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.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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!
ROMEO AND JULIET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
See below for pictures and why this was performed!
Turn up your volume!
Richard III
The Second Scene:
See below for pictures and why we performed this!
Turn up your volume! Sorry these aren't the best quality...
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:
See below for pictures and a description of why this was performed! =)
Turn up your volume!
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
See below for pictures and a description of why this was performed! =)
Turn up your volume!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Shakespeare???...
Quote of the week: (okay, first the background, then the quote.)
Yesterday, I was giving a violin lesson to a young boy in our church. He was about to embark on playing the theme of the Surprise Symphony. I thought that it would be a good time for a quick story so I related (singing included...I guess I could have let that part out) the dramatic story of why the Surprise Symphony is called the Surprise Symphony and how the composer didn't want the prince to fall asleep, etc.
So I asked my student, "Do you know who wrote the Surprise Symphony?" His friend, sitting at the table and listening in, ventured a noble guess...
"Shakespeare?"
Yesterday, I was giving a violin lesson to a young boy in our church. He was about to embark on playing the theme of the Surprise Symphony. I thought that it would be a good time for a quick story so I related (singing included...I guess I could have let that part out) the dramatic story of why the Surprise Symphony is called the Surprise Symphony and how the composer didn't want the prince to fall asleep, etc.
So I asked my student, "Do you know who wrote the Surprise Symphony?" His friend, sitting at the table and listening in, ventured a noble guess...
"Shakespeare?"
Friday, September 16, 2011
Summer 2011 Memoirs
I woke up at 5:30 last Monday to get an early start on homework. My mom got up shortly thereafter and the two of us opened windows to enjoy the warm Labor Day air. Off in the distance, I heard geese flying over and honking to one another. It's a strange sound, really. But to me, it was familiar and emotional - it meant fall was on the way!
There have been numerous reminders that the fall is one the way and all the things with it: the drums of the highschool band are once again audible in the girls' bedroom; at Sunday lunch, pumpkin pie was once again a dessert choice; with the resumption of the school schedule, the excitement of academia once again rushes through my veins.
Of course, with the beginning of something comes the end of something else - and the something else has been one of the best summers of my life. I think I say that every summer - but that only proves with what bountiful grace, my God provides day after day exactly what I need and what I want. So instead of chronicling every detail of this amazing summer, I want to share with you a few distinct memories of this bountifully rick summer.
1) My first memory is very simple and it's of a flower. I was sitting outside on our back deck doing devotions, when a flower in my mom's flowerboxes caught my attention. It was beautiful, intricate, and perfect. I think it was a shade of purple. In that flower, I saw the handiwork of my amazing God. He transcends time and space, and yet He deigns to design and create flowers! This summer one of the books I read was Chesterton's Orthodoxy. In it, he says basically that it is the child's mind that sometimes grasps closer to the truth when it appreciates the simple, "repetitive" beauty and joy. Chesterton notes that every morning, when the sun comes up, it is God saying "do it again." When God ordained for that flower to blossom on our back deck, it was Him reveling in His own creative power and saying "Do it again." This first memory sets the backdrop for the rest, because it is this very God who cares for flowers, Whose Hand was evident throughout the whole summer, guiding, protecting, and blessing.
2) The next memory has a much less peaceful setting! It is a memory of three teenage girls rushing out the door with a rather frazzled father, who despite all his warning for a good timely plan, has had to motivate the girls out of the house. Sheryl has already chronicled several details from Bethany, Sheryl, and my day in NYC, but she did not mention the ignoble fact that we were very close to missing our bus for reasons which my memory is a little foggy on - something about dressing, breakfast, make-up, hair, etc. etc. That was the beginning of a fantastic day of adventure this summer in which we girls walked our feet off getting lost and refinding ourselves all over lower Manhanttan!
--- More was to follow, but since it never did, I have decided to post this old entry anyway.
There have been numerous reminders that the fall is one the way and all the things with it: the drums of the highschool band are once again audible in the girls' bedroom; at Sunday lunch, pumpkin pie was once again a dessert choice; with the resumption of the school schedule, the excitement of academia once again rushes through my veins.
Of course, with the beginning of something comes the end of something else - and the something else has been one of the best summers of my life. I think I say that every summer - but that only proves with what bountiful grace, my God provides day after day exactly what I need and what I want. So instead of chronicling every detail of this amazing summer, I want to share with you a few distinct memories of this bountifully rick summer.
1) My first memory is very simple and it's of a flower. I was sitting outside on our back deck doing devotions, when a flower in my mom's flowerboxes caught my attention. It was beautiful, intricate, and perfect. I think it was a shade of purple. In that flower, I saw the handiwork of my amazing God. He transcends time and space, and yet He deigns to design and create flowers! This summer one of the books I read was Chesterton's Orthodoxy. In it, he says basically that it is the child's mind that sometimes grasps closer to the truth when it appreciates the simple, "repetitive" beauty and joy. Chesterton notes that every morning, when the sun comes up, it is God saying "do it again." When God ordained for that flower to blossom on our back deck, it was Him reveling in His own creative power and saying "Do it again." This first memory sets the backdrop for the rest, because it is this very God who cares for flowers, Whose Hand was evident throughout the whole summer, guiding, protecting, and blessing.
2) The next memory has a much less peaceful setting! It is a memory of three teenage girls rushing out the door with a rather frazzled father, who despite all his warning for a good timely plan, has had to motivate the girls out of the house. Sheryl has already chronicled several details from Bethany, Sheryl, and my day in NYC, but she did not mention the ignoble fact that we were very close to missing our bus for reasons which my memory is a little foggy on - something about dressing, breakfast, make-up, hair, etc. etc. That was the beginning of a fantastic day of adventure this summer in which we girls walked our feet off getting lost and refinding ourselves all over lower Manhanttan!
--- More was to follow, but since it never did, I have decided to post this old entry anyway.
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