Spanish Direct and Indirect Objects

We've been reviewing direct and indirect objects and D.O. and I.O. pronouns in Spanish. I thought I'd use this Resurrection Week example, just for fun.

"Judas turned Jesus over to them" -- Judas is the subject, the one who does the action. Who's turned over to the Jewish leaders? Jesus. Jesus is the direct object. To them is the indirect object, they're the people Jesus is being turned over to.

Now, in Spanish, you always use "le" or "les" for the indirect object; in this case, them, so we use "les". If there wasn't a direct object, one could think that "les" is it, because it is officially accepted to use "le" and "les" as a pronoun for a male-person direct object. However. "Jesús" is the direct object -- it would be:

"Judas les entregó Jesús."

But we have to take into account that Jesús is a concrete person, and concrete-person direct objects need the preposition "a" to work.

"Judas les entregó a Jesús."

Artistic Pursuits

I've enjoyed time together with some of our friends and my daughter, painting tiles for a friend who is stepping down from leadership of our homeschool co-op. The Lord put the co-op idea on her heart twelve years ago, and she's retiring this post in part because her youngest graduates this May. She is, however, continuing to lead the Christian Homeschool Prom.

All of the tiles are to go in her laundry/craft room in their new house. We had such a good time talking, laughing and painting together. It's like the old-fashioned "quilting bee" concept.

The photo above shows two tiles I painted (one on behalf of my son, who studied Biblical Precepts with this leader/teacher). The one on the right was painted by my dd.



Everyone did an excellent job!

Our Oldest Two

That's an Italian flag in the background.
It means peace. Yes, it's a bit of Italian
propoganda, but we liked the flag when we were there visiting friends and taking several historic and artistic field trips. Dd wanted it for a souvenir. I brought home books and art prints, and she wanted a flag.

We like it for the other forms of peace that it can stand for, not b/c it is anti-war. Peace in Christ, peace in the home, etc.

Ds was looking into joining the marines after graduation in may, b/c he wasn't sure how to pay for college. He told the recruiter that he is a bit of a pacifist. No, he's not an obnoxious protester and I think he was partially joking. The recruiter replied by saying, "We can work with that." Yeah, I just bet. More like, "We can grind and humiliate that right out of you."

I think (I hope and pray) that ds now sees his other options that are coming into focus. They have been developing more clearly in the last couple of weeks. He has been recruited and accepted to Scotland to serve with a ministry team there for part of the summer at a Bible Camp, then begin some basic courses at a local community college this fall. This will have bought him a little more time to look more closely into colleges (and scholarships) for political theory, economics, philosophy, and photojournalism classes, to which he can apply as a transfer student.

Dd is going to miss having her brother around when he finds his own place with other roommates.

Well-read

On to another restoration project. This is a book on Revelation read over and over by the great grandfather of a friend from church. Notice the makeshift "stab" binding the grandfather added in his own resourceful attempt to keep the text together! Stab binding is an actual technique in Japanese binding, but it's not done through traditional book boards. I have never seen such drastic measures taken in this way on a vintage book! My friend wants to keep the strings (part of the charm of the memory of his great grandfather) attached...or should I say "re"attached after restoration.

There will be much involved in this restoration, cover completely removed, repaired, and reattached to the boards, text will need a lot of tissue repair in the gutters and then re-sewn and reinserted into the boards. I should be done in no time at all.... :-p

Life is a Poem

The ballad, I; I shun the world, Its bustle and its noise, Its busy hasty rushing crowds And bright consumer toys. Indeed, I sometimes like the old Because it's not the new; And if you think that's strange or wrong, I might not much like you. What Poetry Form Are You?

If I were not a Ballad, I'd be Heroic Couplets. THAT is a hoot! Ballad suits me very well.

If one thinks that "liking the old because it's not new" is strange or wrong though, I would not show my displeasure, but would try to extend grace instead. I will simply hope that they learn how to come down from the sometimes "adrenaline addictive rush" of living at such breakneck pace most days, and hope that they learn to slow down and appreciate the simpler things in life from time to time.

I don't always shun the busy-ness. There is plenty of volunteering to be done and groceries to be purchased and therefore the need to be driving at the busiest times of day in order to accomplish these things. BUT I usually "steer around" (pun intended) the busiest times, if at all possible.


Hat tip: both Mama Squirrel and Tim's Mom

Javamom

Weed eater

With the onset of Spring in full swing, the yard needs mowing and weed eating for the second time already. We have a little extra help!

