If my heart was a garden, would it be beautiful?

Truly,  relationships and community are not meant to be understood but meant to be experienced, (Young)  like the beauty of a garden. Pain can at its best only remind us about its purpose, to be fragrant and flourishing, while only love can show us its intended and profound beauty. 

Whatever that's dead have to be cleaned up, to give room for the living.

Came across the book Cross Roads by Wm Paul Young tonight, and it kind of found me...

 Image and appearance tell you little. The inside is bigger than the outside when you have the eyes to see. (Young)

I would very much like to have those eyes... wide open :) 

Finding the way back...

"There is a story making the round right now about a four-year-old girl who was overheard whispering into her newborn baby brother's ear. "Baby" she whispers, "tell me what God sounds like. I am starting to forget."

From: Btw the dreaming and the coming true

Finland, you romance me with your sustainable synthetics

You would never let me down.
Never embarrass me. 
Oh how you keep it together.
how you endure!
Even if you're packed to the brink. 
With you, I'm sure I'll make it home.
Safe and sound,we'll get through the door.
We make it in one piece. 
Always!
Finnish grocery bags. 
You are my plastic dream!

Rise and Shine!

I've stopped writing. I've stopped sharing. The words have not come easy to me lately (and just to help you, here's the official video to F.R.Davids famous tunes. There are tonnes of cool hypnotic tiger effects there)… and to be honest I haven't put up a quest to find the words either. I've been rather happy with this fuzzy feeling that I'm on the way even if I'm unable to express it. 

But those shoes I've been walking in, on that way, are too small now. Thinking of sore feet gives me anguish (or ANUguish as some describe it :) and just because I haven't actively been looking for something doesn't mean I don't want it. It's just that sometimes a longing needs to mature before you are ready to step it up.

I want more wisdom and knowledge. And now I'm not talking about becoming one of those who are filled to the brim of middle-aged experience. No I'm talking about becoming one of those who in Christlikness understands what's happening under the surface and can make the right choices and in faith see it through…  with love and joy and peace and long-suffering and gentleness and goodness and kindness and faithfulness and self-control. ( D. Willard) Is that too much to ask? 

I'm told that whatever makes your soul come alive, do it! And this is it! 

But don't be foolish, count the costs, make a plan, come up with a method… and be obedient! So I'm starting by writing what's on my heart. It's the first step.

and then we'll see.


(I'm by the way back in Helsinki and Svenskis after yet another summer in Israel and my life should by no means be described as bad or boring or dissatisfied. On the contrary it's a time of great blessings, promises and anticipation... Best way to describe it is probably that I feel like Miss awesome in the toy-store.)

Mycket nöje!

"you've got to ask yourself one question: Do you feel lucky? well, do ya, punk?"

My mom was here, we were breathing the same air, seeing the same things, living on the same page, have chosen to be written in the same book, yet we are not in the same story it seems... Think I was just the gueststar in hers. (that's what children are, right?) In a way a relief to know that it wasn't about me... I do feel lucky, punk!

New Year soon to come!

What did I do the most this year? sleep I suppose, but that's not what I will remember… I have also lived a lot, I haven't been homeless for a single day… what a blessing, and I have not been part of a single natural disaster even if the list goes longer than ever this year  (see one list below with more than hundred points of earthquakes with a high magnitude, vulcanization, cyclones, tsunamis and unexplainable scenes with massive death of fish and birds)

as I pointed out above it seems that what I did most (live a comfortable life) I will not remember. what a cliche! so not to wonder that I nearly don't remember what I wrote my thesis about because that I did a lot as well, and it paid of. I graduated and got my high marks that I don't really care about here in the Holy land. But I have a degree, jeij!

This is also the year when I have met a lot of new people that got to my heart, I hope you know who you are, because you are precious to me. and of course I haven't forgot my old friends either, thank you for standing by me, hugging me, loving me, giving me encouragement and words of wisdom when my own has been blinded. Love you so much!

 I still love to be the clinging little sister whenever I get the chance

It's the year that I spent most of the time away from Finland, it was a miracle that I got away and it's a miracle to be in Israel. but the longing is not satisfied but this will need a post of its own so I will write more about this another time.

