I’m ending my string of thematic clothing weeks. The last full week of November was my Week of November Blues. And I took it to a level that none of my previous weeks had been taken. Not only was it blue shirts; it was blue pants, and blue socks, and blue underwear. Nothing but blue for a solid week. And then I noticed that I was only four days away from December. So, I decided to hold off on the wardrobe change. To turn my seven-day vigil of literally wearing my November Blues on my shirt sleeve (and everywhere else) into an eleven-day vigil to run out the month.
And finally, today, I decked myself out with a green T-shirt, a crimson sweatshirt, and even some Christmas socks. It honestly felt way more cathartic than I expected it to feel! It felt like a prophetic act, or some kind of performance art. Even in getting dressed this morning, I thought of the Bible’s wisdom from the Book of Ephesians:
With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
Ephesians 4:17-24
But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.
Take off the old. Put on the new. That’s what I want to do with my seasonal depression (and my sin nature, too). It probably won’t be as straightforward as choosing colorful clothes instead of blue clothes. In fact, I expect there to be setbacks and sad days. But I want to live with a sense of hope and mindfulness. I want to remember God’s goodness, even in the dark days of winter. And whenever I start to feel burdened by the blues again, with God’s help, I want to try another wardrobe change.