Let the Good Times Roll

I think João has finally made his peace with having a cat around the house, especially since they are fans of the same soccer team! Here they are in deep discussion about Flamengo. You see, Flamengo won a championship on Sunday night - 2 x 1, in a turn around in the last time period. Then they won again last night. Wow! Do I have two happy "cats" around my house, or what? It is always fun when your team wins.
In addition to the championship, we had other things that gave us a great weekend. Our Sunday services were just great - a real blessing both morning and evening. The morning was the 5th anniversary of one of our "choirs", a young people's group. They did a bossa-nova/contemporary kind of arrangement of "He's Everything to Me" (that one of the group members composed) that would have knocked your socks off. Fabulous. They helped with the congregational singing and it really felt like we soared above the stars in taking our praise to God.
Our evening services was also special, as a member-pastor turned 70 and brought in his whole family for the service, right down to providing a choir. They filled the church. It is a rare sight to have our church full for Sunday night and that was exciting in and of itself. The choir - all family members - also inspired. Especially with a contemporary arrangement of a number of songs from the Messiah. It was an unusual Sunday, for sure. I think it left our new minister of music with his head spinning!
The youth group, "Aviva-voz" (Live or "revived" Voice ) also put out a CD with their songs, and I have included a link to the arrangement I made reference to earlier. If you click on the "pink" mp3 player to left, you will be able to hear their recording. However, the recording is not of the same quality as their actual singing, as they did not record in a studio. They made the recording to help them with funds for a missionary trip they plan to make to Germany to share Christ with the Muslim population there. They have invited me to go with them and I am praying about this. I am really divided on the issue, so I am praying for "one" mind to know what to do. (The trip will be in July.)
I would hope that your week was as joyful as mine. Grab a friend (like Mia and João did) and sit down and chat about YOUR good times!

Phew!!!!

Have you ever caught someone on the phone who has just gotten in and had to run to answer the phone? They sound all out of breath? I sort of feel rushed in that kind of way. When you are "really" talking to someone, you can hear it. When you are writing in 3rd person, you can explain it. Since I write in first person, I just have to ask you to imagine it! These are busy days, and the need to add to my blog has been a "dull roar" in my ears for a week now, but since I now have some really cool pictures, I decided to take a few minutes and share about last Sunday.
I just can't quit smiling as I recall the morning service. Our new minister of music was installed or inducted, whatever you want to call it. We are calling him our "prime-minister" (the first associate minister in the history of our church).
The church was packed, literally standing room only. That is always a thrill! The full orquestra was present and WOW were they ever on top of their "game". I know that most people think there will be a praise band in heaven, but me I think it will be an orchestra!
Eduardo and his family (the new minister) were all there. During the children's message I called them all up and put them in the middle of the circle and we prayed for the family. That, for me was a moving moment. As was the moment when he led the congregation in singing "Shout to the North". Another high point was when I presented Renata (his wife) with a small vase of flowers and then every choir in the church gave her more roses until she had 5 dozen red roses. It was a beautiful scene representing our support of her. The most moving moment was when Eduardo shared his "commitment" to the church. He was so emotional, it was hard for him to speak. But when he shared of his commitment to the pastor and to support him in all decisions, I looked up and saw my husband dabbing away the tears, it really was touching. Of course, it's kind of tough to top 1700 people singing Handel's "Aleluia" with a full orchestra!
We have no doubt that God has brought Eduardo to our church and will use him in wonderful ways.
When you have prayed and yearned for something so long and you see it come to fruition, there is a special sense of fulfillment that is overwhelmingly joyous. It's the kind of day you will replay in your mind when things get hard! It's important to have those "memorial" moments (I call them "Ebenezer" moments").
On Monday evening we also had another special moment. We were invited to attend Margaret Johnson's "going-away" worship service. She is retiring after 38 years as a Southern Baptist Missionary. (she only has 11 years on me, if I hadn't resigned from the board). She had the service at the Women's Training School where I taught from 1989-1996. I hadn't been in the chapel for many years and when I walked in so many memories rushed back that I started crying. I finally remembered so many wonderful times (When I left the school, I was so tired and burned out and unhappy, I forgot all those things) and especially missed the former director, Elizabeth Oates (who is now sitting at Jesus' feet). Margaret's service was well-planned (she would never do any less than perfect, would she?) and VERY meaningful. She wanted no preaching, just a worship service of thanksgiving to the Lord. We sang and read scripture and remembered. When it ended, no one wanted to leave. I have never seen a more "God-honoring" going-away party. I felt richly blessed to have known Margaret and to have participated in this worship service.
So I end this post today with the words of the Dennis Jernigan song, Thank you, Lord

