The Little Flower

"At last I have found my vocation, my vocation is Love!"

                            -St. Therese of Lisieux

Millions of Catholics all over the world know and love St.Thérèse of Lisieux. I am one of the devoted and when we decided to drive to Paris to meet Eric and Ellen, I told Ryan it was my deepest wish to make a pilgrimage to Lisieux to personally thank her for always helping me along my faith journey, most especially since moving abroad and asking for her intercession. This may seem foreign to some to pray to someone who is not God, nor his Son Jesus, who is the one and only mediator between God and Man. However, the Church teaches that just as we would ask a family member or close friend for their prayers, we can also call upon the saints in heaven who lived examplary lives of holiness and devotion while on earth.

I was first introduced to Thérèse many years ago during a very difficult time in my life. Although I was not a Catholic,  I was on my way to a deep conversion. I was the same age as Thérèse when she died of tuburculosis in the Carmel convent in Lisieux when I mysteriously contracted a virus that entered my digestive system leaving me weak, nauseous and unable to eat. I had up to that point never really experienced suffering before and did not understand why it was happening nor how to cope with my situation. It was at this dark moment that our good friend Tom placed a copy of Story of a Soul into my hands. After reading her memoir, I was immediately taken in by this young, Carmelite nun whose ordinary life became extraordinary after submitting her will completely over to Jesus and finding her vocation to love and embrace suffering.

I was captivated by her "little way" - which encompasses giving over our own will, and making small sacrifices that only God can see. It is seeking out holiness in the ordinary and everyday life. Through her little way, Thérèse trusted completely in God's providence and came to understand that one must become like a child in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For me, it puts holiness in reach, even for someone like myself who sometimes feels like a hopeless case!

I took Thérèse as my Confirmation name when I entered the Catholic Church in the Jubilee Year 2000 and her picture has been on my nightstand and on my desk at work ever since. In her I see what is possible - to become a Saint! I am encouraged by Thérèse as I face the joys and sorrows of life and know that holiness cannot be acheived by anything we ourselves accomplish, but only through the graciousness of God's love. I have learned too that suffering may be a gift in disguise - through it we often become more dependant on the One who has written his name on our hearts.

I know I received many graces after making this pilgrimage. After asking for her prayers back in December, I told her I would make my way to the Basilica built in her honour in Lisieux somehow to thank her for her little gifts should she wish to grant them. I am deeply grateful that this dream was fulfilled and will continue to share with others my love and devotion of "The Little Flower."

Basilica of St. Thérèse, Lisieux, France.

Dome of the Basilica built for St. Thérèse in Lisieux.

Shrine to St. Thérèse  in the Crypt of the Basilica.

 

Replica of the statue Our Lady of the Smile which healed Thérèse as a child.

Carmel Monastery where St. Thérèse  found her vocation and lived as a cloistered nun until her death.

Crucifix and crown given to St. Thérèse on the day of her final Profession.

St. Thérèse's Carmelite habit.

“When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens, I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.” 

                                - St. Thérèse, The Little Flower

 

 

Cartes Postales de Paris

After a rather long hiatus, I figured I needed to start writing again more regularly. Things have been a bit hectic for both of us - me with my new job and Ryan ever-busy with new projects, but as I love to write and find it relaxing, I will make a more conserted effort to keep the blog more up-to-date. It has been a great few weeks with visits from fantastic friends and even a little bit of good weather. I have to admit, though, I am a bit homesick. We would have been home for a visit right now. Our flight was booked, but with everything going on we just didn't feel it was the best timing. Instead, we are coming to Seattle in June. More on that to come...

One of the main reasons we decided to move to Europe was the amazing opportunity we'd have to take short getaways to other destinations. Afterall, the whole mainland of Europe is smaller than the U.S. Our good friends, Eric and Ellen, came a very long way to see Europe and visit us, so we decided to meet in Paris for a long weekend. Ryan and I drove from The Hague to Paris in just a few hours to meet them. Door to door it was shorter than driving across Washington State to say Spokane. When's the last time that I was able to say that I drove to France?

