"journeyed on by stages..." Genesis 12

Ruth's two youngest today.  Joy is such a good little girl, and slept all night til 7a this morning.  It is so wonderful for her mom to get a good night's sleep with her busy household to care for and all that goes on with the farm and family each day.  Thank you, Joy Jean, for being such a little angel.  Grandma sure enjoyed your sweet smiles this morning. 

Yes, we got hail to start our day early Thursday morning, and today about 30 farmers gathered in out shop to get all the information they need to figure out what they should do about it.  Farmers certainly know that they have no control about the weather, and you pick yourself off and dust yourself off and then figure out what you can do with what you are given each year. 


Today the readings were a good reminder of how we are being called to go forward according to the plan Jesus has for us.  Looking back at my life and how I continually asked the Lord to show me my path, and there were definitely twists and turns along the way... considering religious life was part of what brought me into The Church with my family of 13, then being told that the sister giving me direction was leaving the order and getting married seemed to make my desire evaporate, then meeting my farmer, but now I have a daughter, who is a nun, a lot due to my call and encouraging all of my children to consider this amazing option of priesthood or religious life!  Yes, Hallel also heard the call and answered with the "yes" of her entire life for her LOVE, Jesus Christ, her spouse!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/susan-angela-agneslittle-sister-hallel.html

Rose in her Sunday dress biking up the driveway on a cool Sunday!


These words about Abram "journeyed on by stages" from Genesis today after the Lord led him to the promised land and to make of him a great nation.  Yes, we certainly journey down the narrow  path by stages set by our station in life, or our age and point of family life.  I was sharing with someone this morning  how great it is to have the young family here now, and that it is a special gift to us that we can experience it over again.  Yet, I still can come home to my quiet home, and do not have the responsibility of it 24/7.  Yes, there have been stages of my nest years and now my being put out to pasture and allowing the younger ones to help out on the farm.

It is fun to see Ruth getting her kids to help put the clothes on the line and off...COL!  I was telling the kids at lunch that I washed my diapers for 5 kids and put them on the line every day!  They gave me some crazy looks, because their vision of diapers would be a very bad mess in the washer.  "They were cloth and nice and white, and your mom put many on the line for your Uncle Johnny."  I always had a good feeling to have a baby in the house and to see that diapers blowing in the wind on the clothes line every day.  I would have at least 2 loads of wash a day with the whites or light load and the farm clothes load.  Now I am down to about one a day.  But I still enjoy my clothesline time.  I will never be totally out of that stage, but no more diapers for sure!

What a delight to watch the stages of life with a new little one in our midst.  Each day she engages with us more with her sweet smiles and looking into our eyes! 


My day has escaped me and my rosary is calling me along with the lawnmower and garden full of weeds. I cling to my prayer time each day, and withstand some judgment and criticism over it.  I know that the plank in my eye is huge and causing me to not see clearly most especially with those the closest to me in my domestic church/family.  Lord, I need you and cling to you as I blindly go forth from this stage of my life on to the next.  I lay my burdens at your feet in the confessional and then I pray that I will return the Mercy that I have been shown by you.  Jesus, I trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

What stage of the journey is this one?  Old and grey and gimpy reminding me of how weak I am, O Lord.  A bouquet of radishes is pretty indeed.  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

Cute to watch them playing so nicely and kindly together.

Suddenly Rose was whispering in Luke's ear... "What did she tell you?"  "She has to go to the bathroom."  Some things are private, I guess...

Joy is used to a noisy house... 3 brothers wrestling right behind her don't get her too upset at all.  "She is the best baby in the world!" says her mom. 

Yes!!!

BEATIFICATION DATE SET!

The Michigan Catholic reports Father Solanus Casey will be beatified on Saturday, November 18th, 2017 at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit, Michigan.

Happy Feast Day
Saint Josemaría Escrivá
1902-1975
Feast day: June 26

José María Mariano Escriva Albás was a Roman Catholic priest from Spain who founded Opus Dei, an organization of laypeople and priests dedicated to the teaching that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, who declared Saint Josemaría should be "counted among the great witnesses of Christianity."
https://www.portraitsofsaints.com/collections/all/all-images-st-josemaria

The Little Mermaid is done and John won the leg wrestling competition! 

The original Wonder Woman
I am smiling ear to ear!  John and I so agree with this... "She is the best mom, right mom?"  Yes!!!

Soon to be Blessed Solanus Casey on November 18,2017 in Detriot!!! 12th Sunday Ordinary Time

Breakfast in the bright sun on this cool morning on the farm after sharing 8a mass as a family on this 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time!  Spread the Good News - Jesus is alive and well in us thanks to His Word and Sacraments!


