"the coming Light..."

My sister in law found this wonderful baby Jesus at a garage sale, and my brother made a manger for him.  Mary wanted to reach out and touch him!  I am always amazed at my Mary and how she truly appreciates and is drawn to all that it Real and True!  As soon as she could walk...she would go over to the statue of Our Lady, and hug and lean on her - as though she recognized her to be the giver of all LOVE and PEACE!  The tabernacle of the Lord and Light of the world!

I just had to have a flurry of pictures after remembering my little ones and their recognizing the Real and the True!  Pat and John are just off to run some errands, and one of them would be to get a gift for the grandkids... "They aren't big on presents just for the sake of presents." said John of their parents.  But two days before Chirstmas we start feeling like we "need" to have something for them...  They are talking about a John Deere hat and gloves for the 2 farm boys, and maybe a small farm animal for the princess... the size you can hold in your hand and not breathing.  Presents have become painful for me, and I just can't seem to get around to facing shopping for them.  They are nice to show that we care, but to me there are so many other ways to do that - foremost is spending time together enjoying each other.  After John's cancer - that is all I want! 

Dear Lord, I am reminded today..."John is his name" in the Gospel.  For the girls I had the name Luke for my boy, but by time I had my 8th pregnancy, and it was a boy... no longer was it to be Luke, but John.  Probably all those years of following without reservation Blessed John Paul II, and how I loved him!  He became Pope 2 months after our marriage began, and all that we learned and believed about the True Church came from him!  There was no seperating our marriage journey from our Church journey led with love and wisdom by Blessed John Paul II, and now continuing with the man that was always at his side - Pope Benedict XVI!  We have been so filled with continual graces and blessings by these wonderful men, who love Jesus and His Bride, The Church without thought of themselves - only Him and His Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth!  No wonder that after 12 years of marriage and 8 pregnancies - 4 girls, 3 losses, and then JOHN!  My name went from Luke to John... and that was right!  His name is JOHN!  So many wonderful siants named John to look to, and now Blessed John Paul II has joined them!  Thank you, Lord, for my John and his journey called cancer/healing, for all the John's that are saints to guide us on this journey - including the one born today in the Gospel - St John he Baptist, for my patron saint - ST Luke, and the Gospel account he left us of these later days of Advent...with "the coming Light!"  Jesus, we are filled with wonder and awe, you are in control, and we trust in you!  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

From the Christmas letter we received from France yesterday..."The Community if growing, 12 young women and 3 young men on the brother's side, have knocked at the door 'to follow the Lamb wherever he goes.'

At the moment , in one of the villages in Saint Pierre ( the family home of the Community of the Lamb)... workers are hired, but to keep down costs , a little team of sisters work there each day, helped by several friends: wood siding, carpentry, painting.... (We are told by our daughter, Hallel, that she is one of this team, and she has discovered that her farmgirl roots have given her an appreciation for working hard and with her hands)... Winter is now at the door and we enter into the time of Advent, a time offered by Mother Church for preparing our hearts to welcome He who is to come!  May the goodness of the Lord be our star for the New Year!  May it guide us and give us strength, joy and hope to accomplish all the Lord awaits from us!.."

"Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by the example of the Priest St John of Kanty we may advance in the knowledge of holy things and, by showing compassion for all, may gain forgiveness in your sight.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen"  St John of Kanty, pray for us, on this your feastday. 

The stockings were hung...

on the clothesline 3 days before Christmas! 

Yes, the sheet was frozen, but it just seemed right to get into costume thinking about Mary very pregnant riding on the back of a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census... how many days I wonder did she have to travel in her state of being very close to giving birth to our Savior?  Thinking today of the days before He arrived in the form of a tiny helpless infant- such beautiful and precious and perfect is every LIFE, but this is the LIGHT and LIFE of the world!  

The world is His Chapel... we just watched Lillies of the Field... "I ain't building you no chapel, Sister!"  Yes!  he did!  AMEN!

Having fun with captions and taking some pictures today... I can read your mind, Roger!

The setting sun made the heifers look super fluffy with their winter hair on, but no snow to make it as cold as usual.  I think that they are happy about it too!

Bless-bless, Barb

"Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever."  Rv 22:5

 

Sharing...

Dave helped Gus open his present and then they sat together and looked at it... Photo op... I think that is what I love the best about watching my kids and grandkids... how kind they are to each other and how they love to share all that they do,think, believe, and learn.  We are an open book in our family and how we love to share ALL!  I am so filled with JOY at the sharing that we were just able to do after breakfast with John... prayer and the Word!  From the Gospel today - Mary's Magnificat!  "The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.  He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.  He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit..."  Luke 1:46-56  It was interesting to see someone, who misunderstood "fear" - thinking that it meant that they were cowardly and cringing in the face of the Lord... NO!  It means that God is recognized in all of his inifinty, and armed with that there is a knowledge and love of God that fills us, and takes away all that comes between us and our faithful following of HIM! 

