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!
Pondering this picture of dad fondly stroking the Word come to life... from Genesis where the woman will crush the head of the serpent
Genesis 3:15 says, “I will put enmities between thee [the serpent] and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.”
One of my favorite statues is in the chapel at the Catholic School where Pat and all our kids, now grandkids go to school.
During covid pandemic at the height of the isolation and distancing we moved adoration into the larger St Mary's chapel and I would bring flowers from my garden for my beloved statue. This was what they looked like a week later - still presentable in a dried version.
This struck fear into my very core pondering the actuality of stepping bare foot upon a snake! I wonder why never before has it really sunk in as I hate snakes and whenever I have come across them in my yard, garden, etc... I jump and run in the other direction.
I recall one time when I was standing out on some grass in New Hampshire on a visit back to visit where I was born and lived for my early years. Suddenly there was a wet slimy reptile in my pant leg! I thought it was a snake, and I am sure that I screamed bloody murder and jumped around like I was going to die! It turned out to be a frog equally scared and moving up and down to feel like a slithering snake! This is imprinted on my memory as one of the most terrifying times in my young life!
This image has only brought to mind the Truth of how Mary's "Yes" allowed LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT to enter the world and crush Satan. But adding this new element of just what this means to me with my fears of snakes - really shakes me to my core! I am in awe of this amazing woman, my Mother of heaven and earth!
The statue in my bedroom came to me with my father! He was gifted these after his 12 years of serving as a Deacon in the Catholic Church in Manistique, MI where they lived in a home/vacation home for their kids on Lake Michigan.
This lifts Mary to the one who calms all my fears to take on this, which fills me with nothing but horror and fear!
The Psalm today speaks of these fears all around us... evil that comes to harm us and keep us from our Lord!
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side, as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life. R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness. But my trust is in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness. Psalm 31
"You are my God" - I have nothing to truly fear, and long to come closer to you with each new day with the help of Mary and all your Saints!
Pat and I are going today to finally get our burial plots side by side in the Catholic Cemetery... made possible by my father's inheritance to each of us. I am excited to finally have a proper place to put the monument to our two stillborn sons, William and Robert!
As we are also considering our monument/head stone to place there... it has come to me that I want Jesus on the Cross, but not without Mary standing at the foot of the Cross! For me Mary's sword that pierced her heart as she stood there and watched her Son, the Son of God, die for us sins, and his words to his beloved disciple that this is our Mother, and how we are to bring her into our home... that is truly powerful and Truth of what has brought me closer to Jesus every day!
A stainglass version of what I envision.
This is actually a gravestone!
What would the words be? "This is how one loves." is a family favorite to be placed beside Crucifixes in our home over the years! Starting with Maria going into the Convent of the Poor Clares on Jan 1st, 2004. She put this note beside the Crucifix in her brother, John's room. John was 16 and struggling with the possibility of not being able to have Maria in our day to day life as she would be behind the enclosure. The Lord had other plans - she is now expecting her 7th child and married to Joseph for 14 years!
I am also considering a verse from Scripture including "Behold your Mother!"
Meeting daughter #4 Susan for the first time in 1985. After Susan I lost 2 by miscarriage, and then we had our only surviving son, John. After John we lost 2 at 20 weeks in the womb, William and Robert, considered stillbirths and are buried at the cemetery. Then a 14 week miscarriage to end my family - a total of 12 with 7 in heaven and 5 with us for this earthly journey!
Our grandson, Maximilian, will be very close to our final resting place in the Catholic Cemetery. He died on Thanksgiving in 2017. Pat and I got our side by side plots today and being close to our grandson just seemed right!
Mother and child - Mary and Jesus were comforting at this difficult loss for Nancy and Bill to lose their 20 week old son in the womb. We will be right across from him.