Questions keep arising and occupy my mind as usual, but half of this year has also been a year of rest. I did need it!! but as time has gone by the curiosity has come back and with that the excitement and the joy of being a disciple.

I don't know where my life will be in four months but I didn't know that a year ago either and look it's somewhere and it's good, so why worry?

Happy new Year everybody! Since I'm in Jerusalem, the Holy city and this new year celebration is a pagan tradition I figured I have to balance it up by engage in more extreme promiscuous activities than usual, such as playing cards. ha-ha!

take care all you who are still indescribable to yourself.

The earth is still beautiful

here's the list:

    •    Earthquake magnitude 6.9 Argentina-January 1
    •    Earthquake magnitude 5.2 - Southern XinJiang, China-January 1
    •    Earthquake 7.1 magnitude Chile-January 2
    •    More Than 1,000 Dead Birds Fall From Sky in Arkansas-January 2
    •    Dead fish cover 20-mile section of Arkansas River-January 2
    •    Uganda yellow fever outbreak kills more than 40-January 3
    •    Earthquake Near Japan Triggers Tsunami Warning-January 3
    •    Powerful earthquake hits south-east Iran-January 3
    •    Earthquake 7.0 magnitude hits northern Argentina-January 3
    •    Hundreds of dead blackbirds found in Louisiana-January 3
    •    10,000s of Birds found dead in Manitoba-January 3
    •    Thousands of Birds fall from the sky in South America-January 3
    •    Major Flood in Rockhampto,Australia-January 3
    •    Dead Birds Found In Kentucky-January 4
    •    100 tons of dead fish wash up on Brazil's shores-January 4
    •    Hundreds of dead birds found in East Texas-January 5
    •    Dead birds in Sweden, millions of dead fish in Maryland, Brazil and New Zealand-January 5
    •    Shift of Earth's magnetic north pole affects Tampa airport-January 5
    •    40,000 crabs found dead on England beaches-January 6
    •    Heavy floods leave at least 35 dead in Brazil-January 6
    •    Earthquake 4.5 magnitude in California-January 12
    •    Huge Waves Destroy Homes in E. Indonesia-January 12
    •    Thousands of marine animals found dead  in MATO GROSSO DO SUL/AMAZON Region-Febuary 4
    •    Magnitude 6.3 earthquake- SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND-Febuary 21
    •    Thousands of dead fish have washed up at Sebastian Inlet State Park Florida-Febuary

    •    Millions of small fish including anchovies, sardines and mackerel were found dead at King Harbour area at Redondo Beach, California-March

remember still full of beauty

    •    Magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami devastating Japan-March 11
    •    40ft section of California Highway falls into Pacific Ocean-March 16

    •    Magnitude 3.5 earthquake - OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA-March 17
    •    Magnitude 6.5 earthquake- Vanuatu- March 17
    •    Magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes northeastern Burma-March 23
    •    Magnitude 6.8 earthquake hits Myanmar, Thailand-March 23
    •    Magnitude 6.4 earthquake off the coast of Japan-March 25
    •    Thousands of dead fish wash up in Florida-March 25
    •    Hundreds of dead fish found in Midland,Texas-March 26
    •    Hundreds of dead fish and frogs in Marquette Lagoon-April 1
    •    Magnitude 5.4 earthquake in South Sandwich Islands Region-April 1
    •    Magnitude 6.4 earthquake Fiji-April 3
    •    Magnitude 6.7 earthquake in South of Java,Indonesia-April 3
    •    Magnitude 6.5 earthquake hits Veracruz,Mexico-April 7
    •    Dead birds fall into Kansas yard-April 8
    •    Magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits shore of Japan-April 7
    •    Dead fish found in Cedar Creek, Texas-April 10
    •    Magnitude 6.5 and 6.2 earthquakes hit eastern Japan-April 11
    •    Dead fish float up in 36 lakes in the state of Connecticut-April
    •    Deadly Tornadoes hit N. Carolina and Virginia, at least 47 dead-April 16
    •    Thousands of dead fish are hauled away in Lakeside,NY-April 27
    •    A massive thunderstorm front spawned 137 tornadoes, killed at least 180 people, and mangled sections of Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville, Alabama-April

