Yesterday, of course, was a beautiful sunny day with nary a cloud in the sky. We had no plans other than cleaning up from the day before. C’est la vie.
Yesterday was also the birthday of Walt Whitman, so I read some poetry.
And here’s Bob Dylan’s hat tip to W.W.:
Have a good (short) week!
I have been thinking about Gen. Douglas MacArthur and listened once again to his farewell speech to West Point, arguably one of the best speeches of the 20th Century.
In twenty campaigns, on a hundred battlefields, around a thousand campfires, I have witnessed that enduring fortitude, that patriotic self-abnegation, and that invincible determination which have carved his status in the hearts of his people. From one end of the world to the other he has drained deep the chalice of courage.
Let’s all take a few moments to think about that patriotic self-abnegation and the men (and women) who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.
(Here’s a photo of my grandfather on the right with his younger brother who was killed in the Argonne Forest in 1918.)
If you have half an hour, listen to the speech.
As I have said before, Memorial Day is not just an excuse to have a day off and barbecue with family and friends–although we did that yesterday.
There was no mention of Memorial Day at our church which I found interesting but not really surprising. It was just a regular service and two of the four hymns made me cry like a baby. I was a mess. C’est la vie. Our new young pastor finished the Letter to Titus in his sermon and he was on fire, which was pretty impressive considering it was Titus. But that goes to show that any scripture is worthy of our study and exegesis.
In the afternoon the boy and his family, daughter #1 and her friend Liz and her husband and kids gathered with us for family fun and frolic. We started off outside…
…but we had to move inside when it started to thunder and rain. Our twins showed their twins how to have fun at Mamu’s house…
The menfolk had to move the barbecue into the garage, and by the time we were almost ready to sit down to eat, the tornado sirens were blaring, the wind was blowing and the air had turned that green color we know so well. I went to check what was going on outside and Lottie was like, “Mamu, what are you DOING?!” (She was all for heading to the basement immediately.) I said, “Oh it’s nothing to worry about!” and daughter #3 agreed, “If it starts to hail, we’ll reconsider.”
In no time Lottie had the little ones set up with pillows under the dining room table…
As we sat down to eat (at the table), it started to hail. But the hail was only dime-sized, so we went on and ate our dinner.
All’s well that ends well. That’s life in flyover country.
This is a moving tribute about Sacred Duty: A Soldier’s Tour at Arlington National Cemetery. Lest we forget.
Meanwhile, tonight I’ll be watching They Were Expendable (1945) which has become my Memorial Day tradition.
This is just a great movie. Great action scenes and the romance between Donna Reed and John Wayne is one of the sweetest in cinema history. And General MacArthur makes an appearance.
“That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
–President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863
Happy birthday, Bob Dylan! He turns 83 today. We love you and God loves you.
It is time to plan a visit to the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK…however, I guess I’ll wait until the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, which is still closed for construction, reopens. Then it will be Tulsa Time!
In case you need reminding, Sunday is John Wayne’s birthday. He would be 117. If you are in Fort Worth, be sure to sign up for…
I will be home streaming my own John Wayne film festival.
Nobody slams a door like John Wayne.
How will you be celebrating?
P.S. Saturday is the birthday of Ralph Waldo Emerson. I disagree with him about quite a few things, but I agree with this:
Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.
This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.
–RWE, Collected Poems
Now there’s three aces!
*Bob Dylan
But I ain’t gonna go to hell for anybody
I ain’t gonna go to hell for anybody
I ain’t gonna go to hell for anybody
Not today, not tonight, not tomorrow, no never, no way!
At my granddaughter’s pre-school, they worked on a questionnaire on the last day. In the section “When I grow up”, the 3-4 year olds were asked the question, “What will you do for fun?” Katie answered, “Tidy up.”
I laughed out loud. I’m sure her lovely mother (and probably the pre-school teachers) makes everything fun, à la Mary Poppins, even tidying up, but oh my goodness. She is a girl after my own heart.
I spent the morning tidying up. It is what I do. That and “desk work” as my Aunt Susanne used to say. I have never been one for deep cleaning, but tidying up, yes.
Life is seemingly full of chaos, so tidying up gives us the illusion of some control. We need that illusion. That is why we make our beds in the morning and hang up our clothes. Indeed, studies show that children thrive when there is order, routine and, yes, rules.
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
–1 Corinthians 14:33
So relax. Keep tidying up.
And in weather news…
How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
–Proverbs 1: 22
Feeling down? Tired of the news cycle and all the bad news? Severe weather forecasts giving you the blues? Me too.
Well, it’s times like these when I turn to my DVD collection to find something–not necessarily the “best” movies–but one that will cheer me up. You know, like McClintock! (1963), because John Wayne.
Yup. Here are some further suggestions:
P.S. The boy concurred with these choices and also suggested Roberta, The Awful Truth and Top Hat–all classics from the 1930s, plus Donovan’s Reef (1963) and Kung Fu Panda (2008). What would you suggest?
I hope this helps.
On this day in 1844 the Missouri and Mississippi rivers reached the most devastating flood stages in history. The Mississippi River swelled to nearly 12 miles wide during the the flood. Crowds gathered on rooftops in St. Louis to watch the houses and trees of Illinoistown (now East St. Louis) being carried away. Steamboats that were still running on the river reported crashing into chimneys and mill machinery hidden below the water’s surface. River pirates took small boats back into the flooded, abandoned towns, looting the upper stories of homes.
