In love with Christ!

 From Nancy's blog today - " I am so spoiled!"  she writes.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul  January 25

A reflection on the Apostle's conversion from the book Praying with Saint Paul:

                   No Eyewitness, but a Witness Nonetheless
                                Rebecca Vitz Cherico

"I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas,then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once." (1 Cor 15:3-6)

"One of the most striking things about Saint Paul's conversion and belief is that he did not himself know Jesus. Paul was not one of the Twelve, and never met Jesus of Nazareth in the flesh. But it almost seems silly to mention it, when we consider his importance in the early Church and the strength of his commitment and conversion: Paul certainly knew Christ. Paul is a great person for twenty-first century Christians to look to--who, more than Paul, understands the situation of those who come after--those whose faith is based on trusted testimony and on the experience of a newness in life whose origin is in him. Saint Paul, as a former persecutor of Christians, is uniquely qualified to witness to Christ. If a Jewish man who never knew Jesus personally and even hated and distrusted Christians can be converted, then the evidence for believing in Christ must truly be convincing.

Paul handed on to the early Christians what had been handed on to him--he is not an eyewitness, but he is truly a witness nevertheless; a witness who was told by Jesus himself that persecuting Christians was the same as persecuting him. While he did not see Christ risen in his human form, he heard his voice and witnessed his saving power in dramatic ways and places: in his own conversion; in the Areopagus; and in many other miraculous events. But he knows that all that has happened to him depends on the truth that he received--the truth that Jesus came, died for our sins, was raised, and was seen: both by his first followers, and then by many more. This is of first importance, because everything else we believe depends on it. We have inherited a truth that we can now verify in our own lives; let us not shrink from the task that is set before us.


Lord, let me remember the truth of your sacrifice. Do not let my remoteness from your Son in time and place confuse me; he is with me today if I will only seek him out.

Help me to recognize you in my present reality and witness to you today."

I thought that she said it so well - St Paul is in the same position that we are with our faith - believing yet not seeing!  Take heart!  Jesus, we trust in you!

Bless-bless

"It is now no longer I who live but Christ lives in me." Gal 2:20

Going back two years... we had just returned from John's final step in his healing- his stem cell transplant!  We are just 2 days away from his second birthday - January 27th when after some grueling chemo to drop the bomb on his body and wipe out his white cells and all - his own stem cells which had been harvested in one sitting - amazing once again to see his health and youth come to the forefront on the battle - David facing Goliath... were put back into his body - the seeds to take root and grow renewed and bring him to total healing with NO cancer ever to return!  Two years ago on this day we were in the hospital having a chemo that was so toxic that he had to shower every 4 hours day and night to protect his body from that which would come out on his skin!  He sailed through it all! How we felt the hand of God on us... today being the feastday of the Conversion of St Paul... Through the cancer journey and the support of so many prayers - it was quite evident to John and his family that he had been touched by God and his prayer for finding his faith had been answered!  No longer can he say that he doesn't know what he believes because his faith has not been tested!  In many ways John cannot be likened to St Paul or Saul as he was actively out to destroy the early followers of Christ, and Christ himself put a stop to it, and brought this proactive individual to the side of Truth!  He was blinded by the Truth... and I love to think of the transformed conversion of St Paul as being so much like all the rest of us in this day and age, who never walked with Jesus the man while he walked on earth!  Life and our Christian walk would be pretty dull without St Paul and his story which he shares in his own words today in Acts 22: 3-16  As he was prayed over to regain his sight - "The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.  Now, why delay?  Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name." 

I heard again from Maria yesterday, as she with much hope and joy starts her journey with child #5!  She has already gotten ahold of a doctor to get her the progesterone she needs and the monitoring that she had with her first two pregnancies!  She is so happy and hopeful, and I thank God for making the way so quickly for her to find this support in Texas as they are now so far away from their support in the Cities - life care center!  Thank you, Lord!  How I have prayed for this to happen for her, and it all fell into place!  Jesus, we trust in you! 

