cutting back.

Lately I've been ready to head back to America. Not because I don't like Norway or the students here but because I miss things. I miss calling people and it being the same time zone. I miss being in spring in the month of March. I miss biscuits and gravy. But most of all I miss my support group of people.

My best friend Andrea has enlightened me to the concept of community. I've always valued it, I just never knew it's name. But I do now and I miss community. I'm always fairly open and honest and I guess I might as well continue being honest. So here goes, I miss being near my community who encourage me to find out more about who God wants me to be, my community who make me laugh at silliness, my community of people who challenge me to think outside of who I am yet they don't push me. We talk and we grow together at the same time. I miss having conversations about God that don't always have to be rooted in doctrine or some strange new rule. I miss the thought provoking statements and conversations that follow.

I am tired of not being around people who understand me and are in the same place that I am. I want to be surrounded by my community of believers who give me things to think about in worship, things that I need to hear and understand. I miss the warmth and support so much it almost is to much. I suppose to make matters worse I read stories (blogs and facebook) from my people back in the states who are surrounded by community and to be honest I get jealous. I want to have what they have, I want to abandon my ship and swim to where they are because from here it looks much nicer than my boat. I want off and I want to be with them.

I can't. I have to stay and work, I need to stay and be where God called me to be.

So I'm cutting back. I can't keep reading about all the amazing things that I'm not doing, all the fun things that I can't learn and I can't keep reading about the thought provoking conversations that they are having. At least not while I can't be there to be apart of it too.

I'll be in Scotland afore ye. . .

By yon bonnie banks,
And by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,
Where me and my true love
Were ever want to gae,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Oh! ye'll take the high road and
I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

'Twas then that we parted
In yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond,
Where in purple hue
The Highland hills we view,
And the moon coming out in the gloaming.

Oh! ye'll take the high road and
I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

The wee birdie sang
And the wild flowers spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping,
But the broken heart it kens
Nae second Spring again,
Tho' the waeful may cease frae their greeting.

Oh! ye'll take the high road and
I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

~Old Scots Song, Copyright Unknown

Timmy Tid

Watch this little clip, it's from a show called Timmy Tid. It comes on at 5:45 each evening here in Norway. I support it 100%. It's just that good.

This is great for teaching children about body language, culture, differences and little Timmy is just so funny.

Does it get any better than this little guy? I think not.

Nanny Sonya

On most Tuesday and Thursday evenings I am a nanny to little Henrietta, 6 mo old. I love watching her. I've been able to watch her grow and change so much in the last three months. When I first started helping at the house she was just 3 months old. She couldn't roll over, didn't make much noise and never kicked her feet. Now she rolls over on her own, laughs and giggles with me, recognizes many things and loves to kick her feet!

She has two older siblings, Fredrik and Helena, twins. They are cute as can be and I am learning so much Norwegian from them! For example, Nie, mine and a few other random words!


I love the days I go to her house to watch her. It's refreshing to see such a small baby grow. I like to think about what she might be one day and who she will grow up to become. I will always remember her and pray for her. Maybe one day I'll come back to Norway and met the young Henrietta or perhaps one day I'll see her in America!

I will miss watching her grow up when I leave in May.

Sugar Cookies

Cooking with Sonya & Friends is back with a new episode. This time they are baking cookies and getting a little wild.

Let me know if you have a suggestion for the next cookie!

Sorrow so deep.

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
Genesis 43:30

That is some deep sorrow Joseph had for his brothers. When was the last time your bowels did yearn upon someone?

hjelp meg

sunset.
Originally uploaded by dreams with faith

Jeg løfter mine øine op til fjellene; hvor skal min hjelp komme fra?
Min hjelp kommer fra Herren, himmelens og jordens skaper.
Salmens 121:1,2

Jesus

Lately I've been wondering a few things. I've been wondering what was Jesus' personality? I wonder what was he like on a daily basis? Did he always talk about God, his mission or helping people? He was human, so did he ever just sit around with the guys and talk? Did he always steer the conversation to God or Heaven? Would he goof off? If he were in modern times would he go for a drive with me and just listen to music, even if it were Country music? Would he have danced with me under the stars in Africa? Would he have a giggle fest with us?

Please don't think I am just being disrespectful or anything, I am honestly wondering about his character, who he was outside the ministry spotlight. If I am to exemplify Christ in my life I need to know what he did in his spare time. Did he even have spare time?

Where do I go to find these answers? I want Biblical proof of who he was.

If he wouldn't dance with me under the stars in Africa, what does that mean for me? Do I even know the character of the God I serve? To be completely honest I am afraid, I am afraid he wouldn't hang out with me because I don't do the same things he does. What if l am not even close to acting in the same way he did? What if I have it all wrong? Can I change, or can I accept the change?

I want to believe that Jesus would go for a drive with me with the windows down, the sun roof open and country music playing. I want to believe he would sit and talk about a movie or the latest Josh Groban album, but I don't know. Because if he wouldn't, why do I?

I've decided to search the Bible for some answers. Just this morning I started reading Mark, based on the advice of a friend's blog. I've gotten to the part where he heals the man who was dropped down through the roof. But I don't know yet.

If you have any ideas please share with me, we need each other to help each other.

Share.

so i sit and wait.

i check my email as often as possible. I click refresh more often than I blink. I am waiting for word from the ADRA Norway offices on me being needed as a volunteer in Haiti. I don't know what God has in store for me but I feel called to Haiti to help. I have some weeks of holiday time to use and this is how I want to use them. Since submitting my cv to ADRA Norge I have been reading up on the situation and the cries of help have penetrated my heart. I want to go and serve in such a tangible way. I am willing to give up things to go, I am willing to go without pay, I am willing to face malaria again, if only God will send me.

However, here is something I found today that spoke to me in a deep way:

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:34 (The Message)

So I will try to not click refresh every 2o min and I will focus on the mission God has given me right here in chilly Norway. The cool thing is I can still pray about Haiti and tell God that I am willing to go wherever. Then I can be confident that He has heard me prayers.

What an awesome God we serve.

Duplicat.

I have a crazy cat.

But really how could I not love her?