New art added to the Art Window- check it out

i dont know who I am today
i forgot how to pray

teach me how to love me
the way that you love me

you know who I am today
your heart in a prayer

worthy
holy
righteous
you are He

the roof is done!!

The Last Tile put down photos!

check it out!

A tribute to our Bocce Ball Club

And now the last post for the week....SUNDAY! It has been a beautiful day. The days are so short here in Skien. We do not have snow yet, but the frost is coming to the trees. The fog rests gently on the water and moves across its still surface.

The sun was going down just after 2. The evidence of a low light casts long shadows over the frozen tundra. Reflections are hazy in the glass water. Boats never rock anymore.

It is here on Bakkestranda that we ready ourselves for a triumphant game of Bocce Ball. This will be the last game for the year. Well since Brad is the one that loves the game as much as me...and is willing to even forge the wintery breezes for its execution---and he will be leaving...then I see that this might be the last. So we dedicated this game to him. Even with all that said and the perfect scene painted for Marius, Brad, and I to toss with ease and joy...
and even with the measurements taken unfairly with gloves on and sort of biased as Brad was wanting to win...and he had all the measure power...
and even when a little swan hits the waters edge and makes perfect ripples with his tail feathers into the Norwegian sun set.....I still have one thing to say.

I WON!

Saturday Slackerday

It was a lazy day, totally. The students were packing up to leave for Christmas and the staff was on the mental turn around from a crazy first half of the year. The day was spent enjoying good company. First Brad, Marius, Kasper, and I played Speed Scrabble. This game is quickly becoming my favorite game. I can get a bit vicious and can be jerkish when it comes to those non English speakers...I just need to have more tact. I patched up relationships after the game...after the damage was done. :) Did I mention I sat on a couch from 10 to 12 eating mandarin oranges and a bit of marzipan cake first? We ate porridge at 3...then commenced to cell number 6--my room! This is the first time I have had guests over to my jail cell. What a treat! We watched Royal Tenenbaum. Here you see we have presented some common movie expressions!

This is the: 'I'm watching a movie for the first time in 5 months. Is it okay? Should I be doing something else?'
This is the: 'Caught me by surprise' laugh. Does anyone think Brad's smile is real?
This is the: 'inappropriate scene face.....or movie's over, I don't want to move!' You choose.

THEN WE GOT ATTACKED BY HUGE COLORFUL BALLOONS! IF CAN SEE RAGNHILD IS CONCERNED BUT BRAD COULD CARE LESS. HE ACTUALLY HOPES WE GET CONQUERED.

After movie we all ate pizza together. There was about 12 at the base and there were 14 pizzas. I should say....NEVER eat that much pizza! We were stuffed and the pizza kept coming and coming. There were 5 pieces left so we played a game. One person thinks of a number and another thinks of a name. The person's name....gets counted that chosen number around the circle. Who it lands on....eats another piece! Torbjørn saved the day by eating 3 of the last 5. Oi oi oi!

We then played some balloon games and had a piggyback contest. These were obviously boredom responses! Who could pull more pepperkake from the roof (that was hanging down). Marius and I were second place. Not strong enough teeth!

We gathered around the fireplace in the basement for a reading. We got coffee, tea, and warm blankets to cozy up and listen to some short stories that Brad read aloud. Two by Oscar Wilde...'The Happy Prince' and 'The Selfish Giant'. We demolished a pepperkake huset and enjoyed the cultural atmosphere. We discussed a bit, but more went.....'hmmm...that is interesting.' I read the story 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings'.

All in all the Saturday was actually packed full of great events. If we had planned them all before that would be stressy, but we allowed the time to have its course. What a great way to celebrate and send off for the Christmas vacation. Thanks for the good times friends!!

YWAM Skien Christmas Party!

So Friday we celebrated Christmas together. It was a charming event with great Norwegian food. Pork ribs, red beets, brussle sprouts, potatoes, gravy, and red currant sauce. It is always a dramatic feast in which I must add....Runar (the YWAM Skien base leader), Jarle (Reboot break dancer), and Einar (DTS staff) made it all. It was fantastic....3 men in the kitchen and satisfied women awaiting! Perfect. Later we had rice-cream....creamy rice porridge, cold with warmed thick cherry sauce on top. Interesting, but delicious!
Look at these two beautiful girls. Lovisa (Swedish), me, and Lucy (Welsh) are looking quite Christmasy. I think they are so charming...they think I am too.

playing & dancing with the stars!

