Homemaking Monday's In May: The Theology of Homemaking:A Four Part Formation SeriesWeek One - Homemaking Is Not Small Work

I used to think homemaking felt small because it was small.

Small tasks.
Small moments.
Small, ordinary days that seemed to blur together.

But I’ve been slowly realizing, it isn’t small, it’s just hidden.

The world has trained us to measure significance by what can be seen, applauded, or scaled. But the Kingdom of God has always worked differently.

Jesus spent thirty years in obscurity before anyone called His name.

Most of what God does in a life happens where no one else is looking.And somehow, that includes this life too.

The folding.
The wiping.
The returning things back to order over and over again.

None of it feels like it’s “moving anything forward.”

But Scripture quietly tells a different story:

“What you do matters—not because it is seen, 
but because it is done unto Him.” 

- COLOSSIONS 3:23–24

There is nothing insignificant about faithfulness.

Nothing wasted about a life poured out in quiet obedience.

Maybe the problem isn’t that homemaking is small…maybe it’s that we’ve only learned how to recognize what is loud. And this life—this home—it speaks in a much quieter way.

But God hears it.

Every single part of it.

And maybe this is where the shift begins.

Not in changing what you’re doing…but in learning to see it differently.

Because if this work isn’t small, if it actually holds weight in the Kingdom—then the question becomes:

What is God doing in you through it?

What is being shaped in the quiet repetition of your days?

I’m starting to realize…

the hiddenness isn’t just about where this work happens.It’s about what it’s producing.

And that changes everything.

(We’ll talk about that next.)

If you’d like to explore this more deeply, these are a few books that have quietly shaped how I see this life:

The Hidden Art of Homemaking
this one reframes creativity and beauty inside the home in a way that feels both freeing and grounding.

Liturgy of the Ordinary
it helped me see how God meets us in the most repetitive, everyday moments.

The Life We’re Looking For
this one gently pulls your attention back to presence, especially in a distracted world.

Adorned
a reminder that the way we live inside our homes carries a kind of quiet, discipling influence.

None of them are loud.

But all of them will gently change how you see what you’re already doing.

❊

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Small Things - First Saturday in May 2026

Oregon grapes. I don't remember when or where I took this picture, 

it just showed up in memories on Facebook today. :)

 "Life is not, for most of us, a pageant of splendor, but is made up of many small things, rather like an old-fashioned piecework quilt. No two people have the same, but we all have our own, whether it be listening to Beethoven's fifth with a beloved friend, or seeing a neighbor at the back door with a basket of white dahlias. Or after a long, hard day, having the family say, "That was a good supper."

- GLADYS TABER

In no particular order, here are six things that inspired me this week.

❊ Grace Filled Homemaking

Focus: from-scratch cooking, natural living, homemaking rhythms
Blends: homesteading + spiritual formation

Emphasis on peaceful, Christ-centered home life

It’s deeply aligned with intentional + seasonal living, encouraging women to “cultivate peace, purpose, and joy” in their homes.

❊ The Hearty Homemaker Podcast

Topics: routines, slow living, biblical motherhood

Focus: simplifying life + creating peaceful homes

Encourages a Proverbs 31 lifestyle without perfectionism

It frames the home as “the soil where your family can grow… in Christ”—which is a powerful discipleship lens.

❊ Homemaking With Lea

Focus: cozy homemaking, motherhood, home rhythms, simple living

Content style: soft, aesthetic, day-in-the-life homemaking visuals

Tone: warm, inviting, gentle—not loud or performative

Leans into what many are quietly craving right now: a slower, softer picture of home life. Centers around “motherhood, cozy hobbies, lifestyle, and home.

❊ Sunshine Valley

Focus: slow living, old-fashioned homemaking, faith-rooted rhythms
Tone: peaceful, grounded, deeply nostalgic
Content: from-scratch cooking, DIY, home rhythms, spiritual encouragement

Consistent in its vision,and it carries a similar slow, seasonal heartbeat, but with  clarity and substance.

What stands out is the intentional rejection of modern chaos in favor of:

simplicity
quiet
and a home that feels like refuge

It explicitly speaks to women who feel God calling them to “less, not more”—which is exactly the tension behind true slow living. 

❊ Just Homemaking

Focus: biblical homemaking, intentional living, encouragement in daily work
Structure: multiple contributors (different seasons of life)
Content: devotionals, practical systems, homemaking encouragement

Moves beyond one voice and becomes a shared discipleship space.

It explicitly frames homemaking as:

more than cooking and cleaning—but a ministry that shapes hearts and lives 

It emphasizes homemaking as ministry, not just lifestyle

It offers relational encouragement (feels like a Titus 2 community)

It blends practical help + spiritual depth, which many accounts fail to balance

It feels like women walking alongside each other, not just one woman teaching from a distance.

❊ Just One More Page

Storybook Piano & Orchestral Music For Work / Deep Focus

❊

Wayback Wednesday: A Forgotten Childhood Favorite - Love On A Rooftop

This week, quite to my surprise, I stumbled back onto a series from my childhood memory bank that I had almost completely forgotten—until the moment I saw it again and everything came rushing back.

I’m talking about Love On A Rooftop (1966–1967, ABC).

This short-lived single-season sitcom featured Alias Smith and Jones star Peter Deuel and Laugh-In favorite Judy Carne as a newlywed couple trying to make life work in a tiny top-floor walk-up apartment in San Francisco. Deuel played Dave Willis, an orphaned, working-class architect with a steady, grounded nature. Carne played Julie, an art student from a wealthy, well-connected family who brought a much more impulsive, free-spirited energy into the relationship.

