The Advent Calendar for Optimists 2020
"Christmas Day is the festival of optimism." (Helen Keller)
There's a new entry each day with a relevant quotable quote for optimists, a bible verse and an activity. You may get your daily Advent reminder by email or whatsapp message or social media - email advent@centreforoptimism.com and let us know how you would like to receive it.
Day 5 of the Optimists' Advent: Thursday 3 December 2020
Quotable Quotes
"Christian optimism is not a sugary optimism, nor is it a mere human confidence that everything will turn out all right. It is an optimism that sinks its roots into an awareness of our freedom, and the sure knowledge of the power of grace."Saint Josemaria Escriva
Bible Reading
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Mark 13:33-37 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Activity for Today: Think Like an Optimist
5. Think Like an Optimist
It's a habit involving you contradicting negative thoughts as they appear.
Not every cloud has a silver lining but people often ruminate negatively on small matters.
We commend two exercises:
We like the way Norman Vincent Peale puts it for argument in general, "Avoid argument, but whenever a negative attitude is expressed, counter with a positive and optimistic opinion."
"Put it in Perspective" - An Exercise for These Times Finding Silver Linings
Optimists on their Optimism Kindness and Optimism Passion and Optimism
Christmas Recipe
Australian Lemon Slice
Perfected by Amanda Noz and popular in France!
Ingredients
Crush the biscuits roughly and mix with melted butter, one cup of coconut, and condensed milk.
Spread this mix on the bottom of a greased tin and refrigerate until firm.
In the meantime, mix the icing sugar and lemon juice to make a nice firm icing. Add some butter if you want it to be richer and stiffer.
Spread on slice and sprinkle the other cup of coconut on top.
If you can find it, it is nice to use desiccated coconut in the biscuit base and unsweetened flaked coconut on the icing, otherwise just used desiccated coconut for everything.
If you like it extra lemony, grate the lemon rind finely and add into the biscuit base.
Note: you can also make a passionfruit slice by using the same recipe but making passionfruit icing and adding a few passionfruits to the biscuit mix. In this case, reduce the condensed milk accordingly. You can replace the lemon with lime but honestly, don't bother. Lemon or Passionfruit slice tastes better.