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!
After watching mass on TV and Fr Mark reminding us that today would have been First Communion Sunday for Rose and close to 50 other 2nd graders... speaking about how important our first Communion is in our lives... we had to have a special family breakfast and let Rose Again wear her beautiful dress with tulips and the green pasture behind.
Ruth said that she better not grow in the next 6 months because the dress fits her perfectly now. Her first Communion has been set for September 20th... her big brother, Simon's 16th birthday, so a fake plan for a double celebration in 6 months.
So much fun to have a mini pre celebration for her today as we are all suffering with the changes in our lives due to this horrible world epidemic!
Beautiful newly 8 years old , Rose Again, whose birthday was just 2 days ago!
Only missing Simon... Rose shared her birthday on the farm with Nancy's family! Total of 11 kids make for an instant party. They brought along their water slide and it was 80 degrees, so a birthday to remember is #8 for Rose Again!
This virus has made all these occasions marked with a specialness and a deep sense of this being a year like no other...
The dynamics are always interesting with so many, but they get along well and it is a blessing to share your life with a huge family by today's standards!
Gathered around cow TV to watch a calf born in the middle of Rose's birthday party!
Grandpa and George - the crop is in and Pat is smiling huge to have such a wonderful spring!
I was gifted with my mother's day gift a week early yesterday with Ruth and her kids putting my garden in for me!
Duck petting time at the birthday.
The 2 three year old girls feeding the calves..
They were both 7 but now Rose went to 8 and Bernadette will catch up in November. Both have sunny cheeks after spending a day on the water slide in the bright May sun.
A special day still because we are now longing for her First Communion. The Lord's timing is certainly a surprise and unexpected indeed. Our Fake plans took on a whole new meaning today when we had a pre First Communion on what was supposed to be your First Communion Sunday on what still is The Good Shepherd Sunday on this 4th Sunday of Easter!
Rose zooming her pretend First Communion to the rest of the family. Never too many reasons to celebrate. Not her actual First Communion, but what would have been!
How I love this view from Ruth's amazing porch! The greening pastures and soon they will have cows and calves in them eating the grass and out of the dirty barns and yards!
The 23rd Psalm from mass today is the BEST! R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. or: R. Alleluia. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. or: R. Alleluia. He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. With your rod and your staff that give me courage. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. or: R. Alleluia. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. or: R. Alleluia. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Verdant pastures for sure!!!
Ruth and her girls putting my garden in - tilling...
Dad sat out on the porch and watched the hard work with my brother, Jim.
Paul pulled in with the big tractor as we are wrapping up planting!!
14 year old granddaughter, Mary, helping grandma make rhubarb pies! It has been so long since we worked together in the kitchen.... such a gift!
The planting crew!!! So thrilled to have my garden in, my lawn mowed, my shopping done as my brother stayed with dad so I could do that, too!
Ruth is so good to her old mom! There is nothing I want more for mother's day! The best gift ever!!
Luke watered and Joy got the eggs from the chickens, and Simon is on the mower! Wow! I am so blessed and lucky. My dad was amazed at all that we got done on a Saturday!
"Good pie!" from my dad. That is why we do the work and my favorite thing so say.."They were growing just a few hours ago." That's fresh and filled with the goodness of the earth!
I keep dragging my dad outside to eat and pray on these wonderful spring days before the flies get to make us miserable.
Yesterday I got the most wonderful grapes and watermelon! I had to gush about them!!!
Beautiful and special on what would have been her first Communion but now there is a new fake plan... Always love Jesus with your All Rose Again and hunger and thirst for Him in the Eucharist and He will fill you with LIFE eternal! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
3 year old Joy and 8 year old Rose Again! When you have a big family there is a quick and easy party to be had even when we are celebrating a day that should have been but is now rescheduled! Bless-bless, Barb
Grandpa and I had to jump in due to being all dressed up with no where to go but Ruth's glorious porch on this 4th Sunday of Easter and should have been Rose Again's 1st Communion!
How Beautiful - Paris Twyla
4th Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Sunday
“For He hears the lamb’s innocent call,
And He hears the ewe’s tender reply.
He is watchful while they are in peace.
For they know when their Shepherd is nigh.”
- William Blake
"We adore You, Jesus,
eternal Shepherd ofthe human race.
You are present in the Eucharist
to dwell continually
in the midst of Your people.
You nourish us,
You guardus,
You guideus to the heavenly fold."
Blessed James Alberione
Painting above: Good Shepherd (Detail) ~ Champaigne
after mass in KC - the Community of the Lamb greeting their families! Hallel did poke her head in and smile at me! LOVE to see her and hear them sing like angels at mass in Lumen Christi!
5 years ago today - Rose Ida known in our farm family as Rose Again on her 3rd birthday. Today she is 8, and Nancy and her bunch are on the road to spend a day on the farm to help her celebrate. Her buddy Bernadette will be 7 for another 6 months and then they will both be the same age again.