For all that You've done, I will thank You
For all the You're going to do
For all that You've promised
And all that You are
Is all that has carried me through
Jesus I thank You

My favs

I have no idea why, but I love the movies. I can remember rushing home from grade school to watch the afternoon at the movies, featuring Francis Farmer as the hostess (the poor dear, I thought she was just a hopeless drunk, having no idea she had been lobotomized). I loved the fact that with my quarter I could go to the movies on Saturday at the Emerson and see lots of short movies and afford snacks on the side. Now those weren't very auspicious movies to start off my taste for movies... I mean Shirley Temple festivals, and "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" weren't exactly masterpieces of cinematographic style. Still I hung in there and as I grew older, I got to see some better films like "Dr. Zhivago". I even began to realize I really liked some movies enough to want to see them over and over, like "Wizard of Oz", and some I just thought were so awful I didn't have to stay to the end, even if I had paid more than a quarter - like "La Dulce Vita".
So as I thought back on all the movies I had seen and liked and hated and even just loved, I wondered if I could compile a personal list of movies that I would like to see more than once and that actually meant something in my life. I mean it seems like anybody who is someone has done so and I find I don't often agree with them. So I have sort of categorized some of my favourites. Now, you need to know that the order is random (I have no all time favorite movie) and that I have perhaps forgotten some wonderful movies. Other "great movies" didn't make my list because frankly I don't like them (like the "Bicycle Thief" that I just hated), I find they didn't age well and I never want to see them again ("Gone With the Wind"), just too violent or dirty for me (Godfather), I just didn't "get" it (what the Sam Hill was "Space Oddessy 2001" all about? ) or I found them just plain overdone ("Titanic" - please don't make me listen to Celine Dion again!!!).
So here goes my list of 'Peggy' movies.

Classic/Black and White Movies
Casablanca
The Wizard of Oz
Citizen Kane
How Green was my Valley
To Kill a Mockingbird
Stairway to Heaven (other title: A Matter of Life and Death) - A very strange story, but lovely too.
The Best Years of our Lives (Such a sweet ending)

Foreign Movies
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (One of my very favorites!!!)
It's a Beautiful Life
Feast of Babette
Como Agua Para Chocolate
Chocolat
Rabbit Proof Fence (a real surprise for me - an Australian film)
Kite Runner (one of the few new films to enter my list, this is an all time must see movie)

Brazilian Movies
O Homem Nu
O Partilho
Estação Central
Tropa do Elite

Comedies
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (one of the few films I have seen more than 5 times and still seems fresh and funny)
Ground Hog Day (I've only seen it about 4 times, but ditto on the comment above)
The Bucket List (A comedy that made me cry)
Forrest Gump (another comedy that made me cry)

Drama
The Color Purple
Schindler's List
About Schmidt
Chariots of Fire
Paradise Road

Animated (I never was a cartoon fan, and most Disney movies just weren't my cup of tea. I absolutely hated and still can't stand Bambi!)
Beauty and the Beast
Finding Nemo
Cinderella

Action (Surprisingly this category actually entered in, but you'll note there is no horror or scarey movie category, because I hate that kind of stuff)
The Indiana Jones trilogy (One of my biggest disappointments was to show one to Sissy and to find she really thought it was boring - I still love all three of them)
The Ring Trilogy (No I don't have a thing for trilogies, as you will note Star Wars is not on the list, although I loved them when they first were issued, but now they just seem hokey).

