Something on my Mind: New Year's Wishes (2)

We're continuing our wish list for the New Year...

Think better This wish for the New Year follows naturally from assessing eating and sleeping habits, then changing them. I have found many "brain-dead" people (and not just junior high students) who are so sluggish mentally because of poor eating and sleeping habits.

In other words, poor physical health will invariably lead to poor mental health. (That is a much, much bigger [and sensitive] topic than I have room for a in few lines in this column.)

My advice for your New Year's Wish List is to become a critical thinker. And it's "critical," as in analytical, forensic, and objective—not as in nitpicking and cranky. The two can be confused for each other, but they are polar opposites.

Thinking better means to examine all news stories, information, and opinions of celebrities, politicians, and even religious leaders and friends. It should lead to healthy dialogue and exchange of ideas, even if we don't necessarily agree. It's hard to find common ground these days at any level, over any matter, in any medium.

I have found that things would be better if we could just think things through.

Speak better This wish is all about proper communication, which includes "writing better," too. As an aside, my writing is still a work in progress, and I am constantly trying to improve my written communication skills.

But "speaking better" is my focus here. This involves elocution skills, namely, articulation, pronunciation and enunciation. It means having a good vocabulary and colourful words (versus "colourful language"). I'm thinking of deleting words such as "like," "huh," "wha," (not to be confused with "what") and "you know," unless absolutely necessary.

I suppose there's also a place for coded language (aka slang) among peers, but in any conventional setting, it is best to speak in such a way that your hearers understand you.

I use a lot of idioms and colloquialisms (that's part of the "colourful words"), only to discover my listeners didn't get them. That usually means I spend probably a third more of my time explaining what I meant in the first place, which is a serious (but necessary) waste of time. It's better to be clear in the first place.

Spend better This may strike you as an oddball wish for the New Year, but actually it's not. This is a wish that is so essential for all of us. While we may vary in how much money we have, at least we all have some.

Do you ever use coupons? Do you usually wait for sales before you purchase things? What about shopping at thrift stores, or is that beneath you? Eat out a lot? Buy in bulk? Prepare food at home in advance of the weeks to come? Is fresh versus frozen an option for you?

My folks were not wealthy by any stretch, but they had exceptionally good money habits. My wife is likewise a very good money manager. She learned that from her mother.

In terms of our family, she had to be: We have always lived on one salary, with nine kids, for years. In fact, at one point, I spent ten years living a without a regular income (a Christian worker, with a "guaranteed" monthly income of only $400-$600). The rest came in the mail...usually. We got by, by God's grace, and lived to write about it.

My desperate concern is for our institutions (schools, churches, and mostly governments) to be far more responsible with how they work with budgets and taxes. Money management with either will make us or break us as a nation—and mismanagement is breaking us these days.

Much of good money mismanagement starts in the home. Children who observe the careful spending habits of their parents grow up to be adults who know how to handle their money wisely.

So there you have it: eating, sleeping, thinking, speaking, and spending better are five key New Year's Resolutions that we should all aim for.

Happy (and better) New Year!

Something on my Mind: New Year's Wished (1)

If this is early January, then this is the time of year that we are driven to make significant changes in our life and lifestyle. Doughnuts are replaced by granola bars, milkshakes give way to skim milk, and a walk to the fridge becomes a walk around the block. Add the cheesy smile to your next door neighbour.

But by the middle of January we throw in the towel, and drop the diet, and stop the exercise routine...at least till next January.

It's really hard to implement all these great ideas into one's daily regimen. It's even harder to wake up one day to discover you can no longer stand drinking almond milk and eating fewer carbs on a regular basis. That includes no longer being able (or willing?) to walk for twenty minutes, or to spend thirty minutes on the treadmill on a regular basis.

It's tough to realize it isn't going to happen anymore, and that you just have to be that flabby and cranky old person you always were—no matter how hard you try to improve. Or, as someone might say, " another piece of cheesecake, please, and will you hurry up and shovel my driveway?"

