dual personalities

Tag: Weekend

August 8, 2025

Infinite serenity

by chuckofish

Well, it’s Friday again. The summer is winding down…Daughter #2 and her family are in Michigan…

…and the boy and his family are in Oklahoma.

I am looking forward to a quiet weekend after a very busy week. Tonight daughter #1 and I are venturing out to a special lecture by Mark Meynell, a Church of England priest, who is speaking at my church. I’m not sure what to expect, but we’ll see.

O GOD MOST HIGH, MOST GLORIOUS,

The thought of thine infinite serenity
      cheers me,
For I am toiling and moiling, troubled
    and distressed,
  but thou art for ever at perfect peace.
Thy designs cause thee no fear or care
    of unfulfilment,
  they stand fast as the eternal hills.
Thy power knows no bond,
  thy goodness no stint.
Thou bringest order out of confusion,
  and my defeats are thy victories:
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
I come to thee as a sinner with cares and sorrows,
  to leave every concern entirely to thee,
  every sin calling for Christ’s precious blood;
Revive deep spirituality in my heart;
Let me live near to the great Shepherd,
  hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls.
Keep me from deception by causing me to abide
    in the truth,
  from harm by helping me to walk in the power
    of the Spirit.
Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities,
  burning into me by experience the things I know;
Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel,
  that I may bear its reproach,
  vindicate it,
  see Jesus as its essence,
  know in it the power of the Spirit.
Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill;
  unbelief mars my confidence,
  sin makes me forget thee.
Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut
    at their roots;
Grant me to know that I truly live only
    when I live to thee,
  that all else is trifling.
Thy presence alone can make me holy, devout,
    strong and happy.
Abide in me, gracious God.

–The Valley of Vision

Have a good weekend! Go to church!

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August 4, 2025

Delighting in your will

by chuckofish

Well, how was your weekend? I crossed things off my to-do list and added yet more things. I drank a prodigious amount of wine with daughter #1 and ate dips. I made it to church where I recognized our corporate confession of sin from the BCP:

Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent,
for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Needless to say, I take this much more seriously than when I was an Episcopalian. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

Daughter #2 arrived avec famille on Sunday afternoon and soon DN will be taking apart our twin beds which have been used by sisters in my family since the 1930s…

…and will grace the bedroom of a fourth generation shortly.

I mean, isn’t that great? DN and the boy will set up a full size bed later today in the bedroom where the twin beds were, so we will end up par for the course. They will then load up a rented truck with the twin beds (and more stuff) and DN will drive it back to Illinois on Tuesday. I am very happy that they are taking things!

Life is good. Carry on.

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July 28, 2025

They’ll be no quittin’ along the way

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty quiet despite Mr. Smith visiting. I had dinner with the boy and his family on Friday (pizza night) and that was delightful. I went to one estate sale on Saturday but it was a depressing one–a beautiful old house that had fallen to wrack and ruin, a real Miss Havisham experience. Daughter #1 came by on her way home from Indiana to pick up Mr. Smith and we enjoyed Happy Hour and dinner together.

You may recall that Saturday was the National Day of the Cowboy, one of my favorite days–“recognizing the contributions of cowboys and cowgirls to American culture and heritage.”

I did not celebrate until Sunday when I watched Red River (1948) which is my traditional choice. John Wayne, Montgomery Clift and a slew of great cowboys–the best. “We’re goung to Missouri with 10,000 head…”

The boy dropped the twins off at church with me on Sunday so that he could open his store. They were as good as gold and earned an A+ for their behavior. In fact, the wee bud announced “A+!” at the end of the service. As usual, as we arrived and sat in our pew, I thought it seemed like there weren’t many people. But as soon as the first hymn began, I looked around and the church was full of congregants and their voices rang out. When will I learn that Presbyterians do not arrive early! We sang great hymns and heard a very good sermon on Psalm 21. I left refreshed and restored.

Today I am getting ready to drive up to visit daughter #2 and her prairie family for a few days. I am also babysitting for the twins tonight while their parents go out to celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary.

Bon anniversaire, you guys! L’chaim!

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May 19, 2025

Hearts to heav’n and voices raise

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was quiet, but there were highlights. Also we had a big midwestern storm and EF 3 tornado damage in north St. Louis where five people actually died.

The storm blew through Forest Park, so that at the St. Louis Art Museum about 150 visitors were hustled into the basement. The Saint Louis Zoo has been closed for several days because of damage.

The tornado came pretty close to daughter #1’s house when it tore through Clayton, but we were unscathed. It hardly even rained in our neck of the woods. We watched the non-stop weather coverage for a good hour and a half though.

I went to church by myself, which is odd nowadays, but it was a great service–even though I literally cried through the whole thing–the Kindergarten Bible presentation, the choir singing this:

…and the congregation singing Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.

Yes, I am super stressed out, but that was too much.

Our associate pastor gave a good sermon on Apologetic Engagement, citing I Peter 3:13-17:

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

The people in my church are very good at this, but I confess, I struggle with it.

I did say hello to the man sitting next to me in church who I did not know. He was from Singapore, visiting on business. He had looked up PCA churches online and come to our service–I was impressed. Pleased to meet you! He probably wondered who the strange lady crying next to him was. C’est la vie.

