dual personalities

It is the last week of September…soon we will enter that long slide to Christmas which will zoom by in a flash. We have got to get organized!

Well, I am sticking to my routine and keeping up with my Bible reading plan. I also signed up for another free Hillsdale College course: “Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity with Arthur Laffer.” I know you’re impressed, right? I passed the first quiz, so I am hopeful I can keep up. I have to do something to keep my brain cells from mutinying.

It is now that time of year when the Halloween displays pop up in people’s yards. It is quite a competition in my neck of the woods. The OM and I drove by one such yard display that looks like a pumpkin patch–do they really want people coming to their door hoping to buy a pumpkin? Because that’s what it looks like. I guess that growing “ginormous” pumpkins has become a thing as well. It takes a lot of effort.

This article reminded me of the bad experience we had at our Episcopal church years ago. “So, while no one denies that there are bad pastors, almost no one is discussing the fact that there are bad churches. Where are the documentaries and podcasts discussing pastor-destroying churches? There is precious little discussion about the fact that there is hardly a pastor out there who has not been wounded, slandered, bullied, or run off from a church by bad associate pastors and ungodly church members.” Amen to that.

Meanwhile everyone is sick in daughter #2’s family…

…but three-year old Katie is still on top of her game.

I watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) the other night on TCM. I had not seen it in a very long time. I am not a big fan of Frank Capra, but I have to say, this movie is good!

Jimmy Stewart is not too gangly and aw-shucks, but just right as the idealistic new senator and Jean Arthur does not whine, but takes charge as needed. It still resonates today with its message of governmental corruption–the swamp. The press comes off very badly. Its patriotic message needs to ring out anew–it should be required viewing for all fourth graders. And it’s a good lesson in basic civics, something about which most Americans are woefully ignorant.

By the way, daughter #1’s Mr. Smith was not named after the Mr. Smith who went to Washington, but the Mr. Smith who was a dog in The Awful Truth (1937).

Enjoy your Tuesday! Watch an old movie, learn something new, pet a nice dog.