Religion versus God

Okay, this is quite a long story. But I need to tell the backgrounds before I can explain the real issue I’m pointing out.

Yesterday morning I saw an interview about a Finnish writer that has published a novel, which tells about a young girl who lives in a Christian community in 1930’s Finland. In the book the girl really has to live in a joyless, narrow-minded atmosphere that has very strict rules, from where there is no way out. She fights for example with her sexuality, self-image and other mindsets that are “typical” for those who live in these kinds of communities, how he struggles her self-abusive and twisted thoughts. The writer has really meant the book to be oppressive and it's genre as horror romantic. 

I was listening to that discussion and felt anger. I can’t deny the existence of these kinds of communities that live this way: controlling, judging their people in a wrong way, living from laws instead of from freedom, love and caring. This kind of surrounding is often described as fundamentalist religious or Christian extremists. 

But the reason why I got so frustrated was that I knew this is the impression that many people have about Christianity. And it is so twisted!!!

That’s not REAL Christianity! That’s not the way Jesus meant it!! That has rules and laws that people has distorted from the Bible.  

The way I see Christianity and the faith I’ve got, is that it's really been the most releasing factor in my life. For me it represents the experiments of happiest, funniest, craziest (in a good way! I mean like acting spontaneously), best laughs and most peaceful moments in my life!

I haven’t red this book, I admit, but one review told this: “I was hoping that the Bible would’ve been accompanied by this book. That the Bible would’ve been reflected in that faith people had in the book. But it wasn’t.” I bet if the writer would know the Bible, he would actually know that this kind of setting has little to do with Bible. The Bible is an entity, not something from where you can remove away stuff or take just parts you will. 

I confess: I don't wanna have anything to do with religion - but I do want all my life to be depended on  faith. Religion is something people have invented. Faith is invented and given by God. 

• People make mistakes ALL THE TIME. God doesn't make mistakes. 
• People hurt each other. God wants only good things to everyone. 
• People twist the word of Bible. God has told EVERYTHING we need to know in the Bible.
• People live wrong way. God wants to guide us to the new and right direction. 
• People want to live away from God. God wants to live near people. 
• People chooses bad things. God wants us to choose good things. 

Do not mix these two things. It is people who creates wrong kind of Christianity. It has nothing to do with God who is perfect, almighty, worthy to respect, merciful, loving and caring and who just wants to create an relationship with his people - not some religion. 

Real Christianity is about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). It is about friendships and relationships. It is about the God. Not man. 

God needs to be known. I also have to know him and the Bible better. There is still so much more for me to learn, this I know, but I'm happy about the way He has already taught me and that He will keep on teaching me when I stay with Him.  

Winter turning to spring

I'm having winter break from work that lasts one week. Feels so nice to just stay at home, do some household chores, bake, do morning exercises and practically what ever I feel like, like write. Oh yes, I could get used to this! This morning I went to ski. Sun was already shining and snow glistened beautifully on the frozen lake. Skis slide well and people had smiles on their faces.

I'm skiing up the hill and reaching the top when I see a bunch of little kids on their skis. Many of them are wearing their safety vests (that are bright neon yellow with reflective tapes on). They all are 6 years old. Some of them are skiing very well but some of them are having bored or annoyed look on their faces. I'm skiing on and meeting along the way more kids with their teachers. There are altogether around 40 kids skiing in the middle of the beautiful forest and trying to manage their way through the ski trail with its big downhills and challenging uphills. Some of them greet me along the way, some of them accelerate their speed when encountering others, some of them tumble down when trying to impress others. In the end they're naturally having sausages, hot juice, and maybe Finnish pancakes as a reward for their accomplishment. This is  Finland.    

Spring is reaching Finland. Sun is rising already before 8 AM and stays up until 5.30 PM. We have had a long, cold, dark winter and getting over it is like a new start that we get. I guess no-one else can really understand what it is to live in these latitudes than those that have experienced at least one whole year in here.

Finns are waking up from winter sleep. We're more open, more energetic, more friendly, more smiling, more happy and sometimes we even look into a strangers eyes when bumping each other. At least we ought to be. Sometimes happens that increased sunlight turns into the opposite in people minds that is said to be spring depression. It seems that we are having all the possible depressions in the world: autumn-, winter-, spring-, dark time-, postnatal-, early motherhood-, infant-, juvenile-, old age depression and of course burn-out. It is just so weird. And not fine! I'm praying against all this. Could you join me doing this? Finns need to get the enjoyment from the increasing sunlight that brings life!!

Ps. Welcome Costa Rica to read my blog! :D 

Ellisms (philosophy by Elli)

Don't put your friend in a box. 

When you put your friend in a box, that's all you see and nothing much more. Don't expect her to be something you think she is.  She can be so much more than you would ever imagine!

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Sometimes it's good to be in a tight place in life.  





There you'll see the bright sides more easily. And if you focus on the good things and not the bad ones, you'll see what power it has to get you out of there.

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Mom has the best recipes for life. 

Just you listen to her. She's usually right.  

