Spirituality | dual personalities

November 2, 2017

“I’ve got the sun in the mornin’ and the moon at night.”*

by chuckofish

Once again, I relate to Calvin’s father. My favorite refrain (then and now) is, “Put on a sweater if you are cold!” …also “and it builds character!”–but that’s another story…Well, anyway, we turned on the heat in our house, because it is, after all, November. November!

In November we like to try to be more intentionally grateful, so here’s a quote from a book by one of my favorite authors.

“What was the world coming to and what hearty pleasures folks today missed out of life! One bag of meal her pap said, used to make a whole family rejoice. Now folks came ungrateful from the store, grumbling they had to carry such a heavy market basket. Was that the way this great new country of hers was going to go? The easier they made life, the weaker and sicker the race had to get? Once a majority of the men got weak and soft, what weak, harmful ways would they vote the country into then? Well, her pap’s generation could get down on their knees and thank the Almighty they lived and died when they did. How would they ever have come and settled this wild country if they said to each other, “Ain’t you afeard?” How would her pappy have fetched them the long way out here on foot if he’d kept asking all the time, “Are you all right! How do ye feel? Do ye reckon ye kin make it?” No, those old time folks she knew were scared of nothing, or if they were, they didn’t say so. They knew they ran bad risks moving into Indian country, but they had to die some time. They might as well live as they pleased and let others bury them when the time came. Now Libby’s generation, it seemed, lived mostly to study and fret about ailing and dying.”

―Conrad Richter, Sayward in The Town

My children would no doubt agree that this sounds like me as well. One could argue that the abundance of things we have has made us ungrateful. That is sad. We take things for granted when we should be grateful. So look around and be grateful. Count your blessings.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings name them one by one

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

-Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922)

il_570xN.1251612696_ru00.jpg

*Irving Berlin/image of sampler from Etsy

4 Comments

October 31, 2017

“A heretic! [What?] Someone throw me a bone. You forgot salvation comes through faith alone.” *

by chuckofish

As you know, Protestants around the world are celebrating the start of the Reformation five centuries ago. It’s been 500 years!

On October 31, 1517, the day before the Feast of All Saints, the 33-year-old Martin Luther posted theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The door functioned as a bulletin board for various announcements related to academic and church affairs. The theses were written in Latin and printed on a folio sheet by the printer John Gruenenberg, one of the many entrepreneurs in the new print medium first used in Germany about 1450. Luther was calling for a “disputation on the power and efficacy of indulgences out of love and zeal for truth and the desire to bring it to light.” He did so as a faithful monk and priest who had been appointed professor of biblical theology at the University of Wittenberg.

Luther attacked the abuse of indulgence sales in sermons, in “counseling sessions,” and, finally, in the Ninety-Five Theses, which rang out the revolutionary theme of the Reformation: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ He willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance” (Thesis 1).

Here are all 95 Theses, #37 being particularly pertinent: Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has a share in all the benefits of Christ and the Church, for God has granted him these, even without letters of indulgence.

Tonight I plan to watch Luther (2003), which features Joseph Fiennes as ML, and toast the man who was perhaps the first figure in western history to resist visibly and publicly a political superpower (in his case, the papal authority in Rome) and live to tell the story. Indeed, his “Here I stand” moment before Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 was an amazing act of courage and an astounding break in history.

While we’re at it, let’s include all those brave reformers of yore, and here is an appropriate prayer, which you might have missed back on October 13 when the Episcopal Church remembered Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley, Bishops and Martyrs, 1555:

Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, that, like your servants William Latimer and Nicholas Ridley, we may live in your fear, die in your favor, and rest in your peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

*From The 95 Theses Rap (or, oh, the things you find on the internet…)

2 Comments

October 30, 2017

Here I stand

by chuckofish

I spent most of Saturday getting ready for a dinner party that was part of a church “progressive dinner.” It is my policy when asked to host something like that to try to say yes, but I understood when the OM grumbled at 4:30 pm, “Why are we doing this?” Because we can, is usually my answer. I knew, as well, that we would be assigned all the “widows and orphans” in the church, and I laughed when this lady showed up first (and early):

But as it turned out, we had quite a lot of fun.

The next morning in church, the rector began his sermon with a question: Tuesday, October 31 is a big day-does anyone know why? And I don’t mean Holloween…

Crickets.

Anyone? he said. I was proud of my timid self for speaking up and saying, loud and clear, “500 years!”

He chuckled. Yes, And what happened 500 years ago?

“The REFORMATION!” I said.

(I’m sure he was thinking, of course, Katie would know that answer…and for once, he was probably glad I was there.)

