dual personalities

Tag: music

April 3, 2026

O Sacred Head, now wounded

by chuckofish

It is the culmination of Holy Week. Good Friday and on to Easter!

But tomorrow is also my father’s birthday.

Amazing to think he was born 104 years ago! He died in his seventieth year and as I am turning 70 in a few weeks, I am feeling reflective.

The older I get, the more I think I am like him and less like my precious mother. We have the same curiosity about certain things, but lack the genius that my siblings inherited from our mother. We have the same weaknesses and insecurities. We are introverts. I find myself driving to the P.O. just to get out of the house like he did. He was a bad example to me in many ways and that has helped me avoid some pitfalls. But then, I never took part in WWII, nor did I have to support a family. I have no idea whether he was a Believer. Is he in heaven? Is he in hell? I cannot say. He never went to church with us, although he was a card-carrying Episcopalian his whole life. But we know that frequently means nothing. He is, in the final analysis, a mystery to me.

I hope I am not a complete mystery to my children. I mean, you never know everything about a person. We all have our secrets. But I think they know me pretty well. And if they have a question, they can ask. Only God knows our true heart. There is no escaping Him.

(And never forget this about ANCIII.)

I went to our Maundy Thursday service last night and it was wonderful. I held it together until two soloists sang this song during communion:

We had our high school cellist accompanying them as well. And here’s a hymn for Good Friday:

Anyway, have a blessed Easter. I pray that all those who go to a service on Sunday for the first time this year will want to return before next Christmas.

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March 30, 2026

Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Here in flyover country the temperatures plummeted on Friday from a high of 92 on Thursday to the low forties! But we still had a nice weekend. The sun was shining and it wasn’t super windy.

On Friday night daughter #1 and I watched the first half of Ben Hur (1959) which marks the official start of Holy Week. We made it to end of the sea battle…

We can no longer do the whole 3.5 hours at one time. We’ll watch the rest on Easter Saturday. Such a great pre-CGI movie!

The twins were excited to participate in the Palm Sunday service–the children sang a special song, “Hail Jesus You’re My King”…

…and then processed around the sanctuary waving palms. They were really into it. But as the bud admitted, “Benjamin is the best singer; he really belts it out!” I agreed. “Yes, he closes his eyes when he sings!”

We heard a good sermon on Luke 19:28-40 and we finished our class on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I was never good at memorizing and now it is a lost cause, but I wish I could memorize all 107 Q&A’s. Well, I do know #1:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

I also went back to church for the evening Service of Lament, which was something new. It was quite moving, especially when our music director sang this song:

In other news, I went to the Queeny Park Art Fair on Saturday because my friend Becky @rhworkshandmade was exhibiting her amazing punch designs.

Daughter #1 and I had lunch afterwards at the Village Bar for my weekly hamburger. It’s the simple pleasures, am I right?

O Lord, how happy should we be
If we would cast our care on Thee,
If we from self would rest;
And feel at heart that One above,
In perfect wisdom, perfect love,
Is working for the best!

–Hudson Taylor

And from 1987:

4 Comments
March 12, 2026

With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go*

by chuckofish

Today we toast singer-songwriter James Taylor (b. 1948) on his birthday. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

So iconic for those of us who grew up in the 1970s.

Especially this song for me, because it is about a cowboy and also mentions the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston. The Berkshires seemed dreamlike…

Well, let that be your blast from the past for this week. You’re welcome.

*Quote used on countless senior pages from the seventies

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March 3, 2026

I’m just passing through

by chuckofish

It was supposed to rain all day yesterday, but it did not, so I’m hoping the rest of the week will not pan out as predicted as well. YIX! (as Katie spells Yikes!)

In other news, it is the English illustrator Ronald Searle’s birthday (1920-2011), so I will repeat in his honor all Latin teachers’ one joke: “Caesar adsum jam forte / Brutus aderat.” 

(Caesar had some jam for tea / Brutus ate a rat.)

Always makes me laugh.

And did you see this?

East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, now re-named Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital and known locally as Dolly Children’s, is a private, not-for-profit pediatric medical center located in Knoxville, Tennessee. It provides specialized care for children and has been serving the community since 1937.

Dolly rides again! You go, girl!

And here’s one for my baby girl Ida…”Oh, this is a good one!”

It’s March! It’s Tuesday! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

3 Comments
March 2, 2026

Don’t think twice

by chuckofish

I didn’t do a whole lot this weekend, but I did get the very large framed Asian watercolor that I picked up last week from Link Auction back into my car and took it over to daughter #1’s house where she successfully hung it on the wall. (Her father would be so proud.) Doesn’t it look great?

I went to church on Sunday with the boy and the twins. We heard a really good sermon on Joshua 6:1-27, all about walking and waiting, destruction and deliverance, trusting in God’s timing. Then we went to Sunday School and I chose the class on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which I really enjoyed. What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

After that we went to the Sunny Street Cafe for our usual brunch and talked about our different Sunday School classes. We had a good time and everyone ate heartily.

And here’s some exciting news–Don reports his first flower of the season!

And we see some buds in our yard…

Finally, here’s a great Bob Dylan cover I hope you will enjoy:

Wow. Here’s some more of Billy and his band if you’re interested.

Looking forward to a week full of rain–haha–not really, but c’est la vie.

4 Comments
February 23, 2026

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was full of missions and missionaries. It got cold again, but the sun was shining most of the time. Hopefully the daffodils will pull through. I mean, this happens every year, so chances are, all will be well.

There were no good estate sales on Saturday but daughter #1 and I did hit an antique mall and found a couple of odds ‘n ends. I was more successful at the Link online auction on Thursday and Friday. Auctions are fascinating to me. One can usually find a few good bargains (I did) but occasionally there is a real surprise. One such surprise was when a geltone reproduction of Grant Wood’s Midnight Ride of Paul Revere came up.

It was estimated at $50-$100. I was interested in it as I have always liked it and I thought I might get it for $15 or so, but a bidding war took off and it eventually sold for over $800!

Another watercolor painting, estimated at $75-$100…

…went for $1800! Fantastic. Now that’s entertainment!

I hadn’t seen the twins in over a month, so I was glad they were able to make it to church with their Dad on Sunday morning. We heard a good sermon from a visiting missionary to Norway. They couldn’t stay for Sunday School (their Papaw was leaving to go back to Florida) so that meant no Sunny Side diner either. C’est la vie. Life is full of disappointments, right? But we are steadfast.

Daughter #1 came over later in the afternoon in order to bring Mr. Smith who spent the night with me. (I am taking him to the kennel this morning while she heads to Arizona for work.)

Later I will head down to the Link Auction House to pick up my winnings. It’s a new week! Have a good one.

(And here’s a new song I like.)

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January 28, 2026

At a humble window see

by chuckofish

Yesterday was a beautiful day–cold, but beautiful. Blue sky, untouched white snow reflecting the sunlight. Very nice. I sat in my office and watched a huge red-tailed hawk cruise around.

Here’s a poem, “Shovelling Snow” by Harry Edward Mills, written around 1901:

And Don shared this lovely Dan Fogelberg piece with me:

More cold weather coming up, so I’ll be sitting by my window for the foreseeable future.

“Every bit we eat, and every drop we drink is mercy; every step we take, and every breath we draw, mercy. [These are] what we have reason to acknowledge with thankfulness to God’s praise.” (Matthew Henry, 1662-1713)

3 Comments
January 16, 2026

Another crazy trip around the sun

by chuckofish

Tomorrow is the birthday of our precious Ida B! She will be three years old.

One of her favorite things to do with Mamu is listen to music on her phone. I hope her Mommy will play her this song, which I think she will like.

I hope she has super fun on her birthday, which might include doing the following: turning somersaults, petting a nice dog, eating candy, reading a book about Angus, watching football, singing along to her favorite Christian radio station…Can’t steal my joy (Woh oh oh oh, woh oh oh oh, woh oh oh oh)

Have a good weekend. I am going to do all the above mentioned activities, minus the somersaults.

2 Comments
January 15, 2026

Walk this way

by chuckofish

Today we toast the great American dancer Ray Bolger who died on this day in 1987. He had a long and fruitful career, starting in vaudeville and on Broadway, and continuing in the movies. Here he is in The Great Ziegfeld (1936):

Woweee! Of course, everyone remembers him as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and with good reason. He was amazing! Whenever he was asked if he had received any residuals from telecasts of The Wizard of Oz, Bolger would reply: “No, just immortality. I’ll settle for that.” His portrayal truly was immortal.

We’ll also toast Pitbull on his birthday (born 1984) today.

Everyone needs a little Pitbull at least once a year.

4 Comments
December 30, 2025

The scent of a tangerine

by chuckofish

It got very cold indeed here in flyover country. From 78 degrees on Sunday it dropped over 50 degrees! (A 70 degree change if you count the wind chill!) Yikes. We missed a new record by one degree! (Set in 1911.) I’m feeling a little jealous of the twins down in Florida!

Well, anyway, I am starting to get back on my feet, getting some things done around the house. And that’s a good thing.

Today we toast country singer Suzy Bogguss on her birthday. She was born in 1956 and grew up in Aledo, Illinois. We always liked Suzy back in the day–what a voice–and we are happy that she is finally being inducted as the next new member of the Grand Ole Opry on January 16, 2026.

Way to go, Suzy!

And here’s a poem by James Crews, “Winter Morning”:

When I can no longer say thank you

for this new day and the waking into it,

for the cold scrape of the kitchen chair

and the ticking of the space heater glowing

orange as it warms the floor near my feet,

I know it’s because I’ve been fooled again

by the selfish, unruly man who lives in me

and believes he deserves only safety

and comfort. But if I pause as I do now,

and watch the streetlights outside flashing

off one by one like old men blinking their

cloudy eyes, if I listen to my tired neighbors

slamming car doors hard against the morning

and see the steaming coffee in their mugs

kissing chapped lips as they sip and

exhale each of their worries white into

the icy air around their faces—then I can

remember this one life is a gift each of us

was handed and told to open: Untie the bow

and tear off the paper, look inside

and be grateful for whatever you find

even if it is only the scent of a tangerine

that lingers on the fingers long after

you’ve finished peeling it.

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