The long-awaited fall breezes are finally here! We still get warm in the afternoons, but I love evenings and mornings.
Besides the first day of autumn, September held several pleasant happenings. We enjoyed Jim's grilled burgers with the family on Labor Day. Jason, Mittu, and Timothy had us over for Grandparent's Day. We had a lovely meal, some cute cards in which Timothy told what he liked about us, and a couple of thoughtful gifts. Then Jesse, my youngest, turned 30, so we had fun celebrating him together.
I had mentioned earlier in the year that we were visiting churches. We've been at the same one for several weeks now and just finished their class for potential members. This church is a little busier than we're used to. Of course, we don't have to go to everything, and I'm somewhat limited due to physical issues. But we really like the preaching and are enjoying getting to know folks.
Jim changed his mind about retirement several times, but finally told his company he'll retire at the end of the year. We've had many discussions about what he'll do afterward. He likes to keep busy, so I'm sure he won't occupy a rocking chair for long. It's nice to have options.
Creating
I only made one card this month, for Jesse's birthday. I did it on the computer, as I didn't have any ideas for a "handmade" card for a 30th birthday. I found free clip art site with birthday candles in a set of five, so I copied and pasted it enough times to fill up the page.
Watching
One movie Jim and I enjoyed together was Little Boy, about an eight-year-old boy whose father goes off to WWII. Being told that "faith can move mountains," he sets out to exert all the faith he can to bring his father home. I would not take my theology from the movie. But it was sweet in places, touching and heart-wrenching in others, and did some interesting things with cinematography.
Another was Walking with the Enemy, "based on" a true story about a young Jewish Hungarian man who takes the uniform from a dead German Nazi officer to impersonate him to rescue a friend being held prisoner. But he can't leave others to die, so he impersonates the officer more often in more daring situations.
We also watched Hanna's War, based on Hannah Szenes (sometimes written as Senesh). She was a Hungarian Jew who immigrated to Israel during WWII. She was recruited and trained as a paratrooper with the British Special Operations Executive to parachute into Yugoslavia and help rescue Hungarian Jews facing deportation. She was arrested in Hungary, jailed, tortured, and executed. Wikipedia says she is regarded as a national hero is Israel. Though we didn't do this on purpose, it was helpful that we watched Walking With the Enemy previous to this and knew the situation with Germany's takeover of Hungary.
Another "based on true events" film I watched by myself when Jim was away was Belle. Dido Elizabeth Belle, the biracial daughter of a Navy sea captain, was brought to his estate to be raised as his daughter and heir, even though by society's standards she's not permitted in certain gatherings. Her grandfather was the Lord Chief Justice who has to rule on a case involving slaves thrown overboard from a ship, whose owners then sought to be compensated by insurance. But the details of the film vary from history. You might know of Dido from a famous painting she and her cousin were the subjects of.
Another I watched myself was Dear Viola, where Kellie Martin plays Katie, a spinsterish accountant for a newspaper who submits a reply for the recently vacated "Dear Viola" advice column. Her editor likes it so well, he hires her to take on the column, but she wants to do so secretly. Soon she's sparring with a male writer who laments his lack of social life since his wife died. The small town eagerly awaits what the next letter will say. But in such a small town, she figures out who the letter-writer is. This was a predictable but sweet romance. It's clean except for Katie's friend saying she had hoped Katie would stay overnight during her date.
I've not watched The Chosen. I'm wary of biblical fiction in books or films, because invariably the writers have to fill in with extra-biblical details. I think they can help visualize happenings in the Bible if we keep in mind that anything extra is the author's speculation. For instance, some years ago I saw a film about the crucifixion (not The Passion of the Christ, but I don't remember what it was). I was struck by the noise of the crowd and the realization of having to bear that along with everything else. The Bible says people taunted Jesus and jeered, but I tended to think of them doing that only when someone was quoted.
However, I usually abstain because I don't want the non-biblical parts confused in my mind with the real parts, and I don't want those actors in my mind as I read the Bible.
Recently Adam Blumer shared a video of how the director of The Chosen filmed the scene of Jesus waking on the water. I was intrigued, so I watched the episode containing that scene (Season 3, Episode 8, "Sustenance"). There were some, "Hmm, I wonder why the filmmakers did it that way or threw that in" moments. But that particular scene was very powerful, as was the reading of Psalm 77 at the end in a flashback of Asaph debuting before King David a psalm he wrote. Hearing the last stanza, especially, dealing with water and such verses as "Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen" (Psalm 77:19) just after seeing Jesus walk on the water was really something.
Reading
Since last time, I finished (titles link to my reviews):
- Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry, audiobook. This was my third of Berry's books and my favorite so far. An older woman reflects on her life in Kentucky.
- A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard was a fun whodunnit about stolen art, but had some poignant moments as well.
- A Beautiful Disguise by Roseanna M. White, audiobook. Two Edwardian-era siblings whose father spent all their money on entertainment become a private investigation firm called The Imposters to support themselves and their dependents. Excellent!
- Bleak Landing by Terrie Todd. An Irish girl is abused by her drunken father and bullied by classmates in her small town in Canada. She runs away as soon as possible. Coming back to claim her father's property, no one recognizes her except her arch enemy. Very good.
- Far Side of the Sea by Kate Breslin, audio and print. A British man who lost his hand and confidence on the front lines in WWI receives word that the French woman who helped him, who he thought dead, needs his help. He travels to France to find the woman's sister sent the message but thinks her sister needs them. Excellent.
- What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson, audio and print. A pastor's wife returns home from a mission trip to find her husband has left her for his secretary and cleaned out their accounts. Her only option is to go to her mother, with whom she has not had a good relationship. Very good.
- Lament for a Father: The Journey to Understanding and Forgiveness by Marvin Olasky, nonfiction. Marvin's father was closed off during his lifetime, so Marvin uses his investigative journalism skills to learn more about and come to terms with him. Very good.
I'm currently reading:
- Be Exultant (Psalms 90-150): Praising God for His Mighty Works by Warren Wiersbe
- Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God's Image by Hannah Anderson
- Elisabeth Elliot: A Life by Lucy S. R. Austen
- How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish
- The Phantom of the Organ, a Kindle Vella series by Susan Braun
- Aftermath by Terri Blackstock, audiobook
I'm also going through Jen Wilkin's Abide Bible study course on 1, 2, and 3 John with a ladies' Bible study at church. It combines a workbook, group discussion, and video series.
Blogging
Besides the weekly Friday Fave Fives, Saturday Laudable Linkage, and book reviews, I've posted these since last time:
Writing
I haven't done anything on the book project lately, I'm sorry to say. But I submitted a devotion for Christian Devotions which was accepted. It won't appear until next August. And I am working on a piece about my mother-in-law for Remembering Our Parents.
Looking ahead
October is usually a pretty quiet month, a nice respite between "birthday season" and Thanksgiving and Christmas. Jim will be having surgery mid-month, which will keep him out of commission for a couple of weeks, at least.
We've had a family dress-up party at the end of October since Covid closed down Timothy's trick-or-treat options a few years ago. I already have a costume in mind! 
How was your September? What are you looking forward to in October?
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