Just received the amazing news of the date for the Beatification of our dear Venerable/Soon to be Blessed Solanus Casey!  It will be November 18th in Downtown Detroit!  I have a feeling that John and I will be looking seriously at a road trip or flight to be there for that occasion.  Solanus became very close to us on our journey 8 years ago... just about that time of year when my parents brought a relic to pray over John with during the morning mass

Our 2 mother's looking at the relic of Venerable Solanus 8 years ago... It was in November of 2009, and I am overjoyed that almost 8 years later he will become Blessed!  The 8a mass was filled that day with many praying for John as he was brought out into the center aisle to be anointed and prayed over with the relic!  http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
No John did not have a miraculous healing that day, but Blessed Solanus is hugely a part of the healing of John as he found Faith through brain cancer.

A very special shrine to our man at St Michael's in Stillwater as he lived his life in Wisconsin and other places locally.   There with my parents on Father's Day last weekend was pretty powerful as that we the day 8 years ago that we first realized that John had brain cancer!  He was such a humble man, who touched many with his listening ear as they would come to the door of the monastery.

Yes, his designs are mysterious and hard to understand, but he reminds us in the Gospel today... that we do not need to be afraid... no matter what we face!

My new motto in my journey, because it is a struggle a lot of the time!

Yes!!!  Life would be a lot more pleasant this way!

A whole lot of appreciation for what He is doing in our lives to help us get to heaven forever!

"Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father."  Matthew 10... the Gospel today!

so beautiful and how I would love to be that humble and patient!  Blessed Solanus intercede for me and teach me!

I am really enjoying sitting at the feet of Solanus Casey and allowing him to share these pearls today. 

Lord, how I love you and thank you ahead of time for all that is ahead as I carry/drag my Most Cherished Cross down the narrow path to reach heaven forever with you, Mary and all the Saints along with our dear humble patient Solanus Casey.  May this Ordinary time be filled with your plan for our lives as we go forth to share all that you have done in our lives!  Most especially with those in our domestic Church/family.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless- Bless, Barb

Inside the remodeled farm house after breakfast - admiring the huge windows and the glorious sky filled with white puffy clouds on this clear cool day!

Luke and Rose sharing a secret while they play in the living room with the huge picture window as a backdrop!

An amazing picture of a crucifix in a field not far from our house!  Such a symbol of His LOVE!

The hard things in life bring us to deep LOVE ... through the Cross we find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!

Our family complete after I added Joseph... my family knows that you will be added later as I love to see the complete picture that dwells in my heart of us all being together.  It was quite miraculous that we could all be together, only missing one, for the days that Hallel was here for her first home visit in 4 years! 


The emotions are welling up today and very powerful after a wonderful morning prayer and sharing the readings for today with my husband. along with the memory of 8 years ago sharing the Feast of the Birth of John the Baptist at the bedside of my 20 year old son, John, in Sioux Falls and hearing the horrifying word that they wanted to do brain surgery on him.  NO!!!!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html

Just sharing today about our 4 1/2 months with Maria and her 5 kids... grandpa sure got some baby time with his little Evangeline!   He misses her a lot!

http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/my-most-cherished-cross-patrick-gerard.html

Patrick with a cousin that now lives just a few hours away by Seattle! 

Help unpacking their shipping crate with all their earthly possessions into their new home...

 A surprise when unpacking...


John and I were able to share the office today, and reflect upon how the Lord answered his prayers for Faith through his brain cancer.  How he longs to share that with all now that he has come through cancer and been healed - the new John!  Jesus tells us that we will find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT through the Cross in our lives, and we see it and know it as The Holy Spirit fills us with all we need to go forth and be LIGHTS to the world!

The is a challenging way to live out a marriage, with separations and worries about the welfare of your spouse.  How sweet it feels for them to be united as a family getting settled in their new home now.  A small slice of heaven for sure!


I just shared a bit with my sweet sister-in-law, Angela, who went through open heart by-pass surgery 2 days ago... she shared that sitting up in the chair today she felt like a "rock star."  All the prayers and support pouring in and showering her!  Yesterday was not so much that way due to the pain, hopefully each new day will be so much better than the last!  The thing about the Cross in our lives is that it makes the good times that much more wonderful!!!  Life would be boring and dull if all of it was good and happy and sunshine and lolly pops... ever get too much candy?  Yuck!  Or ever taste how wonderful sweets taste after the 40 days of Lent?  Heaven!

It sure was wonderful having them in our big wonderful home...especially when the bathrooms were done.  I hope that they are using their rubber boots a lot out in Washington! 


Lord, St John the Baptist, a feastday for our son, John, and such a powerful reminder of the plan you had to use this humble forerunner of you entering the world, and now our John - humbled and longing only to share The Truth he discovered through his brain cancer.  "You saved me to share how we need to come to you and come to believe in Jesus and His Bride, The Church!  Also your amazing Mother, Mary the Mother of God, whom I love love love!!!"  the new John.  What JOY I have to share prayer with my new son, and ask each day for you to show him the amazing path you have in your heart for him to follow carrying/dragging his cross!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Some pictures I have been wanting to borrow from Maria since they had some private time with Hallel over Easter!  Susan/Hallel just had met Romeo and Evangeline for the first time and...

Joe flew in to see her and spend some time for the first time in many years!  There is no price tag to put on family time supreme!  LOVE!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

So happy to have this crazy family pic!!!

