prayer | dual personalities

August 23, 2018

“Would you like to swing on a star/Carry moonbeams home in a jar”*

by chuckofish

Today daughter #2 and DN arrive from Maryland so we can continue the fêting that began last week.

Screen Shot 2018-08-22 at 10.17.42 AM.png It will be a quick visit but they will have ample time to see the wee babes on multiple occasions…even though the babes are now in pre-school/daycare and carry tiny backpacks…

Screen Shot 2018-08-22 at 9.22.54 AM.png They are also driving down to Columbia, MO to see daughter #1 and check out the scene in a flyover college town.

I anticipate super fun.

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP)

*Johnny Burke / Jimmy Van Heusen

3 Comments

August 20, 2018

Come, holy Comforter

by chuckofish

…thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour:

thou, who almighty art, now rule in every heart,

and n’er from us depart,

Spirit of power

(Hymn #365)

I got a lot done at home this weekend. And you know, after such a busy week at work, it was nice to stay home and vacuum and put things away and gab on the phone. After church, I went to two estate sales (batting zero) and returned something at the mall.

We watched My Darling Clementine (1947) on Friday night

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(Henry Fonda was never better and is still the best Wyatt Earp in movies.)

and Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) on Saturday night.

Nobody says, “Dive! Dive!” better than Clark Gable.

I finished re-reading The Searchers by Alan Le May, poked around in the Memoirs of William Tecumseh Sherman, and started Glass Houses by Louise Penny.

The wee babes came over for dinner Sunday night. We hadn’t seen them in over two weeks!

As you can see, they were both obsessed with this antique chair, and vied to sit in it all night. After two days in pre-school/daycare, they are reading fluently.

All’s well in the world.

6 Comments

August 3, 2018

“Live thy Life, Young and old, Like yon oak, Bright in spring, Living gold”*

by chuckofish

It has been a very busy week–at work and at play! If going to the baseball game on a work night wasn’t unusual enough, last night my brother’s son and daughter stopped in overnight on their way from San Diego to Michigan. (He’s moving his stuff home before moving to Istanbul to teach at Boğaziçi University, also known as Bosphorus University.) The boy brought his family over and the OM barbecued. The cousins got a full dose of the wee babes.

The wee laddie emptied the box and then climbed in. So. Much. Fun.

I fit in a box, Mommy!

Look at me. My head fits in a box!

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2018 08 02_3244.jpg Normally I would collapse after such a week, but I have to get ready to head out on Sunday morning (bright and early) to fly to Colorado. Zut alors! I am not complaining. I am blessed to be busy doing things that I love with friends and family.

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Have a great weekend! I probably won’t be blogging next week, but maybe my DP will, which would be lovely.

PSA: August is Summer Under the Stars time at TCM–you know when they highlight a different star every day. Here’s the schedule.

*Alfred, Lord Tennyson

10 Comments

July 25, 2018

Let not your heart be troubled

by chuckofish

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On Monday I had an interesting experience at work. A man whom I had known many years before at the church I used to attend showed up at my office, interested in offering a course here at my flyover institute. We chatted about it and then our conversation moved into more personal territory as we brought each other up to date on our children’s activities.

It turns out that he and his wife are very concerned about their youngest child, a son, whose story, as he told me of his trials, sounded a lot like our own boy, even to the college in Ohio, playing sports and DUIs. He seemed to be heartened by my telling him of the boy’s progress after years of parental teeth gnashing and hand wringing.

So I told him it had all turned around for me when I surrendered it all (and the boy) to God. I had done the best I could, but he was a man and needed to figure it out for himself. The time had passed for his parents coming to his rescue. I couldn’t go on giving him motherly advice and then being upset when he didn’t follow it. And I prayed for him (and for all my children) without ceasing.

For me then (and now) the key is to actually trust God to take care of the things that are out of my hands anyway. Although we are parents for the rest of our lives, we only are stewards of our children’s well being for a very short time.

We talked for over an hour, and when he left, he hugged me and said something about feeling that God had led him to come see me and we chuckled because we are, after all, liberal Episcopalians. God works in mysterious ways and all that.

But I believe it. Help thou mine unbelief.

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events.

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

4 Comments

July 20, 2018

Back in the saddle again (and a little Friday vent)

by chuckofish

Today on the Episcopal calendar of saints, four American women who were pioneers in the struggle for black emancipation and for women’s rights are honored: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman. The date chosen for commemorating them is the anniversary of the Women’s Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, New York, July 19-20, 1848. These new additions are a result of the church’s work on the Lesser Feasts and Fasts revision, which includes an effort to increase the diversity of people held up as models. All very well and good.

My question is why choose Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who attempted to re-write the Bible as her own ‘Women’s Bible’–blasphemy to many–and Ms. Bloomer, who designed the pants that were named after her. Great.

Where is Susan B. Anthony? A Quaker by birth, she became over time more of a Unitarian, but she was no blasphemer. I would much rather recognize her today as a true saint than either Stanton or Bloomer. I would love to know what the thinking was behind these choices, but, then again, maybe I don’t want to know. My denomination disappoints me on a daily basis.

