photo's #1

Here's finally some photo's... starting with my birthday.. over 2 months ago... this has really taken forever... :-)











So, like I've said before, we started the day off with a pancake breakfast at Bondi (photo on the left), and lunch at Max Brenner (on the right) I tried their waffles with strawberries and chocolate, SOOO good!!!

And the back of the car was full of balloons... flying around since the windows were open... Kristin and I was having a hard time trying to make sure they didn't fly to the front.. (and isn't this just a beautiful photo of me... lol...)



Then... one of the highlights of my year, I think... Monday the 13th of November (the last week before all my assignments were due, probably not the best week to do this, but who knows when I'll get the chance again?) U2 at Telstra Stadium... It was just amazing!! Went there with Fabiola (photo), Noemi, Sindre, Morten, Gudrun, Kristina and Ribekka. Had a great time, even though I was standing for hours and hours... even before U2 entered the stage...

Bono is actually in this shot... just in case you're wondering... :-)

One Sunday afternoon we had a barbecue with the kids worship team. Great hang out time with the gang before I'm leaving... Sophie has a pool and the guys had a lot of fun trying to walk on water... (or bodyboards...) I spent most of the time at the other end of the pool trying to get some good pictures...

The Sunday after we had Thanksgiving, not that many of us this time, but great anyways... Most of us were non-americans and had never celebrated thanksgiving before.. Good times, and lots and lots of food!!

Had a 'vafle og svele'-party with some of the norwegians before we all started leaving. Danniebelle and Trine is being sad because Trine is leaving soon...

Changes...

Firstly, promise there'll be some more pictures here soon. Had some problems uploading them to the blog, and I don't have access to them at the moment, but they'll be around shortly... :-)

So, thought I should get you all up to date with things again, there's been a few changes in my life since the last blog. Right now I'm sitting in my bed in Norway. Came back last Monday, about 1 1/2 week ago. Have to say, last week when the lightening was flashing like crazy, and the rain was drumming on the windows (because it basically was a bigtime storm outside...), and you could barely see the sun all week, since it's just out for a few hours a day at this time anyways, and when it was, the sky was covered with storm clouds... well, at that time, I kinda regretted leaving the summer in Sydney... But besides that, coming back has been good. Was great to see my family again. My oldest niece, Emilie, met me at the airport, even though it was way past her bedtime. She had been so exited she could hardly go to kindergarden that day because she was going to meet me at the airport. Her mum (my sister) tried to explain that I didn't come untill later. So, when I was delayed (because I lost my plane in Oslo because the plane left late from Heathrow... wow, delays in London, what a surprise!!!) there was no way she was not going out there anyways... She ended up spending the night at my place coz she would be too tired for kindergarden the day after anyways. Her little sister, Anna, wasn't even 1 when I left, so she was a bit shy when she first met me, guess it's hard for a 2 year old to understand that i'm the one she's been talking on the phone to and stuff...

It's kinda weird being here, but at the same time, it feels so normal... Going from the busy Hillsong life to this don't-even-have-a-job-at-the-moment life is quite a change. Have a hard time getting anything done these days, because it's so easy to push it of... hmm, not good... Will be good to start doing something again...

I'll try to get out some photos of the last months in Sydney soon!

Birthday, Men’s Conference, U2, assignments, Encounter Week, grad, beach…

(Photos will be added...)
Think that pretty much sums up my life since my last blog entry. Know, it’s been a while, sorry about that.

So, today is the 1st of December and I’m on my way to the beach!! How crazy is that! (So obviously, I’m typing this in later; I’m not bringing my laptop to the beach) The 1st day of summer (or winter, depending on where you’re at…) and I have about 9 days left of this before I’m heading back to Norway… It’s exciting (doesn’t really feel like it’s close to Christmas when it’s over 30 degrees...), but realise more and more that I’m actually leaving. Starting to say goodbye to people, it’s sad, but guess that’s a part of life…

So, what’s happened since my last blog-update?
Well, my birthday was in October, and since we had that week off, we headed off to Bondi. The girls had filled the back of the car with balloons. Quite interesting when we were driving with open windows… lol… had a pancake breakfast at Bondi, and then headed to Manly for a little shopping and a Max Brenner lunch… yeah… really healthy eating that day!!! (For those of you that don’t know… Max Brenner is a chocolate bar, and so worth a visit if you ever find one!!) Ended the day with W&CA rehearsal and chocolate cake with my life group there…

