Praise God!

I just had my anatomy test on the cranial nerves and tractuses etc, that I have been studying for like crazy and-PRAISE GOD!-I got an A!!!!! :-) So, I am so happy now, feeling relaxed and satisfied cleaning my apartment and enjoying the incredible weather! It is almost like summer already! My thermometer shows 25* C in the sun, and it´s not cold in the shade either! :-) Yesterday I sat outside in the "backyard" studying for a while, so that I wouldn´t miss the nice weather while studying! :-)Sooo good! Anyways, soon Anette will come here and we´ll have an relaxed afternoon together, before she goes to Norway (for a visit)... So yeah...That´s my life right now... and also explains why it´s been awhile since last update:-) But now-enjoy the spring!!! :-)

"The joy of the Lord is your strength!"

Neh 8:10

Updates, Updates...

Well, let´s see how I manage to update the last- I dont know- two weeks, in a nutshell... hmmm... Alot of time goes to school and studying, of course, but it´s amazing how much more takes place during the week as well... So here comes some highlights besides the "pleasure" of studying cranial nerves, ect...

One beautiful Saturday morning, Julia called me as I was reading, and asked " Hey we are in your neighbourhood and we have some pancakes, can we come over?" So my dear friends, Julia, Vivia, and Liina came over with pancakes and we had some breakfast together! :-) It was such a nice surprise! Later on that day we got together with some youth at Sigurd´s place to pray, and it was really good.

My second cousin, Gustav, was in town with his classmates from the Uni in Umeå, Sweden. I got to spend some time with him, which was really cool. I joined their group for some sightseeing in town and then Gustav visited my place for coffee and then we were off to Youth at my Church. And I interpreted from Estonian to Swedish for the first time!!!Of course it wasnt 100%, but he got most of it, I hope!:-)

Then we also had this "cell group party evening", where one of the cellgroups is organizing an evening for the other cellgroups... This first time it was Andrus and Sigurds cell that had it. It was an evening with snacks, games, some worship and then we watched "Transformation" together... I have seen it so many times, but it is just as inspiring and amazing each time, to see what happens when God comes to town!!!

That Saturday I got to borrow pastor Eino´s car (what an amazing blessing!!) and Joona and I went to buy his ventilator and other stuff he needed for the appartment. Then we did some shopping and lunch at Lõunakeskus. After that we went to this really interesting exhibition at the Old Anatomicum, where they had there wax models. Then we met Sara for coffee, went and installed the ventilator, and then we picked up Anette, ordered some pizza, got a movie and had a movienight at my place. And then Anette stayed the night. An effective and realxing day!

Sundays there is church in the morning and then we usually go out to eat at La Dolce Vita for lunch... That Sunday there was Helina, Vivia, Joona, Liina and me. We did the talking in Estonian, so that I could get some practice! After that Helina came to my place, and we had a good and creative time together.:-)

Last Tursday I went to Anette´s place to watch a movie and do some pilates and then I also stayed the night. And as usual we had a blessed time.:-)

Friday was study time and Cell group in the evening. We were four people last Friday, and we had a blessed time.

Saturday I had to do some major studying again, and then Anette came over and we made some delicious dinner, and then Joona and Kristiina came and we had dessert and watched movies. Sigurd joined us later on when he got back from Põlva. We had a good time, and it makes me so thankful to God for my friends here. Anette then stayed the night, and after the others had left we still did some pilates at 12:30 at night...:-)

Then it was another wonderful Sunday with Church and some great worship and amazing preaching by Eino! It was such a good message! God is really trying to tell us to get out there and share the FULL gospel! Reaching out both with words and with action!!! After church we had a really blessed time at La Dolce Vita. It was Anette, Sigurd, Joona, Diana(a girl from Germany) and me. Helina joined us later on. Again I am so greatful for my friends! And here you can see some pics from there.

oh, I almost forgot...some news...I cut my hair!!! YES!! And it got alot shorter than I was planning, but it´s all good...:-)

Well, hmmm...I think that is a short summary of the last weeks... And may I just say that I am really really excited that spring is here!!! Still a bit chilly, but it´s here!!!:-)

Thoughts on Life and Death...

Wow, it´s been a while again...:-) So much has happened since last time... So I have to update more about that later on...But I want to share some thoughts that has been in my heart and mind... My precious aunt passed away a week ago...I was in shock when I heard, although it wasn´t unexpected...she was very ill with cancer... And I don't understand yet that she is gone, but I guess little by little the realization comes, especially when I go back to Finland for the funeral...Life is precious, and too many times we take it for granted...but the verse that has been stuck with me lately is Rom 14:8 "If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." and also from Phil 1:21 "For me to live is Christ..." The hope that we have in Jesus does not let us down or disappoint us (Rom5:5). So my prayer is that we cherish the gift of life that we have been given and use it well for the Glory of God!!! And that we don't just take for granted the time we have with our family and friends here on earth, but that we always live well and love well... Just a few thoughts... Also Ecclesiastes chapter 3 has been going through my mind..." There is a time to live and a time to die...a time to laugh and a time to cry...but God has made all things beautiful in its time and He has set eternity in our hearts...." (own shortened version...) and yet man can not fathom what God does from the beginning to the end...We serve an AWESOME GOD!!! His ways are a bit higher than our ways and his thoughts a bit higher than our thoughts... His goodness and love-the very nature of God, cannot be simply described in words...that´s when we STAND IN AWE of HIM!!! How amazing that He so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that who ever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!!! HIS LOVE that rescued us and brought us out from the darkness into the Kingdom of his beloved Son... That love is a bit bigger than we can ever grasp... it reached all the way to eternity and beyond...