Saints here to hold your place

New bookmarks added to AllToolsPrayerful......follow the link to these great stocking stuffers.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/255779739/stain-glass-window-bookmarks?ref=shop_home_active_1

Stain Glass Window Bookmarks by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

"We must keep near to the souls God puts in our way, 
and try to understand and love them. Here we have discovered, 
by God's grace, the sources of peace and the means of possessing it fully." 

                                           ~Elizabeth Leseur

Happy All Saints Day

St. Emily De Vialar by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

Novena Prayer to All Saints

My heavenly brothers and sisters, from those most renowned to those of greatest obscurity, I come before you now in all humility and commend myself, and all who are dear to me, to your intercession.

Pray for us always, that we may awake each day with a burning desire for the Lord whose Face you behold, that we will maintain an intimate personal relationship with Jesus, our Savior and Head, and that we will not hesitate to proclaim God’s greatness to others, and love them as the Lord loves us.

As you offer your continual praise before the throne of God,   I raise my heart to you now to implore your powerful intercession for these special needs:  (………).

I am confident that your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard by our loving and merciful Lord.  By his grace, may we someday join you in the glory of the Father’s house.

Help from Our Blessed Mother

If evils increase, the devotion of the

People of God should also increase. And

so, venerable brothers, we want you to

take the lead in urging

and encouraging

people to pray ardently to our most

merciful mother Mary by saying the

Rosary during the month of October

Pope Paul VI

Book markers on AllToolsPrayerful

Praying the Rosary

"Take great care to avoid the two pitfalls that most people fall into during the Rosary. The first is the danger of not asking for any graces at all. So, whenever you say your Rosary, be sure to ask for some special grace or virtue, or strength to overcome some sin." 
                                        ~St. Louis de Montfort

Matthew 25 on Canvas

Sharon Elliott sold a 20.00" x 12.50" print on FineArtAmerica.com!

fineartamerica.com

Offering of Oneself

Another beautiful little prayer from my treasured little book.

Accept, O Lord, this offering of my liberty, memory understanding and will.  All that I am and have, Thou hast given me.  I want to restore everything to Thee, O Lord. Dispose of me as it shall please Thee. All that I ask is Thy Grace and Thy Love.  With these alone I shall be rich enough. I ask nothing more.  

Thank you Lord for the bountiful harvest

Festive Fall by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

Prayer by an Old Lady

Another beautiful writing from my little treasure book.    Recite before Mass

My loving Lord, a thousand welcomes! O Son of Mary, I love You, indeed I do.  Who am I at all that You should come next or near me?  O God of Heaven! Make a little corner for me in Your Heart, and never, while there’s life in me, let me lose my place there, and after death may I still hide there.    Amen

Have pity on me, O Blessed Mother, talk to my God for me.  Tell Him I ‘m a poor ignorant creature, full of nothing but sin and misery, but that I love you, His Own dear Mother; and that I am a poor follower of Him, and for your sweet sake, to help and pity me.    Amen

Just playing around

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/raindrops-in-brushstroke-sharon-elliott.html

 

Raindrops In Brushstroke

fineartamerica.com

Raindrop Reflections done in Brushstrokes

Matthew 5

A new piece on SEImagesonline
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/matthew-5-16-sharon-elliott.html

 

Matthew 5 16

fineartamerica.com

What Shall I give Thee?

An after Communion Prayer

I have received into my heart, Jesus Christ, His Body and Blood Soul and Divinity! I begin this day as a day in Heaven.  He is in my soul…the Divine Infant in the crib…the growing Boy at Nazareth…. The Apostle acclaimed by crowds on the roads of Galilee….the Miracle Worker who preformed such prodigies…the Martyr Who completed His Sacrifice on Calvary.

He is in my….What more can I desire when I posses Jesus?

And now, O good Master! What shall I give Thee in exchange for Thy visit…?

I would like to give Thee a soul all sparkling with purity and sincerity, but mine is afflicted with so many miseries!

I would like to pray to Thee with the burning words of Thy Mother and her court of Heaven, but I feel riveted to earthly things….

I would like to offer Thee courageous Loyalty to my Baptismal Vows and Confirmation Graces, but, alas I have so often been disloyal….

I would like, at least, to have a desire for the Christian life, but I allow myself to be discouraged by my failures….

O good Jesus! I have nothing to give Thee, and Thou hast given Everything; Thou hast given Thyself to me.  I can only join my poor voice in the chorus of praise to Thee, rising out of all the works of Thy Creation here on earth…

With the majesty of the mountains, the immensity of the desert, the roar of the ocean, the fury of the storm, I shall praise Thy Power!

With the flowers of the field, the colors of the rainbow, the whiteness of the snow, the blue of the skies I shall praise Thy Beauty!

