HUMIDITY

Have you ever read the Ryme of the Ancient Mariner? If you have then you are familiar with the part that says:

Water, water, everywhere,

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, everywhere,

Nor any drop to drink.

This poem always comes to mind when I think about HUMIDITY. You see in Norway there is no humidity and according to the dictionary on my computer humidity is atmospheric moisture, or water in the air. I've been in the south for less than 24 hours and I already have noticed an EXTREME difference.

There were days in Norway when I thought I had lost my curls.

I just couldn't find them when I woke up. Instead of my cute Shirley Temple curls I had big waves instead. Granted they were nice, but I wanted my 'normal' curls back. No matter what I put in my hair or how I would dry it (with Julian's blow drier or air dry) I just couldn't find them. I was sad because I missed them. Then one day when it rained

I found them, only they looked bobo and fuzzy because they had been gone so long.

Now that I am back in the south I must say this is a bit UNREASONABLE! I went for a little walk with my friend and BAM, it's like I walked litterally into that atmospheric moisture! So in case you were fearful for me to never find my curls again, fear not I found them and then some!

Furlough

I might not be a missionary living in a strange country and I might not be returning to the same country I am in now but I am definitely going on furlough.

I'll be in the states for a few months this summer before I move on to my next call. While I'm not yet able to talk about my plans for after the summer, due to the fact that they aren't definite yet, I can tell you where I will be the next few weeks. So here is a list of my furlough plans. Most everything is certain but there is always room to move around a bit if something comes up.

May 24-28 London, England

May 28-30 Collegedale, TN

May 31-June 1 Driving to Texas

June 1-10 Granbury, Texas

June 10-13 Loma Linda, Califonia

June 13-Aug 1 Yosemite National Park (Camp Wawona), Califonia

Aug 1-5 Driving to Texas from Yosemite

Aug 5-end of Aug Texas

If you happen to be near any of these places please let me know so we can visit with each other! I would love to see you and swap stories. There is much to catch up on, so please feel free to contact me!

don't panic.

I'm not going to panic, but I leave Norway in 3 days. Why do I always feel panicked, like I have so many things left to do, so many adventures left to take.

I want to take more photographs, lay in more fields, walk more hidden trails, eat more lefse, stay up later, say more things, talk to more people. I always feel panicked and this time is no different. Norway has helped change me. I see things a bit differently and I talk differently (mainly due to the fact we all speak Skotselv English).

Today however I will embrace it all. I will embrace Norway for all she can offer me today!

Seize the Day!

woah.

What happened here! Phew, I am so exhausted! I'd love to take the time to tell you all about my latest adventures but I am going to bed. I'll just give you a bullet point of what I would have told you about.

• my 27th bday party
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Up coming trip to London, England
• Friends visiting for the weekend
• 17th of May (independence day)
• EBS graduation
• Spring
• Dry air vs Wet air
• The leaving of the students
• Quite time with God
• How great it is to be silent
• The fact that I'm leaving in 6 days.

This is me and Queen Sonja at the palace :)

It only takes a spark. . .

Yesterday we had a bonfire vespers to end the Sabbath. It was nice because it was the same way we opened the school year, with fire and singing and God. It was our last Sabbath together with the students before the dedication service on Friday of next week officially ending the school year. Memories were as thick in the air as the smoke from the burning leaves we put on the fire.

We were all sitting closely to the fire as it is still cool outside, Dominic was playing the guitar, Philip holding the key book book and the rest of us were sharing stories and requesting songs. At one point someone commented on the buds of the trees, and I commented on the fire, soon I was reminded of this old song from my elementary school days. So we sang, Pass It On.

Before you read the words, think about this: you have just gone through the longest winter of your life, the sun didn't shine, you only saw white for over 4 months and it's been so cold you had to wear lots of clothes to bed.

The words are now new and fresh, they are real, they speak the truth about my time here. I want to pass on the things I've come to learn, I want to share with others my experiences with God, I want to shout it from the mountain tops! Praise God!

I hope you can see them in a new light too.

It only takes a spark to get a fire going

And soon all those around can warm up to its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it, you spread His love to everyone,
You want to pass it on.

What a wondrous time is spring when all the trees are budding;
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming.
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it, you want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.

I wish for you, my friend, this happiness that I've found.
You can depend on Him, it matters not where you're bound.
I'll shout it from the mountain top, (praise God!)
I want the world to know, 
the Lord of love has come to me,

I want to pass it on.

-Kurt Kaiser, 1969