Our Sunday School was an all-church meeting in the fellowship hall where our pastor talked about some changes in the service the session has agreed on, such as the clergy going back to wearing black robes over their suits in our morning services.

Jonathan Edwards

I’m all for it. We are also going to start using wine (in addition to grape juice) during the Lord’s supper, because it says wine in the Bible, not grape juice. Again, yes, agreed. (Did you know that grape juice was invented in 1869?)

We soldier on. Life is not easy right now, but we do not lose heart. “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

And the Babylon Bee will not let the Episcopal Church alone. (I love it.)

Have a good Monday.

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April 28, 2025

O for a thousand tongues to sing

by chuckofish

(That’s eye black under Lottie’s eyes which was hard to scrub off after her lacrosse game. I used makeup remover later which worked and she approved.)

What a weekend–which really started on Thursday for me–a lot of socializing, which, as we know, is exhausting! We had our volunteer reception at Mudd’s Grove on Thursday night and then our Trivia Night for the Kirkwood Historical Society on Friday night. Both were fun, especially the trivia event.

Last year my team came in 2nd, but this year we didn’t do so well–mostly because of me insisting twice that I was definitely right when I was oh so wrong. The OM was home sick so was not available to correct me. No, Katie, it’s not the Stray Cats, it’s the Clash. C’est la vie.

Saturday I went to a funeral at church–this time for a lifelong member of Ladue Chapel whose son goes to our church and is in my community group. The family wanted the grandson-in-law who is a PCA pastor to conduct the service at Ladue Chapel (PCUSA), but the pastor there said no, that might be offensive to some of their members/staff. Seems petty and vindictive to me, but par for the course, I guess. The service was lovely as led by the grandson-in-law.

After that I “babysat” for the twins all Saturday afternoon. Their mother is at a conference in Orlando and their dad was working. It was a lovely day so I did some driveway sitting while they drove the raptor around…

(after we cleaned out the dead spiders inside which Lottie found)…and pretended to sing in the rain…

Who knew playing with umbrellas could be so fun? Then we went inside and watched The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)…

…until it was time to clean up and head over to church for the annual pig-pickin’ (pig roast) picnic. The twins were beyond excited to be able to play on the playground, which is usually off-limits on Sundays. They had so much fun running around with their friends and shrieking like maniacs. They didn’t eat a thing except a chip or two. I had fun talking to people and sitting at a table with no one I knew–something I have learned to do over my lifetime. After an hour and a half I drove the kids to their dad’s store and I went home, exhausted again, but feeling happy.

Sunday morning I was back at church and singing with gusto. Nothing makes me happier than watching everyone going up for communion singing Nothing But the Blood of Jesus from memory–even the little kids.

I rounded out my weekend with wine time/Mr. Smith time at daughter #1’s house.

Happy Monday!

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April 22, 2025

“I think of the stark and puritanical sky”*

by chuckofish

The Easter weekend was a blur of activity, but I do remember that something fun happened on Good Friday. I went over to daughter #1’s house for an impromptu lunch after which we hopped over to an estate sale nearby at a Clayton penthouse. Normally condos are not worth going to because the people living in them have already down-sized, but this one was listed by our favorite estate sale company and there were a lot of books.

We did, indeed, find a few books, but I also found an antique loveseat that had been recovered in a fab fabric. (Like the Madcaps, no beige for me!) I started to fill out a bid card, but Lamar called us over and looked at it and gave it to me for my asking price (60%)! Plus he threw in everything else for the Lamar discount of free.

One of their guys delivered it to my house and he and his son got it upstairs and into my office easy peasy. I am thrilled.

And I made it to church by 6 o’clock!

With all the excitement I almost forgot it was my birthday. I received many lovely birthday gifts over the weekend…

My children know me so well.

My daughters also gave me fancy beauty treatments which I very much appreciate, because they are “in the know” and I am not. They know too to put the effort into fancy wrapping and ribbons, which they learned from me and I learned from my mother. They also know to go to the Dollar Tree for fab decorations! This warms my mothers heart.

All the rain, of course, has resulted in lush growth everywhere. Look at Don’s beautiful creek bed–fresh rainwater runoff over bedrock behind his house…

…and I love his beautiful dogwoods…

And here’s a poem by Jorge Luis Borges*:

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April 21, 2025

Postcards from the weekend

by chuckofish

Daughter #2 and famille made it to town in the driving rain on Saturday morning and then it was party central for the rest of the weekend. What fun! We didn’t get to do any driveway sittin’ or drive the miniature raptor, but the good times still rolled. We celebrated our birthdays…

We had lots of primo cousin time…The twins set a good example in church on Sunday and the prairie girls did great.

We went to the boy’s new house after church and had a fabulous time plus a gourmet lunch served up by daughter #3.

Is that a chocolate Westie?!!

An indoor Easter egg hunt was a big hit!

(Katie’s great-great-grandmother–after whom she is named–made this English smocked dress, which I wore c. 1964.)

It was a super fun weekend and I am super tired! It will take me a few days to recover!

