dual personalities

March 19, 2024

Awake my soul and with the sun*

by chuckofish

In my daily Bible reading I have been sojourning in the book of Joshua. I am always impressed with Joshua. He is a real role-model, a mighty man of Israel: steadfast, obedient and brave. Funnily enough, over at desiringGod.com someone was thinking the same thing and wrote this about the humble young leader.

Yes, Joshua learned to trust God’s word, and it guided his life. We all have a lot to learn from him. “Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the LORD. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the LORD.” (Joshua 22:31)

Speaking of humble young men, I was pleased to see that Scottie Scheffler won the Players Championship, the first professional golfer ever to repeat, a back-to-back winner!

Today we remember Thomas Ken (July 1637 – 19 March 1711), English Anglican cleric, who died on this day in 1711. He wrote many hymns and was one of the seven non-juring bishops when James II reissued his Declaration of Indulgence. Along with his six brethren, Ken was committed to the Tower on June 8, 1688, on a charge of high misdemeanour. Ken was put on trial with the others, which resulted in a verdict of acquittal. He is commemorated on the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar on March 21. I always think of him when we sing the doxology.

Here’s a good word from Randy Alcorn about being a Christian in today’s hostile world. “Jesus is the Audience of One. We will stand before His judgment seat, no one else’s. We should long to hear Him say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ What other people think won’t matter.”

And in nutball news…

It was cold but sunny here in flyover country yesterday. (Note the down coats.) Today should be warmer. Hopefully I’ll get some more work done on the Florida room and we can open it for business soon.

*Thomas Ken

5 Comments
March 18, 2024

Now that I’m a winner I have Chick-fil-a for dinner*

by chuckofish

Well, I survived 2 nights/3 days with Mr. Smith and rather enjoyed having the little fellow visit. I talked to more neighbors than in a month of Sundays! Nevertheless, I was relieved to see see him go home with daughter #1 when she arrived from her visit to Illinois!

I forgot it was St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday and went to church wearing a green silk jacket (I thought it looked appropriately springy). Zut alors! I do not as a rule wear green on St. Patrick’s Day! My red-haired Scottish friend Moira, who sits behind me in church, called me on it immediately. (Her husband was wearing an orange tie.) I said, “I forgot what day it is!” Well, I have some Ulster-Scots ancestors, so sue me.

After church the boy dropped by unexpectedly with the twins, who had been hiking in Castlewood State Park. (They are camping at home tonight because the temperature is dropping precipitously–thus the change of plans.)

I was glad to see them, although I had no special Sunday food to share. We snacked on Honey Nut Cheerios. When they left I think they were headed for Uncle Bill’s diner–Mom is out of town.

Daughter #1 came over in the afternoon after her busy day and we watched The Quiet Man–wonderful.

And here’s a new song* from Steve Martin to get your blood pumpin’ on Monday!

3 Comments
March 15, 2024

“Impetuous. Homeric!”

by chuckofish

Happy Friday! My weekend will be quiet as daughter #1 headed off to visit daughter #2, leaving Mr. Smith with us.

The boy is taking the twins on an overnight camping trip, so they will miss Sunday with us. Sigh.

But Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day so we will be watching The Quiet Man (1952) as this is our March 17th tradition. It is a fairy tale, a make-believe wish of what Ireland is like, but I love it–mostly because John Wayne is great and at the height of his powers.

To get you in the mood to watch, here are a few fun facts to know and share about the movie.

As you recall, when daughters #1 and #2 and I were traveling in Ireland in 2011, we made a pilgrimage to Cong where the movie was filmed.

The Quiet Man Museum is around the block from Pat Cohan’s Bar.

The town of Cong, in County Mayo was just getting electricity in 1951 when the actors and crew were there. A few scenes show utility poles, but no wires are clearly visible. The town folk were excited because they thought the electricity wouldn’t cost anything. When they learned otherwise, they insisted they didn’t want or need it – get rid of it. (Later, of course, their attitude changed.)

Charles B. Fitzsimmons (Hugh Forbes, IRA man) and James O’Hara (Father Paul) were the real-life younger brothers of Maureen O’Hara.

The white-haired, frail Dan Tobin, who gets up from his death bed and runs to see the fight, was John Ford’s older brother, Francis Ford. Four of John Wayne’s children appear in the steeplechase scene, which Wayne directed while Ford was sick.

Barry Fitzgerald, who plays the character of Michaleen Oge Flynn, and Arthur Shields, who played the Protestant vicar Cyril ‘Snuffy’ Playfair, were brothers in real life. They were both Protestants born in Dublin, Ireland. Shields was the family name. The Oscar-winner Fitzgerald, who was nearly eight years older than his brother, was born William Joseph Shields.

It is Maureen O’Hara’s favorite of her own films.

