The Wreck of the Hesperus
I remember my mother using the phrase, The Wreck of the Hesperus, to describe "a really big mess." She would say: "This house/room looks like the wreck of the Hesperus!"
In talking with her recently, I asked her if she knew the history of the expression. She replied that she did not - but that she clearly remembered her mother and her grandmother using it and many other colloquialisms just like it.
She also told me that my grandmother's grandmother immigrated for Scotland and here is where I discovered an interesting tidbit about my ancestry. When I researched the phrase, I discovered that it is the title of well-known ballad by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow written in the 1800's.
It is a story about the tragic consequences of a proud sea captain's arrogance during an ill-fated voyage one winter. The captain brings his daughter along aboard ship for company. However, the voyage becomes a disaster when the captain ignores the advice of an experienced seaman who fears a hurricane is approaching. The seaman implores the captain to put the ship into port but the captain refuses.
When the hurricane arrives, the captain ties his daughter to the mast to prevent her from being washed overboard during the storm. The girl cries out to her dying father and even prays to Christ to calm the seas but there is no salvation because the foolish pride of the father has sealed their fate. The ship crashes into a reef and sinks.
The next morning, a horrified fisherman discovers the daughter's body, still tied to the mast, drifting in the surf. The poem then ends with a prayer asking Christ to save us all from succumbing to a similar fate - the kind of pride that leads to destruction.
In further researching the title phrase, I discovered that this expression is used more prominently in the UK where it means a "disheveled appearance" or an "untidy room." Hence, the connection to my Scottish ancestors who used the expression and passed it down through the generations to me!
By the way, ironically, Hesperus means "evening star." How sad that something so lovely should be remembered instead for its macabre connection to a tragedy.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I've been thinking about roots...
Roots and Wings
My parents, Don and Mary Jo Briggs, have been closely connected to a small town in Iowa from many decades. They both were born around Marcus, Iowa - dad in 1927 and mom in 1930.
Marcus recently was given a restored 1929 Model A Ford that had once been owned by a beloved doctor, Dr. Michael Francis Joynt. The town of Marcus planned to feature the car in the annual Marcus Fair Parade and then put it on display at the Marcus Fair. Why all the fanfare?
Dr. Joynt practically "died with his boots on" after taking good care of everyone in Marcus for many years. Dr. Joynt came to Marcus in 1910, having just graduated from medical school. He stayed in Marcus for his entire career, retiring in 1955 and passing away in 1965.
As you can imagine, Dr. Joynt is remembered for many things - but one thing in particular stands out - ALL the babies he delivered. Each birth was carefully recorded in his "Delivery Record" book.
The Delivery Record lists the first birth he attended - August 2, 1910 - and the last - July 9, 1955. Over the course of his 45 year career in Marcus, Dr. Joynt delivered over 3000 babies. This is amazing considering that the population of the town of Marcus usually hovers around 1200.
My mom, who has worked in the Marcus Fair Booth for years, looked through the Delivery Record and there to her delight she found a special line - listed under the year 1949 - and the date of May 16th. There she found a line listing the name Donald Briggs and the careful notation of a birth of a daughter - Holly Linda - baby 1956 - ME!
Mom made a copy of the record and sent it along to me. Poof! I was immediately transported back in a unique way to my roots!
All these years later with much water under the bridge, I can truly appreciate the dedication of Dr. Joynt and the years he labored to serve the people of Marcus. What a legacy of love and loyalty. The kind of legacy that gives my heart wings and reminds me of what is important in life.
Don't miss it, Holly! Community and service and love and loyalty are where it is at and where it will always be at! The memory of Dr. Joynt gives me roots and wings!
My parents, Don and Mary Jo Briggs, have been closely connected to a small town in Iowa from many decades. They both were born around Marcus, Iowa - dad in 1927 and mom in 1930.
Marcus recently was given a restored 1929 Model A Ford that had once been owned by a beloved doctor, Dr. Michael Francis Joynt. The town of Marcus planned to feature the car in the annual Marcus Fair Parade and then put it on display at the Marcus Fair. Why all the fanfare?
Dr. Joynt practically "died with his boots on" after taking good care of everyone in Marcus for many years. Dr. Joynt came to Marcus in 1910, having just graduated from medical school. He stayed in Marcus for his entire career, retiring in 1955 and passing away in 1965.
As you can imagine, Dr. Joynt is remembered for many things - but one thing in particular stands out - ALL the babies he delivered. Each birth was carefully recorded in his "Delivery Record" book.
