family | dual personalities

April 14, 2025

Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God*

by chuckofish

I hope you are feeling the joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart like this little angel and that you had a good weekend!

Daughter #1 and I had a super fun roadtrip down to southwest Missouri where we were adventurous and checked out the Top of the Rock on our way to Branson. She even drove us in a golf cart around the Ozarks Heritage Preserve…

…through a cave…

…and over bridges…

…and waterfalls…

It was really very cool! We saw a lot of natural “table rock” formations…

The museum there is also very well done–lots of collections of arrow heads and ax heads and Indian clothes and baskets and pottery, dinosaur bones (Terror Birds! Hell Pigs!) and Ozark history.

It was all very well done–beautifully displayed and curated–I was impressed.

After that we checked into our hotel–the Chateau on the Lake resort in Branson where our DAR State Conference was being held.

I didn’t take many pictures at the actual conference. Just imagine over 400 older ladies wearing patriotic scarves and jewelry and sashes.

When daughter #1 and I were having a glass of wine in the hotel bar Thursday night a man came up to where we were sitting and asked us, “What is going on here? I’m the only dude in the whole bar!” We explained the situation and he headed out.

We played hooky on Friday morning and drove down the strip in Branson where we saw the Titanic!

…and King Kong! And John Wayne! And Elvis!

It is really quite the place. The twins would be in absolute heaven!

We came home on Saturday afternoon. As you can see, the weather was glorious the whole time–just perfect for exploring our beautiful state.

I was gone two nights and three days and, thank the Lord, the OM did not burn the house down. (He did the taxes in peace and quiet.) We made it to church Sunday morning and got to hear the Children’s Choir (including the twins) enthusiastically sing “To the King, Sing Hosanna”. We had three baptisms! It was lovely to be back.

Now I have a very busy week ahead. And it is darling daughter #2’s birthday today!

We can’t wait to see her this weekend and celebrate her birthday with the whole fam! And Easter!

*Hebrews 13:15

7 Comments

April 7, 2025

Fill our hearts with thankfulness

by chuckofish

Rain, rain, go away! 🌧️🌧️🌧️ Well, it did finally stop on Sunday but then it was freezing cold! Not exactly perfect weather for watching lacrosse, but I braved the overcast skies and windy 40-degree temps to do so. The other grandparents were visiting from Florida and had to stop at Kohl’s on the way to the game to buy winter coats! The bud was great in goal! He played half the game there…

…and half in midfield…

…and part of the time, hanging with his lacrosse bros…

This was all, of course, after going to Sunday School and sitting through church and a sermon on Hebrews 12:18-29! Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire! The twins do so well now in church, sitting quietly and with a minimum of wiggling and squirming. I guess they want that thumbs up/A+ from Mamu, right?

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

–Charles Wesley

(One of these days I’ll make it to one of Lottie’s game, but she was rained out this weekend.)

Besides that excitement, I had a quiet weekend, mostly because of the weather. I went to our DAR meeting and I was the stand-in Chaplain so I had to open with a prayer before brunch. I gave them this:

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we
may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The old BCP (1979) is such a lifesaver. I always have to tell people, no, I didn’t come up with that myself–it’s from the BCP!

And now we have a new week! Have a good one.

As always, thanks to the boy for the cool pix!

5 Comments

March 31, 2025

So we are always of good courage

by chuckofish

The Big News of the weekend was that Lottie scored a goal. You go, girl! She is small but mighty…

I also cleaned up the Florida room on Friday and moved a lot of plants out there. It is ready for spring happy hours. Daughter #1 and I kicked off the season on Friday afternoon.

On Saturday morning the OM and I went to a memorial service for a longtime member of our church. We sang Abide With Me and It Is Well With My Soul and I was done in. (Luckily I had a paper towel with me.) There were Remembrances and Readings by the numerous family members–much love expressed and many tears and why not? There were prayers and our pastor preached on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10:

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³if indeed by putting it on^[a] we may not be found naked. ⁴For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

I always loved the Episcopal service for the Burial of the Dead (Rite I)–it is a beautiful service, but, indeed, rather impersonal. I have to admit, the more personal Presbyterian service is all right. And, of course, everyone–and I mean the whole congregation turned out–sings with gusto. The reception was in the Fellowship Hall with cookies made by the deceased.

I was a little discombobulated when I had to get up and go back to church on Sunday morning–at 8:30–we are back to lacrosse season timing. The bud had a game at Noon! But we all made it there and to Sunday School. Our pastor gave a good sermon on Hebrews 12:1-17–throwing off sin, enduring discipline. I also made it to the game which was played at my old school stomping grounds. Nice astro-turf!