With the fruits of the earth, the air I breath, the light I see, the life I enjoy, I shall praise Thy Goodness.

With the splendor of the stars, the rays of the sun, the moon’s pale light, the depths of space, I shall praise Thine Immensity.

With fifteen hundred millions now living on earth, I shall praise Thy Mercy! May our voices unite with the billions of those who inhabited the earth before us, and out of whose dust the beauty of nature perpetually rises to praise Thy Glory!

May an infinite concert of voices from cottages and palaces, from fields and forests, from towns and deserts, from workshops, and cathedrals, from earth and from heaven, from time and from eternity, arise to give my thanks unto Thee!  Amen

Week of Love

So......how has your week on the Virtue of Love/Charity going??????
I have found myself challenged by some events where I had to do some REAL soul searching.  Places where I have to make a better effort to see people as Jesus would....not by my, sometimes, narrow minded vision. I am trying to remember that Jesus is just as frustrated with me for some of the things I do or don't do and He still loves me.....His love is unfathomable. 

Why Callest thou Me?

From time to time I am given Rosaries to repair or beads to make a Rosary, from the necklace of a loved one that has passed away. Still other times I am given old treasured books.  A while back I was given a little book and was reading this on my Adoration night....this is what I found.

                                         Why callest thou Me?
Carved by an unknown sculptor, into the walls of an old European Cathedral, this appeal expresses the grief of Christ.
Thou callest Me MASTER…..
     Yet heedest to Me,
Thou callest Me LIGHT…..
    Yet I shine not in thee.
Thou callest Me WAY….
    But dost follow Me not,
Thou callest Me LIFE….
    Yet My Name is forgot,
Thou callest Me TRUTH…..
    But playest a false role,
Thou callest Me GUIDE…..
    Yet despisest control.
Thou callest Me LOVING….
    Withholding thy heart,
Thou callest Me RICH…..
    Yet desirest no part.
Thou callest Me GOOD….
    And yet evil thy ways,
Thou callest Me ETERNAL…..
    While wasting thy days.
Thou callest Me NOBLE….
    Yet draggest Me down,
Thou callest Me MIGHTY….
    Not fearing My frown.
Thou callest Me JUST….
    Oh!   If just then I be,
When I shall condemn thee………………..Reproach thou not Me. 

Virtue of Love

Day four Virtue of Love

 Pick a Christian virtue to grow in your life.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your meditation.

Reflect 10 minutes or so on that virtue.

Read something about that virtue; perhaps from the Catechism or a quote from one of the Saints.

At the end of the day ask; “How did I live this virtue today?”

Act; make a decision to implement a way to live out that virtue.

Continue this pattern for several days before moving on to another virtue.

The Apostle Paul has given and incomparable depiction of charity; “charity is patient and kind, charity is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Charity does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrong, but rejoices in the right.  Charity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

CC1826 “If I ……(put your name here) have not charity,” says the Apostle, “I am nothing.” Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, “if I …..(put your name here) have not charity, I gain nothing.”  Love/Charity is superior to all the virtues.  It is the first of the theological virtues: “So faith, hope, charity abide, these three.  But the greatest of these is love/charity.”

Virtue of Love/Charity Day 3

 Pick a Christian virtue to grow in your life.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your meditation.

Reflect 10 minutes or so on that virtue.

Read something about that virtue; perhaps from the Catechism or a quote from one of the Saints.

At the end of the day ask; “How did I live this virtue today?”

Act; make a decision to implement a way to live out that virtue.

Continue this pattern for several days before moving on to another virtue.

Day 3  Virtue of Love/Charity

More Love

Lord, it is my chief complaint;

That my love is weak and faint;

Yet I love thee and adore,

Oh for grace to love thee more!

William Cowper

CC1825  Christ died out of love for us, while we were still “enemies”.  The Lord asks us to love as he does,  even our enemies, to make ourselves the neighbor of those farthest away, and to love children and the poor as Christ himself.

Finding Calm

"Live calmly and do not worry excessively, because in order to work more freely in us, the Holy Spirit needs tranquility and calm." ~St. Pio

I so agree with St. Pio…..and try to remember to stay calm, trust and wait on the Lord.  There are times when that is such a challenge and I am reminded to return to the quiet within…..remembering that I am a child of God, a child of the light.  

Today’s readings from 1 Thes 5 particularly 5 – For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. And 8 – But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope of salvation……  Our pastor reminded us that we must find that inner quiet and peace in struggles, remembering that we are Christ’s and He will always be there beside us. 

Day 6.....the 11th and 12th reasons to spend an hour with Jesus

11. Jesus will bless you, your family and the whole world for this hour of faith you spend with Him in the Blessed Sacrament.

“Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe…” “Faith can move mountains….”  “What is needed is trust…..”  “Behold I come to make all things new.” (Jn 20:29, Mk 11:23, Mk 5:36, Rev 21:5)

12. Each moment you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament brings you, pleasure, and delight to His Sacred Heart.

“My joy, My pleasure, My delight is to be with you.” (Prov 8:31)

Spend one hour.....you won't regret it.  

Reasons 9 & 10 to spend an hour with Jesus

Day 5 - Reason to spend and hour with Jesus

9. For Peace in our Country!

“When My people humble themselves and seek My Presence….I will revive their land.” (2Chr 7:14)

10. Each hour you spend with Jesus on earth will leave your soul everlastingly more beautiful and glorious in heaven.

“They who humble themselves shall be exalted…” “All of us, gazing on the Lord’s glory with unveiled faces, are being transformed from glory to glory into His very image.” (Lk 18:14, 2Cor 3:18)

Day 4 - Reasons to spend an hour with Jesus in Adoration

7. Jesus will give you all the Graces you need to be happy!.

“The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them.  He will lead them to the springs of the life giving water.” (Rev 7:17)

8. Jesus in infinitely deserving of our unceasing thanksgiving and adoration for all He has done for our salvation.

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive honor, glory and praise.” (Rev 5:12)

Aren't these sooooo cute????

Back To School Accessories
Added to AllToolsPrayerful
FREE SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM.....SEE MORE ABOUT THIS ITEM IN MY ETSY SHOP

I am a Child of God, Blue Drawstring Backpack, made of Polyester Cotton is perfect for lunches, gym clothes, small books, or toys for a visit to a friends house.
These are great for kiddos going back to school
Measures 10x15 H

STAND BY PINK FOR GIRLS IS ON THE WAY

Child of God Backpack by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

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Day Three - Reasons to visit Jesus in Adoration

    1.       Each moment that you spend in His Eucharistic Presence will increase His Divine Life within you      and deepen your personal relationship and friendship with Him.

“I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.” “I am the Vine and you are the branches. Whoever remain in Me and I in Him shall bear much fruit because without Me, you can do nothing.” (Jn15:5)

     2.       Each hour you spend with Jesus will deepen His Divine Peace in your heart.

“Come to Me all of you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you….” “Cast all of your anxieties upon the One who cares for you...” “My Peace is My Gift to you.” (Mt 11:28, 5:7, Jn 14:17)

Adoration - Day 2

A couple more Biblical reasons to visit Jesus...the one who loves us.

     1.     The specific way that Jesus asks you to love Him in return is to spend one quiet hour with Him in         the Blessed Sacrament.

“Where your treasure is, there is your heart.” “Could you not watch one hour with Me?” (Mt6:21, 26:40)

      2.     When you look upon the Sacred Host, you look upon Jesus, the Son of God.

“Indeed, this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.  Him I will raise up on the last day.”  (Jn 6:40)

Eucharistic Adoration

For the past 7 years, since our current Priest was assigned to our parish we have had Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  When I signed up for this I had no idea how close I would be to Jesus. Turns out some of my most profound times of feeling Jesus love and knowing that what I am hearing in my heart and mind are coming directly from the Holy Spirit; these times have been during Adoration.  This quiet time that I chose right in the middle of the week is something I wouldn’t miss for anything. I found a very interesting article which listed “Twelve Biblical Reasons For Wanting To Spend One Hour With Jesus In The Blessed Sacrament”…..I will list a couple each day. If you haven’t spent an hour in Adoration….I hope you can and will give it some thought…..if you love Jesus… this is a perfect way to be with Him who loves you.

1.        He is really there!

“I myself Am the Living Bread come down from Heaven.” (Jn 6:35)

2.         Day and night Jesus dwells in the Blessed Sacrament because of his infinite love for you!

“Behold I will be with you always even to the end of the world,” because “I have loved you with and everlasting love, and constant is My affection for you.” (Mt 28:20, Jer 31:3)

Mark you spot

Book markers from AllToolsPrayerful
I have just completed these six book-markers which feature Our Blessed Mother with "Virgin of Carmel" and "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" . One the back of Virgin of Carmel, is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and on the back of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, it says (I am sure) Pray for us....it is in a different language. The Crucifix on the end of the bookmark is very tiny. I tried to keep the end that would be inside the book very small so that any book this would be used in would not be damaged. THE MAUVE COLOR BOOKMARK ( 2ND FROM LEFT) IS NOT AVAILABLE. CAN BE RECREATED AT REQUEST.
These Book-markers average 7 inches to 8 1/2 inches.
When ordering specify with a number from left to right or specify a color. Also, if there is a specific Saint charm you would like to have a book-marker made from convo. me with that request.....I love special orders.