The thing that we love so much about St Paul and all his many books in the New Testament is that "Paul no longer seemed to be living and speaking,but Christ himself seemed to be living in him." It is truly like we are continuing to have the Wisdom of Truth coming from his inspired letters to this community or that!  "Do you not seek a proof of the Christ who speaks in me?" 2 Corinthians 13:3

"I know the one in whom I have believed and I am sure that he, the just judge, the mighty, will keep what is my due until that day."  I Tim  "Paul literally saw the light on the road to Damascus.  The love of the risen Christ tranformed him and impelled him to illumine the whole world by the light of the Gospel."  See http://www.magnificat.com/  Just as St Paul was forever changed and transformed...John also has been touched by the Light of prayer and healing from brain cancer!  Shortly after he was home and healed - he worked as a spiritual director with one of his best friends at a retreat... he shared his light with all those there and we were told about how he touched many - for one thing to see him healthy and alive is so powerful for many including his family!  We had heard the diagnosis of lymphoma of the brain and for a brief time we thought the worst!  We were reminded within the first day of the journey that this was the storm and that Jesus was in control!  We knew that He held us in the palm of His hand!  And when the cancer came roaring back through the chemo and we once again were drowning in the crashing storm - our Bishop LeVoir reminded us once again... repeat "Jesus, I trust in you."  and remember that He is in control!  How that became our Truth and our Light!  John has come back to his life a changed and altered person!  We were talking on the phone last night about his taking a class - broom ball- this his last semester of college.  He had played with his fraternity brothers broom ball in the winters of college, and done quite well and enjoyed it... it is a form of tamed down hockey with boots rather than skates and a hard paddle type stick... I made sure to know that he is wearing a helmet out there to protect his head and he assured me that he does!  Because he is so much less stable with his left side and I am overjoyed that he is challanging himself in this way as long as he has his important places protected!  He said that it really reveals to him how he is not the same person he was physically as before the cancer... I think that he would not hesitate to say that is true of him spiritually also!  

 Jesus, we thank you today for all the ways that your Light fills our world with the Truth in stark brightness!  We cannot help but "see" all in life, and our domestic Church, which is real and important - to follow you always, to be open to life always, to share your truth with those in our families always, to know that possessions and stuff can never hold a candle to siblings and your people, to come to you in prayer every day, to take advantage of your sacraments of LIFE and LOVE, to always love and serve you without thought of ourselves!  Jesus, we love you and Know you through YOU,Jesus Christ, found in your Word and your Body and Blood!  "O God, you taught the whole world through the preaching of the Blessed Apostle Paul, draw us, we pray nearer to you through the example of him whose conversion we celebrate today, and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world."  (the collect at the beginning of mass today)  Jesus, we are on our knees remembering that we were taking the last step of John's forever healing from cancer at this time 2 years ago, and just as St Paul, he is now sharing your Light with all those he meets!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb

"The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2

"Last of all, as to one born abnormally, Christ appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace for me has not been ineffective.  Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them: not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me."  I Cor 15: 8-10

Snow silouetts -dog and heifers

I looked out the front window to see the heifers gathered in the snowy pasture, and it was cute to see Lilly the dog out there frisking, licking noses, tail wagging, and hanging out with the 20 plus heifers.  At times she would be down in the bottom of the hill, and all I could see was her tail wagging to show her happy state.  There were those heifers, who just wanted to watch and there would be those, who would get into the action of following Lilly around or...

Now and then there would be a meeting of minds... I am sure that Lilly licked that wet nose too and made it wetter yet!  The white background and foreground with the black dog and mostly black cattle made for quite a fun time watching them through the big front picture window, and taking picture after picture...  I found myself laughing and giggling to see the interaction!

A big joyful frolic in the snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Bless-bless

Snowdrop familyness...

Time for a photo shoot while it is daylight and in my favorite spot as the snowy background can be a backdrop... we tried anyways to get the 3 smiling and looking in the same direction....Thinking possibly a valentines picture with the coordinating red color... we might have to try this one again, and that is such a hardship for grandma to do!  Not!  I do love to just capture the three of them in their own kind of world and the resulting LIFE and LOVE picture of family times.  It is well worth recording and keeping as a fond memory... maybe not picture perfect for a special Valentines greeting, but darn special just the same!  I am not sure what Mary is talking about, but it could be the cat or the roses that she picked up from the table to have in the picture.  Or it could just be that she is singing a song to pass the time, as her brothers wrestle with the kitty! 

