114 Years and Still Going Strong

Today is this man's birthday! ...please tell me you know who this is! Okay, let's think through this logically. Sheryl is writing this blog post. What man in history lived a little over a 100 years ago? You got it.
Today is

C.S. LEWIS'S 114th BIRTHDAY!!!! 

I was trying to find an appropriate quote from Lewis that would end this post in a tear jerking way, and some how connected with birthdays, but instead here's a quote from Perelandra:
"The whole struggle was over, and yet there seemed to have been no moment of victory. You might say, if you liked, that the power of choice had been simply set aside and an inflexible destiny substituted for it. on the other hand, you might say he had been delivered from the rhetoric of his passions and had emerged in unassailable freedom. Ransom could not for the life of him, see any difference between these two statements. Predestination and freedom were apparently identical. He could no longer see any meaning in the many arguments he had thought on the subject."
   ~C.S. Lewis, Perelandra.

Have a happy 29th day of November!

I'm being invaded by books!

Here's a little view of my life and my room! Yes, the time has finally come for my senior thesis, and I am trying to finish as much of it as possible this semester so that I can focus on student teaching in the spring. As is the nature of research, my project coming along with excitments and frustrations. Any guess on what my thesis is on?!

In other news... Sheryl is finishing her second full week of college today! Despite the rather unique personalities of some professors, she's settling into a routine. Best of all, she's LOVING her computer science class! I guess it runs in her blood.

Andrew's started 10th grade and is doing very well. He and Mom have taken on the adventure of a special Ketonic diet to help his seizures. Please pray that this diet proves successful in healing him.

And now I must get back to those books. I can hear them calling, even though I've turned my back to them. What pesky things books are - they demand so much attention!

Faith Like a Child

I teach the kindergarten Sunday School class at church, and this past Sunday, I had only three boys arrive. In light of the smaller numbers, I allowed freer reign on the questions. Kindergarten questions are some of the best - but their answers to each other are often even better. Here's one interaction which was absolutely priceless:

Boy #1: Is God everything?
Me: Well, not everything. He is something seperate from us, or from that chair over there. In fact, if he were the chair, we would have to worship the chair - and that wouldn't be right...
Boy #1 (somewhat disinterested or confused by my attempt at an answer): So, is God nothing?
I took a deep breath, and said "no..." I must have looked confused as to where to begin, because the other two boys quickly jumped in to help me answer this question.
Boy #2: God is something. (Thanks, kid. Now we're getting somewhere!)
Boy #3: (in the most matter-of-fact tone) God is God.

Oh, for the faith of a child to say such complex and infinently wonderful truths without even thinking twice. For my students, that statement ended the discussion - enough had been said. Indeed, what else needs to be said? Praise God that He is God.

Romeo and Juliet

The Third Scene:
ROMEO AND JULIET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE


See below for pictures and why this was performed!
Turn up your volume!

Richard III

The Second Scene:

RICHARD III BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

See below for pictures and why we performed this!
Turn up your volume! Sorry these aren't the best quality...

Merchant of Venice

Here's the first scene:

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

See below for pictures and a description of why this was performed! =)
Turn up your volume!

Catching Up, and Shakespeare Performances

Don't worry! We're still alive over here, even though we've been basically silent since July! Uggg. I can't believe we haven't even mentioned or had any pictures of our trip out West in August and Emily and Danny's wedding!!! ...Of course, most of you already know about it: you were either there, part of it, or, I've already told you everything you've EVER wanted to know about, and probably more. =) In any case, I just can't resist:
So, the first picture is of the bride and groom, and the second is the line up, age order, of all 16 cousins, plus our new cousin, Danny Villa!

After a bit of a hassle getting back to NJ because of Irene, we started school and have been running around busy ever since. Julie's in her third year of college, I'm in 12th grade, and Andrew's in 9th/10th grade.

Fast Forward five months: See scenes flying by of college applications, college semesters, a stay in NYU Hospital for more seizure testing, a friend's wedding (Julie was a bridesmaid, I played the violin for the ceremony, Dad prayed in the ceremony, Mom helped organize and make food for the reception, and Andrew served at the reception), and then, when you come up to January 24, press Play.

Throughout the semester, I've been privileged to be part of a Shakespeare performing class at co-op (for the second time!), taught by Pastor Kirk van der Swaagh. (See an older post for last year's pictures) This year, it was a first semester class instead of a second, and on January 24 we had our performances for the co-op. It was a ton of fun, of course. The first scene was from Merchant from Venice and starred: Adam Angerer, Sam van der Swaagh, and Mattie van der Swaagh (in order of who speaks). The second scene was from Richard III and starred: Bethany Seiter and Sheryl Carlson, and as extras, we employed: Pastor van der Swaagh, Adam Angerer, and Mattie van der Swaagh. The third and final scene was from Romeo and Juliet, and starred: Nikki Gvoth and Mrs. Barbara van der Swaagh. Now for the pictures:And the entire Cast:Daddy had my new DSLR camera and was taking all the pictures that are above (and more of course =) ) and Andrew stood there with my old red point and shoot camera filming them. So hopefully, I'll be posting those videos in separate posts.