Well, it’s Daughter #1 here. Life has been very busy for me lately! I started a new job, moved in with my parents, have a wild animal of a puppy to care for. I have to commute downtown everyday! It’s a lot of adjustments, but it’s going okay. Luckily, my sweet mother takes care of the puppy during the day. And makes dinner at night. I am very #blessed.
We’re all getting by. And it will probably be like this for a few months (hopefully not too many months). But I’ll try to come up with some good stuff for my weekly blog posts. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time for internet perusing or amusing anecdotes this week. I am trying to look like a professional for my new coworkers.
Well, we made it to Wednesday!
*The post title comes from Only Murders in the Building which we are rewatching and enjoying immensely.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the introduction of the hymn “Amazing Grace” by John Newton. It was written in the weeks leading up to the 1773 New Year’s Day service at Newton’s church in Olney. His sermon that day was based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17:
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.
There are literally hundreds of versions recorded of this famous and much-loved hymn (and available to view on YouTube!), but honestly, this plain, straightforward version by Alan Jackson is one of my favorites. I’m sure John Newton would approve.
Sunday was the birthday of Elvis Presley and we watched Elvis: That’s the Way It Is (1970) on TCM in his memory. There was a whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on in that movie, which documents the King’s Summer Festival in Las Vegas during August 1970.
Somehow I think Elvis must have frequently felt like old King David and may have prayed a similar prayer (see above) many times in his confusing life. Hopefully he is singing God’s praise in his heavenly choir, a sinner redeemed and joyful.
We took down the Christmas decorations at church on Friday, so we are “back to normal” all around I guess.
I had a busy weekend, which included putting together a portable coat rack so daughter #1 has somewhere to hang her clothes, a DAR meeting, lunch out at a new diner, grocery shopping, visiting a house for sale (for daughter #1), church, and celebrating daughter #3’s birthday with Presbyterian Soufflé and cake. (This is the last of our four birthdays between November 28 and January 6.)
All this was accomplished in between walking the puppy. Phew. I am tired just thinking about it.
This week will be slower. I just have to get ready to fly to Baltimore on Saturday to help daughter #2 as she is due to give birth very soon. (Another January birthday!)
In the meantime, here are some fascinating events and discoveries from 2022 that you might have missed–I know I did.
Many things I might have said today. And I kept my mouth shut. So many times I was asked To come and say the same things Everybody was saying, no end To the yes-yes, yes-yes, me-too, me-too.
The aprons of silence covered me. A wire and hatch held my tongue. I spit nails into an abyss and listened. I shut off the gable of Jones, Johnson, Smith, All whose names take pages in the city directory.
I fixed up a padded cell and lugged it around. I locked myself in and nobody knew it. Only the keeper and the kept in the hoosegow Knew it–on the streets, in the post office, On the cars, into the railroad station Where the caller was calling, “All a-board, All a-board for . . . Blaa-blaa . . . Blaa-blaa, Blaa-blaa . . . and all points northwest . . .all a-board.” Here I took along my own hoosegow And did business with my own thoughts. Do you see? It must be the aprons of silence.
–Carl Sandburg
Today is Carl Sandburg’s birthday. He lived from 1878 to 1967 and during his lifetime he was held in high regard, winning three Pulitzer Prizes for poetry and biography. When he died President Lyndon Johnson said, “Carl Sandburg was more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America.” Seems like a bit of an overstatement.
Sandburg understood some things though. He said: “When a nation goes down or a society perishes, one condition may always be found–They forgot where they came from.”
I liked this remembrance of Sandburg by the son of the artist William A. Smith who painted his portrait which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.
Tonight is Twelfth Night which is celebrated on the last night of the twelve days of Christmas. Tomorrow is Epiphany, which is the feast commemorating the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus. Usually we watch 3 Godfathers (1948), but we jumped the gun and watched it last Friday. We just couldn’t wait.
It’s a classic–don’t miss it.
Anyway, all the Christmas decorations are packed away and the tree is resting on the curb to be recycled. This is a major accomplishment and worthy of note.
Also worthy of note:
“I love you and you’re the best baby I ever seen.” I could watch this over and over.
In response to my statement that I had read the entire Bible in 2022, a college friend commented on her Christmas card to me: “Katie! You read the Bible! What’s next? All of Shakespeare?”
Well, that’s an idea.
No matter where; of comfort no man speak: Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs; Make dust our paper and with rainy eyes Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth, Let’s choose executors and talk of wills: And yet not so, for what can we bequeath Save our deposed bodies to the ground? Our lands, our lives and all are Bolingbroke’s, And nothing can we call our own but death And that small model of the barren earth Which serves as paste and cover to our bones. For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the death of kings; How some have been deposed; some slain in war, Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed; Some poison’d by their wives: some sleeping kill’d; All murder’d: for within the hollow crown That rounds the mortal temples of a king Keeps Death his court and there the antic sits, Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp, Allowing him a breath, a little scene, To monarchize, be fear’d and kill with looks, Infusing him with self and vain conceit, As if this flesh which walls about our life, Were brass impregnable, and humour’d thus Comes at the last and with a little pin Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king! Cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood With solemn reverence: throw away respect, Tradition, form and ceremonious duty, For you have but mistook me all this while: I live with bread like you, feel want, Taste grief, need friends: subjected thus, How can you say to me, I am a king?
