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!
Dad and mom on their 71st wedding anniversary/Sunday August 30th - as I say - "One foot into heaven as mother went there on March 16th, and we strongly see her at work in our lives praying for us more perfectly from heaven. Thanks, mom, we love you and miss you!
Dad asked me to get him a rose for their first year apart on the anniversary of saying "I do" promise unto death. We had a celebration planned a year ago for their 70th anniversary and mom's 90th birthday, but dad got really sick so it never happened. This year there was an instant party after mass with both Ruth, Nancy and John's families gathered!
Honoring my parents' 71st wedding anniversary on Sunday - dad asked for a single rose to give to mother, and we are surrounding him with a portion of the family of 140+ he and mom started with me, the oldest of 12 kids!
We have a brief break and then we will have all of our family of 30 with us except for Joseph, and our nun, Little Sister Hallel. And we must add my father, who now lives here on the farm with us praying and joining in with us as he is able. He has been here and on hospice for 4 1/2 months now, and is doing quite well indeed. We take one day at a time and just had our nurse visit this morning, which revealed that dad is doing well on all fronts, and how grateful we are for all they do to meet each need that comes along. 29 of the 31, including my father, will be together in a few days!
How we love this picture of mom taken just 2 weeks before she passed away quickly in 10 hours after a fall in their apartment! She is there with us morning and evening as we lift up our prayers together - dad and I! She seems to appreciate dad's loving gesture, and there is no doubt that she is in heaven smiling down!
I was just telling the hospice nurse about dad's fall two days ago, when he was on his way to breakfast. "It was as though he fell in slow motion and mother was cradling his head and his hip and lowering them slowly to the ground." Another time of her caring for the needs of father, and he looking to her prayers from heaven and intervention for him and our huge family!
A rose taken to mother at the cemetery by my sister and husband that live close by! It is 4 hours away for us so this was a very special picture to know that dad's love was shared at her last resting place on earth.
Two of mom's glass birds on top and a rose to show our undying love for her and how she blessed us with LIFE and with our faith in Jesus and His Bride, The Church!
Sharing Sunday brunch after sharing mass together... All 21 of us!
We had a huge reason to celebrate also - Nancy and Bill's winning of a huge competition!
A 100 thousand prize to be used to promote sharing The Catholic Faith in our homes - where we must begin to share our Faith with JOY and passing it on to our children!
Our greatest JOY is sharing our Faith as a family! How we are blessed by our children, who we learn at their feet! Humbly we are taught the Truth, the Way and the LIFE by how them... Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified as St Paul shares today in the first reading at mass throughout the world from I Corinthians 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
This is definitely the way that Dad and I and hubby and I approach our time together in such close relationship of living together in our domestic Church/farm family! We are weak and shaky and look to Jesus embracing our Cross and following him with a fair amount of suffering and dying to self! Only than can that "spirit and power" be at work in us!
Pat bringing Jesus in The Body of Christ to dad as he is no longer going to mass with us, but watches mass on EWTN and Pat brings him Eucharist. "The Body of Christ, Robert." "I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."
Pat with Birdie and George, who loves to give her kisses! So sweet!
So true!
Nancy and Bill stop in to be congratulated by dad after their huge life-changing win in Our Sunday Visitor Innovator Challenge! Dad and I have been praying for them for a long time now! Thanking the Lord for this support of their heartfelt ministry of sharing the faith with our families!
So happy and excited for them!
We have had a lot of good time with our wonderful, George Blaise! He has been very good for grandma and how he loves his farmer grandpa, Patrick! My champion for family and LIFE! Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS for the world - is our families motto now down the the next generation.
A river of family after sharing 8a mass to start our day with Faith/Family/Farm! Off with the masks out side
LOVE to share Jesus in Word, Body and Blood and in our hearts!
Waiting for grandpa to get Eucharist for my dad and then picking out doughnuts and fruit for our brunch we share afterwards. Such a special day is Sunday! Even my dad from the first week here asked about our Sunday rolls and looks forward to his doughnut with eggs and fruit!
Grandpa's two assistants at shopping for breakfast goodies! Bernadette and Rose are just 6 months apart and will soon both be 8 years old - best buddies for life as cousins.
