The Healing Power of a Song
Music is from the Greek word mousikē, meaning an art presided over by the Muses. Webster’s International Dictionary defines music as the science or art of incorporating pleasing, expressive, or intelligible combinations of vocal or instrumental tones into a composition having definite structure and continuity. This definition is quite generic and static, not nearly expressing the multi-faceted and prolific nature of music. Words cannot adequately convey its boundless qualities. Being many things to most individuals, for some it can provide enjoyment, stir emotion, heighten romance, energize the body, document history, be a catalyst for change, strengthen social cohesion, or be a religious expression of worship.
Less Stuff, More Peace - Part 2
In my previous post, Part 1 of “Less Stuff, More Peace,” we looked at ideas surrounding minimalism in possessions and home decor and creating a less cluttered life. This mindset promotes a life that is lived intentionally, purposefully, and spiritually. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. (1 Corinthians 14:33 NLT) Decluttering our lives reduces visual noise, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere. This is the concept of “house hushing” or “quieting the house.” For more on these ideas, see Part 1. In Part 2, we are looking at methods and suggestions for implementing this in your home and life.
Less Stuff, More Peace - Part 1
As a follow-up to “A Time to Clean,” this is the first of a two-part series on organizing and decluttering. As I said previously, Spring cleaning is not necessarily decluttering. Decluttering is something to do on a regular, ongoing basis. This first part will discuss minimalism and “house hushing.” “House hushing” or “quieting the house” involves minimizing visual noise, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. (1 Corinthians 14:33 NLT) God’s character promotes peace and harmony, order and stability, and lack of chaos.
A Time To Clean
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) And sometimes in the Spring season, our purpose is Spring cleaning our homes. As a reflection of the Passover tradition, Spring cleaning represents a transition from winter dormancy into the newness of life. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. (Exodus 12:15) In preparation for Passover, homes were thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of leavening.
Practicing Discernment with Digital Media
In this fast-paced world of digital media, false information spreads at unprecedented speeds. Also driven by sensationalism, interest in conspiracy theories, and people's inability or unwillingness to search out the truth, false stories have a tendency to spread faster than real ones. We need to learn to be responsible consumers and sharers of information. The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. (Proverbs 18:15 NIV) Social Media has become a hot-bed for perpetuating false information. Much of this information is created with the intention to mislead and deceive. Before clicking “share,” we need to take pause and verify the validity of the information, so we don’t become part of the problem. You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. (Exodus 23:1)
Meals Ministry Model
I had been looking for ways to get more involved at my church. One evening during a women’s Bible study, our pastor’s wife said that they were looking to start our meals ministry again and she was looking for a few people to head it up. I immediately volunteered. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10) I had participated in this ministry a number of years ago and knew right away that this was a good place for me. Ideas quickly popped into mind. Having participated previously as a meal provider, I was cognisant of things that had been hindrances for me. I wanted to have established procedures and make things as streamlined as possible.
Pet Prep 101
It’s been a bit since I posted. My computer has been out of commission. I thought that I had completely prepared for the new pet that I had brought into my home. A minute of being lax, created an opportunity for damage. I finished using my computer and set it on the coffee table…half on and half off. My computer became a spring-board for my new cat, Cameo. The screen was shattered. So here I am, talking about preparing for a new pet.
Christian Meditation
Meditate comes from the Latin word, metitat, meaning “contemplated.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines meditate as: engage in contemplation or reflection or to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. We most commonly think of Eastern meditation which is based in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. However Christian Meditation has existed for a very long time, reaching back to the earliest days of the Church. Jesus modelled this for us by frequently retreating to solitary, quiet places for prayerful reflection. Early Christian meditation was part of Jewish prayer practices of meditating on Scripture. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, the Desert Fathers and Mothers focused on silent prayer and continual remembrance of God. Medieval Monasticism involved structured reading of Scripture, prayer, meditation, and contemplation. Known by a number of names including contemplative prayer, centering prayer, and The Jesus Prayer, Christian meditation is still practiced to this day.
Tightening the Belt on Take-out
In a previous post, Mindful Money Matters on 1/9/2026, I discussed a variety of ways to reign in expenses in the new year and provided many resources. In that post, I also briefly addressed becoming aware of how much money we are spending on take-out and fast food. We often feed our family in this way when our time is limited. Work schedules and children’s activities tend to dictate a hectic pace. As promised, I am circling back with some suggestions for reducing our reliance on fast food and strategies for having more home-made, quick and easy options for feeding the family. She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. (Proverbs 31:15) In the following verse, the Apostle Paul emphasizes that caring for one’s family, especially in providing necessities, is a basic Christian responsibility. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8) The Bible also dictates that we are responsible managers of God-given blessings. There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. (Proverbs 21:20) Wise people are good stewards, saving resources like "choice food and oil," while foolish people squander everything on immediate pleasure. The following provides suggestions for being good stewards of our money and still feeding our families well.