Grandpa was making them laugh a little too much!!!!!!!!!  They certainly are happy.  Today we are still very moved and touched by the news that Maria and Joseph are expecting their 5th child!  With two losses in the last year by mischarriage... Maria called yesterday morning to let me know with this - "Mom, I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that I don't want you to come and see me for 14 weeks, and the good news is that we are pregnant!"  The reason for this harsh statement is that the two losses were shared- I was with her as she miscarried both of her little ones!  I was in shock at Thanksgiving, when the first day there Maria told me  that she had started spotting the day before we arrived!  I sat in the Eucharistic chapel the next morning numb with grief and the thought that not only did I pray for my daughters to never have to lose a pregnancy, but I had to be with her when she lost them!  Why God?!?!  So humbling and so hard!  "... to the humble he shows kindness." Proverbs 3:34  Lord, how I beseech you to be with Maria and bless their desire for family with a "happy healthy" new life in 8 months!  The "happy healthy" is part of Pat's prayer daily for his litany of those pregnant women - he lifts up daily - "for Jody, JoAnn, Ruth and Maria" - how wonderful it felt yesterday to add our Maria to the group of women, who are joyfully filled with LIFE which will come into the world and give LIGHT to all in their lives!  Maria is such an icon of humility and trust as she goes forward with daily reception of Christ in the Eucharist and living the Truth within her domestic Church - her beautiful family!  The Joseph and Maria family has so embraced a life of simplicity and discipline - as Mary Ann Kulharski said on Sunday - that is one of the important pillars of a family - praying together, eating together, working together, playing together, and discipline!  I know that my mom raves at the beauty of Therese and David and that it is very evident that they are children that are humble and sweet thanks to discipline in their home. 

I just went to Maria's blog and was gifted with some pictures she put on there on Sunday. Here is a Therese story that I have shared in the past and just want to replay... Maria traveled back with me to see baby Augustine - I had just driven our college car down to Missouri for them to use.  On the way, I had stopped in Kansas City to see the Little sisters and spend the night.  While there Augustine decided that it was time to be born... about 2 weeks early!  Maria and the kids jumped into the car and we drove straight to the Cities to see our newest member of the family!  Augustine and Nancy were coming home the next day, so the girls - Ruth, Mary, Maria and Therese headed out to the second hand store to get some onesies and other things for Gus, and I stayed back and watched the boys play in the yard.  When they got back Mary showed me a plush animal purse that she had gotten for a few dollars there, and Ruth was surprised to see that Therese didn't have the purse, like Mary's, that she had looked at getting.  "Therese, I thought that you and Mary could have the same purse."  Maria told her; "I told her that she had to choose between a gift for baby Gus or the purse for her, and she chose the gift for Gus."  "But why couldn't she get the purse?  It was only a few dollars?"  "She had to choose and she chose to give a gift!"  So amazing!  It was so heart rending to see her wash the little plush animal rings, and sit with Gus and show a two day old baby how to grasp the animal rings."  It was wonderful to watch her little shining eyes and smiling face - so much more wonderful than a purse that is prized for a few days and then long forgotten.  Just another thing!  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."  Mt 5: 9  How much better it is to give than to receive!  Such a beautiful lesson for a 3 year old to learn... we must give our children the choice to GIVE and not to always TAKE!

Now pictures of "no crawl Gus" from Nancy's blog - http://thegreatgusadventure.blogspot.com/...  Jesus, thank you for the lessons of... thinking of others ahead of ourselves... that we can learn from the little ones.  WE see that truly it is a beautiful gift to discipline our children out of LOVE!  May we realize that we are the instructors of faith for our children, and not that we are called to be their friends.  It is not a good thing to shower them with anything and everything their little hearts desire... this is not showing them how to deny themselves and follow HIM!  "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."  Mt 11: 28-30  Let us work on humility in ourselves and those we are given to raise as lights of the world.  Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"I am a poor, frightened little creature, the baby of the family, timid and shy by nature and completely lacking in self-confidence; and that is why I should like people to let me live unnoticed and all on my own according to my inclinations....but although according to my temperament I am shy, nervous, and as timid as a mole, I want to have a good try to overcome these natural passions and little by little learn to do everything that belongs to the office which obedience has laid upon me.  ... Living according to the spirit means doing the actions which the spirit of God asks of us, saying the words and thinking the things that he wants... So live wholly according to the Spirit... live sweetly and in peace.  Be quite confident that God will help you, and in all that happens rest in the arms of his mercy and fatherly goodness."