I do love Paris. Even if it is atrociously expensive and not as well kept as it deserves to be (sadly I found it a bit dirty), the cathedrals, beautiful architecture, baguettes and cheese, and of course one of my favourite landmarks, the Eiffel Tower, make up for it! We rented an adorable apartment in the city where we enjoyed Ryan's culinary expertise and lots of French wine. We walked all over the city, rode the Metro and only got lost a few times. Highlights of the trip for me: reuniting with Eric and Ellen, attending Mass at the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, French onion soup and the best cappuccino I've ever consumed in Montmarte, the smell of Paris rain, the view from the Eiffel tower at night, French bubbly, and our visit to the small town of Lisieux (I will write a separate blog on this special pilgrimage).

Here are some postcards of our fabulous getaway to Paris. And since it's only 3 and a half hours away, it's likely we'll be back again.

 

 

 

 

Citizen of the World

The Hague is known for being a highly international city. Home to the International Court of Justice (the Peace Palace), the International Criminal Court, Europol, aka the European law enforcement, and the headquarters of the largest corporation in the world, Shell Oil, the city of peace and justice, as it is appropriately named, welcomes thousands of expats to its doorstep each year. The population of The Hague is approximately 500,000, plus two if you count Ryan and I, with a whopping 49% of the population representing non-Dutch nationalities. Ask any Dutch resident about The Hague and they will tell you that it truly is a culturally diverse and unique place to live, one that I believe cannot really be duplicated.

I recently landed a new job working for an international education non-profit organization. The organization has three global centres, the one I work at in The Hague, one in Asia and one in the U.S., as well as three other offices with employees working across the globe. There are over 30 different nationalities represented in the office I work in alone. I must say it has really been an eye-opening experience for me to be working alongside individuals from so many different backgrounds, cultures and countries. So far I have met great colleagues from the U.K., Spain, Hong Kong, France, South Africa, Ghana, Australia, Czech Repulic, the Netherlands and Iceland. I have often thought to myself where else would I have ever had this opportunity? How much there is for me to learn and take away from this experience.

We have also joined the only English speaking Roman Catholic Church in the city. Given that Masses are said primarily in English, the parish is attended by people from around the globe who are living and working in Holland. Some are here for only a few years, while others plan to be here for a much longer duration. Each person who steps into our new church home brings with them their own customs and style of worship. This was most beautifully displayed at our priest's Silver Jubilee Celebration. Just a few weeks after our arrival, Fr. Sjaak, our Dutch priest, celebrated his 25th anniverary to the priesthood, where there were Indonesian dancers, African drums, Spanish musicians, and scripture readings in multiple languages. We have joined several groups in the parish and have met some amazing people, all with their own stories and unique perceptions of the world.

Although I am an American and am grateful that it is my country of origin, I am excited for the opportunity to see the world through another lens, and become a global citizen. If you think about it, we are really one nation, with one citizenship in the City of God. He has created us differently so that we may learn from one another and grow in Christ's love. God is stretching me to put my prejudices and prenotions of others aside and really embrace those around me. The more I do this, the more joy I am given with each new person I meet.

The world is definitely much larger than I ever realized, and God's greatness even larger. I know now that had we never decided to leave the comforts of our familiar surroundings, and stepped out in faith, this blessing would have passed us by with the special gift to become a citizen of the world.

Winter Landscape



Winter Landscape with Iceskaters by Hendrick Avercamp (c. 1608)

Avercamp's famous painting "Winter Landscape with Iceskaters" is on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. I was fortunate to view the original with my mom back in December and admired the detail and realism with which the artist depicts a snowy scene in Holland hudreds of years ago. If you look closely you can see all of the different mini scenes happening in the painting, people working, skating, sledding, falling, and there is even a bare bottom and a man urinating! (which I cannot find, can you?). This pastime of taking to the ice on a cold winter day is as true today as it was during the Golden Age when this masterpiece was created. I was not aware of this tradition when I laid eyes on the painting above, but I have since had an up close glimpse of how the Dutch enjoy the cold weather.

This past week temperatures have plummeted below freezing, with the average being around -7 C (20 degrees Fahrenheit). Imagine this after we've been experiencing one of the mildest winters that the Dutch can remember! The bulbs were beginning to poke their delicate faces above ground and we even saw some cherry blossom trees in January coming to bloom (I hate to know their fate!), but alas, the freezing weather has finally arrived and we got our first snowfall this Friday. I watched the puffy white flakes fall from the sky out the window of my office building, and I have to admit, I was excited with the realization that we were actually going to experience what I have read about and seen in classic Dutch winterscapes.

