"El Senor Don Gato"

Taught this old favorite of mine to the kids today.

El Senor Don Gato was a cat
On a high red roof Don Gato sat
He was there to read a letter (MMM)
Where the reading light was better (MMM)
Twas a love note for Don Gato

"I adore you" wrote the Lady cat
Who was fluffy white, and nice and fat
There was not sweeter kitty (MMM)
In the country or the city (MMM)
And she said she'd wed Don Gato

Oh Don Gato jumped so happily
He fell off the roof and broke his knee
All his ribs and all his whiskers (MMM)
And his little solar plexus (MMM)
"Ay Caramba!" cried Don Gato

Then the doctors all came on the run
Just to see if something could be done
(here I can't recall the words, but they
couldn't save him)

When the funeral passed the market square
Such a smell of fish was in the air
Though his funeral was slated (MMM)
He became reanimated (MMM)
He came back to life, Don Gato
Ole!

I borrowed this book from the Sophia library the other day. The book isn't so exciting, but has fun pictures and clearly explains verbs. Then we undertook cut and paste words from magazines. Turned out to be fun for all 3 kids! Even John made a graphic organizer of verbs. They all used their own name for the subject in the center.
Then my 3rd grader attempted a poem from word snip-its. That was even harder.

I plan to borrow the other books in the series to build on the idea.

Really, there are sooo many. You get the picture. I don't have to link them all! : ) Sophia library had many of the books in the series.

out my back window

Spiritual Discipline

It has been my experience that disciplined activity of any kind doesn't come easily, at least not for a sustained period. I can start a regimine and carry through with it for a matter of days or even weeks, but the initial motivation is lost and the activity fades. So it has been in my walk with the Lord. I get motivated and get up early to read and pray and see the fruit of the Spirit in my life moreso than at any other time. The Lord works out those things I cannot do on my own. I see patience flowing from me, joy that I don't normally exhibit, kindness that doesn't come naturally, and so on.
The Spirit life is what I desire. I need the Spirit of God to overcome my own corruption. When left to my own true nature, I get twisted inward. My life becomes riddled with fleshly corruption. I am devoured by the nature of self.
As a disciple, I must choose discipline. They are so related. In all these things, I must surrender to the Spirit of God to enable me. But, I still must choose. That's my one requirement. The path to victory: yielding, surrendering, submitting.
On one hand is death and corruption and then there's God. His ways are not my ways. He offers abundant life. I must choose him above the pull of sin and self.
Oh, how I love You, Lord. Your deliverance I desire.

Gal 5:22

Resurrection Cookies

These cookies are a tradition for us. They didn't taste great. But it was a great experience.
Maybe this time I'll have pictures to post...Sunday.