Ah, the fresh air...

and sunshine on these first days of spring!

Yeah, we got it made and we know it. Javamom is trying to catch and save an injured neighborhood cat, who just happens to look a whole lot like me (Tigger) and bring him back to health. Darn cat keeps limping away before she can catch him. She's gone and left food out for him and everything!

posted by the protesting Javacats

Learning to Cry for the Culture

I just read a good article at Christianity Today Online about Francis Schaeffer, one of the most important Christian Philosophers and thinkers of the 20th century. It is written by musician and author John Fisher. In the article, Fisher tells us what he learned from Francis Schaeffer as he reflects on a time that he heard him speak at Wheaten University more than a couple of decades ago. I'll only share several quotes that I found resoundingly important for us to consider, then link you to the original article.

Fisher writes: "Instead of shaking our heads at a depressing, dark, abstract work of art, the true Christian reaction should be to weep for the lost person who created it. Schaeffer was a rare Christian leader who advocated understanding and empathizing with non-Christians instead of taking issue with them."

Then this, with which I so heartily agree.

"Jesus asked us to love our enemies. Part of loving is learning to understand. Too few Christians today seek to understand why their enemies think in ways that we find abhorrent. Too many of us are too busy bashing feminists, secular humanists, gay activists, and political liberals to consider why they believe what they do. It's difficult to sympathize with people we see as threats to our children and our neighborhoods. It's hard to weep over those whom we have declared enemies.

Perhaps a good beginning would be to more fully grasp the depravity of our own souls and the depth to which God's grace had to go to reach us. I doubt we can cry over the world if we've never cried over ourselves."

Yes, these short thoughts are exactly the reason to have your students and older children read the writings of Francis Schaeffer, pray and ponder over them, then do something positive in the culture; engage and be in the world and not of it, to try to be of help and make a difference.

Sincerely,

Javamom

Mellow Saturday of Reading and Music

Currently listening to Edgar Meyer on double bass with Béla Fleck, while making up my own chocolate syrup from cocoa powder and sugar. This concoction is for a peppermint mocha that I'm making this late Saturday morning to sip whilst I read some Charlotte Mason for book club.

It is so quiet in the house, as our four jr. high and high schoolers had a lock-in with their church youth group friends or stayed at friends' homes. I'm very glad, as we had co-op, so I was "wiped out" from the time and energy that it takes for the planning and executing of a successful day. The middle two are back now, but fast asleep, of course! I hear they had a wonderful time of snacks, games, and even a 2 a.m. worship time that DD got to serve in by her preparation of the set and playing the bass guitar. Oldest son is with his best buddies-four, as one of their own has returned from college for spring break, so they have gotten to catch up and have good discussions, etc.

Most of Edgar Meyer's music (that I've heard thanks to Dread Pirate Sparse-beard) is a wonderful and interesting amalgam of sounds. In his own words~

“Most of the music I’ve become interested in is hybrid in its origins…Classical music, of course, is unbelievably hybrid. Jazz is an obvious amalgam. Bluegrass comes from eighteenth-century Scottish and Irish folk music that made contact with the blues. By exploring music, you’re exploring everything.” – Edgar Meyer

Click here to watch a clip of Edgar Meyer and Béla Fleck playing a bit of Bach on double bass and banjo, then giving an interview together on A & E's "Breakfast With The Arts."

The last time we went to see the symphony, we were given free tickets which placed us right behind the orchestra on the very front row. I always wondered what that would be like, with the whole audience looking right at this section, where the chorus sits when it joins the symphony.

We quickly forgot about the audience and got lost in the music. I had an absolutely wonderful time being so close that we could follow the conductor and watch his expressions, but also being so close that I could read the music of several instrument sections. That was an unexpected surprise! Being in these seats also meant that we were directly behind the percussion section. I have come to enjoy our orchestra's percussionists immensely, so this was another treat. It was as close to being back in the band (4th grade through high school, where I played flute and bassoon) or symphony (college-bassoon only) as I've been in decades.

James Galway, my childhood hero, played several times both before and after the intermission. That was the main reason we sought tickets this particular night. This was one of our best symphony visits, ever!

Take time to enjoy the music!
Javamom

After the rain

The after-the-storm-blown blossoms are like confetti on the driveway, as if some celebration had just gone on in the sky.