The end of the term came, as usual, way too quickly, with lots of assignments and other stuff to do. 2nd weekend in November then Men’s Conference was on, it’s the shortest conference of all of them, starts Friday night and ends Saturday night… I was on outdoor excellence Saturday morning, basically picking garbage & emptying bins… almost frightening to walk through crowds of thousands of men…

With some long nights the last week, all the assignments got in on time (and I passed all of them! Woohoo!!!) After all the assignments were handed in, we had one more week of college, encounter week, with great speakers coming in; it was a really good week. Yesterday was the graduation dinner. When everyone got dressed up. So much fun. Don’t see everyone dressed like that the rest of the year, so it’s a lot of fun and al lot of photos… Had a great time! Next thing is the graduation ceremony on Monday night. After that, I just have to finish of my packing, say the last goodbyes, before the plane takes off in 9 days… Besides the fact that there are too many goodbyes between now and then, it will be some good days…

Because I can...

I have problems putting to words my thoughts, feelings… whatever this thing is that’s been going on inside of me lately… It’s one of those things that I kind of don’t really know where exactly started… guess it has a lot to do with the fact that there’s been a lot of teaching and focus on this lately, but I think it started in me long before that… when that’s said, after 20-something years, you should think I understood this already, but guess not… I’m actually realising more and more how little I do know… Well, what I’m realising is that true worship to God is so much more than just singing some songs in church on the weekend (okay, I’ve kinda known that, but I’m realising that it’s so much more than what I’ve realised. To use a Joel-allegory: “what I know is like a tiny grain of sand and God is the whole earth as a beach”. (Could be just you and me, Joel, but it actually made sense to me…)). Like it says in Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." You know, the prophets repeated this message over and over again, they kept pointing out that the people didn’t worship God just because they kept offering sacrifices to Him, they actually didn’t honour God because they didn’t take care of the weak; the poor, the widows, the fatherless… there was no justice. And I realise, I can honestly worship God with my whole heart, really be willing to follow Him and all that, but do I realise what the consequences of the words I’m singing in worship is? If I really want to follow Him, I have to let what breaks His heart, break mine, and care for what He cares for. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40). I have to do what I can do to bring justice, to bring freedom, to bring mercy, restoration… I have to be His arms and His feet on the earth. That is worship in spirit and in truth!

So what does that look like? For me, one step was to finally get a Compassion child. I can use the excuse that I'm just a poor student, but really, I'm still among the richest "whatever-how-low-it-is"-percent. And it’s not as if I can’t afford it, so why push it off anymore? It can look like helping out at the justice project during encounterfest, it can be talking to that girl who doesn’t really feel like she has any friends, take out the garbage and vacuum the living room before mum asks (or, in my case at the moment, before my house-mates goes insane, and even if it’s not my week to do it…) You know, there’s not really any excuses. Yes, maybe you cannot quit your job and go to Africa and help the orphans whose parents have died of AIDS, but you can help someone who can. Or you can help that old lady next door with her groceries… Why? Simply, because you can! It can look very different to all of us, but there’s really only the imagination that limits what you can do to change someone’s life to the better, to bring at least a little bit of justice in this world where everyone just seem to care about themselves (to quote one of the songs on the radio these days… “I was born too late, to a world that doesn’t care…”)

“It is not a human right to stare, not fight, while broken nations dream. Open up our eyes of blind so we can find the mercy for the need.
…Fill our hearts with Your compassion… as we hold to our confession…
…Only You can take the widows cry and cause her heart to sing, be the Father to the fatherless, our Saviour and our king…
… we will be Your hands, we will be Your feet, we will run this race for the least of these, in the darkest place we will be Your light…
… God be the solution… And we will be Your hands and be Your feet…”

Check out http://www.theiheartrevolution.com/

To be saved costs us nothing – to be a disciple costs us everything

Encounterfest

Encounterfest is over, and a new United album is under production… Oh, man… what do you say after a weekend like this??? It was just amazing! God is really doing something in the youth.

I got a chance to help out with the justice project this year. Over 2000 youths went to a high school and renovated the whole thing, inside and outside, and we cleaned up the local area.



Kristin & Charis

I was in one of the teams that went around in the neighbourhood and picked garbage, helped people clean up their front yards, cleaned graffiti from walls… you name it…

Kristin and some guy (I know, I'm terrible with names...) cleaning off graffiti

There was soo much garbage on one of the roads we passed... hadn't even got to the street we were supposed to clean yet!!

