February | 2023 | dual personalities

Into his tabernacle

by chuckofish

It is the last day of February and spring is in the air. Daughter #1 made it back to town and Mr. Smith was very happy. She’ll tell you all about her exciting visit with daughter #2 tomorrow.

In the meantime I have a few links.

This is a very interesting article about how there’s a “hole at its heart” in Oberammergau’s famous Passion play these days. Why am I not surprised?

And Anne has these wise words:

There is only one way to avoid climbing a mountain and finding it is actually a doomed precipice over which you will certainly fall by your own power if you don’t ask someone—God—for help. And that is not to climb at all, but rather to begin by falling down. I love the way the psalmist [#137] put it this morning:

We will go into his tabernacle,*

and fall low on our knees before his footstool.

Arise, O Lord, into your resting-place,*

you and the ark of your strength.

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Well, of course, I had a really lovely time at my Big Event on Friday. I cut the ribbon on a newly renovated room named after me with a pair of hand-crafted wooden scissors which I now have in my office at home.

My former boss, the Dean Emeritus, said kind words about me and I was able to make some extemporaneous remarks without making a fool of myself. I even gave a little testimony about reading through the Bible under the heading “What I’ve been doing since I retired”. I read a poem. There was punch and cookies and I was hugged by a lot of people. Time well spent. God is good.

And in answer to the question, “What did you wear?”–I went full Eileen Fisher–i.e. old work clothes. And I got a corsage.

I spent the rest of the weekend recovering. I did make it to the Kirkwood Historical Society’s Black Heritage event on Saturday at Mudd’s Grove where I met some interesting people and reacquainted myself with a few others. And I got an idea for a Kirkwood Review article about Kirkwood’s own Tuskegee Airman.

The OM and I picked up the twins for church–The boy is still working seven days a week at his store–and I gave them a B+ for depravity control. Pappy was an usher so he was able to distance himself from them, that is until he went up to start passing the plate for the offering and the twins waved vigorously and stage-whispered “Pappy!” to get his attention. Soli deo gloria.

Meanwhile daughter #1 has been hanging out with daughter #2 and her petite famille in Silver Spring.

(That baby is growin’!)

If all goes according to plan and the creek don’t rise, she’ll return home later today. Mr. Smith will be so happy.

Blessed Lord, who wast tempted in all things like as we are, have mercy upon our frailty. Out of weakness give us strength; grant to us thy fear, that we may fear thee only; support us in time of temptation; embolden us in time of danger; help us to do thy work with good courage, and to continue thy faithful soldiers and servants unto our life’s end.
B.F. Westcott (1825-1901)

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February 24, 2023

Finally Friday!

by chuckofish

Daughter #1 here, trying to find time to write a blog on a new day. The past few weeks have been very busy, but still nowhere to live. The housing market continues to be crazytown for those of us who are still a million bucks shy of being a millionaire. Sigh. Anyway, last Friday, Mr. Smith went to the spa to get a bath and a blowout and his nails done. I was a wee bit jealous. Until I realized the dog spa is practically across the street from La Hacienda–which could only mean one thing. Happy hour margaritas!

Here’s a before picture.

And here’s an after.

Mr. Smith is always so nice and clean after a bath. But since they blow dried his fur with a round brush, his face looks more like a Westie now. To quote Katie, “Mr. Smith is growin’ up!”

I am off to visit Baby Ida and her sweet family today. So prayers for my safe and smooth travels. And prayers for my parents who are watching Mr. Smith while I’m gone. I offered to board him, but they insisted! I know they’re big fans-hopefully that will still be true when I get back!

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February 23, 2023

A spirit of power and of love and self-control

by chuckofish

Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty; violets dim,
But sweeter than the lids of Juno’s eyes.

–William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (1610–11) act 4, sc. 3, l. 121

Yes, the big storm missed us. It just rained and then the sun came out. No big deal.

Tomorrow I do have a Big Deal–an Event to attend back at my flyover university. It is the kind that makes me very nervous, so pray for me. People always think I am so calm, cool and collected, but little do they know. I will be inwardly reciting my mantra: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and of love and of self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Plus, I don’t even know what I’m wearing.

But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
–Lamentations 3:21-23

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February 22, 2023

This and that

by chuckofish

Today we honor the first president of the United States, George Washington on his 291st birthday.

We will also toast the artist Rembrandt Peale, who was also born on this day in 1778. In 1795 at the age of 17 he painted the above portrait of Washington. Impressive, I think.

Today is also the birthday of actor/producer Sheldon Leonard (1907-1997) who you would recognize immediately by his heavy New York accent. He played Nick the bartender in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)…

…along with countless gangsters, various Damon Runyon types, the occasional American Indian, and even J. Edgar Hoover before becoming a very successful television producer of shows like The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., I Spy and so on.

As far as I know, he never played George Washington, although he did bear a certain resemblance to him.

Maybe I’ll watch To Have and Have Not (1944) in which Leonard plays Lt. Coyo (in the boater)…

Well, a toast is in order for all three men, especially G.W., the father of our great country.

