Archive for March, 2008

Yesterday we held a service where we walked through the Pearls of Life – wreath. We used words, bible readings, songs and a few prayers to tell and teach each of the round pearl’s focus, name and use. For most of the people there it was an introduction to the wreath and for the Confirmants, that mostly where those that spoke, it served as a great way to remember what they have learned through the year.

It took a lot of work to prepare and with 23 Confirmants involved and a few others as well, it was a lot to remember and to patch together. But I think it worked. And I hope a few, also of the parents, got something with them home to continue to think about. Maybe God also can be found with help of an simple wreath?!

For each of the round pearls we lighted a candle and after 12 pearls it looked this fantastic; a glowing wreath

To the wreath there also is 6 oval pearls called Pearls of Silence pearls, they function as a pause and a place to think in the wreath itself. In the service we used the church room as a Pearl of Silence.

I think we will repeat this service in some way or another later on. It was a good one Maybe I’ll return to my path of writing about the wreath here again as well, I think it’s time to continue what I started a few years ago…..

Now we are waiting for our guest to arrive, almost anytime. We do love company, especially the rare visits from our old town back in the western part of the country (Don’t get me wrong, we do love all our guests no matter how far they have to travel to get here )

When she finally arrives, after driving since 9 am this morning (it’s after 7 pm by now) – we’re going to welcome her with cake and ice cream. And MT, he simply refuses to go to bed. I don’t blame him There are other days to sleep…

Just wanted to say to everyone:

HAPPY EASTER!
CHRIST IS RISEN

We’ve spent the day with family, Ethiopian food and joy This is becoming a tradition for us, starting two years ago when MT was baptized on Easter Sunday. It’s a tradition we want to keep, even though we this year missed our friends from last year!

Good Friday is a sad and dark day. Jesus was sentenced to death. In Norway the name isn’t Good Friday, but Long Friday.

Good Friday is a quiet day, at least in the churches. In earlier times, here in Norway, it was a strange holiday day, where the usual goal was to do as little work as possible; this was a day of hard labor. They wanted to feel the pain in the body similar to Jesus’ suffering so many years before.

The day is sad and dark. But still there is some light. What happened, that Jesus died, makes the day filled with quiet joy and thanks because he died loving us all.

Read more from the gospel after John, John 18:1-19:30.

After church today we went to visit my parents (and to search a few boxes, stored there since we moved, for my passport. I found it! ). When we left it was a bit snow in the air, but by the time we arrived at the farm there were no snow in sight. So I thought, phew, it’ll just go away as nothing.

I was wrong. By the time we went outside tonight to leave for home our car was covered in snow, I guess about 5 or 10 centimeter of it had fallen down and it was still poring down.

It was a tiering journey back home, not only was it snowing but it was also windy; the sight wasn’t always good, to put it mildly. When we turned off the main road to our tiny road I wished the snow plower man could make the road less snowy, but (off course) he was a no show. And thankfully it went okay to drive the last 400 meter and into our garage, but I guess there is about 10-20 centimeter with new snow in the driveway. We both got wet walking in, but there is no point in clearing the path before tomorrow since it’s still snowing.

MT will be happy to try out the snow tomorrow with his new old skis. I was ready for some spring and am a bit disappointed by it all. Not to mention the fact that I don’t want to clear more snow from my driveway and such. Oh, well, I live! :p

Better find my bed, it’s late!

What was he thinking?! Getting down on his knees with water and towel in hand. They all looked at him with astonished faces. What was this? Not a part of the Easter meal that they were supposed to start at any moment; remembering the exodus from Egypt. Sure their feet could use the washing, the streets they had walked in were dusty as any, but not by him; that was just not right!

But he carried on, washing like he was their servant. Until he came to Peter, that was. “No, never shall you wash my feet!” Peter almost screamed to Jesus; this wasn’t how it should supposed to be between a master and his pupil. Peter had to make it stop.

But Jesus simply answered: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me”, and Peter knew right away that he needed this, he even wanted Jesus to wash his hands and face and all. He so wanted to be tight with Jesus, even though some of his actions might seem a bit odd he didn’t care no more. Peter and Jesus were friends and he truly believed that Jesus was something far more than a normal man – he was the one that should set things right between God and man.

A few weeks ago I told this story for our children Sunday school group. I had brought a towel and a basin and looked forward to (fake) wash their feet to really make them feel how it was back then when Jesus did it. But they got disappointed, since I didn’t use water and they hadn’t to remove their shoes they didn’t feel very much like the disciples at all.

It got me thinking; how can we ever live after the word of Jesus about doing as he did?! It’s not like it’s very dusty around here right now and it’s not like we are laying at the table any more either. What did Jesus want us to repeat?

Maybe not so much the actual washing, but the thought about the leader being the servant?! I think so and it’s a huge challenge, it’ll be so much easier just to poor some water in my basin and let them take off their shoes……

Read more in John 13.

Happy Maundy Thursday!

The Good Life…

….is time spent with friends!

I asked my son why he had been such a nice boy at church today. He usually follows me around when I have something to do in the service, like telling the congregation about the work we do for children and such. It kind of drives me crazy.

He answered simply and to the point:

That’s just what MT-people* do!

…oh, really?!

*= he used his real name though, with a plural ending. In Norwegian that is allowed when we mean to include all the people with that same name….

Tomorrow is my day off

I’m planning to use the day in three ways:

1. Relax
2. Reading/writing blogs + uploading photos
3. Cleaning my kitchen

Wonder if this plan is possible to live… I only have the hours between 9 am and 2 pm alone. It seems like enough, but the hours pass like it’s minutes…..