And right there was the heart of it: contrast. Structure versus spontaneity. Practicality versus whimsy. A small apartment, a big city, and two young people trying to figure out how to share a life without driving each other completely mad in the process.

The series was created by Bernard Slade, who denied any intentional connection to Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, the hugely successful 1963 stage play that later became a 1967 film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. But even at the time, comparisons were unavoidable. Industry insiders and audiences alike picked up on the similarities immediately.

And honestly, it’s not hard to see why.

You had the same basic blueprint: newlyweds navigating cramped urban living, a more rigid husband paired with a flightier wife, and the emotional growing pains of early marriage played for comedy. Even the “tiny apartment as battleground and sanctuary” idea feels like it was very much of that creative moment in television.

What’s interesting is that Barefoot in the Park eventually became its own television series in 1970, though it only lasted about six months. In a strange twist, Love On A Rooftop—the earlier and less remembered show—arguably handled the premise with a bit more charm and sincerity. There’s something about its softer edges that feels less theatrical and more lived-in.

And really, this format wasn’t an isolated experiment. Once Barefoot in the Park proved successful, television leaned heavily into this “young couple in the city” formula throughout the late 1960s and into the 1970s. Shows like The Occasional Wife and Bridget Loves Bernie continued exploring variations of the same idea: romance under pressure, identity clashes, and domestic comedy framed through modern relationships.

Despite its charm and a strong cast, Love On A Rooftop never made it past its first season. The reasons were pretty typical for the era—declining ratings, an unfortunate time slot, and the general volatility of network decision-making in the 1960s. ABC, in particular, was struggling throughout much of the decade, often ranking last among the major networks and frequently pulling the plug on shows before they had a chance to find their footing.

Behind the scenes, there were also rumors of tension between Judy Carne and Peter Deuel. Accounts suggested a difficult “love-hate” dynamic at times, with friction reportedly tied to professionalism and punctuality issues. Whether exaggerated by hindsight or not, it added another layer of strain to a show already fighting uphill for survival.

And yet, watching it today—or even just remembering it—it doesn’t feel like a failure. It feels like a time capsule.

There’s a softness to Love On A Rooftop that stands out now, especially in contrast to how fast and fragmented television has become. It captures a very specific kind of optimism about marriage, independence, and city life. Not perfect, not polished—just two people trying to build something together in a space barely big enough for the idea.

Looking back, I think that’s what makes rediscovering shows like this so meaningful. They weren’t just entertainment. They were reflections of what people hoped early adulthood might feel like—messy, funny, slightly chaotic, but still worth building.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what a forgotten sitcom gives you back: not just nostalgia, but a reminder of how many different ways life has been imagined before our own version of it ever began.

Here's the pilot episode, if you're interested.  The quality is not that great, but then . . . that's kind of part of the fun! Ironically the narrator for this episode is  Don Porter, who worked with Deuel prior to this series on Gidget! 

and, if you've never seen the movie, Barefoot In The Park, 

here's the opening credits

if you want to watch the full movie, it's available to rent or buy on Prime. 

The World We Make

Good Monday morning, my dear friends! I had not anticipated that two weeks ago when I posted to wish you a Happy Easter  that I would be away as long as I have, but to be honest, I desperately needed it!  I won't go into a lot of detail, only to say that shortly before Easter I received some difficult news and it's taken me a bit to process my emotions surrounding it. That, and I also ended up making an unplanned trip to spend a few days with my daughter and her husband that turned into a 10 day trip, and well, there you have it!  All that to say, I feel the fog is finally beginning to lift and I'm ready to rejoin you in this space!

One thing I did want to say is that I think I have finally come to the place where I am able to admit that setting up any sort of reading challenge or reading schedule here at my blog NEVER works out! There, I've said it! It always sounds so good on paper, but then . . . . life, and before I realize it I've fallen behind and I find myself struggling to keep up with the weekly posts and recaps, so unless I can ever truly get my act together, you'll never see me hosting another read-along in this space again, at least not one with any regularity!  That's not to say I won't be reading or sharing about what I read with you here, but inviting you to join me and thinking for a moment that I can actually keep some sort of schedule, it just never works!  I also did not sense much enthusiasm for my suggested summer read along of the Beatrix Potter Mystery series, Cottage Tales and watching Marple, so I've decided against it.  If you were one of the two enthusiastic souls that were looking forward to, I encourage you to spend your summer thus engaged, and perhaps, so will I, I may even write about it here and there, just don't hold me to it! :) However, I do plan to continue with my weekly series Homemaking Mondays, which will begin on Monday, May 4! 

Which brings us to today, and today I thought I would leave you with this lovely poem I recently came across.  I hope you will enjoy it! :)

❊ The World We Make

We make the world in which we live

By what we gather and what we give,

By our daily deeds and the things we say,

By what we keep or we cast away.

We make our world by the beauty we see

In a skylark’s song or a lilac tree,

In a butterfly’s wing, in the pale moon’s rise,

And the wonder that lingers in midnight skies.

We make our world by the life we lead,

By the friends we have, by the books we read,

By the pity we show in the hour of care,

By the loads we lift and the love we share.

We make our world by the goals we pursue,

By the heights we seek and the higher view,

By hopes and dreams that reach the sun

And a will to fight till the heights are won.

What is the place in which we dwell,

A hut or a palace, a heaven or hell

We gather and scatter, we take and we give,

We make our world — and there we live.