O God, whose Spirit guides us into all truth and makes us free: Strengthen and sustain us as you did your servants Elizabeth, Amelia, Sojourner, and Harriet. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that works against the glorious liberty to which you call all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Anyway… it is Friday at last. I have a fun outing planned for Saturday with my BFFs. We’re driving to Mt. Vernon, IL to check out the antique malls there, which we noted as we drove south to Nashville, TN in June. We’re always on the lookout for new junk!

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I mean, wow, downtown Mt. Vernon sounds like an exciting place (a kitchen store!):

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(From the “Illinois: Are You Up For Amazing?” website)

Well, we’ll find out for ourselves on Saturday. I know Lottie can’t wait until she is old enough to go antiquing!

I wanna go too!

Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

Also a toast and a happy anniversary to my DP and her DH! Twenty-nine years! We won’t watch Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf (1966) in your honor…

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…but maybe The Thin Man (1934) or one of its sequels…

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Have a good weekend!

3 Comments

July 13, 2018

Random thoughts for Friday

by chuckofish

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This picture of the Saint Louis Abbey here in town came up on my Instagram feed yesterday and I just have to say that this famous Gyo Obata-designed building may have been cutting edge when it was completed in 1962,

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but it still looks like a birthday cake. I’ve never been a fan of poured concrete I guess. The grounds of the Abbey are rather uninspiring, don’t you think?

Here’s a tour of the building.

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Cool 1964 Priory yearbook frontispiece with dead tree branch

I have to admit, the St. Louis Abbey is better than St. John’s Abbey Church in Collegeville, MN.

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Good Lord, what were they thinking?

In other news, today the Episcopal Church remembers Conrad Weiser–Witness to Peace and Reconciliation–with a feast day on its liturgical calendar. Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760) was a Pennsylvania Dutch pioneer, interpreter and diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native Americans.

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As a child, Conrad Weiser and his family were among thousands of Protestant refugees who left the German Palantine in 1709 for reasons of religious persecution. They traveled to England and then were sent to the New York colony. The Crown supported migration of immigrants to help settle the New York colony, the plan being that they would work off their passage in a form of indenture in camps devoted to producing ships’ stores, such as tar and other materials. Later they would be allowed to trade their work for land. It was not until 1723, however, that some 100 heads of families received land grants in the central Mohawk Valley.

[Side note: If you want to read a really good book about this dishonorable system, I recommend The Free Man by Conrad Richter.]

Weiser eventually moved to Pennsylvania where he became a key player in treaty negotiations, land purchases, and the formulation of Pennsylvania’s policies towards Native Americans. For many years, he helped to keep the powerful Iroquois allied with the British as opposed to the French. This important service contributed to the continued survival of the British colonies and the eventual victory of the British over the French in the French and Indian Wars.

Indeed, Weiser was one cool dude and a lay minister in the Lutheran Church. By the way, Weiser’s daughter Maria married Henry Muhlenberg, whom the Episcopal Church also honors with a feast day (October 7).

Almighty God, of your grace you gave Conrad Weiser the gift of diplomacy, the insight to understand two different cultures and interpret each to the other with clarity and honesty: As we strive to be faithful to our vocation to commend your kingdom, help us to proclaim the Gospel to the many cultures around us, that by your Holy Spirit we may be effective ambassadors for our Savior Jesus Christ; who with you and the same Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Meanwhile, as the temperatures soar here, the wee babes have been keeping cool flyover style.

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(By the way, those are bug repellent anklets. They are not on kiddie parole. What’ll they think of next?)

I was reminded that back in 1966 the All-Star game was held in the brand new Busch Stadium here in town. Unfortunately, the temperature that day topped out at 103!

Screen Shot 2018-07-12 at 11.45.34 AM.png Look at all the men in shirts and ties! I was going to Vacation Bible School at the time and remember my VBS teacher was George Guernsey and he was going to the game that afternoon. We were all jealous, but maybe we needn’t have been!

Well, I am sure glad the weekend is almost here. It’s going to be another hot one…

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…but since it has been an unusually busy week at the salt mine, I don’t care. I have no big plans.

What are you doing this weekend?

6 Comments

June 19, 2018

“Cheer up now, you faint-hearted warrior…”*

by chuckofish

Today is the birthday of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 –-January 31, 1892) who was an extraordinary English preacher. Theologically he was a Calvinist, denominationally he was a Baptist, and he said, “if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, ‘It is Jesus Christ.'” When he died in 1892, London went into mourning. Nearly 60,000 people came to pay homage during the three days his body lay in state at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Some 100,000 lined the streets as a funeral parade two miles long followed his hearse from the Tabernacle to the cemetery. Flags flew at half-staff and shops and pubs were closed.

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Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle today

Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations among whom he is still known as the “Prince of Preachers.”

I can attest to the fact that he is alive and well on Instagram.

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I am no lover of memes and quotes taken out of context, but I have to admit, I like a little Spurgeon in my Instagram feed!

Interesting flyover tie-in: William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri purchased Spurgeon’s 5,103-volume library collection for £500 ($2500) in 1906. The collection was purchased by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri in 2006 for $400,000 and can be seen on display at the Spurgeon Center on the campus of Midwestern Seminary.

