Inspiration

A really awesome friend of mine told me about an organic farm here in Portugal and sent me their blog. Really cool.

quintadoarneiro.wordpress.com

Their design of things makes me really think I like Portugal. If Portuguese people were more creative, I think they could "update" their traditional culture in neat ways, instead of just importing other cultures.

They have an adorable little girl as a model. I think my soul looks like her, which may sound weird. If I could get my outside to look like my inside, I think I would want to wear what she is wearing. Also reminds me of what I like about Portuguese culture. All pics are from their blog.

Happy weekend!

Eating, sleeping and trusting God

I read an amazing post over at Conversion Diary called "The 7 Habits of People who Place Radical Trust in God" and compared it to how "busy" I've become. Back when I was unemployed, and when I started this blog, it was the first time I started really focusing on sticking to a strict schedule of getting up early, running, eating oatmeal, praying, cooking everyday and going to bed early. It was GREAT, minus the being stressed out about not finding a job of course. Then, when I got one, I've progressively found it more and more difficult to keep cooking, praying and resting enough. I think God really used that time to help me trust him more, and showed me how to trust him. Because when I had those physical basics covered (eating, sleeping, exercising), it was easier to get the spiritual basics covered that she talks about in the post (accept suffering, focused prayer times, listening, silence).

Today, I was lucky enough to go to the beach, have a fabulous lunch with a fabulous friend, unpack my suitcase (which had been sitting in my room for two days) and have time to make soup in my dark, quiet house. It was great. I hope I can SLOW DOWN and focus on friendship with God and others these next few days and weeks.  



The foggy beach today



celery with peanut butter and baked potatoes

 

Can you find the grasshopper?

Back to the city of pigeons

Yesterday I left the beautiful land of the Azores...

...land of green pastures, cows, beauty...

... but most importantly family, loved ones, a little dog...

,,, and arrived at the grand city of Lisbon...

...hot, dry, full of graffiti and skyscrapers...

...and dirty, flea-ridden pigeons that stare at you when you take a sandwich out of your purse while sitting on a park bench...

... and call all their dirty, flea-ridden pigeon friends who will not fly away when shooed...

... ah, Lisbon. Land of running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to get the million things on my to-do list done but instead wasting time posting ridiculous pictures of pigeons on my blog...

... land of surprises, starbucks coffee, and the most amazing people that pop into your life and somehow think you're amazing too. Friendship is a most unmerited, unexpected gift and it's so nice to come back to it.

You know you're in the Azores when...

...you have to stop in the middle of the road to let cows pass by...

This is the road that doesn't have a fancy cow highway built alongside it (no really, that exists!)

Wait a second guys, this leaf just looks extra yummy over here. Just a quick bite, hold on a sec!

Going back to Lisbon tomorrow. Will miss the cows. And the people too, of course.

Easter

Who could have guessed the road to life
Poverty, humility, death
Oh Lord of endless surprise
I need you with every breath

I embrace not my brokenness
I cling to the rock, that is firm
The road to you unexpected
With every step I am reborn

You are light, you are dazzling
Your hands bear scars, tried and true
Victorious over death
Your love makes all things new

Constant ugliness and evil
In me, around me, you hold me tight
Your love strong, your rock higher
Redeem me Lord, restore my sight

"I will not build not build my life upon the passing sand

of how I feel inside from one moment to the next

I will love you Lord, my rock, my guide, my strength

a precious cornerstone the floods of death could never shake"

When I am afraid by Laura Hackett

"Oh, death, where is your sting?

Oh, hell, where is your victory?

Oh, church, come stand in the light

Our God is not dead, HE IS ALIVE, HE IS ALIVE! "

Christ is Risen by Matt Maher

Holy Saturday

How heavy that day must have felt
Without hope or understanding
The sting of failure painful
Beyond human reasoning

A friend dead, savior defeated
Are all promises a lie?
The hurt of an illusion
Believing so much, then to die?