Doing the Will of God by St Francis de Sales (1622)  Pray for us on this your feastday!

Day of prayer for LIFE!

Went to pictures taken on this day 3 years ago... Simon was grandpa's helper - how he loves the way those grandsons are out there loving being "farmboys!"  The official title of today is - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children - and it is moved to today since Jan 22 fell on a Sunday...Jan 23 shall be observed as a particular day of prayer"for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and a penance for the violation to the dignity to the human person committed through acts of abortion."  I can only imagine the constant stream of prayers arising from this world today - like a mighty river flowing to heaven or the biggest cloud of incense ever!  Let us all be in a constant state of prayer today for the protection of all life and in penance for all the innocent lives lost forever to our world and now abiding in heaven with Christ...think of the millions that are now there after their lives were snuffed short in the horrific death of abortion.  They say that crucifixion was one of the most horrific of deaths, but it is unfathomable to imagine an innocent tiny child in the womb being torn apart whether with suction catheter or with a scalple! They say that by 12 weeks when most abortions are done - that the baby can feel pain!  Jesus, our hearts are bleeding with such pain to think of these little ones suffering such a painful thoughtless and horrific death - ripped from the safety of their mother's wombs! No wonder so many of these women and the fathers too... suffer for what they realize they have done!  May they find your forgiveness and then go out to the world and educate others of the horrors of taking life and death into your own hands with abortion.  May their voice be the beginning of the end of legal abortion in our country!  Those that have gone through it and carry that wound for the rest of their lives - remembering that little one each year as it would have grown and filled the world with its' light and love.  So many agonize over what could have been if only....

Ruthie has been going through my old pictures and making some books of family memories for her of their family growing up here on the farm... Davey is looking at the 100 page book for 2007... he wasn't born yet, so he was asking mom - next year, David!  That has gotten me looking back too - hence the older pictures I have been using lately. How I love to remember those days - I would have the kids a couple days a week while Ruth worked as a nurse at the hospital... we really had a lot of time together in those days!  It was wonderful to go and hear Mary Ann Kuharski yesterday afternoon speak about raising Catholic family in this secular world!  Pat and his mother came with me and we met Ruth there... I was so excited by how she affirmed the wisdom of my husband and how - as we have always thought- that his involvement in the kids and interest in all that they were doing was huge in their turning out the wonderful Catholic young people that they all are!  At one point... she said, just as Pat had said in France in July..."The one thing that I want for each of my kids is not that they are happy, it is that I want them to get to heaven!"  Someone had made the comment that; "All we care about is that our children are happy."  Pat, without a hesitation, said; "No!  There is such a thing as false happiness - with material things and worldly goals - No! I want my kids to find the path to heaven and that doesn't always mean that they are comfortable or happy!"  I was so very touched and filled with wonder at this man and the wisdom that the Holy Spirit gives him!  And when Mary Ann made that comment - I just put my hand on his back with appreciation.  "Thank you Pat - you are a testament of how much an involved loving father enters into the future adult that your children grow into!"  I marvel to see how they each have embraced their faith, waited for marriage, some of them were looking for men like their father as a partner, and then for Hallel to be able to without fear or looking back to embrace a life of poverty, chastity and obedience!  Now John prays for his future wife and speaks with fervor about the family that he longs for and that over and above his vocation he wishes for FAMILY!  Sometimes I do see my own fanaticism about family coming out in my kids!  I am feeling a bit nervous and trying to give over to the Lord - Ruthie and her 4th pregnancy...I must trust that she is in the Lord's protective shield and that the doctors are going to watch her carefully and get this little one here just as they did our David!  Jesus, we trust in you! 

