Practical Advent is a daily blog series I’m doing throughout Advent this year. Join me on my blog each day for practical faith tips.

Practical Advent, Day 3

Since childhood, I’ve observed Advent each year. It’s been a wonderful way to build my faith and increase my anticipation of Christmas for all the right reasons. I highly encourage you to observe Advent as well, because it can help you be more intentional in this busy season.

In this Practical Advent blog series, I’ll have the same post format to give you about 10-15 minutes of practical tips for loving God, loving others, and loving yourself during the Advent season.

Praise

Each day of Practical Advent, I’ll share one of my favorite songs to listen to during Advent. Take a moment to praise God while you listen.

Here’s one I listened to today while driving – He Shall Reign Forevermore by Chris Tomlin.

Ponder

Every day of Practical Advent, I’ll share a quote or idea from an Advent book in my collection for you to ponder, along with my thoughts and a few reflection questions.

Today’s quote is from a lighthearted devotional called Be of Good Cheer.

“You can imagine numerous ways to spread holiday cheer, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The point is to amplify everything that is right in the world and do things that bring happiness to others. Even the smallest of gestures can start a ripple of joy. No promises, but maybe, just maybe, you’ll convert a Scrooge or two.”

I like the positivity in this quote. I also enjoyed the fact that these devotions are so brief that you can easily squeeze them into a busy schedule. The photos in the book create a cozy feeling, too.

Reflection questions:

1. Who is a Scrooge in your life that could use some holiday cheer from you?
2. What’s a small gesture you can do this week to spread cheer to that person?

Pray

On each post during Practical Advent, I’ll write an original prayer or share one I’ve written in seasons past.

Here’s one I wrote a few years ago – A Prayer for Christmas Hope.

Pour In

Here’s a super simple dinner idea for those days when you are rushed, weary, and too tired to cook. It’s very healthy too. Go to the grocery store and get a hot, ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken, a bagged salad (this time of year, I love chopped kale mixes), a loaf of sourdough bread, and some prepared soup that isn’t cream-based, such as butternut squash soup. All you need to do at home is slice the bread and toast it. I like to sprinkle on a garlic-based seasoning with butter and parmesan cheese, and toast it in the oven for less than 10 minutes on 350 degrees. Prep the salad, heat the soup, and cut off some pieces of chicken. Voila – your meal is ready! Be sure to save your chicken carcass for my tip tomorrow. Also, if you must have dessert, treat yourself to some berries from the store. Your body will say thank you!

Pour Out

Speaking of grocery shopping, be extra kind to clerks this season. When I was scanning everything in my cart at Sam’s Club this weekend, the cucumbers wouldn’t scan properly after I tried three or four times. They weren’t in the search queue on the screen either. I was forced to ask for help at a very busy time, when the store was loaded with shoppers and low on helpers. It took several minutes for a young man to arrive. Though I felt mildly frustrated, I saw an opportunity to pour out kindness instead of frustration. He told me it had been happening all day – it was a problem with the shipment. I smiled and said it must be a hassle for him. He smiled back and said yes, it was. I said, “At least it’s keeping you busy, and that makes the time pass faster, right?” He said yes, and our interaction was over. Smiling and empathizing go a long way in showing kindness to clerks who are simply doing their jobs. Try taking a deep breath to reset yourself first, too.

Just for Fun

Here I’ll share something that’s making me smile this season, and I hope it does the same for you.

Chocolate Advent calendars aren’t just for children. I got mine at Trader Joe’s for under $2. It gives me a little bite of Christmas joy to savor each day. You can probably still find one for yourself if you go shopping before the end of this week.

See all new posts in this series on THIS PAGE.

Find all my additional resources for Advent on THIS PAGE.

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