Why Me?
Yesterday, I got to work and started to unpack things from my bag, just as I normally do. I pulled out my big, insulated water bottle and held it against my body to leave my hands free. I quickly discovered that I had grapefruit juice down the front of my light colored top. Why me? Packing my lunch the night prior, I put some grapefruit slices in a container. I strained them and the container had a rubber gasket in the lid and four tightly snapped clasps. I thought about putting it in a ziploc baggie as I usually do, but thought, “It’s never leaked before.” I further discovered grapefruit juice in the bottom of my brand new bag that I had just gotten as a gift for Christmas. I went about cleaning up my bag and my shirt, but when I opened up my insulated lunch pouch to clean it up, it was dry. Huh? How did that happen?!? How did it leak in my bag and get on my shirt and not even wet the pouch it was in? The closest I can guess is that the spot that leaked from the container was perfectly aligned with the corner of the zipper on the pouch and dripped through it without wetting the pouch. I could not do that if I tried!
Mindful Money Matters
As much as we dislike to think on these matters, now is the best time to set some financial goals. Whether you wish to get out of debt or save for retirement, it is essential to take an intentional approach. Consider your daily behaviors; staying present and mindful, not acting out of habit or lack of impulse control. Your spending behaviors must align with your long term goals. Prioritizing your financial goals will also have the added benefit of peace-of-mind. It is important to create a written spending plan. I have heard it recommended to use the 50-30-20 rule. Spend 50 percent of your income on necessities, 30 percent on wants, and 20 percent on savings and debt reduction. Depending on your income, age, values, and specific goals, you may need to adjust these numbers a little more conservatively. And of utmost importance, be clear on what is a want and what is a true need.
Begin Anew
A study by Statista shows that in the United States, the top ten New Year's resolutions in 2025 included: to exercise more, save more money, eat healthier, spend more time with family and friends, lose weight, do more for the environment, improve performance on the job, reduce stress on the job, spend less time on social media, and quit smoking.¹ Pretty much what you expected, right? They are all good and noble things to do and I’m sure that any of them may have a positive impact on your life. However, another study by DriveResearch, indicates that only eight percent of those who make resolutions will follow through on them and 23% quit by the end of the first week.²
Freshening Up a Bit
These days, I live alone in my little house. I love it! Don’t get me wrong. My adorable little house provides everything I need. However, I had decided that I wasn’t going to put up my tree this year. My thought process went kind of like this: It’s too much of a struggle to get it out of the basement. It takes up too much space in the house. It’s just me. No one else will probably even see it. It will look the same as it does every year. Then it struck me that maybe I just needed to freshen up my decorations. I started with a new tree that is easier for me to handle. Then I found a ribbon on Etsy that is gorgeous and paired some new ornaments with the ribbon. I am so happy with the outcome. Along the way, I was reminded that it’s not about me, or my house, or the tree that I put up. It’s about the King who came into this world as a baby and died on the cross to pay for all of my sins. It’s all about Him and celebrating His joyous birth. I just needed to do a little house cleaning and putting things in the proper place. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) A little freshening up never hurt anyone.
The Ultimate Gift
Have you ever considered why we give gifts at Christmas? Thanksgiving is done and the shopping commences. “It’s just what we always do.” Stop and take a moment to recognize and treasure The Ultimate Gift. For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17) As the Wise Men brought gifts to honor Jesus, they established a precedent for giving gifts in honor of Him. In doing so, we remember God’s ultimate gift to humanity, His only begotten Son.
The Bounty of Hospitality
By now, most are deeply embroiled in decorating, assembling of presents, baking of cookies, and all of the merrymaking (and sometimes entrapments) of the holiday season. Many have longstanding Christmas traditions and others are just starting to make new ones. In any case, hospitality will be practiced in many ways. You may be hosting the main family Christmas Day meal, preparing Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, having relatives staying with you from out of town, or just having your book club over for an afternoon tea and gift exchange.
Starting Simply, Living Fully
As this is my first post on my new blog, I would like to provide an overview of where I see this going and a glimpse into how I try to live my life. But let’s start by defining Unpretentious Abundance. Unpretentious - not pretentious; free from ostentation, pomp, elegance, or affectation; modest. Abundance - a great quantity, overflowing fullness, plentiful supply of means or resources. Unpretentious Abundance sounds very much like an oxymoron…and it is. It is because Unpretentious Abundance is about living a life of balance. Over my lifetime, I have experienced times of financial poverty, as well as times of financial wealth. But what I have learned about myself is that I want the least that I need to be comfortable and happy. The more you have, the more you have to take care of. I don’t like feeling burdened by “stuff.” At times, my posts may reflect a minimalist slant. However, I do feel that I truly live abundantly.