Supposedly this is not at all common, at least in recent years. In fact, up until just a few years ago the southern region of of the Netherlands had not seen temperatures this low. The Dutch follow the weather reports diligently in order to ascertain whether or not the canals and small lakes nearby are frozen to a sufficient depth and are safe enough to step foot on. My boss at work told me we should definitely check it out as it would remind us of us scenes like "Winter Landscape."

We decided to take our corgi out for a walk to discover for ourselves what was happening just outside our warm apartment. Although it has been a bit challenging maneuvering around with our daily activities, it is nothing compared to home with the flat roads, immediate sanding, and short distances that we need to travel. I hope you enjoy these snapshots of the winter landscape here in The Hague. I know we have!

The Binnenhof and the Hofvijver (large pond in front) frozen over



On the weekend everyone took to the ice!





Creating a mini ice rink on the frozen pond.





The ducks just "chillin"

Snow corgi! Somebody loooves the white powder.

Postcards from Brussels

On a whim the day after Christmas, aka Boxing Day, we all decided to pile in the car and take an adventure to Brussels. Ryan decided that I needed some driving practice, so I took the wheel and drove us all the way to Belgium. It was a nice drive, listening to Christmas music and chatting as we passed quickly from one country to another. This is the really amazing part about living in Europe - you can be in a completely different country within a few short hours!

Belgium is split into two parts, the Dutch speaking Flanders in the north and the French speaking Wallonia to the south. The dual cultures and politics of this rather small country are a bit controversial, as the two do not always agree on how to conduct business. Although Brussels technically falls within the northern border, we primarily heard French being spoken. I immediately took to this city, I think mainly due to its very French feel; it was a bit reminiscent of Paris, one of my all time favourite cities in the world.

Belgium is known for many things, some of which happen to be very appreciated by us. Belgian beer, for example, is a favourite of Ryan's, and I too have learned to enjoy the immense variety of flavours and styles, many of which are not available in the States. Then of course there is Belgian chocolate. I read that over 172,000 tons of chocolate is produced in the country with more than 2,000 local shops selling these amazing creations. Belgium is also infamous for their cuisine, preparing dishes with fresh local seafood and produce with a French flair. We walked down a winding alley street lined with restaurants artisically displaying their catch of the day in ice.

We sampled some delicious Belgian beers in one of the many cafes lining the Grand Palace and visited a small family owned chocolatier with a sweet French woman telling us which pieces were the most prized and gave us each a free sample. My mom purchased us all a few individual pieces and also a delectable box to take back home. We ended our tour de Brussels with my favourite food, and many of my friends can guess what that is. Why frites of course! Yes, the Belgians are crazy about their frites and so I have to say I love the Belgians. They sell these crispy classics at little outdoor stands serving them in cones with mayo and little plastic forks - so you can reach the last few at the bottom of the cone!

I didn't get too many pictures that day, but I'll share some of the shots I took. These "postcards" would definitely say, "Belgium, I can't wait to come visit again. See you soon! Très magnifique!"

The Grand Palace square of Brussels

Le Renard (the fox) dating back to the 1690's

Cathedrale Sts-Michel-et-Gudule - reminded us a bit of Notre Dame

Winding alley where restaurants show off their offerings

Fresh shellfish displayed over ice

Our Belgian beers, each served in their own fancy glass

Frites stand!

The Hiding Place

"This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see."

                                       - Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

One of my favourite traditions when traveling to a new place is to visit the home of an author. Some of the residences I have had the privilege to step foot inside of include Jane Austen in Chawton, England, Victor Hugo in Paris, C.S. Lewis in Oxford, John Keats in London and Karol Wojtyla (John Paul II) in Wadowice, Poland.

About two months ago, I decided to pick up a book that has been on my reading list for quite some time. It is a book that my mom has often referenced over the years, one that she said I should definitely take the time to read, a real gem. I decided to finally read this book since I was moving to Holland, the homeland of this infamous writer. The book is called The Hiding Place and was written by Corrie ten Boom. Before leaving the States, my mom and I decided we'd read it at the same time; she hadn't read it since when it was first published, and it would be my first encounter with this amazing memoir. The only foreknowledge I had was that it was a true story of woman who saved Jews during the German occupation of the Netherlands during WWII.

