Santiago Sights

I don't often go touring in my city, and rarely take photos. But lately, we have had some rain and clear skies and the Andes mountains look lovely . The sunsets are gorgeous with the clouds, the winds of spring are arriving, and there are kites for sale on the street corners. The sound of the wind hitting the kite's paper is once again familiar, as we approach the Dieciocho of September, the biggest holiday of the year! Here are some "spring is coming" shots of my city.
The first one is the view from my office, and the red and cream colored apartment is where I live. The second is up on Cerro San Cristobal, a hill in the middle of downtown, a metropolitan park. This is only about 1/4 of the way up. The third is at Algarrobo Beach, about an hour from where I live. It is a gorgeous country!

The Bread of Life

Something I've been thinking about.
You know how Jesus says that he is the bread of life, that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then you know how he created so easily two very powerful reminders, with bread and wine, saying this bread is my body, broken for you. And then what Paul says, that you are the body of Christ.

So, all this has pushed me to think about what it means that Jesus is the bread of life, and how I am a part of his body. And it's changing the way I look at the bread. It's quite possible I have eaten more bread in the last 4 years of my life than all the twenty+ years of my life before living in South America. There's a greater sense of what it means that he is the bread that gives life, give us our daily bread, etc. All that makes much more sense to me.

Now I've been thinking a lot about the Body of Christ. Who He is and how he transformed us into His Body. We represent his body? We ARE his body? I have begun to look at this bread we share as a way to not only remember him, but to ask me, "How am I a part of this body? What do I have to offer? Am I offering it to Him and to others?" If I come to his table alone, I've missed the point. Jesus, the image of our invisible God, is extremely relational. And my heart longs for relationship with him, and with others, as he gives us ways to be together, like the sharing of this bread, being his body (can I say it like that?). The bread now helps me to see the Body differently, to look into the eyes of the other members, to offer myself to them, to love unconditionally. WE are his body.

Virgin Assumption

Today is a national holiday in Chile. August 15 is the Day of the Asumption of the Virgin Mary. I'm not sure what this means, so I'm checking into it. I prefer to call it the Day of the Season's fiercest storm!

I fell a bit disconnected from the World's Celebrations of the Olympics. They are only shown here on local television between the hours of 1 AM and following. It's been difficult to watch, obviously. Although I did see a bit of Fernando Gonzalez' semifinal match. I have actually seen the winning moment maybe 30 times!

A few of you heard me tell you that they say here in Chile that it is so cold here in the winter months of June, July, and August, that if Grandma survives through August, she will live another whole year! It seems the worst of the cold is now over, and there is a tree on my street that is now blossoming and gives a captivating aroma as I walk home each day.

During these months last year, I wasn't here, so I was preparing for the worst. Yes, my electricity and gas bills have gone up, but it was worth it. I have grown to love down feathers! I have had a lot of tea to drink, and have learned how to blowdry my bed before getting in it at night. There are currently four blankets on my bed, one of which is folded to double itself. I am so grateful I have not been cold.

So, I was going to try not to mention that I hadn't blogged in awhile, but, if you're reading this, you know it, and you can tell by the way I have no rhyme or reason to what I write. That's the gracia of a week of late nights, and now, a leisurely stormy morning to stay in bed with a cup of coffee and a bowl of Quadritos with Vanilla yogurt.