Crowder | dual personalities

The tornado sirens went off at 4:00 a.m. and then I couldn’t get back to sleep. It rained and thundered, but there were no tornadoes (thankfully) in our neck of the woods. A popular local pub in Sullivan, “known for its karaoke and friendly bartenders,” was demolished by a random twister, but that was all. Spring weather–always turbulent! And you can be sure there’s more on the way.

In other news, today marks the 147th anniversary of the Westminster Dog Show. The first Westminster show took place on May 8, 1877, making it second only to the Kentucky Derby, in terms of continuously held sporting events in the United States. (Both events were held despite the Great Depression, the two World Wars, and pandemic years.) It has been on TV each year since 1948. This year the Westminster Dog Show will run from May 11 to May 14. In case you were wondering, a Westie hasn’t won Best in Show since 1962, although terriers in general have been very successful. But is this a Westie?

Yikes. This is a Westie:

He has ears.

A new statue of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled in Rutland, England on what would have been her 98th birthday.

I’m not sure how I feel about it. She kind of looks like a Disney princess.

And once again Anne articulates EXACTLY how I feel: “And the faithful Christian, who has finally unshackled himself [from a mainline denomination], for the first time in a long time, basks in the astonishing grace of being with other real Christians. I remember the first time I recited the Nicene Creed in the company of a room full of other people who all believed it without crossing their fingers, and how I began to cry, and bite my lip, because I didn’t even know it was a thing that could be.” I know that feeling!

So if you’re lost and wandering, come stumbling in like a prodigal child…

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June 14, 2022

That’s why I sing

by chuckofish

Greetings from Mystery Island where the cool kids are hanging out this week.

And we are having fun–if only it weren’t so darn hot! Most of our VBS activities are outside and it is literally 100 degrees in the shade. But I am keeping up with my 10-year old charges, who are good sports and are staying hydrated.

I have my own fond memories of Vacation Bible School. Back in the day my Episcopal church held a VBS with two other churches (Ladue Chapel Presbyterian and Second Baptist). Although practically 50% of my school class went to my church, no one went to VBS. It wasn’t cool and everyone was busy at their country clubs. But we went and my mother even helped. I always had fun and made a few new friends.

Many years later, when I was a junior at Williams College, my friend Bob from Long Island went skiing in Switzerland over spring break. While he was on the ski lift, he started talking to the young man in the seat next to him. When the other young man said he was from St. Louis, my friend said, “Oh, do you know Katie Chamberlin?” and the guy said, “Yes, I do! We went to Vacation Bible School together!”

They had a good it’s-a-small-world laugh over that, but I think it really blew Bob’s Jewish mind.