And for Jimmy Carter, 39th president and Sunday School teacher, we offer this prayer:

Be near me when I am dying,

O show thy cross to me;

And for my succor flying,

Come, Lord, to set me free:

These eyes, new faith receiving,

From Jesus shall not move;

For he who dies believing,

Dies safely, through thy love.
–Medieval poem, translated by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) and James W. Alexander (1804-1859)

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February 21, 2023

My worried windowpanes

by chuckofish

Don sent this terrific poem, The Man Watching, by Rainer Maria Rilke:

I can tell by the way the trees beat, after

so many dull days, on my worried windowpanes

that a storm is coming,

and I hear the far-off fields saying things

I can’t bear without a friend,

I can’t love without a sister.

The storm, the shifter of shapes, drives on

across the woods and across time,

and the world looks as if it had no age:

the landscape, like a line in the psalm book,

is seriousness and weight and eternity.

What we choose to fight is so tiny!

What fights with us is so great!

If only we would let ourselves be dominated

as things do by some immense storm,

we would become strong too, and not need names.

When we win it’s with small things,

and the triumph itself makes us small.

What is extraordinary and eternal

does not want to be bent by us.

I mean the Angel who appeared

to the wrestlers of the Old Testament:

when the wrestlers’ sinews

grew long like metal strings,

he felt them under his fingers

like chords of deep music.

Whoever was beaten by this Angel

(who often simply declined the fight)

went away proud and strengthened

and great from that harsh hand,

that kneaded him as if to change his shape.

Winning does not tempt that man.

This is how he grows: by being defeated, decisively,

by constantly greater beings.

–Rainer Maria Rilke

I thought this was inspiring and true. “That’s the blessing of God. Just like we hear every Christmas: Immanuel–God with us. No matter the suffering we go through, God’s presence is better than anything our hearts desire. Though my body may fail, my faith and life is fireproof: though there are rumors of war, pestilence, and ruin, and our little sheep eyes can’t hazard what’s ahead, we can trust in the voice of our Shepherd, who is ever near.”

Enjoy your day. Read a poem. Know that God is with you. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

The painting is “Before the Storm” by Isaac Levitan (1860- 1900).

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February 20, 2023

Publish glad tidings

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty quiet, the highlight being when the OM and I wrestled the two carseats into his car and picked up the wee twins to go to church on Sunday. (Lacrosse season starts today so the boy was working at his store all weekend.) It is always a treat to drive with the twins in the backseat and listen to their running commentary. Their total depravity surfaced only a few times during the service–i.e. the bud sang lustily along with “Publish Glad Tidings” but using his own lyrics–perhaps he was speaking in tongues. (I turned to Lottie and whispered, “What is your brother singing?” and she said, “I don’t know!”) When they left for Kids Praise worship, I relaxed and enjoyed a good sermon.

The OM and I also attended the Mission Dinner on Friday night where we learned all about Presbyterians in the Ukraine and in the Yucatan. Presbyterians love their missionaries and their missions around the world, which is a big change from the Episcopal Church where the very idea of missions is embarrassing to them.

Presbyterians are serious about missions. (“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”–Mark 16:15) Basically they are serious. I am learning this about them and I appreciate it. I am also learning to curb by innate sense of frivolity. But I am a Calvinist at heart and have always had a strong Puritan streak. It is wonderful to find folks who share this attitude.

Of course, daughter #1 poured me a glass of wine when we got home.

And the Amaryllis just keeps on blooming!

O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
To tell to all the world that God is light;
That He who made all nations is not willing
One soul should perish, lost in shades of night.

Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.
–Mary A. Thompson, 1868

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February 17, 2023

So long, farewell

by chuckofish

Well, I was sad to hear that Raquel Welsh had died. She was something else. Beautiful, athletic and she could handle a gun. No one was going to exploit her–at least she gave that impression. We will toast her and watch one of her movies–I suggest 100 Rifles (1969) with Jim Brown and Burt Reynolds or Bandolero (1968) with Dean Martin and James Stewart.

I was also sad to see that Tim McCarver, the two-time World Series champion who became a household name as an award-winning broadcaster, had died. He was my hero when he played with the St. Louis Cardinals back in the 1960s.

I had a scrapbook and everything.

But maybe this will cheer you up:

Have a good weekend. Amen, Jesus.

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February 16, 2023

The sun breaks through

by chuckofish

I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
of great price, the one field that had
the treasure in it. I realize now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.

“A Bright Field” by R. S. Thomas (1913–2000)

The painting is by Jacob Van Ruisdael – “View of Haarlem from the North West with the Bleaching Fields in the Foreground” c.1670-1675.

P.S. This is a wonderful response to the Michigan State University shooting by Kevin DeYoung. “As long as there is sin and suffering in the world the gospel will be relevant. Is there more hostility to authentic biblical Christianity than a few decades ago? Probably. But people are still people. They don’t want to be scared, and they don’t want to die. They need forgiveness, they need comfort, they need hope. They need Jesus.”

And Brett McCracken makes a good point here: “In a twist Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel likely never saw coming, the avant-garde has, in the 21st century, become middlebrow ennui. Subversion has scaled up like Starbucks, going stale in the process. This means “normal” starts to feel unexpectedly radical…In an age where amoral excess is the bland standard, disciplined restraint is the flavorful exception.”

Have a good day. Read some poetry. Think for yourself.

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February 15, 2023

Belated valentines

by chuckofish

I know you all think of me as being such a deeply spiritual and devout person (and I am), but in honor of Valentines Day, here is my Top Ten Most Handsome Actors list. Back in August I listed my Top Five Favorite Actors, so this a variation on that theme, only focussing on male pulchritude.

So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
–1 Samuel 16:12

(In alphabetical order)

Yul Brynner