Musicals
Singing in the Rain (A musical that isn't STUPID like most of them)
An American in Paris (how can you lose with Gershwin?)
Sound of Music - as ooey-gooey as it is, it had to one of the most important movies for my youth - I lived and breathed that story.
Fiddler on the Roof (especially since my husband loves it so much)
My Fair Lady
Mary Poppins

Romance (Chick Flicks)
Green Card (I really love this story for some reason and almost no one else even remembers it)
An Affair to Remember (I know, it's embarrassing to like such a tear jerker)
Somewhere in Time (Oh, what a romance!)
When Harry Meets Sally (I still laugh - you know when).
Shadowlands (wow, this one really made me cry)
A Portrait of Jennie (I saw parts of this movie during all my childhood, but don't think I ever saw all of it until last year. I maybe its only fan, but it has to one of the most romantic stories ever)

Feel-Good / Inspirational Movies
Bend it Like Beckham
The Bishop's Wife
Amazing Grace (despite the fact that it is so mixes fiction and fact)
The End of the Spear
Second-Hand Lions
The Ultimate Gift
Mr. Holland's Opus
The Dead Poet Society (I liked it a lot better when I was younger, but it did impact the way I taught).

Did I leave anything significant off the list? I'll go back and add it, if I did. Let me know what you think in the comments column.

Uma Vez Flamengo, sempre Flamengo

Yeah, well I do know my headline is in Portuguese! It's just there is no translation that does justice to the phrase, that is a line about a Brazilian soccer team, that has it's headquarters here in Rio. It's a nationally popular soccer team and their theme is once you are a "flamenguista" (fan of the flamengo team), you will always be a flamenguista. We have had my nephew Thiago (James) here for a few days and he is a fanatic for the team. My husband and his brothers are all fans of the team. So we thought it would be really cute to dress up Mia as a Flamengo fan. They are famous for their red/black color scheme. Hey, you have to admit she is just a doll. I think she would make a much better mascot than the team's buzzard!
We've certainly had a lot of fun with the kids being here (niece and nephew) and done quite a bit of sight-seeing with them. They are really good kids. Right now they are Christ the Redeemer statue. When they get home, I know Thiago will want a photo-op with Mia and her Flamengo shirt, and he in his as well. Hope you got a nice smile out of Mia, the soccer fan!

How 10 cents nearly cost me R$300

First off, let me tell you how much I am enjoying these days of relaxation. Just a few minutes ago I was laying on the couch with a good book and listening to harp music, with Mia curled up on my lap. Ah.. this is the life! I have even been getting a few things done. I have emptied and cleaned all the cabinets and drawers in the house, as well as cleaned the stove, fridge, and washed all the windows. Aren't I just little Susie homemaker? In all my cleaning I became thoroughly disgusted with my vacuum, as it has really been losing it's power. The suction is just pitiful. Never was the greatest, but lately it's just been useless and I find it easier not to use it. I began looking online for a new vacuum and was shocked to discover even a little simple model like mine was well over R$100 and the model I really wanted (upright) was over R$2,000! I settled on a R$300 model. But before spending that kind of money, I decided to give it one more chance.
I have frequently cleaned the hoses out with water and big globs of junk came out. The bag was new, so what could be the problem? Then I noticed that there was nothing in the bag at all after sweeping all day. I ran water through the hose and out came more gunk, so I decided to blow on the hose with all my might. Out popped a 10 cent coin. And voilá... my vacuum works again. At least as well as it ever worked. What a relief. Cleaning rugs by sweeping with a broom is not fun and very dusty. I don't remember picking up a coin at any time, but it happened. Just glad I found the problem. Makes life so much easier when I can actually pick up dirt instead of spreading it around.
I have pretty well finished my housecleaning, but have enjoyed the "mental" break it provided. I have read 3 full books, watched 3 really fun movies (if you haven't seen the "Bucket List", do so, it is so uplifting) and had lots of cuddle time with Mia. Tomorrow João comes home together with his brother and niece and nephew. Today I baked cake, made granola, and made various other food items as well as grocery shopped to get ready for my house guests.
So time marches on and my holidays are nearly over. Still I must say, life is good!