- ALFRED GRANT WALTON

❊

Happy Easter!

 Good morning, friends! I've been taking some time this week to reflect on Holy Week, which is why things have been a little quieter the past few days. I'm going to extend this through the weekend to spend time with my family and celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior! I'll be back next week and look forward to visiting with you again then!

❊

A Holy Reordering: Recovering Peace Room By RoomHoly Week: Rest In What You've Cultivated

There is a quiet that comes at the end of tending.

Not the kind that feels empty, but the kind that settles in gently—like the last light at the end of the day, soft and sufficient. This is where we find ourselves now. After moving room by room, after noticing and releasing, after choosing presence again and again, we arrive here—in a home that has been touched with intention, and in a heart that has, slowly, been reordered.

Holy Week invites us into that same quiet.

Not a hurried preparation. Not a final push toward perfection. But a sacred pause.

As I walked through my home this morning, I noticed something different. The rooms themselves have not changed drastically. There are still dishes to wash, blankets slightly out of place, the ordinary rhythms continuing as they always do. But the atmosphere has shifted. The spaces feel… settled. Not because everything is done, but because I am no longer striving within them.

And I think that is the work Lent has been doing in us all along.

We did not set out to create perfect homes. We set out to create space—space to breathe, to notice, to welcome. And somewhere in the quiet clearing of surfaces, in the folding and releasing and rearranging, the deeper work was happening. Our hearts were being softened. Our attention was being gently redirected. We were learning to live inside our homes, rather than performing within them.

This week, as we walk toward the Resurrection, I find myself moving more slowly again.

Not to accomplish anything new, but to simply be present within what has already been tended.

I run my hand along a table that has been cleared. I open a window and let the light fall where it may. I sit in a chair that was once crowded by distraction and now feels like an invitation. And in these small moments, there is a quiet awareness: this space has been prepared, yes—but so have I.

“Do everything in love.”

It has followed us through each room, and it meets us here again.

Because this is what remains when the organizing is finished. Love in the way we move through our homes. Love in the way we receive the people within them. Love in the way we hold even the unfinished corners with grace.

There is no need to rush ahead to Easter morning.

Holy Week is meant to be walked slowly.

So today, I am simply walking through the rooms once more. Not to fix or change, but to remember. The kitchen where provision became gratitude. The bedroom where rest was reclaimed. The living spaces where presence replaced pressure. Each room holding a quiet testimony of what God has been doing—both in the home and in the heart.

And as I move, there is a gentle prayer forming, not out of obligation, but out of something deeper:

Lord, You have met me here.
In the ordinary, in the undone, in the quiet tending.
Let this home be a place where Your peace rests.
Let my heart remain soft to Your presence.
Prepare me now—not just for Easter,
but for a life that continues to walk in resurrection.

This is the invitation now.

To rest in what has been cultivated.

To receive the stillness.

To let the home simply be held, rather than managed.

Easter will come.

And when it does, it will not arrive in a space striving to be ready, but in one that has already been gently prepared—with reverence, with care, and with a quiet, steady love.

Room by room.

Heart first.

Hollywood Homemakers: What We Can Learn FromSome Of Television's Most Loved Wives and Mothers- Kate Bradley from Petticoat Junction

As we conclude our Hollywood Homemakers series, it feels fitting to end with a woman whose life reminds us that homemaking can be both faithful and ambitious. While television homemakers of the 1960s often displayed grace, order, or nurturing warmth, Kate Bradley from Petticoat Junction shows us that it can also be resilient, multifaceted, and real.

A widowed mother of three daughters and the owner of the Shady Rest Hotel, Kate balances the daily care of her family with the responsibility of running a business. Her home is full, her work is demanding, yet her love, wisdom, and steadfast presence create a sanctuary for her daughters and a welcoming place for guests.

❊ Kate Bradley: Faithfulness in Action

Kate’s life is both busy and intentional. Meals are prepared, daughters are guided, hotel guests are welcomed — often all at once. Yet through it all, she remains steady and deeply present.

Her homemaking is not separate from her work; the two are beautifully intertwined. The Shady Rest Hotel is more than a business — it is an extension of her home, a place shaped by care, attention, and heart.

Kate shows us that homemaking is about stewardship: tending to the people and spaces entrusted to us, regardless of how full our days may be.

❊ Kate Bradley's Strengths

A Devoted Mother
Even with a full schedule, Kate remains involved in her daughters’ lives. She offers guidance, correction, and encouragement — always present, always intentional.

Her life embodies Deuteronomy 6:6–7, teaching and guiding children through the rhythms of daily life. Presence matters more than perfection.

Hospitality As A Way Of Life
Welcoming guests to the Shady Rest Hotel is part of Kate’s daily routine. Romans 12:13 encourages believers to “practice hospitality,” and Kate demonstrates how it can be woven naturally into work and home life.

Her home and hotel alike are places of warmth and care, where others feel known and valued.

Strength and Gentleness
Kate leads with wisdom and firmness, but never loses her gentle heart. Her strength supports her family and her work, while her kindness shapes the home into a safe and nurturing environment.

As Proverbs 31:17 says, “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.”

Faithful Stewardship
Kate embraces her responsibilities fully. Whether it’s managing finances, guiding her daughters, or overseeing hotel operations, she shows diligence and purpose.

Her life reflects Luke 16:10: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”

❊ Lessons From Kate Bradley

Carrying Many Roles
Kate’s full life can feel heavy at times, a reality that many modern homemakers experience as well. Her perseverance reminds us that faithfulness often requires effort and endurance.

