dual personalities

It is Friday at last. The weekend is upon us. Huzzah!–although the weather doesn’t look great. Nevertheless I am happy, because…happiness is the weekend, right?

I have no plans per usual, but I will think of something. An estate sale, a trip to the antique mall–anything to get out of the house. Maybe I will just walk on the curb for some excitement.

This is a great podcast/article from John Piper on the Fog of Triviality that our culture embraces.

One of the curses of our culture, and it has permeated the church and most Christian communication, is banality, triviality, silliness, superficiality, and an eerie addiction to flippancy and levity. This is accompanied by what to me seems a baffling allergy to seriousness, dignity, articulate precision, brokenhearted joy in public speech. Carelessness in speech and casualness in demeanor turn up in places and times where you would least expect them — where you hope for clarity and earnestness and gravity.

Somebody had to say it. I am certainly guilty of it. It is good to be reminded of the “awe-fullness of God.”

On the bright side, I have good news for Richard Farnsworth fans! The Grey Fox (1983) is finally available to watch! I found it on Prime to rent for 99 cents.

I had not seen it since it was originally released in 1983 and it holds up very well. I am a great fan of Farnsworth who started his career at the age of 19 as a stuntman and extra in such movies as Gone With the Wind and Gunga Din in the 1930s.

Over the years he herded cattle on Red River where he doubled Montgomery Clift. He doubled Kirk Douglas in Spartacus and Steve McQueen on Wanted Dead or Alive. He doubled Henry Fonda in Fort Apache and on and on. When he finally turned to acting, he was nominated twice for an Academy Award. And he got to play Dolly Parton’s father!

He had quite a career.

So have a good weekend! Watch a good movie! Smile.

*Chris Stapleton