Ruth and Paul and family amaze!/Quiet Labor Day weekend/Tommy and grandpa!/"We are fools on Christ’s account..."

Pat and I stopped in for Pat to get his first look at the huge project that Ruth and Paul and family have begun this week!  Tommy heard grandpa's voice and made it very clear that he wanted to be in his grandpa's arms!  

Rose bringing up Tom to be with his wonderful grandpa!  I predict that every morning after school starts that grandpa will stop in the farmhouse for some "Tom time!"  

"Where is he?"

Up stairs...

Ruth working in the heat with hot iron that melts the tar used to keep down the linoleum that they tore up to find an ancient hard wood floor underneath.  She amazes with her hard work and many hours!   

David learning from his parents to do the long hard tedious jobs necessary to remodel yourself!  Ruth and Paul remind me of other couples in our family - my parents and my brother and his wife - Dan and Angela.  For some couples this is what gives them JOY and the results are truly amazing!  

14 years old Dave doesn't usually let grandma take pictures these days, but this needs to be recorded for their family history!  This will be a very special place directly across the street from the Catholic Church!  Many say that it is a great asset to the Community of Marshall!  I even have dreams of being there someday in my Parsonage Monastery!  

Joy showing me where 2 twin beds will be - they say that it will sleep 11 people!  

Cute bathroom upstairs with a lot of light through the glass block windows!  

Showing grandpa around the upstairs with 4 bedrooms and a bathroom.

Joy reflecting on the wonderful project her parents and family are undertaking.

Tommy and grandpa - Tom cried when grandpa had to leave.  Pat is certainly a lover of LIFE and the babies know it!  He gave us the family motto we all live by - "Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!"  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!" 

Some of the special touches in this 90 year old house which was originally a parsonage for the Presbyterian and the Lutheran Churches!  They think that it will be called The Parsonage.  So sweet and cool to know the history.  The view out the front windows of our beloved Holy Redeemer Catholic Church is a dream to me!  

Yes, right across the street!  

Replacing some of the windows is part of the plan.  Also a wonderful front porch for wedding pictures somewhere down the road.  Ruth loves her porches!  

Imagine with a sweet front porch across the front!  The family posing with the improved front.  I have no doubt that Ruth will have stunning flower beds as she also has a passion for gardening and keeps up on the weeding too!  So much like my mom and brother Dan here too!  

Did something a bit crazy: Ruth’s been dreaming of doing an Airbnb (think hotel but in a house) for a while now. Found this toad next to the Catholic Church in Marshall. Only had it for a few days but it’s already taking shape. Hoping to start taking guests in October, thinking will be perfect for weddings and funerals. Will keep updated on status, stop by to check it out! Paul's words on FB today!

Ruth also has 7 children from soon to be 18 and Tom, who will be one in November.  It will be just Ruth and Tom when they all start school next week Tuesday.  They will be spending time at the house for sure.

Yes, they are crazy and excited at the same time!  

The kitchen - soon to be so much better with lots of hard work!  

Has to go!  

Doing the hardest of jobs!  So hot too!  Thankfully it is cooler today with the house open to allow the fresh breezes to blow through!  

There is a beautiful wood floor underneath the paper protection.

Such a big job, but they thrive on seeing the transformation!  I am in awe of them.  

My brother, Dan and his beautiful wife, Angela on Lake Michigan for a Anniversary meal by the Lake!  They are celebrating 40 years today!!!  They are like Ruth and Paul and love to remodel together!  Just as my parents before them.  

They are staying in an Airbnb in Manistique, MI for a week of their Anniversary - toasting them with coffee this morning.  How I would love to join them there!  I miss Michigan so very much!  I am happy that they share me their time there! 

A picture they shared from a stop at the Marina as St Ignace on Lake Michigan.  

The farm sink Ruth has cleaned up for the kitchen!

The piece that will be used for the welcome place as you come in to their Airbnb!  

The kitchen table she found and painted with 6 chairs that go with it.

Grandson, Patrick, 8 years ago - he will be 10 in a month.  He had a traumatic birth while dad was deployed to Afghanistan - grandma baptized him in NICU in Divine Providence Hospital in downtown El Paso, TX.  He is the picture of health!

