This very night multitudes of people across America will be attempting to sing a song they don’t know. They won’t know all the lyrics and they won’t know what they are singing about. They will simply be singing along because it’s the thing to do.
I am one of those who would sing along without much of a clue what the song was about. So this evening I googled the song and linked to the Wikipedia article on “Auld Lang Syne.” The article immediately affirmed what I wrote in the preceding paragraph:
Like many other frequently sung songs, the melody is better remembered than the words, which are often sung incorrectly, and seldom in full.
Band leader Guy Lombardo popularized the song’s use at New Year’s Eve parties, even though the practice long preceded Lombardo.
The meaning of the song? Basically, it’s a song celebrating the friendships of the past. “Auld Lang Syne” means “Times Gone By.”
In researching this information, I couldn’t help but think about Dan Fogelberg’s 1980 hit, “Same Old Lang Syne,” especially in the light of his recent passing. I recalled hearing that the story he tells in that song was actually happened to him.
Curious again, I googled dan..fogelberg...same...old...lang...syne...true...story and found this very fascinating piece from the Peoria (Dan’s Illinois hometown) newspaper. The secret, “old lover” that he met in the grocery store decided to reveal the secret of her identity after Dan’s passing. Turns out that Jill, the old flame of Dan’s young love life, is now a second grade teacher in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. If you are not real familiar with this story song click here to hear it with lyrics running along.
Turns out Dan took a few artistic liberties with the story. For instance, her eyes are actually green, not blue, but it was easier to rhyme with the word blue. Also, the “grocery” store was actually a convenience store (actual store pictured below). But the bulk of the song is historically accurate.
The convenience store on the corner of Frye and Prospect in Peoria, IL, where Dan Fogelberg bumped into his old flame, the event chronicled in his 1980 hit, “Same Old Lang Syne.”
Sidebar...consider this. In 2005 we discovered that Mark Felt was the famous “Deep Throat” of the Watergate story. Now in 2007 we discover that Jill Greulich is the former love interest of Fogelberg’s holiday hit. Hey, maybe in 2009 we’ll finally discover the identity of the inspiration behind Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (Warren Beatty? Mick Jagger? James Taylor?). Did you know that “You’re So Vain” was from the album titled “No Secrets”? How’s that for irony?
When you think about the lyrics of Fogelberg’s song, you realize how well he captured the memories of the awkwardness of teenage love, young dreams, and the reality of life going on after unfulfilled relationships.
All this leads to the question, how should a Christian approach a new year?
Well, to start with, we must acknowledge that the Bible makes no reference to celebrating New Year’s Day. But the Lord did appoint festivals and celebrations to certain days of the year on the calendar. The Israelites acknowledged the sovereignty of God in the seasonal calendar, as seen in the Pentecost and Festival of First Fruits (in Spring).
Celebrating the New Year with family or friends cannot be seen as wrong in and of itself, but the more important question is, what should the attitude of a Christian be at the turning of the year: sober reflection, joyous celebration, or passive indifference?
I don’t think there is a right answer to that question since the Bible does not address the issue, but I do think that there are some Scriptures available to help us know how to process our relationship to the past and the future.
In regard to the past, we should first remember the Lord’s faithfulness. Throughout the Scriptures, the prophets challenge us to remember the Lord’s faithfulness as revealed in his saving power and fulfilled promises. These examples serve as a reminder to us that the God who was faithful in the past will be faithful today and tomorrow.
We should also impose upon ourselves a measure of forgetfulness, a strategic case of voluntary amnesia. What should we forget? We should forget our own accomplishments and failures. Where do I get this idea? From the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians:
...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead... (3.13)
The next words Paul writes brings us to the third question concerning a Christian approach to New Year’s Day: Should a Christian make resolutions?
Paul writes in the rest of the verse, ...I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Using Paul’s language, I like to think not in terms of resolutions, but goals. When I think of resolutions, I think of one shot, a hard and fast promise, that when broken, is shattered forever. When I think of goals, I think of a target that can be reached, making allowance for a slip or two with room for catching up. To use theological language, resolutions remind me of the law, goals remind me of grace.
For the Christian, since it is commanded that we do everything to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31), then any and all of our goals should be within the one goal that Paul pursued...the goal of fulfilling the call of God on our life. So if I decide I want to lose weight in 2008, then I should not do it because I want people to be impressed with my physique when I show up to my 20th high school reunion this coming summer. I should set a goal of losing weight because my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and because a proper weight makes me feel better and work better and play better, all of which honors God.
A goal I set for 2007, and accomplished by God’s grace, was to read through the Bible in a year. It was a goal that benefitted me spiritually and honored the Lord. There were some days I didn’t get to read the assigned portion, but because it was a goal and not a daily resolution, I was able to catch up by doing a little more reading on another day.
So while most of America is singing a song it doesn’t know or reliving the pain of old loves lost, I encourage you to set some goals for 2008 that bring you closer to Christ, and thereby, glorify Him.
From my family to yours, may God bless you with a very happy new year.
Monday, December 31, 2007