Balancing Work and Rest
With her home and business intertwined, rest is precious and sometimes fleeting. Kate’s life invites us to be intentional about rest and care for ourselves, even amid great responsibility.

❊ How Kate Bradley Is Perfect To Wrap Up Our Series

Kate Bradley is the perfect culmination of our exploration of television homemakers.

Aunt Bee taught us nurturing warmth.

Margaret Anderson offered calm, steady wisdom.

Donna Stone reflected joy and engagement in the everyday.

Kate Bradley shows that homemaking can be courageous, capable, and multi-dimensional, thriving even under heavy responsibility.

Her example reminds us that homemaking is not defined by ease, perfection, or a single kind of life. It is about faithfulness, care, and love — no matter how busy, how challenging, or how many roles we carry.

❊ Lessons For Modern Homemakers

From Kate Bradley, we gather these final truths:

Homemaking can coexist with work and responsibility.

Motherhood is about presence and intentionality, not perfection.

Hospitality can be integrated into every part of daily life.

Strength and gentleness are not opposites; they complement each other.

Faithfulness matters more than circumstances.

❊ Reflecting On Our Series

As we look back over our journey through the homes of television’s beloved homemakers, a beautiful pattern emerges. Aunt Bee showed us the power of nurturing warmth and stability. Margaret Anderson reminded us that quiet wisdom can guide a household with steady grace. Donna Stone reflected the joy and engagement that make daily life meaningful, even in its imperfections. And Kate Bradley brings it all together, showing that homemaking can be faithful, courageous, and resilient, even when life is full and demanding.

Together, these women remind us that the heart of homemaking is not perfection, but presence — a daily choice to love, to care, and to steward the life and people God has placed in our care. Whether in calm routines or in the midst of responsibility, homemaking is a sacred, living ministry, shaping not just homes, but hearts.

❊

Lent For Homemakers - Week Six - Holy Week

We are entering the most sacred stretch of the Lenten journey—

Holy Week.

This is the week where everything slows, deepens, and becomes more intentional. Not louder… but quieter. Not heavier… but more meaningful.

As homemakers, we do not walk dusty roads to Jerusalem, but we walk our own quiet path:

through kitchens,
through the steady rhythm of daily tasks,
through small acts of care no one else sees.

And yet… Christ meets us here.

This week, your home becomes a place of remembrance, not only of what Christ has done, but of the road He walked to do it.

Together, we will move prayerfully through these days,  gently incorporating the Stations of the Cross into our reflections, tracing His steps of suffering, love, and surrender within the ordinary rhythms of our homes.

Each day holds a posture, a small act, a question that gently turns your heart toward Him, and now, also an invitation to walk beside Him.

Walk slowly, there is no rush now.

❊ WEEK SIX — Holy Week

Theme: Following Christ Step by Step
Seeing His path through our daily rhythms and acts of care.
Guiding Voice: St. John Paul II – Emphasized walking with Christ through suffering and finding resurrection in ordinary lives.
Candle Lighting: Light the sixth candle on Palm Sunday evening, symbolizing the start of this sacred week and your intentional walk with Christ.
Theme Prayer: Guide my steps, Lord.

❊ Palm Sunday - Welcoming The King 

Scripture: Matthew 21:8–9


Quote: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”


Homemaking Act: Place fresh greenery or flowers in a prominent spot in your home as a symbol of welcome.


Intentional Encounter: Read the passage slowly and imagine the crowds waving palms. Offer your own heart in welcome to Christ.


Journal Prompt: How can I welcome Christ into the ordinary routines of my home this week?

❊ Holy Monday - Cleansing the Temple / Stations 1 & 2

Scripture: John 2:13–17


Quote: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” — Psalm 69:9


Homemaking Act: Choose one area of your home to “cleanse” — declutter or deeply organize it as an offering to God.


Intentional Encounter: Reflect on areas of your heart that need cleansing as you work.


Stations of the Cross Reflection: Focus on Jesus’ condemnation and His first fall. Meditate on how patience and surrender can soften the falls in your own life.


Journal Prompt: What distractions or “idols” occupy space in my heart or home?

❊ Holy Tuesday - Faithfulness in Hidden Work / Stations 3 & 4

Scripture: Luke 21:1–4


Quote: “She has done what she could.” — Mark 14:8


Homemaking Act: Complete a small act of service that no one will notice — tidying, folding laundry, or preparing a meal.


Intentional Encounter: Offer it silently to God as an act of faithful love.
Stations of the Cross Reflection: Meditate on Jesus meeting His Mother and Simon helping Him carry the cross. Consider the hidden acts of love and support in your home.


Journal Prompt: How can I be faithful in the hidden, ordinary tasks of life?

❊ Spy Wednesday - Watching and Waiting / Stations 5 & 6

Scripture: Matthew 26:14–16


Quote: “The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him.” — Luke 22:37
Homemaking Act: Pause mid-task to reflect on where you may be tempted to betray your own calling — pride, impatience, resentment.


Intentional Encounter: Pray for discernment and fidelity to God’s will.


Stations of the Cross Reflection: Reflect on Veronica wiping the face of Jesus and the second fall. Contemplate acts of courage, compassion, and perseverance in your own life.


Journal Prompt: Where am I tempted to act out of fear or self-interest instead of love?

