dual personalities

Tag: Weekend

February 20, 2023

Publish glad tidings

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty quiet, the highlight being when the OM and I wrestled the two carseats into his car and picked up the wee twins to go to church on Sunday. (Lacrosse season starts today so the boy was working at his store all weekend.) It is always a treat to drive with the twins in the backseat and listen to their running commentary. Their total depravity surfaced only a few times during the service–i.e. the bud sang lustily along with “Publish Glad Tidings” but using his own lyrics–perhaps he was speaking in tongues. (I turned to Lottie and whispered, “What is your brother singing?” and she said, “I don’t know!”) When they left for Kids Praise worship, I relaxed and enjoyed a good sermon.

The OM and I also attended the Mission Dinner on Friday night where we learned all about Presbyterians in the Ukraine and in the Yucatan. Presbyterians love their missionaries and their missions around the world, which is a big change from the Episcopal Church where the very idea of missions is embarrassing to them.

Presbyterians are serious about missions. (“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”–Mark 16:15) Basically they are serious. I am learning this about them and I appreciate it. I am also learning to curb by innate sense of frivolity. But I am a Calvinist at heart and have always had a strong Puritan streak. It is wonderful to find folks who share this attitude.

Of course, daughter #1 poured me a glass of wine when we got home.

And the Amaryllis just keeps on blooming!

O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling,
To tell to all the world that God is light;
That He who made all nations is not willing
One soul should perish, lost in shades of night.

Publish glad tidings, tidings of peace;
Tidings of Jesus, redemption and release.

–Mary A. Thompson, 1868
5 Comments
February 13, 2023

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? We had sunny blue skies but freezing temps. Still, Saturday was a lovely day to buzz over to Jeff City to check on daughter #1’s apartment and water her plants.

We had lunch at the Grand…

…and did a little mid-Mo shopping before heading home to walk the dog. It was a lot of driving, but the scenery of the rolling hills of Missouri never disappoints.

On Sunday morning I set up the dining room for a little after-church Valentine party for the wee twins…

In church we had a baptism and it was the twin’s Sunday School teacher’s baby and the little bud stood up and said “Hi Mr. Patrick!” and waved. When the pastor walked with the baby down the center aisle and we all sang “Jesus Loves Me” I cried and my mascara ran. Par for the course.

Later at home, after bagels and party favors, we played outside with Mr. Smith who is living his best life.

Meanwhile baby Idabelle continues to thrive…

…and Katie continues to be the best big sister, reading to her constantly…

“A bunny, that’s right a bunny!”

…and replacing her binky immediately when it falls out of baby’s mouth.

So onward to Monday! God is in control.

Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight;

Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,

Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tower:

raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

–Hymn #642, verse 3

(My latest floral arrangement for church on Sunday–not bad, right?)

4 Comments
February 6, 2023

Let me not sink to be a clod

by chuckofish

Well, the weekend started out chilly and chill, the highlight being daughter #1’s sighting of a very large hawk on the back fence.

Later the same day we spotted a bald eagle flying over our neighborhood! We were not fast enough to snap a picture, but it was exciting. Mais vraiment, two large raptors in one day! According to our local news rag, it is the season for Turkey Buzzards to return from their southern migration, so we’ll be on the lookout for them, although, let’s be honest, it is not very exciting to see vultures.

Another highlight was going to The Cracker Barrel for dinner! We had not been there in many, many years, but after hearing that they now serve alcohol, we headed over to Fenton around 4:45 pm so we could get a table without having to wait on the front porch. We were pleasantly surprised with our meals (mine was from the kid’s menu) and the addition of a cold Blue Moon only enhanced the experience.

“Yeah, that’s a big bite. I’m a big boy.” (The hashbrown casserole is delish.)

At church on Sunday, the wee laddie filled out the welcome card as usual…

…before heading down to Sunday School. The service still fills me with joy and sets me on my course for the week. Amen.

We went home afterwards and ate bagels and then went outside to frolic…(Lottie was sick at home with her Mom, but Mr. Smith got quite a workout with just the wee laddie, chasing the car and playing soccer.)

It was even warm enough to do some driveway sittin’! It was so great to see the sun and that blue sky!