The 1844 flood and 1993 flood square off as St. Louis’s “biggest”—the 1844 flood carried 21 percent more water, but the 1993 flood crested more than 8 feet higher. Had the 1993 flood carried the 1844 flood’s volume, it would have almost certainly crested St. Louis’s floodwall (the 1993 flood came within three feet of crest).
To give you an idea, here’s a photo of high water–flooded levee with buildings on one side and boats on the other–at St. Louis during the 1858 flood. (Missouri Historical Society Collections.)
Not until June 28 did the waters begin to recede. By the middle of July the river was back to normal.
After the flood, Congress passed the Swamp Act in 1849 providing land grants to build stronger levees.
“A young man was sitting at home when a terrible rainstorm began. Within hours, the man’s house began to flood, and someone came to his door offering a ride to higher ground. The man declined, saying, ‘God will take care of me.’ A few hours later, as the waters engulfed the first floor of the man’s home, a boat passed by, and the captain offered to take the man to safety. The man declined, saying, ‘God will take care of me.’ A few hours after that, as the man waited on his roof—his entire home flooded—a helicopter flew by, and the pilot offered transportation to dry land. Again the man declined, telling the pilot that God would care for him. Soon thereafter, the waters overcame the man, and as he stood before God in heaven, he protested his fate: ‘You promised that you’d help me so long as I was faithful.’ God replied, ‘I sent you a car, a boat, and a helicopter. Your death is your own fault.’ God helps those who help themselves.”
–J.D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy
*Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
After getting up early and going to buy flowers at Trader Joe’s and taking them to church where I arranged them for Sunday services, I went with daughter #1 to watch Lottie play lacrosse…
It was quite hot as you can see!
The young bud found a friend while he cooled off under a tree…
After that early start to the day, I took it easy! I read another D.E. Stevenson book (published in 1957)…
…and enjoyed it very much!
On Sunday I went to the early service so I could go to the bud’s last lacrosse game. We had a good sermon on Titus 3:1-8 and another really good Sunday School class. Then it was back to the lacrosse field to sit in the almost 90-degree heat! The bud (and most of the players) was less than enthused.
Summer in STL is upon us I’m afraid.
Meanwhile Katie and Ida were introduced to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood–they were spellbound.
I will spare you a rant about Scottie Scheffler and the Louisville PD, but this about says it all. And this is perfect:
Absolutely insane! #freescottie
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.–Horatio G. Spafford, 1873
Have a good week!
Well, Daughter #1 here. I’ve been off for a few weeks. Work has been crazy for, honestly, the entire year thus far. Today, though, I wrapped up my final project on a long list. Hopefully, we can go a few days without starting a new list. I thought I deserved a large glass of wine at the end of the work day. Mr. Smith wanted one too.
Sadly, there is no wine on Mr. Smith’s menu. But he did get a Newman’s Own Beef Stick as a treat. Only the best for my pup.
In other news, as my Mother mentioned, I was sworn in as Chapter Regent this weekend. Not going to lie, I am fulfilling my old lady dreams a little earlier than anticipated, but at the same time, this is the closest I’ll get to being sorority president. I’ll spend the next few weeks studying this book and Robert’s Rules of Order.
Guys, why am I the coolest person you know?
Well, the mask I put on before I started drafting this has hardened and I can’t move my face. I’ll leave you with this Peanuts cartoon
and this song that has been on rotation the past few weeks. Happy Friday, we made it to another weekend!
The sun came out yesterday! Let the good times roll! However, the din from the cicadas has been so loud as to preclude sitting on the patio or even in the Florida room. I kid you not. When the boy and the little bud came over yesterday afternoon while Lottie was in dance class, they were totally amazed by the number in our yard, covering the ground and on the bushes and in the trees.
Meanwhile the peonies are blooming in central Illinois…
Last week you may recall that I recommended watching Tim Challies’ 10-part video tour “Epic”–a journey through Christian history. Since then, I have watched all 10 episodes: 24 countries, 6 continents, 75 flights, 80 museums! I will never travel to all of these countries, so I really appreciated the opportunity to do so–even vicariously and somewhat superficially–with Tim. Each episode is only 25 minutes long. You can do it a few days and it is well worth it.
Tim ends the last episode with a stop in Kansas City and the Spurgeon Library at the Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary. It’s right around the corner! We should visit!
(The photo at the top is the boy and daughter #1 at our old house circa 1989.)
This special art project at Katie’s pre-school seems very relevant for the week we are having in flyover country.
I watched the finale of the Westminster Dog Show last night–4 hours of over-groomed canines. The Westie did not win the terrier group.
I was not too taken with any of the contenders for Best in Show…
…and the winner was the crowd favorite (and my least favorite), the miniature French poodle–zut alors! I will refrain from commenting further.
It was fun to watch all the dogs and their special handlers–one fell flat on his face and caused quite an uproar, but his Welsh Terrier kept his cool.
And I liked this essay about Holy Ground. “He abides. On this narrow way, His presence makes all the difference, and this holy ground itself sings like a toddler in the backseat: God is with us.”
Have a good Wednesday. Pet a dog if you get the chance.
dual personalities 