A time to every purpose, under Heaven...

A new year... 2012! What advice would you give someone at the start of yet another year? Here's mine:

"Resolve to pre-write the year '2012' on the first few leaves in your cheque book!"

But seriously, those of us not wont towards resolution-making are likely to be of the reflective ilk. For such, I recommend the "Hymn of Promise". This YouTube video clip below includes the very meaningful lyrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SnC6tjjtkA

There is another meaningful song that I think conveys the spirit of the times -- what the Germans call "zeitgeist". The past year has been an eventful one, conveying uncertainty. Yet, if the Hymn of Promise brings the promise of hope, of a new dawn eventually, the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!", based on the Old Testament's Book of Ecclesiastes (3:1-15), conveys necessary transition, to a new zeitgeist, even if this changeover has not yet fully unfolded.

Here's the Judy Collins/Pete Seeger version, below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DejUPN4SksU

Turn! Turn! Turn!

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up,a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones,
A time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace,
A time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

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Getting to Heaven?
Here's how the new pastor introduced his sermon...

If you drink, you'll get drunk
If you get drunk, you'll fall asleep
If you are sleeping, you can't sin
If you don't sin, you'll get to Heaven
QED

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What'll it be like in the year 2525 (and beyond)?
Here's what one hit song from way, way back (1969) thinks it will be like... enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhNM2K8cmU8