dual personalities

Tag: family

December 28, 2023

Halo my path with gentleness and love*

by chuckofish

I am picking up daughter #2 and DN (and the girls) at the airport this morning. I will see them for about 45 minutes and then they will pile into the OM’s SUV and head to Champaign-Urbana to go house hunting. It is a terrible time to be looking for a house and it will no doubt be raining/snowing…but I know it will work out. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Pray for traveling mercies!

In the meantime here are a few good things to read/watch.

No, we didn’t expect you to come this way.

We didn’t expect you to come this way.

To us, in our need and wounds and darkness. To us, in our apathy and indulgence and pride.

But you did.

Here is Denny Burk’s annual roundup of the year’s best YouTube videos. I especially liked the dude who soundtracks his Mom’s life with his trombone and the Epic Trick Shots.

And who doesn’t love Sinclair Ferguson looking back on the year? “Count your many blessings/Name them one by one/And it will surprise you/What the Lord has done.”

Yes, even though we live in what Anne so accurately terms “a degenerate and fatuous age”, we are daily served up God’s mercy in generous quantities.

And the Babylon Bee is right again:

*Valley of Vision, “Voyage”

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December 27, 2023

Postcards from Christmas

by chuckofish

Christmas in our part of flyover country was warm and rainy, but we ignored that and had a good time. We spent Christmas Eve with the boy’s family and with daughter #1, going to church (twice!) …

…and then coming home to open presents and eat our traditional dollar roll sandwiches and toasted ravioli feast, with charcuterie board and assorted nibblies.

(The boy and his fam headed to sunny Florida the next day.)

Daughter #1 spent the night and we enjoyed our traditional leisurely Christmas morning coffee/stockings/mimosas/cinammon rolls/presents extravaganza.

Mr. Smith made out like a bandit.

(That red ball in the corner kept him occupied for literally hours.)

We had a lovely pork tenderloin for dinner and then watched A Christmas Story (1985) which I had not seen for years.

We missed daughter #2 and her family, but we look forward to the years ahead when they too are residents of flyover country!

Pete the Cat, a ukulele and a new plush bathrobe like Mommy’s–what more could a girl ask for?

Maybe one of these:

Something to keep in mind for a new year!

“He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God.”

–John Owen, The Mortification of Sin
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December 18, 2023

“O Daughter of Zion, shout aloud”*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Ours was dark and gloomy and rainy, but full of festive seasonal fun nevertheless.

We went to the Christmas concert Friday night–a packed house of Presbyterians, plus a few random Episcopalians I recognized and even a few Jewish Messiah lovers. I enjoyed it very much, but didn’t get home until 10 p.m.–way past my usual bedtime!

On Saturday I went to the funeral of an old 99-year-old friend at my old church. Shirley was quite the gal–a lifelong Episcopalian, Republican and Cardinals fan who went to spring training in Florida every year. She was also a professional woman who had enjoyed quite a long and successful career. The former rector came from Florida to speak along with the former President Pro Tem of the Missouri State Senate. He told the story of how Shirley was sad when she gave up her season tickets to the Cardinals at age 97, but that she had to admit that watching the games on her daughter’s big screen tv had its benefits–namely being able to see Nolan Arenado, “the most beautiful man ever,” up close and personal.

The service was 100% Rite I, but the interim rector kept lapsing into Rite II. C’est la vie. The lay readers were good, which would have pleased Shirley. She had been one herself for decades. I always felt so validated when she gave me a thumbs up after I read. The church was almost full–which said quite a lot about 99-year-old Shirley–but the singing was weak. Shirley, I daresay, is well out of the Episcopal Church and in heaven now.

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

–Job 19:25-27

After Mr. Smith went to the spa for his shampoo, daughter #1 came over and helped me decorate the tree.

We also watched the 1951 A Christmas Carol–the best version in my not so humble opinion.

This scene always makes me cry: “You’ve made Fred so happy!”

The boy was in Kansas City with his family all weekend, so it was just the OM and I at church and a quiet Sunday afternoon.

Also, I did want to wish a happy birthday to my dual personality. Happy Birthday, sweet sister of mine!

I hope someone is cooking you a nice dinner and that my present arrived in time for you to open it today. I hope you watch a good movie, maybe Captain Blood (1935) or How to Steal a Million (1966). I will be toasting Fizzy Fuzz, Pompey, Pete, and Robert Preston!

Also, this meme made me LOL:

P.S. Many thanks to whoever sent the fruitcake from Texas–there was no card!

*Zechariah 9:9

5 Comments
December 14, 2023

With angelic host proclaim*

by chuckofish

Hello from daughter #2!