The Delivery Record lists the first birth he attended - August 2, 1910 - and the last - July 9, 1955. Over the course of his 45 year career in Marcus, Dr. Joynt delivered over 3000 babies. This is amazing considering that the population of the town of Marcus usually hovers around 1200.
My mom, who has worked in the Marcus Fair Booth for years, looked through the Delivery Record and there to her delight she found a special line - listed under the year 1949 - and the date of May 16th. There she found a line listing the name Donald Briggs and the careful notation of a birth of a daughter - Holly Linda - baby 1956 - ME!
Mom made a copy of the record and sent it along to me. Poof! I was immediately transported back in a unique way to my roots!
All these years later with much water under the bridge, I can truly appreciate the dedication of Dr. Joynt and the years he labored to serve the people of Marcus. What a legacy of love and loyalty. The kind of legacy that gives my heart wings and reminds me of what is important in life.
Don't miss it, Holly! Community and service and love and loyalty are where it is at and where it will always be at! The memory of Dr. Joynt gives me roots and wings!
Monday, August 23, 2010
I've been thinking about thoughts...
So, Let's Capture Those Thoughts!
For as he thinks within himself, so he is. Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)
God has given us all the gift of free will. This gift empowers us to take control of the very thing that creates everything about who we are - our thought life.
In Who Switched Off My Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf PhD shares her research regarding the science of thought. She says, "Remember, our behavior follows our thoughts, not the other way around. Analyzing and addressing our thoughts are key components of conquering habits and behaviors that seem to hold us hostage. Some of us may have common symptoms of toxic thinking such as pride, anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining and ungratefulness, while other symptoms can be as dramatic as compulsive gambling, criticizing, overeating or viewing pornography." p. 83
Dr. Leaf encourages us to capture the kind of thoughts that she labels "toxic thinking." Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress.
She reminds us that the Bible speaks to this issue clearly in Philippians 4:8, which says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
We can break the cycle of toxic thinking. We can break unhealthy patterns! To help us see how, let's define terms:
True - genuine, accurate, exact
Honorable - worthy of deep admiration because of qualities or achievements
Just - morally right and fair
Pure - not mixed or adulterated
Lovely - exquisitely beautiful
Commendable - deserving praise
Excellence - exceptional, outstanding
Praise - express respect and gratitude towards
Only those who associate with God and who are given divine power can be morally excellent on this earth. Only God can free us from becoming victims of our biology.
Paul commands the Philippians "to deliberate," "to evaluate," "to meditate" on what is good and pure - in other words on the things that originate from God. In this way, Christians can renew their minds by capturing toxic thoughts and replacing them with God's truth. A mind dedicated to God's truth and focused on noble and honorable things will produce a life that can stand the test of time.
We can resist the temptations of our culture by meditating on God's truth and letting the Holy Spirit guide and shape our thoughts and behaviors.
So, children of God, let's capture those thoughts! 2 Corinthians 10:5!
For as he thinks within himself, so he is. Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)
God has given us all the gift of free will. This gift empowers us to take control of the very thing that creates everything about who we are - our thought life.
In Who Switched Off My Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf PhD shares her research regarding the science of thought. She says, "Remember, our behavior follows our thoughts, not the other way around. Analyzing and addressing our thoughts are key components of conquering habits and behaviors that seem to hold us hostage. Some of us may have common symptoms of toxic thinking such as pride, anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining and ungratefulness, while other symptoms can be as dramatic as compulsive gambling, criticizing, overeating or viewing pornography." p. 83
Dr. Leaf encourages us to capture the kind of thoughts that she labels "toxic thinking." Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress.
She reminds us that the Bible speaks to this issue clearly in Philippians 4:8, which says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
We can break the cycle of toxic thinking. We can break unhealthy patterns! To help us see how, let's define terms:
True - genuine, accurate, exact
Honorable - worthy of deep admiration because of qualities or achievements
Just - morally right and fair
Pure - not mixed or adulterated
Lovely - exquisitely beautiful
Commendable - deserving praise
Excellence - exceptional, outstanding
Praise - express respect and gratitude towards
Only those who associate with God and who are given divine power can be morally excellent on this earth. Only God can free us from becoming victims of our biology.
Paul commands the Philippians "to deliberate," "to evaluate," "to meditate" on what is good and pure - in other words on the things that originate from God. In this way, Christians can renew their minds by capturing toxic thoughts and replacing them with God's truth. A mind dedicated to God's truth and focused on noble and honorable things will produce a life that can stand the test of time.
We can resist the temptations of our culture by meditating on God's truth and letting the Holy Spirit guide and shape our thoughts and behaviors.
So, children of God, let's capture those thoughts! 2 Corinthians 10:5!
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