John Henry, Steel Driving Man

I hunted high and low for a poem about the Great Locomotive Chase aka Andrews Raid, which started April 12, 1862, but didnt find one. Instead I found a neat webpage with lots of other poems about trains.

From there I chose Old John Henry. Remember singing about him in grade school? I do.

Plus I thought this description of manliness might add to Cindy's discussion on Masculinity. What do you think?


John Henry was a railroad man,
He worked from six 'till five,
"Raise 'em up bullies and let 'em drop down,
I'll beat you to the bottom or die."

John Henry said to his captain:
"You are nothing but a common man,
Before that steam drill shall beat me down,
I'll die with my hammer in my hand."

John Henry said to the Shakers:
"You must listen to my call,
Before that steam drill shall beat me down,
I'll jar these mountains till they fall."

John Henry's captain said to him:
"I believe these mountains are caving in."
John Henry said to his captain: "Oh, Lord!"
"That's my hammer you hear in the wind."

John Henry he said to his captain:
"Your money is getting mighty slim,
When I hammer through this old mountain,
Oh Captain will you walk in?"

John Henry's captain came to him
With fifty dollars in his hand,
He laid his hand on his shoulder and said:
"This belongs to a steel driving man."

John Henry was hammering on the right side,
The big steam drill on the left,
Before that steam drill could beat him down,
He hammered his fool self to death.

They carried John Henry to the mountains,
From his shoulder his hammer would ring,
She caught on fire by a little blue blaze
I believe these old mountains are caving in.

John Henry was lying on his death bed,
He turned over on his side,
And these were the last words John Henry said
"Bring me a cool drink of water before I die."

John Henry had a little woman,
Her name was Pollie Ann,
He hugged and kissed her just before he died,
Saying, "Pollie, do the very best you can."

John Henry's woman heard he was dead,
She could not rest on her bed,
She got up at midnight, caught that No. 4 train,
"I am going where John Henry fell dead."

They carried John Henry to that new burying ground
His wife all dressed in blue,
She laid her hand on John Henry's cold face,
"John Henry I've been true to you."


by W. T. Blankenship
1909

The Children's Hour

BETWEEN the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day’s occupations,
That is known as the Children’s Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.


A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.



A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
O’er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
American Poet
1807 - 1882

Link to more information about the painting.

To Keep a True Lent

Is this a Fast, to keep
The larder lean,
And clean,
From fat of veals, and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragged to go
Or show
A downcast look, and sour?

No; 'tis a fast, to dole
Thy sheaf or wheat,
And meat,
Unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife,
From old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent,
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that's to keep thy Lent.


by Robert Herrick
English lyric poet
1591 - 1674

The word for Lent comes from Middle English and means the *lengthening of days* or Spring.

I was wondering.

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Forty years ago I was the recipient of a little award in my school music class. Camille St Saens' Carnival of the Animals became music to my ears because I listened over and over to the recording in an effort to *distinguish* the sounds that mimicked different animals. Now whenever I hear these notes, my ears perk up and I imagine the parade.

Last Fall on NPR I heard the following Ogden Nash poems interspersed with the music and set out to buy one. Alas, the disc is not readily available (read it costs more than I want to pay) but here's a link to some fun activities related to St Saens' Carnival.

INTRODUCTION


Camille Saint-Saens
Was wracked with pains,
When people addressed him,
As Saint-Saens.
He held the human race to blame,
Because it could not pronounce his name,
So, he turned with metronome and fife,
To glorify other kinds of life,
Be quiet please - for here begins
His salute to feathers, fur and fins.


THE LION


The lion is the king of beasts,
And husband of the lioness.
Gazelles and things on which he feasts
Address him as your highoness.
There are those that admire that roar of his,
In the African jungles and velds,
But, I think that wherever the lion is,
I’d rather be somewhere else.


COCKS AND HENS


The rooster is a roistering hoodlum,
His battle cry is cock- a- doodleum.
Hands in pockets, cap over eye,
He whistles at pullets, passing by.


THE WILD DONKEY


Have ever you harked to the donkey wild,
Which scientists call the onager?
It sounds like the laugh of an idiot child,
Or a hepcat on a harmoniger,
But do not sneer at the donkey wild,
There is a method in his heehaw,
For with maidenly blush and accent mild
The donkey answers shee-haw.


THE TORTOISE


Come crown my brow with leaves of myrtle,
I know the tortoise is a turtle,
Come carve my name in stone immortal,
I know the turtoise is a tortle.
I know to my profound despair,
I bet on one to beat a hare,
I also know I’m now a pauper,
Because of its tortley, turtley, torper.



THE ELEPHANT


Elephants are useful friends,
Equipped with handles at both ends,
They have a wrinkled moth proof hide,
Their teeth are upside down, outside,
If you think the elephant preposterous,
You’ve probably never seen a rhinosterous.


KANGAROOS


The kangaroo can jump incredible,
He has to jump because he is edible,
I could not eat a kangaroo,
But many fine Australians do,
Those with cookbooks as well as boomerangs,
Prefer him in tasty kangaroomeringues.


THE AQUARIUM


Some fish are minnows,
Some are whales,
People like dimples,
Fish like scales,
Some fish are slim,
And some are round,
They don’t get cold,
They don’t get drowned,
But every fishwife
Fears for her fish,
What we call mermaids
They call merfish.


MULES


In the world of mules
There are no rules.
(Laughing, In the world of mules
There are no rules)


THE CUCKOO IN THE WILD


Cuckoos lead bohemian lives,
They fail as husbands and as wives,
Therefore, they cynically disparage
Everybody else’s marriage


BIRDS


Puccini was Latin, and Wagner Teutonic,
And birds are incurably philharmonic,
Suburban yards and rural vistas
Are filled with avian Andrew Sisters.
The skylark sings a roundelay,
The crow sings “The Road to Mandalay,”
The nightingale sings a lullaby,
And the sea gull sings a gullaby.
That’s what shepherds listened to in Arcadia
Before somebody invented the radia.


