dual personalities

Tag: family

May 7, 2023

None but Zion’s children know

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was very nice although the weather has turned hot and muggy in flyover country and that is never a cause to rejoice (although we try to rejoice in all things).

I helped set up for the Kirkwood Historical Society attic sale. And I bought a stack of books (just what I need, right?)…

I have a small collection of books on the Santa Fe Trail, so the Diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin is a great addition. The Seifert novel is about Magoffin. Shirley Seifert was a mid-century writer from Kirkwood who wrote quite a few historical novels, published by J.B. Lippincott. She was really into her research, but her writing is pretty dry, but I have a growing collection of her books. She also wrote the centennial history of my old church, Grace Episcopal, where she was a member for many years.

Daughter #1 and I went to the actual sale on Saturday and she got a nice table for $20 on which to put her Civil War officer’s desk, which I had bought at auction a few years ago.

We also got some more books. Afterwards we went to a couple of estate sales where we were successful again, rescuing a nice Hitchcock chair for $10.

She had many other adventures dealing with Lowe’s delivery men, UPS men, and ADT installers, but I will leave that to her to describe to you.

I watched the Kentucky Derby–whoop-di-do–but my horse did not win. I remember when Secretariat won fifty years ago. My Sunday School teacher went to the race and he assigned everyone in our class a horse. Mine won, but I think all I got was a $5 gift certificate. Typical Episcopalians–betting in Sunday School!

I did not watch any of the coronation, but Anne wrote a long article about it. Read the whole thing.

It was so strange for example, to listen to that glorious Colossians text read in that exquisite church by a practicing Hindu. Dissonance, at the very least, is the word one gropes for, if not blasphemy. How can that person stand there, after reading aloud about how all things are put in subjection under Christ, how he is the Firstborn in whom all things hold together, and then say, “The Word of the Lord” if he doesn’t really believe it? How can Justin Welby face Charles and command him to stand on the authority of the Bible when he himself has been unwilling to do any such thing?

On Sunday the kindergartners received their very own Bibles in front of our whole Presbyterian congregation. The wee bud stood up beaming with his father and I was very proud. (Lottie was home sick, bit she still got her pink Bible!) I may have gotten a little verklempt.

Afterwards we all went home to eat bagels and sit outside. Good times.

Savior, if of Zion’s city,
I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name;
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

–John Newton

P.S. On Saturday we had three blue eggs in our Robin’s nest, but sadly they have all been destroyed by other birds. Nature. C’est la vie.

4 Comments
May 5, 2023

Follow the yellow brick road

by chuckofish

Happy Cinco de Mayo! My, my, can you believe it is already May 5? The wee twins only have a few weeks left of school. This Sunday they “graduate” from kindergarten and receive their first Bibles at church. A big day.

Meanwhile Katie is reading her own Bible…

In other news, the kitchen-window Robin has laid another egg. Interestingly, I ran across this chapter of a book by Amy Carmichael in which she worries about a sunbird who has built a nest outside her window.

Outside my room in Dohnavur a sunbird has hung her nest from a spray of valaris. The spray is as light as a spray of honeysuckle and grows in much the same careless way. The nest is attached to the spray by a few threads of cobweb, but so delicately that the touch of a child would detach it; a cupful of water thrown at it would sweep it down. It is a mere nothing of a nest. But it took a week of patient mothercraft to make it. It is roofed, it has a porch, and set deep within is a bed of silky down.

Exactly where no rain could hurt it, that nest hung; and the little mother sat calmly through those floods, her dainty head resting on the threshold of the porch which she had made on the south side – the sheltered side. If a drop of water fell on her long, curved beak, she sucked it up as though it had been honey. And always, somehow, she was fed.

I think to more than one of us the Father spoke then. There is something very precious about a little bird and her nest, but “Ye are of more value than many sparrows” – than many sunbirds.

Have you watched Bluey? Me neither–maybe I should check it out.

The OM is celebrating his high school 50th reunion this weekend. Can you imagine? Time flies. I hope he enjoys himself, but count me out. I’ll wait til next year.
Is my heritage to me like a hyena’s lair? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. (Jeremiah 12:9)

And the wee bud (finally) lost a tooth!

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April 24, 2023

Home sweet home

by chuckofish

Well, the weekend was quite a whirlwind of activity. Finally daughter #1 is all moved in to her own new (100-year old) house.

