Since next week is Holy Week, I started watching Peter and Paul, the mini series from 1981 starring Anthony Hopkins. It is a faithful adaption of the book of Acts. I remember watching it on my little black and white TV back in 1981 and being quite moved by it and also struck by how little I actually knew about either Peter or Paul. Robert Foxworth, who played Peter, was okay, but Anthony Hopkins, who played Paul, is indelibly inscribed on my memory.
I think I subsequently read the book of Acts as a result of my initial viewing and that I was amazed by the things in it. (Also the things that were not in the Bible, i.e. Peter being crucified upside down.) Anyway, I recommend the mini series as part of your Lenten viewing.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (II Timothy 4:7-8)
Now I have to catch up on my II Thessalonians reading for my women’s Bible study. But first, here is a new Bluegrass rendition of a favorite hymn by William Cowper:
Spring is officially here–how did that happen? The year is zooming by per usual. I moved some of my plants into the Florida Room over the weekend. Some of them have gotten really big! I exhausted myself.
I got through my hospital visits and a list of other pressing to-do list items. The terrible week ended and I survived. Also, the twins came over to spend the night and we all survived that. I didn’t sleep much, but c’est la vie. We went through some boxes full of their Dad’s old stuff and that is always fascinating to them. Our Dad had baseball cards?! We found some cool matchbox cars for the bud to take home and some 30-year old candy which we threw away. I got permission to throw away some old Lego kit boxes (empty). I am making progress.
The bud was up to his old tricks…
Those bags of Beanie Babies never cease to amuse.
On Saturday I caught up on things at home and then daughter #1 came over and helped with some lingering computer issues. Then we went to Glen Echo and sat on the patio and drank a bottle of wine. (I deserved it.)
At church we heard a sermon on the “Crumbly Bread Covenant” in Joshua 9:1-27–rich ground for reflection on the nature of truth, discernment, and the dangers of falling prey to deception. We sang good hymns. Our adult ed class continued on the Westminster Catechism–#s 39-82, basically breaking down the 10 Commandments. The boy and twins came over to my house after church and Sunday School and we had bagels and fruit salad. I enjoyed our mealtime conversation about Calvinist doctrine and the fact that God is both a just God and a merciful God, but that we all deserve his wrath.
Then we sat outside for awhile…
…but they were very disappointed because the Raptor wasn’t sufficiently charged for them to drive. They fooled around with some old favorites, but…
Heavy sigh. Well, hopefully the next time they come over I’ll be better prepared. We went inside and they spent an eventful hour playing with Lego while I talked to the boy.
Well, I am sorry to see old Chuck Norris go, but the memes and tweets have been (not surprisingly) hilarious.
How was your weekend? Mine was springlike until it was not. The magnolia trees are in full bloom and everyone is worried that the cold snap will kill/damage everything. But this literally happens every year. At least it didn’t snow as initially predicted! (But we did have a tornado watch!)
Daughter #1 came over on Friday afternoon and set up my new printer for me. I am good to go after months of frustration with my old printer. We celebrated with wine time and Chik-fil-a for dinner.
Our DAR meeting on Saturday was skillfully run, as usual, by daughter #1. We had a wonderful lecture by our friend Esley Hamilton about all the architectural jewels of St. Louis that were torn down before 1904.
For instance, this house–the “Cracker Castle”–built in 1868 for Jonathan Pierce who produced hardtack during the Civil War, was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1896 and as a result was demolished soon afterwards. It is sad that so little actually remains from the nineteenth century (although the above monstrosity was no great loss).
Saturday night I watched The Quiet Man (1952) in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
Mr. Smith harumphed a bit at the Irish accents, but he still thought it was pretty great.
Sunday I went to church and heard a fine sermon on Joshua 8:1-35–I have really enjoyed Joshua. It seems very timely. Our final hymn was…
…and I cried…and my mascara ran.
Is this what William Cowper meant when he wrote:
Sometimes a light surprises The Christian while he sings; It is the Lord, who rises With healing in His wings: When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.
I went to the Westminster Catechism class afterwards and it was terrific. We went through #22-38, led by a ruling elder (who is also an attorney). It all makes so much sense! I think I finally understand what effectual calling is!
Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
This morning I go in for my annual bone density exam, kicking off two weeks of doctor visits and tests. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us.” (I Thess. 5:23-25)
We made it back from the prairie–a very blustery drive! (Par for the course.) The speedwagon did great though.
The weekend was delightful. The grandkids are so entertaining and DN served up gourmet meals–a real step up from my usual egg salad sandwiches! And at dinner Saturday night three-year old Ida, unprompted, broke into shout singing this song (She knows all the words.)
Devil get behind me, run on home Back to the grave where you belong In case you forgot, let me tell you the truth You’re stuck under my blood bought boots Devil get behind me, you got no hold I’ve been changed by the Holy Ghost Try all you want, but it ain’t no use You’re stuck under my blood bought boots
Get behind me (oh-oh) Get behind me (oh-oh) Devil get behind me (oh-oh)
It was one of the greatest things ever. Can you even?
The triple baptisms went off without a hitch on Sunday. Pastor Luke gave a very nice introduction to covenant baptism and why it is entirely appropriate and biblical to baptize a household.
We also heard a fine sermon on revelation 1:9-20 about how God reigns now even as we wait until He comes again–the already and the not yet overlap in the present. So let your light shine, even as we long for the fullness of the kingdom to come!