Some of the garbage we picked up...

Charis weeding a garden...

Had a lot of fun, although, think it was one of the hottest days this spring, way over 30 degrees!!! So not the best day to work outside, but with good friends, heaps of water, and neighbours who bring us popsicles and Pepsi Max (with ice!!! That guy totally blew us off!) it works!! So great to be able to be a part of this! To show the kids at the high school that they’re worth something, that someone cares about them. Wonder what they thought when they got back after the school holidays today…

Kristin & ?? (me and names...) eating popsicles

Well, encounter was just full on amazing, and the new songs that’s coming, is just the best ever!!! So exiting to see what God will do through this project, and this team. It’s a bunch of pretty amazing people! I’ll highly recommend the CD, I just know it will be amazing! And check out the DVD (think it will come with the CD this time as well, but who knows?!?!), not to find me (kinda doubt you will, even though I was there every night… lol) but to see what God is doing in the youth all over the globe!

Annette & Danielle

beach life...

Have had a couple of weeks with great, warm (almost too hot at times) weather (and it's still just spring!!!). So, when we had a day of... Manly and beachvolley!!

Here are some pictures from one of the days...

Morten in action...

Maria (not me this time...)

Christoffer...

Morten and the sweeds...

Chris, Audun & Maria

Annette getting into it...

Sindre...

Oops.... on our way back, Morten was attacked by a dinousaur...

Kids Album...

Then... it was done.. kids album #3. Had the dvd-recording today, at the kidsfest with over 2000 kids!!!! Quite insane, but the kids had heaps of fun... Didn't really feel as tired as I thought I would after, but when I got to sit down, I still fell asleep whit leeland playing on my computer... oh well, a long day, so no wonder I was tired... Getting ready for Elevate tonight, Reuben and his band is playing, Reubens new cd was just released last weekend, guess I have to get that soon as well.

Well, back to the kids album... So amazing to see all these kids worshipping! How lucky are they to learn the power of worship so early on, was watching this 5 year old girl in the choir (one of my girls, she's just soooo cute!!!) so funny to see how she was full on worshipping with her hands lifted and eyes closed in one moment, for in the next just to be looking around for the cameras... lol... Was thinking about it on my way home, how amazing is it really to be able to be a part of this...? This album will go world-wide, and hopefully change kids', if not families', lives!!! How awesome is that!!! Kind of makes it worth running around, feeling like i'm about to go insane, trying to have control of the 100-and-something kids in the choir... They had a great day, so guess that's the most important thing... And at the end of the day, I really had a great day myself... :-)

Well, that was one chapter of my life suddenly over... time to move on, maybe I can get my life back now?!?!?

anyways...

I’m sitting here, outside church, reading and enjoying the sun & heat …with Christmas carols playing from the childcare centre… yes, it’s a totally random feeling... to me, sun, summer & Christmas doesn’t really match, specially not in September! It just feels all wrong!

Was just reading about Abraham, and suddenly I understood how totally human that man was! He failed so badly on several occasions, still, the Bible describes him as the father of our faith! And as I look at his life, I realize that he was just a human like all of us, like me. Doing his walk, trying to understand what God asked of him and do it. And several times he could succeed greatly in doing so, for in the next moment to turn around and do something so totally wrong. Like, seriously, who lies and says his wife is his sister just to save himself!?!?

And I understand that he was just learning to walk with God, learning to trust, learning to obey no matter what. And despite all of his mistakes, God used him greatly! That’s grace!

Then I realize, if God used him, despite his failures, He would surely be able to use me as well! Not because I’m any better or worse than Abraham was, coz I really don’t think I am! But that’s just it, it’s not what I do or don’t, it’s all Gods grace! So, no matter how many times I fail, or how many times I get it right, all He wants is my heart to be willing. So when I fail, I can rise again, put it all behind me, and start walking again. And when I get it right, I can thank God and say ‘it’s all because of Him!’ and keep walking!

hmmm....

You Are A Professional Girlfriend!

You are the perfect girlfriend - big surprise! Heaven knows you've had enough practice. That's why you're a total pro. If there was an Emily Post of girlfriends, it would be you. You know how to act in every situation ... to make both you and your guy happy.

What Kind of Girlfriend Are You?

