Good Friday

Today was an incredible time of fellowship, worship, prayer, reflection, and fun. (There are pictures below.)

We began the day meeting together for singing to Him, which in itself is one of my favorite things here. The voices singing far outweigh the person leading, and I love it. We also had readings from Matthew regarding the the final days of the Son. Following this time, we all trekked up the mountain nearby our site, stopping along the way to read other passages and think on the Son's own trek up the mountain, bearing the cross. At the top, we had an amazing view, and each of us split off on our own for an hour of quiet time. I situated myself on a rock overlooking the coast, and reread the passages from Matthew regarding the crucifixion and resurrection, asking that the MD would keep me mindful of this season and the incredible gift He has given me. At the end of the hour, we celebrated the Supper together with hot cross buns and grape juice, then trekked back down the mountain.

This evening, we rejoined together for dinner. We created a huge garden salad depicting the final days of the Son. There was a potato mountain of olives (with olives on it), a carrot cross, a lake made of salmon, grass made of lettuce, and so on. (Please check out the photos!) It was so fun to create as a group, expressing creativity together and working as a team to develop the best way to portray the torn curtain (we used a torn lettuce leaf) and houses (blocks of cheese with doors cut out and carrot roofs). At the end, after an explanation of the significance of each scene, we ate it (and it was good!). We then watched Prince of Egypt together.

I've really been impacted this Good Friday by all the reminders of the MD's sacrifice and gift of love. It was a slightly strenuous climb this morning, and every time I would think of my own fatigue, I would stop my inward grumbling because I know it was infinitely harder for the Son to do the same, bearing His own cross and walking to His painful death. I also found it impacting to sit on a mountaintop to have my quiet time with the MD. I was able to take in the mountaintop view, thinking on the Son's final moments on His ownmountaintop.

At the bottom, beginning the climb:

Views from the top:

Salad Creation: top left corner: the temple, made of cantaloupe; right: mount of olives; the walkway is lined with beans and made of crumpled chips

Salad: the tomb made of bread, with a cucumber stone rolled away; broccoli trees

Salad: Finished Product