Religious life shared with dad/John 6!!!/

Joseph with baby Therese 12 years ago with fuzzy buns diapers on the clothes line in their rainbow of colors!  One of my favorites of the summer of 2008 when we were together as Susan prepared to go and join The Community of the Lamb in France on Sept 11.

Hallel on her first home visit 7 years ago with the 3 little ones - Rose, Bernadette, and Patrick, who are now approaching 8 years old. 

I am in a  state of happiness sharing much prayer with my deacon father!  Today we are adding the office reading of Evening prayer after supper.  I am realizing that my attraction to religious life which brought me into The Church and from which I discerned that I was instead called to marriage.  Yet, through the journey of my daughter, who is now a nun, and now sharing day to day life in my home with my deacon father... I am being gifted with the prayer of being a religious. 

 My mother just a couple weeks before she quickly passed after falling and breaking her hip in the morning and dying by 5p that same day... So fresh in my heart, mind and soul as it has only been 6 weeks today!  Mondays recall that day that I rushed to the Cities to be at her bedside and say goodbye.

 I am blessed by the art work of my mother throughout my home and my life!  Lake Michigan is one of her most favorite subjects!  We would spend most of our summers there and I can picture her in the sand dunes drawing and painting the beauty all around us!

 I used her artwork as the background for the cross I did for my Easter tree this year... in front of the icon of Mary, Jesus and John as Jesus gave her to us and John as our mother to bring into our home and find Peace, Joy, and Love with her help and intercession.

 My last overnight with my father in his assisted living a few days after mom passed.  Her well worn prayer books and the monk bookends that she found second hand, and pictures of my beautiful mother from her albums.

My mother went through formation with my father and attended classes with him as a wife of a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church.  They prayed together and now I am given the gift of praying with my father these days of hospice and trusting in Him!

 There is talk of the assisted living being let go... an unexpected change in our journey down the narrow path.  Mom and dad had about 6 months together there.

Only gone for a few days in March.... her cane, slippers, oxygen tube for her use at night for many of these last years... miss you mom!

 Pizza night at his assisted living.  Now he is living with me and gifting me with prayer without ceasing!

 Praying morning prayer today, and on Mondays he does the litany of the family!  So special to hear him name the family first and middle names!  That is crazy amazing when you have 37 grandchildren and 58 great-grandchildren! 

There is so much comfort taken knowing that we are prayed for by this great man and King of our huge family of 140+

 St Ignatius over his shoulder...

 Beautiful day spent with lunch on the porch and later prayer of our rosary and chaplet on the porch.  We listened to the birds chirping, admired the leaves bursting forth on the trees, and my outside cat, Stubby, "he's talking to me!" 

 Mom at Michigan!

Ed putting beans in the planter as he planted the field across from our home yesterday.  Rain is predicted for tomorrow, and we are so grateful for such an early warm spring after the last two terrible years due to wet and cold!  Thank you, Lord!

 John and Bobbi as they went to Australia for WYD!  Hah!!!  John had no idea of this wonderful waiting and praying for him! 

Susan telling us that she was going to France to join The Community of the Lamb in July 2008!  She told us in front of the altar of our lady of Guadalupe in Kansas City!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/susan-angela-agneslittle-sister-hallel.html

I have gotten distracted in trying to find some of Hallel in Michigan her last time seeing her grandparents... I am overjoyed to see that John 6 - the Eucharistic chapter is where we are in and heading deeper and deeper!  Yes, we miss our Jesus in His Body and Blood, and we hunger to receive Him!
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
John 6 today in the Gospel!  

 I found the last time my dad spent time with Hallel!  In August of 2008 we went to Michigan where they lived in their apartment and we had the upstairs for our vacation home!

 Ruth, mom and I with baby David!

 Sharing hot dog night with the family.

 Susan and Maria having a holy hour at St Francis De Sales Church in Manistique, MI!

 Beautiful beach with baby Therese and David with my 4 girls!

 Sunset on Beautiful beach!

 Beautiful baby Therese just before her Godmother, Susan, now Hallel left for France!

 My mother in her work area that looked out on the beautiful lake Michigan!

 Susan with Mary at the social hour we had with my parents down on the picnic table each afternoon.

 My father always busy keeping the place top notch condition!  How I loved it there and miss it so much!

 Walking into the sunset on beautiful beach!  Hallel's last time in Michigan and the last time she spent time with her grandparents - 12 years ago!

 The ankle chain indicated that she was according to St Louis de Montfort - a slave for Mary!

 Soaking in her last time in Michigan on the Inland Sea!

Now a bride of Christ after taking her final vows 2 years ago!  I am eternally blessed to have a nun daughter!

Bless-bless, Barb

3rd Sunday of Easter - first time in years that Hallel and my dad share face to face on zoom!/The Path to LIFE!

 I am still smiling about this small miracle that happened this morning!  I turned on Zoom half an hour before we were going to watch mass with The Community of the Lamb in KC and there in front of me was Hallel and Oliviana! 

