dual personalities

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November 11, 2022

Dog-faced soldiers in dirty-shirt blue*

by chuckofish

Today is Veterans Day. Originally known as Armistice Day, it is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11 when we honor military veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. In typical fashion, I like to show my respect by watching a war movie. Here are fourteen good suggestions. (I have limited my choices to American movies dealing with American soldiers.)

Back to Bataan (1945) Directed by Edward Dmytryk. With John Wayne, Anthony Quinn, Beulah Bondi, Fely Franquelli. In 1942, after the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese, U.S. Army Col. Joseph Madden stays behind to organize the local resistance against the Japanese invaders.

Sands of Iwo Jima (1949 Directed by Allan Dwan and starring Oscar-nominated John Wayne, the film follows a group of United States Marines from training to the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. Also featuring John Agar, Adele Mara and Forrest Tucker, it was written by Harry Brown and James Edward Grant.

Air Force (1943) The crew of an Air Force bomber arrives in Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, and is sent on to Manila to help with the defense of the Philippines.  Directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Garfield, John Ridgely, Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy, and Harry Carey. 

They Were Expendable ((1945) Directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 book by William Lindsay White, relating the story of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a United States PT boat unit defending the Philippines against Japanese invasion during the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) in World War II .

Twelve O’Clock High (1949) Directed by Henry King, this movie tells the story of a hard-as-nails general (Oscar-nominated Gregory Peck) who takes over a B-17 bomber unit suffering from low morale and whips them into fighting shape.

Objective Burma (1945) Starring Errol Flynn and directed by Raoul Walsh, this movie is about a platoon of special ops who are ordered to parachute into the remote Burmese jungle and destroy a strategic Japanese radar station. Getting out isn’t easy.

Run Silent Run Deep (1958) A U.S. sub commander (Clark Gable), obsessed with sinking a certain Japanese ship, butts heads with his first officer (Burt Lancaster) and crew. Directed by Robert Wise.

The Great Escape (1963) Loosely based on the true story of an ambitious escape by Allied prisoners of war during World War II, the film is directed by John Sturges and stars Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson and a large international cast.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) Andrew Garfield stars as Seventh-day Adventist WWII hero Desmond T. Doss, who saved 75 men at the Battle of Okinawa without ever firing a weapon. Directed by Mel Gibson.

And if you are not in the mood for a WWII movie, here are a few more suggestions:

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) Directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and the rest of the Ford crew, it is the second film in Ford’s “Cavalry Trilogy,” along with Fort Apache (1948) and Rio Grande (1950).

The Horse Soldiers (1958) Set during the American Civil War, this fact-based story about a Union mission to destroy a railroad junction deep within Confederate territory is directed by John Ford and stars John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers.

The Sand Pebbles (1966) tells the story of an independent, rebellious U.S. Navy machinist’s mate, first class, aboard the fictional river gunboat USS San Pablo, on Yangtze Patrol in 1920s China. Directed by Robert Wise and stars Oscar-nominated Steve McQueen.

Glory (1989) Directed by Edward Zwick, this film is about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army ‘s earliest African-American regiments in the American Civil War. Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Andre Braugher star.

American Sniper (2014) Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind. Directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Oscar-nominated Bradley Cooper.

There are lots of other good choices–these are just my favorites. How will you celebrate our brave veterans? What movie will you watch?

*”So here they are: the dog-faced soldiers, the regulars, the fifty-cents-a-day professionals… riding the outposts of a nation. From Fort Reno to Fort Apache – from Sheridan to Startle – they were all the same: men in dirty-shirt blue and only a cold page in the history books to mark their passing. But wherever they rode – and whatever they fought for – that place became the United States.” (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)

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November 10, 2022

Food for thought

by chuckofish

Have you entered the storehouses…which I reserve for times of trouble? (Job 38:22-23)

“Our trials are great opportunities, but all too often we simply see them as large obstacles. If only we would recognize every difficult situation as something God has chosen to prove His love for us, each obstacle would then become a place of shelter and rest, and a demonstration to others of His inexpressible power. If we could look for the signs of His glorious handiwork, then every cloud would indeed become a rainbow, and every difficult mountain path would be one of ascension, transformation, and glorification.

“If we would look at our past, most of us would realize that the times we endured the greatest stress and felt that every path was blocked were the very times our heavenly Father chose to do the kindest things for us and bestow His richest blessings.

“God’s most beautiful jewels are often delivered in rough packages by very difficult people, but within the package we will find the very treasures of the King’s palace and the Bridegroom’s love.”

–A. B. Simpson (1844-1919) quoted in Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

“Trust God’s Word and His power more than you trust your own feelings and experiences. Remember, your Rock is Christ, and it is the sea that ebbs and flows with the tides, not Him.”

–Samuel Rutherford (1600-61)

We hunger to be known and understood. We hunger to be loved. We hunger to be at peace inside our own skins. We hunger not just to be fed these things but, often without realizing it, we hunger to feed others these things because they too are starving for them. We hunger not just to be loved but to love, not just to be forgiven but to forgive, not just to be known and understood for all the good times and bad times that for better or worse have made us who we are, but to know and understand each other to the point of seeing that, in the last analysis, we all have the same good times and the same bad times, and that for that very reason there is no such thing in all the world as anyone who is really a stranger.

