I did it my way....

I'm probably showing my age, but I can't hear the words "my way" without thinking of old blue eyes, Frank Sinatra. For those WAY too young to remember, he sang a song with these words:

And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way


Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption


I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way


Yes there were times I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing


To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Yes it was my way

In researching for this blog, I discovered that this song is credited as being the most remade song in history. People from the likes of Elvis Presley to Sid Vicious have recorded it. Snips of the song can be heard on modern films like Happy Feet and a parody of this song was sung on Sesame Street! I even found out that this is the song most often played at British funerals.

So what is it about this song that gives it such a universal appeal? I think the answer is simple....we all want it our way. Even Burger King capitalized on this theme when they came out with the commercials "Have it your way..." To be honest, we sound like a bunch of spoiled two year olds! We all want to do things "our way."

Of course we think our way is best...that's why it's our way. But what would happen if for once we quit doing things our way? Look back at some of the words of that song:
"Regrets I've had a few, But then again too few to mention"
Really? I know I've had mistakes, but the too few to mention part? Gee, I must be above average in that part because I've got a truck load of them!
"Yes there were times I'm sure you knew, When I bit off more than I could chew, But through it all when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out,"
I'm pretty sure that the things I bit off that were too big for me eventually bit back!
And finally, the most telling verse of all:
"To say the things he truly feels, And not the words of one who kneels, The record shows I took the blows, And did it my way"
The last stansa reveals the problem. We don't want to kneel....not even to the One who created us and knows the end from the beginning. We are a proud people, and I don't necessarily mean that in a good way. This is the pride that caused Lucifer to fall from heaven...the pride that says "I'll do it my way."

Maybe it's time to stop doing things our way. Look around. As I often ask my students, "So how's that working out for you..." It's obvious, our way hasn't been working out for us so well. Maybe it's time to kneel, admit we don't know the answers to everything and start doing things God's way. What would our today look like if we did this? Imagine what tomorrow could be if instead of striving, we finally learned to rest in His will and do things His way. I'm guessing this won't be easy for some of us, but I hope that one day I will be able to say:

And now the end is near, And so I face the final curtain. My friend I'll say it clear, I'll state my case of which I'm certain....I did it His way."

"I am God, the only God you've had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable—From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be," Isaiah 46:10