dual personalities

Tag: spirituality

October 17, 2023

Grace abounds even in Babylon

by chuckofish

There is always a lot to do after traveling in regards to catching up on laundry, putting things back where they belong, re-stocking the refrigerator, and generally re-establishing order. I also had a lot of reading to catch up with since I was (intentionally) without a computer for four days. Zut alors!

This is a great rant from Blair Sobel on “fashion”: “However, if you want to see real poor taste schlubbery go to any airport. Remember when it meant something to dress up to go travel? Last week a woman appeared naked from the waist down exposing more than her ass cheeks while waiting in a ticket line at Spirit Airlines in Florida. Is it time to get real Fashion Police in to do some clean up now!?! Forget decorum. Basic decency is at risk here. But this is how far things have sunk in our collective. And it is kinda serious. I refuse to travel because the airport experience alone permanently repulses me — no matter how great the place I plan to go is.” She is not wrong about the airport!

Carl Trueman explains that “There is a lesson here for us all in this current political climate: The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, and, as soon as I start thinking he is, I might find myself on the way to excusing or even justifying evil.”

As usual, I agree with Anne about Halloween. “What this means is that there are no holidays in America. By the time you get to the special day, you are sick of it and just want it to go away. Through no fault of anyone except Satan, all the actual feasting has been transformed into a strange fast, an always Halloween but never All Saints Day, always Christmas and never Advent—or something like that.”

And I love sermons like this from John Piper:

Not grace to bar what is not bliss,
     Nor flight from all distress, but this:
The grace that orders our trouble and pain,
     And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

Also, when I left for Maryland I was in the middle of moving all my houseplants inside from the Florida Room and trying to find them winter homes in the limited confines of my house. Some of my plants have grown so much over the toasty summer!

This is quite a job, but I am making progress.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

5 Comments
October 16, 2023

Postcards from Maryland

by chuckofish

Well, I had a wonderful visit with daughter #2’s little family–the weather was perfect and we had quite an extended gabfest. We went to all the parks: green, red and blue. We went to the pumpkin patch.

I had a wonderful time.

My travel, though stressful (heightened security!) and exhausting, was incident-free and (relatively) easy-peasy. Daughter #1 was waiting for me at the airport when I returned and the OM did not burn the house down while I was gone. ☑️

On Sunday everything was back to normal and we went to church and watched the wee bud play soccer. But it was a lot colder this weekend and we had to dig out some hats and gloves!

Are we having fun yet?

Even so, it is good to be back in flyover country!

Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness,
make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only,
that makest me dwell in safety.

Teach me, Lord, teach me truly how to live,
that I may come to know thee,
and in thy presence serve thee with gladness,
and sing songs of praise to thy glory.

(Samuel S. Wesley, 1810-1876)

6 Comments
October 10, 2023

Let no man take your crown

by chuckofish

I am traveling today to see darling daughter #2 and her sweet family, so I will be mostly off the internet for the rest of the week. Prayers for traveling mercies are much appreciated!

In the meantime, here are some good reads to keep you occupied.

This was fascinating about the humble chickadee.

Dear friends, we know that souls are not to be won by music. Heh heh.

10 things to know about the most famous blessing in the Bible.

The OM and I have joined a group at church that is reading The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. I have not read it in awhile, so I am really enjoying re-visiting it.

The Crown is before you, and it is an incorruptible one; so run that you may obtain it. Some there be that set out for this Crown, and after they have gone far for it, another comes in, and takes it from them; hold fast therefore that you have, let no man take your Crown; you are not yet out of reach of the gunshot of the Devil. You have not yet resisted unto death in your striving against sin. Let the Kingdom be always before you, and believe with certainty and consistency the things that are yet unseen. Let nothing that is on this side of eternal life get inside you. Above all, take care of your own hearts, and resist the lusts that tempt you, for your hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Set your faces like a flint; you have all the power of Heaven and earth on your side.

(Evangelist to Christian and Faithful)

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

(Numbers 6:24-16)

2 Comments
October 9, 2023

Tune my heart to sing thy grace

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Ours was a perfect flyover fall weekend–gorgeous blue sky weather with temperatures in the 60s. It doesn’t get much better than that.

We did all the things–1st grade soccer on Saturday… the boy(s) are getting better!

…and church on Sunday. We had a good guest preacher and an excellent adult ed class. Lots of good hymns.

I made Episcopal Presbyterian soufflé with all the trimmings for after church and it was very good if I don’t say so myself. The twins discovered that they really like garlic cheese breadsticks from Trader Joes. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful day and the twins covered the driveway in chalk drawings. Super fun fall frolics.

Later that afternoon, after everyone had gone home, our electricity went out so the OM and I entertained ourselves by driving through Lone Elk Park where we saw some buffs.

Daughter #1 also sent me this from Instagram…

This is perfect because it is my contention that Westies are the Mini Cooper of dogs, bringing joy to everyone who sees them.

And here’s a bear story for the week. Pretty gruesome. Lesson learned: don’t go into the woods armed only with bear spray. Bring a battle-ax.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

(Psalm 92: 1-4) 

4 Comments
October 5, 2023

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart

by chuckofish

Today we celebrate the birthday of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)–here are 10 things you should know about him.

“Men have a great deal of pleasure in human knowledge, in studies of natural things; but this is nothing to that joy which arises from divine light shining into the soul. This spiritual light is the dawning of the light of glory in the heart. There is nothing so powerful as this to support persons in affliction, and to give the mind peace and brightness in this stormy and dark world. This knowledge will wean from the world, and raise the inclination to heavenly things. It will turn the heart to God as the fountain of good, and to choose him for the only portion. This light, and this only, will bring the soul to a saving close with Christ. It conforms the heart to the gospel, mortifies its enmity and opposition against the scheme of salvation therein revealed: it causes the heart to embrace the joyful tidings, and entirely to adhere to, and acquiesce in the revelation of Christ as our Savior.”
― Jonathan Edwards

So live with all your might, never suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings, tell the truth, do your duty willingly and cheerfully, and…

2 Comments
September 27, 2023

“Speak these things”*

by chuckofish

“We live in a fallen world with decaying bodies in a crumbling culture that is increasingly turning away from absolute truth. As the world spirals farther and farther from perfection, the centrifugal force of sin pushes the edges and expands the boundaries of acceptability. And we feel the loss.” (Read the whole excellent article here.)

We see a lot of doom and gloom in the world and we worry about our grandchildren. We know that all the lost people striving for meaning in their lives will never find it looking inside themselves. The only balm in this world is Jesus, but to say so in mixed company is to invite raised eyebrows or even ridicule. C’est la vie. I am old enough that I don’t care. I will keep advising people to read the Bible (the whole thing) and to go to church. Find a good one where they follow God’s word and not their own feelings.

We are surrounded by blessings and beauty every day which we mostly don’t notice or appreciate. Be thankful and know to whom you are grateful. Jesus is coming back and in the meantime he promised that He is with us always, even to the end of the age.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

(Titus 2:11-14)

*Titus 2:15

3 Comments
September 22, 2023

Friday inspo

by chuckofish

Thy name is excellent,
      thy glory high,
      thy compassions unfailing,
      thy condescension wonderful,
      thy mercy tender.
I bless thee for the discoveries, invitations,
    promises of the gospel
  for in them is pardon for rebels,
    liberty for captives,
    health for the sick,
    salvation for the lost.
I come to thee in thy beloved name of Jesus;
  re-impress thy image upon my soul;
Raise me above the smiles and frowns of the world,
  regarding it as a light thing to be judged by men;
May thy approbation be my only aim,
  thy Word my one rule.
Make me to abhor that which grieves thy
    Holy Spirit,
  to suspect consolations of a worldly nature,
  to shun a careless way of life,
  to reprove evil,
  to instruct with meekness those who oppose me,
  to be gentle and patient towards all men,
  to be not only a professor but an example
    of the gospel,
  displaying in every relation, office, and condition
    its excellency, loveliness and advantages.
How little have I illustrated my principles
  and improved my privileges!
How seldom I served my generation!
How often have I injured and not recommended
  my Redeemer!
How few are those blessed through me!
In many things I have offended,
    in all come short of thy glory;
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

–The Valley of Vision

Now that’s a prayer!

1 Comment
September 13, 2023

What are you reading?

by chuckofish

As usual I am reading a lot of different things. I have a new book We Believe, which includes all the reformed creeds, catechisms, and confessions of faith.

Woohoo–it’s all here–even the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Anglican Church which they now view as a quaint, antique document to ignore.

I am also doing the reading for my Bible Study group. The homework takes up a lot of time!

Also, Craig Johnson’s latest Longmire book was released last week, so I have been reading The Longmire Defense. After last year’s not-so-great entry in the Walt Longmire oeuvre, Johnson has thankfully gone back to his tried-and-true formula and this one is a winner (so far anyway).

Now that I have gotten through my deluge of doctor appointments which comes every six months, it’s time to start working on the next edition of the Kirkwood Historical Review.

And did I mention that we’re dog-sittin’ with Mr. Smith while daughter #1 travels for work? Well, yes we are.

Good dog!

2 Comments
September 11, 2023

“But meantime let me whoop it up”*

by chuckofish

Today is daughter #1’s birthday. She was born during a humdinger of a thunderstorm and a low pressure system that caused the water of every pregnant woman in St. Louis County to break. Seriously, they were lined up in the hallway at St. Luke’s. She was two weeks early, but that wasn’t a big deal since back then Moms stayed at the hospital for a week anyway–at least Dr. Gulick’s patients did. I was never in the hallway either and I had a private room, so no complaints from this peanut gallery.

This year we celebrated her birthday on Sunday in our usual style…

…with tacos and Tippin’s pie.

Because daughter #1, the OM and I went to our favorite winery on Saturday to celebrate her birthday and listen to the musical stylings of Bryan Toben…

…we missed the wee laddie’s first soccer game (there are 9 more), but the boy, who is also one of the coaches, took lots of good pictures.

I looked for, but could not find, any pictures of the boy at the same age playing soccer–but he looked just like this.

Sunrise, sunset.

In other news, the twins started Sunday School with the big kids (1st grade!) so we are all going to Sunday School at 10:00 am before the 11:00 am service. This is quite a departure from the way we were used to doing it in the Episcopal Church where Sunday School was just a short business during the sermon and communion. Besides all the kids’ classes, there are six adult classes to choose from–the boy and I attended the class on “Modern Ethical Topics”. I was impressed.

So onward and upward. This will be a busy week. May the God of love and peace be with you.

*Robert W. Service, “Birthday“

4 Comments
September 7, 2023

This and that

by chuckofish

“I dare not neglect prayer and thanksgiving if I am to enjoy God’s transcendent peace and overcome my worries.  I must abhor thankless bitterness and eschew sulkiness.  My worries must be enumerated before the Father, along with thoughtful requests framed in accordance with his will.  These requests must be offered to the accompaniment of sincere gratitude for the many undeserved blessings already received, and for the privilege of stretching my faith by exposure to this new and improved hardship.  Thus the follower of Jesus learns really to trust the all-wise and all-gracious sovereignty of God (Rom. 8:28), as he begins to experience the profundity of Peter’s injunction: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6f.),  (D.A. Carson).

Anne reviewed Kevin DeYoung’s new book in Christianity Today. Five stars!

And, wow, this is really something. “[T]hese two people are in a lot of trouble.”

So feel the sun on your back, wear pink pants, pray without ceasing, and remember that God’s mercies are new every morning.

3 Comments