Ricki Jill

Happy Wednesday, My Lovelies!

Today I'm sharing a lovely Devotional for Advent and Christmas. It is so neat!

About A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens’s Beloved Classic

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication date: September 8, 2026

Draw near to God this Christmas season as you reflect on spiritual lessons from a timeless holiday classic.

This 25-day Advent devotional journeys through one of the world’s most beloved Christmas stories, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and helps you honor Christmas in your heart—and keep it all year! In this devotional companion to the cherished classic, you’ll walk alongside Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, and Tiny Tim as you explore the many spiritual lessons tucked into the story. The timeless novella’s themes of redemption, generosity, and community will help you prepare your heart for Christmas and reflect on all God has done, is doing, and is preparing to do in your life.

Each daily entry includes a key scripture, a retelling of part of the story, a personal reflection, and a short prayer. Filled with beautiful line-art illustrations, A Christmas Carol Devotional will help you slow down and draw near to Christ during the busy Christmas season.

About the Author

Rachel Dodge is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen. She teaches writing, speaks at conferences and retreats, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. Pairing classic books with cozy devotional content is her happy place. Rachel loves timeless beauty, quiet moments, and helping readers find comfort and encouragement in the pages of beloved stories.

Y'all, I am so thrilled to share this devotional with you. Christmas has not always held the spotlight in the Christian calendar as it does now. Two things happened in British history that brought Christmas to the forefront. The first thing was when Queen Charlotte introduced the Christmas tree to court in 1800, followed by Prince Albert's enthusiasm for the trees beginning in 1840 that was meticulously described in periodicals. The upper class soon began making Christmas trees the focal point of parties for children. After the popularity of Christmas trees, the second event was Charles Dickens's publication of his novella A Christmas Carol in 1843. It completely captured the English people's imagination, and Christmas has never been a minor Christian feast day since.

The devotional is so pretty, and it has so many pretty illustrations. Each reflection contains a Bible verse and a corresponding excerpt or quote from the novella. I also appreciate the prayers: They are lovely! Another fun thing is the extensive list of Victorian Christmas traditions. After reading the list it is evident the influence Dickens and the Victorians have had on how we still celebrate Christmas today.

I cannot wait for December 1 because I will be reading this devotional along with A Christmas Carol everyday during Advent.

DISCLOSURE: I received a hardcover copy of A Christmas Carol Devotional: 25 Advent Reflections from Charles Dickens’s Beloved Classic from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

TLC review tour schedule:

Monday, October 12th: @dana.loves.books

Wednesday, October 14th: The Bookish Dilettante

Friday, October 16th: @beckys_bookshelves

Monday, October 19th: @simplystevienicole on TikTok

Monday, October 19th: @the_little_book_spot

Wednesday, October 21st: @motherlambreads

Friday, October 23rd: @webreakforbooks

Monday, October 26th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Monday, October 26th: @the.joy.within.every.page

Wednesday, October 28th: @danamarielovestoread

Thursday, October 29th: @deannaturnsthepage

Monday, November 2nd: Laura’s Reviews and @laurasreviews_1

Monday, November 2nd: @charitys.book.escapes

Wednesday, November 4th: @books_old_and_new

Thursday, November 5th: @cecereadsandsings on TikTok

Sunday, November 8th: @nissa_the.bookworm

Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill

A Christmas Carol Devotional: Just In Time for Christmas!

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Happy Tuesday, Friends!

When we renovated our kitchen earlier this year, we installed pullouts for all of the lower cabinets. One is for trash cans, one for pots and pans, one for spices and cooking oils, and we even have one pullout for dish towels. They take up space, and not everything would fit back inside our kitchen. We probably lost about 30-40 percent of what we were storing in our kitchen before the renovation. I also had to rethink cleaning products because there are only two small pullouts for them. So we had to edit our stuff, and surprisingly, I have not missed a single thing that didn't make the cut.

Because we have such limited storage in our kitchen, I am very selective of anything new coming in. And I have found a few new things recently that have really helped make my life easier. You might already know about them, but that's okay because they are new to me. ;P

The first thing is the bagel cutter, or what I like to call the bagel guillotine. Mr. Bookish loves bagels, and he has a half of one almost everyday for breakfast. Slicing bagels can be dangerous, and getting them pre-sliced makes them go stale faster. I love this thing, and I know that you can get them at Williams-Sonoma. It was worth it making room for it.

The second thing I want to share is a cleaning product. It's a lampshade cleaner, and it is worth all the hype. There are a few other uses for it including cleaning oil paintings. It's like a magic eraser, and it truly does an amazing job cleaning. When it gets dirty, you can rinse it out and let it dry before using it again. But make sure it is completely dry before using it again. Brilliant! I purchased the lampshade cleaner from Baker Lamps & Linens here in Birmingham.