Now wonderful 8 and having a job morning and night on the farm of bottle feeding 3 calves that need special care.
Lunch on the porch yesterday noon... my dad loves our tomato soup, and the first tulip from my garden. That is why we do the work to feed our 7 families!
For 6 months I wasn't able to share my homemade canning with my parents living in assisted living. Now with dad living with me I can feed him our applesauce, tomato soup, spaghetti sauce, strawberry jam, and meat. He is happy and content. Soon we will have asparagus from the garden and rhubarb pie this week!
Sharing meals and prayer in my days which were quiet and alone as my husband leaves and works long hours away with all the work of the farm.
A reflection picture as dad shared with me after lunch. We share religious/farm life together with prayer after breakfast and supper and praying our rosary at 3p followed by the chaplet of Divine Mercy.
The place where I write each day after we have gotten our morning breakfast, prayer and getting ready for the day.
Dad comes out to the table and catches up on family on facetime and my blog and emails! He is so sharp!
First spring tulip and my Mary statue. She journeys with me daily.
After morning prayer we share the readings of the day and today are two amazing ones! The conversion story of St Paul from Acts 9. Is there any story of conversion to compare to this one? A man convinced that he is fighting the battle against an imposter trying to be equal to God - to be struck down and blinded by The LIGHT/the Truth that Jesus is truly the Son of God! To transform from dragging Christians out of their homes in chains to going to proclaim the Jesus is the answer to all our struggles!
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Wow!! Talk about a full 360!!! I love how Jesus reminds us that long to follow him carrying/dragging our Most Cherished Cross and share the Good News - "he will have to suffer for my name." Yes, we are called to embrace our Cross to find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
Mary was given to us at the foot of the Cross to bring into our homes and bring us Peace, LOVE, JOY and her assistance in bringing our needs to her Son.
"You can't love Mary too much. We can never love her more than Jesus does." St Maximilian Kolbe
One of our last fields being dug by son-in-law, Paul!
This spring has renewed our hope that spring can be early and warm and dry enough to get the crop in! Thank you, Lord!
Heading back again... working up so nice ahead of the planter.
Picnic with hubby is a special time to share about the farm and the family. Thanks to a rain delay of a day we were able to share morning prayer even before he had to leave.
We had our 10 set of twins in the middle of the planting and all the jobs that go with getting the crop in the ground.
Dad reading his St Therese Retreat... he received this from his Bishop and is finding it a good thing to ponder. "We are nothing without the Lord. We do not need to acquire much in our spiritual journey, rather we need to lose ourselves to Him!"
We are impressed with how hospice is always willing to get us whatever we may need. It brings us peace and helps us with any problems that may arise. One day at a time is how we are taking it and are grateful for today and the time we share in prayer and meals and prayer and cares, and prayer and family time.
St Joseph the worker today... it was special to share the steps of Rose doing her job the other evening... making the bottles for the calves.
Mixes the milk replacer in a pail and then into the bottle...
Bringing the 3 huge bottles out to the calves.
Mom said that for her birthday her two brothers fed the calves this morning for her. It is good for the farm kids to have jobs and are caring for the animals that feed the world.
These two are now sharing a room and farm life
This poor calf was stepped on and has a broken leg... Rose feeds it morning and night and cares for it. Many prayers go with the work! St Joseph the Worker assist us this day.
Learning from her big sister is 3 year old Joy Jean...JJ
This reminds me of their mom and her sisters and brother, John, out helping their dad with the calves!
7 years ago - Susan/Hallel home for her home visit bottle feeding the calves! She even brought her work habit!
How dad I rejoiced to read these words from the Gospel today - rejoicing that 49 years ago we came into the True Church where we have Jesus' Body and Blood - Flesh and Blood for us to consume in The Eucharist! “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” John 6: 52-59 Yes!!! Lord, how we long to receive you Body and Blood again! We have been having spiritual Communion through this fasting we are called to be doing due to the epidemic!
Never too old or too removed to help on the farm! Hallel always loved the cows and calves - she even put a cow border around her room!
Luke and Rose feeding side by side. I am sure that Berna will want to help Rose tonight feed the bottle babies!
Grandma had to retrieve a bottle that got pulled into the pen by a calf that bucked it out of Luke's hold. All part of the job...
Jesus, how we long to love and serve you with our ALL! You are our all and we are nothing without you! May we die to self so that you may LIVE in us! May we give without counting the cost. "Wounded, I will never cease to LOVE!" Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
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Mommy podcaster life: 1️⃣ My “recording studio” is the closet in my girl’s room. 2️⃣I plan and research episodes while sitting next to our sandbox and breaking up sibling fights. 3️⃣ Each morning when we listen as a family I am genuinely amazed at the connections and insights my kids make. 4️⃣ And thanks to the goodness of God, Catholic Sprouts just passed 🎉1.5 MILLION DOWNLOADS🎉...See More