PIANISTS


Some claim that pianists are human,
Heh, and quote the case of Mr. Truman.
Saint Saens on the other hand,
Considered them a scurvy band,
A blight they are he said, and simian,
Instead of normal men and wimian.


FOSSILS


At midnight in the museum hall,
The fossils gathered for a ball,
There were no drums or saxophones,
But just the clatter of their bones,
Rolling, rattling carefree circus,
Of mammoth polkas and mazurkas,
Pterodactyls and brontosauruses
Sang ghostly prehistoric choruses,
Amid the mastodonic wassail
I caught the eye of one small fossil,
“Cheer up sad world,” he said and winked,
“It’s kind of fun to be extinct.”


THE SWAN


The swan can swim while sitting down,
For pure conceit he takes the crown,
He looks in the mirror over and ovea,
And claims to have never heard of Pavlova.


THE GRAND FINALE


Now we’ve reached the grand finale,
On an animalie, carnivalie,
Noises new to sea and land,
Issue from the skillful band,
All the strings contort their features,
Imitating crawly creatures,
All the brasses look like mumps
From blowing umpah, umpah, umps,
In outdoing Barnum and Bailey, and Ringling,
Saint Saens has done a miraculous thingling.

The Wind

Awakened by the sound of gusting winds, I changed the poem I'd planned to highlight today. The wind will feature prominently in my weather today, ushering in much colder temperatures unseasonably cool for this time of year.

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass--
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all--
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field and tree,
Or just a stronger child than me?
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!




by Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish novelist, poet, essayist
1850 - 1894

Portrait by
John Singer Sargent


What's the weather like where you are?



PS Most dramatic April weather in my memory? April 4, 1987 - 4 inches of snow in Rome, GA. Picture may follow.... if I can find it :)

Or remember the tornado that came through the campsite on April 1st, girls? What year was that?

Revising the Future


Our memory could have a past and lack only a future,

but we don't read what our forefathers wrote or read.











We select some figures, and then we fit them to our culture--
our fathers are what we make them once they're dead.
But we don't read what our forefathers wrote or read,
because we don't want to know if we believe a lie.

Our fathers are what we make them once they're dead,
and they make us in their image before we die.

Because we don't want to know if we believe a lie,
we design committees to transmit the truth,
and they make us in their image before we die;
we build them schools so they can also shape our youth.

We design committees to transmit the truth.
They are guiltless. They just believe what they've read.
We build them schools so they can also shape our youth,
and children have no reason to oppose how they're led.

They are guiltless. They just believe what they've read--
our fabricated heroes always do what they're told,
and children have no reason to oppose how they're led;
consequences always follow the ideas we hold.

Our fabricated heroes always do what they're told--
we select some figures, and then we fit them to our culture.
Consequences always follow the ideas we hold--
Our memory could have a past and lack only a future.

by Michael Minkoff, Jr
Christian School Teacher

Additional information:

This poem is a pantoum and was recently published in The Counsel of Chalcedon, ministry magazine of Chalcedon Presbyterian Church, Cumming, GA

Here's a link to MsRogers English Room/Poetry site with 30 different formats for writing your own poetry. I have a strong memory of trying to write a limerick in elementary school. That may explain my fondness for Ogden Nash, but thankfully no extant copy of my creativity remains.

I love this example of concrete poetry entitled Forsythia.

And the only other format I've completed is the list poem.

Here's my example.

Are you a poet?

Vernal Sentiment

Though the crocuses poke up their heads in the usual places,

The frog scum appear on the pond with the same froth of green,

And boys moon at girls with last year's fatuous faces,


I never am bored, however familiar the scene.




When from under the barn the cat brings a similar litter, -
Two yellow and black, and one that looks in between, -
Though it all happened before, I cannot grow bitter:
I rejoice in the spring, as though no spring ever had been.



Theodore Roethke
American (Michigan) Poet
1908 - 1963


This year I am taken with the color contrast between the purple redbuds and the greenness of the budding trees. It explains how/why those two colors look good together in my wardrobe. But I didnt figure it out on my own. Artist daughter told me.









What colors are drawing your eyes?

The Calf Path

Experiencing a resurgence in popularity, this poem is making appearances in speeches (recited from memory by Judge Roy Moore), books (Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola), and blogs (BuriedTreasureBooks and others). It is not Foss's most well-known, that's The House by the Side of the Road, but it is worthy of sharing because of its commentary on the herd mentality.

Initially, on that first trip home, I suspect the herdsman led the calf directly. The obvious lesson for me then is to find the herdsman and make our paths straight (Prov 3:5-6).

On the civil front, I learned how to keep the path straight from the legislator highlighted on my Xanga page. He would have been 74 yrs old today. And he was no fool.

One day thru the primeval wood
A calf walked home, as good calves should;
But made a trail, all bent askew,
A crooked trail, as all calves do.
Since then 300 years have fled,
And I infer the calf is dead.
But still, he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.

The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way.
And then, a wise bell -weathered sheep
Pursued the trail, o'er vale and steep,
And drew the flocks behind him too
As good bell-weathers always do.
And from that day, o'er hill and glade
Thru those old woods, a path was made.

And many men wound in and out,
And dodged, and turned, and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because 'twas such a crooked path,
But still they followed, do not laugh,
The first migrations of that calf.
And thru the winding woods they stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.