I know that I was supposed to read this, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. They are many lessons to be learned from this book, not just about war, sacrifice and hardship, but about trust, abandoning the will, and the greatest of all, love. I did some research on the internet and found out that the Beje, the home of Corrie and her family, is now a museum open to the public in Haarlem, not more than an hour drive from where we live in The Hague. I told my mom that we must do this while she was here! Ryan drove us to Haarlem and we received a very personal and special tour of the ten Boom home. Our tour guide, a devout Christian from New Zealand, was absolutely delightful. He was excited to know that my mom had the opportunity to see Corrie ten Boom speak TWICE, once in college, and another time at a Christian event. At the end of the tour, I was asked to read a poem that Corrie often used when she spoke around the world spreading the message of God's love and victory. I definitely felt her with me.

One of my favorite lines in the book is when Casper ten Boom, Corrie's father, gives out his loving advice through simple, yet very concrete images for his daughter to understand - something that Corrie herself learns to do later in an extraordinary way.

"Corrie," he began gently, "when you and I go to Amsterdam - when do I give you your ticket?"

"Why, just before we get on the train."

"Exactly" And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes...you will look into your heart and find the strength you need - just in time."

Truly an incredibly woman, not of her own making, but of Christ's. Even Ryan, who rarely says much when I take him to places like this, looked around at the newspaper clippings, writings and tributes to Corrie's life and whispered to me, "I think she is the closest thing I've ever seen to a Protestant Saint." Indeed! If you have yet to read this book, I recommend that you do, it will change you, without a doubt.

The Beje, home of the ten Boom family

The Hiding Place - a small room inside of Corrie's bedroom which saved four Jews
after the Beje was raided by the Nazis

Me on the roof of the Beje in Harlaam



The Alpina watch sign in the window which served as a secret signal
to let the "underground" workers know it was safe to enter



New Years Resolutions

I have never been one to make News Years resolutions. Not sure exactly why, but they have never really enticed me to make a radical change in my life, soon to be broken by not following through once January has passed. I hadn't any intention of making a resolution of any kind. However, at Mass this past Sunday, our priest focused his homily on making time for rest and quiet in this new year, amidst our hectic and hurried lives. He said he was going to make a resolution to spend one quiet hour a week, which he realized was not a great commitment - but he said he was going to start small and not give himself too heavy of a goal that he could not reach. Even God took a full day of rest after creating the heavens and the earth. We, too, need to take this seriously.

This really got me pondering how much quiet time I set aside during any given week for God. I do not mean praying or talking to God, as I do this regularly (especially lately). I mean just simply being in God's presence, quieting oneself and really listening to what it is He is trying to tell me. I am not even sure how to do this. My mom and I were actually talking about this very thing while she was here. Coincidence? I think not. I told her that I don't understand how to be still in contemplation and focus on one word or one prayer or even let go of the thoughts that creep in when I attempt to be "silent." Perhaps I am thinking about this too hard. Perhaps it's simplier that I realize. Perhaps I just need to spend time with Him, and he will help me with rest.

We sang a song in Church on Sunday night, appropriately titled New Year. I had never heard it before, but I found the words speaking to me. With some premonition not my own, I started carrying a small notepad in my purse. I pulled it out in the middle of church and scrawled down the lyrics. I think I needed them as a reminder that God is outside of space and time, makes all things new, brings forth change, and does not fashion fear or doubt.  As I enter this new year, it is my resoultion to take some time each week to usher in silence, to fend off my cluttered and often anxious thoughts, and just simply be with God. It may take some practice, but I know it will change me and help me display the face of His Kingdom.


                                         New Year - by John Bell and Graham Maule

The God of all eternity unbound by space yet always near, is present where his people meet to celebrate the coming year.

What shall we offer God today - our dreams of what we cannot see, or, with eyes fastened to the past, our dread of what is yet to be?

God does not share our doubts and fears, nor shrinks from the unknown or strange: who fashioned heaven and earth makes all things new and ushers change.

Let faith or fortune rise or fall, let dreams and dread both have their day; those who God loves walk unafraid, With Christ their guide and Christ their way.

God grant that we, in this new year, may show the world the Kingdom's face, and let our work and worship thrive as signs of hope and means of grace.