Winter

Ahh, what a nice start to a Monday. A colleague had bought me a cake like this (from a bake sale yesterday) - what a nice surprise and start for the week!! It's kind of a bundt cake (kuivakakku) a Finnish thing (or maybe Scandinavian..oh no, I checked it's German origin), I think this one is like Marmorkuche (marble cake) or something like that in German.

(Forgive me if I am wrong, I haven't studied a day of German. I have, however, "taught" German..Ok, that was in my substituting daze. Wonder if the students learned anything? ;D)

Yesterday was also lovely. It is like winter wonderland here already. A wee bit on the cold side, -15C (and more..) Brrrrr. But apparentily so it is in the UK! I'm meant to fly in tomorrow, but I think my airport is closed!

Here's a few news clips for you (if, like me, you are reading this from outside the UK.)

More gritted streets needed say Newcastle residents

Snow causes travel disruption in Scotland and North east England

'Beautiful but bitterly cold'

It was so beautiful yesterday when I drove to my godson's 8th birthday party. Such a familiar road from youth, therefore nostalgic.. I didn't have my camera with me, and I couldn't have even stopped to take a photo, as I was driving! But it was a bit like this:

photo from here

Eerie and beautiful, isn't it?

Have a good week!

PS. I'm so glad my least favourite month of the year is OVER tomorrow!!! Yey!

Glorius ruins

But think for a moment about the millions of tourists who visit ancient sites like the Parthenon, the Colosseum, and the Pyramids.

Though ravaged by time, the elements, and vandals through the ages, mere shadows of their former glory, these ruins still awe and inspire. Though fallen, their glory cannot be fully extinguished. There is something at once sad and grand about them. And such we are. Abused, neglected, vandalized, fallen-we are still fearful and wonderful. We are, as one theologian put it, "glorious ruins."


But unlike those grand monuments, we who are Christ's have been redeemed and are being renewed as Paul said, "day by day," restored in the love of God.

From: The Sacred Romance

Images from Petra, where I'd love to go (one day). Happy Recent Birthday to my friend by that name! :) And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sade and Ella today! Hope you are having a wonderful day :)

An Amazing Guy -Musical Genius

Check out this guy: Petteri Sariola. You can check his music on his web page (the link there) or on his page in Myspace. He's a musical genius! I love at the moment especially the song Silence. Check it out!

What do you think?

PS. Some youtube links, though they're not that great quality..

Silence, I see you everywhere

B.o.B - Airplanes (Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)

And when your plans unravel in the sand
What would you wish for?
So airplane airplane sorry I'm late
I'm on my way so don't close that gate

Somebody take me back to the days
Before this was a job, before I got paid
Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank
Yeah back when I was tryin' to get into the subway
And back when I was rappin' for the hell of it
But now a days we rappin' to stay relevant
I'm guessin that if we can make some wishes outta airplanes

Then maybe yo maybe I'll go back to the days
Before the politics that we call the rap game

So can I get a wish to end the politics
And get back to the music that started this sh-t

When your plans unravel in the sand,
What would you wish for?


Hmm, I think the story of the song can be quite relevant to many fields other than rap! Also maybe those working within the "church"... Or any of us, whatever it is we do, if it is something that started out of passion, from our hearts... that wasn't just a job. It's like finding your way back to the roots..

Watch a rocking recent live performance of this here! (mtv european music awards)

Why don't we have these?

via

at airports, schools, shopping malls.

It's actions, not words

Magnify- Watch online

Mie recommends for this weekend:

Watch online 24-7Prayer's International Gathering Magnify 2010 in Edinburgh

But be quick, each video set from the evening sessions is only viewable for 24 hours! They are available/a set changes from about 12am (UK time, GMT).

To Restore Dignity

Once again, Kathy Escobar puts to words what's also on my heart. Here's her latest post.

It starts "Dear North American Church" but I think/believe it is also very valid for Finland/Europe, the church universally!

"dear north american church,

you have developed a bad reputation. you didn’t mean to. i believe your heart is good & you have been so sincere in your dedication to Christ, of that i have no doubt. the problem is that somehow you’ve become more committed to teaching the truth than actually living the truth. to building successful businesses that are self-sustaining rather than living by faith & giving your resources away. by creating walls instead of bridges.

and the world’s started to smell out your contradictions. you see, they are in need of hope and peace, not anger and control. they are hungry for love and cups of cold water, not hate and picket signs. they are desperate, dying, divorcing, and deconstructing, and you are spending energy on trying to prove your “this is what the Bible says” point.

and you’ve forgotten one of the most important things that Jesus did, that he modeled for us so beautifully–he restored dignity to people who had lost it. the sick, the lame, the broken, the desperate, the outcasts, the marginalized, the least, the last. over and over, he healed them, lifted their head, and touched them with hope. hope that the kingdom of God was available now and it wasn’t only for the learned, the put- together, the well, the powerful.nit was available for all those who were humble enough to admit their spiritual poverty & need for God.

the world does not need any more dignity-strippers. they’ve got enough of that going on without the church’s help.

what the world needs are dignity-restorers.

• people who are willing to call out God’s image in those that don’t know it’s there.

• people who are willing to sacrifice their own jobs, time, heart, and money to change systems that keep others oppressed.
  

• people willing to go the long haul and offer compassion & love to the hurting instead of trite advice & easy spiritual answers.
  


• people who will stand between the stone throwers & the one about to be stoned and advocate on their behalf.
  


• people who touch the untouchable.
  


• people who see the best in others instead of the worst.
  

it’s not going to be easy to make this change for you.

a cool website won’t do it.

all the right answers won’t do it.

going to the next great conference won’t do it.

putting the word “missional” on the tip of everyone’s tongues won’t do it.

to really become known as dignity restorers, you’re going to have to give up all kinds of things you rely on to keep you safe, strong, and protected:

being right.

systems that perpetuate money & power & control

hanging with people who are just like you

making sure you’re the “us” and they’re the “them.”

but first, your own dignity must be restored. you must get in touch with who you really are. who you were meant to be. not what you think you had to become to feel better about yourself. yeah, Jesus can heal you, too. humble yourself and touch his garment, seek his ways, and surrender to love.

and here’s the wildest part–if you won’t do it, can’t do it, refuse to do it, you need to know that others will. right now, others are. they are actually being “the church” instead of wasting time hashing over who can teach & who can’t, who’s right & who’s wrong, who’s giving money & who’s not. they are just getting down to Jesus’ business without the trappings of “the church” and doing just fine.

oh but i have no doubt if all your resource, all your hands & hearts & eyes & ears & buildings & power & influence & hope could really be channeled to restoring dignity in person after person after person after person, the image of God uncovered in his people, shining brighter and brighter, would dim the darkness of this world like never before.

please, step into who you were meant to be. it’s beautiful. it’s better. and the world really, really needs it."

Amen to this from me!

Guess how old I am

A few days after my birthday I went to a friend's house. Guess what awaited me!

Yum I love that cake!

That's a blurry **-old me (:))

In Honour of Summer...

Summer of Love 2010!

Here's my playlist. :-)





the ultimate and best summer song ever... my favourite





How easy to feel light and happy when it is light (and doesn't get dark at all), blue skies and sunny! It's been beautiful so far. Summer makes me feel happy and thankful for life, especially when it is continually sunny and around +30C. Easy to be in good spirits.

Enjoy life my friends!