walked home today, umbrella held high, head low in the rain. my thoughts wandered to bread bags on the feet and christmas candy in a crystal bowl at my grandparents that miracuously lasted the whole year. my sister and i didn't have snow boots when we were little, so mom would put butternut bread bags over our shoes, securing them with rubber bands around the knees, and we'd join our friends out in the snow. the thoughts also wandered to that folgers christmas commercial that is on every year. you know the one - they've been showing it since 1986 - the one where the family is sleeping christmas eve and tom (the lost son) comes home in the middle of the night to surprise them, walks into the kitchen, begins to brew a pot of coffee, and the family all wakes up to the delicious aroma and the blessing of tom.
speaking of blessings... i went to a sufjan steven's concert in oslo on tuesday. i took the bus up the middle of the day, spent the afternoon with a friend, and met other friends at the concert hall. no assigned seating, and we found ourselves on the very front row! it was amazing. i've felt quite lost, to put it simply, when it comes to thinking about the future. teaching of future, living out passions surrounds my thoughts, consuming them at times. i just don't understand how it is possible to live out passions while being able to serve God. it sounds like a simple theology, but the reality is much more difficult to understand. we got to the concert (have i already said i sat in the front row?!) and i saw passion lived out for the next 3 hours. the complexity of the lyrics, mysticality of the music was the epitomy of passion. after the concert i couldn't even speak. i turned to another girl in our gang and we just stared at each other. she finally asked if she could give me a hug - we had no words. God spoke so clearly about passion and the ability we have to create beauty with whatever we have and use it in a natural way. it was beautiful. sufjan wasn't so bad himself. kristin has a good picture of him.

so, this is the time in london. you might notice that i am not in any of the pictures. i really do hate cameras and seeing as i lost my contac in london and am now wearing glasses, i tried to stay behind the lens. we had lots of fun - shopping, lots of gingerbread lattes, sightseeing, even found time to go to church at Hillsong London (it was so nice to be able to understand everything that was said at church - not just the general idea) we went and visited some friends at a ywam base north of london - we felt so welcome as we walked into the guest house and there were chocolates, crackers, tea, and clean towels waiting for us. memories.

in bø now with a team. been a good week. a family gave us 2000 kroner to go out and eat so tonight it´s pizza buffet.
sufjan is coming to town on tuesday... perhaps it will be a celebration for a job well done on yet another norwegian test? we´ll wait and see.
when i get home i´ll write more about london. it was fabulous (except for the hostel which was quite ghetto)! for pics you can check out kristin and ruth silje´s blogs to the right.

the one on the left is mine. hands off, ruthie!

i couldn't help myself. i downloaded sufjan stevens new christmas music and i've listened to it every morning on my way to work. christmas is officially here (although no one else agrees). the day i need to begin wearing my winter coat and gloves constitutes a little cheering up and christmas music + sufjan does just that. if i can't control the weather, i can at least control the music.

new news

girl's night

ragnhild and i in the wilderness

my roomates: ruth silje and kristin

i'm going to london! on a whim, i decided to check plane tickets to london for our fall break. i found tickets for $30US, so my roomies and i are planning a fun-filled, starbucks-drinking, shop-til-we-drop, photo-taking time. the thought of this is keeping me sane. i already have the three days planned. there's a great two-story borders near charing cross and i'm hoping it will rain one afternoon so i have an excuse to sit and read magazines and drink an extra hot gingerbread latte.
life is filled with dts/norwegian course and nothing else, so last night our apartment decided to have a roomate night. we ate lots of chocolate, lit candles, and just had a cosy time. someone prayed over me a few weeks ago and said that my life will sometimes feel like it is constantly changing, but that's okay because i have been given the gift of contentment. i think that's true. i'm content. my ipod and trusty ol' dell computer are the only things i own and i've made a life for myself here in norway. i'm learning who i am in Christ and i don't need much else. it's a nice feeling.