He went on to preach his sermon on Martin Luther and the Reformation. I was very pleased. He even told us he was wearing his Here I Stand socks, which he had bought in Wittenberg, Germany. This made me jealous–I want Here I Stand socks! The best I can boast is a “Saved by Faith Alone” mug which I use at work. Not exactly a conversation starter.

Meanwhile, the wee babes are all set for their first Halloween. They tried out their costumes at the “Boo at the Zoo” event earlier in the week.

Screen Shot 2017-10-29 at 12.32.26 PM.png

How cute are Dorothy and the Scarecrow? Darn cute.

22851781_10212713515104778_6289059258683138430_n copy

What do you mean, we’re too little for candy?

We went over to their house Sunday night for chili. The little guy was up on his feet and on-the-go constantly until he tried to eat dinner and conked out.

Lottiebelle, who is much less mobile, knows how to pace herself. She was awake and ready to go when we left.

Screen Shot 2017-10-29 at 7.32.47 PM.png

Well, all this talk of Standing (see above), reminded me of this classic from 1990:

That should get your week started off right! Have a good one.

6 Comments

October 26, 2017

The cure for envy

by chuckofish

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cast off. (Proverbs 23:17-18)

When we see the wicked prosper we are apt to envy them. When we hear the noise of their mirth and our own spirit is heavy, we half think that they have the best of it. This is foolish and sinful. If we knew them better, and specially if we remembered their end, we should pity them.

The cure for envy lies in living under a constant sense of the divine presence, worshiping God and communing with Him all the day long, however long the day may seem. True religion lifts the soul into a higher region, where the judgment becomes more clear and the desires are more elevated. The more of heaven there is in our lives, the less of earth we shall covet. The fear of God casts out envy of men.

The deathblow of envy is a calm consideration of the future. The wealth and glory of the ungodly are a vain show. This pompous appearance flashes out for an hour and then is extinguished. What is the prosperous sinner the better for his prosperity when judgment overtakes him? As for the godly man, his end is peace and blessedness, and none can rob him of his joy; wherefore, let him forgo envy and be filled with sweet content.

–C.H. Spurgeon, Faith’s Checkbook

Spurgeon is right on the money if you ask me. Have a good day and cultivate “living under a constant sense of the divine presence.” It works.

(The painting is by Edward Seago, The Norfolk River)

2 Comments

October 24, 2017

You go, Girl!

by chuckofish

Today is the birthday of Sarah Josepha Buell Hale (October 24, 1788 – April 30, 1879) who was an American writer and an influential editor.

Hale wrote many novels and poems, publishing nearly fifty volumes by the end of her life, but she is probably best known as the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Hale also famously campaigned for seventeen years for the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday and for the completion of the Bunker Hill Monument.

That’s Colonel William Prescott in front of the monument.

Hale also founded the Seaman’s Aid Society in 1833 to assist the surviving families of Boston sailors who died at sea.

She is recognized on the Episcopal liturgical calendar with a lesser feast day on April 30.

Gracious God, we bless thy Name for the vision and witness of Sarah Hale, whose advocacy for the ministry of women helped to support the deaconess movement. Make us grateful for thy many blessings, that we may come closer to Christ in our own families; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who livest and reignest with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We must also note that it is the birthday as well of one of our favorite writers, Brenda Ueland (October 24, 1891 – March 5, 1985), about whom we have written many times.

“Now before going to a party, I just tell myself to listen with affection to anyone who talks to me, to be in their shoes when they talk, to try to know them without my mind pressing against theirs, or arguing, or changing the subject. No. My attitude is: ‘Tell me more.’ This person is showing me his soul. It is a little dry and meager and full of grinding talk just now, but presently he will begin to think, not just automatically to talk. He will show his true self. Then he will be wonderfully alive.’ …Creative listeners are those who want you to be recklessly yourself, even at your very worst, even vituperative, bad-tempered. They are laughing and just delighted with any manifestation of yourself, bad or good. For true listeners know that if you are bad-tempered it does not mean that you are always so. They don’t love you just when you are nice; they love all of you.”

–Brenda Ueland, Strength to Your Sword Arm: Selected Writings

Join me in a toast to both ladies, won’t you?

And this struck me as mildly amusing:

Screen Shot 2017-10-23 at 11.57.46 AM.png

3 Comments

October 16, 2017

“Oh Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you…”*

by chuckofish

It was a stormy, gray Sunday and I contemplated staying in bed and reading Ivan Doig, but I was a good girl and got up and went to church. I was rewarded with great scripture readings and one of my favorite hymns. I mean, how great is Philippians 4:1-9:

Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

²I entreat Eu-o′dia and I entreat Syn′tyche to agree in the Lord. ³And I ask you also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. ⁶Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

There you have it.