Read more (16 lines)

Bookmarkers with Our Blessed Mother by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

New Venus

My art is now available through Retail outlets: Deck the Walls, The Great FrameUp, Framing and Art Center, ShopForArt.com, and Earth Prints. Also through FAA and Pixels, T-Shirts are now available, along with Duvet Covers, Tote Bags, Shower Curtains, IPhone Covers, Throw Pillows, and as always prints and greeting cards. 

Trinidad California by Sharon Elliott

pixels.com

MT 13:54-58

Today's Gospel reading, for me, was another verification that Jesus did not have actual siblings; he was the only child in the Holy Family. Today's readings name some of his disciples as brothers. These disciples were not in his physical family, which verifies for me that whenever Jesus speaks of his brothers or sisters, He is speaking of all of humanity. There is another scripture where Jesus asks....."Who are my brothers, who is my mother?".....It is us.

Gift of Understanding

Today on Pinterest I saw the familiar pin “Catholics DO NOT worship Mary”….and I chuckled.  This topic comes up so often.  This lead my mind to wander to my feelings on how much openness we all need to have regarding the MYSTERIES of the church, and how we need to be open to deeper meaning of the readings and teaching given to us by the inspired writers of the Bible…..then that lead me to think about today’s readings (Thurs. July 23. 2015)  that I heard in morning mass, especially the gospel reading (MT 10:13-17), in which the disciples asked Jesus “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” Jesus pretty much explains that He does this because some will listen more deeply and will have more understanding and some won’t.  It is all gift…..however, how much effort do we put into learning and understanding these mysteries? How much do we ‘take it to the core or your being’….as Mother Theresa said many times.

I was asked recently, “Why is Eucharist so important to Catholics?”  For myself, and MANY Catholics…it is because we have taken the meaning of the readings from the Gospels to the core of our being. Jesus explains that “This is my Body, this is my Blood.  You cannot have life without it. These are hard readings to wrap ourselves around, perhaps, and many left Jesus after He said this…and many still do. We need to pray for those who struggle with faith or don’t have faith…..but we also need to pray for our own understanding and enthusiasm for understanding.  There is always going to be a learning curve. Praise God for the Gifts. 

Mount Carmel Feast Day

 Five scapulars with "Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, feast day July 16th. This is the feast of the Carmelites. The Order of Carmelites takes its name from Mount Carmel, which was the first place dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and where a capel was erected in her honor before her Assumption into heaven. July 16 is also the feast of the "Scapular or Mount Carmel". On that day in 1251, pious traditions says, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock, General of the Carmelites and Cambridge, England, showed him the scapular and promised supernatural favors and her special protection to his Order and to all persons who would wear her scapular.

Prayer of the Scapular - Lord, let the motherly prayer of the glorious Virgin Mary come to our help. Through her support help us to reach the true mount which is Christ. Amen

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Our Lady of Mt. Carmel by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patronal feast of the Carmelites. The Order of Carmelites takes its name from Mount Carmel, which was the first place dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and where a chapel was erected in her honor before her Assumption into heaven.

July 16 is also the feast of the Scapular of Mount Carmen. On that day in 1251, pious tradition says, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St Simon Stock, General of the Carmelites at Cambridge, England, showed him the scapular and promised supernatural favors and her special protection to his Order and to all persons who would wear her scapular.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chaplet by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

All That We Love Deeply

New to SEImagesonline

All That We Love by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

Travel Enticements

Kootenai Lake near Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort

Beautiful British Columbia by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

A new creation on AllToolsPrayerful

I was busy this past weekend

Blue Leaf Necklace and Bracelet by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

Lot's Wife question

I was sitting in Mass a few days ago and listening, as I do, something struck me.  I don't know why I wonder this......but I do.
Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of Salt when she looked back at Sodom burning.....I know why she was turned in to a pillar of salt.....I just wonder what the significance of Salt is.....or even if there is a significance.
I read one idea from somewhere on-line that the Hebrew word for Salt is, Melach or Malach which means to disappear.......HHHHMMMM
Anyone have any thoughts on this?????

Jacob's or Job's Tears - Which is it?

One of my favorite new pieces.....AllToolsPrayerful

Blue Jacob's Tears Necklace by AllToolsPrayerful on Etsy

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Love this land we live in

Happy 4th of July

Patriot Bear by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

Psalm 150:6

Something I was playing with last night.  

Psalm 150 by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

Light, Strength, Peace, Love

Three new pieces on SEImagesonline

Light Strength Peace Love by Sharon Elliott

fineartamerica.com

New Products from AllToolsPrayerful

Blue One Decade Rosary with Antique Cross and by AllToolsPrayerful

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