This forest path became a lane
That bent, and turned, and turned again.
This crooked lane became a road
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun
And traveled some three miles in one.
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.

The years passed on in swiftness fleet,
The road became a village street.
And this, before men were aware,
A city's crowded thoroughfare.
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis.
And men, two centuries and a half
Trod the footsteps of that calf.

Each day a hundred thousand route
Followed the zig-zag calf about,
And o'er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf, near three centuries dead.
They followed still his crooked way
And lost one hundred years per day.
For this such reverence is lent
To well establish precedent.

A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained, and called to preach.
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out, and in, and forth, and back,
And still their devious course pursue
To keep the paths that others do.

They keep the paths a sacred groove
Along which all their lives they move.
But how the wise old wood gods laugh
Who saw that first primeval calf.
Ah, many things this tale might teach,
But I am not ordained to preach.



by Sam Walter Foss
American Poet and Librarian
1858 - 1911

The Day Before April

The day before April
Alone, alone,
I walked in the woods
And sat on a stone.

I sat on a broad stone
And sang to the birds.
The tune was God's making
But I made the words.

by Mary Carolyn Davies


Just wondering if y'all are all ready for National Poetry Month?

I couldn't wait so I highlighted one today here and over on my Xanga site.

Photo is of Sixes Mill, where I will be taking my walk this afternoon. For the purpose of *truth in advertising*, I should tell you that it is cloudy and overcast today - not sunny like in the picture.

Update:
Rain drops were falling at 6p when I was ready to walk, so I'm postponing this excursion for Thursday.

Bumblebees



Carpenter Bee

Notice the white triangle on his head.






Some call him the Wood Boring Bumblebee.

I've heard they dont sting





In this picture borrowed from Flickr,









the photographer calls the insect a white-faced bumblebee.

I cant really see the white.

He's gathering nectar.

What makes him *white*?


I'm confused.

Are there lots of white-faced bumblebees out there?

I want to be able to identify them.


Any suggestions?

Rebecca Sue Earnest, R. I. P.



















Becky died early this morning and I thought my girls might like to see this happy photograph of her. We were picking her up for school that day in late February 1991: Grandparents' Day at The Heiskell School.

She was always delighted to be our honorary grandmother, since she had never married and not had any children of her own. She would have been 91 on her next birthday, May 31st.

A reader and a leader in her own right, she regaled us with many stories about growing up in Atlanta and being the first female air traffic controller at the airport.

Here's a link to one of the last family gatherings with the girls.

Fittingly, this afternoon I'm attending the Cherokee Community Chorale's performance of John Rutter's Requiem.

I think Becky would have enjoyed it, too.

Fine Art Friday















Leo X by Raphael
Oil on Panel 60.6 x 46.9 in
1518 - 1519
Galleria degli Uffizi

This painting came to my attention while I was reading an interesting article by the outrageously liberal Camille Paglia. And in light of my comments about art opening doors (good for teaching purposes), I'm posting this artwork because I remember the intrigue, but I didnt know Raphael was commenting on it.

Paglia pins Leo for dividing Christianity. His ego would have appreciated that. But I'm not sure he deserves that much credit.

If you'd shown me this painting, I wouldnt have recognized the Pope.

Not sure I would recognize the current one either, except for his garb and entourage.

But I am trying to pick familiar faces out of this recent painting by three Chinese artists. See Shirley Temple?

How many do you recognize?

Orange Roses





Still having fun tying scarves in different ways, I'm wearing this one today. I had to go back and rewatch Big Mama in order to remember how to make that knot.







The orange is significant because I like to talk about my Protestant (Scotch-Irish) heritage and counterpoint the green-loving Irish Catholics... on this man-made, Hallmark holiday.

Sounds a little rebellious, huh?

Just a little.

How are you celebrating St Patricks Day?














This year's reading assignment is Chapter 2: Domestic Life of the Lowland Scot.

Quotes to follow :)

Dinner Menu - Late Winter


Here's what I'm thinking for after church tomorrow

And how it turned out.








Bloody Mary Pot Roast (Venison)
Corn Casserole
Steamed Cauliflower
Sweet Peppers 'n Onions

Garlic Bread

Gallo Merlot
Iced Tea


Ghirardelli Chocolate Cake
Coffee


It's raining and chilly here today. Although Spring is trying to appear in the form of blooming daffodil bulbs and bradford pear trees, I have to remind myself that it is still Winter. Easter is four weeks hence. We're bound to have crazy weather until then.

Time for Saturday chores.

See ya 'round!

Fashion on Friday


I'm really sticking my neck out here...

Giggle.

The big question?

Should I have photographed the necklace by itself on black velvet?

Or given you this glorious shot of my 50-year-old neck?

Nora Ephron, here I come honey!




Actually the issue at hand is to prepare my wardrobe for Spring and Summer and in my effort throw off the winter doldrums, I wore this statement necklace earlier this week.

I bought it about five years ago at a jewelry party and find that it makes certain outfits really standout. I doubt there's another exactly like it, but you will see in the stores now a plethora of big jewelry.

Wear some.

Accessorize.

It will make you feel better.




PS Just to give you encouragement and let you know that you can wear a something like this even if you're staying at home all day.... the cutest rendition of the style I've seen lately? A middle-aged women wearing jeans, a turquoise zip-up sweatshirt, with a colorful, beady necklace.

Just do it!

Take a picture, too.

Where Do We Go From Here?
Chapter Eleven
All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes

Mapping out the long and winding road through popular culture, author Ken Myers addresses all the groups affected by the trends of popular culture and challenges them to action.




The intellectuals, the parents, the teachers, the industry workers, and finally church leaders - all are called to understand the nature of culture (popular, folk, and high) making sure that their views are consistent with the context in which God created it.

