because there can be no love without suffering, because it always demands an element of self-sacrifice, because, given temperamental differences, it will always bring with it renunciation and pain. When we know that the way of love - this exodus, this going out of oneself - is the true way by which we become human, then we also understand that suffering is the process through which we mature. Anyone who has inwardly accepted suffering becomes more mature and more understanding of others. Anyone who consistently avoids suffering does not understand other people; he becomes hard and selfish.... If we say that suffering is the inner side of love, we then also understand why it is so important to learn how to suffer - and why, conversely, the avoidance of suffering renders someone unfit to cope with life." (Benedictus, p. 104)
John shared his story of finding Faith through Brain cancer by video!