Soon our two boys that we lost at 20 weeks in the womb will be at the foot of our plots. We lost William in 1989 just about a year after John was born, and Robert in 1992. John's brothers were not to be here with us, but in heaven praying for their family. Nancy and I share this difficult sudden loss when you think that all is well, and no heartbeat on the 5 month check up.
The boys were at the foot of my in-laws grave, but soon we will move them to be with us.
Much to ponder as we will now get our headstone figured out... the crucifix in our kitchen is well worn as it was on the maple tree by the garden and was where we started and ended our out door stations of the Cross! The Old Rugged Cross! This is how one loves! Picture of John with Fr Craig coming out of the healing bathes of Lourdes with Fr Craig in France in August 2009. Two months after John started his battle against brain cancer. Truly this is how one loves - by embracing their Most Cherished Cross and finding LOVE/LIGHT/LIFE! Bless-bless, Barbara
Praying with John in the middle of the night as our hours of Adoration cross over each other. Praying with John has been so powerful for us since he half-heartedly prayed for faith and within a short time discovered that he had the battle of his life against brain cancer!
John and I realized that we had no control and that all of our Trust must be given to Jesus, Mary and The Saints, and The Church to get us through this "storm!" Yes, we got humbled to our cores and truly were brought to a place of internal poverty! John met Jesus face to face and discovered that his Faith was all that mattered in his journey of healing and becoming the new John.
John's story continues with now a wife and 2 children... He burns to shout from the rooftops his story of finding faith - Jesus and His Bride, The Church, through brain cancer.
Hallel was even able to come now and then to help with John and be involved in his ups and downs brought on by the cancer. This was Thanksgiving when she had driven him to radiation for a week.
It would be contrary for those that are humbled, by realizing that they are not in control of their lives, to be lifted up and exalted in ways that we usually consider by this term. High and mighty? No! What would be exalted in terms of what Jesus is pointing out to us today?
I found this meditation for the day from The Magnificat entitled The Truly Exalted Way by Fr Donald Haggerty as a powerful reminder...
We lose interest in ourselves and have no need to gain anything for self in prayer. Without a desire to seek anything for self or to advance in some manner in our own estimation, a poverty takes hold of us - an ordinary place for prayer. This internal poverty may in time offer us a different treasure. We are beginning to know the drawing power of the divine presence in the poor emptiness of prayer... The desires we take with us from silent prayer to intercede for others in spiritual need. It could be that the truest sign of favor from God is a hidden union with his divine thirst for souls. And this union we can indeed sense more and more every day.
Fr Denny preaching on Sunday the Second Sunday of Lent! The Gospel was the Transfiguration, and Fr pointed out that Jesus being transfigured before them strengthened the Disciples, just as the Transubstantiation becomes Jesus for us in Body and Blood gives us the strength to humble and selfless service in both prayer and action!
I am off to help get a baby calf home in the cab of the pickup with Pat. He will drive on this windy blowing snow day and I will hold the calf in the front seat of the old pickup. Thus is the beginning of calving usually around here.
A gentle peaceful heifer calf in the pickup while I drive and Pat controls it. Our replacement calf if we should need one in our calving that has had an early start was calm all the way home.
In a few weeks this will be a hive of activity with our 170 cows set to begin calving in a couple weeks.
Pat in the prayer position of teaching a calf how to nurse. Lots of time spent on his knees as he works with the cows and calves, and in his inner temple he is praying for real!
I read to Pat the meditation on his birthday in a daily book of Mother Teresa of Calcutta sayings - Do Something Beautiful for God - The Essential teachings of Mother Teresa
For Sept 15th and Pat agrees with his approach of his personal prayer while he is at work each day feeding the world...You can pray while you work. Work doesn't stop prayer and prayer doesn't stop work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to Him: I love you God, I trust you, I believe in you, I need you now. Small things like that. These are wonderful ways to pray and wonderful prayers.
It's small but healthy is our first early calf!
Cute and healthy even though it is a few weeks early...
The day started out with snow blowing all over the place, and a drift I could not drive through. Now it is 45 degrees and melting the roads are prefect now.
