If I just lay here

Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

Lifeline

It's six A.M
I'm so tired
The alarm sounds
And the new day begins
Before I go
And disturb this peaceful moment
I look to You

I want to say a prayer
Before my feet can hit the ground
Lord I give this day to You

I'm amazed how You forgive me
Yesterday seems so far behind
It's a brand new day
And every day's a new beginning
I look to You

~ This Day, by Audio Adrenaline

Sorry silence for so long! I haven't had time to blog much this month. So much going on! November certainly has proved to be so much else than gray dullness - quite the opposite! I want to blog more about it, but just now felt like posting that from Audio Adrenaline. And also came across this song:


Just felt like that is for someone out there.

I'll try to blog soon with my November news!

Love to your day,

Fruits of the Spirit

Just thinking of this this morning.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

love just a little too much

Cause if I'm lost in the desert
I know somehow you'll find me
And if i drive in the ocean, you'll be
The first to rescue me
Its love and risk it all

I'd rather love just a little too much

Decisions, decisions

Hmm, I had trouble signing in to post this blog post, in fact my whole blog was not visible/to be found. I think it was just a trick from Google to get my phone number!! Grrrrr!!!

Anyway,

Here is a Cartoon from yesterday's paper:



from

It is Merkel and Sarkozy, and he says (for those of you who don't speak Finnish):
"We are about to reach a decision of the date when we'll gather to decide about when we'll make decisions."

European Union for ya.

Something I always wonder..

"Jesus told a story of a man who was forgiven a huge debt. Enough to retire on. After he was released from his debt and left the courtroom he found a friend who owed him a little money. Enough for a coffee. His friend couldn’t pay. So he choked him."

From Nakedpastor today.  This is just the beginning of the post, check out the whole post with the cartoon!

Love is thinking of others before yourself

I'll put you in front of me so everyone can see
My love, This is my love

Sometimes you feel like this

But you got the love
I need To see me through
Sooner or later in life
the things you love you lose
But you've got the love
I need to see me through

It was amazing to see this performance at Glastonbury!! So awesome.



It's a beautiful Autumn day here! Beautiful Autumn.

My Saviour's love  Your love is real

Everyone needs compassion

You're my Saviour // You can move the mountains

You are mighty to Save

#SundaySong

Kindred spirits

Beautiful photos by Jared Leto:

China from the air.

Seeing these here today made me think of....

By Mimosa:

Over Mallorca

Mallorcan Mountain range

Clearly kindred spirits, eh? ;) 

This trip took place back in 2008. I was a bit unwell, and look sooooo tired in the photos.. It was a research trip, very interesting. Feel somewhat pro now with regard to Mallorca. Ask me anything. Anyway, here's a few more photos to follow the first two:

My very first view of the island

More island from the air

Coming in at sunset

On the plane: Roxana, Alison and me

Straight to the beach!

 

Next morning: +20C or so.

Mallorcan agriculture...

...notice the terraces.


Due to Mallorca being a small island there's huge pressure on land use,
therefore they had to build these terraces to cultivate crops.

Some thoughts on blogging and a little miracle

written on Monday, September 19th

Sometimes life is funny. This evening I was spesifically thinking of these girls

and these times

... my life at 1063 Sauchiehall Street three years ago. Vi, the blonder one is planning to come and visit me hopefully next month. And I was spesifically thinking of Karina (the dark one on the right), and thought "I should get in touch with her, and wonder how she's doing". Then I log on to Facebook and about exactly at the same time as I had been thinking of her, she had written a comment to Vi's page about our times together..!!! Love how these happen. Like a little miracle, makes  life feel so much more special. Sometimes a thought can travel through a thousand miles? Or a prayer. There's so much in the world that is unseen...But how lovely to think, that we were actually thinking of each other at the exact same time. That's a warming thought.

I miss these girls, and am thankful for my time in Glasgow and meeting all the lovely people I did - important ones to me. Lifelong friendships made.

Can you guess what our doorbell said..

