Lord, Hear Our Prayer

"Imagine if your community church pastor stepped down in retirement and you didn't have a replacement lined up for a few weeks. Now imagine your membership was a billion people worldwide, and there was an unbroken line of succession that went back to Jesus Himself appointing the first pastor. Imagine the weight on the shoulders of the elders to appoint the right leader for such a time as this. Imagine knowing the influence your "vote" is going to carry, as you're praying, deliberating and waiting for the next leader to be revealed. That's the Catholic Church right now. Pray for the next pope. I don't care if you're not Catholic. If you're a believer, you should be praying for this. It's important to the future of the Gospel around the world. Matthew 16:13-20" ~ Matt Maher

Please pray with us! How can we pray for this week?

Let's get to know the artist at St. Luke's Brush {and a giveaway}

Long time readers know that Sarah's favorite toys are her wooden saint dolls. The very first sponsors here were Garry and Amy from St. Luke's Brush. I don't think I even considered sponsorship until they suggested it. I'm so grateful to have them and I'm so inspired by their family's work. I'd love for you to hear a little more about them.

How long have you been in business and how did you find yourself making wooden saint dolls and Catholic toys?

Amy and I officially opened St. Luke's Brush on Etsy.com, September 18, 2010. I studied painting and graphic design in college and have worked as a designer most of my career. At the time we started St. Luke's Brush I did not really have an outlet for my work or a direction, certainly not one of any significance. I had had a bit of a career reversal the year leading up to it and the idea really took form in the midst of some dark times for us. Amy said something like "What if you painted these and put them out there? What's the worst that could happen?” When life kicks you down badly it’s harder to see God’s plan, but if you can glimpse it during those times, the fruit it bears is so much sweeter. The phrase has become cliché, but only because it’s so true, “God will never give you more than you can handle and always what you need.” It was about the time of opening the shop that I became interested in St. Padre Pio and I adopted something he said as my personal motto, “Pray, hope and don’t worry. “ And so I did.

Is it a family endeavor? Do your kids help?

St. Luke's Brush is totally a family endeavor, though the bulk of working tasks usually fall to me. I like to joke around with people that Amy is the brains of the operation, but maybe it would make more sense to say that she is the heart of it. She has great ideas and her organizational skills keep the wheels on the bus. She is the reason things get shipped to the right address and on time. My older boys Jack (13) and Sam (11) have both accompanied Amy to local homeschooling conferences. Emma (8) and Leo (3) have been my product testing and quality control form the beginning. Leo has run several durability tests on the dolls including high velocity impact and full water submersion. : -) I consider them all a part of it. They encourage and inspire me, visit me in my workshop and make sure I take a break from time to time. In so many ways St. Luke’s Brush is about them and not me.

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by genuine acts of kindness and selflessness. I am moved by work (art and otherwise) that comes from the soul. When you look at them, you know with a certainty, God was acting through this person. Going to church is like a trip to the art museum for me. Where else can you go to find painting, sculpture, mosaic, metalwork and beautiful music? I agree with what the artist Kessie, of Simplicities of Life, said to the same question last month that this type of work can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit. I cannot take any credit. I am but an instrument and a dull one at that. In recent days I have been inspired by the humility of now Pope Emeritus Benedict the 16th. It is humility that allows us to see the big picture and the small place in history we inhabit. If I can find a way to make a small difference in the life of a child, what greater legacy could I ask for?

Can you share a customer story or two? Someone who was particularly blessed by the work of your hands?

I am so grateful to my customers and supporters. Without them there is no shop. There are so many stories and I have come into contact with so many wonderful people as a result of this endeavor. There have been some heart rending stories of some brave little children facing scary health crises. To know that something I made with my hands brought them even a moment of comfort in the storms of their life is worth more than any remuneration I could receive for my work. Some of my customers get more involved in the process and I love to receive input and guidance from them. A nine year old boy named Andrew, who saved up to purchase a St. Padre Pio doll. As he had a strong devotion to this saint no detail went unnoticed and at the time, my St. Padre Pio was not depicted holding a rosary. Andrew was very dismayed as St. Pio offered the rosary several times a day and would very rarely have been without one. The mother wondered if she sent it back, would I add it. Rather than hassle with that, I sent him a new one and his comment made me laugh out loud. "Mommy now he can bi-locate!" But in all seriousness, his mother Debora said all I need to hear to know I am doing something worthwhile with my gift. "I thank your husband for creating something of value to my children to help them on their journey to heaven." If I could transform that into a mission statement, that would be it.

In the Foss family, we like to give these dolls as gifts in stockings and in Easter baskets. I'm always looking for new ideas and for someone to point out a special one to add to our collection. Spend a moment or two perusing the beautiful toys in Garry's shop and get back to me with what you see. Leave a comment and you will be entered to win a St. Veronica doll. Winner will be announced in this post next Saturday. But wait! There's more;-)

Garry is offering In the Heart of My Home readers a free painted egg for every purchase of $100 or more. 

The winner of this giveaway is Michelle! Michelle said...

Michelle said...

I love all of these dolls and sets.I would love to start getting them for my kids - ages 8 and under. I think it will be hard to choose which ones to start with. My three girls would love them, but I think even my 2 boys would play with them!

Fast. Pray. Give.

Fast

Give up your pride. "A soul does not benefit from the sacrament of confession if it is not humble. Pride keeps it in darkness. The soul neither knows how, nor is it willing, to probe with precision the depths of its own misery. It puts on a mask and avoids everything that might bring it recovery." (St. Faustina)

Pray

Go to confession.

