Anna, this is for you

I know you probably didn't get around to coloring eggs this year and since you couldn't come to Portugal for Easter break from college...

...here are the eggs from last year ; ) 

It is interesting here that they don't color eggs, they don't do the baskets like we do - at least they don't have the Easter grass or big baskets, and they don't really have the wide variety of candy that we do. They do have lots and lots of different kinds of chocolate almonds and other candied almond goodies. They have other varieties of chocolate but not all the same kinds that we do but almost all that I have tasted is really good!

Easter Morning - a song running through my mind...

I woke up this morning with the words, from a song by Keith Green, running through my mind. It wasn't one of the more popular Easter songs but it was a good song for me to think about. Maybe it was because I was having a hard time waking up, maybe it was because I'd seen churches lately who are "asleep in the light", or maybe because I've had some times of "holding it in" when I knew there was something I should be saying. It was a good Easter song for me.

ASLEEP IN THE LIGHT

Songwriter: Green, Keith                                   

Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,

Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown,

How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,

You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.

---

Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know it's all I ever hear,

No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear,

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs,

And you just lay back and keep soaking it in, oh, can't you see it's such sin?

---

Cause He brings people to your door,

And you turn them away, as you smile and say,

God bless you, be at peace, and all Heaven just weeps,

Cause Jesus came to your door, you've left Him out on the streets.

---

Open up, open up, and give yourself away,

You've seen the need, you hear the cry, so how can you delay,

God's calling and you're the one, but like Jonah you run,

He's told you to speak, but you keep holding it in,

Oh, can't you see it's such sin?

---

The world is sleeping in the dark,

That the church can't fight, cause it's asleep in the light,

How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed,

Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can't even get out of bed,

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on, get out of your bed.

---

How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,

You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,

You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,

Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done.

Come away, come away, come away with Me, My love,

Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, My love.

Not a Full Reminder

On our walk home, we went into the church that I told you about in the previous blog, just to see what was inside. When you go into these centuries old churches the grandeur can be breathtaking but there is often a coldness and sadness that comes over you, too. Seeing the realistic carvings and paintings of Christ's suffering calls you to remember how much he gave for us, but it is almost like he is kept there on the cross. Where is the reminder of the empty cross and the victory won?

If you can zoom on the picture with the statue of Christ on the cross you will see the realism they tried to convey in his wounds - even to the bloodied knees and bruises from the beating.

White and Red

On Thursday (the day before Good Friday), Don and I walked down to the mall that is near our house to meed with our language coordinator. On the way we passed a very old church that is still used for mass each week. There were young people all around the entrance and waiting on the steps and all of them had on white shirts. Someone later told us that they were probably rehearsing for the procession that will be on Easter Sunday morning.

When we came out of the mall after our meeting and began our walk home we saw so many people walking to the stadium (across the street from the mall) all wearing some form of the color red. This stadium is home to the Benfica soccer team and their fans are hardcore.

I think there could be a poignant spiritual illustration somewhere in the midst of all that we saw.

Spring Around the Neighborhood

Spring is on it's way in to the city and we are enjoying some days of sun and milder weather. Most of time there are people just about everywhere. You see them walking on the sidewalks, coming in and out of buildings, standing in line at the small neighborhood markets and stores, waiting at the bus stop and on the metro platforms...  Oddly enough, if you really want some time without many people around on the streets or in the cars, just go out around 9 on a Sunday morning. You will see some more activity starting around 10 when people begin to get out and run down to a cafe or on the way to some place that they are going for the day.

I took these pictures on a Sunday morning before noon - see what I mean about few people?

This last picture is from the bus stop across the street from our apartment building (the one on the left side of the picture).

Last Night - a Good Friday

Last night Don and I went out of Lisbon with some friends to go to a gathering and worship time with some Portuguese believers. It was such a beautiful evening. The views and sunset were fantastico! There were emerald green fields rolling down the mountains with all the new wind turbines and old windmills in contrast. It would have been idyllic if the town we'd been going to had a better name than "Kill the Dogs".

Even though the language used was Portuguese, the time of worship and music was so special and the heart language of sharing in the remembrance of Christ's death was the same. The couple, who hosted the event and have been trying to do special gatherings like this for non-believers, said that there are many people here who are looking for transformation because they are not finding it in the tradition.
A few weeks earlier, we'd also gone out in the same direction to another area for a house church meeting and were able to take a few pictures...

Two more months gone by?!?

I knew I was neglecting the blog but I can't believe that is has been almost 2 whole months since the last entry. I knew that language school was a killer for me right now, but really, where did the time go? I knew I needed to get to it but there is only so much brain time and free time to go around and I was really surprised that it has been so long. Now I know firsthand why other people's blogs are left hanging sometime... 

Well, today besides doing some "blog" work, I am catching up a little on things like cleaning the bathroom - there was mildew growing on the shower curtain; getting some of the ironing done that has been sitting in the basket for who knows how long - Don has been wondering where some of his shirts and pants have been hiding; organizing paperwork for reports that we have to turn in; and the ever present question - what's for dinner? But the sun has come out and the breeze is blowing the new spring leaves on the trees and I just want to get out for a walk...