–Frederick Buechner, “The News of the Day”

The painting is by William Bradford, 1859

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November 9, 2022

“Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong and fear not.'”

by chuckofish

Happy Wednesday, readers. I had an interesting weekend here in Jefferson City. My local chapter of the DAR had its November meeting at the Museum of Missouri Military History on the Ike Skelton Training Site. This is a cool museum that has a bunch of old airplanes and tanks and other military items on display. The were having an open house that weekend and giving rides on old Jeeps (it was, of course, cold and blustery, sigh). And many, many people in historical dress were also there.

Adding to the excitement, my chapter had nominated a local resident for a national award and he was being surprised with it at the meeting! A representative from Nationals, the State Regent, and the Mayor, were all going to be there. It was a big deal. You can read more about it here.

After the meeting, I had volunteered to cover the DAR table for a couple of hours. We were encouraging people to support Wreaths Across America, an annual effort to put wreaths on all of the graves at America’s military cemeteries. A worthy cause. More information if you’re interested in sponsoring a wreath!

That evening, Downtown Jefferson City was aflutter for the Sip and Shop during which you purchased a ticket (aka a wine glass) and visited our little stores and sampled wine from the region while getting ahead on Christmas shopping.

Naturally, I found something for myself. But I also got a few gifts. Jefferson City is funny because we have like five stores–but in some ways, the shopping is better than in Kirkwood!

It was a fun weekend and I felt like part of the community, but I did enough being chatty with strangers on Saturday to last me unil the new year!

*title comes from Isaiah 35:4

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November 8, 2022

“Mock the devil and he will flee from thee.”

by chuckofish

All three of my Christmas Cactus plants are blooming/budding, which I think is pretty darn neat.

You have to get excited about something–why not the Christmas Cactus?

Here’s an article about Bono, whose memoir has just been released. He’s an interesting guy and a Christian. “The Bible held me rapt. The words stepped off the page and followed me home. I found more than poetry in that Gothic King James script. … I’d always be first up when there was an altar call, the “come to Jesus” moment. I still am. If I was in a café right now and someone said, ‘Stand up if you’re ready to give your life to Jesus.’ I’d be the first to my feet. I took Jesus with me everywhere and I still do.”

Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of Steve McQueen in 1980 so we watched The Magnificent Seven (1960) which is always good for what ails you. It’s mighty hard to steal the show from Yul Brynner, but Steve kind of does in this movie.

And here’s to Charles Bronson whose birthday was last week…


A toast to Bono and to Steve and Charles and to Christmas Cactus blooming!

Don’t forget to vote!

*Bono quoting Edward de Bono

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November 7, 2022

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor, the Savior’s bounty taste*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was a quiet one, mostly because I am still fighting this cold. I managed to “do” the flowers for church on Sunday–my maiden solo voyage so to speak and I was pleased with the result. I went to Trader Joe’s early on Saturday morning and bought a bunch of different flowers and then went to church, going in with my key and setting up in the sacristy…

Voila. Yay, me!

We went to church on Sunday (I had to check out my flowers) but I had a coughing fit during the sermon and had to leave and get a drink of water. I sat on a comfortable sofa and drank my water and listened to the sermon which was piped in. I have to say, it was quite nice. I rejoined the congregation after the sermon for the Lord’s Supper. Then the boy and the wee twins came over for bagels and cream cheese and we sat outside for some final driveway time of the season.

Lottie is such a big girl now–she sang along with one of the hymns and said the Lord’s Prayer (from memory)! The wee laddie filled out the Welcome Card, which he does every week.

After they left, I FaceTimed with darling Katie and her darling mother, making the weekend complete.

Well, have a good Monday! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

*Anne Steele (1716-1778)

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November 4, 2022

There is no other stream

by chuckofish

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl.
…The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to – do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
…“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair

Have a good weekend.

Friday Bonus: Here’s Chico Marx playing the piano in A Night at the Opera (1935) which I watched last night. It ought to put a smile on your face.

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November 3, 2022

Yet one smile more, departing, distant sun!

by chuckofish

I have been suffering through this cold or whatever for a week now and it is no fun. Not to mention that the weather has been beautiful and I have been stuck inside.

Okay, enough with the whining. But really. I have kept up with my Bible reading and I did the homework for my Bible study, but that is about all I have managed. I am ready to move on.

When I started to read this I thought the person was in her thirties, but when I discovered she was in her sixties, I said, “What?!” Good luck, sweetie.

If you have an hour and a half to spare, I recommend watching this conversation with John Piper and John MacArthur where they discuss, among other things, how the Puritans shaped their lives and ministries. It is well worth your time.