Meanwhile, the two sisters continue to bond adorably…

Have a good week! “By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2: 24-25)

From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified;
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire;
Let me not sink to be a clod;
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

–Amy Carmichael

4 Comments
January 30, 2023

Let your light shine before others

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was a nice back-to-normal one–estate sales, going out to lunch, happy hour with music at home, and church on Sunday. The boy and Lottie came over after church for Presbyterian Souffle. (The bud was sick and stayed home with Mom.) Mr. Smith continued to grow.

And Baby Ida went for her first walk in the stroller.

We watched some good movies: The High and the Mighty (1954), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).

This was an interesting article about the turnaround of Barnes and Noble (and a lesson for the church.) “There’s a lesson in the Barnes & Noble turnaround. Remember your first love. And don’t lose sight of your ultimate purpose.”

Keep reading, keep praying, keep showing up. Pay attention. “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” (Hebrews 2:1)

2 Comments
January 9, 2023

“Morning by morning new mercies I see”*

by chuckofish

We took down the Christmas decorations at church on Friday, so we are “back to normal” all around I guess.

I had a busy weekend, which included putting together a portable coat rack so daughter #1 has somewhere to hang her clothes, a DAR meeting, lunch out at a new diner, grocery shopping, visiting a house for sale (for daughter #1), church, and celebrating daughter #3’s birthday with Presbyterian Soufflé and cake. (This is the last of our four birthdays between November 28 and January 6.)

All this was accomplished in between walking the puppy. Phew. I am tired just thinking about it.

This week will be slower. I just have to get ready to fly to Baltimore on Saturday to help daughter #2 as she is due to give birth very soon. (Another January birthday!)

In the meantime, here are some fascinating events and discoveries from 2022 that you might have missed–I know I did.

This is a good reminder to stop grumbling.

And here’s a word from our Katiebelle:

So many.

Great is thy faithfulness!

Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see:

All I have needed thy hand hath provided—

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

–Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923

Is it time for a walk?

3 Comments
December 19, 2022

Ding dong! Merrily on high

by chuckofish

Well, we are into the holiday swing of things here in flyover country. The tree is up, thanks to the boy coming over and putting it in the stand and daughter #1 coming home to help decorate it. We are cooking with gas, as they say.

I went to see Lottie’s ‘Holiday Show’ put on by the dance studio where she takes lessons.

As always, she was front and center and knew all the moves and words to the song. Her brother, watching from the sidelines, pronounced it a “Nice job!” at the end.

On Saturday the OM, daughter #1 and I got up and dressed in our warmest gear so that we could go to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery to put wreaths on veterans’ graves as part of the Wreaths Across America event which coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 3,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad. My DAR chapter is a sponsor, so I volunteered to participate and the OM and daughter #1 gallantly offered to go along. However, the traffic down in Lemay was insane, backed up onto the highway, and after making a wrong turn into No Man’s Land, we cut bait and headed home. I felt bad until the DAR lady who coordinated our group replied to my email telling her that we were baling by saying she had been stuck in traffic for over an hour herself. The next day she followed up to say that she had been in a traffic line for over an hour and a half just waiting to pick up the wreaths! Zut alors. The best laid plans and all that.

(KSDK.com photo)

So we went home and decorated the tree and then I took a nap.

This weekend we also watched Home Alone (1990) which never fails to entertain…

…and Hatari (1962), Howard Hawks’s wonderful movie about a diverse group of fun-loving adventurers who capture exotic animals in Africa to export to zoos all over the world.

All the actors did their own stunts and, although they thought they might die any day, they all looked like they were having a terrific time. And Henry Mancini wrote the score.

Meanwhile the wee dog is becoming acclimated to car rides and short stays at our house, not to mention watching John Wayne movies.

This is a good thing because he will be moving in with us very soon. He is a happy little fella.

At church I noticed that I am finally able to sing without setting off a coughing fit. Finally. But both daughters are sick as is precious Katiebelle who I hear is watching A Charlie Brown Christmas on demand. “More Snoopy!”

We all have our coping mechanisms.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

–Edward Mote, 1834

6 Comments
December 12, 2022

Go tell it on the mountain

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? The twins turned six (!) on Sunday and we celebrated their birthday on Friday with Dewey’s Pizza and a Tippin’s pie.

…and presents…

It was one of four celebrations they enjoyed so we played it down.

On Saturday I had a meeting at Mudd’s Grove after which daughter #1 buzzed into town with the wee dog. We celebrated her getting a new job (!) and the fact that she will be moving back to St. Louis (!) in January with much toasting. Later we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas and Die Hard (1988) which IS a Christmas movie. Mr. Smith watched too like a good boy.