Deep sharing and JOY!

Yes, they are both kind of silly too!  That's part of their tie that binds!




Come to drink of the living water!

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

The Afters - Broken Hallelujah

Danielle Rose - True Love/the cross

“I want to show you a sun that shone more brightly than all these, a soul that was truly free and detached, cleaving only to the will of God. I have often wondered who is the most mortified of the saints I know, and after some reflection I have come to the conclusion that it was  Saint John the Baptist. He went into the desert when he was five years old and knew that our Savior and his came on earth in a place quite close by, one or two days' journey perhaps. How his heart, touched with love of his Savior from the time He was in His Mother's womb, must have longed to enjoy His presence! Yet he spends twenty-five years in the desert without coming to see our Lord even once; and leaving the desert he stays to catechize without visiting Him but waiting till our Lord comes to seek him out. Then when he has baptized Him he does not follow Him but stays behind to do his appointed task. How truly mortified was his spirit! To be so near his Savior and not see Him, to have Him so close and not enjoy His presence! Is this not a completely detached spirit, detached even from God Himself so as to do His will and serve Him, to leave God for God, and not to love God in order to love Him better? The example of this great saint overwhelms me with its grandeur.”  ~  St Francis de Sales

Sacred heart...."every living thing has blood and a heart to pump it and give LIFE." Rose again

I had to grab my camera in the midst of cleaning chickens on this butchering day to capture this cuteness of Joy asleep in Mary's arms and cute Jenny, too, as they sit in the pool full of corn left over from our Breakfast on the farm the day before.  Our big day started with a bang of thunder and then the roar of hail pounding down in the midst of over an inch of rain in about 20 minutes.  Talk about a rough start to a day, and a day we had high hopes of large crowds coming to learn about the farm... not to be due to the crazy weather.

Joy playing in the corn pool with her siblings while we are busy with chickens! 

The chickens arrive in the back of Paul's pickup.  They were big and meaty in just about 8 weeks.  It was a family job, and we all pitched in to make it go as well as could be expected!  50 now in the freezer, and Ruth and I are both cooking chicken fresh as can be!

Rose was a very big helper and would help grandpa and grandma get our chickens to clean and then get them into the cooling water for a "swim."  She talked about how blood is needed for all animals to live and how the heart pumped and that is how they live.  Very appropriate today on The Feast of the Sacred Heart... the Heart of God that pumps LIFE into our lives and gives LIFE to The Church!

The kids kidded us that we were sharing romantic time - sitting side by side gutting chickens.  Pat's big hand and the chicken that had been alive just minutes before this.  We have a good system and work as a team, and yes there is quite a bit of blood involved and brought these thoughts to mind for little 5 year old Rose Ida/ Rose again!

Mary at the breakfast yesterday and they found a home for this baby kitten with a family that came for pancakes on the farm.

Joy and her second cousin, Ann, ,met at the breakfast yesterday.  Ann is 6 months older than Joy, but soon they will be running around chasing each other... so fun!

Now with grandpa Eddie!  It was fun to see the two girls together for the first time!

The rain water that was sitting on top of the shop door made for a fun cold shower with all the farm equipment sitting out from the breakfast on the farm event.  The weather made it less than perfect, and it can only get better next year, right?


The Gospel today is The Best!!! 
"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."


I am currently thinking and praying for my wonderful sister-in-law, Angela, who was going through open heart surgery for a bypass yesterday.  Her heart had some blockages due to the radiation she had to endure in her teens for cancer.  She was exhausted with the diminished blood flow, now with a fresh vessel from her leg... she will recover and have a lot more energy to accomplish all her wonderful ways she makes the world more beautiful! 


My thoughts and prayers are constantly with her, and how appropriate that today on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart... we are in a state of constant prayer for our Angela and now that her heart will heal and she will have a wonderful new lease on life ahead of her!

The pancakes were great, and Rose ate plate after plate of sausage.

Joy joins the party and the corn play pool is a hit!


Angela is now in the slow and steady recovery process and this Gospel speaks volumes of how she is being helped by the doctors and nurses and the many prayers lifting her up!  "My yoke is easy and my burden is light... getting through these weeks of gradual recovery until she is better than new and serving the Lord in her loving and serving others and family!

Girl time in the corn while the chickens are finished up...

Little Mermaid last night with these two in it... was wonderful!!! 

Ursala and her eels!


My rosary is calling out to me after this big morning of family job/putting food we grew up for out 6 families! 


Jesus, from your most Sacred Heart we receive our LIFE, but you infuse that life with your LOVE!  God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him."  I John 4... the second reading from mass today!  All we long for it to be united with that LOVE forever in heaven with You, Mary and all the Saints!  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

John and Goddaughter, Joy, at the breakfast.  Give her a few years and she might be in plays with her Uncle John!  Bless-bless, Barbara Luke

Mary has gotten the theater/speech bug from her Uncle John, and they are close and enjoy their time together, too!

“‘I am love and Mercy Itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it.’”
-Our Lord to St. Faustina

Trust in that mercy my friends.

And a blesses Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!