Happy Holidays, Friends.
It is less than a week until Christmas! Christkindlmarkt is open every day of this week and on Christmas Eve. make sure you get over there. Have you heard your share of Christmas songs on the radio and in the stores? Have you baked cookies and cakes? Have you gone to parties? Don't worry...There is still time to celebrate!
Quantities Of
Of is a little word that can trip you up when talking about quantities or amounts of things. Review the rules in our Handouts. Listen for usage. Look for "of" in your daily life. Practice using the phrases in you head as you grocery shop:
- I need two gallons of milk.
- This section of the store has most of the canned goods.
- Too many of the carts are wet from the rain.
Classes and Meetings
American Sign Language: Tuesday, 5:00-6:00 PM, Zoom
Wow! We reviewed phrases and small words (and, the, for, early) and question words. Then we put our review into conversational practice. We circled back to topics several times to cement our understanding. We did not sing Silent Night, but we did talk about the words a bit.
Our meeting was a really fast an furious review and conversation. We are gravitating toward running through a list of vocabulary words that have similar meanings when we get stuck. For example, if I can't remember how to sign Thursday and need help, we have been stopping and reviewing all of the days of the week!
December 19: We will see which way the conversation goes. Anyone is welcome to join us! Jump in and practice with us. And let's practice some New Year vocabulary.
Auld Lang Syne: This version had a great deal of conversation and fingerspelling as well as the small words we use in our conversation this past week in the set up as well as in the song. Also, Dougie MacLean is the artist. Love singing accent!
International Bible Study: Tuesday, 8:45-9:45 PM, Zoom
There is a goldmine of advice, hope, and joy in our readings for the week. Paul's letter to the Colossians
Colossians 1: 15-20 tells the wonderful story of reconciliation with the Creator God through Jesus. Verses 21 and 22 proclaims:
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Paul goes on to tell what to ignore and how to live. He emphasizes the difference between opinions and empty rules and the behaviors of a loving life. Paul doesn't neglect the greetings and relationships that are important for a community.
The two letters to the Thessalonians contain newsy accounts of what has happened and prayers for support.
Timothy receives advice and prayers as he ministers to others in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. These letters are inspirations for us today and give insight into such details as dealing with deceptive people and the role and restrictions the church (or helping organizations) should take when helping.
December 19: We will finish up our discussions of the Epistles and pick up Revelation after the new year. We
American English and Culture: Thursday, 9:00-11:00 AM, Zoom and In Person
A Christmas Open House at Carolyn's: Thank you to all of you who came! We had great conversation and food. Many of you have never played a Mad Libs game before. The way to play is to make up words that fit the part of speech. Then read the story with the generated words. Here are the links to the fill in the blank stories.
Here are your answers....
and here are links to the original stories.
and
December 21: Our last Zoom of 2023. It has been a good year! We will wind up the year with some songs and conversation.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas: When caroling, singers often end with this song. Great American English stuff here: the swinging cadence of the song, the pronunciations of "w", "r", smashing and dropping consonants, and so much more. Have fun wrapping up your songs.
Learn more about Auld Lang Syne, the famous New Year's song from Song Facts. In the learn and sing along (with a Scottish accent?). Start up the 2024 singing in style!
Kid's Conversation and More: Friday, 4:30-5:00 PM, Zoom
Mrs. Willard got triple booked December 15, so our meeting was cancelled.
December 22: Let's look at the time range of 1600-1800. Once again, what was happening in your corner of the world and in the world at large? Do events coincide?
Words and Phrases (and punctuation)
Sometimes words or phrases have more than one usage.
age: a period of time marked by a particular feature or central figure (the ice age)
cement: solidify (or the material that sidewalks are made of)
circled back: return to the beginning of a topic
era: a period of a new order of things
get stuck: do not have an answer or solution
gravitating toward: tending to do or like a particular thing
heard your share of/had your share of: had a lot more than enough of something
period: a time in history different from other times because of characteristics or events (or a punctuation mark meaning the end or a women's menstrual cycle)
running through: quickly covering something (or move quickly on foot between objects)
start up: beginning
trip you up: cause someone to make a mistake
triple booked: to have three obligations at the same time
wind up: ending (but a child can get all wound up or excited)
wrap up: ending (not decorate or cover as in wrap up a present)
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