Monday, November 30, 2009

A Poco A Poco

Language learning happens little by little... and it seems like forever. Which is exactly how long it will take. I've been speaking English for 31 years (for the first three I refused to speak) and just recently have learned two new English words.
But this isn't about English.
It's about Italian.
Sometimes I feel like I just don't know anything.

A few years ago, a friend gave me one of those Tear Off A Page calendars. Every page had an Italian phrase or idiom on it with a tiny translation in English under it. I remember not knowing anything that whole year.
One came in the mail today. And as I browsed through it, I could translate them all - all by myself! Now I wouldn't have been to say them correctly - but I understood them perfectly. And that's more than I could do even four months ago.
Today I was trying to explain how (as some people believe) that sediment on the ocean floor became a rock formation in central Italy. I could do it. It was simple. It was as if a 2nd grader was saying it - but I could do it.
Little by little. Step by step. A piano a piano. A poco a poco.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Just a song

quoting a song by Jon Foreman:
Heavenly Father you always amaze me
Let your Kingdom come in my world and in my life
Give me the food I need to live through the day
and forgive as I forgive the people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation deliver me from the evil one

I look out the window
the birds are composed
not a note is out of tune or out of place
I walk to the meadow and stare at the flowers
that would dress any girl on her wedding day

Why should I worry? why do I freak out?
God knows what I need, You know what I need

Your love is your love is your love s is strong
your love is your love is your loves is strong
your love is your love is your loves is strong

The kingdom of the heavens is now advancing
invade my heart invade this broken town
the kingdom of the heavens is burried treasure
would you sell yourself to buy the one your found

two things you told me that your are strong and you love me
yes you love me

Your love is your love is your loves is strong
your love is your love is your loves is strong
your love is your love is your loves is strong

Our God in heaven hallowed be thy name is above all names
your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
give us today our daily bread forgive us weary sinners
keep us far from our vices and deliver us from this prison