It was very windy, but pleasant to sit in the sunshine with daughters #1 and 3 and watch the young cubs play. The bud, I am proud to say, has all the moves and was playing pretty aggressively.

He was the Man taking face-offs!

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet…” (Hebrews 12:12)

Woohoo! And the anticipated storms mostly passed us by. Have a good week!

*Thanks to the boy for the great pics!

4 Comments

March 26, 2025

Reasons to smile

by chuckofish

Yesterday morning I drove down to the city to pick up a table at the auction house, but the table wouldn’t fit in my new car! Despite much utching and maneuvering by the nice staff people, it just wouldn’t fit. So I had to go all the way home and eventually switch cars with the OM and drive back down. My second attempt was successful, so all is well. The boy came over later and helped get the table out of the car and into the house. Phew. Festina lente and take a deep breath and smile.

Well, as you can see by the view from Don’s garden, spring is here! The sun plus all that rain has done the job once again.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
    they flow between the hills;
¹¹they give drink to every beast of the field;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹²Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
    they sing among the branches.
¹³From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

¹⁴You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
¹⁵    and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
    and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

(Psalm 104: 10-15)

It is lacrosse season again…look at that little gal go!

And baseball season starts tomorrow, so I guess that means we’ll be watching Major League (1989)…

The Christmas Cactus is blooming again!

And it’s DN’s birthday today…

Good daddy and proud Mini driver…

We love you!

6 Comments

March 11, 2025

The thrill of the hunt

by chuckofish

Over the weekend daughter #1 bought a chair for $15 at an estate sale (second day, half off).

She got some nice old man to help her get it into her car and then managed, once home, to get it into her house by herself. I couldn’t have been prouder of her.

The weekend before daughter #2 persuaded her husband to make estate-sale-ing a family affair by going all together to the town down the road for a sale. DN bought a crowbar for $1 and she may live to regret his being hooked, but c’est la vie. Those prairie girls are learning early how to behave at a sale and how to have an eagle eye for that one thing you really can’t live without…and then tell Mamu all about it on the pretend phone!

Anyway, IYKYK how much fun hunting for treasures is.

This is a fun article by designer Emily Clark about replacing/upgrading chairs over the years in her house. (I love those last chairs–what a find!)

Choose joy!

3 Comments

March 10, 2025

Hold on wait a minute

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was routine–an estate sale, happy hour, DAR meeting, church–and that’s the way I like it. [At the DAR meeting, when we recited the preamble to the U.S. constitution, I thought of Barney Fife.] Also, the OM accompanied me when I took my car to the carwash. Usually he does this for me, but I wanted to take my new car myself–so, very exciting indeed.

I picked up the twins and took them to church and Sunday School where they had a good time learning about the Great Commission. The service was long, but this week they got an A for effort despite the fact that the bud brought his new Stikbot with him to church. He knew I would take it away if he misbehaved, so…

…maybe that helped. The bud said the Apostles Creed unprompted and from memory and they both held up their hands during the benediction like good little evangelicals. I was so proud. After church we went to the Sunny Street Cafe for pancakes and daughter #1 met us there. I had to drive them back to their Dad’s store afterwards, but I don’t mind since I always hear lots of interesting stuff emanating from the back seat. Such as: the bud went to his first rock 101 class (in addition to drum lessons) wherein he plays with a band! Zut alors. Girls and boys lacrosse also has started outside. Lottie plays with 10 year-olds.

Meanwhile Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana is my favorite new Instagram follow:

Have a great week!

P.S. The picture at the top is a drawing Katie made of her sister Ida, complete with pigtails and an “I” Illinois orange t-shirt. Brilliant.

2 Comments

March 3, 2025

Postcards from the weekend–it is well with my soul edition

by chuckofish

Is anything more stressful than having tech problems? Yes, I can think of several things, but still you understand what I mean…My email account was locked for three days and it took three attempts and finally daughter #1 mediating for her elderly parents with Vijay in India to get it fixed…

But fixed it is and, praise Jesus, I am slowly regaining my composure.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control:
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed his own blood for my soul.

It is well with my soul;
it is well, it is well with my soul.

We had a lovely, sunny weekend. After reaching 70 degrees on Friday (not a record) when everyone was out and about and a parking place in downtown Kirkwood was not to be found, the weekend was much colder. On Sunday we picked up the twins and brought them to church. (Lacrosse season is about to start and their Dad’s store was a madhouse over the weekend.) They enjoyed Sunday School, but their depravity self-checking during the service earned them a B- from me. C’est la vie, they are eight and the sermon was a long one on Hebrews 10:26-39. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

After depositing them back with their Dad at the store, we went to lunch at the house of our “fold” leader with two other couples. It was very nice–and the conversation was excellent. Then we headed home to meet daughter #1 and Mr. Smith, who stayed with us overnight so I could take him (again) to the kennel this morning. Daughter #1 had to get up early and head to Colorado for work.