This evening I am feeling thankful for all my friends. To all of you (or all three of you reading :)) I am very thankful. You know who you are! ;) I am glad of the blogosphere friendships I've made as well. I truly plan to visit Mrs. Kool one day. And she took part in an English class of mine last year!! Elina is definitely one of the special people met here, such a joy to know. She is a wonderful person! Onneli, who blogs in Finnish I met through blogosphere while she was living in Glasgow, and I was here. She's then written different blogs, and even visited me while I was in Glasgow, and she was in turn back in Finland :) 

Lots of other  lovely people I've come across blogosphere in my six years here. To begin with, very few Finns were blogging back in 2005, I started as I wanted to keep in touch with the "outside" world (outside Finland) and also to have a space to keep up English for me, to not to forget the language. And as said, I was really only mostly reading English-speaking blogs. It wasn't until 2008 that I found Finnish/Finnish speaking blogs. So many they were all of a sudden! Lots of other lovely peeps who shared my situation then: a Finn abroad. Eloveena from Istanbul, who doesn't blog openly anymore, has become a friend: I've met her aunt, grandmother, mother and father and been to their house. I interviewed her 100-year old grandma for my dissertation. (She passed away last year..)

All this through blogs!! So many lovely people I would have never come across.

Not to also forget Kathy Escobar's blog... and Timo of course.




So feeling thankful this week. Not a bad start to the week.


These photos were taken 14 February 2008 at 

Saturday, October 1st

To continue, some images from around here, where I live :)

(taken with Nokia E52)

Friday evening

September 30th. Nearly +20C. in Helsinki:

Last weekend of the "Summer" in Mattolaituri,
we made it there too. yey

A little duck family swimming by

The view from there

Bye bye Finland?

Towards opean seas...

In the Distance

Southern Helsinki life

Click on the photos to see them larger.

Light into darkness

This story is amazing! How innovative and hope-giving this Friday. See how a Soda bottle becomes a light bulb: 





Hope we find new ways to let light in. Even in those situations where it feels hopeless, and impossible (like in this one - can't afford windows, there's no electricity..)  and you feel like you're in darkness with no hope. There's always a way.

I pray God blesses these people.

How I need you

Found this song today, it struck me!



Although it is this version here by Matt Maher that struck me (couldn't find it on youtube).

 And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay

Made for more

But you know you're made for more,
so don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes,
and you can walk on the water, too

Step out, even when it's storming
Step out, even when you're broken
Step out, even when your heart is telling you
Telling you to give up

Your faith is all it takes,
and you can walk on the water, too





Britt Nicole, Walking on water.

Also I want to post this, Phil Wickham with "Safe"




You will be safe in his arms
So hear Him now He's calling you home

Whoah, this week has gone by in a flash but also been very full, just workwise. Full and/but good. I almost ended up in the news (for two seconds) but only my colleagues then (for those two split seconds).. I stood behind the cameras ;) To be honest - they weren't filming us, just the Prime Minister..


Weekend is here! Have a happy one! I'm hopefully going to the woods tomorrow, and picking some lingonberries... :)

Last Sunday

Lahti Harbour

Little boat going away...

Little Vesijärvi (= Water lake) park - people go jogging etc..

Lahti for you

This little guy seemed a bit lost (but then actually flew away)

A peek to my balcony

flowers a bit closer...

The View From Here

I need a pair of these

Please excuse the quality of these - they were taken with my mobile. Yes, the weather's been a lot like that in Finland :/

I've been off work today as I'm down with a cold/flu (something like that). I was at work on Thursday though already had a very sore throath and one of my colleagues asked me "so why are you here??" Ive had head ache for three days this week.. Today being the worst. Felt like crying. The medicine has kicked in now, so I don't feel as horrible as I have all day.  I'm even online! (though I probably shouldn't, but I'm a little bored..) Only a few hours ago I felt like crying for mommy. You know the feeling. I just hope I am well by Monday as I was just off work for four days only LAST week due to another illness - jeez!! But there seems to be this flu/cold wave already going on in Finland - so many people I know are ill, facebook also telling of others.. already now, and it's only been end of August/beginning of September? We're all falling ill already?? And I am sad to add myself to those numbers. I saw last weekend  too many people who were, had been, or were going to be sick. Guess it was due to come :/

Anyway, what a long babble about that.