❊ Maundy Thursday - Servant Love and Personal Tenebrae 

/ Stations 7 & 8

Scripture: John 13:1–17


Quote: “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”


Homemaking Act: Wash a few dishes or clean a small part of your home as an act of humility and service.


Intentional Encounter (Personal Tenebrae):

Dim your lights.

Light a candle and say a prayer.

Slowly extinguish it as you meditate on Christ’s suffering.

Reflect on each act of service and love as a small participation in His example.


Stations of the Cross Reflection: Meditate on Jesus falling the third time and being stripped of His garments. Consider surrendering your attachments and pride.


Journal Prompt: How can I live a life of humble service today and beyond?

❊ Good Friday - The Quiet House / Stations 9 & 10

Scripture: Luke 23:26–49


Quote: “It is finished.” — John 19:30


Homemaking Act: Create a space of quiet — turn off distractions and let the home feel the weight of the day.


Intentional Encounter: Read the Passion narrative slowly, imagining each scene. Sit in silent reflection.


Stations of the Cross Reflection: Focus on Jesus nailed to the cross and dying on the cross. Meditate on the cost of love and the depth of surrender.


Journal Prompt: Where do I carry suffering, and how can I surrender it to Christ today?

❊ Holy Saturday - The Great Silence (Personal Vow of Silence)

/ Stations 11, 12, 13 and 14

Quote: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope.”

Homemaking Act: Light a single candle and maintain silence in a room of your home for an extended period.


Intentional Encounter: Refrain from speaking unnecessarily. Reflect on the tension of waiting, trusting in God’s unseen work.


Stations of the Cross Reflection: Reflect on Jesus being laid in the tomb and the burial. Contemplate hope in hiddenness and the promise of resurrection.

Journal Prompt: What is God asking me to wait for patiently? How can I trust Him in the hidden spaces of life?

❊ EASTER SUNDAY - Resurrection Joy!

Scripture: Luke 24:1–12


Quote: “He is not here; He has risen!” — Luke 24:6


Homemaking Act: Decorate your home for celebration — flowers, a clean table, bright colors, or a special meal.


Intentional Encounter: Gather your family (even if just yourself) and rejoice. Read the resurrection passage aloud.


Journal Prompt: How does the joy of Christ’s resurrection overflow into my home and daily life?

❊ Closing Blessing - For The Woman Who Kept Lent In Hidden Places
Blessed are you
who kept Lent between loads of laundry
and prayers whispered over simmering pots.

Blessed are you
who fasted from complaint
when no one noticed.

Blessed are you
who cleaned corners as if preparing a temple.

Blessed are you
who waited in Holy Saturday silence
when nothing felt triumphant.

You have walked the wilderness
not in sand,
but in ordinary rooms.

You have stood at the Cross
not in Jerusalem,
but at the kitchen sink.

And now resurrection rises
in you.

May your home remain a quiet altar.
May your work remain a living prayer.
May Christ be revealed
in your hidden faithfulness.

Alleluia.

❊ On Monday
In the days after Easter, we’ll gently gather everything—

not to rush on, but to reflect:

- What changed?
- What stayed?
- What quietly took root?

After walking, day by day, alongside Christ, tracing the path of His suffering through each reflection, each small act, each quiet “station” lived within your home, we will look back and notice where His presence met you most intimately.

- Where did you pause?
- Where did you struggle?
- Where did grace quietly appear?

And how resurrection can continue, not as a single day,but as a way of living in your home, a life that now carries both the memory of the Cross and the hope of the empty tomb.

❊

Wayback Wednesday: A Tribute To Classic TelevisionA Tribute to Mr. Whipple, "Please, don't squeeze!"

If you grew up in the 1970s or ’80s, the grocery store wasn’t just a place to pick up essentials—it was a stage for one of television’s most memorable characters: Dick Wilson, better known as Mr. Whipple. His mission? To protect the precious Charmin toilet paper from the eager hands of shoppers. Soft, fluffy, and impossible to resist, Charmin became a household name not just for its quality, but because of the man who guarded it like treasure. Wilson, forever remembered as Mr. Whipple, made squeezing a roll of toilet paper feel like a guilty little delight. For over twenty years, audiences couldn’t help but chuckle as Mr. Whipple tried to resist—and failed—the allure of Charmin’s famously soft rolls.

❊ The Origins of a Classic Campaign

The story of Mr. Whipple begins in 1964, when Procter & Gamble launched a campaign to promote Charmin toilet paper. At the time, television advertising was exploding, and P&G wanted a character who could make something as ordinary as toilet paper memorable and fun. The very first commercial was actually filmed in Flushing, New York, perfectly fitting for a campaign all about toilet paper.

Advertising creatives envisioned a store manager who could embody both authority and humor—a man who would warn shoppers not to touch the soft rolls, yet couldn’t resist a squeeze himself. That simple concept became a stroke of genius. By personifying the product through a relatable, funny character, the campaign captured the imagination of viewers and made Charmin more than just toilet paper—it became part of everyday conversation.

This character-driven marketing approach was revolutionary at the time. Rather than just touting product features like softness or strength, P&G gave Charmin a personality through Mr. Whipple, and audiences responded enthusiastically.

❊ The Man Behind Mr. Whipple

Dick Wilson first appeared as Mr. Whipple in 1965, and he continued in the role for more than twenty years. Wilson had a solid acting background, appearing in various TV shows and films, including guest roles on Petticoat Junction and Bewitched. However, it was Mr. Whipple who made him a household name, forever linking him to the lovable, exasperated grocery store manager.