*”…Not only has Christ traveled the road, but He has defeated your enemies.” (CS)

3 Comments

June 6, 2018

Pray and work

by chuckofish

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This is the gospel of labor—ring it,

Ye bells of the kirk

The Lord of Love came down from above

To live with the men who work.

This is the rose he planted, here

In the thorn-cursed soil;

Heaven is blest with perfect rest, but

The blessing of earth is toil.

–Henry Van Dyke

(found on the Three Iron Nails blog)

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Vincent Van Gogh, The Sower (1988)

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

–Martin Luther

“Good human work honors God’s work. Good work uses no thing without respect, both for what it is in itself and for its origin. It uses neither tool nor material that it does not respect and that it does not love. It honors nature as a great mystery and power, as an indispensable teacher, and as the inescapable judge of all work of human hands. It does not dissociate life and work, or pleasure and work, or love and work, or usefulness and beauty. To work without pleasure or affection, to make a product that is not both useful and beautiful, is to dishonor God, nature, the thing that is made, and whomever it is made for. This is blasphemy: to make shoddy work of the work of God. But such blasphemy is not possible when the entire Creation is understood as holy and when the works of God are understood as embodying and thus revealing His spirit.”

–Wendell Berry (Christianity and the Survival of Creation)

I have a stressful day ahead at work today. Pray and work. All will be well!

5 Comments

May 1, 2018

Show me the way

by chuckofish

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All places are places of worship to a Christian. Wherever he is, he ought to be in a worshiping frame of mind.

–Charles Spurgeon

Wherever you find yourself today–at your desk or in your car or at home–here are a few prayers to help keep you focused.

First, a prayer to start the morning:

MY GOD, my Father and Preserver, who of thy goodness hast watched over me during the past night, and brought me to this day, grant also that I may spend it wholly in the worship and service of thy most holy deity. Let me not think, or say, or do a single thing which tends not to thy service and submission to thy will, that thus all my actions may aim at thy glory and the salvation of my brethren, while they are taught by my example to serve thee. And as thou art giving light to this world for the purposes of external life by the rays of the sun, so enlighten my mind by the effulgence of thy Spirit, that he may guide me in the way of thy righteousness. To whatever purpose I apply my mind, may the end which I ever propose to myself be thy honor and service. May I expect all happiness from thy grace and goodness only. Let me not attempt any thing whatever that is not pleasing to thee.

Grant also, that while I labor for the maintenance of this life, and care for the things which pertain to food and raiment, I may raise my mind above them to the blessed and heavenly life which thou hast promised to thy children. Be pleased also, in manifesting thyself to me as the protector of my soul as well as my body, to strengthen and fortify me against all the assaults of the devil, and deliver me from all the dangers which continually beset us in this life. But seeing it is a small thing to have begun, unless I also persevere, I therefore entreat of thee, O Lord, not only to be my guide and director for this day, but to keep me under thy protection to the very end of life, that thus my whole course may be performed under thy superintendence. As I ought to make progress, do thou add daily more and more to the gifts of thy grace until I wholly adhere to thy Son Jesus Christ, whom we justly regard as the true Sun, shining constantly in our minds. In order to my obtaining of thee these great and manifold blessings, forget, and out of thy infinite mercy, forgive my offences, as thou hast promised that thou wilt do to those who call upon thee in sincerity.

Grant that I may hear thy voice in the morning since I have hoped in thee. Show me the way in which I should walk, since I have lifted up my soul unto thee. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled unto thee. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Let thy good Spirit conduct me to the land of uprightness.

–John Calvin

And a reminder that today in the Episcopal Church we commemorate two of the Twelve Apostles–Philip and James.

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Almighty God, who didst give to thine apostles Philip and James grace and strength to bear witness to the truth: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

[The painting of Niagra Falls is by Frederic Edwin Church, 1857, Corcoran Collection, National Gallery of Art]

4 Comments

April 4, 2018

A day of remembrance

by chuckofish

Lord…
We thank you for your church, founded upon your Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray,
but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon you.
Help us to realize that humanity was created to shine like the stars and live on through all eternity.
Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace.
Help us to walk together,
pray together,
sing together,
and live together
until that day when all God’s children
– Black, White, Red, Brown and Yellow –
will rejoice in one common band of humanity
in the reign of our Lord and of our God, we pray. Amen.
– The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today we remember the tragic event that happened 50 years ago, the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. Bells will toll at places of worship, college campuses and institutions 39 times across the nation “to honor the number of years Dr. King dwelled on this earth and to pay homage to his legacy.” Oddly, I see no mention of this on our cathedral’s website–only a link to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

I do not have many memories of this event. I was in the sixth grade and not terribly clued in to current events. I remember that it was our father’s birthday and we were focused on that. He turned 46. A pall was thrown over the day, much as a pall was thrown over daughter #1’s birthday years later on September 11 in 2001. The world intrudes.

My father had many shortcomings, but he was a gentleman of the old school. He treated everyone the same; he was kind and courteous, regardless of race, color or creed. I try to be like that as well. There is certainly not enough kindness or courtesy around these days.

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