Mark the Play Write

Each year Mark's school has what they call Young Author's Day. The kids write stories that they then share with other students in different classes. Some of the stories are chosen to be acted out by a group known as The Imagination Machine. This year Mark's story was one chosen to be acted out. Below is Mark's original story and the video of The Imagination Machine performing Mark's story. Of course, they did take some liberties, but doesn't that always happen to the book?

Dragons Fire vs. Knight

Once upon a time there was a rich king. His castle was being attacked by a dragon. The rich and tired king sent a knight, a silver knight to get rid of the dragon.

The silver knight tried to catapult the dragon but the boulders missed. Next, he tried to use arrows but the arrows did not go far. Then, he tried to destroy the dragon's home but he fell.

Last, he fought the dragon and won! The kingdom was saved. And the knight became a king.

Happy Mother's Day

This afternoon Mark and I went to Disneyland. The hope was that it would be a nice quiet day of play while other moms were taking it easy at home. No chance! I had feeling we were in trouble when it took 10 minutes just to get up the ramp to the top level!

Mark didn't want to wait 45 minutes for Soaring over California, so we went to the Animation Studio. One of the things we like to do there was to go to the Animation Academy, where you learn how to draw classic Disney characters. The session we attended was Goofy.

Here is Mark's Goofy, which is much better than mine. Maybe I'll upload mine sometime soon. It's better than the last one I did, but still not as good as Mark's.

Hopefully, in the next few weeks I'll get the rest of Mark's pictures scanned into the computer and uploaded. He can be quite good when he can focus.

3 but hopefully not final

Hopefully, this comes across as a Charles Wesley style hymn. I put it the same tune as Wesley's "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing." We'll see what the teacher thinks.

This has actually been a fun assignment. Hopefully, I will take this to the next level to and put my own tunes to the words and "clean up" the text some. That's one part of my life, that I've really missed is the song writing. It's been such a long time since I've written anything. :(


Tune: AZMON (O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing)

Reference: Ephesians 2:8-10

God gave to me His gift of grace
A gift so free indeed
He came to me and showed His face
A call to let Him lead.

No works I can do to earn it
A gift so free indeed
It’s not by works, I must admit
Through Christ I have been freed.

I’m freed from sin’s dark destiny
His gift so free for me
I give myself to Him daily
His face I hope to see

Created in Christ for good deeds
Prepared by God for me
His workmanship I am indeed
He has made me worthy.

Hymn 2 of 3

I'm not sure my second one is better than my first... but again, it's a start. The goal for this one is to be in the style of Isaac Watts. Watts was a radical of his time. He had the nerve to write songs that weren't exclusively from the Psalms. Once Calvin decided music in church was ok, he decided it was from the Psalms or nothing.

Psalm 9
Tune: St. Anne (O God, Our Help in Ages Past)
I will praise you with all my heart
I will be glad in You
And my enemies will depart
They perish before You.

Those who know Your name will trust You
Rejoice and sing praises
Sing praises to the Lord enthrone
To Your name voices raise

He will judge the world with justice
The Lord rules forever
The Lord’s salvation is endless
He judges all nature.

The Lord has established his throne
He reigns forevermore
Sing praises to the Lord enthroned
Oh be glad in the Lord.

Again, definitely not the best thing around, but hopefully not the worst.
The last one has to be in the style of Charles Wesley. The originator of the "Jesus and me" songs.

My First Hymn!!

This term I'm taking actually 2 classes that are each 4 1/2 weeks long. Right now it is "The History of Congregational Song." A four week journey through 4,000 years of church music. Talk about a world wind tour! It's been interesting. This past week especially as we were talking about music from the time of the Reformers. Our assignment for the week was to write 3 hymns in 3 different styles. The first was a Metrical Hymn based on one of the Psalms. Much in the style of John Calvin. The second in the style of Isaac Watts, also based on the Psalms. Lastly, a hymn in the style of Charles Wesley.

Below is my first attempt (and hopefully not the last) at a Metrical hymn based on Psalm 98. It is a long meter tune which means each line has to have 8 syllables. Right now it's based on the Hamburg tune. Which if you were like me 3 hours ago you have no idea what that tune is. It's better known to us today as "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

Let us sing to God a new song
He has made a world of wonder
Salvation from His right hand strong
God’s gift known to those asunder

Righteousness revealed to nations
His lovingkindness bear in mind
Faithfulness to Israel’s stations
His Salvation for all mankind

Let’s shout joyfully to the Lord
Break forth and sing for joy, sing praise
With the harp let God be adored
With your voice let the praises raise

Let the trumpet’s blast, shout for joy
Blast the ram’s horn before the King
The sea resound, the world enjoy
Rivers clapping, mountains singing

For joy let them sing to the Lord
Who comes to judge in righteousness
With fairness those he has restored
Sing to God for all his goodness.


Not the best you'll ever read, but hopefully not the worst either!

Click here to hear the tune