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...

Winter camp-Talvelaager!!!

Last weekend I spent at the Elu Sõna Youth Winter camp 2007! We were staying at this beautiful place in Koke, Võrumaa in Southern Estonia. You can see a picture of the main building here... It was a great weekend with lots of fun and activities, but most of all a time to draw closer to God. There was over 60 young people there from different places in Estonia. We had wonderful weather, with -10degrees and sun all weekend. We were grilling and had sauna Friday evening after the meeting. Saturday we had the opportunity to go skiing, sledging or ice-skating. I went skiing and it was really nice! In the evenings we had meetings with worship and preaching and sharing. The theme for the camp was spiritual warfare-being a solider for God. So on Saturday morning we got to taste a bit of being in the army, and we were woken up by the fire alarm, and everyone had to get dressed and go outside, where there was "an army call". Talking about waking up alright!:-) During the camp we were also divided into eight groups, and we gathered with our groups in the morning to share the Word and stuff. I had the privilege to lead one of the groups together with Karolina. It was a blessing.:-) It was just simply a blessed camp and God worked in people´s life, as the Sunday meeting could testify when alot of people gave testimonies... It´s so amazing to see what God does in people´s lives! We serve an awesome God!!!

One Year Older and Wiser...

So, today 24 years ago I was born in Grankulla, Finland... Looking back over all these years, I must say I have had a really good life so far... Through good times and rough times God has been faithful, even in the times when I didn´t recognize that, He was watching over me...and still is! So, this is a celebration to life! Thank you mom and dad, Hanna, relatives, my wonderful friends, but most of all my Wonderful Father in Heaven and my Beautiful Lord and Saviour Jesus, who gave me life and life in abundance!Thank you Holy Spirit for being my helper! What would life be without all of you? Empty and non-excistent!

And thank you all for all the greetings that I have received in many shapes and forms!

Yesterday, while my parents were still here, we went out to eat to celebrate my birthday. Anette and Sigurd were also there, and we had a blessed time! We enjoyed some really delicious beef rolls, with gratain and vegetables. And then Sigurd sneeked away at some point and told the people at the restaurant that we were celebrating my birthday. So while I has taking my time deciding what dessert to take, the owner came with a beautiful birthday dessert for me! I was so surprised!:-) So yeah, it was really good! You can see some pictures from this event...:-) And in two hours I am heading to the Youth Winter Camp for the weekend! What a great way to celebrate my birthday! :-) Be blessed!!! The best is yet to come!!! :-)

Updates, updates :-)

Wow, time flies! What do you know, now it´s Monday again and a new week has just begun...

So some updates... On Valentine´s day in the evening I went to Vanemuise Concert Hall to see Vivia play in a "Loved Classics" Concert. It was the final concert of the "French music week" that they had here in Tartu. It was a concert represented by students from four different countries and music schools. It was really interesting and lovely to be there and to watch and hear Vivia play...:-)

Thursday I had Anette over for dinner and we had a great tie as usual! We talked and talked and talked and what do you know...time just flew by once again,as it does when you´re having a good time...:-)

Then on Friday, Anette and I decided to go to Aura Keskus, which is a swimming center. We took this "health card" which allows you to go to the swimming pool, the water park, the bubble baths, the aroma sauna, the steam sauna and the regular sauna...We spent 4 hours in there, swimming, relaxing, and having fun! It was so great! :-) Then in the evening there was youth meeting and Urban Vikström from Sweden was preaching. He was preaching about unity and how we need to love and accept each other across the denominational lines. The Church has been "separated" for too long! We need to focus on what we have in common and not on the differences. We have so much more in common than we have differences! There are different ways to serve and worship God, but we all serve the same God and Jesus is our Lord and Saviour and the Holy Spirit can move in different ways! He talked about how we need to live in love and not judge people, but to love them and show mercy! It was such a great message!

At the moment I have my parents visiting. They arrived last Saturday and are staying until Friday. They have their winter holiday now, so it´s cool that they came to see me. And also they get to know this place better! :-) On Saturday we had dinner when they arrived and then in the evening we went to this "going up" event...

Sunday at church, Urban was preaching another amazing message about "seeing" as Jesus saw...We need to see things not merely with our natural eyes, but with our spiritual eyes. When Jesus saw the people he was moved with compassion. Compassion MOVES you, it´s not just seeing, but you act upon it.. Jesus had compassion, he healed the sick and wounded.. There are so many places in the Bible where it talks about "seeing"... We need to reach out to the people, to see their needs, to look deeper than the surface... This message really stirred up something fresh once again... But the challenge is not merely to be a hearer of the word, but a doer!

After church we went to our "Sunday lunch place" La Dolce Vita with my parents and Anette. You can see some pictures from there here as well... :-) We had a little Swedish-Norwegian time in an italic environment...:-) Good times:-)

Today I was back at school, diving into biochemistry, basic nursing and anatomy...I had a nice long break in the middle of the day though, when I went out for lunch with my parents...cool with a little different break...and then I went back and literally was "picking the brain", as I was trying to remove the blood vessels and pia mater from the cortex...very interesting...but oh, so complicated and detailed!!! ...and once again I am amazed at how wonderfully and fearfully made we are! Wow! What a Creator!!! :-)

Happy Valentine´s Day!!!

Happy Valentine´s Day to all my wonderful friends across the world!!! I hope you have an amazing day and that you are surrounded by people you love! And even though you might not be, I pray that you will be reminded of all the wonderful and precious people God has put in your life! And most of all I pray you will be reminded of the One Who "so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." I pray that you would be surrounded by THAT love that goes beyond all reason and understanding! So I send my love to you wherever you might find yourself! Be blessed dear friends!!! And don´t forget the One who IS LOVE!!!

"We love because He first loved us!!!"

1 John 4:19