Curious heifer watching the activity in the barn while the melting snow gives it a shower with drips from the roof. It seemed as though she liked it when just a few hours before she was in the midst of a blowing snow blizzard. She looks like a calm one that takes it all in stride. Pat breeds for gentleness and sometimes they are like tame pets and follow him around and like to be petted. He loves his animals and cares for them so well.
Pat loves calving and to be brought to his knees - praying while he works.
Sunset last night after a run to the Animal health center...
The farm now where Ruth and Paul live with their 6... love to have the young family there and how they love and serve without counting the cost!
Folded in mom's daily readings by Pope Benedict XVI... how she loved this and held it close to her heart burning with love for Jesus and His Bride, The Church!
In her slipping mind she would ask dad often where she could find the words of Christ concerning His Church - "Bob, where is that reading about The Church?" "Matthew 16, Nancy."
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus will never abandon his Church, and Pope Francis might not be the best pope ever, but he is our pope! I loved sharing my faith with both my parents and I am so happy to have all that they left behind for me!
Each morning mom read this for 10 years! Now it is one of my special prayer books and I can feel mom looking over my shoulder and lifting up her family and all their needs. "Praying for her family more perfectly from heaven!"
Jesus, we ask that you be with the huge job of calving that is on our doorstep. May we be on our knees in our inner chapel as well as when we are at work with the newborn calves getting that first mother's milk into them that is so important for their getting a good start. May we leave our selves behind and lift up those that are in spiritual need of The Truth, the Way and the LIFE! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
Brother Victor, dad's man, allows me to share in his monastic life! I was in the midst of the many prayer books I read from each morning - 6 now as we are adding some with Lent including a 40 days with Mother Teresa - I Thirst! Bless-bless, Barbara
Blizzarding and now a few hours later there is mud and melting snow across the land. Casting Crowns - Praise you in the storm
I was away in PA when Simon and Mary led the singing at mass on one of the coldest Sundays of the year. Yesterday when I was hoping to find Fr Denny's homily to listen to and take notes - I came across the mass and had the fun of listening to them including the applause at the end of mass in appreciation of these two wonderful young people sharing their talents in this way.
Simon was 16 in September and Mary will be 15 in April - close in age and gifted with beautiful voices and willing to use them to give God the glory as mass! I was sad that I missed their singing, so it was special to see them on the video of their mass.
My mother a year ago on Leap year/Feb 29 after attending a funeral in Lindstrom. Pat and I stopped in to see my parents in their Assisted living. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would have a visit with my mother. She was so very good that day!
A year ago -today was Feb 29th - Leap year! We attended a funeral for a young man, who died after a long battle. He was deeply in our prayers for a long time, and was a father to some of our family. Pat and I attended and then stopped at my parents'.
A year ago with 5 of my 9 siblings at a family funeral.
Always need more than one! I have been focusing on the fact that we are rapidly approaching the day - March 16th when my mother died after a fall in the morning in their apartment and was dead 9 hours later. Very quick and unexpected.
But with the end of February and beginning of March - I am recalling the last time I was in the home of my parents having a beloved visit with the two of them - looking so good and happy!
The reception and flowers that I took back for mom and dad to enjoy.
Beautiful voices and sharing our talents goes back to our Protestant days and beyond. 3 of my brothers and a sister sang at the funeral a year ago. It was a beautiful tribute to Mike and his family.
The arrangement at my mothers and my brother, Jim, stopped in, too. I was in there one other time as I spent a night with my dad before we had my mother's graveside service. Yes, covid had struck with a vengence, but the staff were as devastated as we were to have our beautiful wonderful mother pass away in a day after falling in her apartment.
My siblings had gone to a lot of effort to make this like home with the familiar surroundings after living in St Croix Falls for 11 years. It was hard for my mother to leave her home, but we knew that with winter coming that we could not continue with our around the clock 24/7 tag team living with them and caring for them. I had midweek, and was so grateful for my precious time each week with my parents!