So remember what Frederick Buechner said: “In everything,” Paul says, they are to keep on praying. Come Hell or high water, they are to keep on asking, keep on thanking, above all keep on making themselves known. He does not promise them that as a result they will be delivered from the worst things any more than Jesus himself was delivered from them. What he promises them instead is that “the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Amen, brother.

And here is a talk Anne gave last week wherein she asks (among other things) “Where Are We Going, and Why Are We in This Handbasket?”

Have a great Monday!

2 Comments

February 26, 2025

You have been God’s grace to me

by chuckofish

Monday I successfully dropped off Mr. Smith at Silver Maple kennel after an early morning belly-scratch session. He never looked back, so happy was he to be there. He definitely is a ‘no regrets’ kind of dog. I’m sure there is a lesson there for all of us.

The weather has been lovely–blue skies and temperatures in the 60s–I even went to the park and walked around the pond. Hard to believe it was so cold and snowy last week!

I talked to my sister who is a grandmother as of last Friday. Congratulations to all! The baby boy weighed over 10 pounds!

The boy brought the bud over yesterday afternoon while Lottie went to dance class. The bud wanted to do some driveway sittin’ (the first of the year!) and I can’t say no to him. He broke up some ice on the driveway and made friends with the cat next door (named Messi after his hero) and patted a dog walking by. There were a lot of people, in fact, passing by and cars with whom he raced (a Honda! a Fiat! an Audi!)–good grief. He wiped out racing a UPS truck and we went inside to get a bandaid and watched some Wild Kratts until his dad returned. All in a boy’s day…

Daughter #1 returns today from work adventures in Indiana and I am looking forward to a glass of wine and hearing about her exploits.

I talked to daughter #2 and she told me she had just read Home by Marilyn Robinson, which was quite a delight after all the bad contemporary “literature” she has read recently. This warmed my heart. She had many good insights with which I concurred. I started re-reading Gilead after our conversation. Wonderful.

“I’m writing this in part to tell you that if you ever wonder what you’ve done in your life, and everyone does wonder sooner or later, you have been God’s grace to me, a miracle, something more than a miracle. You may not remember me very well at all, and it may seem to you to be no great thing to have been the good child of an old man in a shabby little town you will no doubt leave behind. If only I had the words to tell you.”

So praise God from whom all blessings flow, pet a nice dog, watch a boy play in the yard, read an old book, reach out to the ones you love. They are God’s grace to you.

3 Comments

February 24, 2025

You never gave up on me

by chuckofish

Well, the sun came out and it warmed up a lot here in flyover country. Everyone was out and about on Saturday. Daughter #1 and I ventured out to go estate sale-ing and drove all over but we were not very successful–got a couple of books and said ‘hey’ to Lamar. We were more successful at the Joann’s fabric store going-out-of-business sale. We went out to lunch, which we had not done in quite awhile, and got pretty silly thinking about Steve Gutenberg and his faded stardom. “The stonecutters aren’t doing their job.”

It was our Missions weekend at church so the OM and I were there twice. On Friday night we went to the banquet where we heard an update on the missionaries we support. There was more about that on Sunday morning during Sunday School and in the sermon. We picked up Lottie and brought her with us (the bud was busy doing something) and she went to Sunday School and then church with us. She seems so grown up these days! We went to the Sunny Street diner after and that was fun. Then we went home…

…and after the obligatory jump in the Beanie Baby mosh pit, we found all my old Barbies etc in the basement and got them out. She entertained herself while we talked to her Dad for awhile when he came to pick her up. Then they left to go to Lacrosse practice. Busy, busy.

Shortly after that daughter #1 came over to drop off Mr. Smith who spent the night with us, so that I could take him to the Kennel this morning while she left bright and early to go to Indiana for work.

In other news, back in the fall I got the idea of bringing some pelargoniums inside for the winter from @carlosgarciainteriors and I’m glad I did. They are doing great inside!

They are even blooming!

This is what I call exciting in my life!

And here’s a song I like:

Have a good Monday!

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.

–Robert Robinson, 1758

7 Comments

February 18, 2025

First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen

by chuckofish

Yesterday morning daughter #1 and I got up early and drove down to Lafayette Park in the city to attend our DAR commemoration of George Washington’s birthday and wreath laying. She was the host of the event so I tagged along despite it being 14 degrees outside! She did a masterful job as always and it was a lot of fun and the speaker from the Missouri Historical Society was good.