The year has sped by, hasn’t it? Daughter #2 reminded me that the day before Ida was born we watched East of Eden (1955) in the afternoon and I told her I thought she might be in labor. Sure enough, she went to the hospital later that evening and Ida was born at 12:38 pm the next day.
What a baby! We are sad we will not be able to celebrate with her, but we look forward to seeing her very soon!
The Angel that presided o’er my birth Said, ‘Little creature, form’d of Joy and Mirth, ‘Go love without the help of any Thing on Earth.’
–William Blake
In the meantime, hope you are all staying warm and safe.
(Barge traveling in an icy Mississippi River near the Eads Bridge–Fox2 photo)
Yesterday morning I had to get up and at ’em early to go to the Mini dealer for maintenance on the old Coop. Always a fun prospect, but even more fun when it is -5 degrees. They are so high tech now–they send you a video on your phone while you are waiting to let you know what’s going on.
Also, they have good coffee and Clif Bars in the waiting room.
After I got home I finished reading If You Can Keep It by Eric Metaxas so I could go to the women’s book club at church last night.
I do not attend book clubs as a rule, because I am too critical and usually hate the book that has been chosen. But since it was a non-fiction book, I felt that I could handle it. As the back cover says, “In 1787, when the Constitution was drafted, a woman asked Ben Franklin what the founders had given the American people. ‘A republic,’ he shot back, ‘if you can keep it.’ More than two centuries later, Metaxas examines what that means and how we are doing on that score.” The author believes that we need to rekindle the love for our country that we Americans use to have and I quite agree. I liked the book.
“It is the real stories of heroes like Washington and Nathan Hale and others that help us to properly feel the power of the ideas behind them. We must feel the horror of tyranny and must love the noble idea of liberty. We must love America. We cannot reduce things to the intellectual. In the end we must feel those ideas and see them embodied in heroes and stories. By deciding that every potential hero is too flawed to celebrate and venerate, or that such stories are somehow corny, we have done a grave disservice to several generations and to the country.”
Anyway, I managed to drive there and back in the windy snow, so yay me. And thank you, Jesus.
And here’s a good reminder to be thankful for all the blessings we enjoy:
I thank Thee for the temporal blessings of this world—the refreshing air, the light of the sun, the food that renews strength, the raiment that clothes, the dwelling that shelters, the sleep that gives rest, the starry canopy of night, the summer breeze, the flowers’ sweetness, the music of flowing streams, the happy endearments of family, kindred, friends. Things animate, things inanimate, minister to my comfort. My cup runs over.
Suffer me not to be insensible to these daily mercies. Thy hand bestows blessings: Thy power averts evil. I bring my tribute of thanks for spiritual graces, the full warmth of faith, the cheering presence of Thy Spirit, the strength of Thy restraining will, Thy spiking of hell’s artillery.
Our weekend in flyover country was very cold–indeed, frigid. I wore my (vintage) fur coat to church, it was so cold. We did have a few diversions.
The boy came over with the twins on Friday in between a birthday party at the Mini Fig store and a date at the Cat Cafe (no school that day)…
Kirkwood is such a happening place. A Mini Fig store and a cat cafe.
Continuing the ‘In Memoriam Glynis Johns’ theme, we watched Mary Poppins (1964) and were reminded what a great movie it is.
Disney really peaked with that one. It had a message for all the parents in the audience, especially the fathers.
Thankfully, Mr. Banks is redeemed.
Sunday morning as we drove to church in the negative-five-degree cold, I said to the OM, “I bet [our old church] is closed this morning.” But we had an (almost) full house at our new one–everyone who stayed home missed a good class on Unconditional Election. Oh well. We hunkered down in the afternoon and attempted to stay warm watching the PGA in Hawaii.
Meanwhile daughter #2 et al are busily packing up their stuff and getting ready for the big move to flyover country at the end of the month…
…as well as Ida’s first birthday this week.
And I received this text:
Of course she did.
And this is interesting. Here’s the song that started Bobby Zimmerman on the road.
You’re drifting too far from the shore You’re drifting too far from the shore Come to Jesus today Let Him show you the way You’re drifting too far from the shore
Well, we made it to Friday again. Looks like winter weather has settled in our midwest region. And I am over it.
The back porch with a giant tv monitor set is a real trigger for me. And we won’t discuss Angie’s choice of coat to wear on television.
Anyway, I’ve gone to the store to stock up on my requisite impending weather snacks aka hot cheetos. They are the price of gold now, but special occasions call for special treats. I don’t make the rules.
I have to say, that even though most of the jokes are over my head, Matt Mitchell’s end of the football season wrap up still made me chuckle. I kept waiting and waiting for Mizzou to make an appearance. It did not disappoint.
It should come as no surprise that the rest of that article is filled with anecdotes about people not getting jokes and potentially driving off the road. I am continually concerned about the intelligence of those around me on the road and using the internet (of course, I don’t include readers of this blog in that grouping).
