When taste matters...

Local election

This year's local election is approaching. In my town the election takes place the 9th and 10th of September, which is in about 3 weeks. Since you just can cast a single vote, you maybe think your vote is quite insignificant and of no value. Maybe it is! But maybe not; maybe not in all likelihood!

But more important than your vote, more important than the parties, more important than who'll be the next chairman of the county council, is for what do you vote? To support democracy?

What party you cast your vote to most often reflects what's important to you. What kind of attitude you have. Your attitude and what kind of matters you care about is important all the time, not only every second year when you're one of the Electorate.

As Norwegian citizens we have the privilege to cast a vote. To affect the result of the election. But as Christians we might, and should, take a greater part in the election. Influence in another and greater way. This counts more than a vote! More than hundreds and thousands of votes. Maybe more than a million. We might pray. And Jesus promised us that we could ask Dad about anything - ANYTHING! - and get it, if it was according to his will. A greater privilege! Paul also asked us to pray for all people, and in particular people in high positions. Why? Because God wants the best for the Norwegian people, both young and old. He's in the position to influence even those you didn't want as the chairman of the county council. He's in the position to influence their stand in matters you care about. Or more important; matters he cares about!

So here's the challenge: Pray! Even for the politicians you don't like. Even for the parties you totally disagree with.

And please cast your vote. Reflect on what's important. Not only for you, but for God. Ask him what party you should support.

Your vote is important! Lower taxes or human value?

Unlucky?

Sometimes I wonder if I'm unlucky. Not generally unlucky, but unlucky with a few things that some small parts of life is about. Technical stuff. Not to sing praises about myself, but I've always managed digital and technical stuff very well. The use of it. The computer I've known and mastered since I was about 9 years old. Mum always asks me if she has some problems when writing in Word. At school my friends always used to ask me for help when we worked with Excel in Economics. New software is no problem. Mp3-players, digital cameraes, cell phones, editing videos, making homepages... No problem!

But...
... My first laptop crashed (not new).
... My second laptop crashed (completely new, and after 6 months...).

... and now my three weeks old 2 GB memory card for my digital camera, containing more than 300 photos, crashed. AND some of the photos was meant to be put in tomorrow's newspaper. Yeah, right! Rescuing the photos might cost me at least 600 NOK. Nice!

Christian song lyrics!

I've finally found it: a good site, without too much advertisements, where you can find Christian song lyrics. They're all there: Third Day, Rebecca St. James, Hillsongs... And more!

But there are most big and very famous artists / bands there, not e.g. the Norwegian worship artist Rudi Myntevik... But you'll find most of his lyrics at his site.

Here's the link anyway: Christian lyrics

I'm grateful! :)

You are loved!

I just want to share a chorus from Rebecca St. James' "You are loved" with you:

This is what I want to say to you
If I had one chance to speak to your heart
You are loved
More than you could ever know
This is what I want to say to you
If I had one chance to tell you something
You are loved
More than you can imagine
Imagine

Reprehensible point of view

Today at work I read an article in the newspaper VG that almost made me feel sick. The article was a reaction on what I consider a very fascistic point of view that is discovered in our "wealthy" and "tolerate" society. A female politician from the party FrP (Fremskrittspartiet) wrote recently a reader's letter to a newspaper in Stavanger saying it is "reprehensible to give birth to a handicapped child". VG did a public opinion poll measurements at the subject, and 30 % - THIRTY PER CENT - agreed with this right-winged politician.

It was after this another female politician from the party AP (like Labour) decided to tell her story of having and losing a little girl with a disease on the brain. The little girl died a few days before Christmas last year, only 15 months old, while her mother was carrying her little brother in the womb. "She was so beutiful," the mother said in the article. There was a photo there too, showing a, yes, indeed beautiful!, little girl. The little girl brought her parents closer, and they got engaged a couple of months before their daughter died and will soon marry. They loved her.

After having Hedda, as was her name, they moved to an appartment without door sills so that Hedda could easily navigate her sitting chair when she got older.

I too know some handicapped children. A girl I know is 11 years old at the moment, and has a muscle disease. She can only move her head and hands a little. She's very smart and has a beutiful handwriting. And she's a lot more thankful to life than other 11 year-olds. She once told me that a friend of her often was in a bad mood. "I can't get why she's like that all the time; it's fantastic to live!" How can anybody say that somebody who actually appreciates life doesn't have the right to life?

And what about those cute children with Down's Syndrom? Trustful, happy and easy to please. Teaches the people around them how to care, be a real friend and show consideration. "She's leading with a chromosome," a boy in my area wrote in an essay about his little sister.

What is this kind of society we have? We're the richest people in the world, but our society is so cold and cynical I almost vomit! Our lives are obviously measured in productivity and BNP, not human value. "It hurts to be considered as an item of expenditure," the politician-mother said. I hope her setback will make the thirty-per-cents' conscience hurt so badly they never give a vote like that again.

Unnoticed similarity

Friday I bought a t-shirt in a new store in the place I live. I didn't exactly examine it before buying it (the price was only 35 NOK), therefore I was quite surprised when my older sister asked if the picture on the t-shirt was me! I looked at myself with the t-shirt on in the mirror, and could confirm it really looked like me..!

When I came home, my dad ("Portrait-like!") and younger brother asked me the same question. Mum and another sister were thinking the same. Every time I wear it, new questions come or a comment about the similarity. Not one disagrees.

... and I didn't even notice when buying it! :-D

How's life?

Life's good! I'm of age!

For my 18th birthday I got this dainty digitale camera from my parents, littlebrother and -sister, grandma, uncle & aunt & cousins. I got it today and it seems to meet the expectations.

I'll get of-age-pay for this month's three weeks of work...

I've got my first real Visa card (means not Visa Smartcard, not Electron)...

I'm having a driving lesson tomorrow...

A good friend of mine got married this Saturday. She was beautiful! And he was looking really good too! But when I was putting a piece of cake on my plate, I managed to tip it over, giving me seven more years before I "can" get married, which suits me perfectly as it's giving me plenty of time to think and evaluate possible suitors that should show up in my way... ;P

I've come to page 362 in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Much to do, less time to read...)


... and I smile! :)

I've got Harry Potter!

While thousands of Harry Potter books are locked in in bookstore basements in Oslo, and millions of people are waiting desperately to get one, I got my Harry Potter book today... one day before everybody else..! I'll say it again: People; I've got Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! I've got the last book which people are going crazy tonight to get! I haven't started reading much yet, only a page... I can tell there is a conversation going on between Severus Snape and someone else... If I want to, I can find out who's dying... If it's Harry Potter or Lord Voldemort. Or both. Or maybe they just become friends! ;-D

"Sorry I killed your parents, Harry!"
"Oh, nothing to worry about, Voldy, I didn't really know them anyway!"

But the funny thing is; when Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince came out two years ago, I got the book one day before everybody else that time too!! "Not to be delivered before the 21st of July" it said this time, and the-date-I-don't-remember-any-longer the last time...

I nearly didn't believe it when I found it in my mailbox today... But it's a fact; I've got Harry Potter!

... and tonight I'm going to read a chapter... or three...! ;)

Creativity

A friend of mine is getting married in thirteen days, and I'm at the moment busy with making place cards. There are going to be 47 people for dinner, and after this evening's effort I have to make 15 more cards. I had decided to try and make most of the cards different from one and another, but after making 32 place cards that is a very difficult request to fulfil..!

I came to think of God who's made so many different birds... So many different fish... So many different tree species... So many different spiders... And in the end; so very, very, VERY many different human beings!!!

I can't understand he managed to do it unless I at the same time remind myself he's GOD!