Why is it that when I want to start something new, I always do it on a Monday?
Monday’s suck! I don’t know who instilled this philosophy in me, but I think it may have been a comic strip when I was still in elementary school, a long time ago! It could have been Ziggy or Garfield. Likely Ziggy since he came first, and most people don’t know who I’m talking about because, “Yes, I am that old!”. Ziggy predates Garfield by almost 10 years. Tom Wilson debuted Ziggy in 1968, a whole 18 months before I was born. Jim Davis’ Monday-hating orange tabby cat didn’t debut until June 19, 1978 – ironically on a Monday. I guess good things do start on Mondays if you like Garfield. It also struck me that some people reading this might not even know who Garfield is – because I am that old too!
For a frame of reference, click here to see Ziggy’s and Garfield‘s first mention of hating Mondays.
For the people I’ve offended with my title, yes, OMG does stand for Oh My God – but not how you think I am using it. Read Psalm 59:1 and Psalm 38:21, where David sings about the Lord’s deliverance in times of trouble and turmoil. In both cases, he proclaims, “O my God,” defend me, deliver me, do not forsake me, do not be far from me! It sounds to me like he could have been writing these ancient songs on a Monday.
Good things start on Mondays. For the sake of argument, let’s pretend that Monday is your week’s first day. Some people will still argue (especially Christ-followers, Jewish people, and my wife) that Sunday is the first day of the week and with good reason (Genesis 1:3, Acts 2:1, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:1,2). However, for the sake of this blog post, and since I am the one writing it – Monday is the first day of the week (My work week!) and I tend to start new projects, ideas, and goals on the first day of the week. But I hate Mondays because as much as I like starting new projects, ideas, and goals – doing it on a Monday takes a lot of energy, thought and eventually “stick-to-it-iveness.” (New word, don’t try and look it up, according to ChatGPT it means: “a colloquial term used to describe the quality or ability of a person to persevere, persist, or continue with a particular course of action or task despite facing difficulties, obstacles, or setbacks.”
Why is being creative on Mondays easy yet difficult to maintain? I think it goes back to the Creation account reflecting and revealing the restlessness and tensions present at the beginning of Creation. Genesis 1:2 states that the Spirit of God was “hovering” over the face of the waters or deep. (By the way, where did the waters(deep) come from if God created everything out of nothing starting in verse 3? Perhaps a topic for another time.)
Then there is the dichotomy of light and darkness, good vs evil, mind vs body, emotion vs logic. All of this is also present with me starting a new thing today. There is illumination/inspiration (light) but despair (darkness), goodness but lethargy and distraction (evils), and a mind that wants to share but a body that hates being tied to a chair and computer to get it done. And finally, the excitement and fears wrestling with the practicality and implications of such a project (Why? Who will read it? What do you have to say to anyone? etc.)
But here I am – on a Monday – starting a new project: A Blog, a writing journal, and a weekly plan to keep it fresh and progressing. I hope someone might read it, find encouragement, be challenged, poke back, and it leaves a record of my presence here, some kind of proof that I existed! Who knows? As it progresses and grows – I might come to like Mondays, as long as I don’t get knocked on my behind (see the Ziggy link) or get wrapped up in a mini blind! (You’ve guessed it, check out our friend Garfield)
Oh, by the way, if you want to start a new blog on a Monday, I strongly suggest checking out this other blog I found that helped me: https://authenticallydel.com/monday-journal-prompts/
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