"...travelling mercies..."

Morning greetings from BR 217! :)

Yesterday, late morning and coffee and almond croissant with a lovely

person whom I admire and look up to!

Last night, amazing fun delicious Thanksgiving meal with

brilliant bunch of people called Transit 09-10,

my first Thanksgiving meal prepared by real american mother.

It's like Christmas would have come early this year...

And who was the King of the jungle again? :D

Day before it was community meal and prayer/worship night...

And for last two days sun has been shining. Thank God.

This morning early wake up to morning prayers, I love

living in a house with a dedicated room for prayer.

Then some football + trampoline, nana tea and hot shower.

I feel at home, because God lives in this place.

Tonight we are going out with a double-decker bus to reach out

to the youth in this community and have a Thanksgiving street party.

I feel so blessed and something in me would like to say that

let's stay here, let me build my tent in here.

But journey doesn't stop here, it's time to hit the road again tomorrow.

I want to trust that God's (travelling) mercies are new every morning

and if I step out in faith and go where He leads me,

there will be more blessings on the road to come.

Sure I don't want to miss those (and make my companions to miss them

by not being where I should...)

So I am thankful for this day, these blessings

these people

for joy and struggle

I want to walk on with faith and with courage

I want to find my place to be a light in the darkness.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,”- Hebrews 12:28

essaying about wild.

"‘He’s wild, you know. Not like a tame lion’"

...

"‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver; ‘don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you’"

- C.S. Lewis, Narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

"A woman is a warrior too. But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way."

I'm writing an essay with title "Define "wild" as part of christianity, if there is any?"

and here are some thoughts this far (S, if you are reading this, now you know how i got to final product...)

* defining wild: not under my control, not bound by expectations, ...

* dictionary definitions: uncontrolled or unrestrained, esp. in pursuit of pleasure, random, haphazard,

stormy, inhabited, dishevelled, living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated...

* my thesis is that wild is an essential part of christianity, now just have to find good arguments :)

*Jesus was often wild, He did things outside of common expectations or restrictions, but not to rebel but to redeem, He also stormed sometimes and definitely wasn't domesticated

* Holy Spirit is wild (you can't see Him, you can't control Him)

* Father God is definitely wild, have you ever read Old testament? :)

* trusting wild, following adventure and releasing control is to trust God, trusting His goodness

But what does being wild mean to us in every day life?

What is mature wildness?

How do we allow and cultivate wildness?

i like.

...I like warm places like being under blankets, at mediterranean coast, in sauna, and in front of fire place or in sunshine.

...I like sports like playing football, indoor hockey, aquabics, body combat, dance classes, horse back riding, riding a good bicycle, ultimate frisbee, frisbee golf, pretty much all water sports.

...I like cooking spicy foods and delicious chocolate things. (I'll have to marry someone thin my sister said or they will get fat quickly. Or we have to have lots of friends over, or plenty of children ;)

...I like capturing that exactly perfect moment or detail or feeling or look on person on camera. It's a pleasurable thing.

...I like deep conversations, philosophy, faith, theology, international politics, art, religions. I enjoy practising intellect and quick and witty people. I feel limited when talking or writing on other language than my mother tongue when I can't express myself with all shades, feelings, quirks of thoughts.

...I like sailing. Or the image of sailing, I haven't actually been sailing for years. Even though I have lived by sea most of my life.

...I like big mountains. I have climbed on Swiss Alps to 2980 meters.

...I like many things wild, not too domesticated. Wild thing can still be good, or kind.

...I like lemon beer, asian and mediterranean food. I would like to live in a place that grows avocados, lemons, mangoes, mint, sweet potatoes and other nice things and would have bakeries in street corners so I could bye fresh bread daily. But I could not give up rye bread, i think my system depends on it.

...I like stunts. Not all, but things like jumping down of things with sledge or bike or abseiling.

...I like clothes and fashion and all things pretty.

...I like birthdays and friends and celebrations.

...I am almost one year older again, and still learning about who I am and what I really like. And I feel really blessed, even when there are sometimes days that are bit more challenging.

I found this from paper today:

Murehtija ilmaisee itseään ja nähdyksi ja hyväksytyksi tulemisen tarvettaan murehtimalla. Murehtijan omat tunteet ja tarpeet ovat usein kiellettyjä, ja hän heijastelee ulkomaailmaan toteutumattomia tarpeitaan ja tunteitaan ylihuolehtimalla muista.

"Hänellä ei ole ollut tilaa kasvaa omaksi itsekseen",...

HS 15.11 Pessimismistä voi olla myös hyötyä

I want to learn to be a happier person, deeply satisfied. I know it is in me.

<3's...

...akiannianttianttiannikaalinaarierkkiemmaeevaeevaevalauramariasannasonja...

Thank you for being who you are.

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for a wonderful day yesterday.

Appreciated.

You encourage, inspire and challenge me!

Let's dream together and see the dreams come true.

Let's see soon again,

in perfect timing.

How He loves us.

And those who couldn't make it, *great big bear hug*

we missed you.

See you at New Year's??? Come and BE there. Just be. Enjoy.

"Why is the Cross such a strong sign?"

...was a question from the Editorial of Helsingin Sanomat, a major newspaper in Finland today.
The power of the Cross has been largely discussed in Finnish media in past couple of days, after The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against the use of crucifixes in classrooms in Italy. It was said the practice violated the right of parents to educate their children as they saw fit, and ran counter to the child's right to freedom of religion.

The case was brought by a Finnish-born Italian mother, Soile Lautsi, who wants to give her children a secular (atheist) education.

Another quote from same Editorial: "Why does a crucifix on the wall of a class room rise such great passion? Lautsi who was complaining about crucifixes justified her perseverance for the matter for her being a confessional atheist. Atheists strong reaction against the image of crucified, stirs and raises respect in the researchers circles : the Cross has still power, a lot more than many believers dare to even think it does.." "Miksi ristiinnaulitun kuva luokan seinällä herättää niin suuria intohimoja? Krusifiksista valituksen tehnyt Lautsi perustelee omaa sitkeyttään asiassa sillä, että hän on tunnustuksellinen ateisti. Uskonnontutkijoiden piirissä ateistin voimakas reaktio ristiinnaulitun kuvaa vastaan herättää kunnioituksensekaista hämmennystä: ristissä on yhä voimaa, paljon enemmän kuin moni uskovainen rohkenee uskoakaan. "

So, what means our freedom to religion? What is the Cross so powerful that it's mere excistance offends people who don't believe in it? In an interview mrs. Lautsi also said that her family believed that you either think or believe. Luckily in my head both intelligent brain and intelligent faith are accepted. :)
But it is good that there are parents who care about their children and what their children are taught.
Oh, and I'm not really bothered if the crucifix is or is not in the class room, I hope that our actions and attitudes speak even louder.

Read the whole Editorial article in Finnish: Uskonnollinen lukutaito on tärkeä tässäkin ajassa

why are Finns so quick?

Top Gear came to find out:

And now, since it snowed, we practise on ice roads.

(Will anyone ever let me drive after this?)

:) Safe travelling people!

Do You?

Another lovely ASBO

from http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/

And I think some places

on my wish list are England,

Sweden, Holland, Helsinki,

Indonesia, Ibiza, Israel,

Australia, New Zealand, Macedonia,

Croatia, France, Seattle, Iceland,

California, Tampere. :)

Lyrics | Natasha Bedingfield Lyrics | If You%27re Gonna Jump Lyrics