Is it a mad dash?

No, I dont think so. I identify with the turtle in the fable: slow, plodding, determined steps toward the finish line.

Dash toward what?

I am free to engage with the people and institutions around me because as a born-again believer my affections are rooted in Christ's culture (kingdom). I must seek protection from Him and regularly at that. Then and only then will the idolatrous culture not rule my life.

Myers states that

one can enjoy popular culture without compromising Biblical principles as long as one is not dominated by the sensibility of popular culture, as long as one is not capitvated by its idols.

Engaging the culture on all fronts is the key that starts the cars we're driving on this long and winding road. Christians cannot and should not avoid certain arenas on the pretext that they are ungodly.

I'm using the Bible as my road map.

What are you using?

Nine in 2009

Seems like a good day to revisit some New Year's Resolutions and see how I'm doing. One of the things I like about blogging (and categorizing my entries) is that it really makes it easier to check up on myself.



Sometimes it's difficult to stay focused.


For a couple of years I have read and contemplated Doug Phillips' year-end assessment. His is so lengthy (albeit excellent) that I have never started it other than in my mind. I do think I would have more success with his if I followed it throughout the year, creating an album that would be finished at year's end.

At any rate, here's a link to a short AJC article that I'm using this year for structure.

1) Get the family up and moving.

Not doing so great in this area, unless you count the fact that DH and I *relax* together in the evenings by NOT MOVING. Actually we have walked together as a family and now that it's staying lighter longer, I think we can work this into the schedule. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have yet to make good use of the stationary bike mentioned in this entry.

2) Give your spouse 15 minutes per day.

Since I work with DH, I think he appreciates when I dont talk to him :) No, really. The advice in this area is noteworthy: no griping during this check-in time. (I could be more careful about that.) But if I count in 5-minutes snatches, I'll bet we rack up 15 minutes with any problem at all.

3) Count your blessings.

Easy to do here. My list is long and I have no grounds for complaints. What I could do is *tell* those people more often that they are a blessing to me.

4) Reach out.

I'm on the receiving end in this arena. I have a *new* friend whom I met on Facebook! I did pay visit with an old neighbour in January; need to write that thank-you note; and have yet to clean out the closet.

5) Be optimistic.

Not a problem... I think I'm wired that way. Actually, no, I think it's a gift from God. I wake up happy and ready for each day the Lord gives me.

6) Do at least one thing each week that brings you enjoyment.

Collecting (books) and reading (fiction and non) - I carry them around with me; even if I dont have time to look at them when I'm at the office, I like knowing they're there.

See that book review in the upper right-hand corner? It's written by my favorite college history professor and prompted me to buy Dr Kirk's book.

7) Take a little time to answer tough questions.

Cindy over at Dominion Family gives me the opportunity to address signficant questions. We've been discussing pop culture in an online book club.

Carol at MagistraMater always writes about interesting topics. Thanks for suffering through my comments, Carol!

Plus I've been reading Calvin's Institutes of Christian Religion - that's a real brain-teaser. Check out the site at Princeton Theological Seminary. I hope to post more about Calvin in honor of his 500th birthday (July 9th).

Per Phyllis McGinley:

Housewives deserve well-furnished minds. They have to live in them such a lot of the time!

8) Dont fall into a weight-loss trap.

I'm hopelessly trapped, weighing myself daily. I only *record* the number once per week. I know that I weigh TEN pounds more this March than I did last. There I said it! Now everyone knows!

I should have signed on with Amy at Humble Musings and dieted with that group. I'd be in much better shape. I might even be richer :)

9) Be good to your feet.

This resolution is interesting because wearing the right shoe size makes all the difference in the world. About five years ago, a good friend mentioned that she'd purposefully gone up a size, with amazing results.

With walking as my exercise, I've never experienced knee pain (hip or back either), but I routinely moan about my feet. Even with no regular pounding during this past winter, my right heel continues to hurt. That means I need to do more stretching exercises (per DH-MD).

And... time to schedule a pedicure ...

So I'll be ready for some new peep-toed shoes!

Spring Cardigan

















By this time of year, I'm ready for Spring even when Mother Nature may not be. In my area, it's cold and rainy today; and there is snow in the forecast for Sunday morning!!

Wearing this fun floral cardigan with a black skirt and red patent flats has already lifted my spirits. Scroll down to see the black/brown rendition of this outfit, winterized with tights and boots.

It's not too early to start thinking about new colors (black and white) or a statement accessory (oversized necklace?) and updating the wardrobe while cleaning out the closet.

What are you wearing in anticipation of Spring?

Eggs, Balogh and Culture


Would you hang this picture in your home?


You will find it at http://www.freespiritart.com/

A righteous life and rigorous training without a heart full of grace is like an
egg without a yolk — a fragile shell that will break under the slightest
pressure.

Not only are Pharisees a bore and an active bother, they
eventually crack under the strain of impossible expectations.

That is
only one side of the truth, however,

for though Pharisees are eggs without
yolks, those who try to exist solely on mercy without structure or discipline
are like eggs without shells —

a sticky, gooey mess.

Gary Thomas
Seeking the Face of God


I happened upon this egg quote on Cindy's sidebar... and kept mulling it over. I guess because I like eggs .... for several reasons.

I like paintings of them and poems about them.

I like to eat them, too. I think they are good for me. In fact, I know they are.

Here's a link to my *egg* training.

Furthermore, here's a link to an insightful article about culture addressing the issue of the artist versus the entertainer. Again I found it at Cindy's.

The author, Endre Balogh, who is new to me appears to be a talented musician and artist.

Here's a link to his version of a broken egg.

Who is new on your cultural horizon?