Well, that makes 2019 a new year but the same old you.

What you need is a change that is not quite so drastic. Make small changes in your current lifestyle, that's all--one day at a time, one step at a time, one gulp at a time.

Let me work with the word "better," and see what I can come up with for you. And this advice is free of charge, or at least till the middle of January, when I get cranky again myself. It is as follows:

Eat better I say "better" because a. you already eat; and b. you probably have some things in your diet that you could possibly cut down on, though not necessarily cut out. The battle with carbs, dairy, and sweets, is a never ending one. And it's important to focus on the battle and not the war with this one.

I am not "Dr. Fun," a nutrition or diet specialist, but I am fully aware you are what you eat. Of course, if that was the case, I would be a chicken, but I don't think that's what it means.

Eating better could mean that you scrap most of your pills, like I have, and you just get serious about a well-balanced diet, like I do. It means you eat what you want, but in moderate proportions. I think there is a lot of "weighty" misinformation out there and this obligates you to buckle down to investigate for yourself. Investigation is a good "exercise." Every body (versus everybody) is different, and you should eat whatever works with yours.

That means fewer supplements, less processed food and sugar, more fruits and vegetables, more bran and vitamins. if necessary, spend more money on healthy food, You only have one body and one life, and it's worth the investment. The Bible calls your body a "temple," and you should care for it accordingly.

Sleep better It has taken me years to get this down pat. For years I would stay up late, sleep in later than I should. In my first full-time job (a letter-carrier), forty years ago, it was really, really tough to get to work on time, 6:30 am. Today it would be a breeze.

In fact, at this point in time, I consider sleeping in till 6:30 naughty and slothful (okay, slight exaggeration). I find if I go to bed regularly (and that means well before midnight), I have a better sense of physical and mental balance for the next day. Do that every day, you'll be more productive and sweeter for weeks and months to come.

Maybe even "forever," but forever is a long time.

I don't know your evening habits, and how much junk you watch late into the night, but I suggest that could be tweaked. And that also includes surfing for hours on your electronic toys. There's no doubt that changing your habits will clearly benefits your sleeping habits.

Some people are night owls, something I once was. Now I'm an early bird and it works for me. And you know which one gets the worm...if it's worms you're after. You can't be both. If you try, though, then you become sleep-deprived and that's very unhealthy. I know some who live that away, because I can count the bags under their eyes.

So, promise yourself that you'll go to bed earlier than usual this coming year, then get up a little earlier than usual, even if it's 30 minutes earlier at each end. You'll want to increase it to an hour as soon as possible, working up to something well before midnight in order to get your eight hours in. After that, feel free to text me and gush over my helping you feel so much better.

If you want to reward me for my wonderful advice, a gift card for "Sleep Country" could work.

Please, though, don't do it any time after 9:30pm. I'll be asleep by then.

Something on my Mind: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Okay, the following song may not have the same rhythm or appeal as, say, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," to be sure.  But there is a historical, biblical, emotional, and sociological depth to it that I truly appreciate.

And it alarms me that, as a society, we continue to become more secular, we are losing an appreciation for these old Christmas spirituals.  I am not saying that that's all we should sing.  Nor am I saying that some of these "newer" ones (at least from the '40s, '50s and '60s) should be banned, not at all.

I just find so many ditties today cheapen the real meaning of Christmas.

The following songs are just a few that I really enjoy: "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," "I'll be Home for Christmas," "Deck the Halls with Balls of Holly."  They are uptempo and uplifting, with a lot of fun lyrics.

The author of the following Christmas hymn was Charles Wesley, brother of the preacher, John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist church.  As I am neither a Methodist nor a musician, so I can write about this man and his songs without any bias.

This Charles Wesley was an interesting character:  He was the eighteenth child of nineteen, and a prolific songwriter (having written almost 9,000 songs in his lifetime).

The song? I thought you would never ask! Think about the following words of one of the most venerable Christmas hymns that has been around for over 300 years:

"Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, born a Child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thy own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne."

