First, selflessness. I know it's the season of giving, but with all the shopping and the advertisements screaming, buy me! or you need this! you really have to be intentional with your thoughts. I know I really struggle with coveting, especially during the holiday season. It only takes one look at social media or one TV ad, or one look at the passing storefront window to get your mind craving for that item. Maybe it's popularity. Maybe it's wanting to feel loved. Maybe it's a car. Maybe it's a new phone. Whatever it is, it can distract us and draw us away from the reason why we celebrate Christmas. I encourage you to do a heart check and find what you're truly focused on. Are you focusing on yourself or on others? Are you putting Jesus first, or your feelings first?

So for the second thing, I picked cheerfulness. Yes, most of the time people are happy during the holidays because of all the food, pretty lights and gifts, but what about after the holidays? Also, examine your hearts and ask yourself if you would still be cheerful if you had nothing. If you're only cheerful when everything is going well, is that truly cheerfulness? 

Lastly, it's important to be compassionate, especially during these months, because although many of us will be spending Christmas in a warm, cozy home with family, many are hungry and cold, and they need help - your help. You know that passage in the Bible where Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and the goats? (If you haven't, you can read about it here.) Jesus tells us that "as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matt. 25:40). My church does an outreach called Toys for Joy, and it gives under-privileged families a chance to give their kids Christmas presents. It's amazing how many people donate toys and resources. Christmastime isn't the only time to show compassion. You can show it all year long. For me, compassion is one of my weaknesses. I have a bold, prideful, stubborn personality that can make it hard for me to sympathize with others, sometimes. It's one of those things that I have to continuously work at because if I don't, nothing will happen. In fact, my compassion would probably disappear if I didn't work at it and ask God for help. Exercising good habits is just like stretching a muscle. If you don't continuously stretch it, it can feel uncomfortable. But the more you do it, the more flexible you become. That goes for all three of these traits. You've got to actually practice these things daily in order to get used to showing them. Selflessness is a struggle for me as well. Like I said, I tend to have a prideful attitude. Selflessness sure is hard when you think about you first! In order to grow this trait, you have to say no to yourself and say yes to God. As for cheerfulness, that's a matter of thankfulness and contentedness.

There are twelve days until Christmas. I want you to pray for guidance from God on how to best prepare yourself for this season. Pray for selflessness, cheerfulness and compassion, especially. Those are definitely things the world needs more of and could benefit from. I know it can be hard to exercise these traits, but with Christ's strength, I also know you will be able to accomplish it. Have a blessed day, and stay tuned for upcoming 12 Days of Christmas 2017 posts!

© The SoCal Gal

As Christians, we should feel the most joy of all. After all, we personally know how Christ's birth has affected us. It gives us a reason to live in these dark times, brings us joy in troubled times, redeems us from sin's punishment, and ultimately united us with God. We should spread that joy, not only in this season, but always. It should be on our faces, in our thoughts, and in our words. This joy that God gave us? It should be infectious! Think of it this way: when was the last time your whole family was sick? Honestly, everyone in my family right now is either recovering or still sick. The first person who got it first spread that sickness pretty fast. And you could tell she was sick by her sagging face, her mumbly words, and her sluggish pace. It was evident she was sick, and it ended up spreading to everyone. Okay...not exactly the same tone as that, but we should be spreading the joy of Christmas like that as well. It should be in our hearts, in our thoughts, influencing our actions and words, and lighting up our lives. We should do it because we want to spread the joy, and because Jesus wants us to do so. Dare to infect the people around you with the joy of Jesus!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year." In this season, it's not hard to notice that. There's the cheery red and green decorations. The songs that everyone knows the lyrics to. The happy spirit. The time together with family. The joy of giving. That's what Christmas is all about.

© The SoCal Gal

At least...that's what most people say it's about. Is Christmas really about Jesus' birthday? It does have "Christ" right in its name. Originally derived from the words "Christ's Mass," "Christmas" means the festival of commemorating Christ's birth. But why would we celebrate this baby's birth? A few weeks ago, I performed in a skit about holiday vacations. The main character, a client, was exploring different vacations. As the skit unfolded, the main character realized that Christmas isn't about just chillaxing on the couch doing nothing, but it isn't about busying ourselves with seasonal activities either. It's about celebrating Jesus' birth because of the rebirth He granted us by coming down to lowly earth as a man, as 1 John 4:9-10 says.

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

See, just because Jesus was born thousands of years ago doesn't mean it doesn't affect us now. Instead, it's actually the opposite! Jesus' birth not only affected humans during his time, but it also affected humans living before him as well as after him. Not only that, but His birth fulfilled a host of prophecies. Read these verses from the Bible about Christmas:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7).

"Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).