The precious gift shared with us by baby Gus, on his first Christmas, is a homemade handprint ornament that reminds us of the gift he is to us!  Such a wonderful testament to me of all that I really care about with Christmas... that we all can be together, and embrace the Christ that we see in one another!  Such a blessing... we love to just laugh and enjoy sharing one with the other... it was really interesting today to read that today is a "little ash Wednesday."  "Come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!"  This is the antiphon before the Gospel today...Halleluia, halleluia!   Look at that precious Augustine...kind of amazing to think that he was formed from the dust!  Yet, it will be good for him to remember in his heart of hearts that he is nothing without the knowledge and love of God... I am without a doubt that his loving and faithfilled parents will be sure that he will always "know" that Truth.  It would be so easy to make a little beautiful and sweet boy think that he was "God's gift" and shower him with all kinds of love in the form of things, but it is not a good thing to "spoil" a child in this way.  I look at Maria, and how she teaches her children at a young age that they need to look outside of themselves, and to consider others before they think of themselves!  It can be a hard thing to watch, but the results is a thing of beauty to see... selflessness is such a sweetness in a child or any age person!  Jesus, help us to adopt the Magnificat in our inner places..."He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things , and the rich he has sent away empty..."  Luke 1

Davey shows little Gus his new book... so much more enjoyment... to see the wonder of little Augustine, as he watches his bigger cousin show him how to SHARE!  Modeling the kindness, gentleness, ... "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control."  Galations 5: 22  Yes, the fruits of the Spirit is just what we hope and pray for in our children, and all of us as we grow and mature in the faith!  Jesus, I love you and praise you for seeing your love and joy in the midst of our domestic Church - our family!  The most wonderful, and only desired, gift we cherish this Christmastime is our coming together in LOVE and LIFE!  May we share your LIGHT and LOVE in all that we say and do!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"By means of Mary's grace, the elements of the world are renewed, the infernal regions are destroyed, and the heavenly regions are restored; men are set free, and demons are trampled underfoot... She is the Mother of Mercy and so gladly stands ready, prepared to hear the desires of those who call upon her, and for them all, she obtains the result they hoped for... Through Mary, we were born in a better way than through Eve, since Christ was born from Mary... She is our Mother... the Mother of our light... Therefore she is more our Mother that our mothers of the flesh, because our better birth comes from her.... For we are born through her; by her we are fed, by her aid we grow."

Fr Aelred of Rievaulz (1167)

 No greater GIFT... LIFE and LOVE!

Nature with some special effects...

Who needs Christmas lights... when you can decorate a tree branch at sunrise with the help of special effects on the computer?  But admit it... you have seen sunrises and sunsets every bit as stunning as this... I have!  This is an amazingly beautiful world we live in, and I see in nature the proof that there is an amazing God that loves us more than we can ever imagine.  Our faith formation students had confession tonight and we talked about unconditional love - example... the Prodigal son - check out Luke 15!

Bless-bless, Barb

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God

and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.

Day unto day takes up the story

and night unto night makes known the message.

There he has placed a tent for the sun;

it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent,

rejoices like a champion to run its course.

At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun;

to the furthest end of the sky is its course.

There is nothing concealed from its burning heat."

Psalm 19

Coming to visit...

6 month old Gus watches his great grandfather blessing water for our weekend... as a deacon he can do this for us, and his aunt Angela had just told me that as soon as my dad started to speak Augustine quieted and "listened" with peace and calm...  The spiritual Truth draws the attention of even the youngest as proven by John the Baptist in the womb... "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, 'Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb..."  Luke 1:39-45

I will be jumping in the car and say my rosary for the 25 minutes to get to work...I just got called in and I will be visiting and caring for the elderly at the nursing home.  May they recognize Christ in me!  Jesus, I trust in you!  Thank you for your amazing Word/Jesus!  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"For the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  Luke 1

We still sing like Protestants!

My two brothers, Bruce and Dan, spend time playing in a band together for the fun of it.  They teamed up with Dan's son, Sam, on guitar for the mass that we celebrated for our 40th anniversary!  They were so impressed by the volume of singing that came from the family!  I know that when I have been at mass with Dan and his 3 boys.. its powerful and exciting to hear them sing with full force and enthusiasm!  I too have had the joy of singing with my 4 girls and John... we let the Lord get our voices back loud and clear, and filled with the love and joy that we feel for our faith, and worshiping together is wonderful!  How I miss it when they are not with me, and how I am smiling and happy when they are... even just one of them.  I have often thought that we did not leave this behind from our Protestant days... singing!  Dan says that when people ask him where he learned to sing out without fear and with true emotion and feeling..."I was a Baptist in my earlier life!"  I shared some laughs with some of my siblings... as we marveled at the gift of our voices coming together with the joy and celebration of the wonderful occassion of our 40th anniversary of being Catholic... with singing like Protestants! 

How's that for a big Catholic Chior that sounds like Protestants?  Jesus, we trust in you!  Bless-bless, Barb