I suppose all I can say is...wow! What a great experience to be playing violin with Rudi Myntevik...a visiting teacher to the school in this week of 'worship' and a popular national worship leader in Norway. It was quite an American thing to do--they say. I just stepped up to Rudi during a break in the class and asked him, 'can I play violin with you tonight at the open meeting.' It was very bold and trusting for him to say...'yes' I mean....I could have thought I was good and was actually not at all. Otherwise he just took a huge risk. So I got to join...and he did mention that it was surprisingly good....he didnt know what to expect. I dont blame him. I just have to say I was blown away by the sensitivity of the music and the passion behind it. I dont see that very often here in Northern Europe where people are really into what they do. Rudi is so real...so down to earth. He is spreading the message of hope and I like it!

The open meeting with Rudi on Dec. 10. There were over 40 youth that just showed up! Wow.
Bård (the owner of a music store on Prinsessegata), Rudi Myntevik, and me

Every Tuesday night Lyndee and I have hosted this evening called 'The Room' we slide the piano from the 4th floor down and open the prayer room for sitting, soaking, and singing in God's presence. It has been an experiment thus far and we want it to be so much more, however we are just waiting on what. This last Tuesday was really special. Christina from Germany (last year's Reboot singer) was visiting and she plays the violin....so she joined. I was able to play my new songs on the piano with a violin!! And this was Brad's last week. He will join the SOE in England (to which I will visit in January) so he was just jamming out on the drum. He is dynamic on that hand drum! I will really miss that energy here at the base.
This is our new drum for the base. Helina helped buy it and take it from Estonia. What a gal! The drum sat first class on the plane! Now guess what??? My friend Matt Kunnari is visiting me from the states and he is bringing a Yamaha piano and a huge box for us. I can admit that it is 2/3 cheaper to get it from the states! He will bring it before New Year's!! Just pray that my credit card works and everything is easy at the airport. Amen and answer to prayer!!!
And this is where my life really comes alive! I have begun to teach ballroom dance lessons to the people at the base. It went really well this last Wednesday. I will take some more lessons the Wednesday we come back in January. The people really liked the Fox Trot and the Swing steps I taught. It is a great opportunity to train up the men to be MEN...not passive Scandinavians! They love the special attention too. 'If the woman looks good...it is because you are good...men!' That gets them smiling of course! More pictures to come...just keep in touch!

Open Window Art Gallery

This was a spur of the moment project....but I took it like the wind to a willow tree. (mind the stupid phrases) I was to set up an art show for the open meeting we sometimes have on Monday nights. The students have been doing some art and ever since I opened it up to private lessons the art has become much more frequent. I have been doing some work....here and there. So I knew I could fill the walls with some things if we needed. I actually thought there would be so much extra space, but no...it was perfect. We have this clothing store space that works as our big open meeting area and now art gallery for open meetings. I hope to fill it with more art and different stuff each time. But the lighting is pretty great. Just check out the show---a sneak peak!





This is the view from the big room. We could have some nice sculpture work on tall stands here. I think that is in the future!
Two of my small pieces. I made these the first week of December. I feel very good about them but 'Chase' is a favorite with me and with the students. I think they are slowly being inspired by the abstract with purpose aspect of painting. It stretches thier growing minds. The other is called 'Promonition of Bright'.

The view from the side stairs. We used a low level line to measure it off because the awkward black line through the whole room....too high to line with...and too low for forget about. I had two private lesson girls join me to hang the show. Theresa and Stine are interested in painting and I made them hang this show instead. They were great sports about it...and so helpful! If you see them say thanks for me!
This oil painting was given to our base by the leader of the Golden Age folk. He is a painter and plays the oboe. We are like kinship. He has become our base grandpa and his wife the grandma....they are just starting here with us and it is really cool to have an older generation present with us at the base. We are all quite young here. The oldest is maybe 36. Youch!!! That is over 60 people that are under 36 and over 18.
It has been so cool to have a mentor this year that is an artist as well. She has painted the one on the left called 'Sky Spin' and now at the first YWAM Skien art show we got to display ours together. Mine is on the right...it is entitled 'Surrounded with Deliverance'. What unique styles we have, but still on the same wavelength. I am honored to share the space with you Hild Mari!

I think we will see many more art works coming out of YWAM Skien. Not because we are a specifically creative focused base, but because we are crying out for a lifestyle of worship here. I can tell we are working towards a balanced life with ministry and life and wondering....can it be possible to let our lives be ministry....and be worship? When people are discovering what God has put in them...and expressing it...things are happening. People come alive and we LIVE! Amen.

Jule Tre Jakt

We were on the hunt for the best Christmas Tree had to offer.

Which I was sort of disappointed with. All the ones we saw had these crazy Dr. Suess looking nobuals coming out of the top. Christmas in Who-ville.