It should come as no surprise that I am enjoying the Christmas season with the girls. At 3.5 years old, Katie has been very invested in our decorations, Christmas stories, beloved movies, and other traditions. She makes everything more special, from buying an inexpensive wreath at the grocery store to unpacking generations-old ornaments. This year, she even picked out a few gifts and helped me pen the accompanying cards. (We discussed that, because it’s the thought that counts, it helps to write a thoughtful message about what you chose.)

For her part, Ida has enjoyed Christmas music and always amuses us with her dance moves, which center in her hips. She can’t help but dance, no matter how busy she is with something else (crawling, cruising, jail-breaking, wreaking general havoc). When we watched White Christmas, she stopped in her literal tracks when Bing Crosby sang his first note. (I have since heard multiple other accounts of children doing this!) Admittedly, she is still a big fan of The Beach Boys. (You may recall that when she was a wee babe, DN sang “Surfin’ I-D-A” to her, to much delight.)

With an older toddler, we have also been answering a lot of questions about Christmas. Some regard deeper themes — when learning “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,”* Katie asked, “Why do they say newborn king and not newborn baby?”

Others, not so much. At dinner:

Katie: “Mom, will you tell me to eeeeat, Katie, eat?”
Me: “Do you mean like Mrs. Claus says?” (I recognized the line from Rudolph.)
Katie: “Yes.”
Me: “Eeeat, Katie, eat!”
Katie: “Can you say it again but not with that tone?”

Gee whiz. This exchange then prompted a conversation about why Santa needs a round belly in the first place. Like a bowl full of jelly? — what is jelly? I mean, I’m really with her.

While we are on the topic of toddler philosophy, I’ll leave you with one more anecdote. As we plan our move to Illinois, we are trying to prepare Katie for big changes. Accordingly, she has many questions. The other night, she asked, “Will we take Ida’s walker to Illinois?” We said, yes, we will take all of our things to Illinois. “How?” (Great question.) We explained that we will put everything in a big, big truck. “Why not 3 or 4 small trucks?”

Indeed.

*Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, lyrics by Charles Wesley, 1739

4 Comments
December 12, 2023

Comfort, comfort my people*

by chuckofish

I hinted about something awhile ago and now I think it is official and okay for me to let you know that DN has been offered/accepted a job at the University of Illinois–Champaign-Urbana campus and that he and daughter #2’s little family will be moving there in the new year!

It is a mere 181 miles from St. Louis! We are so excited and happy and grateful.

Well done, Nate!

In other news, the world continues to go to hell in a hand-basket. In the meantime here are some excellent and timely reads on:

The desecration of man;

Why the HR mindset can’t condemn genocide;

and, yes, the moral rot starts at the top.

Well, as Anne says, in order “to sleep at night, and then to get through the day without descending into madness, I have to keep [current] events as they unfold very much at the periphery and not dwell on what I do see for very long. I have to keep moving, lest I be swept away on a tide of anxiety and horror.”

So look up, see the light, hug your family, read your Bible, go to church, and keep praying.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

*Isaiah 40:1

3 Comments
December 11, 2023

Veni emmanuel

by chuckofish

Another super busy weekend with a variety of events, several of which involved getting dressed up and socializing with people. But the weekend was dominated by the wee twins’ 7th birthday and their birthday party. Their parents rented one of the small movie theaters at the Galleria and invited 20 kids to watch Aladdin (1992) in their pajamas.

They got popcorn, candy and a drink and, of course, a special cookie.

I must say it was a pretty fun party. When Jasmine and Aladdin go on their magic carpet ride and sing “A Whole New World” all the girls in the back row, led by Lottie, burst into song and sang along. Several of the boys (down in front) got annoyed and said, “Be QUIET!” I was amused–funnily enough the boys were better behaved than the girls. I also enjoyed the movie–Robin Williams knocks it out of the ballpark. I had forgotten that it was the highest grossing film of 1992!

Later in the day the twins also came over to our house for a more sedate birthday gathering with a cookie cake and a few presents to open.

We also managed to go to church twice–once on Sunday morning and once Sunday evening for Lessons & Carols followed by a congregational meeting to vote for our senior pastor candidate. It was a full house and we blew the roof off singing–this congregation loves to sing! And we voted in the new pastor!

Among other Advent standards, we sang O Come, O Come, Emmanuel which I always associate with my earliest pageant experience at my school in kindergarten. We sang it in the dark with our little candle/flashlights. It made quite an impression. That old 13th century Plainsong is so sad and eery sounding. I never really understood the lyrics until recently though.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

There’s actually a whole lot I understand now that I did not before. I am so grateful for my new church. I am so grateful for Tim Keller and R.C. Sproul and John MacArthur and John Piper for pointing me in the right direction and for encouraging me to find a good church!