I did watch the second half of Ben Hur on Sunday night–the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

Bonus: The ensemble at church sang this on Good Friday. I cried.

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April 14, 2025

Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God*

by chuckofish

I hope you are feeling the joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart like this little angel and that you had a good weekend!

Daughter #1 and I had a super fun roadtrip down to southwest Missouri where we were adventurous and checked out the Top of the Rock on our way to Branson. She even drove us in a golf cart around the Ozarks Heritage Preserve…

…through a cave…

…and over bridges…

…and waterfalls…

It was really very cool! We saw a lot of natural “table rock” formations…

The museum there is also very well done–lots of collections of arrow heads and ax heads and Indian clothes and baskets and pottery, dinosaur bones (Terror Birds! Hell Pigs!) and Ozark history.

It was all very well done–beautifully displayed and curated–I was impressed.

My daughter says I look like Sasquatch

After that we checked into our hotel–the Chateau on the Lake resort in Branson where our DAR State Conference was being held.

The view from our balcony

I didn’t take many pictures at the actual conference. Just imagine over 400 older ladies wearing patriotic scarves and jewelry and sashes.

DAR celebs

When daughter #1 and I were having a glass of wine in the hotel bar Thursday night a man came up to where we were sitting and asked us, “What is going on here? I’m the only dude in the whole bar!” We explained the situation and he headed out.

We played hooky on Friday morning and drove down the strip in Branson where we saw the Titanic!

…and King Kong! And John Wayne! And Elvis!

It is really quite the place. The twins would be in absolute heaven!

We came home on Saturday afternoon. As you can see, the weather was glorious the whole time–just perfect for exploring our beautiful state.

I was gone two nights and three days and, thank the Lord, the OM did not burn the house down. (He did the taxes in peace and quiet.) We made it to church Sunday morning and got to hear the Children’s Choir (including the twins) enthusiastically sing “To the King, Sing Hosanna”. We had three baptisms! It was lovely to be back.

Now I have a very busy week ahead. And it is darling daughter #2’s birthday today!

We can’t wait to see her this weekend and celebrate her birthday with the whole fam! And Easter!

*Hebrews 13:15

7 Comments
April 7, 2025

Fill our hearts with thankfulness

by chuckofish

Rain, rain, go away! 🌧️🌧️🌧️ Well, it did finally stop on Sunday but then it was freezing cold! Not exactly perfect weather for watching lacrosse, but I braved the overcast skies and windy 40-degree temps to do so. The other grandparents were visiting from Florida and had to stop at Kohl’s on the way to the game to buy winter coats! The bud was great in goal! He played half the game there…

…and half in midfield…

…and part of the time, hanging with his lacrosse bros…

This was all, of course, after going to Sunday School and sitting through church and a sermon on Hebrews 12:18-29! Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire! The twins do so well now in church, sitting quietly and with a minimum of wiggling and squirming. I guess they want that thumbs up/A+ from Mamu, right?

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

–Charles Wesley

(One of these days I’ll make it to one of Lottie’s game, but she was rained out this weekend.)

Besides that excitement, I had a quiet weekend, mostly because of the weather. I went to our DAR meeting and I was the stand-in Chaplain so I had to open with a prayer before brunch. I gave them this:

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we
may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The old BCP (1979) is such a lifesaver. I always have to tell people, no, I didn’t come up with that myself–it’s from the BCP!

And now we have a new week! Have a good one.

As always, thanks to the boy for the cool pix!

5 Comments
March 31, 2025

So we are always of good courage

by chuckofish

The Big News of the weekend was that Lottie scored a goal. You go, girl! She is small but mighty…

I also cleaned up the Florida room on Friday and moved a lot of plants out there. It is ready for spring happy hours. Daughter #1 and I kicked off the season on Friday afternoon.

On Saturday morning the OM and I went to a memorial service for a longtime member of our church. We sang Abide With Me and It Is Well With My Soul and I was done in. (Luckily I had a paper towel with me.) There were Remembrances and Readings by the numerous family members–much love expressed and many tears and why not? There were prayers and our pastor preached on 2 Corinthians 5:1-10:

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on[a] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

I always loved the Episcopal service for the Burial of the Dead (Rite I)–it is a beautiful service, but, indeed, rather impersonal. I have to admit, the more personal Presbyterian service is all right. And, of course, everyone–and I mean the whole congregation turned out–sings with gusto. The reception was in the Fellowship Hall with cookies made by the deceased.

I was a little discombobulated when I had to get up and go back to church on Sunday morning–at 8:30–we are back to lacrosse season timing. The bud had a game at Noon! But we all made it there and to Sunday School. Our pastor gave a good sermon on Hebrews 12:1-17–throwing off sin, enduring discipline. I also made it to the game which was played at my old school stomping grounds. Nice astro-turf!

It was very windy, but pleasant to sit in the sunshine with daughters #1 and 3 and watch the young cubs play. The bud, I am proud to say, has all the moves and was playing pretty aggressively.

He was the Man taking face-offs!

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet…” (Hebrews 12:12)

Woohoo! And the anticipated storms mostly passed us by. Have a good week!

*Thanks to the boy for the great pics!

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