What made Wilson’s portrayal so enduring was his perfect balance of authority and mischief. He delivered his warnings with just the right tone, and the subtle twinkle in his eye let viewers in on the joke: he might tell others not to squeeze, but he couldn’t resist doing it himself. This blend of sternness and secret indulgence made Mr. Whipple relatable, humorous, and unforgettable.

Even outside of the commercials, Wilson’s role as Mr. Whipple became his signature. In interviews, he admitted that the character overshadowed other parts of his acting career—but he embraced it, knowing he’d brought joy to millions over two decades.

❊ Pop Culture And Lasting Legacy

The Mr. Whipple campaign became one of the longest-running in television history, appearing not just in commercials but also in print advertising and in-store promotions. It was more than marketing—it was part of the cultural fabric of the time. People remembered Mr. Whipple because he made a simple, everyday product funny, relatable, and impossible to ignore.

Decades later, his legacy endures. Advertising professionals still cite Mr. Whipple as a masterclass in character-driven campaigns, and many viewers remember him as fondly as they remember their favorite TV shows from the era.

Today, his commercials live on in memory, a snapshot of a time when TV ads could charm and amuse without ever feeling forced. When we think of Mr. Whipple, we remember more than toilet paper—we remember the joy of small, simple pleasures, the wink of a mischievous smile, and the way one character can leave an imprint that lasts far beyond the screen.

❊

A Holy Reordering: Recovering Peace Room By RoomThe Living Room - Hospitality Without Performance

This week, we move into the living room—or, as we call it, the family room. It is a space where life gathers in all its textures: the soft murmur of conversation, the shuffle of feet, the quiet pauses that slip unnoticed between activities. Lent calls us to enter this space differently—not to rush, not to impress, not to judge—but to notice what it carries and how our hearts move within it.

“Do everything in love.”

— 1 Corinthians 16:14

True hospitality begins quietly. It is in the pause before someone enters, the mindful clearing of surfaces that distract, the careful placement of objects that invite connection rather than admiration. Letting go of aesthetic pressure does not make the room less beautiful; it frees it to be alive, open, and welcoming. In this space, the spirit of welcome is not written in perfection—it is breathed into the air through our attention, our presence, our willingness to see and receive others without judgment.

The living room often reflects what we carry most. A space filled with visual noise or clutter can mirror inner tension, while a room arranged with intention reflects calm and attention. Conversation flows more freely when cushions are inviting rather than rigidly aligned. Energy softens when we allow imperfection and embrace what is present, rather than what we wish to display. And sometimes, the room holds more than we realize: our hurried minds, our quiet frustrations, our unspoken expectations. Lent asks us to notice these, without condemnation, and to respond with grace.

Hospitality is a rhythm, not a task. It begins in the heart, in the willingness to slow down, to observe, to create spaces that reflect care. It is present in the movement of a chair toward a circle of friends, the gentle clearing of a table before someone sits, the intentional arrangement of light and shadow to invite comfort. Each thoughtful act, no matter how small, becomes a prayer of presence—a whisper that says, you are welcome here, you are safe, you are seen.

❊ A Whispered Practice

Today, move through the living room with quiet attention. Notice what draws your eye, what feels heavy, what invites pause. Straighten a blanket, clear a tabletop, or simply sit in a corner for a few deep breaths. Let your movements be gentle, deliberate, and unhurried. As you do, offer this prayer softly:

“May this room speak welcome to all who enter. May my presence reflect patience, care, and love. May I notice what is truly important, and let go of what distracts from connection.”

There is no expectation of perfection here. This is not about how the room looks, but how it feels. Observe how a small act—a moved chair, a cleared surface, a softened corner—changes the energy. Notice how your own spirit shifts when you align your attention with the space. In this quiet tending, the room becomes more than furniture and decor. It becomes a reflection of presence, of intention, of love flowing outward from a heart willing to be still and attentive.

Next week, as we enter Holy Week, we will conclude our series, preparing our homes for The Resurrection and Easter Sunday. Together, we will explore how caring for each space with intention allows our homes to reflect the hope, joy, and renewal of Easter, bringing God’s presence into every corner of our hearts and lives.

Step into the living room today. Move slowly, breathe fully, and offer presence.

Room by room.

Heart first.

❊

Hollywood Homemakers: What We Can Learn FromSome Of Television's Most Loved Wives and Mothers - Donna Stone from The Donna Reed Show

Today we continue our Hollywood Homemakers series with a look into a home that feels both well-ordered and warmly lived in. While some television homemakers of the 1960s seemed almost untouchably perfect, today we turn to a woman who brought both grace and genuine personality into her home — Donna Stone from The Donna Reed Show, portrayed by Donna Reed.

Donna reminds us that homemaking is not simply about keeping a home running smoothly — it is about creating a place where life is shared, laughter is common, and love is actively lived out.

❊ Donna Stone: A Home Filled With Grace and Personality

In the Stone household, Donna is both capable and deeply present. She manages her home with efficiency, yet never at the expense of connection. She is involved in her children’s lives, attentive to her husband, and engaged in the small, everyday moments that give a home its character.

There is a liveliness to Donna that sets her apart. She jokes, she listens, she participates. Her home is not simply maintained — it is lived in.

This balance is what makes her so relatable. She is not distant or untouchable, but a woman who embraces both the responsibilities and the joys of homemaking.