Our final hymn was #624, Jerusalem the Golden, which always makes me cry. I was kind of a mess, mascara running all over, etc. Oh well. I am just a sentimental/crazy old lady who cries at hymns.

Most of my weekend was spent catching up on house maintenance and the like, which I do not mind. Life becomes a romance when you can learn to enjoy your everyday tasks and routines. Didn’t Oswald Chambers say something about that? (I think he was talking about our relationship with Christ, but it works here too.) Enjoy your home, I say, and part of that is taking care of it.

The OM and I babysat on Friday night while the boy and daughter #3 went out on the town…haha…they were home before 9 o’clock! The wee babes were great–a hand full–but great. I had forgotten what it is like to try to change a diaper on a boy-child who, when put on his back, immediately flips over. What a wrestling match ensues! Zut alors! I managed to get the little bud into his jammies, but I’m afraid they might have been backwards…C’est la vie. They were tuckered out but too wound up to go to bed, and when their parents arrived home, it was in the nick of time as Lottiebelle was having a meltdown and the OM’s patience was wearing thin. We headed home and I had a large glass of wine. They all came over for the last barbecue of the season on Sunday night.

In between I went to a work-related fundraiser–a “Hootenanny”–where a bunch of aging hippies and old communists plus President George H.W. Bush’s former Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service sang 1960s folk songs accompanied by a ukelele band. I’m telling you, truth is stranger than fiction. It was more fun than you would think and the story of my life.

Now it is Monday already and it’s back to the salt mine. Enjoy the day!

*Isaiah 25:1

5 Comments

October 5, 2017

“Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.”

by chuckofish

Today is the birthday of Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 – March 22, 1758).

American revivalist preacher, philosopher, and theologian, Edwards played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening and oversaw some of the first revivals in 1733–35 at his church in Northampton, Massachusetts.

He attended Yale University (then Collegiate School of Connecticut) in 1716 just before reaching the age of 13, at a time when entrance into college required fluency in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Four years and one intense conversion later, he graduated as valedictorian, received his Masters of Divinity from Yale in 1722 and went on to become one of America’s most renowned theologians and philosophers, and, according to Yale’s website, “a testimony to Yale’s mind-altering powers.” Righto.

Today there is still a college at Yale named after him (their mascot is, of course, a spider) and there is the Jonathan Edwards Center whose mission is “to support inquiry into the life, writings, and legacy of Jonathan Edwards by providing resources that encourage critical appraisal of the historical importance and contemporary relevance of America’s premier theologian.”

Here are his 70 Resolutions, which ought to be read on a regular basis.

Keeping in mind #20 (Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking), I will toast old JE tonight.

The first instance that I remember of that sort of inward, sweet delight in God and divine things, that I have lived much in since, was on reading those words, I Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen.” As I read the words, there came into my soul, and was as it were diffused through it, a sense of the glory of the Divine Being; a new sense, quite different from any thing I ever experienced before. Never any words of Scripture seemed to me as these words did. I thought with myself, how excellent a Being that was, and how happy I should be, if I might enjoy that God, and be rapt up to him in heaven; and be as it were swallowed up in him forever! I kept saying, and as it were singing, over these words of Scripture to myself; and went to pray to God that I might enjoy him; and prayed in a manner quite different from what I used to do, with a new sort of affection. (The Works of Jonathan Edwards)

7 Comments

October 2, 2017

“To will and to work for his good pleasure”*

by chuckofish

I got to read both lessons in church on Sunday–I don’t know why–and that was super fun as they were good ones from Ezekiel and Philippians. I actually got to say, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”! This gave me great joy–it’s the little things, right?

The weather was beautiful, so I convinced the OM to accompany me on a little outing on Saturday, the aforementioned trek down to Jefferson Barracks and the Missouri Civil War Museum. I had heard that it was a good museum, but we were still pleasantly surprised to find a very professionally appointed museum with interesting displays.Upon arriving we watched the typical opening video describing how the organization was incorporated in 2002 for the sole purpose of saving the historic Jefferson Barracks 1905 Post Exchange Building and converting it into a Civil War museum, library, and educational center. We learned that since opening in June 2013, it has become one of the largest Civil War Museums in the nation and will be one of the largest Civil War research libraries in the nation as well. Its focus is entirely on Missouri’s role in the American Civil War.