4 Comments
December 4, 2023

Lift your head, weary sinner*

by chuckofish

It is December again and time to decorate the church, which I helped do on Friday morning.

So pretty and understated. (The TV screens are not usually there. We had a presentation earlier in the week about our senior pastor candidate.)

Later in the day daughter #1 and I celebrated at 19 North, about which I will tell you more later. Then we watched White Christmas (1954), officially ushering in the yuletide season. It never gets old.

The OM and I also ventured out and bought our Christmas tree this weekend from our friendly neighborhood Optimists–they get smaller and more expensive every year.

We’ll put it up and decorate it in a couple of weeks. For now it is chillin’ in a bucket of water in the Florida room.

I am doing my best to chill as well, but there is a lot going on. On Sunday we heard our senior pastor candidate preach and next week we, being Presbyterians, vote on whether we call him to our church. It has been a long process (almost two years!)–but all’s well that ends well, right?

We also had an Advent craft event in between services instead of Sunday School. Lottie is a real crafter and she hunkered right down and made some outlandishly garish Advent decorations.

The bud concentrated on the yummy treats available but also colored this for me, which I will treasure always:

Meanwhile Katie shared a cheeseburger meal with her Mommy and said this:

Can you even?

Well, have a good week! Watch an old movie, consider the Incarnation, and try to chillax!

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.”

–Rippon’s Selection of Hymns, 1787

2 Comments
November 30, 2023

“How do we keep our balance?…Tradition!”*

by chuckofish

Over the last few days I have slowly but surely unpacked a lot of Christmas decorations. The mantle is done and I was deeply gratified on Tuesday night when the wee twins exclaimed, “Oh! You decorated your mantle!” They noticed and they recognized a lot of old friends. Lottie asked me which was my favorite, and I said, I don’t really have a favorite.

Some of them are as old as I am. They represent a lot of people and places and times.

I also put up the little tree in the dining room and decorated it.

So many ornaments have been given to me over the years and I remember who gave me each one.

The twins have their own little trees in their rooms. I gave them an ornament each to put on their trees the other night–gotta encourage the collecting gene!

Katie also has her own little tree and her own collection of hand-me-down small ornaments from her Mommy.

Cheers to wholesome traditions!

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Jude 1: 2)

*Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof

4 Comments
November 29, 2023

For all the saints

by chuckofish

Well, November has flown by, hasn’t it? The years too…On Monday I had lunch with my old admin and a former chair of our institute board. We had a lovely, laughter-filled lunch. Time passes and things inevitably change, but old friends remain.

Then yesterday I went to the funeral of a man who went to my former church. He went on the church trip to the Holy Land with me in 2018. I didn’t know him well, but I admired him a lot–the kind of fine, young man who goes to church every week with his family and ushers and serves where needed. Unfortunately I had written the time down incorrectly on my calendar and I was an hour late and came in for the tail end of communion and the commendation. I was so chagrined. But c’est la vie. It was nice to see some familiar faces, who all look much older (as do I) now. And I was reminded, even in the ten minutes I was there, how happy I am to be a Presbyterian. In my church we would have blown the roof off singing “For All the Saints”! This congregation acted like they didn’t know what singing is.

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Eric. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen. (BCP)

Let us take note that today is the birthday of C.S. Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963). Here’s an interesting article on his last days by Trevin Wax. I am thinking of signing up for the Hillsdale College online course on Lewis. I really enjoyed my Hillsdale course on supply-side economics. I learned a lot and did well on all my quizzes, but I have to admit, I did not pass my final. (J’ai profondément honteuse.) I suppose I could take it again, but by now you can imagine I have forgotten everything except the very basic concepts. Taxes bad, free trade good! Well, onward to C.S. Lewis!

And we celebrated the boy’s birthday with all the bells and whistles.

God bless us everyone.

3 Comments
November 28, 2023

Happy birthday, brown-eyed handsome man

by chuckofish

Today is the boy’s birthday! We will celebrate tonight with tortellini and cake after he has put in a long day at the salt mine. We didn’t see much of him over the holidays because he was working very hard; there was no day off for him on Black Friday! But he was in church on Sunday, singing alongside me and, as you know, that brings me great joy.

Adult children are a real blessing and I am truly grateful for mine.

2-3 the count with nobody on
He hit a high fly into the stands
Roundin’ third, he was headed for home
It was a brown-eyed handsome man that won the game
It was a brown-eyed handsome man.
(Chuck Berry)

My cup runneth over as usual.

4 Comments