The lovliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the love of a mother. (St. Therese of Lisieux)

This time of the year, we celebrate so many of my favorite saint feast days. This week in particular there are multiple great ones, including the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux. She’s famous for her “little way” which is a model for us all in our everyday lives. As I noticed tomorrow is the birthday of one of the most lovely women of God I know, thinking of Michelle Welsh has me contemplating what a great contemporary example she is of this concept.

Michelle seeks holiness in the ordinary and everyday, like St. Therese, who used every small opportunity that presented itself as a ways to manifest her love to God and others. Therese didn’t care if she was assigned to be a sacristan in the convent or they put her in charge of the laundry, or asked her to write plays to entertain her fellow nuns. She tried to show her love to all people no matter how easy to get along with or difficult. It sounds so routine and ordinary, but it was based on a loving commitment to God. This is how I have always seen Michelle Welsh.

Michelle is a plain spoken, sunny and faith-filled mother to Sam, Riley, Megan, Nina and Ellery as well as the wife to a phenomenal man named Chris. She goes out of her way to be friendly and thoughtful…and she’s generous with her time and talent at her parish of St. Louis de Montfort in Fishers. I’ve noticed her supportive and loving way of interacting with her children over the years. It’s beautiful and filled with light and humor too! Also? She’s a Boilermaker fan who seeks out other folks who bleed black and gold when she can’t use her basketball tickets, and I am a BIG FAN of that, ha?!

Helpful to others, Michelle goes out of her way to make a difference. Her children have watched the way she chooses to interact in the world and they are respectful, faithful and kind like JUST LIKE HER as a result. Articulate and hard-working, Michelle seems to live out her days in a grateful way, because when I have been around her, she allows love and positivity to be the statement she makes about herself and what she’s doing with her day.

As Michelle Welsh celebrates her (50th, I think?) birthday tomorrow (10/4), I just wanted to give this beautiful momma with the lovely soul a little shout out and let her know that her example of goodness motivates me to work toward the same with my life! THANKS MICHELLE, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!