    •    Dead fish wash up in San Tan Heights pond-May
    •    Deadly Tornado hits Albany, New Zealand, at least 1 death-May 3
    •    Major Mississippi flooding, destroys many homes-May

beautiful and indescribable in its treasures

    •    Dead fish found in Valsad district of south Gujarat-May 3,4
    •    6.5 Magnitude Earthquake hits Papua New Guinea, Tsunami warning-May 15
    •    Iceland's Grimsvotn Volcano erupts,followed by small earthquakes-May 21
    •    Deadly Tornadoes hit Minneapolis and Missouri-May 22
    •    Deadly Tornadoes hits Oklahoma City-May 24
    •    Chedeng exits Philippines, leaves 3 dead-May 28
    •    800 tons of dead fish float ashore in Philippine fish farms-May 29
    •    At least 10,000 metric tons of fish dead in Bolinao and Anda waters in Pangasinan-May 31
    •    Deadly tornado hits Springfield, Massachusetts-June 1
    •    Dead fish found in Ogeechee River-June 3
    •    Dead fish wash up in Bulacan and Ilocos Sur-June 4
    •    Volcano erupts in Chile for the first time in 50 years-June 6
    •    Massive wildfires in Arizona,claimed more than 30 homes-June 8
    •    6.0, 5.5 and 4.4 Magnitude Earthquakes hit Christchurch,NZ-June 11,12
    •    Hundreds of dead fish float up in Delco Lake,Creek-June 15
    •    Buildings,trees and mountains miraculously appear in a China lake (no explanation)-June 17
    •    40 Tornadoes rip through Nebraska,Kansas-June 21
    •    7.2 Magnitude Earthquake hits Fox Islands,Aleutian Islands,Alaska-June 24
    •    Massive dust storm hits Pheonix-July 5
    •    7.8 Magnitude Earthquake hits New Zealand-July 7
    •    7.3 Magnitude Earthquake hits northeastern Japan-July 9
    •    6.2 Magnitude Earthquake hits Philippines-July 11
    •    Hundreds of fish found dead in lake in Kuantan-August 9
    •    A ton of dead fish found in River Segura-August 9
    •    Large number of fish found dead in Central China River-August 12
    •    5.3 earthquake hits Colorado-August 22
    •    5.9 earthquake hits Virgina, jolts NY and Carolinas-August 23
    •    Hurricane Irene hits SC,NC,VA-August 26,27
    •    Deadly Typhoon hits Taiwan and China-August 29
    •    6.8 Magnitude Earthquake hits Alaska-September 2
    •    6.7 Magnitude Earthquake hits Argentina-September 2
    •    7.0 Magnitude Earthquake hits Vanuatu-September 3
    •    6.6 Magnitude Earthquake hits Northern Sumatra, Indonesia-September 5
    •    6.4 Magnitude Earthquake hits Vancouver-September 9
    •    Floods in Pennsylvania-September 10
    •    Texas Fire destroys 1,554 homes, 17 people missing-September 11
    •    Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake hits Northeastern India-September 18
    •    Tornado hits Siloam Springs, AR-September 18

fabulous and amazing

    •    Deadly Typhoon hits Philippines-September 27
    •    Magnitude 5.0 Earthquake hits Aisen, Chile-October 7
    •    Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake hits Death Valley-October 7
    •    Magnitude 6.7 Earthquake hits Papua New Guinea-October 14
    •    Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake hits Amurskaya Oblast, Russia-October 14
    •    Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake hits Simeulue, Indonesia-October 16
    •    Heavy rains kill at least 84 in Central America-October 18
    •    Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake hits north of Tristan da Cuhna-October 19
    •    Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake hits Palau Region-October 23
    •    Magnitude 5.1, 5.6, 6.0, 4.9, 7.2 Earthquake's hit Eastern Turkey (what a hit they took!)-Oct. 23
    •    Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake hits Fiji Region-October 27
    •    Massive Flood hits Bangkok-October 27
    •    Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake hits Peru-October 28
    •    Tornadoes spawned from severe storms touch down in Oklahoma (after a 3.8 magnitude earthquake the same week)-November 8
    •    Africa's most active Volcano Erupts-November 9
    •    Deadly Tycoon hits the Philippines-650+ killed-December 18
    •    Magnitude 6.6 Earthquake in Siberia, Russia-December 27


(source: http://www.jesusblogspot.com/2011/01/natural-disasters-2011-recap-of-first.html) 

God is in control!