Myers and Murder Mystery

Great art, she felt, had a calming effect on the viewer. It made one
stop in awe, which is exactly what Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol did
not do. You didnt stop in awe; they stopped you in your tracks
perhaps, but that wasnt the same thing as awe. Awe was something entirely
different.

These are the words of Isabel Dalhousie, the main character in Alexander McCall Smith's book, The Sunday Philosophy Club (chapt 21), which I listened to over the weekend and reviewed here.

It may seem that I'm stuck in chapter seven of Ken Myer's book, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes, but I am continuing to mull over in my mind the pregnant propositions he's making. As such, it is particularly appropriate to remember the above quote by Dalhousie found in the light murder mystery I enjoyed on my weekend jaunt to see my daughters in Michigan.

In addition to being an amateur sleuth, Dalhousie appreciates fine art. That means that I need to go back through the book and make a list of the paintings she has in her own home plus highlight the description of a suspect's living room in which she mentions over six artists.

Where are you finding applications of your Myers' reading?

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting


See what I did this afternoon!

A virtual birthday cake for DD#3 who turns 21 tomorrow.

Virtual because she's in Michigan and I'm in Georgia.

Close your eyes and make a wish!







1-2-3-4 Cake
(my grandmother's recipe)

1 C real butter
2 C granulated white sugar
3 C sifted flour (sift all purpose flour then measure out)
4 eggs (5 are better, but then the *title* doesnt match)

3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C water (or milk)

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs on at the time. Alternately add water and flour mixture. Add vanilla. Bake in three 9" prepared cake pans at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Invert pans onto wire racks and remove cakes from pans immediately to prevent overcooking. Cover each layer with damp paper towel, while they cool.

Chocolate Frosting

3/4 Cup butter, softened
4 cups XXX sugar
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, (i.e. Bakers squares), melted
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 oz water
1 oz choc liqueur

Using wire wisk blend until fluffy in mixer.
Makes enough to ice a 3-layer 9" cake.

Before the Revolution
Chapter Seven
All Gods Children and Blue Suede Shoes


Feeling pretty depressed at the situation after reading Myers, I'm not sure what to say

except that

now I understand better why I have never connected with pop art.


More later.

Scarves, Bows, and Sashes

Here's the *before* photo and a couple of questions.


Can you tie a square knot?



Is there any purple in your closet?



Will you wear a scarf today?




Yesterday a blogger friend, Donna at Quiet Life, posted a link for scarf-tying techniques. I thought it was helpful and I want to remember the site. So please meet *BigMama* who isnt so *big* :)




Here's my after photo, but you cant really see my square knot.

But I can do it.


Everyone always asks me to tie their sashes, bows, and scarves.... even ties.


And no, I didnt learn it in Girl Scouts.


My mother taught me.


Right over left, and left over right.


Try it.

Here's a link to see what the knot should look like



Here's another link - for tying lighter weight scarves at Brooks Brothers.

Or perhaps you're good at tying men's ties.

Here's a picture of the one most recently given to DH.






More about that handsome pattern here.

Better to Receive


Opening the proverbial can of worms, author Ken Myers addresses the invasion of popular culture on the liturgy of the church on pg 99, of Chapter Six in All God's Children & Blue Suede Shoes.

Oh, no!

Here not only do we go a meddlin' but we've flat out stepped on peoples toes... hard! The particular example concerns whether a particular song sung solo during worship was true, lovely, noble, or admirable.

Surely you can recall such an incident.

Acutally I thought we might avoid this type of controversy when the basis for the chapter was the analysis of C S Lewis's 1961 essay An Experiment in Criticism (mainly addressing books and reading), but Myers rightly extrapolates the argument into the church. I mean how can we ignore the Author of the reality to be grasped. So, even though Myers adeptly explains the factors Lewis proposed for evaluating books, music, art, etc, they can also be used within the sanctuary. In fact, it's a really good way to decide how and what to read, listen to, or regard.

But that issue of subjectivism has raised its ugly head. Never mind the opinion of the worship committee! Those are matters of taste; or "One man's kitsch is another man's art.*

And propriety?

How dare I suggest that such was not appropriate!

Why, I'm the one accused of rudeness for even pointing that out. Read Lynn Truss.

Yup. That's the triumph of the pervasiveness of popular culture, all those preconceived notions about what is proper, what is good, what is bad - they're now null and void.

Furthermore, that social egotism which runs rampant with this type of thinking?

That is exactly what is totally offensive to me. And I think God is offended ... first! Rightly spoken, I am offended for Him, for His Honor, for His Name. I am called to defend Him.

One of the ways I can do that is to be a *docent of glory* Here's a link to what I'm talking about. It also contains a reference to T M Moore's thought provoking article Can I Get a Witness.

But I'm digressing.

Our culture is sick on a number of fronts: high, low, folk, or popular. Take your pick. That is not to say every one or all persons involved are. Just generally speaking :)

Myers implies that it's a reflection of our spiritual health. I agree.

It probably starts with what we're reading.

Learn more about it at DominionFamily where our online book club discussion is taking place.


Update: 1/30/09 entry at my Xanga site addressing paintings in particular.

Peachy Tulips

In honor of Calvin's 500th birthday (July 10, 2009)I am reading his Institutes online with the help of Princeton Theological Seminary. Here's the link. Each morning, I follow along with the audio rendition. Addressing both the the eyes and the ears creates a better atmosphere for understanding. I recommend it.

But his birthday makes me remember other things about Calvin which I intend to detail throughout the year.

The first is an acrostic that many associate with a summarizing of Christian doctrine, exemplified in Calvin's systematization.



