New Year Same As The Old Year

Meet the new year – will it be the same as the old year? 

New year same as the old year

Back in 1971, The Who had a hit song called, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. If that sounds familiar it’s because the song was used as the theme song for “CSI”, the original Crime Scene Investigation show on TV.

But there is a line in the song that came to my mind when I was thinking about the new year. The line is “meet the new boss, same as the old boss”. I thought to myself, “Here we are at the beginning of a new year, same as the old year.” 

Or will it be the same as the old year? 

That is certainly up for debate at this point since we are only a couple of days into the year. But there are signs that could give some credence to that line.

We are starting 2022 much like we started 2021. We have high numbers of covid and a push to get everyone to get a shot or booster. People are still encouraged to isolate, keep distanced, wear a mask. These measures all have a great impact on how we work, how we socialize, how we spend our free time. 

As we begin this year, we could wonder if we will be in the same place at the end. Or will there be some differences? 

There are some things that point to a different year ahead. The major virus threat right now, Omicron, is a much weaker variety than the previous versions. Maybe these variants will just get weaker and weaker. 

Whether this year will be the same as last year seems right now to be dependent on covid. Getting back to The Who’s song, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, those lyrics might be something we should consider. 

At the beginning of a new year, will we fall into the same patterns, same responses we did in the past year, or will we choose to do some things differently to forge a new path ahead?

We all know the definition of insanity is “doing the same things over and over, but expecting a different result.”

To start a new year that won’t be the same as the old year, I need to determine to do something differently. And that requires some thought, planning and purpose. 

This year will be much like last year if we don’t put some thought into what might make this year different. If we don’t, we will generally just follow the pattern we had from the year before. … Sing it with me “Same as the old year”.

What I will do during the first week of 2022 is take a review of my last year, note what I did and didn’t do, and then plan to do some new things or further some things from the year before. I won’t choose too many because I have found that when I do that I get bogged down and don’t accomplish them.

This year will be different because I have a plan.

Here’s the thing: When I plan for the year ahead, I seek what God has planned for me. God’s plans never fail, so if I want to be sure I accomplish something different in 2022, I will need to consult with Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: I’ve use a specific guide to aid me in my planning process. If you are interested in a copy of it, let me know in the comments below.

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Settle Into A New Year

I think I’ve settled into the new year now. The Christmas tree is still up and we still put the lights on, but it’s become a background decoration and not the main focal point in the room.

dawn

The first couple of days of a new year are still very much holiday-like. There’s the aftermath of New Year’s, like football and parades on TV, catching up on sleep.

Even work was still in holiday mode: all was quiet, no programs, just me focussing on what I needed to do to get ready for Sunday.

But that’s all done now – it’s January 3rd and today I feel like it’s just a regular day.

We still have some baking that I will polish off in the next week. And the fridge is still pretty full with lots of extra Christmassy foods. There’s even some eggnog in there that needs to be knocked back before it goes bad.

… They’re all just remnants now. A week ago they were part of the festivities, part of the charm of the season. But now they’re nothing more than the aftermath, a duty to be completed to seal the end of it all.

Two weeks ago there was still lots to look forward to; we were entering a time of family, friends, and fun. Now we just have the start of a new week to look forward to.

There will be some great highlights this year to anticipate and get excited about, but right now it’s all about getting settled in a brand new year after a busy time of life.

How I settle in is with some routines. As great as holidays and Christmas are, they get you out of your regular routine and, though that idea has some sparkle, it’s a little disruptive to the regular flow of life.

I’ve missed my 6:00 am alarm several times in the last couple of weeks. I like getting up at that time; it’s quiet, it’s peaceful … I’m quiet and peaceful.

At that time of the morning I don’t have a million things to do. I don’t have a bunch of requests for my time, my presence. I like that about answering my alarm.

I remember when I first discovered the joy of the early morning. Back . . . well, let’s just say a long time ago, I would sleep till noon if I didn’t have something pressing me to get up.

Though I would sleep that long, I didn’t feel all that rested, and I would get this sinking feeling that a good chunk of the day was over, that I missed out on something.

I didn’t start getting up at six right then, but that was the start of finding a great part of the day that I had never before considered valuable.

Now it’s my routine every day, to answer my alarm at 6:00 and begin my day quiet, calm and peaceful. You should try it if you don’t already.

Here’s the thing: That first part of the day when it is all quiet in your home and in your own being is a great time to connect with God. For some people, it might require a cup of coffee or two just to clear your mind, but there’s no better time to spend with God than in the most peaceful time of the day. Find a comfortable chair, set the light just right and give those first thoughts of the day to God. You’ll love that routine, and so will God.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What is your favourite routine? Leave your comment below.