dual personalities

Month: November, 2024

November 15, 2024

So many multitudes.

by chuckofish

Well, happy Friday, friends. Not to have Gretchen Weiner vibes, but just like last week, I have been so busy! This week has been exhausting. My job keeps me busy at work (how rude) and I have exciting things to do at night like giving blood, lowering the median age at historical society meetings and bible study.

Other exciting activities this week included getting stuck in rain-related traffic on Highway 40 while being late for a church dinner.

You know, I’ve changed in many ways over the past several years. One of them is that I no longer find internet jokes like this ridiculous.

Sometimes, I go to the park and not only do I bring my dog, I pose and make my sister take our picture on a bridge while he’s wearing a bandana.

I find endless amusement in my dog and his antics. I assume everyone else does, as well.

This Fall, I became a person with seasonal bows on my door!

I made this one, but I bought a fancy one for December! Get excited for that update. Also a Muppet Christmas Carol meme is always going to make me laugh.

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November 14, 2024

A sheep of thine own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own redeeming

by chuckofish

A couple of days ago I received a letter from a man in California writing to tell me his father had died. Bob was one of my former students at my flyover university institute. After a successful career at IBM, he had diligently pursued his hobby of photography and he was, among other things, our unofficial photographer, taking pictures at all events. When he moved to California with his wife in 2010, we had a luncheon for him at our faculty club and he was so touched that we had honored him that way. He was a truly humble man, a man who “went down to his house justified” for sure.

I am blessed to have known quite a few “Bobs” in my life and in my career. They believe(d) in duty, honor, supporting their family and their country, volunteering their time and talent. They were curious lifelong leaners. I remember once running into Bob and his wife on a Saturday trip to WalMart and they were excited because they had worked all morning in the yard and were going to reward themselves with lunch at Steak ‘n Shake. Small pleasures that are earned are best!

I can picture Bob giving his son a list of people to contact after he died to let them know he had passed away. He was organized like that and serious. He had hand addressed the envelope himself. He wanted us to know he hadn’t forgotten us. Nor, hopefully, we him.

Into paradise may the angels lead thee; and at thy coming may the martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem.

(The painting is by William Mellor, 1851-1931.)

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November 13, 2024

To live in the mercy of God*

by chuckofish

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 3:22-23)

I quote this particular scripture a lot on this blog, because it is one of my favorites. I also think about God’s mercy a lot and I pray (continually) for Him to have mercy on me a sinner.

This is a helpful article about God’s mercy and 10 key Bible verses.

And here is Dane Ortlund on God being rich in mercy. “Nowhere else in the Bible is God described as rich in anything. The only thing he is called rich in is mercy. What does this mean? It means that God is something other than what we naturally believe him to be. It means the Christian life is a lifelong shedding of our small thoughts on the mercy of God. God’s mercy is bigger than we realize.”

In other news, the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned, after a report found the Church of England covered up sexual abuse by a barrister. As Anne says, “[T]his sort of thing is a tragic exposure of the hubristic and hypocritical rot of the sexual revolution, which is coming to a cataclysmic conclusion. Justin Welby has tried to play the game out of both sides of his mouth, to be “evangelical” and yet “joyfully” flirt with the LGBT agenda, letting it devour and destroy a church already in decline. Guess what, you can’t do that. Sexual Immorality is a sin, full stop.” Oy vey. 

Have a good day!

*A poem by Denise Levertov. Read it here.

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November 12, 2024

“Eternal Father, strong to save, Give us courage and make us brave”*

by chuckofish

As you know Veterans Day was yesterday and as usual I gave it some thought. I think a lot of Boomers like myself are fascinated with WWII because we grew up with so many WWII veterans–fathers and grandfathers–ordinary men who did extraordinary things.

So I was doing some research about a local man who became an “Ace in a day” on August 7, 1942 at Guadalcanal. Courtney Shands was awarded the Navy Cross for “extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron SEVENTY-ONE (VF-71), attached to the U.S.S. WASP (CV-7), in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 7 August 1942. Leading his fighter squadron in the initial air assault on Japanese positions on the Solomon Islands, Lieutenant Commander Shands’ flight destroyed seven enemy fighters and 15 patrol planes. This victory eliminated all local air opposition in the area, thus greatly contributing to the successful occupation of the islands by American ground forces. Lieutenant Commander Shands personally shot down four Japanese fighters and two patrol planes. His outstanding courage, daring airmanship and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

A month later in September 1942 Shands was commander of the USS Wasp’s air group when the aircraft carrier was torpedoed and sank in shark-infested waters. The descriptions of this disaster are blood-curdling. At one point Shands was “floating in the water in his “Mae West” life preserver and holding on to an injured man when he saw Lieutenant Ray Conklin helping a wounded sailor down one of the lines and into the ocean. While towing a wounded man toward one of the life crafts, Shands was amazed that Conklin towed his casualty past him “on the double.” The reason for Conklin’s Olympic speed? A shark was following him.”