It's T-U-L-I=P


T=total depravity
U=unconditional surrender
L=limited atonement
I=irresistible grace
P=perseverance of the saints


In Southern this becomes P-E-A-C-H

P=pervasive perversity
E=election, external and eternal
A=atonement, limited by design
C=calling, effectual
H=heavenly home held by heavenly hands


Have you heard of this before?

How does it strike you?

Which letter was most difficult for you to accept.

For me, it was the *limited atonement* issue.

The one which just melts my heart?

Irresistible grace.

Who can resist the Lord God Almighty?

Today I am pleased to understand these doctrines because the Lord shed His Light on my heart and made my blind eyes see and my deaf ears hear.

May you be so blessed.

Fashion on Friday

Brown is a favorite color of mine, much preferred over black.

But the main point of this photo is the tights.

They're brown, too.

My girls may think I'm dorky.

But I like wearing tights, panty hose, or socks and am appalled at the new trend to go without.

I've done it, but I dont like it.


Thank goodness First Lady Obama wore panty hose at Tuesday's Inauguration Ceremony. It affords a more polished appearance. However, I wondered if her feet hurt at the end of that day? Those green heels were 3 inches!

How do you feel about stocking/panty hose/tights?

I dont, however, own any Spanx.

Even if I am a native Atlantan.

Do you?









Original Footless Pantyhose from Spanx: In 1988, Sara Blakely cut the feet off her pantyhose so she could get the benefits of shaping and an invisible panty line under slacks while wearing sandals. Two years later, the Atlanta resident introduced a comfortable, body-slimming, toeless garment to the market. The line now consists of over 100 figure-enhancing garments

Accounting for Taste

Gone to meddlin' some might say when Ken Myers broaches the subject of preferences (either music or cannibalism!) on page 77 of All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes and proves that matters of taste are not wholly private and personal.

The author had already begun to draw the line in the sand on page 76 by suggesting that if a particular culture form encourages the sort of individualism that presupposes that one has to discover who s/he is independent of family and community then there is a problem.

BINGO!

Here's the reason we mothers (who have no taste and wore short shorts - giggle) are reading this book:

What should attract more attention is the effect of consistent exposure to
popular culture, whether or not the content is objectionable, on the internal
dispositions. The habits of mind, heart, and soul. In short the
qualities of character.

AMEN!

Aesthetic judgment is one way of determining merit or evaluating form, but is by its very nature more elusive than the scientific (quantitative or qualitative) method will allow. It requires patience, training, and a willingness to submit. Those are qualities that I'm sure all of us are striving to develop in our children, our charges.

Myers quotes a 1966 article addressing the aesthetics of popular art showing its limitations by contrast:

Great art reveals something about human nature because it is forced to
conform to created reality. It selects its material according to the
demands of the "Author of the reality to be grasped".

Now that's a new name for God, but I recognized Him.

He is our reference point.

In this same referenced article, it is argued that popular art cannot bear the sustained attention that high art can. We might remain well-acquainted with it, but the relationship is always superficial, never maturing into intimacy. pg 83

I appreciated the explanation surrounding celebrityism, another attribute of pop culture, and how TV talk shows play into this. And how sentimentality, another attribute, and its lack of sincerity permeates the atmosphere even into evangelicalism.

Myers just explains a lot.

He challenges my sympathies.

Because I watch television, listen to music, surf the world wide web, and enjoy fashion.

But because I think my life is characterized by a rootedness in objective reality, the subjectivism of popular culture is impotent for me.

Or is it?

Popular Culture and the Restless Ones

Dictionary definitions and scholarly quotes abound in chapter four of AGC&BSS, as Ken Myers establishes the framework of culture: its origin, nature, and attributes. He particularly addresses the causative agents and does not overlook the responses (manners and social habits) of those affected by these new social forces.

There was so much to digest that I was tempted to make a vocabulary list in order to remember all the people, places and things he mentioned. I still dont know what the old SCTV troupe is. (pg 63)

At any rate, I am a little perplexed with the idea that popular culture (per se) is new. I mean there has always been culture and there has always been a populace. Also, if the main question for addressing the liabilities of popular culture is how to spend one's time, then we all know that that question is as old as the hills. (pg 55)

In fact, I think that in the chapter's title, Myers is referring to someone as old as the hills: Augustine of Hippo (4th cent). That creature of popular culture who goofed off (pear tree incident) and wasted time (debauchery) until he was almost thirty years old. Remember his poem where the final line is -

Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in you

Fast forward to the 16th century and meet the French skeptic, Montaigne, who agonized over people not paying enough time to God and worried that *variety always solaces, dissolves, and scatters. He's talking about distractions (in the culture) here.

Blaise Pascal (also French) in the 17th century identifies the same restlessness and blames it on the lack of religion in the culture. So, when Myers promotes the television as the modern entertainment appliance unlike any other, I just dont buy its uniqueness. I dont know what were the previous artifacts in the earlier centuries that distracted the populace, but I'm willing to bet there was something.


I suppose, however, that in the chapter title Myers could have been referring to the 1965 Christian film entitled Restless Ones







or the '80s rock band, Bad English, which had a song called The Restless Ones.





But I'm thinking restless means *without or apart from God* and am going with the Augustine reference.

What do you think?

Back to the issue at hand and the after-effects of the big, bad Industrial Revolution (18th - 19th cent) which allowed for unprecedented discretionary time and income, which in turn *forced* people to look for ways to relieve boredom.

Okay, I'll go along with the idea here that *empty people search for fulfilment in all the wrong places*.

Jump into the 20th century where Myers asserts that popular culture (over and above high and folk cultures) has been a more dominant force in the past 25 years (1963-1988), a veritable valium of the masses. He suggests that the search for diversion (recreation) has become more and more desperate and requires greater and greater levels of stimulation.