Did you know there are enough people who don’t realize that the police officer at the beginning of Home Alone is ACTUALLY THE ROBBER CASING THE JOINT that this post came up on my explore tab and got thousands of likes?
To answer the question, six. I was six years old when this movie came out and I still managed to pick up on this basic plot point.
Two weeks into the new year and this is my 2024 vibe.
Well, news flash, the sun actually came out yesterday afternoon for a few hours. This was greatly appreciated. I ran a few errands. Meanwhile, my Amaryllis continues to grow…
I sent the next issue of the Kirkwood Historical Review off to the printer–always a big weight off my shoulders. And I received in the mail my copy of Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937) which was published last year on its 100th anniversary. As Kevin DeYoung writes in the Foreword:
The bulk of Machen’s book is taken up with the exploration of five essential doctrines of the faith: the doctrine of man, the doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of salvation, and the doctrine of the church. In each category, Machen demonstrates that the liberal conception of the faith is fundamentally out of step with historic, biblical Christianity: Where liberalism teaches the goodness of man and the universal fatherhood of God, Christianity insists that Jesus did not come into the world to call the righteous to be better citizens but to save sinners and bring them into the family of God. Where liberalism teaches that true faith is founded on spiritual experience, Christianity insists that true religious experience depends upon the veracity of the historical events in the Bible. Where liberalism lauds Christ as a great teacher and our moral exemplar, Christianity insists that faith in Christ does not make sense apart from a supernatural, sinless, and divine Christ. Where liberalism finds salvation in man’s upward journey to spiritual betterment based on the noble self-sacrifice of Jesus, Christianity proclaims good news based on the propitiatory work of Christ to redeem sinners and save all those who put their faith in him. Where liberalism conceives of the church as a gathering of generally spiritual persons coming together to effect social transformation, Christianity holds forth the church as a group of redeemed men and women (and, for Machen, their children) gathering together to humbly give thanks to Christ for his grace and to find unity in the truth as they worship Christ and him crucified.
My mother grew up in a denomination (American Baptist) which very much embraced the liberal view of Christianity. I think she had her doubts though. I was also brought up in that liberal camp (Episcopal) and it wasn’t until years later that the truth began to dawn. I am looking forward to reading this book.
And this is very interesting. Good news and bad news in Canada.
How’s it goin’? It is still rainy and windy here. And kind of snowy. But later in the week we are supposed to get the real thing and some real cold temps. C’est la vie. January. Okay.
In the meantime today we toast Samuel Colt (1817-1862)–the man who revolutionized firearms manufacturing in the United States and who established Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company. He was born on this day 207 years ago.
Colt’s U.S. revolver patent gave him a monopoly of revolver manufacture until 1857. His was the first practical revolver and the first practical repeating firearm. One of his slogans, “God created men, Col. Colt made them equal,” became a popular adage in American culture.
Yes, when you are in possession of a loaded Colt revolver the long centuries of arbitrary oppression of the physically weak by the physically strong are at an end. And a well-armed woman is the equal of any man.
Dubbed the “Peacemaker”, the 1851 Navy Colt six-gun was the choice sidearm of such historical figures as James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok, often called the “Prince of Pistoleers,” as well as many of his contemporaries, such as John Wesley Hardin, the James-Younger Gang, the Pinkertons, as well as many U.S. dragoons of the pre-Civil War years.
As Shane says, “A gun is a tool…as good or as bad as the man using it.”
This is one of those weeks where we are in the are we/aren’t we going-to-get-a-snowstorm state of unknowing. This always discombobulates us flyover residents to the point where we are rendered unable to make adult decisions. Good grief.
Luckily I am retired and do not have to worry about this. However, yesterday I did have to make a decision about whether to go to my friend’s Barbie (2023) viewing party at her house. I went, even though I did not have anything pink to wear (!)–I found an old pink Boca Grande t-shirt and some pink Snoopy socks, but this was not quite what everyone else had in mind.
I was never a Barbie person–I’m not sure I even had one growing up. I had the knock-off version by Ideal. We were doll people, but my mother would have thought Barbie was tacky and she was right. So the movie did not really speak to me. And believe me, it had a lot to say. Too much, really for a two hour movie. It was well done and there were clever moments and funny lines. I was not exactly bored, but it would be literal torture to have to sit through it again. Ryan Gosling as Ken was the only saving grace for me.
God did not create men and women to be in competition with each other, but to be complementary. Oddly enough, although they would not articulate it that way, the writers of this movie might agree with that idea.
How was your weekend? It snowed here on Friday evening so that slowed things down quite a bit. We watched The Court Jester (1955) in honor of Glynis Johns, who died last week at age 100.
Funnily enough, we had decided to watch it before she died, but it worked out just right and we toasted her and the rest of the cast and crew.