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The story of little Lamb - grandson Patrick 

Wow!  6 bridges in Venice - Wisdom, hope, love, help, faith and friendship

LOVE this so much!  I truly am filled with PEACE when I take up my beads each day!  My sharing here my Faith and total LOVE for Jesus, Mary and The Church allows me to join St Paul today in his words to the Corinthians!

For as I see it, God has exhibited us Apostles as the last of all,
like people sentenced to death,
since we have become a spectacle to the world,
to angels and men alike.
We are fools on Christ’s account, but you are wise in Christ;
we are weak, but you are strong;
you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,
we are poorly clad and roughly treated,
we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands.
When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
when slandered, we respond gently.
We have become like the world’s rubbish, the scum of all,
to this very moment.  I Corinthians 4

Since mom and dad died 2 years ago 7 months apart after 70 years together here on earth... I can envision this with them looking on at the Consecration of his Body and Blood!  I have no doubt that they are with the angels and Saints in heaven!  Maybe I look foolish, but I know this is the Truth!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: "spending his last miles on earth in a Catholic home"/"the crowd was pressing in..." - my blog from 2 years ago today with my dad here as well as Maria and her family visiting!  How I love this quote that so spoke of my father's time here in my Catholic home!

Dad greeting Maria's 6 from the breakfast table this morning - we had to retreat to his room to do morning prayer with some tears in our eyes as I shared this with my father!

Yesterday I brought Father Yves Normandin home to spend his last miles here on Earth in a Catholic home where morning prayers, grace before and after meals, daily rosary, Catholic readings, and night prayers with his priestly blessing are on the daily menu.
Father asks that you keep him in your prayers and asks God to bestow his priestly bénédiction on all those who do... Matthew Taylor/Catholic Prayer Group

Dad and I shared morning and evening prayer of The Church as he was a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church for 44 years - 6 years after he and mom brought all 13 into The Catholic Church 50 years ago!  Each day since has been a gift to me!  We also shared the chaplet and rosary each day at 3p on my porch for an entire growing season on the farm!  So blessed!  

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: The amazing story of the 13 becoming Catholic! 

Suffering is The Cross we are asked very day to take up and follow him.  I am famous for saying that there are many times that I "drag" my Cross as I am the weakest of the weak!  

Prayed with every decade of the rosary and truly a deeply held prayer in my heart, mind and soul!  

My lone sunflower is going crazy - I guess it alone likes the sun, but our crops are dying in the drought.  

Blue skies with no rain in sight for at least 10 days and only 30% chance at that point.  

Always have to take 3 of everything.

I am watering my garden and the squash blossoms are grateful and beautiful 

An example of what dad left behind for me each day in his well worn prayer book!  It is like I am still sitting and learning and sharing our Faith at his feet!  He is still with me!  

Dad and "The Name!"

A beautiful sharing by Pope Benedict XVI - this book mom left for me after reading is daily for 10 years!  I am truly lifted up by both my parents!  I miss them so much, yet they continue to be close by my side on this journey down the narrow path with heaven forever with them and ALL the SAINTS, Jesus, Mary!  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54 - 34 with us and 20 in heaven!  

Dan and Angela sharing the stunning view of Beautiful Beach!  What glorious weather for them, too!  

Yes, we are having a quiet Labor Day weekend with no family visiting.  Nancy was just here for canning on Thursday and even the mother cows are quiet after mooing for a few days for their calves that were weaned off them a few days ago.  They are pregnant with next year's calves, so once the swelling passes in their udders they need to concentrate on that.  

A special picture by Therese painted 2 years ago today!  Hector painting with grandma - so much more special to me than a photograph!  

Danielle Rose - Our Story | Danielle Rose | Beauty Unnoticed 

Tauren Wells

 

Canning with the 2 oldest and 13 grands/the two youngest together - so fun!/"he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness"

Oh my!  Grandma had to step away from the stove to capture these two sweethearts!  Our 2 youngest grandchildren are just one month apart and now able to sit together on the floor and smile!  Tom is on the move with army crawl while Regina is stuck in one spot as she has not figured out how to move like her mother, Nancy, before her.  Nancy never did crawl, but stood up and walked slowly at a year old.