Give

Take your children to confession.

Sponsor Introductions

I'm so pleased to welcome these new sponsors this month. Think Easter baskets;-)

Tricia Jennings, an Independent Designer with Origami Owl, loves helping women tell their stories through the charms they select for their one-of-a-kind lockets. Whimsical, serious, celebratory, or memorial - the locket can take on a completely new look and feel just by swapping out the charms for new ones. If you'd like to experience the fun of creating your story through jewelry, please visit Tricia's website at www.origamiowl.com or contact her via email at tricia@teamjennings.net.

Mod Jules specializes in jewelry and gifts that speak to you. I love finding and designing images and sayings that fit individual personalities and always welcome custom orders. My handmade jewelry incorporates a variety of techniques and materials, including upcycled game pieces (scrabble tiles, mah jong tiles), hand-stamped metal, rubber stamping with inks, embossed and riveted metal, and digital collages.

Liturgical Time Veil Shop is a mother-daughter cottage enterprise.  We create elegant, handmade chapel veils, mantillas, and headcoverings for our patrons to wear in church, at prayer, or in everyday life. We are the creators of the Eternity Veil, a unique chapel veil which an be worn as a scarf when entering the worship space, and discretely slipped over the head when the wearer wishes to be veiled. 

Wool is at the heart of my hobbies and household. And wool is at the heart of Hedgeapple Fiber Studio. We even use handmade, 100%-wool dryer balls for our laundry. From the wool we grow from our sheep or from local farmers, I spin, knit and weave, one of kind yarns, hats, shawls, and blankets.

 

Inspire in your child a religious vocation with these soft and cuddly dolls.  At Jacob's Toy Box we specialize in religious dolls and stories, but also have non religious toys.  All our high quality handmade toys reflect the days before mass production.

Gathering my thoughts on a Friday

I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

The geese are back. And they brought their friends and family. Seems like there are geese everywhere.

::listening to 

the radio. I’m in the car, in the parking lot, at soccer. There’s no wi-fi, but I just don’t have enough time to go find some. Traffic would suck it all up. So, I’ll just sit and compose in Word. Keeps me from mindless surfing anyway.

::clothing myself in 

Jeans, a pink and cream colored blouse, pick cashmere socks a la Elizabeth DeHority, and a sweater with some wool content. Cold again.

::talking with my children about these books

Mossy. Have you read it? I think it’s my new favorite Jan Brett book. My girls cheered out loud when we got to the end.

And some books for Lent.

I did a little switch in my Lenten reading aloud with the children. Fr. Taylor gave a homily last week about Gilligan’s Island (well, not really about it, but Gilligan was in there). Did you know that the creator said that he modeled each character after one of the seven deadly sins? Anyway, something he said brought to mind The Hidden Power of Kindness. I’ve long loved this book and read it aloud to my big kids, but it’s been a long time. The others are mostly old enough for it now, so that’s what we’re reading.

I’m still reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus, but it might take us all of the Easter season. (I wish he'd do an Audible version of this one)

::thinking and thinking

About renewal and Lent.

::pondering prayerfully

We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life. I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being Christian. In a beautiful prayer to be recited daily in the morning says, “I adore you, my God, I love you with all my heart. I thank You for having created me, for having made me a Christian.” Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith: it is the most precious good, that no one can take from us! Let us thank God for this every day, with prayer and with a coherent Christian life. God loves us, but He also expects that we love Him! ~Benedict XVI Full text here

::carefully cultivating rhythm

As the season changes, I hear the breeze calling us outside. Soon, very soon, the rhythm will change again.

::creating by hand

A little ensemble for our friend Katie—a popover sundress for her and one for her doll to go with her own copy of Crafty Chloe.

::learning lessons in

Food. For real. Heather’s class has me thinking and re-thinking. I’m definitely tweaking hard. Maybe I can’t even call it tweaking as it is a bit of an overhaul. I tend to learn by total immersion and I’ve been reading incessantly. I thank God for Katherine, who patiently listens to every angle and gently encourages. I’m pretty sure I’m driving her crazy, but she’s a good soul.

::encouraging learning 

I'm feeling a bit of midyear pressure. I really, really want to finish the year's math for everyone. We might need to double-time math for the next few months.

::begging prayers

for all the intentions of our prayer community.  

::keeping house

my house is going to be absolutely clean by next Friday. We are going to Charlottesville to watch Paddy play and then bringing him home for spring break. Why I think I need to clean for Patrick is beyond me. He left his room a wreck. He doesn’t notice clean or dirty. I used to do this when Michael was coming home, too. Just seems like home should look and smell good, you know?

::crafting in the kitchen 

I made a yummy noodle and veggie salad to share with you next week. Oh, and Mary Beth says everything has been curried lately and she might be right. Have you heard about the healing properties of turmeric?

But maybe not every night.

::loving the moments

when I linger long in the little girls’ bed at bedtime because they want one more book. And I do, too.

::giving thanks 

for a new library. I took a lot of pictures. Wait ‘til you see.

living the liturgy

With the universal Church, we are praying and praying for the conclave..

::planning for the week ahead

This weekend is an utterly impossible collision of a basketball championship, two soccer tournaments and dance auditions. I seriously have no idea how I’m going to do it. Next week should be a little less crazy and I’m looking very forward to a trip “home” to Charlottesville to overnight with my Dad and Barbara and see Paddy play his first collegiate game.