I don’t know where this movie has been all my life, but I just love it. It has everything–a great script by the team of Norman Panama and Melvin Frank (who both co-directed) and a sparkling cast of stars and veteran character actors. It also boasts art direction by the incomparable Hal Pereira, who, if you are a discerning movie watcher, you know was the supervising art director at Paramount and as such was responsible for the “look” of a lot of great movies–such as Shane, Double Indemnity, Rear Window, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and on and on. Nominated 23 times for an Oscar, he only won once, for The Rose Tattoo (1955). Typical. [Trivia note: Hal Pereira graduated from the University of Illinois!]
I finished putting away the last of the Christmas decorations and got things in relative order before the twins came over to wreck havoc after church to celebrate their Mom’s birthday.
At church we started on a new Sunday School unit on the 5 points of Calvinism (TULIP) starting with my favorite, Total Depravity.
T – Total depravity U – Unconditional election L – Limited atonement I – Irresistible grace P – Perseverance of the saints
Everyone is taking the same class, but we are divided up into four age groups with different leaders, i.e. 20s and 30s, 40s and 50s, 60s, and 70s and up. I was directed by my friend and style icon, Linda, to go into her room–the 70s and up. I said, “I’m not quite there yet.” She was embarrassed, but I’m like, who cares. I’m alive and breathing.
We also heard a good sermon about Bartimaeus, the blind beggar (Mark 10:46-52). Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is coming and he shouts out for Jesus, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuke him and tell him to be quiet. But he cries out all the more. And Jesus stops and calls him. Bartimaeus tells him he wants to be healed and Jesus heals him. “Your faith has made you well.” He responds to being healed by following Jesus “on the way”.
The simple cry for mercy by Bartimaeus has inspired countless prayers during the last two millennia. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” the so-called “Jesus Prayer,” which has a variety of forms, is spoken millions of times each day by believers throughout the world, myself included.
As sinners, we need to experience God’s forgiveness. And this comes, not through our efforts, but through God’s mercy. Because of his love for us and his faithfulness, God’s mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).
Grant us grace to see you, Lord, mirrored in your holy Word. May our lives and all we do imitate and honor you that we all like you may be at your great epiphany and may praise you, ever blest, God in man made manifest.
Hello, readers. Longtime, no update from moi. Happy New Year! I hope you all have shiny new calendars. I do, thanks to the Madcaps by way of Sign of the Arrow.
I know what you really want is to catch up on Mr. Smith’s hijinks over the past few weeks. Well, I’ll give the people what they want.
Mr. Smith got a cute vest. And I became a person who buys clothing for her dog. What can I say except I am also surprised. Please note, Mr. Smith is once again stopping traffic with his cuteness.
Santa brought Mr. Smith this red ball because it was recommended on Instagram by an influencer-Westie. Once again, WHO AM I? But let me tell you. The Influencer did not lie. Mr. Smith loves this ball.
Here he is trying to get it out of the toy basket by himself. Too impatient to wait for me to get it out for him! The red ball is a drug and he can’t get enough.
He tears around the room chasing the ball (and I’m sure scratching the floors and everything in its path). But who am I to deny him this simple pleasure? Plus, it wears him out and then he’s game for some couch sitting.
Mr. Smith has been adjusting to being back on the usual schedule this week by being a naughty puppy and chewing on the books on my bookshelves. He needs to get over it.
You might enjoy this story about a Cairn Terrier who survived a mountain lion attack. Minus one eye.
With that, I’ll close with a funny internet thing I saw. Enjoy!
Yesterday I took the big Christmas tree down and dragged it to the curb for recycling. Such a sad sight. The house looks very empty.
Then I started the slow process of wrapping up all the ornaments and decorations.
I have a long way to go.
I had lunch on Tuesday with two old friends–old in the sense that I have known them for over twenty years and old in that they are in their eighties and nineties. Both are secular Jews. We had a lovely time together, talking about books and movies and what fun it is to go to Cosco. Ben had taken my advice and read Esther Forbes’ Paul Revere and His Times. But as far as I know he has never taken my advice and opened the Bible. When I told them that I was starting over in Genesis for my yearly read-through-the-Bible, they smiled but inwardly I know they think I am deluded if not crazy. This grieves me. Well, I keep praying.
As a fledgling Presbyterian it has surprised and delighted me to learn that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism) This means that our “chief end,” is not, as the world teaches, to glorify ourselves and enjoy the world until we die. This dispels a lot of disappointment.
This article spells this out clearly. “The Bible in fact presents man’s enjoyment of God as not only surpassing earthly pleasures, but as enduring despite earthly deprivation. ‘You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety’ (Ps. 4:7–8).”
And here’s a good reason to celebrate:
Cheers to Richard Scarry and the best book ever! At least that’s what the little bud thinks.
dual personalities 