Grandpa in for a quick lunch with his arms full!   How he loves the little ones, and they love him in return.  Tom already wants to be in grandpa's arms when he comes in to say hello in the mornings on the farm.

t

Tom 9 1/2 months and Regina is 8 1/2 months

Canning day brought Nancy home for the day.  Our tomatoes are late this year, and we had a small canning with only 3 pails of tomatoes for our spaghetti sauce.  Only 40 quarts is small for us - there are a lot of tomatoes still to ripen ahead.

Best buddies - Rose and Bernadette having our sauce on a mountain of spaghetti for lunch along with the 11 others - even Tom had spaghetti for lunch!  

Side by side putting our sauce into jars - my two oldest sharing conversation and making food for our families over the next year.

Too cute!  Tom is so cute in making the "brumm-brumm sound when he sees a truck to play with or a tractor outside.  We must keep an eye on his when he is walking outside.  "Where is the baby" when a tractor starts up.

Sauce, grandpa and a finger in the ear.

The calves getting weaned off their mother cows, who are pregnant with the calf they will have this winter.  The cycle of LIFE!  

Over to the farm and the feed lot to be fed until next May or June and then to the meat market to feed the hungry world.  

Now that our statue is back - I love to go over and greet them each morning after mass. Mary with me gives me so much peace and JOY!  

Pink flowers for Our Lady - the name of the statue on the plate in front - Mary the Mother of God!  

John, Jude and Birdie stopped out for time with cousins and ice cream!  Grandma likes to spoil the grandkids and our tradition is ice cream in cones or bowls.  Jude likes chocolate!  

Jude and George are just 6 weeks apart in age and they have Maria's Hector between them.  Yes, 3 boys in 6 weeks!

Jude with a chocolate goatee. 

Two future sauce eaters... Tom even had some for lunch!  Ruth uses probably a couple jars a week!

Small canning for us, but nice as we were less overwhelmed and hectic.  Nancy says she will come back for future tomato canning.  We like the help and the fellowship shared.  With kids going to school next week our help will be less.

Contented with their hard working grandpa, Farmer Pat.

Canning day with grandpa, and thankful for the Truth he laid down before our marriage and that our Domestic Church/family lives by - "Open to LIFE and raising LIGHTS!"

Family Soul Story - Choose Life!: Our marriage stories - "The world needs LIGHTS!" 

The girls got into face painting and after swimming they are a bit washed out.  JoJo and Joy are less than a year apart.  Jo will be going into First grade in Delano, and Joy will be going into Kindergarten at our beloved Holy Redeemer School where her mom and sibs and grandpa and sibs all went to school ahead of her along with her 5 older siblings!  Now Tom will keep his parents young, as he has school ahead at HRS! 

Canning ring jewelry as their moms wore it back in their day!   

5 year old Joy looking dazzling with her bracelets, and face paint from the older girls.

So fun for me to relive now with the grandkids our special times with family canning days.  They are great memories on the farm!  

Applesauce canning about 30 years ago!  There is something special about making food for our families together.  

Birdie a year ago as we were canning spaghetti sauce with about twice as many tomatoes.

Pat loves onions, and usually tries to add extras to the recipe.  Well, If he is willing to cry and cut - what can we say?

Nancy with Jude a year ago turning the colander 

Birdie a year ago - 1 1/2 and loving her pasta with our fresh sauce!  Her face and fingers tell the story.

Oldest grandson, Simon, modeling for the younger ones how wonderful is a mountain of spaghetti with our wonderful homemade sauce.  The tomatoes were growing on the plants just that morning.  That's fresh!!!  Jude looks impressed indeed! 

My hour of prayer for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters in the St Joseph's Adoration chapel as there was a funeral at the Big Church.  Special time with Jesus!  

I have been knowing lately that I need to get to the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the near future.  It has been a while, and there are some things gnawing at me.  St Paul today to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 4 - the first reading at mass this morning reminds me of how futile it is to keep your sins in the dark..  Jesus knows them anyways, so it is so good to lay them at his feet and ask for the Unconditional LOVE and forgiveness Jesus has for us!  

Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.  I Cor 4

Ruth showing Nancy her projects for the new Airbnb that she and Paul are working on across from the Catholic Church.  Her farm sink from a grove nearbye.

The buffet that will be in the entry for guests to sign in and get information.

Getting some grandpa pop off to the side.  

Table and 6 chairs for the kitchen...

