Carl Scherres - Artist

"Everyone needs a place to retreat; a spot where the world grows quiet enough for the soul to speak."

Angie Weiland Crosby

Media Art by Lindy

 

 

Artist Unknown

"The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be."

Reid Hoffman

One of the important aspects of Community for a secular Carmelite is to be able to share fellowship with those who are on the 'same page' so to speak. Even though our paths to the same destination may vary, we are able to assist one another to the heights of Mount Carmel. Heavenly Father, guide us to become the men and women that YOU intended us to be.  Amen.

 

Fabio Cipolla

"I must be willing to give up what I am in 

order to become what I will be."

Albert Einstein

Shhhh.....

Helen Allingham - Artist

 "God spoke to me today in flowers,

and I, who was waiting on words,

almost missed the conversation."

Ingrid Goff-Maidoff

A Grace in Time...

Jacek Malczewski

 Oh, you who came and kissed my head in my delirium.

Come once again and allow me to feel your cool lips on my forehead, Sweet Mother Mary, as you whisper in my ear, "All will be well."

John William Waterhouse

 

"As far as I am concerned, what does it matter what others think or say? I don't see why I should be disturbed about it."

St. Therese of Lisieux - Last Conversations

 

Jozef Mehoffer

"...True silence is the speech of lovers. For only love knows its beauty, completeness, and utter joy. True silence is a garden enclosed, where alone the soul can meet its God..."

Poustinia - Encountering God in Silence, Solitude and Prayer

George Elgar Hicks - Artist

 "Be good, and have patience with every one - above all, with yourself..."

St. Francis de Sales

Vilhelm Hammershoi - Artist

 

"Contemplative silence is the expectant hush of a soul waiting for God to speak."

Mother Mary of Jesus, O.C.D.

Peter Fendi - Artist

 The greater mystery, surpassing all words, summons us to silence. It must, of course, be silence with content, not just the absence of speech and action. We should expect the liturgy to give us a positive stillness that will restore us. Such stillness will not be just a pause, in which a thousand thoughts and desires assault us, but a time of recollection, giving us an inward peace, allowing us to draw breath and rediscover the one thing necessary.

The Spirit of the Liturgy

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Marianne Stokes - Artist

 "May your sweet presence enlighten us forever, O Virgin of silence. Give us your great peace."

The Power of Silence

Jules Breton - Artist

 "...We must carry the Fire of God's truth into rooms lit with artificial light, where people will laugh at our humble flame. And we must be there when the artificial lights fail, when storms come, when winds blow about the world and plunge it into darkness. It is then that they will welcome our flame and we must be there. We must be in place when storms come..."

The Cloistered Heart

A Refuge for our Lord...

Cloister of Merseburg Cathedral

 

"...A cloistered heart accepts God's grace to love Jesus Christ in the midst of a world which does not love Him, and to embrace His will in a world which does not embrace it. Thus the cloistered heart becomes a place of refuge not only for us, but for Christ Himself. To create such a refuge is a primary part of the cloistered heart's apostolate..."

The Cloistered Heart

Happy Solemnity!

Gaspar de Crayer - Artist

 

"...We must walk along this path in freedom, placing ourselves in the hands of God. If His Majesty should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept gladly. As often as we think of Christ we should recall the love with which he bestowed on us so many favors, and what great love God showed in giving us a pledge like this of his love; for love begets love. Even if we are at the very beginning and are very wretched, let us strive to keep this divine love always before our eyes and to waken ourselves to love. If at some time the Lord should favor us by impressing this love on our hearts, all will become easy for us, and we shall carry out our tasks quickly and without much effort..."

Be a Light...

Vasily Tropinin - Artist

 

"The apostolate of the cloistered heart is to go forth as light in the darkness."

The Cloistered Heart

Lord, Teach Me To Empty Myself...

 

Peter Paul Rubens - Artist

"...I want you to be completely joyous. You will be when you have emptied yourself of self..."

He and I by Gabrielle Bossis

A Flower for our Lord...

Friedrich Krepp - Artist

"...Seize upon every opportunity of keeping silent and give Me this silence just as though you were picking a flower for Me. Oh, this beautiful silence full of peace, humility, serenity and intimacy with God! How much you can obtain in these blessed moments!..."

He and I By Gabrielle Bossis

  

Leon Richet - Artist

"...Our corrupt nature is the traitor who opens the gate of our heart for the devil and the world to enter..."

The Carmelite Directory of the Spiritual Life

George Dunlop Leslie - Artist

 

"...It is of little benefit for religious orders to acquire new plants through profession unless they strive diligently to water them and cultivate them..."

The Carmelite Directory of the Spiritual Life

Angel's Wings...

                                                                         

                                                                        

Abbott Handerson Thayer - Artist

"...The silence of love resembles the sounds of the angels' wings when they carry out God's commands. This silence is a love that obeys God's own silence. The silence of love corresponds to a completion: the meeting of two silences, the human silence and the silence of God, that are walking along together. Gethsemane and Christ's Calvary represent the most beautiful union of these two silences..."

The Power of Silence

Fritz Von Uhde - Artist

 

"If we knew all that God knows, 

then we should certainly will all that

 He wills, and with burning tears

 implore Him for those sufferings which

 we now so earnestly pray Him to avert..."

The Way of Interior Peace

Adorned in the silence of God...

Alois Hans Schram - Artist

 

"....The desire to see God is what urges us to love solitude and silence. For silence is where God dwells. He drapes himself in silence..."