They were preparing for mass when I turned it on and there were their smiling faces and we could share and visit with them.  I am still baffled that this happened and feel that it was a divine case of providence!  I quickly brought out my father and they talked and shared.  Both girls called him "grandpa" and he shared his beauty and wisdom with them for about 15 minutes of sharing.  It has been years since they have looked into each other's eyes and had a conversation!  Maybe even 15 years since Hallel graduated from HS.

 Dad gave them praise for their vows and sticking to them and what a powerful example that was to our family and our world.  "I promise unto death."  He shared about his own vows and how he was asked to renew them over the years. He shared with them about his anniversary of his ordination was yesterday - 44 years!  They were thrilled to share that joy with him!

They told him about Mariano, who is going to be ordained a deacon with The Community in June and asked dad and I to pray for him - so we will when we share morning prayer and the rosary and chaplet each day.  We are just inside from sitting on the porch watching the farmers go by including our own and watching the beautiful puffy clouds overhead.

 Dad having such a special gift to talk to his nun granddaughter, who only comes home every 3-4 years and does not have social contact with internet or cell phone.  Such a gift this 3rd Sunday of Easter out of the blue!

 Little Sister Joyce stops in to say "Hi" to dad and I!

 Sitting in our church chairs watching mass in KC with The Community of the Lamb.  Last week when they put Jesus on the altar for Adoration after mass.  The open window allowed us to hear the song of a most amazing bird - recognizing the maker of Heaven and Earth on the altar!

 Before reading the Gospel - the road to Emmaus from Luke 24 - the Gospel is processed in with incense and all bow to Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in The Word of God!

The Path leading to LIFE eternal today spoke from the readings from mass...
You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Lord, you will show us the path of life.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Psalm 16... Wow!!

Our view while dad and I pray together most days about 3p on my wonderful porch.

I shared with dad how when I first came here as a newly wed 41 years ago... I was coming down the hill towards Marshall at night and could see the lights of Marshall ahead of me.  What does that remind me of?  The big Lake Michigan where I would spend summers, and see the lights of Traverse City down the beach.  Living on the prairie is like living on the large body of water as you can see all around you!

He is appreciating his time here on the prairie with the nice spring here to enjoy!

 "It must be Sunday, because I have on my Sunday shirt."  Shower and shaved and looking good for these most unusual Sundays when we have to watch mass on the computer.  At least we could visit with our family of the Lamb and share mass with them!

 Our new normal of sharing morning prayer together!  How my heart soars to the heights with such a wonderful start for our days together.

Pat and I do what we call quick prayer as we pray for the farmers safety and thanksgiving for the wonderful weather this spring after 2 hard wet cold years in the past.  Now to just get out economy back to work and Pat prays daily for this virus to disappear.  Yes, Lord!

 St Ignatius joins our prayer!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html

 Mom's painting gives me peace and JOY!

My sister, Carol, spent the weekend with us... so nice to have family able to come and share time with dad!

She got to help Rose with her chores of bottle feeding the orphan calves.  

 Happy 3rd Sunday of Easter!!!

Therese is 12 and Evie is 3... they have 3 brothers between them and one younger, Hector, is now 1 and starting to walk!

 I just had to share all of them!!!  So sweet!  Therese is the best big sister in the world!  All her siblings were practically raised by her and she models for them a great love for LIFE and for the Poor!  She lives up to her name - St Therese pray for us!

 From John today of one my favorite things little kids in their parents' shoes!  To me is speaks of how they love and respect their parents and want to be just like them!

 Dad and I out praying together when Pat came with the seed tender and I had to give him a ride.

 Dad is so sharp and interested in farming all around him!  I think we are both having to pinch ourselves that he is living here in Marshall, MN!

 Prayer and farming!  Mother Nature is out of our hands and it takes constant prayers and trust and hard work!  Our men and Ruth now is out there running a tractor - rolling behind the beans planted... are very good at their farming and people are amazed at how quickly and well they get the crop planted.  A well oiled machine!

Jesus, be with the farmers and keep them safe and sane in the lack of sleep and long hours and busyness of their lives.  WE place our trust in you and die to self so that you may live in us!  We are so blessed to be able to follow you down the path to eternal LIFE!  All our dead keep our eyes on heaven.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Hallelujah

Two eggs today, lilacs from my Easter tree, prayer shall keeping him warm in the spring breezes, and across the road my brother-in-law is planting our bean field.  Soon Ruth will come to roll over them and firmly pack the soil for better germination.  Farming is always changing and improving.  Bless-bless, Barb

Happy Feast Day
Madonna and Child
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Feast Day: April 26
Our Lady of Good Counsel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary after a miraculous painting. Tradition has it that during celebrations on the feast of St. Mark, in 1467, in Genazzano, Italy, a cloud descended on an unfinished wall of the church of Santa Maria, amid “sweet music.” When it dissipated an image of Our Lady appeared; 18” square, no thicker than an eggshell, suspended in the air. Many pilgrims visit the church including Popes UrbanVII, Pius IX, Leo XIII, Saints Aloysius Gonzaga, Alphonsus Liguori and John Bosco. Miracles continue to occur, even today.

Danielle Rose - Nothing compares to you

Danielle Rose - Pursue Me