Courtney Shands from Kirkwood, MO (KHS class of 1923) went on to become a Rear Admiral in the USN.

Lest we forget.

And what do they fight for? This:

*John H. Eastwood, WWII Army Air Corps Chaplain

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November 11, 2024

The sure and steady anchor

by chuckofish

November is here–already the 11th!

It rained all day on Saturday and after my DAR meeting in the morning I hunkered down at home. I watched Rio Bravo (1959) which was on TCM in the afternoon and then watched The Italian Job (2003) in the evening. Both good choices.

On Sunday I got up and went to church and enjoyed a 40-minute sermon on Hebrews 6:4-12, a difficult passage to be sure. Our new pastor does not mess around and I am continually impressed with this 30-year old who does not shy away from hard ideas. We also welcomed new members and had an adult (!) baptism.

In Sunday School our lesson was Acts 10 wherein Peter learns that the Good News about Jesus is for all people, Jews and Gentiles alike. But as I listened to the woman who leads the big group, I was reminded of my own Sunday School days back in my old Episcopal church and how really awful my friends and I were. I recall that we made one teacher cry and that during her melt-down she harangued the class, especially the girls who went to a certain private school (mine), for our beastly behavior. We were too cool for Sunday School and laughed and giggled at everything. I am horrified now to contemplate it and am very thankful that my current charges would never act that way. They take it all (i.e. their salvation) pretty seriously, as well they should.

Well, I guess there is hope for all of us miserable offenders, even us very slow maturing types.

I went over to daughter #1’s house on Sunday afternoon and Mr. Smith went full terrier on one of her slippers…

(Yes, those are slipper parts all over the carpet.)

And the Christmas cactus is blooming–wow!

Happy Veterans Day!

Eagles on Flag Rock in Plymouth, MA

2 Comments
November 8, 2024

A quick post and a cute pic.

by chuckofish

Happy Friday, friends. We made it! We made it through a week that I think most of the country has been dreading for awhile. And now it is over, it is the weekend and happy hour will commence at 4 p.m.

With Veterans’ Day on Monday, please consider sponsoring a wreath to be placed on a veteran’s grave by using this link: Wreaths Across America–Cornelia Greene.

Relax! Be grateful to be an American! And thank the Lord for another day!

4 Comments
November 7, 2024

Change

by chuckofish

On this day in 1874 this cartoon by Thomas Nast appeared, featuring the first notable appearance of the Republican elephant.

The Republican Party has changed quite a bit over the years, but I am happy to see it become a real diverse coalition of Americans–the people that make this country great. Truly, the 2024 election is the “revenge of the working class American.” They’re not Nazis; they’re not garbage. Indeed.

And hey,

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November 6, 2024

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

by chuckofish

It rained all day Monday and all night–sometimes with gale-force winds. It continued to rain most of the day Tuesday. Our front yard is a pond. If it was colder we could skate on it. Fortunately it is still in the 60s.

Well, Anne made me laugh yesterday. Especially this:

And I liked this post about ten things political leaders can’t do.

Remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning
    and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose…’

(Isaiah 46:9-10)

2 Comments
November 5, 2024

Not as the world gives

by chuckofish

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

Do you need to preach truth to yourself today? This post addresses this: “I don’t know about you, but despite my best efforts not to get mired down in the election bruhaha, a sense of dread has seeped into my psyche as the day draws near. From political texts blowing up my phone to interminable campaign commercials zipping by as I fast-forward past them and even comic strips, I can’t escape the ever-present signs that the event is barreling down on us.”

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

–Martin Luther

(The painting is by Maxfield Parrish)

2 Comments
November 4, 2024

Let the amen sound from his people again

by chuckofish

We enjoyed a beautiful fall weekend–how about you? I was confused on Friday because it seemed like Saturday, because of Halloween, but what ho. It is the bell and it tolleth for me.

On Friday the OM and I got new phones and switched carriers. Earlier in the week we also switched from U-verse to something else. Although this was all very stressful–and it took months to figure it all out–we were proud of ourselves for doing it. Another box checked off. ✅ I celebrated with daughter #1 at our favorite local hangout.

Wine and French Fries–we know what we like, okay? After that, I watched She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) in memory of my father and my great old friend Dick (WWII Guy) who both died on October 31. I loved it as always, especially after just being there in Monument Valley last month.

Sunday morning I enjoyed that extra hour although I still woke up at my usual time–so make that 5:00 am. We sang good hymns in church and the twins controlled their depravity like good Calvinists. We read about Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus in Sunday School and learned a few new words: persecution and conversion. Everyone enjoyed the wallking-to-Damascus-wearing-a-blindfold exercise. The bud called out–“It’s a conga line!”

Also, the little boy who always ushers with his dad and hands out the bulletins, said, “You look beautiful this morning!” I mean, I know his dad tells him to say that to all the old ladies, but it makes me smile nevertheless. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make your day.

‘Til He returns or calls me home
Here, in the power of Christ, I’ll stand

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