I went rollerblading after a loooooooong while the other week.

Some scenery along the way...

random field

Yes I live in a city - you may not believe from these pictures but that's Finland for you :) These are the outskirsts though I must admit. Though it's only some kilometres from my house, right near the centre..
Ok, it's not that big of a city, just 100 000 people.. But this is what I love about here - the closeness of nature.

Here's what the sky looked like from my balcony that eve:

Now my head is telling me I was stupid to ever open the computer and definitely need to go to sleep. Ouch. (Yesterday I fell asleep straight from work, before 7p). Hoping for a better day tomorrow... Blessings to you!

aaaaaahhhhhhhh.

mmmm, beautiful. love this pic.

From

Whoosh!

Six years I've had this blog (or should I say kept) I was already contemplating off shutting it down (I may) but just now instead I changed the layout. Quite long, six years with the same layout. Wouldn't you say! So far I haven't (in my adult age) even lived six years in one go in the same place let alone apartment.. Anyway, the layout is on trial, so don't be surprised if it is changed the next time you pop round. If you pop round!

(I'm not really sure if anyone really even reads this).

Mimosa

an oldie =)

There is a time for healing
There's a time for all purposes under the sun
There's a time for laughter
There's a time to let go and a time to hold on

This is our time to be strong
This is our time to rise up
To stand and be counted

---

Was just playing in my head today :)

Keep on

...moving, believing, dreaming

I was sent this video today. So encouraging!





There always seems to be a door
that you can't open
There always seems to be a mountain
you can't climb
But you keep on reaching
You just keep on reaching

When your destiny is out there in the distance
But the road ahead's a mine field in disguise
And you keep on moving
You Just keep on moving

You will make it through this
Just give it time
You gotta give it time

This is what you're made for
Standing in the downpour
Knowing that the sun will shine
Forget what lies behind you
Heaven walks beside you
You got to give it one more try
One more time (time)

You just keep on reaching
You just keep on, you keep on moving (hey)
When the shadows fall on everything you're dreaming
When the promises turn out to be a lie
You just keep believing (yeah)
You just keep believing
Oh, don't stop your dreaming
It's gonna be alright
It's gonna be alright

***
Don't give up. Believe in your dreams. Keep dreaming.

What a beautiful and encouraging song.

we humble ourselves...

Open the windows of Heaven

on us today

A dress by my name..

SO totally could wear this.

Does look like me! I like especially the top and the necklace..

Playing in my head just now:



My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that

You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

And once again, an awesome post from Kathy Escobar, I quote:

in the kingdom of God there should be no white privilege, male privilege, straight privilege, economic privilege. Christ breaks down all of those barriers. but the kingdom of God won’t just drop out of the sky. we will have to work hard, sacrifice our time, ego, hearts, and pride to create it. we will have to let go of assumptions that “it’s not that big of a deal” when we’re the ones with the privilege.

Read the whole post here.

Remembering: Happy birthday

Written on the eve of July 9th

A little sombre this eve. Feel a little sad. Below here is a photo of my goddaughter and eldest niece, she's 9 :) (and myself)

Tomorrow would be her daddy's 43rd birthday. If he were here. This week, a famous Finnish athlete, a namesake of my brother's and nearly of the same age, died. The death of Mika Myllylä, and my brother's birthday coinciding in the same week, of course has brought it all to mind. Sometimes I see men about the same age as my brother who look like him. They remind me of him. Most of all, I feel so sad for the girls. I feel so sad for my goddaughter to have lost her daddy. More than anything, I wish it wasn't so. I wish she didn't have to grow up without her daddy. When you see this pic, will you say a prayer for her? I'll be giving her a hug.


(That's us at a concert in January, hence the clothes :))

Happy Birthday, Mika. I miss you.

Be thou my vision

Photos taken June 24th, 2011, Midsummer