Well done! I encourage you to support such small enterprises and to take your children to visit them. They survive on ticket sales and donor contributions. I know the boy would have loved this museum when he was a child. Hopefully, he will take the wee babes to visit when they are a little older. (BTW, two of their great-grandfathers are buried at Jefferson Barracks, so they could check that out as well.) Next on my list is the Museum of Missouri Military History in Jefferson City. They do not have a website, but they do have a very active Facebook page and it looks interesting!

Also, I finished Jan Karon’s To Be Where You Are, which I loved, and Jennifer Worth’s Call the Midwife. Now I am back to asking the old question, “What to read now?”

I watched the under-rated Tom Horn (1979) which I enjoyed very much.

It is Steve McQueen’s final movie, so it is also sad to watch, but well worth it. Richard Farnsworth, another favorite of mine, has a big supporting role.

I went to one estate sale and rescued a needlepoint pillow.

Screen Shot 2017-10-01 at 2.16.04 PM.png I trimmed the ivy on the patio and tidied the inside of my house. I did what my Aunt Susanne used to call “desk work.” And I got ready for a Sunday night visit from the wee babes and their parents.

Have a good week!

*Philippians 2:13

3 Comments

September 28, 2017

Keep letting your light shine

by chuckofish

“Those who love much, do much and accomplish much, and whatever is done with love is done well…. Love is the best and noblest thing in the human heart, especially when it is tested by life as gold is tested by fire. Happy is he who has loved much, and although he may have wavered and doubted, he has kept that divine spark alive and returned to what was in the beginning and ever shall be.

If only one keeps loving faithfully what is truly worth loving and does not squander one’s love on trivial and insignificant and meaningless things then one will gradually obtain more light and grow stronger.”

―Vincent Van Gogh, The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh

By the way, I am going to see this tonight:

039woodlawn039-director-jon-erwin-on-how-to-encourage-non-christians-to-watch-039steve-mcqueen-american-icon039-5b0fed937c1e5ae5506ac614ee4be2ae.jpg

This documentary is directed by Jon Erwin (who directed Woodlawn (2015) which I recommended) and is focused on shedding light on the actor having become a born-again Christian late in his life. I remember that Billy Graham visited him when he was dying, so this should be interesting.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

3 Comments

September 18, 2017

“If we live, we live to the Lord”*

by chuckofish

Well, we got our act together on Saturday morning and daughter #3 came over loaded down with gear and the wee babes. We walked the few blocks to the Greentree Parade and set up our camp chairs along the perimeter in our favorite spot for 20 years.

IMG_1502.JPG.jpeg The active little bud actually sat on my lap for an hour and a half watching the parade. I refused to share. Lottie slept in the stroller

IMG_1503.JPG 2.jpeg and then sat on a quilt with her mommy until the OM finally grew impatient and secured her on his lap.

IMG_1533.JPG.jpeg She was okay with that. A schmoozing RC priest on the sidelines asked if the OM was her great-grandfather. Zut alors! How to win friends, right?

At church on Sunday, the scripture lessons were all about forgiveness. Our “Rector Emeritus” gave the sermon and it was rather weak I thought. He never mentioned the great first lesson from Genesis, which tells the story of the wonderful Joseph forgiving his terrible brothers, and only touched on the gospel (Matthew 18:21-35–“seventy-seven times”!) Ministers never want to touch the end of this story with a ten-foot pole and it is frequently left out altogether.

“…Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother and sister from your heart.

Yikes, forgiveness is a hard thing! But Jesus makes it clear that it is important and necessary and not optional.

Our rector reminded us to read and then pray the Prayer for the Oppressed (#36 in Prayers and Thanksgivings, BCP) this week in view of the protests that are going on in our flyover city.

Screen Shot 2017-09-17 at 1.16.46 PM.png

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I intend to do this. I was glad that he pointed to the Book of Common Prayer as a resource in times of trouble.

After church I bought a copy of the the Rector Emeritus’s new book–My Life Under the Big Top, Reflections of a Comic, Clown and Priest. I’ll add it to my stack of books at home.

Meanwhile I am reading Call the Midwife, which has been kicking around at home since I brought it home from the giveaway basket at work. It is really good! It is the memoir of a young English women who moves into a convent (Anglican nuns) and trains to become a midwife in post-war London’s East End slums. I am learning a lot.

The boy was unable to attend the parade with us because he was working in his store. But we got a bonus visit from the boy and his wee family on Sunday night. It was good to see our hard-working son and feed him tacos! (Check out my instagram for a video of the bud’s latest talent discovery.)

Have a good week!