Love// tjejjen!

Merry Christmas! when did the star dissapear?

Yes I am...
and yes this Christmas is in many ways...

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

-William Cowper

Brief contemplation after spending Christmas eve in Betlehem. It's so unestethic... too unestethic! For all the senses! Probably just the way it should be... o boy, you must have been beautiful!

 

This I pray: Word become flesh!

So many words only a few are correct, but you can't come up with a single one... and if you refuse to give them life, to use them for life. Then they can't return the favor. How lovely isn't the sound of the right words. Words that don't need any emphasize because they simply are correct. Without theater without drama, they stand because they are true, true to the situation, to the moment, they reach out for contact to the culture to the audience, to the universe, to the law, How rare isn't that? How awesome isn't it to be paralyzed by them. To experience how they without any strain open up doors to the inner mind and how your inner respond to become a long awaited part of a dialogue with the outer. True words are often few, they reveal your heart and therefore so many are afraid to speak them solely. All words can be spells, all words can enchant, all words are miracles all words can deceive but all words are nevertheless a gift that you have received, a token of the abundant gift of free will. Use them wisely according to His sovereign will!

Still in Israel, still blessed and still worth dying for... 

// A-L

We've been on vacation... again

This time we took us the liberty to spend our day off in Haifa, one of the big 3 in Israel. It's a beautiful and relaxed city that offers a beautiful view from Mount Camel. And we didn't actually do much else than enjoy this view, the atmosphere and the ocean, and good food and company of course. In other words, we received blessings in it's essence for a day off. WOHOOOO!!!

hemma igen!

40 is the new 20!

and Today is the new Tomorrow!

Where you go, I'll follow

Fick just bekräftelse för nästa steg. Det blir tydligen ny uppgift i form av volontärarbete. O ny resa med destination Israel. Blir säkert bra då jag fått smälta det lite.

I'm in the business of making sense, you know

Tre saker du bör tänka på innan du överväger att skaffa dig en studiepartner.

För det första

Tar din valda studieparter fram dina goda punktliga sidor? Det vill säga vet du att hon/han kommer att vara på plats precis klockan 9, och tvingar det dig då att vara sharp för att du inte vill verka oseriös i jämförelse? Eller säger ni klockan 9 och båda vet att ingen kommer att dyka upp före klockan 10 fast det höst troligen blir så att en skickar ett ursäktande meddelande 9.45 och säger att det nog blir 11 ändå. Nu sitter jag här 11.09, har själv varit på plats i 9 minuter och ingen S syns till. Ha-ha!

För det andra

Har ni tillräckligt med distans till era känslor så att ni märker när koncentrationen är negativ och det är dags för matpaus? I vissa valda situationer med valt sällskap kan det vara skäligt att fråga sig om det är till fördel att bestämt hålla på att lunchpausen ska vara klockan 15 fastän man märker att den sista timmen går åt att lära sig hippeuttryck ur den mycket upplysande Hippie dictionary. Lite självkännedom och förstånd är på sin plats här, och i sommarduon A&S fallet betyder det: Gå och ät tidigare!

Och för det tredje 

Lämna silikonet utanför, ta inte ens upp den diskussionen, det hjälper inte i situationer som dessa, inte i några andra heller, förutom då möjligen knarrande trösklar. Våra empiriska undersökningar visar att arbetet varken blir gjort av sig själv eller fortare om man inviger sig i sådana diskussioner. Abslout inte då man dessutom inte ens får prata.

Nu ska jag börja, eller egentligen har jag redan börjat eftersom jag framgångsrikt lyckats konstaterat att S&A är i en Revitalization movement, that is a deliberate organized conscious effort by members of a group to create a new culture.

Rock on!