No strangers

Avalon :"Orphans of God"

There are no strangers
There are no outcasts
There are no orphans of God
So many fallen, but hallelujah
There are no orphans of God

Makes me think of Vivamo's "Te ette ole vieraita" on the wall of leirikartano. It really touched me back in 1995. I'm sure many others too. God bless Vivamo!

What's our perspective?

"And He came to reveal God, to give Him hands and feet. He came to be near, to be God with us. He came to love and know us and to be loved and known by us."

Micah Wierenga writes..

To Beautify the World

( Pollok House, Glasgow)

"I woke one morning recently with a strange goal. I set out with a desire to beautify the world as best I can, whether through cleaning my house, having an inspiring conversation with someone, or serving in a way that makes another feel loved. These are all ways in which I can beautify the world around me."

- Rebecca St. James

She talks about how the church should awaken its hunger for beauty at every level.

I love it when people see something that most see as a derelict and hopeless place, but they see it is worth salvaging and restore it to even better glory than it's been. Here in the UK it's a business and a passion for many people to buy houses and re-do them. I love that. It requires a lot of effort and engaging but they love (must love) to do it. I admire that.

This place used to be a factory and then I think unused (?) for many years. But it's a beautiful building. Well, some visionaries and entrepreneurs caught on it, and now it's a lively centre where there's many businesses (it's not a mall though), artists, events, there's even a church (Free Church of Finland) that has a Chapel/resides there! It's from my hometown, where I grew up in Finland. I think it is simply awesome what they have done. As many caught on it and stepped onboard, and now it is a lively centre and livened up the place. I'm sure it is a blessing to the whole town and provides vitality and brings people together. Well done, Kehräämö! I raise my glass for the two or three business men who started it all. I have such joy over this one.

I think the same way God sees us. He sees the potential in us. He sees us worthy of salvaging. He restores and beautifies us. He is into restoration! No hopeless cases.

Christian Clone?

Denise Morris on being a Christian woman -and being you, not a clone.

Embrace and Celebrate who you are...

"I have felt a lot of pressure to be like the NCGs (Nice Christian Girl) — mostly from myself. However, I think there is also some subtle insistence from churches and families that Christian girls are supposed to be mild and smiley. They are supposed to be obsessed with marriage, and want lots of kids. We girls should always present our best face — no matter what we're really feeling. And once we girls turn into moms, that's when we begin wearing embroidered vests and decorating our kitchens with chickens or apples. While not often vocalized, these ideas are engrained in us, where they quietly help us form judgments about the women around us."

The whole article is here

it's worth a read :)