Iguazu

In Guarani, the native language of the region of Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Southern Brasil, Iguazu meets "big water." I had the privilege of seeing the waterfalls in the province of Missiones with my friend Danielle. One of the falls is named Garganta del diablo, or "Devil's throat." I wonder why we name such things after the Devil. Why not after God? Anyway it was incredibly beautiful. Water is a powerful thing. Standing in close proximity to the rushing water, I was reminded of the Bible verse in James, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." In comparison to the vastness of the universe and the history of the world, we are small and have momentary existences. It is good to keep this in perspective when the pressures of life overcrowd our view. In the grand scheme of things, what is important?

Events leading up to Easter

For our Bible study on Wednesday, our group got together to share the Lord's supper/communion/ whatever you prefer to call it. We recreated the very Argentine version of the Jewish passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples the night before he was betrayed. It's a bit more than just bread and wine. It was good to reflect on why we perform this ritual in church and learn more about where it comes from. If you are interested in what this looks like, check out this message that became part of our inspiration as we learned about the symbolism of this traditional meal.

Good Friday. I still don't fully comprehend why we call a day good that celebrates the first century Roman execution of a Jewish man. If it makes sense to you that an innocent man crucified is such a monumental event human history, then I think you have figured out the biggest mystery of the universe. That kind of sacrifice only makes sense when steeped in love.
Death is hard to face. But paradoxically it can be something that brings new life. We see evidence of this in nature all the time.
It's autumn here and the leaves are falling off some of the trees. It's not as pretty as all the burnt colors I'm used to seeing in Wisconsin, but I know when spring comes around it will be all the more beautiful, watching buds pop out again. Similarly, fruit must rot and die for the seeds to bury in the ground and produce more.

Awe and Beauty

While in Bariloche, I was surrounded by awe-inspiring beauty. How do you define beauty?
It's hard to describe. I feel like I am most often struck by it in nature--a stunning sunset, a pretty flower, a gorgeous landscape. Sometimes I notice it in love expressed between people--like a mom kissing her baby's forehead. I wonder how God defines beauty. The Bible says when he made the world he called it "good." We were made to appreciate these good things, don't you think?

Psalm 95: 4-6

"In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;"

There is something about the mountains. When I see them, I understand what it means to biblically fear God. All I can do is stand or sit in awe of their majesty stretching toward the clouds. It seems so easy to get distracted by life and forget the magnificence that surrounds us.

The pictures don't do it justice. I'm sure they still wouldn't, even if I had better photography equipment and skills. It makes me wonder about how we long to capture moments. To me, it points to the fact that we either have an overwhelming desire to control (time in this case) or we long for something permanent, something lasting, something eternal if you will. The book of Ecclesiastes describes it this way: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." 3:11

Seeing the masterfully designed diversity of plants perfectly suited for their environment, millions of stars whispering of galaxies faraway, the sun dancing like diamonds over the water, a tree that's 1500 years old, makes me realize how small and fleeing my existence is. It helps to put the things of life into perspective.

Snowy eagles

It’s been awhile, so it’s about time I wrote something, particularly to end the year.
I arrived back in Wisconsin on December 17, a day later than I had planned because I missed my flight. How did I miss my flight? It's complicated.
Half of the year there is a 2 hour time difference between my home and Argentina. The other half of the year, thanks to daylight savings time, there would usually be a 4 hour difference. This year, Argentina decided not to change their clocks, so there is a 3 hour difference. When I bought my flight, daylight savings time had not taken effect. Later, they notified me that my flight had been changed to an hour later in order that I would arrive in the US at the same time. In the craziness of wrapping up things in Argentina, I somehow missed that they had changed the flight back to it’s original time. I guess I should have checked that more carefully. For a variety of reasons, I also was cutting it close getting to the airport on the 15th so I ended up being 10 minutes too late to board my flight (due to having to go through customs and security and all). Fortunately, they put me on the next flight the next day so I spent another day in sandals before arriving in a winter wonderland.
Coming home was a bit strange. It doesn’t feel as much like home as it used to because I know that right now I belong in Argentina. Plus a lot has changed while I was away. (Little things add up to a lot.) Anyway, it has been exceedingly wonderful to be among family and friends again. And I do love a white Christmas.
There’s something about snow that is special. A gentle snow fall in the silence and stillness reverberates in the soul. The peace and solitude of witnessing that moment is something that caresses the spirit (or what ever you want to call that part of you that is more than matter, more than biochemical reactions). Pondering the flakes, so unique in design and miniscule in size, astounds me, especially because when trillions stick together they can stop traffic and shut down entire cities. It’s amazing.
I went running over the snow covered river path in Baraboo and saw 9 eagles. Six were all in the same tree (3 pairs!). It is majestic watching those big birds swoop from a tree and fly through the air. Even perched they are regal. Seeing them reminded me of the verse in the book of Isaiah. “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.” This time of year with the holidays, everyone seems to be rushing around trying to do as much as they can. As for me, I was able to celebrate a simple, quiet, traditional Christmas with my family. I hope you find renewed strength for the coming year! Happy 2010!

My little furry friend

I just want to introduce the newest addition to my home, Remus E. Lupin, the rabbit. It's too cute and cuddly and fun, not to share. It's entertaining to watch Remus hop around. I'm a fan of animals and nature in general. Remus is a good reminder to me of the intricacy of creation. I find it hard to believe something fluffy like my bunny could have developed by chance out of nothing as some scientists suggest. It also reminds me of God's creativity. If He had consulted me in the creation of the world and the animals, I'm not sure I would have been on board with an animal with a fuzzy little nob for a tail, big hind legs, and oversized ears. But I dig his design...well except for when it comes to nasty, irritating bugs like mosquitos and cockroaches.
Remus begging for food whenever we come out of the kitchen. He seems to be a bottomless pit.

The Science of Life

We've had a little more noise in our house the past week. I came home in a foul mood last Sunday after a long weekend of work to find we had baby chicks in our basement. My aunt and uncle have a menagerie of animals including chickens, and they gave us some eggs in an incubator to hatch. It's a good biology lesson for my youngest sister. Plus it is fun holding little fluffy birds in the palm of your hand. This process has got me thinking about life, because it is absolutely incredible how a bird can pop out of an eggshell after a few weeks under the right conditions. A bird with feathers and a beak and little beady eyes emerges from a brown case. I guess it's kind of the same with a butterfly going from caterpillar to cocoon to flying insect. Not all of them get that far. One of our hatch-lings didn't even make it a day. :(

I think it also relates to me and this adventure in Argentina. I'll be stretched in a lot of ways that I can't expect right now. I know I will have to break out of my shell of comfort and familiarity. When I do, I may discover that I am something else entirely. New things about who I am will be on display when they were hidden in the dark before. It will be a struggle. I will probably flop around clumsily at first. But like the baby chickens, I will gather strength, grow, and mature into something amazing and hopefully beautiful.
And now behold pictures of the transformation from shell to chick!That's Freckles. One of the four new additions to our household.