Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery-Conyers, Ga.

Notice the Wise Men are not here...this photo was taken before Epiphany!

After Epiphany, here are the Wise Men, notice they are carefully positioned in adoration.

This is the balcony of the church. Concrete walls, stained glass, wooden benches-all made by the monks..

I wonder if any of the movie stars filming in Rockdale County right now have any idea how close they are to a Trappist Monastery? You may find the monastery website here.  When the Monastery was being built in the 1940's, this area really was out in the middle of nowhere.  I love the story of the monks sending a sample of the soil to the monastery up in Kentucky (where they came from) and asking them what could the soil be good for...the one word answer that came back to them...bricks!


One of the monks writes for our local paper, and when Amy Winehouse died, he wrote an article at how surprised he was by the cruelty of the writing on the Internet after her death.  I found it for you and you may read it here.
The following prayer is attributed to St. Francis and has always been a favorite of mine, and I hope of yours too.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

I wish more would join the Monastery.  John from his blog, Reflections, just did a post recently wishing that more would join a monastery.  It is a funny post but also very accurate.  You may see his post here.   

Thanks to all who have become my new followers.  The winter is always a bit of a challenge for me. Hopefully, I will have more time to read all your lovely blogs and leave my words of wisdom with you.  Take care, Spring will come soon!  "Now The Green Blade Riseth" is one of my favorite songs...