Cousins 

Grandpa and Simon getting ready to give the weaned calves some medicated water to keep them healthy.  Joy wearing her new shoes for school, which starts on Tuesday.  Exciting times!  Ruth will only have Tommy to join her in her projects at the new house.  

Gearing up this month for a special one of Mary!  This feast day is on Pat's birthday along with grandson, Romeo, who will be 8 this year.  September 15th 

Jesus, I love you and long to give my all for you.  May I die to self so that you may live in me, and I may be your hands and feet and voice of Truth.  Carrying/dragging my Most Cherished Cross to find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and hallelujah

Dad making me smile today in the Office of Readings - well marked with his sharing the LOVE of The Church we share with no reservations!  I was so blessed to have my father, Deacon Robert Cross, live with me here in our farm monastery and share his prayer with me for the last 6 months of his life on hospice.  

I read the Office of Readings and Morning prayer as part of my prayer for Fr Denny each Friday.  Why?  Because as a priest and deacon you are asked to do morning and evening prayer of The Church each day.  When Father Denny first came to our parish some years back - I was sitting in the Adoration chapel when he came in to pray after mass and he took out his phone to read it on there.  Cute alert!  So now I join him on my phone in Adoration chapel.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 54 - 34 here with us and 20 in heaven.

SECOND READING

From a sermon on the beatitudes by Saint Leo the Great, pope
(Sermo 95, 2-3: PL 54, 462)

Blessed are the poor in spirit

It cannot be doubted that the poor can more easily attain the blessing of humility than those who are rich. In the case of the poor, the lack of worldly goods is often accompanied by a quiet gentleness, whereas the rich are more prone to arrogance. Nevertheless, many wealthy people are disposed to use their abundance not to swell their own pride but to perform works of benevolence. They consider their greatest gain what they spend to alleviate the distress of others.

This virtue is open to all men, no matter what their class or condition, because all can be equal in their willingness to give, however unequal they may be in earthly fortune. Indeed, their inequality in regard to worldly means is unimportant, provided they are found equal in spiritual possessions. Blessed, therefore, is that poverty which is not trapped by the love of temporal things and does not seek to be enriched by worldly wealth, but desires rather to grow rich in heavenly goods.

The apostles were the first after the Lord himself to provide us with an example of this generous poverty, when they all equally left their belongings at the call of the heavenly master. By an immediate conversion they were turned from the catching of fish to become fishers of men, and by their own example they won many others to the imitation of their own faith. In these first sons of the Church there was but one heart and one soul among all who believed. Abandoning all their worldly property and possessions in their dedicated poverty, they were enriched with eternal goods, and in accordance with the apostolic preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing of this world and to possess all things with Christ.

Therefore, when the apostle Peter was on his way up to the temple and was asked for alms by the lame man, he replied: Silver and gold I have not; but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk. What is more sublime than this humility? And what could be richer than this poverty? Though Peter cannot assist with money, he can confer gifts of nature. With a word Peter brought healing to the man who had been lame from birth; he who did not give a coin with the emperor’s image refashioned the image of Jesus in this man.

And by the riches of this treasure, not only did he help the man who recovered the power to walk, but also five thousand others who believed the preaching of the apostle because of this miraculous cure. Thus Peter, who in his poverty had no money to give to the beggar, bestowed such a bounty of divine grace that in restoring to health the feet of one man, he healed the hearts of many thousands of believers. He had found all of them lame; but he made them leap for joy in Christ.

The entire sharing from St Leo today!  So good!! 

"You may be sure that of all the moments of your life,

the time you spend before the divine Sacrament

will be that which will give you more strength

during life and more consolation

at the hour of your death and during eternity."

 St. Alphonsus

"Making my meditation before the picture of the Blessed John Vianney, he seemed to say to me with an interior voice:  'The secret of my life was that I lived for the moment. I did not say, I must pray here for the next hour, but only for this moment.  I did not say, I have a hundred confessions to hear, I but looked upon this one as the first and last. I did not say, I must deny myself everything and always, but only just this once. By this means I was able always to do everything perfectly, quietly and in great peace. Try and live this life of the present moment. Pray as if you had nothing else whatever to do; say your Office slowly as if for the last time; do not look forward and think you must often repeat this act of self-denial. This will make all things much easier.' ”

Fr Willie Doyle

Diary entry: 08/13/1913

 

Danielle Rose 

Danielle Rose on loss of a child...

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