John Ford won his fourth Best Director Oscar and the film was in the top ten moneymakers of the year. Winton Hoch won the Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Stephen Spielberg, a great admirer of John Ford, paid tribute to The Quiet Man in E.T. (1982):

When the film was first screened in Boston, MA, Michaleen Flynn’s line on seeing the broken bed, “Impetuous! Homeric!”, was censored.

Well, watch it or don’t–that’s how I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

And here’s a bonus picture of Ida waving at the fish in the fish pond.

3 Comments
March 14, 2024

How like a prodigal

by chuckofish

–from “To the Dandelion” by James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891. Read the whole poem here.

Spring seems to have sprung, but here in flyover country we know better than to jump to any conclusions. We could have snow before the end of the month. It sure is nice, however, to sit on the patio in the seventy-degree afternoons and soak up some sunshine.

In other news, we wish Michael Martin Murphey a happy birthday.

He is 79 years old! Kudos for still touring. Here is a list of other oldsters who are still out there making music in public.

Later today daughter #1 is dropping Mr. Smith off at our house. He will be staying with us while she visits daughter #2 et al in Illinois. So please keep us in your prayers!

Ha!

Daughter #1 will no doubt enjoy spending quality time with Katie and chasing Ida around–did I mention that Ida is now walking/playing soccer? The boy says, “Get out the cones! Agility drills start now!”

We will do our best to keep Mr. Smith from stressing out.

(The painting is by Jean-Francois Millet, 1868)

5 Comments
March 13, 2024

Saints and poets

by chuckofish

The other night I watched the old movie Our Town (1940), starring a stellar cast which included William Holden, Martha Scott, Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, and Frank Craven as the Stage Manager. He originated the role on Broadway.

I don’t know what it is about this movie but it just destroys me every time I see it. Once again I cried through the whole last act. Part of it is that Aaron Copland score. But most of it is the plain truth of it.

Wilder explained in his preface to the play that “‘Our Town’ is not offered as a picture of life in a New Hampshire village or as a speculation about the condition of life after death. . . .It is an attempt to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our life.” Well, I get that. The movie plays up the romance angle and it changes the ending, but for Hollywood, it does a pretty good job of conveying the message of the play.

I was in the play once–in eighth grade. I played Howie Newsome, the milkman. I saw it performed in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in a production by the Peterborough Players that included James Whitmore as the Stage Manager. (Wilder wrote some of Our Town at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, as well as in Zurich and on Long Island and all over.) And I’ve seen several versions on TV. But I do like the black and white movie, sets and all.

Here’s “The birth and life of an American classic: ‘Our Town’” from the Pulitzer files. Some people just don’t get it and write it off as folksy and sentimental. How wrong they are!

Reading the play is good, but seeing it is better. After all, it’s a play. For convenience sake, I recommend the movie.

5 Comments
March 12, 2024

Tuesday musings

by chuckofish

Yesterday I received my Williams College Alumni Magazine–the one with the class notes–and I took a look. I always used to enjoy reading the class notes of the really old guys, the WWII vets, but they are mostly all gone now. So I checked on the class notes with the people I know, who graduated in the 1970s, expecting the usual list of exotic travel destinations and ski and golf outings. Those were there but also quite a few quadruple by-pass operations and cancer diagnoses. Lots of grandchildren, but also news from those still waiting to be grandparents. I sensed the mood was not quite the usual upbeat drumbeat of the privileged 1%-ers.

And then there was one guy I knew back in the day who mused about why he is continuing to work full time:

Amongst my cohort of docs, retirement is the hot topic. I have pushed on; throttling back to a degree and adopting a little ‘fire me and make my day’ attitude…Tapering and keeping a little income flowing now seems right. Packing away my geriatrics skills, simply quitting work, makes me feel somewhat selfish. Am I rejecting the gift of work with selfish intent or battle fatigue? I await direction from God or physical incapacity. Will I miss out on the bucket-list life by keeping on? I don’t see it that way. If today is my last day, I’ll carry a heart of thanks.

Well, well. And well said, sir.

(This is not to say I don’t understand the desire to retire. I myself am retired and, yes, still feeling some battle fatigue. But I get what he’s saying.)

It seems appropriate to remind ourselves of this famous sermon by John Piper: Don’t waste your life!

May I hold forth the way of Jesus
  with my temper as well as my tongue,
  with my life as well as my lips.
May I say to all I meet,
  I am journeying towards the Lord’s given place,
  come with me for your good.

–Valley of Vision
3 Comments
March 11, 2024

Take my intellect and use ev’ry pow’r as thou shalt choose*

by chuckofish

It was a quiet weekend, mostly because it was a busy week punctuated by several visits to MoBap for routine appointments. We also spent eight hours there on Thursday while the OM had an ICD–an  implantable cardioverter-defibrillator–implanted. Fun city.

Meanwhile I am through with my semi-annual cancer checks (until September) and an infusion etc. Onward and upward.