Were things as bad then as they now?  Was he writing a social commentary on the state of affairs with England?  I'm thinking "yes" in both cases.  It is so meaningful that what he sensed in his culture was the need to have a Deliverer—just like today, yes?

Let me isolate a few phrases for you: "...born to set His people free. From our fears and sins release us."  That part is still so relevant to us today, isn't it?

"By Thy own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone."  Again, that's a real sentiment that applies to us today.

Believe it or not, I'm actually not trying to preach here.  My suggestion for you and yours is to pull these old hymns from somewhere in your house.  If not, pull them off the Internet. Are you up for singing them?  I promise that I won't sneak in and listen, if that's any consolation.

There is a depth of meaning for everyone who cares to listen to these types of songs.  I find intriguing that what Mr. Wesley observed and "commented on" back then is still as relevant today, perhaps even more so.

Your journey into the hallowed world of these old, stalwart hymns could add a little zest to this year's celebration.   And I assure you, it won't involve your grandma getting hurt by a reindeer.

 

 

Something on my Mind: It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year--sez who?

    I basically agree with that song.  You may remember from previous columns the many reasons why I love Christmas, despite it being trashed and thrashed by the culture at large.  But then again, maybe you don't remember

Hey, I write this stuff and I can't always remember what I wrote over the years.

But what I do know is not everyone thinks this is "the most wonderful time of year"--and for different reasons. More on that later.

Let's look at the positive side of things first.  There are four groupings of people (maybe more) who love this time of year, for a host of different reasons.

1. Retailers. The precise percentage of their sales during this season has escaped me, but it is disproportionately high.  Apparently the profits from November and December's sales exceed the other ten months combined.  I too would consider that a wonderful time of the year, if my profits were that good.

2. Kids. Every child I know loves the gifts, food, decorations, even the break from school.  I know that because, well, I was a kid once.  And there is a kid in every one of us, whether we're 25 , 55, or 85.

3. Lovers, especially lovers who have just gotten engaged.  There is something special about the rush of anticipating spending the rest of one's life with Mr. Dreamboat or Miss Hotstuff.  And if those feelings persist over the years, then Christmas is so much more special.

4. Churches. This is a really exciting time of year for Bible-believing churches.  Those that take the Bible literally see the story of Jesus' birth, and the peace and hope that comes out of it, as very meaningful.

So it always baffles me when the secularists try to eradicate anything to do with Christ at Christmas (after all, it is CHRIST-mas, you know).  Not only is it shortsighted and unfortunate, it's wrong.

That's a natural segue into why not everyone thinks this is "the most wonderful time of year."

1. Secularists. I have alluded to them already, as I know this season grates on their nerves.  To them, they hate the thought of celebrating the birth of someone they question ever existed, or if He did, wasn't too significant.  It's hard for them to get past that Babe, but if they could, they would see the goodwill and joy that His birth has brought to humanity.

2. Anti-Semites. That's a fancy-schmancy term for Jew haters. I'm not sure if there is a rational reason for such contempt, but it is prevalent and growing.  The basis for their feelings is that Jesus was born a Jew in what has become Israel.   Anti-Semites include all secularists and religions that despise anything to with Israel.

3. Bereaved ones. These are people who have lost family members: literally, through death; or, figuratively, through broken relationships.  To celebrate the joy of the season over the years, then to have that bond ripped away, makes this season very painful.

My wife herself lost an uncle (her dad's brother) and aunt (her mom's sister) in 2018.  It will impact the season for her, as well the closer relatives.

Others may not get their own separate category, but I am thinking of those who just received some bad news from their doctor, those workers at the GM plant in Oshawa, as well as members and parents of the Humboldt Broncos—just a few groupings that have come to me as a I write.  It will not be the same for them as it was for last year's Christmas.

So, is it "the most wonderful time of the year" for you?

Maybe you're not up for it, but why don't you try to do something special for yourself and for others.  Try a different dish, play a different board game, or have someone different over for games and snacks?

And have yourself "the most different time of the year" this time.