Before a new beginning
Stares the silence of defeat
The humbling, the waiting
Death and growth of a grain of wheat

Good Friday

You're hugging me, arms stretched wide
The bells ring, my sentence tolling
Your chest sticks out, your arms don't move
Forever open, nailed, calling

Your chest laid bare, heart exposed
You hide nothing from my sight
Blood pours down the splintered wood
For love you show me your plight

Searing, heavy, numb, cruel
You bear all the pain and ugly
Darkness, confusion, my earth shakes
And still you stand in glory

You give all of your sacred flesh
Your nakedness to all violence
Virile strength in the surrender
... what can wash away my sins?

Yummy moments

Yummy moments today:

homemade nacho chips and salsa

locally grown pineapple

making mexican pizza and accidentally using only whole-wheat flour instead of half white flour, being sad about how bad it tasted, but having my parents eat it anyway and say life is about mistakes

little dog patiently waiting by the person who most drops things accidentally, hoping to catch an accident

no such luck

green smoothies that taste like grass... but so nice to be taken care of and having readily available food

God's grace and patience, having glimpses of how simple life should be and how complicated we make it

A pictureless life

I haven't posted in a while, mainly because when my purse was stolen a month ago, my camera was stolen along with it! And blogging without pictures is kind of sad to me. It's like Romeo without Juliet, a car without a road, cheese without goiabada (lyrics from Adriana Calcanhotto's song here)

Miraculously (really... isn't life really a miracle sometimes?) God not only provides for my needs but also for my wants...sometimes... and I got an amazing friendship (well, new level to a friendship) and a camera in the same week!

So here's what I've been doing in these crazy, beautiful last two weeks:

Borrowed a bike and now ride it uphill and downhill to work every afternoon. Yes to strong leg muscles!

---> insert picture of bike and road to work here <---

Went on a three-day trip to London where I learned a lot about money, God's plan for it, friendship and, most importantly, had DELICIOUS all-you-can-eat buffets for every meal.

---> insert picture of mouth-watering buffet food here <---

Was given/"lent indefinitely" a camera.

---> insert picture of me smiling <---

Worked hard at setting up water bottles and cups for speakers at an international congress about the separation of church and state.

Stayed a night at my sister's house where I am always spoiled with extremely comfy conditions and chocolate-flavored coffee.

Ate yummy thai food.

Was happy and had a full tummy.

Flew to the most beautiful islands of the world, the Azores. Don't you just want to take off your shoes and walk on those fluffy clouds?

You know you're in Portugal when you can't drive on your street because you have to wait for the procession that's going by.

Sat in the living room and chatted with family, some furrier than others.

Received lots of furry beijinhos.

:) Isn't life better with pictures?

I'm excited...

...because it's the weekend!

...because a long week is over

...because I had coffee this morning... that always means it'll be a good day

...because it was sunny and summery all day

...because I washed a load of laundry and it dried in no time

...because yesterday someone special told me, "I showed myself completely to you, without holding back, and you didn't run away"

...because I thought it had gone unnoticed

...because tomorrow I will sleep in

...because I get to clean my house, listen to music and go grocery shopping tomorrow

...because I don't have definite plans

...because there are some people in my life right now I really care for

...because those people really care for me

...because God is providing for my financial needs

...because I am not as worried about people being mad at me anymore 

...because it's Friday I'm in Love

...because I have time to figure things out

...because real love takes root with difficulties

When your whole world is mad at you...

Have you ever felt like every single person in your life was mad at you? And maybe had reasons to be? I'm not sure if this is normal.

I don't spend enough time with one person.

I missed another's birthday dinner.

I am choosing work over being with these people.

I am quitting and not being faithful to a commitment I (apparently) made with this person.

I am not committing enough to these people.

I'm rejecting this peron.

It seems like lately I've been forced to make a lot of decisions. In all of them I've been highly confused/stressed and all of them have made certain people mad at me. I've realized how much I think about other people when making decisions. "Oh no, I can't... so and so will be _______."

I wonder... is God putting me in these situations for me to stop people pleasing? To start caring about what He thinks and just that?

Two people in the last week have told me, "I'm not mad at you." And it has made all the difference. I'd like to think God wants to tell me that too.



I'm in the back! Looking cool... ;)



Playing soccer with my youth group last Sunday...
one of the tough "decisions" I am trying to currently make!