There are trends that start every so often that just seem to catch on for some reason. For a while it was chipotle. Everything seemed to have chipotle peppers as one of the featured ingredients. Then we had the olive oil phase. Even shampoo was “infused with restorative powers of olive oil.” Recently it’s bacon - which honestly, may be the best thing ever (unless you are trying to actually extend your life). Regardless of what the focal point actually is, there is always something that seems to be the latest rage in marketing.
The same is true when it comes to the way we, as a society, think and behave. For example, it used to be the cool thing to say “I don’t care what anyone thinks, I just say what’s on my mind.” That was great at first. If someone said that we would all sit and watch them, impressed (and maybe even jealous) of their ability to be so bold and unafraid to be blunt. Then, after everyone started adopting this philosophy, it became clear that it wasn’t actually a good thing, it usually just hurt people’s feelings and was the mark of a fool (“There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” - Proverbs 29:20).
Whole blogs have been dedicated to the various hot trends in parenting. I refuse to be engaged when it comes to these. As a matter of fact, I have adopted the “don’t ask don’t tell” philosophy in my parenting. I’ve had one too many run-ins with rabid anti-immunization moms. They scare me. Seriously ladies, take one step closer and so help me, I will pull out my dirty syringe filled with DTaP and MMR antibodies and STAB you! (Just kidding. Please don’t’ hurt me.)
ANYWAY…I am talking about these types of trends because it seems like around this time of year, all of a sudden it seems like the cool thing to say now is, “I don’t make resolutions.” Well I say that is just dumb. For forever, this time of year has been a time when we all looked forward to new beginnings and starting over and wiping the slate of the last year clean. How could that be a bad thing? Simply because most of us don’t stick to our resolutions, that doesn’t mean that we should stop trying. I think this new trend of apathy is doo-doo (as my 7 year old so eloquently says).
I’m gonna go nerd on you. The month of January was named after the Roman god Janus. Old Janus was considered to be the god of beginnings or transitions (much cooler god than say, Summanus - the god of nighttime thunder). Janus was also considered the god of gates, doors, passages, endings and time. He is depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. He is sometimes referred to as “The Beginner.” The whole month of January is centered around this idea of examining what we’ve done in the past, seeing where we can improve, and then looking to the future.
I don’t care what you say, you can’t make me feel dumb for resolving to be better this year. I’m starting over. Again. And I’ll do it next year too if I have to. So my resolutions this year are as follows:
I may not succeed at all of them, but I am going to at least try. All you non-resolutioners can just back off - I'll stab you too. (How is that for edifying?)
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” Philippians 3:12-13
The same is true when it comes to the way we, as a society, think and behave. For example, it used to be the cool thing to say “I don’t care what anyone thinks, I just say what’s on my mind.” That was great at first. If someone said that we would all sit and watch them, impressed (and maybe even jealous) of their ability to be so bold and unafraid to be blunt. Then, after everyone started adopting this philosophy, it became clear that it wasn’t actually a good thing, it usually just hurt people’s feelings and was the mark of a fool (“There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” - Proverbs 29:20).
Whole blogs have been dedicated to the various hot trends in parenting. I refuse to be engaged when it comes to these. As a matter of fact, I have adopted the “don’t ask don’t tell” philosophy in my parenting. I’ve had one too many run-ins with rabid anti-immunization moms. They scare me. Seriously ladies, take one step closer and so help me, I will pull out my dirty syringe filled with DTaP and MMR antibodies and STAB you! (Just kidding. Please don’t’ hurt me.)
ANYWAY…I am talking about these types of trends because it seems like around this time of year, all of a sudden it seems like the cool thing to say now is, “I don’t make resolutions.” Well I say that is just dumb. For forever, this time of year has been a time when we all looked forward to new beginnings and starting over and wiping the slate of the last year clean. How could that be a bad thing? Simply because most of us don’t stick to our resolutions, that doesn’t mean that we should stop trying. I think this new trend of apathy is doo-doo (as my 7 year old so eloquently says).
I’m gonna go nerd on you. The month of January was named after the Roman god Janus. Old Janus was considered to be the god of beginnings or transitions (much cooler god than say, Summanus - the god of nighttime thunder). Janus was also considered the god of gates, doors, passages, endings and time. He is depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. He is sometimes referred to as “The Beginner.” The whole month of January is centered around this idea of examining what we’ve done in the past, seeing where we can improve, and then looking to the future.
I don’t care what you say, you can’t make me feel dumb for resolving to be better this year. I’m starting over. Again. And I’ll do it next year too if I have to. So my resolutions this year are as follows:
- To lose at least 60 pounds (5 pounds a month should be very doable if I remain focused).
- To be more patient with my children.
- To edify and encourage people around me more
I may not succeed at all of them, but I am going to at least try. All you non-resolutioners can just back off - I'll stab you too. (How is that for edifying?)
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” Philippians 3:12-13
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