I concur.

In fact, the phrase *I'm bored* is one of my pet peeves.

So, I re-read the chapter in order to solidify my understanding of this quest for novelty and instant gratification. I think my upbringing provided me with a built-in line-of-defense for avoiding some of these negative manners and habits, but the best mode of maintaining my preference for the permanent things (Eliot/Lewis/Kirk) is teaching my children (or others). I never bought into the liberal parenting technique that they had the right to choose. (pg 69)

Ask them if we had a television and how we used it.

Or what radio station we listened to in the car.

Ah, what about the Internet, Cindy asks?

Yes, as early as 1990, we had dial-up (they were too young to use it then). Then we signed up for high-speed (maybe 2004), but with parental controls and guidelines on a desktop computer in a family-room-type study for educational purposes. Yeah, right!? (grin) Above all it was made clear that these appliances were luxuries, not necessities; tools, not gods (icons).

High-speed access fits right in with the final pages of the 20-page chapter in which Myers addresses our impatience. I confess I kept counting to see how many more pages I had to read.

Does instant access to information on the world-wide web contribute negatively to pop culture?

It makes me wonder how people felt about the phonebook or the Yellow Pages when they were first published? Was it too much information about a person or a business to make available to the masses? Wouldnt the details be used improperly? To borrow a phrase from a Facebook friend, were the Yellow Pages comparable to Faceplanting?

This entry is far too long for me to expect that anyone would read it in its entirety. But that's okay.

I'm not restless.

I'm not seeking instant gratification in the form of lots of comments.

I'm seeking wisdom.

I'm not primitive. That's why I own a computer.

I live in a time and place where God has placed me to serve Him.

Oh Lord, make me ever mindful of Your presence.

MLK Day and Mass Age

.
This particular Monday in January always makes me pause and reflect. I can remember being in the elevator in the Canon House Office Building with LPMcD, my boss and representative of the 7th District of Georgia. He was waxing eloquent about Newt Gingrich's first vote as a new member of the House (1979): one in favor of establishing this federal holiday.


It also makes me want to re-read the speech that accompanies Dr King's famous line *I have a dream*.

It makes me want to search Scripture and wonder to which chapter and verse Dr King was referring. Was it in Jeremiah?

Jeremiah 23
25.
"I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies
in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!'
26.
How long will
this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions
of their own minds?
27.
They think the dreams they tell one another will
make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal
worship.
28.
Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the
one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?"
declares the Lord.
29.
"Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and
like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
30.
"Therefore," declares the
Lord, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly
from me.
31.
Yes," declares the Lord, "I am against the prophets who wag
their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.'
32.
Indeed, I am
against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the Lord. "They tell them and
lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint
them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the Lord.

It makes me really appreciate Blogger, a new cultural form, which has helped me keep track of my thoughts. Here's a link to a previous MLK Day entry.

Here's a link to some of my thoughts on integration.

Here's a link to how Alveda King, MLK's niece, thinks the dream incomplete. Do you know how your Senator or Representative feel about the Freedom of Choice Act.

And so, with respect to my current online book club where we are reading about Pop Culture (is there a war?), I wonder if the important focus is the message (mass age) or the medium on this holiday?

What do you think?

Fashion on Fridays

Sometimes on Fridays, I like to highlight my fashion. Nothing truly fantastic or trendy. Just a little creative comment: a challenge to find something in the back of my closet and update it inexpensively; or mention a new purchase.

This week I'd really like to talk about what Michelle Obama will be wearing to the Inaugural Ball.


I thought she looked lovely in this turquoise dress and brooch she wore during the campaign.

















First ladies can really take a beating from the media if they're not careful with choices.


Surely Michelle wont copy Mary Todd Lincoln the way her husband is borrowing Abe's Bible.
















What I'm really trying to do is bury a picture of my 1970s fashion. In the comment section of this Dominion Family entry about Pop Culture, there was a dare to post pictures of *short shorts*.



Here I am...1976 or '77


Oh, my!















Bonus for reading to the end :)

Four fashion trends that should be nuked.

Would You Take Jesus to See This Planet?
Chapter Three, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes

Yes, but he might chuckle after the tour, knowing that much had been overlooked. In fact, I might not make such a good docent. After all I hardly *know* all God's children AND I told you that I'd never heard about Carl Perkins's song about blue suede shoes.

Am I fit to show Jesus around?

Myers says *yes*.

That God offered me cultural assistance when he clothed Adam and Eve. pg44

But because God recreated me and empowers me to walk His Way, I am separated from some parts of my culture. There are limits to what I can do because I'm not the only one here. pg 50

And while Christians are called to go out into every culture, I am placed in time and space to create that holy pattern in my garden (household). I love His Order. I am charged to influence my culture and to make it more consistent with the created nature; to sanctify my own life. pg 51


So, Jesus.

Come on over.

I'll show You around.

I'm not ashamed.

West of Eden by Renee Radell
Oil on Linen 72" x 66"
1986

What is Culture, that Thou Art Mindful of It?


Foundational questions and principles as solid as the Corinthian pillar pictured in this caricature are covered in the second chapter of Ken Myer's book, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes.

The author wastes no time getting to meat (1 Cor 10:23-26) of the issue in the title alone.

The chapter's title is a play on Psalm 8:4 where David is lauding the majesty of God and wondering why an awesome creator would contemplate a lowly creature.

The implication is that we humans think so highly of ourselves and our possessions that we're not aware of our surroundings (culture) - popular or unpopular, high brow or low.

Perhaps it would be premature for me at this point to claim that I am mindful. I am aware. I am not indifferent.

After all I am reading about it. That means I care, right?

Not!