Each Monday my father does the litany of each of the 58 great-grands and the 34 grands with spouses by first and middle name - such a ministry of serious prayers for his Domestic Church/family, and how we depend upon those prayers on our journey of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
Jesus, how we long to know you better this new day and this new week as dad and I are into our 5th month together in the farm with the help of hospice! May we die to self so that you Holy Spirit may work in us and we may love and serve each other without counting the cost. So that we my return to those the closest to us the LOVE and Mercy we have been given my you unconditionally! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
It was breezy and cool after a lot of hot humid days. We even got some long prayed for rain last night and a bit over an inch in the last week! Thank you, Lord, and keep them coming from hubby! Bless-bless, Barbara
Ruth and Paul's new project - his veteran grandfather's flag pole given a place of honor in the middle of the farm! They certainly have a vision of great beauty and are not afraid to do the hard work to make it happen!
A work of art and patriotism
Lake Michigan is deeply planted in my heart! Someday...
Nancy and Bill a few weeks back with Little Sister Hallel, and their 5 kids. This is the BIG day! Today they are among the 12 finalists in a contest of innovators in The Catholic Church through Our Sunday Visitor.
I have been listening and the competition is fierce! Homelessness, gay perspective within The Church, on and on with many excited and motivated presenters, who are longing to promote The Church and all that it upholds and stands for!
Grandpa and George, his little buddy sharing supper last evening on the porch.
I find myself quite shaken up this morning - not only very much praying for Nancy and Bill and this huge lifechanging day they have ahead of them, but also quite upset by my dad taking his second fall in front of Pat, George and I in the kitchen this morning. It was almost in slow motion, and it seems that once again he has escaped injury... a sure sign to me that all our prayers are surrounding him with protection, but I am still right there behind him with a hand on his back when he moves around now!
George learning the joy of "grandpa pop."
Now sharing a bowl of popcorn - no wonder the little ones love to hang out with grandpa so much! This doesn't happen very often around here this time of year. He rarely is around here much before 10p most summer days!
The first reading from St Paul to the Corinthians today is so amazing for me! I have proven to myself over and over how weak and poor and foolish and lowly I am! I recall my mother talking about how I was too weak to climb up the steps on the school bus when I started school! I closed my eyes to put total effort in running a race in middle school and ran into the fence! So many examples of how crazy weak I am! Skiing for the first and only time in my life - taking lessons on the bunny hill - I fell and wrenched my knee when the skis did not release! Now 3 new joints later after the injury to my left knee when I was 16! I am a physical poor specimen and I sometimes see the disapproval in my husband's eyes that he got a bad model!
Such a sweet boy, who loves his grandpa Pat, after getting out of the tub last night!
These words from St Paul show me that the way I am is a good thing along with the words of wisdom that spoke to me 8 years ago when I was telling Hallel how weak I was after my hip replacement..."Mom, when we are weak is when we turn to Jesus." Yes!!! May I always be weak and lowly, because I want Jesus always and everywhere and without end! Amen!
A picture of a boy and his grandpa watching a show together...
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.
I Corinthians 1
Yes, I got carried away with my husband actually being home with us and George so content and happy to be with his grandpa!
I am not saying that I am standing up to others much... but I am always giving it over to Jesus, because I know that He is in control. I learned this lesson very well when John developed brain cancer 11 years ago, and now with the new John that has resulted from all that they threw at him to now be cancer free... now we face the struggles of him being able to find the Plan that the Lord has for him, and the job that he is to do to provide for his family. A hard and humbling cross indeed!
The look of a boy, who admires and looks up to his grandpa. How Grandpa loves to have the little ones on his lap.
The look of peace and comfort! "He is such a sweetheart!" Grandpa let him stay up way too late because he so much enjoyed this special snuggle time!
Today with this huge competition going on as I sit here on my phone... I know how much Nancy and Bill have put into this, but I also know that this is in the Lord's hands. So often my prayer for them I go to Our Lady - she is always with me through the day in prayer. She takes our needs to her Son , and Jesus is in control!
My Most Cherished Cross, hubby farmer Pat! He is my champion for LIFE and family as the Holy Spirit directed him as a teenager to see The Truth! "The world needs LIGHTS, so be open to LIFE!"
This motto has become the basis for our marriage and family of 5 living here on the earth with us and 7 keeping our eyes on heaven! And now our 5 children, Ruth and Paul with their family of 6 children, Nancy and Bill and their 5 children and 3 keeping their eyes on heaven, our nun Little Sister Hallel and her being a caring mother to many poor little ones she comes in contact with sharing the LIGHT with many, and John and Bobbi - newly married for 2 years and 2 little ones! MY total JOY is that we share our Faith as a family and live according to ALL The Church holds out for us! ALL!!!!!
Nancy introducing George to his first calf this spring!