The third thing I want to share are these cute little barstool slipcovers. They are saving our pretty stools, y'all. And the slipcovers wash and dry very well. I purchased these from Green Row.

This is a before photo. I love our barstools, but I was concerned about the white stripes on them.

And here's the after with the little slipcovers on them.

They are easy, wash well, and are protecting our barstools.

The fourth thing I want to share are these two printouts hanging in my laundry room. The first one is from Martha Stewart, and it's a list of common stains and how to remove them. The other is a print of international laundry symbols. I can't remember all of them, and it's nice to have this reference on my laundry room wall.

I apologize for the glare on the photo, but the sun really shines brightly on this side of our house.

This is the Martha Stewart printout. Download it and use it because it truly has helped me save several articles of clothing and table linens.

You can do a search for free printables for the laundry symbols and print one out. I believe I found mine in a Daphne's Diary Magazine.

Finally, I must share with you the brilliance of lighting beeswax candles in your home. Did you know that there are health benefits to burning them? Beeswax candles clean the air by helping reduce indoor pollutants and allergens, contributing to better respiratory health. I should also mention their sustainability and clean, fresh honey scent. They also burn slower and longer due to their higher melting point compared to other waxes. We like to order beeswax candles from Anellabees because they have fulfilled our orders in a timely fashion. There are a couple of popular Instagram accounts who have not. Anellabees also sell the best sugar-free candies.

Please come back tomorrow for a review that is the perfect Christmas gift for fans of A Christmas Carol.

Until next time...

Blessings!

Ricki Jill

Gizmos and Gadgets

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Happy Thursday, My Lovelies!

How is your week going? It has been a busy one for us, but Octobers are always our busiest month for whatever reason.

Today I'm sharing with you a new devotional by Christine Caine. I am working my way through it every morning.

About Whom Shall I Fear? 100 Devotions for Overcoming Fear and Living the Abundant Life

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication date: September 15, 2026

Learn to live to the life you are called to with the courage and joyful endurance that come from fully trusting in the God who fights for you.

What would you do if you woke up each day without fear? What wouldn’t you do? Today is the day to stop giving power to fear and start living the life you are called to.

Whom Shall I Fear? by bestselling author and internationally acclaimed speaker Christine Caine is your 100-day devotional journey to trade in your fears, overcome your doubts, and discover a life of courage and joyful endurance.

Christine Caine knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by the path in front of you. But the God we serve reminds us hundreds of times in Scripture to fear not, and Christine wants you to know that you, too, can overcome your doubts and fears, and you can live in confidence in the God who fights for you.

Whatever you’re facing, and whatever you’re called to, you can live an overcoming, enduring life of joy and purpose. Discover how:

Your call to rest is more important than you think
Fighting the good fight starts with prayer
Worshipping in Spirit and truth helps you overcome
God’s joy is your strength, and He wants you to live a life of joy too

Whom Shall I Fear? is a perfect gift for anyone who is:

Seeking confidence and courage in God
Starting a new chapter in life
Working to overcome fears and doubts
Facing challenges
Needing to be infused with God’s strength, joy, and endurance

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

About the Author

Christine Caine is a New York Times bestselling author and an internationally acclaimed speaker whose message of hope and resilience has inspired millions. Along with her husband, Nick, she founded the A21 Campaign, a global nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking, and Propel Women, an initiative committed to activating women globally to fulfill their God-given purpose. Christine’s impactful work is also shared through her weekly podcasts, Equip and Empower and Life and Leadership with Propel Women. To learn more about Christine, visit www.christinecaine.com.

My Review

I quickly read through this 100-day devotional, and now I am working my way through it one lesson per day, and I'm loving it. I've only had it for a little over a month, so I've finished the first section "A Call to Rest" and I'm on Part 2 entitled "Fighting the Good Fight - With Prayer." So far I am truly appreciating and LOVING Part 2 because sometimes I struggle with prayer.

Did you know that there are 365 Bible verses telling us to NOT be afraid? That means that there is one for every single day of the year. God wants us to remember that he gave us a spirit of power and love, not fear. Fear is from the enemy. But seeing as how we have problems remembering God's intentions for us, we must be reminded. Daily.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
~2 Timothy 1:7

I am truly enjoying this devotional, and it's appropriate for everyone. With Christmas right around the corner, it would make a lovely gift or stocking stuffer.

This is an example of a lesson. It includes a scriptural reference, a lesson, and a short prayer at the end. It's the perfect start to your day with your morning coffee or tea.

Disclosure: I received a hardcover copy of Whom Shall I Fear? from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank-you so much!