dual personalities

Tag: Epiphany

January 6, 2025

 Faith holds wide the door*

by chuckofish

Well, we were warned about the blizzard conditions that were coming all last week and so were prepared to be home for several days. In fact, I did not leave the house all weekend, but stayed holed up in my cozy domicile. I had plenty of wine and nibblies, so I was not overly concerned. We were lucky and largely dodged the bullet, unlike Kansas City where conditions were pretty dicey. But we did experience “thunder snow” which sent our weatherpeople into paroxysms of delight. Flyover weather–par for the course.

Church was cancelled and so I watched (on YouTube) the service from last week when we were in Mahomet. It was interesting to watch from the virtual balcony and good to see all those familiar communicants. They sang “O Little Town of Bethlehem” which was nice to hear, since we had not sung it earlier during the Christmas season. The lyrics* by Phillips Brooks are so good.

I took down all the Christmas decorations (and two trees) which is quite a job and takes hours and hours. Daughter #1 came over on Friday and helped me, but it is a multiple-day event. I’m sure I will continue to find Xmas items that have escaped my attention for weeks to come.

Today is Epiphany, so don’t forget to watch 3 Godfathers (1948). I watched it over the weekend and it is just a great, great movie. You will recall that it is a loose retelling of the biblical Three Wise Men story in an American Western context, starring John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz and Harry Carey, Jr. It is also the birthday of our lovely daughter-in-law (daughter #3). We will celebrate as soon as the roads are cleared and we can synchronize our calendars!

Here’s Sinclair Ferguson’s resolution for the Christian life. “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

It is very frustrating not to be able to include photos on my blog and daughter #1 and I are working on figuring out what to do. I probably will be starting a new blog, perhaps on Substack, very soon, so keep checking in and I’ll let you know.

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January 5, 2023

“Well, that’s the last of the gringo-head cactus”*

by chuckofish

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.

Onward into the new year!

*Pedro ‘Pete’ Roca Fuerte in 3 Godfathers

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January 6, 2022

Hallelujah the earth replies

by chuckofish

The Star of Bethlehem by Burne-Jones

Today is Epiphany which marks the final celebratory day of Christmas. So let’s all sing “We Three Kings,” which was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, PA. He wrote it for a Christmas pageant. It was the first widely popular Christmas carol written in America. (Bonus fun fact: Hopkins gave the eulogy at the funeral of President Ulysses Grant in 1885.)

We all learned this hymn as four-year olds for our first Christmas pageant, which back in the day, was in school. We thought it was very cool–so dramatic and kind of spooky with the gathering doom–and all that sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying. I think they turned off the lights and we turned on our little candle-looking flashlights for a special effect. There was no misunderstanding the end of the story for the baby in the manger. Here’s the BYU men’s chorus singing it:

Meanwhile I have packed up all of my Christmas decorations and taken them to the basement. However, I keep finding strays…

This always happens. C’est la vie.

If you are in need of a spiritual pick-me-up, I recommend watching The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) which tells the story of the real-life Gladys Aylward (1902-70), a former English domestic who became a Christian missionary in China in the 1930s.

In 1940 she shepherded more than 100 children over the mountains to safety at the height of the Sino-Japanese war. Ingrid Bergman is 100% believable as the missionary and her relationship with Curt Jergens as the Chinese Colonel, although embellished, is very romantic. Robert Donat, in his final role, is terrific. What can I say, when I watched it last night, I cried through the whole movie. (Some time ago I read the book by Alan Burgess, The Small Woman, on which the film is based, and it is very good too.)

This weekend we will celebrate daughter #3’s birthday which is actually today–bonne anniversaire!–thus wrapping up all the family birthday’s between November 28 and today.

I pray for the day ahead and that I might bring Glory to God, in word, thought and deed. I thank God that his mercies are new to me every morning. I thank God that his grace is sufficient for all situations that I may encounter.

4 Comments
January 5, 2021

Tuesday mish mosh

by chuckofish

How was your first Monday of 2021? I was back to work and Zoom classes, and my day included a fair share of technical difficulties.

Ugh. It may take awhile to get our Zoom mojo back…

FYI Robert Duvall turns 90 today. As you recall, Duvall graduated from The Principia, a boarding school in my hometown. He also went to Principia College in Elsah, IL across the river. He still considers himself a Christian Scientist. We will toast him tonight and perhaps watch him as Ned Pepper, the murderous outlaw who fails to heed the “bold talk from a one-eyed fat man” (John Wayne) in True Grit (1969).

I have been out of the media loop for several weeks (and gladly so), but this made me laugh (and cringe). Love the Luther insults.

“Cringe-o-meter going off the charts on this one.”

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Epiphany, the twelfth day after Christmas, which begins the season of Epiphany. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. Time to watch 3 Godfathers (1948)!

O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles: Mercifully grant, that we, which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BCP

I’m trying hard to stay positive and test negative and to love one another–hope you are too. Sparklers help.

P.S. This video, which shows takeoff and flight sequences of insects spanning 5 different taxonomic orders in slow motion, is wild. Hello, Katydids.

3 Comments
January 7, 2019

“As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold…

by chuckofish

…as with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright;

so, most gracious Lord, may we evermore be led to thee.”*

IMG_3809.JPGAs you know, yesterday was the feast of the Epiphany. We got to sing “We Three Kings” in church and the Gospel lesson was the story of the Three Wise Men. The rector preached on the question, “What is it that you are seeking?” It is an important question to ask yourself.

Earlier in the weekend I went to an estate sale and bought a few books and a silver tray. I rescued some old lustreware plates, the kind that no one wants these days–$2 for four plates!

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I am not “seeking” more old things per se, but sometimes they are thrust upon me.

