Ziphen Central – Seeking Wisdom and Sublimity
After worship this past Sunday, my mother suggested that we eat lunch at Chili’s. My sister had had a hankering for Chili’s chips, and we happened to have a coupon for free chips and queso, so this seemed ample reason to go there. I was skeptical, however. In my mind, Chili’s is one of those restaurants that are very proud of their food, and where you could easily spend $10 just to feed yourself—in other words, it is a place where it is very hard to be frugal, especially if you have a cheapskate conscience like mine.
But we did go, and after a bit of waiting we were seated at a booth, the three of us who were present since my dad is teaching/counseling at a Bible camp this week. We all asked for water (still free at this restaurant, thankfully) and when asked if we wanted an appetizer (she gave all sorts of suggestions) we brought forth our coupon and asked that she bring us some chips and queso. We had already gone over the menu, so we went ahead and ordered our entrée: a plate with eight of their new quesadillas. This proved to be enough for the three of us, and we enjoyed the spicy cheese sauce. (keep reading)
Ziphen Central – Seeking Wisdom and Sublimity
From Ailenroc’s Book, by Cornelia Alexander
“Who is the hero?” The old soldier’s face
Lit with a flush, and gleamed his sunken eye,
“The hero is the man who does his duty,
And fears not to die.
Where rolls the drum and shrieks the shell,
And men press on where men have fell;
Where red blood from the bayonet streams,
Where whistling bullets cleave the air—
The hero is found there.”
“Who is the hero?” The gallant tar,
Bronzed by long voyages the world around,
Gave answer: “On the sinking ship
The hero may be found.
When inky blackness veils the face of heaven,
When upon hidden rocks the ship is driven,
When through the broken spars the roaring gale
Thunders, and men’s hearts within them fail—
No hope from land or sea or earth or sky—
There does the hero die.
“Who is the hero?” The man of God,
Whose silver locks proclaim his many years,
Whose pen was dipped in inspiration’s fount,
Answers (his voice comes to our ears):
“Greater than he who falls amid the battle’s din
Or scales the walls, conquering the foe within,
Or, lion-hearted, breasts the foaming wave,
Giving his life the feebler souls to save,
Is he who conquers his own sinful heart,
And, ruling it, acts the true hero’s part.”
Ziphen Central – Seeking Wisdom and Sublimity
We found this fine and unusually large specimen of a Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) in our attic yesterday. Unfortunately, as I was releasing him our cat Gator suddenly appeared and pursued the poor lizard, chasing him through a fence. He made it out with his life, but the cat got ahold of his elegant tail, which she proceeded to eat. I know geckos are made to release their tails to distract predators, but I felt sorry for him all the same. But he will grow another one eventually, though perhaps not as perfect as the first.
Ziphen Central – Seeking Wisdom and Sublimity
This is the biggest pecan tree in Texas, which grows not far from where we live. Finally, after living out here fourteen years, we found time to go see it!
(Click to see larger photos)
The tree is on private property, but the folks who own it are kind enough to let people come and see it. The tree is 90 feet tall, and has a trunk diameter of nearly seven feet. It has been estimated to be from 900 to 1,100 years old.
Ziphen Central – Seeking Wisdom and Sublimity
Words by Elizabeth Mills (1836)
Music by William Miller (1859)
Sheet music
Cyberhymnal
O land of rest, for thee I sigh!
When will the moment come
When I shall lay my armor by
And dwell in peace at home?
We’ll work till Jesus comes,
We’ll work till Jesus comes,
We’ll work till Jesus comes,
And we’ll be gathered home.
No tranquil joys on earth I know,
No peaceful, sheltering dome;
This world’s a wilderness of woe,
This world is not my home.
To Jesus Christ I fled for rest;
He bade me cease to roam,
And lean for comfort on His breast
Till He conduct me home.
I sought at once my Savior’s side;
No more my steps shall roam.
With Him I’ll brave death’s chilling tide
And reach my heav’nly home.