On Sunday we went to church where the Covenant children sang “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” the choir sang and the congregation sang with piano, guitar and drum accompaniment, and I cried during the Doxology per usual. It never gets old.

And Katie watched White Christmas for the first time.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

–Isaiah 35:10

P.S. This is an interesting article about how A Charlie Brown Christmas first made it on to network TV. “The Charlie Brown Christmas special may have been the first time a prime-time animated cartoon quoted Scripture at length, but it was not the first time Schulz infused his comic strip with his faith. Published in more than 2,500 newspapers at its peak, the Peanuts gang’s musings on contemporary issues sparked passion and fueled debate among Schulz’s readers—particularly in the areas of religion and faith.”

4 Comments
December 5, 2022

The light shines in the darkness

by chuckofish

A busy week and a busy weekend! Non-stop activity. On Friday I helped decorate the church…

By Sunday morning it looked really nice and very festive!

On Saturday daughter #1 buzzed home to introduce the wee doggie and get a break from being home alone with a semi-frenzied pup. (She doesn’t look too frazzled herself, does she?)

Mr. Smith is quite a cutie and we all took to him immediately…(especially the wee bud who was very angry when the pup had to go into his crate and he had to go home…Life is hard sometimes.)

On top of all this we checked off a few important things on my To Do list: we bought a Christmas tree from our super friendly local Optimists…

…and daughter #1 put up the outside Christmas lights!

I also managed to go to my church’s Advent ladies’ tea held at the seminary where I had never been. (No pictures) It was very nice–there were scones and cucumber sandwiches and tea and hymn singing and a spiritual message!

During the service at church on Sunday the Covenant School (4-5 grades) Ensemble sang a “Celtic Noel,” the organist played a dramatic version of Handel’s “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and my Bible Study leader sang an operatic rendition of the Lord’s Prayer (Lottie spontaneously clapped at the end) and we all sang some good Advent hymns. Yes, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Afterwards we had bagels and creme cheese and the twins got another chance to frolic with Mr. Smith. Then everyone went home and I collapsed.

(We also FaceTimed with this precious angel…)

Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

–Charles Wesley
4 Comments
November 7, 2022

Come, all ye pining, hungry poor, the Savior’s bounty taste*

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was a quiet one, mostly because I am still fighting this cold. I managed to “do” the flowers for church on Sunday–my maiden solo voyage so to speak and I was pleased with the result. I went to Trader Joe’s early on Saturday morning and bought a bunch of different flowers and then went to church, going in with my key and setting up in the sacristy…

Voila. Yay, me!

We went to church on Sunday (I had to check out my flowers) but I had a coughing fit during the sermon and had to leave and get a drink of water. I sat on a comfortable sofa and drank my water and listened to the sermon which was piped in. I have to say, it was quite nice. I rejoined the congregation after the sermon for the Lord’s Supper. Then the boy and the wee twins came over for bagels and cream cheese and we sat outside for some final driveway time of the season.

Lottie is such a big girl now–she sang along with one of the hymns and said the Lord’s Prayer (from memory)! The wee laddie filled out the Welcome Card, which he does every week.

After they left, I FaceTimed with darling Katie and her darling mother, making the weekend complete.

Well, have a good Monday! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

*Anne Steele (1716-1778)

4 Comments
October 31, 2022

His mercy is more/stronger than darkness, new ev’ry morn

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? I have been sick since Thursday and quite under the weather. I didn’t go to my Bible study group and I even stayed home from church. (Daughter #1 convinced me it wasn’t kosher to go to church these days when you are coughing and have laryngitis.)

But I enjoyed vicariously Katie’s Halloween party she hosted for some of her wee compadres…

Quelle wild bunch!

Daughter #1 came home and watched Signs (2002) with me and we really enjoyed it. In my book it is not a horror movie; it is a story about a man regaining his faith.

The twins came over for brunch after they went to church. The OM had made shepherd’s pie and the kids ate leftover Chick-fil-A tenders. We had a special Halloween torte from Cosco that was a winner. There were jelly beans in a bowl. It was kind of a free-for-all, as usual, but c’est la vie.

And the OM wore special socks…

But don’t forget that the real reason to celebrate has nothing to do with witches and scary monsters.

Since your majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason–I do not accept the authority of popes and councils for they have contradicted each other–my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise, God help me.

–Martin Luther

Have a good Monday! Smile

4 Comments