I am one who usually does not make a New Year’s Resolution. The times I have I found I didn’t keep them, and if I had my life would not have significantly changed. Most resolutions are soon broken and forgotten. The most common are vows to change eating habits, lose weight, work out, etc. And, the more meaningful ones, daily Bible reading, church attendance, finish the remodeling job, etc.also are mostly not kept.
The only one I remember keeping was about drinking coffee. I was drinking several cups a day (as I do now..) and I told my wife as she walked through the room, “I’m not going to drink any coffee for the next year”. Her immediate reply was, “You can’t do that!”. Her reply instantly became my primary motive for leaving my beloved coffee for a year. I didn’t drink a cup for a whole year. I don’t remember feeling any healthier but I showed her! LOL
I am toying with the idea that I might break with tradition and actually make a New Year’s Resolution. I have a few hours to make a decision. There are few things I’m good at. Physically, I’m the clumsiest person on earth and accident prone. Six fresh stitches in my forehead is proof of that. My only real skill is writing. Since about 9th grade I took an interest in writing, in speech, debates, court room trials, etc. For some reason that I don’t understand, there are times when words come very easy, and I can effortlessly turn a phrase. The past several years most of my writing has been along biblical themes.
For about 10 years I blogged at www.gracedigest.com and much more recently here at royceogle.com. Hundreds of times I have heard the advice, “Don’t talk about religion or politics”. It so happens that religion and politics are my two favorite topics! I started this blog primarily to share commentary on politics and society because I didn’t like sharing those thoughts on GraceDigest which was largely Bible teaching and related subjects.
I hate to admit it, but I have become addicted to social media, and my lack of writing shows it. I almost completely stopped blogging this year and last until the past few days. It’s so easy to say on a Facebook post a condensed version of my view on a subject, or to Tweet in a few characters something on my mind. So, I blame me and my addiction to social media for damaging the one thing I’m pretty good at. My wife wife has encouraged me to write again, especially poems. I read one to her yesterday that I wrote in 1976 to a young woman I had hired to type a paper on the Bible book of Hebrews. I have to say, it was brilliant and funny! And, for added encouragement, I got an A on the paper.
So, I might write more on my blogs in the coming months and less on Facebook and Twitter. There is going to be some great subject matter on the political front and world affairs. And, there is always a treasure to be discovered in the person and work of Christ.
I wish you all a Happy New Year.
Royce Ogle
Dec 31st, 2016