In Sunday School we continued with the Westminster Confession and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy this class. The boy is in agreement. Such a smart class!

All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

We are almost finished with chapter one!

We had a baptism in church–the fifth child in a family, who did not make a peep through the whole thing. I was impressed. As the elder walked her down the aisle, the congregation sang Jesus Loves Me and the twins chimed in with gusto. Once again they got an A for non-depraved behavior.

After church we went home for quiche and fruit salad and jelly beans, of which they ate plenty.

It was too cold for driveway sittin’ so the twins played with Legos while the grown-ups talked. Lovely. After everyone left, I watched some PGA–Scottie Scheffler won!–and took an unintended nap.

I didn’t watch the Academy Awards last night (of course). Instead I watched True Grit (1969), starring John Wayne in his Oscar-winning performance. It was a very good choice! Here’s his acceptance speech: humble and grateful.

And here is some news we can all use: good advice on how not to be a grumpy old woman. “It is good to give sober thought to the fact that life is short, and if we hope to finish well, we must intend to finish well.”

Have a great week!

*Frances R. Havergal, 1874

4 Comments
March 8, 2024

“I’m on the pavement, thinking ’bout the government.”

by chuckofish

Well, I had a thrilling evening helping the University City Historical Society host the annual State of the City (when they picked the date they didn’t know it would also be the State of the Union). It was a nice event, but I was ready to get home and let Mr. Smith play for a bit by the time it was over. I didn’t stay to help clean up–but I was the only person who has to report to work in the morning. I was also the only person under 70. I am not kidding when I tell you that I had a conversation about hearing aids and how high-tech they are now.

University City has quite the City Hall and the Council Chambers are on the fifth floor. You’ll be happy to know that both the City Manager and the Mayor report the state of the city is strong.

In other news, I caught this cute guy keeping watch while I took the trash out the other night. He didn’t bark at me but he seemed very confused.

A quick post tonight after a busy day. Have a great weekend!

*title is from Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”

2 Comments
March 7, 2024

Relentlessly superficial

by chuckofish

When I was growing up I never heard bad language. It was not allowed in our house and, of course, it was never heard in movies or on television. Gentlemen did not swear in the presence of ladies. (Can you imagine?) Truly, I had hardly ever heard a four-letter word until I went to college. It was all downhill from there.

The world has changed in the intervening years. Vulgarity and bad language are literally everywhere. We are bombarded with f-bombs. Only in our own homes and in church can we escape the verbal onslaught. (But, yes, I do watch a few R-rated films.)

I confess I try and fail every day not to swear. I have trained myself to say “Oh my gosh,” for the benefit of my grandchildren, but we all know that is a euphemism for the terribly overused “Oh my God.” And there is no getting around the fact that that is taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Here are John Piper’s thoughts on cussing. I love the term he uses–“relentlessly superficial”–it is a perfect description of the world we live in. Well, I agree with what he says and I pray I can give up “corrupting talk and speak grace to others.”

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

–Ephesians 5:4

By the way, the Piper article is adapted from the new book, Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions by Tony Reinke, who summarizes and organizes ten years of the most insightful episodes of their popular podcast into accessible, thematic sections. I have ordered the book and eagerly await diving in.

And I had to laugh with Anne at this: “I guess I do have one bonus thought. I was transfixed yesterday by those pictures of Victoria Nuland going around—the sort of ‘How It Started’ and ‘How It’s Going’ meme. As a younger person, Nuland looked fresh-faced and eager. Now that she’s resigned, after decades of work in the American government, she looks bitter and angry. It’s not that she’s aged, of course we all do, it’s that the traces of compromise and entitlement are etched into her face. She, in the spirit of the age, rose to the top of power, determined to get what she could along the way, under the guise that if only women could rule, the world would be covered with peace and security. What a lie that was. Turns out women are human, just the same as men, which means that they do bad things, that they believe bad ideas, that their bodies are full of sinful frailty and age, and that if you lie enough, eventually you sound stupid.”

Enjoy your Thursday!

P.S. Even Ned Flanders lost it on at least one occasion.

As Mark Twain said, “under certain circumstances, profanity provides relief denied even to prayer.”

7 Comments
March 6, 2024

It is the bell and it tolleth for me

by chuckofish

I may have mentioned that my 50th high school reunion is coming up in May. After receiving the class email describing the calendar of events–5 get-togethers!–and reading the class survey, I am thinking about my options. I wrote a whiney blogpost about it, but threw it away. I mean who cares?

Well, I’ll pray about it.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

–James 4:10

Meanwhile life goes on. Tim Challies linked to a great Twitter post which he prefaced by saying, “I don’t often link to Twitter posts (though when I do, I always preface it by saying “I don’t often link to Twitter posts.”). But this one is especially good and challenging for parents with athletic children.” I know this has already come up with the boy’s children and they are in first grade!

And how did I miss this?

4 Comments