Eku ipalemo Odun

In the past few days, the air has been filled with the traditional salutation & greetings amongst the Yoruba speaking… “Eku Ipalemo Odun” which means “how are you gearing up for the New Year” or “hope preparations are going well for the New Year”. I tried to find the literal translation of this greeting and it’s something close to this “how are you putting things in place for the New Year” or “how are you cleaning up the grounds for the New Year” and I seem to be more interested in this very translation.

It seems that our fore-fathers & fathers had an understanding about starting a New Year (they may not have practiced it though), that we may need to learn from. It’s an up-spoken idea that the grounds should be cleared in preparation for the New Year. Scriptures says that no one puts new wine in old wineskins, no one uses a new piece of cloth to patch an old clothes. Luke 5:36-37.

 

Have you thought about the joy of creating a new environment for yourself for 2015? What do you need to “get rid of”, what do you need to give out? What do you need to stop doing, change doing or start doing afresh? Some things have occupied your “space” for too long and maybe you just need to “Palemo” so that you can breathe fresh air. Cleanup your wardrobe, cleanup your mind, decide to think “fresh & positive”, let go of hurts & pains of 2014, it’s your decision to make. Cleanup your library, get it set with new books (or even old books with new subjects) that you will need for this New Year. Cleanup your relationships, press the necessary buttons, ADD, DELETE, SHIFT+DELETE. Cleanup your browser cache, what websites do you need to visit less this year or probably STOP visiting? (you know those annoyingly unprofitable websites that takes 2 or more hours of your day), get rid of old pots, frying pans and utensils that have become an eyesore in your kitchen (my Pastor will always mention this), Cleanup your PC & workspace, your desktop, your hard-drive, create space & create change. When you get to the office, cleanup your desk, you’ll be surprised at some items that have become ancient landmarks on your desk that you never or rarely used.

 

Lastly, that item you need to change, dispose or get rid of, may just be someone else’s New item/new gift/ or answered prayer for the New Year. One great writer on the subject of prosperity/poverty has this to say “Withholding more than you need is an unhealthy complex and a sign of slavery to fear”. Proverbs 11:24:

Get rid of debris, Get Fresh. It’s a New Year.

Welcome to 2015.