A Niche for Our Blessed Mother

When we first started dreaming about remodeling our cottage by the sea, I knew I wanted a special home for one of my figures of The Blessed Virgin.  I have many figurines and images of Her.  I keep them because just like photos of my kids, my family, my friends, they remind me of her.  They bring her to the front of my mind.  Statues of Our Lady are beautiful in whatever form she may take and artists have depicted her in her various and beautiful ways.  This is one of my favorites.

We built or Blessed Mother a niche in the stair well of the cottage.  

We tried it out for size and she fit just perfectly there.  She moved with us as we gypsied our way through the next 11 months.  She waited very patiently until her niche was completed and we brought her home.

During the wait, I decided I wasn't happy with the way the artist painted her cloak.  There was a lot of gold leaf and some jewels of red and green.

A little green board, drywall and mud, some electric wires run for lighting her niche was done. 

As you can see, I softened up her cloak with muted blues and got rid of the gold leaf.  I also painted over the red and green jewels and made her  softer with white and then lightly shaded the whole thing.  Now I feel that she looks more as I picture her.  A gentle mother, not bejeweled but humble instead,  and holding her son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in her loving arms.  

A million times a day, as I fly up and down the stairs, or even from the view I have of her and her son from my family room, dining room and kitchen, I remember the most important lesson she taught us all.

Always, say YES to God.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Hail Mary,

Full of Grace,

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Many blessings dear friends,

Tia