I cannot bear to contemplate such cultural icons as Michael Jackson or Madonna. Or listen to their music.

Thankfully though, neither do I identify with the fiddler in this caricature. But Myers does force me to examine my own outlook by presenting the cultural apologies of such fine thinkers as C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, Fredrich Hayek, and Derek Kidner.

Easily the author assesses the nature of culture by examining its religious base, its relativism, and its context. He does not overlook that it should be measured by Biblical standards and that it cannot be socially engineered. This is valuable reference material.

I wonder though?

Did I accept his arguments too quickly?

Perhaps.

But I know why.

By the grace of God He quickened my spirit and ignited my imagination: that realm of human experience that exists prior to that lower power which drives social critics.

Furthermore, I concur with Myers I need teachers and the fellowship of the saints , i.e. the local church because

applying Scripture to our individual experience is difficult for each of us,
often as much because we fail to understand the significance of our own
situations, the context in which we are applying it, because we fail to
understand the original, objective meaning of the text. pg 33

And so, I read and think (wisdom calls me to). I consider the rewarding task of taking dominion as described by my favorite apologist, Russell Kirk.

A culture is perennially in need of renewal.

A culture does not survive and prosper merely by being taken for granted;
active defense is always required, and imaginative growth, too.

Meet my contributions to the future of our culture.
















GMVP = God's Most Valuable Players, nurtured in the admonition of the Lord to love and serve Him as strong leaders in the 21st century.

Veritable roses, don't ya think?

It's amazing how much cultivation roses take in order to bloom.

All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes
Chapter One


My PCQ (popular culture quotient) was less than ten, so Mr. Myers labels me as *semimonastic*, thinking that I probably dont need to read his book.

But I am surrounded in my immediate family and with others (aka *the world*) who find the conduits of popular culture and its content far more entertaining than I.

Therefore, I cannot helped but be influenced.

The pervasiveness of the *noise* compels me to investigate the assaults on my senses (and those of my children).


The author set out to understand popular culture and not condemn it, so that he could be more obedient to God and glorify Him appropriately in everyday living.

That's enough to convince me to keep reading.

Interestingly enough, Myers does not believe that much would be improved in our society even if Christians somehow could take over all the instruments and forms of popular culture.

That's makes me want to skip to the last chapter.

But I wont.

I know that our culture has been conquered by King Jesus and that the King of Rock 'n Roll is only an icon....even if his birthday is January 8th (many are already celebrating including Gov Huckabee).

Chapter One starts out with an interesting example of a fellow who moves to a new city because he has a job there. However, the atmosphere (culture) of the new environs are so base that it destroys him and his family. I had never thought of Lot in that way, especially not as a righteous man.

Myers made me remember the good advice given to us in pre-marital counseling: always assess the possibilities for your church home when evaluating a move to a new locale. There is no substitute for the weekly hearing of the faithful preaching of God's Word because it constrains the Monday-through-Friday activities.

At this point, the author designates television and rock and roll music as the two basic forms by which popular culture is influenced. I think that is still true today, twenty years after the first publication of the book. Even though Myers tries to eschew the discussing of the content (of pop culture) in favor of the sensibilities, in reality, the two cannot be separated.

I maintain that it's not the instrument that is evil per se; it's the heart of man (Mark 7:15).

But do I regard my culture as an enemy? including TVs, XM Radio, Wiis, and Ipods?

You betcha!

And the best way to capture the enemy?

To know his ways.

However, Myers reminds us that

Popular culture is not a simple, homogenous abstraction that allows for simple
application of Biblical principles. Its challenges and temptations do not
confront us like the proverbial harlot whose seductions are clearly to
sin. It has many dimensions and contours and hidden agendas that require
some historical and experiential perspectives before we can evaluate it fairly
and, having understood it, conduct ourselves in its presence with wisdom.

Yup!

That's what I want to do:

Conduct myself with wisdom.

All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes

Basically aware of the book since its publication in 1989, I've never taken the time to read it. But now that Cindy at Dominion Family is hostessing an online book club, I decided to sign up.

I am committed to reading, thinking, and learning about popular culture.




The official start date is Wednesday, January 7, 2009; and I have resisted reading the book since the announcement of the club in December. But today I felt compelled to get oriented.

Besides holding and flipping through the book (tactile learner?), I've contemplated the Title, read the Dedication, glimpsed at the Table of Contents, overlooked the Acknowledgements, perused the Bibliography, waited on the End Notes, reveled in the Index, enjoyed the Introduction, and made notes through the First Chapter.

At this point, I must confess that I feel woefully ignorant, inadequate, and just plain dense. There may be something lacking in my education or family upbringing (gene pool), but I just dont retain much information about popular culture: music, movies, games. DH is the guru in our family.

Furthermore, to prove that statement, I will admit publicallly that I had NO CLUE about the reference for the Blue Suede Shoes.





My daughters wear blue suede shoes.


I think they're pretty.








But something told me that was not what Ken Myers was talking about.


So, I googled.


I met Carl Perkins at Wikipedia.

I listened to THE song on an Australian Elvis Presley Fan Club site.

I requested a CD of Rockabilly songs from the library.

Basically I got a grip on the situation.

Here's a picture of the shoes that may have inspired the lyrics to the song.

















Should be interesting.

Hope you'll join us.

Happy New Year!!

Collard Greens

and

Black-eyed Peas









are cooking on the stove in preparation for our traditional dinner. Sweet potatoes are baking in the bottom oven, while a fresh ham has been roasting S.L.O.W.L.Y. in the top one since yesterday.

All the Christmas decorations are put away.

January first is a good day for rest, relaxation, and reflection.

And maybe a little football.

Watching, not playing :)