They only had this for their home from October till April when dad came to live with me for 6 months until his death on October 23rd. He and mother were only apart for 7 months after being married for 70 years!
A gift to them after their years in Manistique, MI as deacon and wife. She now is with me as dad had her here for those 6 months. How I love to be graced by her beauty - a tie to my parents!
Pat went up to bring them to be with dad. "They should be with me." It was a special moment and one that showed us we with the help of hospice would go forward together for the duration.
Mary crushing the head of the serpent is felt with each new day of praying through Mary to bring our needs to Jesus!
Dad knew how much pictures mean to me, and he indulged me when I asked for them. Thank you, dad, these are most precious to me! And now to have the honor of having them in my home as you and mother are both gone... I am truly the lucky one!
My award winning photo from a hospice photo contest - "Hospice allows patients and their families to walk peacefully into the sunset of their lives." Ruth, John and Cody walking on beautiful beach at sunset about 15 years ago.
Dad and I with my special St Therese gifted me by my sister on the occasion of her anniversary - end of May 2020. He was a good sport indeed.
Jim with my parents a year ago. How they were blessed to have each other for 70 years! So glad for this final visit with the 2 of them and how wonderful my mother was this day!
We brought them some of the funeral lunch...
I just found this from last year Ash Wednesday was much later on March 26th. This year we did not get our cross, but had the ashes sprinkled on the top of our heads due to Covid...
I asked Pat to take this, and although I look awkward and silly - I cropped myself and dad out to have this gift of mom just a couple weeks before her death and looking so wonderful. We had been through some rough patches with her dementia and depression, but she pulled herself up by the bootstraps when they moved into the Assisted Living in New Hope.
She would always rise and get herself dressed and be out across the hall for breakfast each morning, again at noon for lunch and 5p for supper. She would smile at the others and look her wonderful self from the distance. There was quite a shock through the place when she died in a day, and then my dad left to live with me and he joined her 7 months later. They had appeared the picture of health... yes, they were 90 and 95, but it was quite a shock for the residents and the staff to lose them so quickly
The middle of the night with John as we overlap adoration times. We share from the heart, and pray together and John adores His Lord in the monstrance. We shared our struggles with lent penance. I shared how I gave up one distraction and then found myself adding another rather than using my time well. We decided that we might try to do the evening office on the phone as I used to do with dad after supper. That would be a wonderful gift to me!
More snow and beautiful sunset with Our Lady of the snow.
It is quite special that John and I shared how we are being humbled by our stumbling attempts as lent. How special to share prayer in front of our Lord, make some fake plans to try to pray together instead, and then I am able to do the "litany of the family" - placing each one of both of our families one by one in the monstrance with Jesus! Over 250! So special as dad and I would pray for our family first and middle names every Monday and this is the first hour of Monday each week! I know that dad is joining and smiling - let your LIGHT shine in the darkness!
Kind of deep in places...
I just was able to relisten to Fr Denny's homily from yesterday and took notes - it was full of so much!
The Transfiguration of Jesus strengthened the disciples. Just as Jesus in The Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ should give us strength to humble and selfless service.
God is present and active in all the Sacraments - Jesus showing us the presence and action of God... Baptism - we become children of God and heirs of heaven. Confirmation - we become the temple of the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live according to His plan for us. "Love God first, and love everyone else for the sake of God."
6 years ago - my sister-in-law, Marge, who is responsible for my having my life here with my Most Cherished Cross - Patrick! Pat's mother was on hospice
Happy Birthday, Raterra!
Jesus, we want to love you more and more. Humbly we kneel down before you and ask that we may die to self so that you may live in us. May we forgive as we have been forgiven unconditionally. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen
Mom a year ago... I talk to her daily and she smiles so warmly at me. Dad and I found great comfort as she joined us for meals from her sunny window ledge. Bless-bless, Barbara