–Richard II, Act 3, Scene 2
*Silvia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The painting is “The Plays of William Shakespeare” by Sir John Gilbert, 1849
Well, it’s time to take down all the Christmas finery and pack up all the seasonal decorations. Sigh. Time to clean up and move on in the new year.
But, hey, we were driveway sittin’ on Sunday, January 1! Quite a turnaround from the weather a week ago…
Daughter #1 starts her new job today and we are getting used to our new routine. I mean, we have a dog (!)–at least until daughter #1 finds new digs. But there is no rush, since everyone–even the OM–is quite taken with Mr. Smith. And, of course, we don’t like to be accused of getting too set in our ways.
The sermon on Sunday was on Psalm 90 which is good reading for the start of a new year. (Read it here.)
Tim Challies ruminates on the new year here. “A new year has opened before us and like a watchman gazing into dense fog, we see just a few steps ahead and only vague shadows looming beyond. We do not know what the year will bring, whether great triumphs or great failures, great joys or great sorrows, great gains or great losses. It could be the best of all years or the worst, the easiest or the hardest, the most heart-warming or the most heart-breaking…But this fog is a blessing for it compels us to shift our gaze from our circumstances and to fix them on our God.”
This is a thoughtful essay about how “the noises and messes and struggles of life are precisely the things worth living for.” I totally agree.
Carl Trueman once again articulates my thoughts magnificently: “Yes, the culture is a mess. Yes, I fear what the world will look like in which my granddaughter will grow to adulthood. Yet I rejoice at the blessing I have in being able to see her, to hold her, and to delight in her. Christianity is, after all, a religion that sets priorities. Dealing with the crazy people reducing our culture to rubble is important but it should be cheerfully done. After all, it is hard to be unhappy when cradling one’s granddaughter in one’s arms.”
PSA: Ligonier has a new daily devotional podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair Ferguson. Subscribe here.
Doe this to day; as God this day gives thee a New yeare, and hath not surpriz’d thee, nor taken thee away in the sinnes of last yeare; as he gives thee a new year, doe thou give him a New-years-gift, Cor novum, a new and a Circumcised heart, and Canticum novum, a new Song, a delight to magnifie his name, and speak of his glory, and declare his wondrous works to the Sonnes of men.
–John Donne, The Sermons of John Donne, Vol. 6
Happy New Year! “In your patience possess ye your souls.” (Luke 21:19)
Well, here we are in a new year. Where did the last one go? At least I can say, I accomplished something. I read the entire Bible.
However, I didn’t read much of anything else, which concerns me. (It is very difficult to read at night–I fall asleep!)
I also checked off a few items on my bucket list in 2022: I went to Oklahoma City and I went to Texas. I do love those wide open spaces.
I also went to North Carolina and to Maryland a couple of times to visit daughter #2 and her wee family.
I finished a needlepoint pillow and quite a few puzzles!
I figured out what I will focus on with my “leisure time” during my “retirement years”–my new church and the Kirkwood Historical Society.
And I continued to blog–eleven years!–many thanks to all of you who are still reading!
But you know, “The great constant in my life year after year is the unending fact of the presence of God. He has been there, and he will be there. No matter where I find myself this year, God will be there. No matter how strong the storms hit this year, God will always be there for me.” This is a good article about the constants in life.
Holy Jesus, ev’ry day keep us in the narrow way; and, when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last where they need no star to guide, where no clouds thy glory hide.
As we approach the new year, I think there is no better prayer to utter than this one by Jonathan Edwards. I have quoted it before, but it bears repeating every year.
O Lord, Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in Thy presence, in Thy service, to Thy glory. Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour, that I may not be one moment apart from Thee, but may rely on Thy Spirit to supply every thought, speak in every word, direct every step, prosper every work, build up every mote of faith, and give me a desire to show forth Thy praise; testify Thy love, advance Thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, with Thee, O Father as my harbour, Thee, O Son, at my helm, Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning, my ear open to Thy calls, my heart full of love, my soul free.
Give me They grace to sanctify me, Thy comforts to cheer, Thy wisdom to teach, Thy right hand to guide, Thy counsel to instruct, Thy law to judge, Thy presence to stabilize. May Thy fear be my awe, Thy triumphs my joy.
Woohoo! Give me Thy grace to sanctify me!
P.S. The Amaryllis that my brother and sister-in-law sent is blooming!
We had a fruitful 24 hours in Jeff City. Daughter #1 went into her capitol office to close up shop and we packed some stuff (mostly clothes) in her apartment to bring home. We went to High Street and visited a couple of our favorite shops. We went to Steak ‘N Shake for lunch and then took the scenic route home through lovely Osage and Gasconade counties.
We were exhausted when we got home so we collapsed and watched some TV–Mr. Smith is a big fan of Eddie on Frasier.
Meanwhile I now have three days of reading left until the end of the year when I will have officially read the entire Bible. I am very proud of myself for completing the Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan in 2022!
Starting in 2023 I will be reading the 5x5x5 New Testament Bible Reading Plan which is reading through the New Testament in a year, reading Monday to Friday.
Here is a list of Bible Reading Plans in case you are interested. Choose one that is best for you! As R.C. Sproul said, “Disciples of Christ abide in His Word. Those who abide in His Word know the truth and are free.” 💯
And on another subject, thank you, Anne, for once again putting my thoughts into coherent words. “But as I said, the Lord spoke to me, and the word for 2023 is Fatuous. I’ll be using it an awful lot in the forthcoming [year], being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.” (*I’m kidding. God did not audibly give me this word.)
dual personalities 