Mother Teresa

Laurie, who often posts comments on my blog (thanks, Laur!), included a prayer by Mother Teresa on her blog. I've always wanted to know more about Mother Teresa because I'm pretty sure she's one of my heroes. :) Anyway, what is the best book written by or about her? I'd like to read it. Maybe someone could recommend a good biography? Thanks! By the way, another nun that is a hero of mine is Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Check out her poems! She's a Mexican feminist from the 17th century.

¡Pigtails!

I have not had pigtails since I was eight! I got my hair cut yesterday and then realized that it was too short for a ponytail when I went running...so pigtails! I kind of like them.

Sol

Sol = Sun

The forecast for Madrid tomorrow is sunshine with a high of 76. Thought you should know.

I'm free!

I’m free to eat all the sugar I want. I feel so liberated! Even though I cheated a few times (in very small quantities ☺), my giving up sugar for Lent was a successful experience. How so? Well, I did not lose weight or keep my promise 100%, but I learned a lot. I learned that I do have self-control (which reminds me of one of my favorite verses: “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of love, power, and self-control”). I also learned that it’s silly to use food to make me feel better. But, overall, the biggest lessons came from my falls and the end of the forty days. The experience was a good analogy of sin and forgiveness. When I gave into temptation, I remembered that I’m not perfect; I’m a sinner and God forgives me. When Easter came and I could eat whatever I wanted, and it really was a liberating feeling! Well, that is precisely how we should feel as Christians. We should feel the joy of being forgiven and free to enjoy life’s pleasures. Christ has liberated us. (Now I’m going to go eat a Cadbury Egg… thanks, Mom!) ☺

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter a little late. It feels good to wish you all a happy Easter, because, despite all the fanfare of Semana Santa (Holy Week, the week before Easter) here in Spain, there aren’t many Easter traditions or even a phrase for “Happy Easter!” in Spanish. Easter Sunday is simply called domingo de resurrección (Resurrection Sunday), and even that was hard to find out because that phrase is rarely used.

In fact, Sunday morning I took my parents to my church and no one wished us a happy Easter. Before the service I was even beginning to wonder if the pastor would recognize the special day. To my relief, he did. He focused his sermon on the resurrection and finally at the end of the service we sang “Because He Lives” in Spanish. But, as you can tell, I was disappointed that in such a catholic culture, Easter just isn’t a big holiday. There are no big ham dinners with the family, bunnies, baskets, or Easter egg hunts. On second thought, maybe that’s a good thing.