In other news, today is the birthday of William Cullen Bryant (1794 – 1878), American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post. Here is his poem “November–A Sonnet”:

Yet one smile more, departing, distant sun!
One mellow smile through the soft vapoury air,
Ere, o’er the frozen earth, the loud winds run,
Or snows are sifted o’er the meadows bare.
One smile on the brown hills and naked trees,
And the dark rocks whose summer wreaths are cast,
And the blue gentian flower, that, in the breeze,
Nods lonely, of her beauteous race the last.
Yet a few sunny days, in which the bee
Shall murmur by the hedge that skirts the way,
The cricket chirp upon the russet lea,
And man delight to linger in thy ray.
Yet one rich smile, and we will try to bear
The piercing winter frost, and winds, and darkened air.

And, hey, look–the Christmas cactus is budding right on schedule:

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November 2, 2022

“No TV and no beer make Homer something, something.”

by chuckofish

Well, this week in Jefferson City, the big news was the opening of our very own Macadoodles, my favorite liquor store. I know I make my mother proud. I haven’t been yet because I don’t need any wine at the moment, but the “coming soon” has been on the building for at least all of 2022. So it is not a surprise that a) it made it in the local paper and b) the parking lot was full when I drove by yesterday.

In other news, I saw these at Wal Mart the other day and assumed my favorite YouTuber Matt Mitchell would be excited.

Yes, the Christmas Little Debbie’s were across the aisle from the Halloween candy. Times are weird. Last week, I mentioned that there’s nothing to watch on TV. I would like to reiterate that point but add that back in the day, TV was free, commercials paid for it, and TV networks created content that people wanted to watch.

Can you believe that over 100 million Americans watched the MASH finale or that 80 million tuned in to find out who shot JR on Dallas? In the past ten years, the highest rated programs on television were Sunday Night Football. World News Tonight was the highest rated program in all of television for a week in June. Do you know how many people watched? 7.3 million. NBC has considered giving back the 10 p.m. hour to the affiliates rather than pay to fill the time. How the mighty have fallen. Although, we’re the ones paying to watch reruns of NBC shows on Peacock, so maybe we are the mighty who have fallen.

Sure, we had fewer options before streaming, but at least we didn’t have to pay multiple streaming platforms to watch TV and then pay more to watch without commercials, and then have nothing to watch. I’m currently watching reruns of NCIS with commercials on Sundance TV. No wonder everyone is depressed. And anxious. Trying to decide what to watch is not easy, especially if you’re picking whatever will be least bad. Sigh. Maybe I’ll check out the new Macadoodles this weekend. Just kidding.

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November 1, 2022

Come again, ye children of men

by chuckofish

November is here and the quick slide to the holidays commences. Good grief. I have a lot of catching up to do.

You may have heard that a special one-night-only benefit concert featuring some of Eastern Kentucky’s biggest names in music was held in Lexington on October 11. Ricky Skaggs had a big hand in organizing the event and it raised over 2.5 million for flood relief. The event featured performances by Chris Stapleton, Dwight Yoakam and Tyler Childers. And this one with Chris and lovely Patty Loveless was pretty great…

This is a good thing to remember.

Today we toast Lyle Lovett (born on this day in 1957) whom we have seen in concert several times and would gladly see again. He is a proud Texan, growing up in Klein where his family has ranched for five generations.

Here’s a new song about his twins that I really like:

All I have I gladly give them
All I am they will exceed
And one thing I know for sure
If they improve the likes of me
They make a better man of me

So to my father and my mother
And to our fathers long before
There are those who walk above us
Who’ll remember that we were
They will remember that we were

Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of our pater, ANC III, and of my great friend Dick (aka WWII Guy). It might be time to watch She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949) in their memory.

LORD, thou hast been our refuge, *
    from one generation to another.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever the earth and the world were made, *
    thou art God from everlasting, and the world without end.
Thou turnest man to destruction; *
    again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday
                                when it is past, *
    and as a watch in the night.
As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep, *
    and fade away suddenly like the grass.
In the morning it is green, and groweth up; *
    but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
For we consume away in thy displeasure, *
    and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation.
Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee, *
    and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

–Psalm 90

Grace and peace to you today, my friends.

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October 31, 2022

His mercy is more/stronger than darkness, new ev’ry morn

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? I have been sick since Thursday and quite under the weather. I didn’t go to my Bible study group and I even stayed home from church. (Daughter #1 convinced me it wasn’t kosher to go to church these days when you are coughing and have laryngitis.)

But I enjoyed vicariously Katie’s Halloween party she hosted for some of her wee compadres…

Quelle wild bunch!

Daughter #1 came home and watched Signs (2002) with me and we really enjoyed it. In my book it is not a horror movie; it is a story about a man regaining his faith.

The twins came over for brunch after they went to church. The OM had made shepherd’s pie and the kids ate leftover Chick-fil-A tenders. We had a special Halloween torte from Cosco that was a winner. There were jelly beans in a bowl. It was kind of a free-for-all, as usual, but c’est la vie.

And the OM wore special socks…

But don’t forget that the real reason to celebrate has nothing to do with witches and scary monsters.

Since your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason–I do not accept the authority of popes and councils for they have contradicted each other–my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise, God help me.

–Martin Luther

Have a good Monday! Smile

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