I have been in a Dayquil-induced fog for days and will probably remember very little of it in the days to come. Mostly I remember six giant mid-MO dudes who were like refugees from the Sons of Anarchy arriving from Jeff City with two trailers pulled by pickup trucks and hefting everything around like it was doll furniture. I met them at the house and was assigned to tell them which rooms to put everything in since daughter #1 did not arrive for an hour and a half after that. They were polite, amenable, patient, and cheerful. My kind of people. I wish I had taken pictures, but, alas, I did not. But this works…

They were intrigued with the balcony to nowhere.

As we all are.

I will let daughter #1 tell you all about the house herself. Suffice it to say, we all think it is swell and are very happy for her. It all worked out in God’s good time.

On Sunday afternoon everyone came over to celebrate my birthday. The OM barbecued. There was cake.

Bless and sanctify with your peace, O God, this home and those who live in it, that within these walls they may know the blessings of this life and to know the promise of the life to come in that heavenly home where with saints and angels you live and reign, one God forever and ever.
Amen.

4 Comments
April 12, 2023

You can find rest in the Father/lay your worries down*

by chuckofish

Yesterday was a typical day for this old retired lady. First thing in the morning I did my daily Bible reading. Then I hopped in the Cooper and drove down to the Link Auction Galleries to pick up my ‘winnings’ (i.e. old stuff no one else wants) from last week’s auction.

It was a beautiful day to take a drive as spring is busting out all over this flyover town.

I came home and caught up on my emails and “desk work”. Daughter #2 sent this picture of baby Idabelle already wearing a dress that daughter #1 made for Katie!

Sunrise/sunset. And, of course, I got the daily update on Katie’s day at daycare…

The boy came over for our usual Tuesday morning gabfest before he headed off to work.

In the afternoon I worked on putting together the first issue of the Kirkwood Historical Society Review with me as co-editor. (The Review has been around for 60-odd years.) Everything goes to the printer today, so say a little prayer. We switched printers when the old printing company’s warehouse burned down and now the printer is my old friend Cherie, with whom I worked for many years while I was at my flyover university. It is good to be back doing business with an old pal.

I walked the dog. I read some poetry:

(W.H. Davies, 1911)

I made hash for dinner with the leftover pork tenderloin from Easter. It was really tasty.

Life is good and God is sovereign. Take the time to stop and stare. Enjoy your day!

*I like this song by Stephen Stanley.

5 Comments
April 10, 2023

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

by chuckofish

Oh my goodness, what a busy three days! We even managed another trip to Jefferson City to pack more of daughter #1’s apartment. (One more trip should do it.) I was so tired on Friday and Saturday night that it took three nights to watch Ben-Hur (1959)! We concluded it on Easter night and it was great as always.

We had a lovely Easter and I hope you did too. Our weather was perfect. After a rousing church service we were able to frolic outside with Mr. Smith (who was sporting a plaid bow tie) and search for Easter eggs..

We were a little alarmed to see a coyote run across our neighbors’ yards (no kidding) and daughter #1 ran inside with Mr. Smith! Yikes, that was a first. I mean really.

Then we ate a yummy brunch featuring barbecued pork tenderloin. Thankfully the OM managed to not get attacked by the neighborhood wildlife while doing so.

Afterward we enjoyed some primo driveway sittin’ while the wee babes drove around the yard.

Even Lottie (finally) got behind the wheel!

She dragged her brother around for awhile–par for the course. Mr. Smith took refuge under a chair and chewed on a frisbie.

Meanwhile back east, daughter #2 had a nice Easter and everyone looked very festive indeed.

Oh Mylanta, cuteness overload!

4 Comments
March 29, 2023

Through cloud and sunshine

by chuckofish

Well, I had a wonderful time visiting my precious daughter #2 and her wee family over the weekend. How could I not? I did nothing but hold/gaze at little Ida…

…and hang out with Katie…

I also spent copious amounts of time having deep conversations about important subjects with daughter #2 while the little ones napped. When DN returned from his wedding festivities on Sunday, we were able to catch up as well and celebrate his birthday.

Time well spent indeed.

Daughter #1, Mr. Smith and the OM held the fort.

Now it is back to my old routine. I caught up with my Bible reading. I did laundry and watered the plants. I hung out with the boy who dropped by on his way to work.

Our pastor sent this recording of the hymn Abide with Me, a hymn that the church has often sung in days of grief and mourning, to our congregation following the shooting at our sister PCA church in Nashville. This version, sung by Jeremy Casella, was recorded in the sanctuary of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

For our brothers and sisters in Nashville we pray that even as they grieve, they would know the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, a peace that will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7), amidst their tears.