Yeah, right... lol... well, fun anyways... does everyone get this mark, or is it just you and me, ciwi?

Finally...

After more than one and a half year in this city, I figured it was about time to go to Blue Mountains... yes... i've been here for ages, but still haven't been there... So a couple of weeks ago (just took forever to get the photos on here.. don't know how many times i've almost uploaded them all, just to somehow delete them before i got to save...) Kristin, Charis and I jumped on the train and went up there. Took us probably over 2 hours to get there, but as we were getting close, I soo didn't regret it. Was truly beautiful up there. Since none of us really know our way around there, we just did a simple hike along the edge of the cliffs to see some of the main attractions like the three sisters. Didn't realise how much i've missed the mountains till i got here. Not that it's anything like the mountains back home, but truly stunning anyways! So cool to see out over this massive area all covered with trees, don't have anything like that back home! As soon as we got off the train I could just feel the clear air, was soo refreshing! Getting out of the city, away from all the noise and busyness... I soo needed this... Think i have to go back sometime. This area is so massive, and there's so much cool things to see, think you can spend days hiking and still don't see all there is... But would like to go with someone that knows what they're doing though... think it would be easy to get lost if not...



We had an amazing day, just enjoying the nature, don't get to do that too much around here...

Charis and I on the train...

How beautiful is this!!!

Lunch break... I just love these girls... :-)

Brow cheese... oh yes... nothing like some norwegian food to give you energy for the rest of the day... lol...

All three of us at one of the MANY view points we passed along the way...

the 6 sisters...


Me playing with my camera on the train back... taking pictures of the reflection in the window... Kristin and Charis realised they just had to be ready at any moment...

KIDSONG!! pt1

Here is finally some pictures of my Kidsong family. What a crazy bunch... We had SOO much fun together.. (thanks for the photo's, Mike)

the theme for conference was army, so we were all dressed up in our army-gear the whole week...

Fabio, he's one of the city guy's, so I didn't know him before conference. Great, CRAZY, guy!!!

Mike (in his marines uniform) and Chris. Chris is just sooo cute!!

Max&Melody used to join in for the faculty sessions...

Dave, one of the kids pastors in the city. He's the one in charge of all the worship and media stuff for Kids.

Funny Man Dan, and yes, he really is funny. The kids just love him!

Rainbow... need i say more... she's leaving after this term... (think i'm about to cry...)

Kirsty and Sophie. Kirsty is one of the kids worship leaders in the city, and Sophie at hills, although they do swap around sometimes...

Kudzy! another of the city guys that i didn't know before conference. He's just amazing!

KIDSONG!! - pt 2

.

Rainbow, Stephen, me and Leslie

Mike, Ruzany and Rainbow

Andrew, Fabio and Sondre

Sarah and Ruzany

And here it is... Fabio is getting on Obi's shoulders... He was actually playing up there... lol...

They had heaps of fun on stage...

Coop picture, hey... Fabio and Andrew...

Fabio and Mike, after Friday night...

"Danglin', we don't want your finger danglin', we don't wan't your finger danglin', so honour your mum and dad!" ...okay, you had to be there...

Most of the Friday night team! (except stephen, he still had work to do...)

Me, myself and mine…

Why is it that we’re always so occupied with ourselves? Humans are weird like that. We so often end up in this bubble where everything is about me, myself and mine… know I’m there at least… I get so caught up in my own struggles and my own problems. It’s as if the whole world spins around me. And then I miss the fact that there are people around, even friends, who are going through a hard time, because I’m so consumed with my own pain, my own troubles, so I don’t see the hard times of those around me … How many times could I have been there to help my friends through, but I’ve just been too consumed with my own hurts to see…

“Realizing God is a work all around me and that he regularly invites me to be a part of that work has given me a heightened sense of anticipation that something extraordinary might happen right before my eyes.” I’m reading this book, it’s really about something totally different, but I was reading this passage in it and it made me think… what is God doing in the people I meet today, and how can I help? What does He want to say to this person through me today? You know, I’ve realised, that when I focus more on how I can help, how I can bless, the people around me, I feel better myself. When I don’t let my mind whirl around all the thoughts I don’t want anyone to see, all the feelings I wish I didn’t have, all the stings in my heart that I try to hide… all the things I know is wrong, know is not reality, but still feel so real. When I don’t dwell on that, but focus on giving to others instead, they actually decrease much more. When I focus on others instead of dwelling in my own little world, I get energized.