There were so many trees...a veritable jungle....well actually was except all the trees were cut down

Helina giggles as we seem to be struggling to find the perfect tree for Lyndee's apartment. Her brothers and sisters come and laugh at us. She is just an Estonian troll!! Merry Norway Christmas! HA HA HA


Look at this one....Lyndee and Helina would never be able to reach the star at the top. Guess who would do it...ahem.....me! This is not a good choice kids. Moving on!Now we are talking. Lyndee found her soul mate. A goldie locks tree...not too tall, not too small, just right! Goldie Locks Style!
Pack it in Helina. Lets go deck those halls!
(no we did not choose the small one...we found a nice size tree just taller than me...so I still had to put the high ornaments on, but it was a normal and beautiful size. It looks wonderful in Lyndee's apartment. Happy tree hunting all you out there. You never know when you will find out! Keep your eyes open!

When we realize that Christ is made all this to us, the boundless joy of God begins; wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is at work.

Identification with the death of Jesus Christ means identification with Him to the death of everything that never was in Him.

Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The Atonement is a propitiation (appeasement)whereby God through the death of Jesus makes an unholy man holy.

Utmost for His Highest
December 8

I have begun to see what good I am here at the base. I do not intend to tell a lie when I say it has been a struggle to see what God was using me here in Skien for. I mean on the outside I am leading worship and I am just filling in the gaps....but what about on the inside. I want to be on the inside of what God is doing. Often I am a foreigner to even that. To think that I could have the inside scoop on what He is doing in the lives of the DTS students, the staff, and myself....but that I might even get a heart for the city. I might even care about bringing the kingdom here in Skien. That idea has to settle in my heart. God...you want your Kingdom to come here in my heart, here in Skien, and here in Norway, and in every other nation, tribe, group, family, heart in the world! I just have to want that too...and God will do the amazing things He has planned.

I have begun giving free Private Creative Lessons. God gave me the idea this weekend when I wondered how I can begin to mentor people and to teach them what I know. There has not been any collective gathering in which I can teach specifics so I must come up with it on my own. I offer a half an hour free to the YWAMers here in Skien. Here are the options:

singing

dancing (ballroom & interpretive)

painting

acting & drama (communication development)

drawing (2-D & 3-D fundamentals)

instruments (piano, guitar, violin, bass, harmonica)

poetry & song writing

Many people are into it. You can always learn a little more about something. They want to learn a little more about everything. It's a half and hour and it is a safe environment for encouragement and growth. Today I gave a piano lesson to Laila...she wants to learn how to play chords on the piano so she can join in on worship and play ever so smoothly. I gave a painting lessong to Ingebjørg...she wants to just learn how so that when she is with others that do it, she can join and not feel silly. I also gave a back to back lesson to Natasha...she wanted to learn to sing and to paint. I spent an hour with her at the piano and at the paints. So far I have 4 hours in a week spent on these lessons. I think there will be more in the next year. I think it is really important to give the small dreams you have a chance to grow. There is collective interest to have ballroom dancing lessons for weddings and such. So as a base we will do it. I will teach ballroom dance next Wednesday and then when we come home from Christmas. I will host a ballroom dance in the winter. We will call it the Winter Ball. We can dress up and eat cake and be refined dancing the fox trot and letting Norwegian boys practice there ever so mostly invisible gentlemen skills. Always something to learn! I hope it will be a fun opportunity for our YWAM family to be with each other, to laugh, and to create a unique history in fellowship. This is something we all need.....and I am longing for it!

i have been coming close to Jesus. He has shown me His patience and enduring love. I often an not wait to spend time with Him alone. Sounds sketchy, but it is ever so true!

If you were going to have a Private Creative Lesson on anything what would it be?

christmas with a question mark

I got a free computer bag from my friend Britt Solveig. This was a month before I got a computer. She prayed that I would get one. And I did. God provided a great lap top for a very cheap price. I always knew God would provide even in the small things. And he did. The computer bag was quite prophetic in itself. It had to be filled. And now it is. I have wireless in my room..and mom is sending me a web cam for christmas. I wonder if I am supposed to know that. yeah. whatever.

my friend Matt Kunnari from Dordt College (GO DORDT) is coming to NORWAY over new year 2008 to visit me!!! He will go to a wedding in Holland and then come up to Oslo...Hamar...and hopefully Skien for a day to see what the crazy kids in Norway are like. Good luck with the food, the language, and the cold!!! I am so excited to have someone from hometown Iowa to come to represent the midwest and all that is green and actually right now.....colder than Norway.

I just got a snow ball thrown into my ear....as I am sitting at my computer. What are the odds. Helina was outside and she got curious and brought some inside...and then it got in my ear. We got a bit of snow today. but not like Iowa! Sorry guys!

No deep thoughts today.

Wait.

There is one.

If you think you have arrived at any destination with God....then you should go home.


If you would choose one of these places in the UK which would you choose?

Scotland
or
England

blessings,
Erika