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Around the world we go

Wow! Yesterday I sent a message to people I know and that I'm friends with. Today I went to see the statistics, just for fun, and saw the world map that shows the places where my blog has been red. Countries that has "represented" in my blog are so far, in addition to Finland, are USA, Panama, Germany, Great Britain and Peru. I'm so glad about every single one of you!

Think about it. You live thousands of miles away from each other and still are able to stay in contact so easily. And all this progress has happened during my lifetime. When I was just a kid we had only one phone and that was attached to a power cable. Excuse me? Like what just happened?!

I'm not the best one to stay in touch with my friends. Somehow I find it difficult to grab my phone and call. I would love to send cards, letters and all this traditional stuff but that's too laborious. I would most definitely enjoy of meeting my friends but for that I seem to find too little time (or in some cases money to travel..). I could catch up by chatting of skyping but that I find somehow not so... enjoyable I guess. And then there is e-mail. Who sends only e-mails anymore when there is Facebook?  But honestly, who really knows what's going on in your friends lives if you track them only on Fb? I don't.

I seem to be lost in a dead end. I want to stay in touch with my friends lives, but I don't do anything about it myself! Woe is me!

So please do accept my apologies and know that you my friends far and close, old and new are on my mind daily and what I can at least do is to say a little prayer for you that you would be doing good.

So Happy Valentine's day to everyone!! Oh, wait..! It went already..? Whoops..



Postscript.  

This blog text is for one wise man that has followed my life for a while now. He is artsy, fun to be with and superb when playing the guitar. He is very quick-witted which skill I lack too often. He is talented in frisbee-golf, football and well, almost in every sport he does.

Even though he is a couple of years younger than I, there is still this weird set-up that I more often feel myself as this new kid on the block when he is the wise, old, all seen mentor who guides me with his piece of advices as I go.

And lets just say a word about his looks. This man is nearly sculptural with his broad-shouldered, tall figure and high cheekbones. I’m so happy that there is a lady on his side who perfectly completes this masculine essence with her soft, vulnerable presence and a hunch of sophisticated and smart attitude. (And could I have things gone any better when I have this lady as my friend too!)

I am very grateful of his friendship and hoping that he would still be staying in my life as my mentor when I’m trying to figure out my life.

So thank you Mr. anonymous. You are precious! (:

...close to God.

The explanation where the name to my blog comes. (:

I found myself thinking that joy must be included. Joy must be one of the primary points in my texts. The world feeds us with dull, sad, disgusting and depressing news. Afflictions, suffering, distress and stuff like that emerges into our minds, through our eyes and ears every single day. I know am send to spread the good news: there is joy that overflows, that streams from deep and that is not superficial.  It is not necessarily something that arises when having fun, but what comes with peace and liberation when knowing you are safe and loved.

I've heard people in different occasions saying they see me radiating joy (yep, this totally goes over my comfort zone when saying this aloud...) But I have nothing to do with that! I've lived a life where joy has slowly faded away and I've needed to start looking for it again. The time of depression did make its way through as it has in too many Finns lives.

My joy is to be close to God. He gives me the joy that goes over my own understanding! That I have nothing to do with.

The phrase: "my joy is to be" sounds also similar when saying "my choice to be".

My choice to be close to God. And that gives me the joy. It is an everyday choice to make. That is my duty. To choose Jesus every single day. And that radiates. For that I will be grateful! And if someone says "I see you radiating", it is a message to me that I've chosen Jesus. Yay!

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Sillä Jumala, joka sanoi: 'Loistakoon valkeus pimeydestä', on se, joka loisti sydämiimme, että Jumalan kirkkauden tunteminen, sen kirkkauden, joka loistaa Kristuksen kasvoissa, levittäisi valoansa.

 2. Corinthians 4:6 / 2. korinttolaiskirje 4:6

Preview

Finally. It took me over an hour to get a new template to this blog that I'm about to start. It really wasn't that difficult, it's because I hadn't done that before. But I'm happy - there it is, finally, and I love it.
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I've had a desire to start a new blog for a while now. Last blog, that I wrote in finnish, was about my discipleship training school that I did in Panamá city, Panama in 2010 with Youth With a Mission (http://ellianneli.wordpress.com).

This blog is going to be more like a mind flow, probably with both languages finnish and english, not necessarily reporting my life's events but more like "webcasting" some of the ideas that I want to declare to the world, so to say. Or maybe it will include those events too cause I'd love to keep my foreign friends updated of my life as well but it is also for my friends over here in Finland to read. (Plus that I've had enough with Facebook but at the same time wanted to use the possibility of what Internet offers.) So please don't mind my non-native english language skills. I'm expanding my english vocabulary and literary... erm... expressions..! Learning it is - with thesaurus and google translate as teachers!

And of course let's not forget that I love to write and that is obviously the main reason to have a blog of my own.

Well. Enough with the excuses why to start a new blog over the hundreds of thousands of others. Let's just say, why not I too.

Welcome to read my blog. I'm very excited!

Elli