Afterwards we drove to Bloomington for a lovely lunch at the home of DN’s parents, who have moved there from Maryland.
Mr. Smith was a good boy, although he had to stay home and miss the festivities. He got along great with the baby.
Praise the Lord!
And I love this so much. It takes a minute and a half.
It’s Friday again–another week has skied by and once again I did not accomplish everything on my To Do List. Some things, but not everything. As Grant famously said to Sherman after the first day of fighting at Shiloh did not go well, “Lick ’em tomorrow though.”
Daughter #1 and I (and Mr. Smith) are planning to drive up to the prairie tomorrow morning so that we can go to church with daughter #2 where the three kiddos are being baptized on Sunday–praise the Lord! (You will recall that we had planned to do this last weekend, but the flu delayed us.)
This is our first Presbyterian baptism! According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism:
Q. 94. What is Baptism? A. Baptism is a Sacrament, wherein the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s.
“Consider the Apostle Peter’s striking admonition to his fellow Jews on the day of Pentecost, ‘For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself’ (Acts 2:39). In other words, those who follow Jesus Christ as His disciples are responsible by faith to entrust the spiritual awakening of their own children to God’s gracious work (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5-7). We do this by presenting our “Covenant Children” for baptism and by instructing them in the truths of the Gospel as they mature.” (The Genevan Foundation)
So please pray that our travel is smooth and easy and rain-free!
We haven’t gotten anywhere near the rain I thought we were going to get, and while that’s a good thing for me, it doesn’t help the drought my state is experiencing. But I guess “wet and stormy ” are still the watch words of the week.
Recently Anne was waxing eloquently and coherently about the world we live in–“What a time we live in, when how many children a person does or doesn’t have is an invitation for other people to criticize them and existentially question their abilities and desires. That used to be the sort of thing one would do privately, after church, over the Roast and Pudding and a beautiful amber glass of sherry. Now somehow I—who know neither party—get to read it and then form my own opinion.”
Well, I think I’ve mentioned that we happen to be studying I Thessalonians in my women’s Bible study and I was reminded of what Paul had to say about just that thing–“We urge you…to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” (I Thessalonians 4:11-12)
That’s the ticket: mind your own business. Or try to–I know it’s hard. But that’s what I’m going to try to do.
Yesterday I had lunch with my BFFs Becky and Carla and we discussed, among other things, our levels of Instagram addiction. It really is shocking and I excoriate myself for this daily. If I still recognized Lent as a thing, I might have tried to give it up for 40 days. But I am trying to leave my phone in another room for extended periods of time, although this is hard because I am worried that my daughters will request a welfare check for me if I don’t respond to text messages in a timely fashion. (jkjk.)
Don’t get me wrong–I’m not complaining. But life was simpler when we had three TV channels to choose from and a rotary phone. I’m not wrong, am I?
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:
Yesterday’s psalm (in my Bible reading plan) was Psalm 30:
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.[a]
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.[b] 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.[c] Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” 7 By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
8 To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 9 “What profit is there in my death,[d] if I go down to the pit?[e] Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
It is a psalm about answered prayer. Speaking for myself, I do not give enough time to contemplating answered prayer. It is good to remember the 10,000 things God is doing for you every day.
I’ve read quite a bit about former senator Ben Sasse and his terminal cancer recently. Here’s a good one.
Sad to see that actor Robert Carradine has died by his own hand. Kind of what Carl Trueman was talking about here.
And the boy came over and changed my lamp post light bulb! It’s real handy to be 6’2″ sometimes.
It’s okay to ask for help if you need it–from your own son or from God. Never grow weary of crying out, “Be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”
Yesterday it got up to 70 degrees in my flyover town and the sky was blue. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Everyone was out walking their dogs.
I could hear the woodpeckers drilling, but I never saw one.
I went to my local park and walked around the pond, where the water was very low. There were men there fishing however. I saw some big hawks and also my friend Chris, who was walking into the park with his fishing rod (and one granddaughter).
I read this about Jonathan Edwards’ most (in)famous sermon by the much loved former pastor of my church. “God is angry at the lost condition of the world. He is angry at the sin that ruins you. But He is not angry because He is insecure or easily offended. He is angry because He loves you.” Amen.
Well, I had a swell time visiting the prairie girls (and boy). We stayed inside except for a quick walk around the block and a trip to church on Sunday. But I got to hold the bud a lot…
We read a lot of books…
…and we played with a lot of Magna Tiles (which can be very frustrating)…
We watched some of the Olympics and Katie and Ida think they would be good at snowboarding…
I was impressed that she included those slalom flags in her drawing.
I enjoyed visiting their church on Sunday which was packed. It is a very different vibe than my church–lots of U of I students. (They have an active RUF chapter.) We heard a good sermon:
(Katie’s sermon notes)
I drove home in the speedwagon on Monday morning after DN gassed it up and procured a Polar Pop for me. I listened to the Springfield country station and was a little shocked by the current songs–all whiskey, bars and loose women–but this one by Morgan Wallen had a clever twist.
Yeah, the night I said, “I’m leavin’,” I turned into Richard Petty Broke my heart, so I got even in my ’97 Chevy Now I’m walkin’ on this water mixed with Johnnie Walker Black There’s a lotta reasons I ain’t Jesus, but the main one is that
I ain’t comin’ back Oh, no, no, I ain’t comin’ back
When I got closer to STL I switched to Joy99.
Now it is Tuesday and I am discombobulated about what day it is. C’est la vie. Have a good one!