Anne of course had something meaningful to say about all the ““takes” in [her] feed, from every conceivable point of view, a cacophony of grief and schadenfreude.” You might want to read it.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

2 Comments
March 28, 2023

The sun is shining/ We’re feeling alright

by chuckofish

I made it back to mid-MO from my quickie visit to Maryland. Easy Peasy. The OM did not burn the house down. Life is good.

For

“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it…”

(1 Peter 3:1–11)

See you tomorrow with more thrilling commentary!

3 Comments
March 23, 2023

Ever in my great Task-Master’s eye

by chuckofish

Today I am getting ready to head to Maryland tomorrow to see daughter #2 and her little family. DN is going to be in a wedding this weekend in Pennsylvania so I am going “to help” in his absence not that I need an excuse or anything.

I think baby Ida is pretty excited.

Meanwhile the chorus of leaf blowers/lawn mowers has started up in our neighborhood–non-stop noise which will go on for nine months. Ye gods! Do I sound like an old battle ax or what? Well you know what they say: “How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth.”

(John Milton: Sonnet 7)

So please say a travel prayer for me–fair weather and no delays. I’ll be back next week. Daughter #1 will be here tomorrow with a post.

4 Comments
March 13, 2023

Abide with me

by chuckofish

Another gloomy, cold, rainy weekend in flyover country–par for the course now that all the flowering trees have popped. Daughter #1 and I drove to Jeff City again to start packing up her apartment. She has a lot of stuff to pack…

But we made a start and we brought some plants home.

We were exhausted when we got back. We tried to watch The Robe (1953) but only made it as far as Marcellus being converted. We’ll watch the rest this week.

On Sunday morning the OM and I picked up the twins per usual since lacrosse season started and took them to church. Because the OM was an usher, we had to get there a little early, so the twins were able to indulge in coffee hour donuts.

I think I know why the OM volunteers to usher so often–it is because he can pretend he doesn’t know us and sit elsewhere. This week I gave the twins a C+ on the depravity scale for their behavior. I blame Satan and not the donuts. After church one of the Sunday School teachers told me Wheeler was “sad” and I said, “I’m sure he was–I took his toy away and made him sit right next to me with my arm around him.” She said, ‘Well, I told him I’m sorry you are sad,’ and he said ‘Thank you.'”

After church we drove them to their Dad’s store where they were going to hang out for awhile.

Good times. I am really looking forward to lacrosse season settling down.

Meanwhile daughter #2 tried the Easter dress my mother made for daughter #1 back in 1988 on Katie. It fit and so did the matching doll dress on her baby doll.

It was the last dress my mother made before she died and so we were all happy to see Katie in it. Someday Ida can wear it too.

Sunrise, sunset.

In other news, Mr. Smith got a quick bath in the kitchen sink.

Enjoy your Monday! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today.

4 Comments
March 6, 2023

“There’s two angels sittin’ on my shoulders/All they ever do is disagree”

by chuckofish

It rained cats and dogs for about 18 hours on Friday here in flyover country. Thank goodness it wasn’t snow. I went to my biannual cancer checkup on Friday and had my annual infusion of bone medicine. Always nice to get that over with.

But we had a nice weekend with temps in the 60s. On Saturday daughter #1 and I drove over to Jeff City to check on things there and water her plants. We went to Walmart and bought some bins and made an initial swipe at packing things up. There is a lot to pack.

It was a lovely day to drive through the rolling hills of Osage and Gasconade Counties in mid-MO. I am always up for that. When we got home the OM took us to Hacienda for dinner and Margs.

On Sunday we picked up the twins again and took them to church where they earned an A- on Mamu’s depravity scale for keeping theirs in check. We brought them to our house afterwards so they could play with Mr. Smith. Daughter #3 joined us for bagels. Sadly, the boy was working (of course) and so no pictures were taken.

He did send pictures of a long story the wee bud wrote about a tornado. Here’s a sample:

He’s in kindergarten! I was impressed.

Meanwhile in Maryland, Katiebelle and Idabelle had a visitor. Their Mom’s oldest friend, whom she met in vacation bible school when she was six, came to visit.

They had a super fun time…eating donuts and introducing Julia to Pete the Cat.

Now it is Monday. Have a good one.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

praise him all creatures here below;

praise him above, ye heavenly host;

praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

–Thomas Ken, 1709

And here’s a bonus treat: before he became a country music superstar Chris Stapleton was in a bluegrass band…

Woohoo! They were smokin’!

5 Comments