How do you enter the Advent season this year? Are you hopeful or are you struggling?
For me, Advent is a hopeful season, but 2020 has challenged and even changed me, my friends, and loved ones more than any other year. Today, my state enters into a two-week pause due to the pandemic. The fact that Rhode Island’s pause coincides with the first day of Advent, is not for me to ignore.
What will you do this Advent season to exit more hopeful, then you were when you entered?
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
This verse from Isaiah, 9:2, represents 2020 to me and how we are walking in darkness presently, but God shows us the light, at Christmas. This year, I decided to make an Advent Bucket List to make a commitment to shining light in the dark places in this world. I have included a downloadable sheet for you below to print so that you can make your own Advent Bucket List to post in your home.
My Advent Bucket List 2020
- Make the Advent Blog special this year.
- At 4pm each day, I will join the online prayer group to pray for others. (Here is the link to the daily calendar, where you can scroll to find the 4pm prayer call if you would like to join us: https://marblechurch.org/calendar/)
- Spend less, but give more to those in need.
- Help my neighbors.
- Find ways to incorporate music into my daily practice.
- Take a daily walk in nature for exercise, prayer and reflection.
- Send Christmas Cards far and wide to lift the spirits of others.
- Write in my gratitude journal each day.
- Decorate for the holidays.
- Make and send my Christmas Bark to friends and family.
Here is the Advent Bucket List to download:
One last thing before I end today, I want to share a short UK video from 2013. Glen Scrivener’s Christmas in Dark Places captures the spirit of the Advent season and the promise of Christmas, even when we are in a dark place. This year, we strive to make the Advent Blog multi-sensory, by including written and spoken word, along with music, videos, and audio to be more inclusive to the diverse followers around the world.
Shared by Marcie Doll, the curator of the Marble Women’s Ministry Advent Blog
6 responses to “Advent 2020. Yes, Please.”
Just lovely Marcie – thank you! Great start!
Real Christmas shines in the darkest of places! I love that quote. What a perfect theme for this year! I hadn’t thought of making an Advent bucket list, but I will now. Thanks for getting us off to a great start for Advent.
Marcie this is wise, wonderful and inspirational. The verse in Isaiah is perfect for this time. Thank you for beginning my day and my Advent with these thoughts.
Thank you Marcie and the MWM for launching us into the 2020 Advent Season. Marcie, I truly enjoyed the Christmas in Dark Places video. There’s is always light in the darkness and indeed the birth of Christ proved that. Blessings to all.
Beautiful, Marcie! I love the bucket list and hope to take on many of those items for my own journey this year. Thank you!
You had me at the two week pause. a chance to make a game plan on how to get the most out of this dark time:) Sounds to me like you got a solid plan. I like that most of your bucket list focuses on helping the underserved. Random acts of kindness are my M.O. :_) They is a joy in serving , especially the under served , that fills my soul like no other. Also Writing is a very special thing . Writing is HUMANITY distilled into ink!!!!!! The walking thing is very good . I am going to incorporate that more into my daily life. the aerobic thing is good for cleaning the cob webs out of our Brains, also good for the heart and soul. Thanks Marci. always good input even if it is virtual, You never disappoint!!!!! and you wear a great hat ( EASTER)