How we love our shared Faith/Family/Farm - we have now reached 30 with the arrival of our newest member, Baby Birdie Barbara! My first ever name sake is such a special gift to me!
Two round faces that we share along with our name! She is such a sweet and happy girl, so good for her parents!
Lord, may I always be weak and lowly and die to self so that you may live in me! "Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth." dad and I pray this together every morning after we share morning prayer together from the prayer of The Church.. Holy Spirit live within me and use me to be your hands and feet. Jesus, I am yours! How I long to stagger down the narrow path carrying/dragging my most Cherished Cross to find at the end of my journey heaven forever with mom, you, Mary and ALL the angels and Saints! St John the Baptist, pray for us. Amen and Hallelujah
Two close smiles! It has been a JOY to be having close and crazy family time with Maria here from Washington with her 6! All 19 grandkids together - beware picture day will happen! I have my 12 year old Therese super excited to help grandma shop for the groups of boys and girls and even a mixture of girls and boy! Bless-bless, Barbara and our family united in The Church!
John with his newest baby girl!
John's promo video!Danielle Rose - Litany of humility
Susan/Hallel receiving her lamp lit - the Gospel comes to LIFE - the wise virgin, who welcomes the Bridegroom, Jesus her Spouse, two years ago in France! "I promise unto death." In 2 hours of French to hear her voice proclaim these 4 words in English and with conviction - we all had tears leaping to our eyes!
Jesus, the Bridegroom, is the Word of God, and this is huge and celebrated and chewed upon with each new day in Hallel's amazing Community of the Lamb! It makes me so happy and excited to see that lived out in all that they do!
At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked... Matthew 25
Today Nancy and Bill are celebrating their 10th anniversary! Those have been quite amazing years filled with family - 5 with them here and 3 in heaven. It has also contained 3 moves from Plymouth to KC and now back to Delano. Also the development of Nancy's ministry, Catholic Sprouts, and now this huge opportunity to launch The Domestic Church project!
It has been so nice to gather nightly for family suppers on Ruth's porch with John and family in the mix! We are affirmed that our newest baby member, Birdie Barbara, is such a sweet and peaceful and adorable armfull!
So healthy and happy!
Family time is so cherished! I have to record it with those unending pictures... like holding onto it in my heart.
Big Dave is a lover of babies and they are happy to be held by him.
A smile for grandma is my gift!
Birdie with her two older girl cousins - Rose and Bernadette!
Selfies with my namesake...
Same round face...
Dad and mom sharing evening prayer with me. She is very much with us as we pray the prayer of The Church together each day. This picture shows us the reality of her presence and prayers for us and with us! It helps me with my grief as my mother was so close to me... I miss her sorely!
These last few years I would have days with my parents in their home across the river into Wisconsin - St Croix Falls. Pat was so good in allowing me to have frequent visits for 2-3 days at a time, and then after dad had a brush with death the beginning of August last year - we started the "tag team" formed by a sister, two brothers and I, who for 8 weeks stayed with my parents 24/7 so that they would not be alone and would be safe and cared for. Mom stopped making meals and was becoming more and more dependent, so they then moved into Assisted living in the New Hope!
My Most Cherished Cross, Pat the farmer, leading our family in prayer before our family meal at the farm last night. We prayed a Hail Mary for the protection of LIFE in our Country from conception to natural death! How our hearts are burning for the unborn that are so despised and not protected by the law!
An Our Father for rain, which is so critical - we got .6 inches over night!
Lord, thank you for pouring forth the rains overnight, as hubby says - "please keep them coming." Our crops are hurting and the grass in the pastures are drying up along with the water in the creeks for our 170 cows and calves! St Augustine and St John Paul II we look to you to walk with Nancy and Bill tomorrow for this huge day in their lives and ministry called The Domestic Church! As Bill just said that this is a very different anniversary where they are focused on others and not on themselves. That would be what Christ would ask of us as we die to self so that He lives in us! St Paul in the first reading today speaks of how embracing the Cross is so foolish to the world around us...The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God..." I Corinthians 1 Yes, Lord, may we carry/drag our Most Cherished Cross and follow you down the narrow path to heaven forever with you, Mary, our dead including mom, and all the Saints! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Ice cream cones for dessert was so much fun to watch these two 1 1/2 year olds!
Oh my! We laughed at their intent on getting all that yumminess and yet so much on the outside too!
Happiness is icecream in a cone and being in charge of eating it all by yourself right George?
My dad got one too!!! He loves his ice cream bedtime snack!