❊ Donna Stone's Strengths

A Joyful Presence in the Home
Donna brings a sense of warmth and lightness to her household. While she takes her responsibilities seriously, she does not carry them with heaviness. There is laughter in her home, conversation at the table, and a sense that family life is meant to be enjoyed.

Proverbs 17:22 reminds us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine,” and Donna embodies that truth. Her joy is not frivolous — it is sustaining.

Active Engagement with Her Family
Donna is not a distant overseer of her home — she is an active participant. She listens to her children, involves herself in their concerns, and offers guidance that is both practical and compassionate.

She reflects the call of Deuteronomy 6:6–7 — teaching and guiding her children in the natural rhythm of daily life.

Her presence says: you matter, and I am here with you.

Wisdom Paired with Wit
One of Donna’s most charming qualities is her ability to handle situations with both wisdom and a touch of humor. She does not rely on harshness to correct, but often uses gentle insight — sometimes even a bit of cleverness — to guide her family in the right direction.

This reflects Ecclesiastes 3:4 — that there is “a time to laugh,” even within the responsibilities of life.

A Well-Kept but Welcoming Home
Donna keeps an orderly home, but it never feels rigid or unapproachable. Her homemaking creates a sense of peace without sterility — a place where people can relax, gather, and belong.

Her care for her household reflects the spirit of Proverbs 31:27: “She looks well to the ways of her household.”

❊ Weaknesses and Human Lessons

Balancing Responsibility and Ease
At times, Donna makes homemaking look effortless — which can create the illusion that it should always feel that way. But like any homemaker, her ability to balance joy and responsibility is something that must be chosen again and again.

Her example reminds us that creating a peaceful home often requires quiet, unseen effort.

The Temptation to “Handle It All”
Donna is highly capable, and at times she carries much of the emotional and practical weight of the home. This can reflect a common tendency among homemakers — to take on everything themselves.

Her life gently reminds us of the importance of sharing burdens and allowing space for others in the family to contribute and grow.

❊ How Donna Stone Reflects God's Design For Homemaking

Though The Donna Reed Show is not explicitly faith-based, Donna’s life reflects many biblical principles in quiet, meaningful ways.

She models a home where love is expressed through daily care and presence.

She reflects Titus 2 in her devotion to her family and her stewardship of the home.

She embodies the spirit of Proverbs 31 — not as an unreachable ideal, but as a woman who actively engages in the life of her household.

Most beautifully, Donna shows us that homemaking is not only about order — it is about atmosphere.

A home can be clean and still feel cold.

But a home filled with presence, joy, and attentiveness becomes a place where hearts are nurtured.

❊ Lessons For Modern Homemakers

From Donna Stone, we gather these gentle and lasting truths:

- Joy is an essential part of a thriving home

- Being present matters more than being perfect

- Humor can soften and strengthen family relationships

- Homemaking is as much relational as it is practical

- A well-loved home will always be more meaningful than a flawless one

Donna Stone reminds us that the beauty of homemaking is not found in perfection, but in participation. It is found in laughter shared across the table, in conversations that shape young hearts, and in the quiet, steady presence of a woman who chooses — day after day — to invest herself in the life of her home.

Next, we’ll wrap up our series by visiting the home of one more remarkable homemaker: Kate Bradley of Petticoat Junction. A widowed mother balancing the care of her daughters with running a bustling hotel, Kate shows us that homemaking can be faithful, capable, and courageous — even when life is full and demanding.

❊

Lent For Homemakers - Week Five - Hope In Hiddenness

Next week in our Lent for Homekeepers series, we will focus on a truth we confess often about but must learn to live: God is at work even where we cannot see.

There is no need to argue for this truth. Scripture has already settled it.

What remains is the quiet work of believing it in the middle of days that feel unchanged.

Your life is built of things that do not last long in their visible form. What is prepared is soon finished. What is set in order is soon disturbed. What is completed returns again, asking for your hands.

Nothing about this rhythm insists upon meaning.

And yet, you remain.

This is where faith takes on substance—not in what can be pointed to, but in what is carried. In choosing to continue, to tend, to give your attention and care without needing proof that it is building into something you can see.

“Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 

- 1 Corinthians 15:58

Not because you can trace its outcome, but because God receives it.

This week does not ask you to look for evidence.It asks you to remain faithful within what has already been given—trusting that God is doing His work,even when He keeps it hidden.

❊ WEEK FIVE — Hope in Hiddenness
Theme: Noticing God quietly working, cultivating patience and trust
Light five candles Sunday evening.
Guiding Voice: Guiding Voice: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Her “Little Way” reminds us that God works through small, faithful acts, often unnoticed, and that patience and trust in Him transform the ordinary into holiness.
Theme Prayer: Make my heart attentive.

❊ Sunday - Lighting The Fifth Candle

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31
“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…”
Light the five candles and let the act itself be enough.
Sit for a few minutes without trying to add anything to the moment. No need to fill the silence or reach for a feeling. Just remain.
Waiting, in Scripture, is never empty. It is a steady positioning of the soul before God.
Offer Him the week as it is—unfinished, unproven, ordinary—and leave it in His hands.
Homemaking Act: Light a candle in a central place and sit quietly.
Intentional Encounter: Offer the week ahead to God without asking to see the outcome.
Journal Prompt: Where am I pressing for results instead of remaining in trust?

❊ Monday - Steady Attention

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:3
“The vision awaits its appointed time…”
Give your attention to something that has been easy to pass over—a drawer, a shelf, a small space that never quite gets finished.
Work slowly. Not to perfect it, but to tend to it.
God’s work often unfolds without urgency. What He establishes does not need to be rushed.
Homemaking Act: Put one small space in order.
Intentional Encounter: Acknowledge God’s care in what is easily overlooked.
Journal Prompt: What might be taking shape that I cannot yet recognize?