When I went back 3 years ago - I found this one of the two girls taken at a cousin's wedding- today they are about to have their first child any time- so thoughts and prayers going out their direction at this exciting time for them!  I had a dream about my little Therese just as I was waking this morning, and that has her on my mind and heart too!  And little David Lanoue is very sick with a cold, so we are also thinking and praying for him... how special to have the expanding number of lives that we are needing to be responsible to especially in the ever important area of PRAYER! 

  Jesus, this is a day set aside for such a needed and hard prayer - that the horrible sin and crime of killing the unborn child may come to an end, and for forgiveness and penance for all those lives that are taken every day in our country - 4,000/day!  Our heart is aching and bleeding with yours, Jesus!  How we were reminded yesterday by Mary Ann that we are called to remind our children of our love for them, and our daily prayers for them!  This gives them the wind beneath their wings to soar like eagles and to spread the message of LIFE and LOVE to all the world - starting within their domestic Church - their family!  "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love him; he is their mighty shield and strong support, a shelter from the heat, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard against stumbling, a help against falling." Sirach 34: 16  We take such comfort in knowing that even though so much evil is taking place through the legalization of abortion - that you are in control and we need to turn to you in TRUST!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Halleluia!

Bless-bless, Barb   Pat and his little Daver - 3 years ago... It seems that every morning he wakes up and misses his little Dave - this morning was no different.  Jesus, we ask that you make our David better!

Human Life and the Splendor of Christ  by Blessed John Paul II

"The teaching of the Church in our day is placed in a social and cultural context which renders it more difficult to understand and yet more urgent and irreplaceable for promoting the true good of men and women.

Scientific and technological progress, which contemporary man is continually expanding in his dominion over nature, not only offers the hope of creating a new and better humanity, but also causes ever greater anxiety regarding the future.  Some ask themselves if it is better never to have been born; they doubt therefore if it is right to bring others into life when perhaps they will curse their existance in a cruel world with unforseeable terrors.  Others consider themselves to be the only ones for whom the advantages of technology are intended and they exclude others by imposing on them contraseptives or even worse means.  Still others imprisoned in a consumer mentality and whose sole concern is to bring about a continual growth of material goods, finish by ceasing to understand, and thus by refusing, the spiritual riches of a new human life.  The ultimate reason for these mentalities is the absence of people's hearts of God, whose love alone is stronger than all the world's fears and can conquer them.

Thus an anti-life mentality is born, as can be seen in many current issues... But the Church firmly believes that human life, even in weak and suffering, is always a splendid gift of God's goodness.  Against the pessimism and selfishness which cast a shadow over the world, the Church stands for life:  In each human life she sees the splendor of that 'yes,' that 'amen,' who is Christ himself.  To the 'no' which assails and afflicts the world, she replies with the living'yes,' thus defending the human person and the world from all who plot against and harm life.

The Church is called upon to manifest anew to everyone, with clear and stronger conviction, her will to promote human life by every means and to defend it against all attacks in whatever condition or state of developement it is found."

For the protection of life from conception to natural death!  Life is a gift to be cherished!  Hear our prayer rising like a huge cloud of incense!  Amen and Halleluia!

Maria just called to give us the news that she is pregnant!  Jesus, we trust in you!  How you love life, and we do too! 

Looking at the Birth of Therese on this day of sadness...

Newborn Therese meets her adoring aunts, and grandma in March of 2008!  How we need to be reminded of the beauty and wonder of life, on this 39th anniversary of the legalization of abortion.  There are 4,000 innocent lives lost a day in the U.S. to abortion!  So much has been lost - we grieve the loss, which is so sad!

Godmother, Susan now little sister Hallel, how wonderous to hold that precious new life in your arms, and for Hallel knowing that she is very likely being called to leave family and possessions and the joy of her own children behind... a lot of mixed emotions for her. 

A poster of LIFE and LOVE! 

A family that is open to life and sharing the Truth of Faith within that home - the Domestic Church!  WE are so encouraged to know that young couples are answering the call to bring the Truth of LIFE and LOVE into this world.  Jesus, we ask for the end of abortion!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless