dual personalities

Tag: spirituality

October 17, 2024

“Their foot shall slide in due time.”*

by chuckofish

Well, fall is finally here. I wore a turtleneck yesterday and switched out all my summer clothes. Now we have to enjoy it while we can before the winter winds begin to blow!

In other news the biggest pumpkin of the year weighed in at 2,471 pounds in California. Well, hey, congratulations. I had two pumpkin vines going and they flowered and grew, but, alas, no pumpkins emerged. C’est la vie. I suppose I will have to hop over to the pumpkin patch at the Methodist Church and buy some.

In my daily Bible reading, I am finally in the New Testament. It was a long haul through the OT–not that I’m complaining–but I’m ready to move on. Maybe I should watch The Ten Commandments (1956) to make sure I won’t forget what a great thing it was when God parted the Red Sea and how bad we stiff-necked sinners are who doubt and fuss and want to turn back to Egypt over and over and over again.

We do not have all the time in the world to repent and change our ways. And we are not reminded of this enough. Memento mori. Even at this time of year, when my neighborhood is populated with giant skeletons and plastic grave markers galore and the world is teetering on collapse, we go blithely on our merry way.

Well, here’s your reminder to turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways.

The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.

(Jonathan Edwards–read the whole sermon here.)

But I’ll let Isaiah have the last word today.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

(Isaiah 43:1-3)

*Deuteronomy 32:35

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September 30, 2024

“Here and yonder, high and low, Goldenrod and sunflowers glow”*

by chuckofish

I did the flowers for church on Sunday–sunflowers make such a statement, don’t you think? I have a soft spot in my heart for them because years ago at my highfalutin’ Episcopal Church, the wife of the new rector put sunflowers on the altar and the frozen chosen ladies of the church were outraged. So when they are in season and available at Trader Joe’s, I always use them.

The OM and I went to the early service (and stayed for Sunday School) so we could finish early and get packed before going to the bud’s soccer game later in the afternoon.

This was accomplished and we brought daughter #1 home with us so that we could all get up at 3:00 am to Uber to the airport. Yikes.

While we are gone on our western adventure, daughter #2 will be filling in with literary thoughts and tales of the prairie girls…

…and updates of our travels. So be sure to stop by the blog this week.

And please don’t forget to keep us in your prayers.

And here’s a reminder from Tim Challies (and Hank Williams) not to let the dust gather on your Bible.

*Robert Kelley Weeks (1840–76)

8 Comments
September 24, 2024

Your word is a lamp unto my feet

by chuckofish

I’m back in the Psalms in my daily Bible reading. Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm and also the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses.

Your testimonies are wonderful;
    therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
    it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
    because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
    and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man’s oppression,
    that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
    and teach me your statutes.

(Psalm 119: 129-135)

David Powlison observed that “Psalm 119 is actually not about the topic of getting Scripture into your life. Instead, it is the honest words that erupt when what God says gets into you. It’s not an exhortation to Bible study; it’s an outcry of faith…Psalm 119 is the thoughtful outcry that rises when real life meets real God.”

Charles Spurgeon liked this “priceless Psalm” so much that he suggested “we might do well to commit it to memory.” I wish I could, but 176 verses is a lot!

This sacred ode is a little Bible, the Scriptures condensed, a mass of Bibline, Holy Writ rewritten in holy emotions and actions. Blessed are they who can read and understand these saintly aphorisms; they shall find golden apples in this true Hesperides, and come to reckon that this Psalm, like the whole Scripture which it praises, is a pearl island, or, better still, a garden of sweet flowers.

And here’s a sobering thought from Sinclair Ferguson:

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September 23, 2024

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty quiet compared to recent ones. No visitors, no parties. Just the usual.

It was so hot at the bud’s soccer game that Pappy left his fleece in the car! It was even hotter for the players and coaches.

Before the game daughter #1 and I went to an estate sale and we got a few odds and ends, such as this classic book from 1922…

Donald Ogden Stewart, you will recall, was an American humorist, actor, playwright, and screenwriter, who won a 1940 Oscar for his screenplay adaption of The Philadelphia Story.

I also worked on a new puzzle…It was a fun one!

Life in the fast lane.

We went to church with the twins and they once again checked their depravity at the door. I am very proud of them. I had to sign them into Sunday School using the new system which you do on an iPad which then prints out a name tag and a receipt which you use when you pick them up. It was pretty complicated for this old lady, but I managed somehow. Quite a reflection on our modern world, but okay, I get it. The subject of our adult Sunday School was church discipline, which in light of this was especially interesting. Anne had this to say about that.

The trouble is—well, there are so many troubles, but one of them is—that the only way for Christians to live peaceably together in the Kingdom of God is if they really understand down in the depths of their hearts that they are really so bad, that their inclinations are so ugly that unless God does something, they have no hope. And this is a hard saying, for none of us really believe that we are that bad. Our sins are “struggles.” They are just us being “broken.” They are the result of our childhoods. They are because other people are selfish and didn’t consider us more highly than themselves. They are because we didn’t have the same opportunities as other people. There are a thousand reasons why those stray vile thoughts about other people are not my fault. But the seedbed of peace is, as James says, humility, and humility is the result of looking into your own soul and seeing that you have thoughts and desires in there that would destroy the whole world.

Read the whole thing.

Here’s another good article from Carl Trueman: “Ours is a childish age…That is not to say that the matters at stake in both church and world are not deeply serious. But the idioms for addressing them have become infantile, and the church must resist the temptation to follow the world in this. To seek relevance therefore requires not capitulation to, or emulation of, the infantile, but rather a recapturing of what it means to be an adult.”

Also, John Piper on A Christian Alternative to Outrage Culture

And do we have a bear story? Yes! A 12-year old boy saved his father from being killed by a bear! No kidding.

Meanwhile, the prairie girls were grooving to an Oom-pah band…

And here’s a reminder: Happiness is a warm puppy.

Have a good week!

5 Comments
August 26, 2024

Our strength and refuge

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Friday I went to lunch with some old friends at my former flyover university faculty club. Then we went back to their house where I boxed up some books to take home. They are getting ready to downsize and that means getting rid of a ton of books. But God only knows where I am going to put more books! Daughter #1 came over to their house and filled a box for herself. I would have taken more, but as I told my friends, I already have a lot of their books.

The rest of the weekend I spent looking at/reading my new-old books. What a pleasure! I also took some old computer monitors over to a nearby recycling event and enjoyed a great sense of accomplishment which I relished all weekend. And daughter #1 and I continued our scientific study of the correct wine-bread ratio…

On Sunday the OM and I picked up the twins to take them to church with us since their parents are very busy getting ready to move. It had been awhile since the twins had been to church so they needed to re-learn some church behavior basics. They did pretty well. The bud drew some interesting pictures…note the devil prominently portrayed in hell…

After church we went home with the twins and the OM picked up lunch at McDonald’s. Then we took a little walk where the bud was able to pet a nice black Lab named Titan, who sniffed his face. Then we played more or less quietly at home while the OM took a nap. Lottie beat me repeatedly at Chutes and Ladders, but the bud told me that winners are losers and losers are winners, so there. And the first shall be last, right?

The boy picked them up mid-afternoon and stayed to chat for awhile, always a treat for me.

I changed my clothes for a third time and we headed back to church at 4:30 for the ordination service of our youth minister. Once again I was overcome with thankfulness that I am a member of this church.

Meanwhile daughter #2 and her family drove up to Lake Huron to spend the week, leaving at five in the morning for the long drive.

I remember those days–leaving before dawn to get a jump on the driving while the kids sleep! (Note both babes are wide awake.)

They are having a good ol’ time.

And not to get political, but this was hilarious.

So put your phone down, look up, and thank God for the day. Then read some old books!

4 Comments
August 23, 2024

Réflexions

by chuckofish

I have had a quiet, contemplative week–no visits from rambunctious twins or feisty dogs. No severe weather or noisy street construction. Sigh. In other words, nothing very exciting to write about.

I did a lot of puttering around in my home and in my yard. I caught up with some “desk work”. I went to the Dollar Tree to buy candy. I watched some bad movies. Ye gods–The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969), despite an all-star cast including Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Yul Brynner, Richard Chamberlain, Giulietta Masina, Edith Evans, Danny Kaye, etc., was unwatchable.

As Vincent Canby wrote at the time, “[Bryan] Forbes, who persists in making conventional films of unconventional properties…moves his cameras around quite a lot, but there is really little he can do to hide the fact that “The Madwoman of Chaillot” is—as it was 20 years ago—an incredibly precious theatrical conceit, just the sort of thing somebody might think would make a great Broadway musical comedy. As we all know, it didn’t.”

We also watched Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001), which I had not seen since it came out, lo, so many years ago.

It is successful in getting across the horror of war, especially a war in that part of the world, but it was unrelentingly violent. Also, despite it having a great cast, I could not tell who anyone was. The characters were practically indistinguishable. The sound and the editing were impressive (they won Oscars) but only made it harder to watch, as did the frenetic cinematography. Impressive in its own way–I watched the whole thing–but I don’t need to watch it again, ever.

Here are three things to remember as we seek to build God-centered homes where sound doctrine is the foundation and our Lord Jesus Christ is the cornerstone.

And this is a great one from John Piper. I love it when he really gets going on a topic! “‘Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.’ You cannot be neutral to Jesus Christ. There is no neutrality in dealing with Jesus. If you are not for him, you are against him. If you are not seeking to gather faith and obedience from those around you, you are scattering people away from him.”

And forgive me, here’s Jiminy Glick…

Yes, it was a slow week, but I did go over to daughter #1’s house last night for a glass of wine and to let Mr. Smith practice his balancing act…

Have a good weekend!

4 Comments
August 19, 2024

Blessed be my rock

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? It was warm and humid here in flyover country, but basically very nice considering it is August. No complaints from the peanut gallery. Saturday morning I got up early and went to Trader Joe’s to buy flowers and then buzzed over to church where I arranged them for Sunday morning.

As with all things, I like to keep it simple.

After that, daughter #1 and I drove out to the western suburbs to pick up a chandelier which daughter #2 had purchased on Facebook Marketplace.

We also went to an estate sale–a good one–in a house people had lived in a long time. I even figured out whose house it was! Daughter #1 found a nice little shelf and some other odds and ends and I got an old book.

The illustrations reminded me of our own wee bud (see below). We went to lunch afterwards. A productive morning, indeed, and the rest of the day I was free to putter around.

On Sunday we headed to church and Sunday School. You could tell that everyone was back from vacation and we had a full house–our singing raised the roof! Delightful! Our young seminarian preached on Psalm 11 (In the Lord I take refuge) and he did a fine job. He will be ordained next Sunday and I am looking forward to attending that special service.

Afterwards we went to daughter #1’s house where we had bagels and fruit salad and sat outside on the deck while Mr. Smith frolicked with the twins. Then we walked up to Jackson Park for some playground time.

Everyone was worn out by the time we went home…

School starts today–the twins are now big second graders!

Have a good week! Stay cool.

5 Comments
August 8, 2024

What are you reading?

by chuckofish

August is trudging along and I am trying to read some real books. I started Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri, but it has not grabbed me. I’ll keep going, but I promise nothing. Place In Time by Wendell Berry is really good. I love Wendell Berry. The Marilynne Robinson is also very good and I am reminded that it was my small group reading Genesis thirty-odd years ago that got me started on Bible reading–real Bible reading where you read the whole book, chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Genesis is indeed a great, great book–however you slice it.

I have also been reading the new Van Engen book where he attempts to “show readers how poetry is for everyone–and how it can reinvigorate our Christian faith.” Poetry is for everyone. I am looking forward to hearing him talk on Friday night at church.

I bought Poems for the Children’s Hour at an estate sale a few weeks ago and am enjoying paging through it. Printed in 1927, it is compiled with an eye for “every child’s experiences in family, nature, play, community, patriotic, and spiritual relationships” throughout the year. Do children still know the old clapping game…

If not, they should. I will pass it along to daughter #2 in the hopes that some day her children will get the reference in that old Billy Wilder film with Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe…

I was reminded on Sunday that my women’s Bible Study starts up again in a few weeks and I will be back to the Gospel of Matthew and Thursday mornings with the ladies and serious prayer time. This will be a good thing and I am looking forward to it.

If you have been asking yourself, ‘What’s wrong with the world?’, leave it to Alistair Begg to answer well.

And BYU runner Kenneth Rooks winning silver in the 3000m steeplechase was one of the most thrilling races ever. Rooks was the only American to make the men’s steeplechase final. He started the race in the middle of the pack of 16 runners but faded as far back as last place before coming on strong in the final two laps. By the time the bell was ringing to signify the start of the final lap, Rooks had surged into the lead. Ultimately, Soufiane El Bakkali, who won the gold at the Tokyo Olympics, was able to catch and pass him to claim the gold medal, but oh my goodness, Rooks was awesome. This is what the Olympics is all about.

Well, keep reading! Keep doing what you’re doing and keep the faith.

3 Comments
August 5, 2024

Solid joys and lasting treasures

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Daughter #1 and Mr. Smith and I had fun zipping up north for a short visit with the prairie girls who are always up for a good time. (We returned their pack-n-play crib which they left at my house and will need when they go on vacation.) We took walks…

and played fetch in the back yard…

Katie was very brave and Mr. Smith was a very good boy and they are edging their way toward being friends. She was thinking a lot about him after we left…

On Sunday the OM and I went to church and Sunday School which was about the use of the word Zion in the OT.

His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah

(Psalm 87:1-3)

This week our teacher was a church member who is a professor at St. Louis University and she is very learned. I felt like I was back in college. Our sermon was on Psalm 9. Our pastor always asks a question for “young worshippers” to help them stay focused. I will admit, it helps me too. This week the question was, “When we are in trouble, what is God for us?” Answer: a stronghold!

Savior, since 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 pleasures,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion’s children know.

–John Newton, 1779

Meanwhile the boy and his family returned from Hilton Head, all fit and tan. They went to the aquarium in Charleston on the way home…

and saw some sights…

Now that they are back and will be starting back to school soon, I am looking forward to getting back on our usual schedule of Sunday dinners etc. But it is hard to believe that the summer will soon be over.

Have a good week!

6 Comments
July 22, 2024

Let us love and sing and wonder

by chuckofish

I have had quite a busy 10 days and this week will be pretty busy too. I am home, but the laundry is piling up and I have a lot of furniture to rearrange following DN loading up a truck with stuff! (We drove back to our flyover city together on Saturday and he rented a truck.)

He did it all himself–a twin bed with mattress, a dresser, a large antique cradle, a wing chair, numerous bins, etc…and a dining room set from Facebook Marketplace, which he had to drive to Eureka to pick up! Then he drove it all back to Mahomet and unloaded it. It’s great to be young and fit. (The boy was in Kansas City so unavailable to help.) All this after spending 2 1/2 hours in the car with his mother-in-law! (We can talk for hours.)

I was pooped after all this, but got up and went to church and Sunday School. We had a guest teacher in Sunday School–Dr. Hans Madueme, professor of theological Studies at Covenant College in Georgia. He is an MD, MDiv and PhD. Quite a guy. It was a great class about science and faith, creation and original sin. We also had a good sermon on Psalm 7:

God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
    he has bent and readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.

(Psalm 7:11-12)

I felt intellectually renewed, stimulated and refreshed!

Well, I sure had fun over the past week with darling daughter #2 and the sweet prairie girls…

…who are learning the art of estate sale-ing (and waiting in line)…

…where the Hibiscus are the size of platters…and the water lilies bloom…

…and Happy Hour popsicles are standard…

But I am glad to be home and back to my old routine.

Our prayers are with the the congregation of the historic First Baptist Dallas which burned down over the weekend. But as their Pastor Robert Jeffress said after fire, “I’m grateful that the church is not bricks or mortar or wood, it’s people. And the people of God will endure. First Baptist Dallas will endure and we thank so many of our friends around the country who are praying for us right now.”

And this was great:

Let us love and sing and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior’s Name!
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
He has washed us with His blood,
He has brought us nigh to God.

–John Newton, 1774

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