Authentically Include Others
I sometimes see a fellow traveler of the way sitting alone at services. I wonder what brought them there to sit alone. I seldom find strength to go talk to them. Imagine arriving at services and no one notices you; no one speaks to you.
What does God say?
Many relevant topics today are discussed in smaller groups and larger groups, such as church discussions. When I have questions about what God’s Word teaches on a certain topic, I ask a parent or family member. As a young person, I learn about what God’s Word says through sermons, presentations, discussion and visiting with family and friends.
Blog: Growth, flowers, and potatoes sprouting on my window sill
I cannot say exactly when I became a plant enthusiast. I am interested in house plants, cut flowers, and even edible plants. The amazing growth of plants is fascinating and makes me dream of new plant individuals.
Blog: Shame
On the 7th of September 1986, the casket of Urho Kekkonen, who had been President of Finland for a quarter of a century, was brought into Helsinki Cathedral. After the funeral service, eight lieutenant-generals carried the casket into a hearse and walked by the side of the hearse as far as the Hietaniemi Cemetery. All church bells of Helsinki rang throughout the journey. All Finns seemed to share the grief for his passing. I listened to the ceremony broadcast on the radio, watching the large rowan tree that had turned red outside my window. Flags were flying at half-mast.
Blog: Pandemic entertainment
We are well into the second year of the covid pandemic. What a strange time it has been! Someone told me about their use of time, saying that if they need to go to the post office to get a package, that is the only thing they can fit into their day. How happy I would be now to have even one proper thing to do every day. But that is not always the case. On those days I read the daily paper more carefully than ever. If there is nothing else, we will go to the nearby rail construction site to see if the work is progressing well.
Blog: Group work for one person
I started in a new job, and during the first few months already I have had many things to think about. As if I did not have enough on my plate already! Our children often laugh and say that I could write good detective stories with my wide-ranging imagination. My imagination brings a lot of color to our daily life, often only in my dreams but sometimes even in real life.
Blog: For the last time
There are many last times in human life. They involve great joy and expectations, but often also pain and longing.
Blog: Left by the wayside
I have been marveling at the number of people with computer skills during this pandemic. We have online services and live-streamed presentations as a routine. In our home zion, for instance, we had a congregation evening online. Everything was done really professionally. I could not have imagined this a couple of years ago.
Blog: Beautiful silmät
May 9 was a Sunday and Mothers’ Day this year. Nine years ago it was a Tuesday. On that day we had a baby boy with lovely eyes and long eyelashes. Throughout the pregnancy I had gone for regular appointments at the antenatal clinic, as all expecting mothers do in Finland.
Blog: Oh, the good old times!
I suddenly remembered a small, seemingly unimportant incident from my youth. I was about twenty and already aware of my innate impatient restlessness, which I continue to feel occasionally. “Where should we go?” I often asked then and still do today.
Blog: Jesus with Daddy
It was evening. The little ones were sitting and playing with their lego bricks. My husband was preparing to go to work. He went round to each child and blessed them with the gospel. Then he came to me, and we hugged and blessed each other. Suddenly, when he was already leaving, our youngest child looked up and said: “Daddy! You did not bless me!” My husband said he had already done that. But the child had apparently been so seriously concentrating on her play that she had not noticed it. She insisted: “You did not bless!”
Blog: Fragile
The packages had white stickers with a picture of a red crystal glass. They had stickers on all sides. In addition to those stickers, there were others that said: ”Fragile. Handle with care.” From fifty years ago, I still remember the instructions for handling such packages: “Do not throw. Do not leave under other packages. Handle with care”.
Tehän tunnette Herramme Jeesuksen Kristuksen armon: hän oli rikas mutta tuli köyhäksi teidän vuoksenne, jotta te rikastuisitte hänen köyhyydestään. 2. Kor. 8:9
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