Less is More

Hi, on this page I will be sharing, reviewing, and recommending resources for children’s, family, and all-age, church-based work. I love to explore and discover new ideas, and creative ways of supporting this fantastic ministry. It’s such a privilege to serve the church and to help make worship meaningful and fun for children and families. I hope you’ll find my ideas and recommendations helpful. 

We normally opt for a real evergreen Christmas tree each year but this time we’ve gone minimalist! Perhaps I was just being lazy, but it seemed to make more sense to buy one of those pretty little jewelled ones with sparkly leaves and bright white lights. For a start it does not take up much room, costs very little to buy, is economic on electricity and should last us several years. It actually looks very pretty in the dark and I am looking forward to not clearing up pine needles in January.

I also love to create my own table decorations using plants, shrubs and herbs from our garden. Many people think winter is a time when there is not much colour in the garden, but I actually love all the different shades of green. Again, it costs hardly anything to make a simple plant arrangement with ivy, a few branches of greenery, delicious smelling herbs, and a plain white candle. It all looks so natural and reminds me that we serve such a creative God.

I think many of us will be cutting back this year not least to save on fuel costs, but I am also aware of how little others will have this Christmas, especially in places such as war torn Ukraine. I usually buy charity Christmas cards and would rather donate to good causes to support others than to overindulge in food and presents we don’t really need. Besides, when you get to our age there is very little that we actually need in life. I believe that the more we cut back the more we appreciate what we have. I have a good friend in the Cathedral who often quotes – ‘less is more!’ So my aim this Christmas is to make life less stressful, by keeping it simple, so I can enjoy more, the true meaning of Christmas.

Matthew 6 tells us: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

I also believe in counting our blessings, so why not sit down and make a list of all the important things in your life that you are grateful to God for, and praise Him for all He has blessed us with.

LET US PRAY

A Simple Prayer of Gratitude

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused on you and make my spirit soar.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You protect me from those things that seem to haunt others. You help me make better choices and provide me with advisors to help me with life’s difficult decisions. You speak to me in so many ways so that I always know you are here.

And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved. I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.

I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind me of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.

Thank you, Lord.

Taken from: https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/

RESOURCES

Follow the Star Resources

Bible Reading Fellowship – Enabling All Ages to Grow in Faith

Help Foodbanks this Winter