My goodness, can you believe it, another year has gone! How time flies!
Photo: "slowing down" to enjoy
the beauty of God's creation
I was going to write about New Year’s resolutions, but I couldn’t think of any until my wife reminded me of a resolution I made some years back. On Dec 31, 2004, I received a traffic summon for speeding along the 4-carriageway Upper Bt. Timah Road, which had a speed limit of 50 km. I was caught by a policemen hiding with a mobile speed camera The summon costs me $170. But what hurts most was not the money but having a perfect 18-year driving record tarnished - 8 demerit points! The timing of the traffic summon, which came through the post, was an absolute year-end spoiler, coming exactly on the last day of 2004! So, thanks to the Traffic Police, I made a ‘fine’ New Year resolution to “slow down”. Since then, I have consciously kept to the speed limit and ignored the many vehicles, even the heavier and supposedly slower ones, breezing past.
So, I thought I might instead have a little review of the year. But then, most of what we have done (since August) have already been documented in this blog. Nonetheless, Bill Bryson, the author of “Notes from a BIG COUNTRY” wrote that one of the more dismaying aspects of writing for print is that “as soon as you make a statement – it will generally be contradicted by developments.” I can testify to this.
So, I thought I might instead have a little review of the year. But then, most of what we have done (since August) have already been documented in this blog. Nonetheless, Bill Bryson, the author of “Notes from a BIG COUNTRY” wrote that one of the more dismaying aspects of writing for print is that “as soon as you make a statement – it will generally be contradicted by developments.” I can testify to this. .
In my first blog in August, I wrote how safe our neighborhood was such that most people don’t even bother to lock their doors. Well, wouldn’t you know it, but a few weeks after that blog, some “punks” went through our neighborhood in the early morning and left a trail of vandalism. Of all the houses in the neighborhood, they picked on ours! They plucked out the plants from a flower pot, turned over the garden bench, and took away the rattan “mail” basket and my wife’s favorite sandals. One of our neighbors also had his driveway lamp smashed! On the advice of our neighbors, we reported this incident to the police. We also decided to place our important documents in a safe deposit box at a nearby bank. Anyway, State College is still a relative safe place. Crimes are a rarity here, so even little incidents get reported in the local news.
Well, how do the Americans celebrate on New Year Eve?
We went into a wine shop and were amazed, not only by the number of shoppers, but also the amount of liquor that was sold. A number of shoppers have their baskets/trolleys filled with many bottles of spirits! So, if Thanksgiving is associated with “turkey”, Christmas with “gifts”, then the best association with NY Eve is “drinking”!Proverbs of the Day (20:1, 23:20):
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise”.“Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”
In these two proverbs, God is not against drinking and partying. He wants us to enjoy life, but to be alert to the dangers of having too much wine; it dulls the senses, it limits clear judgment, it lowers the capacity for control, it destroys a person’s efficiency. The soothing comfort of alcohol is only temporary. To make wine an end in itself, a means of self-indulgence, or as an escape from life is to misuse it and invite the consequences of the drunkard.
Whilst the world drinks to forget, we drink to remember!
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Photo: Frozen pond at Penn State
What do we intend to do today? We plan to visit the First Night® State College, which is well known for its outstanding displays of carved ice sculptures. The event, which runs for the whole of today till midnight, features musical and theatrical performances in downtown churches and theatres, indoor and outdoor resolution sculptures, and art workshops for young people downtown and at the museum. For the athletically inclined, there is even present a 5K Resolution Run, or ice skating.
What do we intend to do today? We plan to visit the First Night® State College, which is well known for its outstanding displays of carved ice sculptures. The event, which runs for the whole of today till midnight, features musical and theatrical performances in downtown churches and theatres, indoor and outdoor resolution sculptures, and art workshops for young people downtown and at the museum. For the athletically inclined, there is even present a 5K Resolution Run, or ice skating. Truly, they have something for everyone. While outdoor events are free, a $8 button provides general admission to all indoor performances. First Night is an alcohol-free event that offers the community an alternative to the traditional New Year's Eve revelry.
I am intrigued to note that there is also going to be a Burning Man Resolution Sculpture. He will collect our wishes, regrets, and resolutions that we didn't keep. The Burning Man will live up to his name when we ignite him at 11:15 p.m. in Central Parklet. On his short journey from wood and fabric to charcoal, he'll dispose of all of our loose ends from the past year.
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Have a Happy New Year!
Sources:
1) LAB, p. 1109
1) Bill Bryson, Notes from a BIG COUNTRY