The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah

Vilhem Hammersoi - Artist

 "...we go to live in a profound solitude, since it is in this solitude that He speaks to the heart."

Elizabeth of the Trinity - Letters from Carmel

Feast of St. Faustina Kowalska

Mary Emily Eaton - Artist

 

I will hide from people's eyes whatever good I am able to do so that God Himself may be my reward. I will be like a tiny violet hidden in the grass, which does not hurt the foot that treads on it, but diffuses its fragrance and, forgetting itself completely, tries to please the person who had crushed it underfoot. This is very difficult for human nature, but God's grace comes to one's aid.

Diary of St. Faustina 

No. 255

Remain a little child...

Painting by George Clausen

 

"Let no one believe that if I were to be cured it would throw me off my course or destroy my little plans. Not in the least! Age means nothing in the eyes of God, and I'd manage to remain a little child, even were I to live for a long time."

St. Therese of Lisieux - Her Last Conversations

Rock-a-bye Baby.....

This beautiful painting was found on the internet but artist is unknown to me. 

Amid the roses Mary sits and rocks her Jesus-Child,

While amid the treetops sighs the breeze so warm and mild.

Ah, Baby, dear one slumber now

Happy is Thy laughter; holy is Thy silent rest

Lay Thy head in slumber fondly on Thy mother’s breast

Ah, Baby, dear one slumber now,

And soft and sweetly sings a bird upon the bough.

“The Virgin’s Slumber Song” by the Madeleine Cathedral School Choir in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Why I Love You O Mary...

Media Art by Lindy

 O beloved Mother, despite my littleness,

Like you I possess The All-Powerful within me.

But I don't tremble in seeing my weakness:

The treasures of a mother belong to her child,

And I am your child, O my dearest Mother.

Aren't your virtues and your love mine too?

So when the white Host comes into my heart, 

Jesus, your Sweet Lamb, thinks he is resting in you!... 

 

Why I Love You, O Mary!
Stanza No. 5 
St. Therese of Lisieux 

 

Erik Werenskiold - Artist     

  "Terrible are the wiles and deceits used by the devil so that souls may not know themselves or understand
 their own paths."

St. Teresa of Avila - Interior Castle, 1,2,11

Anton Thiele - Artist


"Prayer, more than being a work that a person does, is a loving response to the God who loves everyone."

(From The Prayer of Loving Attention - St. John of the Cross)

Cherish The Memories!

Feeling a little nostalgic today after finding some photos of my family when our sons were little. I remember my dad saying how fast years go by when you hit a certain age and it's so true. I remember when I was a little girl and the last day of school and how it felt like we had YEARS before we started our first day of school again. The days were long and sunny and warm and we played outside until the street lights went on. Now the months FLY by and I seem to celebrate a birthday that FEELS like weekly! I found this Grandma Moses quote yesterday and then found the long forgotten photos today and the two seemed to convey what I am feeling today. Instead of feeling sad I will be grateful of the many happy memories.

Thomas Wilmer Dewing - Artist


 "Remembering the beauty you have seen
 is enough to ask of life."
Grandma Moses 

Evariste Carpentier - Artist

.                                               

                   "...prayer is an art to be cultivated..."

 

                                (Taken from Lectio Divana and The Practice of Teresian Prayer)

 Yesterday was our Day of Recollection for my Carmelite Community. One of our community members facilitated a talk on Titus Brandsma and he did such a nice job with it. I didn't know very much about Brandsma so it was very interesting and I look forward to researching more about him. 

We also had some quiet time in the church which was nice because I haven't been feeling very well lately and sick with a cold. Since I was sitting in front of the altar (I usually sit at the side of the altar for our meetings) I was able to see the large writing behind the altar that reads:

"Intra Tua Vulnera Absconde Me"

not knowing what it meant I naturally googled it and read:

"Into Your wounds hide me."

That's exactly what I needed to see at that time. That is my desire, Lord! Just allow me to climb up into your arms and hold me, love me and hide me. 

Unknown Artist

 

 I saw a tutorial on these vintage looking Rolodex creations and thought they were so pretty, so I made one! 

Jane and Helen....

 My favorite fictional book of all time is Jane Eyre! I absolutely LOVE it! I'm reading again and just read one of the most beautiful early parts where little Helen Burns dies. 

This is what Helen tells Jane...

"I am sure there is a future state; I believe God is Good;

 I can reign my immortal part to Him without any misgiving.

 God is my father; God is my friend: I love Him; I believe He loves me."

Young Jane says:

"And shall I see you again, Helen, when I die?"

"You will come to the same region of happiness:

 be received by the same mighty, universal Parent, 

no doubt, dear Jane."

So much wisdom in the words of Helen Burns!

 She is one of my all time favorite characters ever! 

God's Little Garden...

Digital Art by Lindy

                

 

Lasting Joy and Peace...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Guide My Soul....

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Encounter God...

Digital Art by Lindy

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Jesus, I Trust in You...

Digital Art by Lindy

"... God knows what He has in store for me.
 I do not need to concern myself about it..."

                                                                                         Edith Stein                                        

 

Opportunity...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Rest in His Heart...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

A Sunday Walk with Therese...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

THE SAYINGS OF LIGHT AND LOVE, NO. 162 - St. John of the Cross

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Heal Me, Lord...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Silence is Golden....

Digital Art by Lindy

 

The Poetry of St. Therese of Lisieux...

Digital Art by Lindy

 

Mercy....

Digital Art by Lindy