After that, I cleaned up my office, throwing away and/or recycling a lot of paper that builds up over the year. I did a lot of straightening up and filing. And the OM helped me take down the outside Christmas lights.

Then the wee babes came over on Sunday night to celebrate their mommy’s birthday

IMG_2215.JPGwith meatloaf and ice cream cake.

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Hello, Pan Am?

Of course, the babes found all the things I had put away. They love to pull books off the shelves. That is their duty as two-year-olds.The wee laddie is really into Jung.

IMG_3812.JPGThen we watched Three Godfathers (1948) as is our tradition on Epiphany. It is a great tradition because the film is so great.

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There were three wise men, Bob, and I’m one of ’em.

I especially noticed how really great it is as I had just watched Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) the night before. The contrast is striking! Okay, I may have thought this VistaVision drama was great as a child…the song as sung by Frankie Laine is stirring…but the movie–direction, acting, screenplay–is terrible. It is one of those westerns that takes itself very seriously, way too seriously. But what is it saying? That is never clear. Burt Lancaster (Wyatt Earp) plays the marshall as a super-straight-laced, duty-bound good guy who is just boring.

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Mustn’t react to fiery redhead, Wyatt. That would be wrong.

On the other hand, Kurt Douglas (Doc Holiday) chews the scenery unashamedly in search of a motive and finds none.

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Was Ringo there?

He feels nothing but contempt for his girlfriend, but he is still enraged by her leaving him. What? Does he love her after all? Um, no. His actions clearly suggest otherwise. He is just a jerk, then, right? Both of our heroes are kind of jerks. In fact, the only hint of affection in this movie is between Doc and Wyatt, and we don’t want to go there, right? Well, the only character for whom I felt any sympathy was Jo Van Fleet as Kate, the whore. She is treated badly by everyone, but she still tries to help Doc, whom she loves even though he never appreciates her. Their scenes together at least have a little life in them.

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Why don’t you put a rope ’round my neck, and pull it when you want me?

The Clantons are just standard bad guys.  All the minor characters are stereotypes played by the B team.

Screen Shot 2019-01-06 at 1.54.07 PM.pngIt is such a mish-mosh! Really, there is no reason to watch it other than the great song by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington which you can hear here. While I was watching, I kept thinking about My Darling Clementine (1946) which in my opinion is the only good movie about the OK Corral. There is plenty of motivation in that movie, as well as character development and great acting. There is darkness in this movie and light. There is contrast. There is affection and friendship, loyalty, love. The real stuff.

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Walter Brennan as Ike Clanton, abusive father par excellence

[Interesting side note: John Ireland is in both movies as a member of the Clanton gang. File that one away for trivia night.]

So I guess my point is: watch either John Ford movie (Three Godfathers or My Darling Clementine) to see what a great movie is. Skip the 1950’s next-best-thing-to-color television (Gunfight at the OK Corral).

P.S. Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the death of President Theodore Roosevelt. Join me in a toast!

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He’s not afraid.

*Hymn 119

5 Comments
January 5, 2018

Brrrrrrrr

by chuckofish

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The Mississippi River freezes solid in February 1905.

Il fait froid! There are ice chunks in the ol’ Mississip today, but I don’t think one could walk across it. I certainly wouldn’t want to try! Here are some interesting historical photos of our frozen river through the years.

I plan to stay warm at home this weekend packing up Christmas decorations. But I also have two birthdays to celebrate, including daughter #3’s, so I’ll be out and about.

I saw a fox run through our back yard early on Christmas Eve morning. Maybe he’ll be back.

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Thus by the snow I was made aware in this short walk of the recent presence of squirrels, a fox, and countless mice, whose trail I had crossed, but none of which I saw, or probably should have seen before the snow fell. Also I saw this afternoon the track of one sparrow, probably a tree sparrow, which had run among the weeds in the road. (Dec. 14, 1855)

–Henry David Thoreau, A Writer’s Journal

Since it is Epiphany,

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it is time to watch 3 Godfathers (1947)–an all-time favorite.

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What have you got on the docket?

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The OM and I are also babysitting the wee babes. Please note that the 16 lb. dynamo is now on the move for real! Keep us in your prayers.

Have a good weekend!

The painting is “Tracks in Snow” by Morten E. Solberg.

2 Comments
January 6, 2016

“Arise, shine; for your light has come”*

by chuckofish

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“He knew that all was well, because he had done the best that he could, from day to day. He had been true to the light that had been given to him. He had looked for more. And if he had not found it, if a failure was all that came out of his life, doubtless that was the best that was possible. He had not seen the revelation of “life everlasting, incorruptible and immortal.” But he knew that even if he could live his earthly life over again, it could not be otherwise than it had been.”

–Henry Van Dyke, The Story of the Other Wise Man

Today is the feast of Epiphany, celebrating the ‘shining forth’ or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus Christ. The observance had its origins in the eastern Christian church, and included the birth of Jesus Christ, the visit of the three Magi who arrived in Bethlehem, and all of Jesus’ childhood events, up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. The visit of the Magi is traditionally interpreted as symbolic of God’s revelation of himself to the Gentiles.

I think I will re-read the short book The Story of the Other Wise Man written in 1896 by Henry Van Dyke, Presbyterian minister and Princeton graduate. It was a great favorite of our mother. It is a wonderful of story of the fourth wise man, who sets out to see the newborn king, carrying treasures to give as gifts–a sapphire, a ruby, and a “pearl of great price.”  But he gets side-tracked on the way to Bethlehem. His journey lengthens and he finally finds Jesus as he is crucified.

“I do not know where this little story came from,” said Van Dyke, “out of the air, perhaps. One thing is certain, it is not written in any other book, nor is it to be found among the ancient lore of the East. And yet I have never felt as if it were my own. It was a gift, and it seemed to me as if I knew the Giver.”

*Isaiah 60:1

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