❊ Tuesday - Practicing Stillness

Scripture: Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Prepare something simple today without distraction.
Let the task hold your attention fully. Resist the habit of reaching for noise or filling the space. When you finish, pause before moving on.
Stillness is not an interruption to your work. It is part of it.
Homemaking Act: Prepare a simple meal or snack slowly and without distraction.
Intentional Encounter: Sit in silence for a few moments afterward.
Journal Prompt: What does patience look like in the middle of my day?

❊ Wednesday - The Secret Place

Scripture: Matthew 6:6
“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Tend to one small corner with care.
Not for appearance. Not for completion. Simply because it has been given to you.
God’s attention is not drawn to what is impressive, but to what is faithful.
Homemaking Act: Straighten a small space with focus.
Intentional Encounter: Sit for five minutes and consider what remains unseen.
Journal Prompt: Where is God at work beyond what I can perceive?

❊ Thursday - Quiet Offerings

1 Corinthians 15:58
“Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Choose a task that will quietly serve someone else.
Do it without drawing attention to it. Let it remain unspoken.
Much of what sustains a home is never named. Still, it holds weight.
Homemaking Act: Complete a quiet act of service.
Intentional Encounter: Offer your work to God without needing acknowledgment.
Journal Prompt: How does unseen work shape the way I love?

❊ Friday - The Steady Thread

Scripture: Romans 8:28
“All things work together for good…”
Bring order to a shared space.
You have done this before. You will do it again. Let that be enough.
God’s work in your life often follows the same pattern—steady, repeated, not always visible, but never without purpose.
Homemaking Act: Tidy a common area with intention.
Intentional Encounter: Reflect on how God brings order over time.
Journal Prompt: Where am I being asked to trust without seeing?

❊ Saturday - A Heart Made Ready

Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage…”
Prepare your home for Sunday with a quiet kind of readiness.
Not hurried. Not strained. Simply attentive
At the end of the day, sit with a candle and remember—not what was accomplished, but what was sustained.
Homemaking Act: Set your home in gentle readiness for Sunday.
Intentional Encounter: Give thanks for what God has carried through the week.
Journal Prompt: Where have I seen quiet evidence of God’s care?

❊ Closing Prayer
Lord,
You are at work in ways I cannot follow.
Keep me steady in what You have given,
faithful in what returns,
and trusting without needing to see.
Receive the work of my hands,
the attention of my days,
and the quiet offerings that go unnoticed.
Let them be enough,
because You are in them.
Amen.

This week does not resolve anything.

It simply teaches you how to remain.

As we close this week’s reflection, remember that next week is Holy Week—a sacred time in the Lenten season, the final stretch leading to Easter. The ordinary rhythms we have tended this week—our care, our patience, our quiet faithfulness—prepare our hearts to receive the extraordinary gift of the resurrection.

In the hidden, steady work of our homes and our lives, God has been at work all along. Holy Week invites us to watch more closely, to enter with expectation, and to recognize that what has been planted in faith is about to bloom in ways beyond what we can imagine.

May the practices of this week—the waiting, the tending, the trust—soften your heart and steady your spirit as we move into this most holy and profound week of the year.

❊

A Holy Reordering: Recovering Peace Room By Room- The Bedroom — Rest as a Spiritual Discipline

The bedroom is a threshold. It is the place where the day ends, a space where the quiet can feel holy—or it can feel heavy, depending on what we carry in our hands, in our minds, in our hearts. Lent asks us not to rush past this room, but to pause. To notice where we have held on too tightly, where we have expected rest without receiving it, where our souls have gone unnoticed even as we prepared the space for sleep.

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

— Matthew 11:28

Even a room that looks calm can carry the imprint of a restless spirit. The sheets may be folded, the surfaces cleared, but the tension that we have carried all day lingers in the air. The bedroom is honest in this way: it reflects what is inside before we even lay down. And it offers a gift: the opportunity to release, to receive, to let stillness settle.

Soft linens, gentle light, surfaces tended with care—these are not signs of perfection, but invitations. Each small gesture of attention can become a prayer, a quiet alignment of the outer room with the inner spirit. Lent calls us to notice the edges where tension lingers, not with judgment, but with tenderness.

A hurried heart unsettles even the coziest sheets.

An anxious mind can make the softest blankets feel heavy.

A spirit carrying burdens cannot yet rest fully.

❊ A Gentle Evening Offering

Tonight, linger in your bedroom. Fold a blanket, clear a nightstand, or move objects with attention. As you do, breathe slowly and whisper:

“As this space rests, may my heart rest with You.”

No rush. No striving. No expectation of perfection. Just presence. Let the act reflect the spiritual invitation to release tension, receive calm, and welcome Sabbath.

Notice how the room feels lighter, how the quiet begins to settle, how your own spirit echoes that stillness. When rest begins in the heart, the home follows naturally. The bedroom becomes more than a room—it becomes a sanctuary, a mirror of the Sabbath God offers freely.

Next Monday, we will turn to the living room—or, as some call it, the family room—a space of gathering, conversation, and shared life. We will explore how tending this space with intention nurtures calm, rhythm, and hospitality in the heart of the home.

Tonight, step slowly into your bedroom. Move with awareness. Breathe. Receive rest.

Room by room.

Heart first.