Category Archives: Creative / Kreativt

Here the creative stuff can be found.
Her kan du finne de kreative tingene.

Seeds

Seeds

A poem by me

Have you seen the great variety of seeds?
Flying seeds, drifting ones.
Seeds that bury themselves.
Or pop away from their motherplant.
Some are colorful, other keep to one color.
Unique seed for each kind of plant.

Did you know that we are like seeds?
A great variety of personalities and looks.
Of skills and interests.
Flying, rolling, strolling, hopping around.
Colored by our imagination and creativity.
Absolutely unique, with unique potentials.

Do you know the potential of seeds?
Something much greater can appear of each one.
A tree, a beatiful flower, a spice, a bush.
But allways with the ability of creating seeds.
The plant allways a secret in the seed.
A plant requiring the death of one single seed.

Do know that we too need to die?
Die from ourselves, to grow in the garden of God.
And out of that dead seed, our true selves grow up.
A greater potential, alive, growing, bearing fruit.
A life in Christ is like a life as a plant,
Without Him, just like a seed. Just an unused potential.

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

John 12;24-26

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

1 Cor 15;36b-38

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”

Luke 13;18-19

Unique / Unik

A poem I write for “Bunte Abend” (a talents night) at Connect 2012 in Cologne.

Ett dikt jeg skrev for “Bunde Abend” (en talentkveld) på Connect 2012 i Køln. Gå til norsk versjon.

Unique

Uniquely created, an unique personality.
Uniquely loved, an unique love story.
This is THE You, the You created by God.

Why do you dream of being someone else than You are?
Why do you change your appearance to be what You are not?
Why do you try to make yourself a copy of someone else?

To God, You are exactly how He want you to be.
To God, You are an uniquely beautiful person.
To God, rescuing You, was worth dying!

Did you know You are an unique gift?
First of all, a gift to yourself. But also to others.
You are an unique gift and an expression of God’s love!

I know…
You aren’t happy about all things about yourself.
But God want you to be part of creating the ulitimate YOU!
He is championing you!
Championing you to become the best possible You!

How? Through Christ!

You are an unique piece of God’s great mosaic.
His love for you so incredibly unique,
and your love for him…
Something fare more unique and precious than you can imagine!

Just look at the unique combination of personality, interests and experiences,
that together have shaped you to what you are:

Absolutely UNIQUE!

You are worth being yourself!
You are worth being loved as yourself!
You are worth growing in being yourself!
You are worth being unique!
You are worth God’s love!

You are not your parents!
You are not the place you live!
You are not your job, nor your hobbies!
You are not someone else than You!

So…
Tell me…
Who are you… really?

Unik

Unikt skapt, en unik personlighet.
Unikt elsket, en unik kjærlighetshistorie.
Dette er DEG, det DEG som ble skapt av Gud.

Hvorfor drømmer du om å være noen andre enn det du er?
Hvorfor forandrer du utseende til å bli noe du ikke er?
Hvorfor prøver du å gjøre deg selv til en kopi av noen andre?

For Gud, er du akkurat slik Han ønsker at du skal være.
For Gud, er du en unikt vakker person.
For Gud, å redde deg, det var det verdt å dø for!

Viste du at Du er en unik gave?
Først og fremst en gave til deg selv. Men også til andre.
Du er en unik gave og et uttrykk for Guds kjærlighet!

Jeg vet…
Du er ikke fornøyd med alt som gjelder deg selv.
Men Gud ønsker at du skal være med på å skape det ultimate DEG!
Han trener deg til å bli en Mester!
Trener deg til å bli den best mulige Deg!

Hvordan? Gjennom Kristus!

Du er en unik bit av Guds store mosaikk.
Hans kjærlighet til deg så utrolig unik,
og din kjærlighet til ham…
Så utrolig mye mer unikt og dyrebart en du kan forestille deg!

Bare se på den unike kombinasjonen av personlighet, interesser og erfaringer,
som sammen har skapt deg til det du er:

Absolutt UNIK!

Du er verdt å være deg selv!
Du er verdt å bli elsket som deg selv!
Du er verdt å kunne vokse i det å være deg!
Du er verdt å være unik!
Du er verdt Guds kjærlighet!

Du er ikke dine foreldre!
Du er ikke stedet du bor!
Du er ikke jobben din, og heller ikke dine hobbyer!
Du er ikke andre enn Deg!

Så…
Fortell meg…
Hvem er du… egentlig?

 

Do you know?

Do you know that God sees you?
That he knows you better than anyone?
That he knows your every imperfection?
That he knows every bad thing you’ve done?
That he knows every cruel thought you’ve had?
Do you know?
And do you know…
that still…
even while knowing…
all this bad stuff about you…
Do you know…
that he sees you,
and he still loves you?

Do you know that God loves you?
That he loves you as a father and as a mother?
That he loves you as his brother or sister?
That he loves you as his best friend?
That he loves you as a groom loves his bride?
Do you know?
And do you know…
that because of this…
even in your lack…
of loving him back…
Do you know…
he’ll give you everything you need
because he loves you.

Do you know that God is a provider?
That he gives you everything what you need?
That he gives you guidance and wisdom?
That he gives you every blessing you need?
That he gave himself for you?
Do you know?
And do you know…
he can give so much more…
if you just…
dare asking Him.
Do you know…
There’s no limit to what he can give,
as he gave you his Christ, his own son?

The Turtles

The Turtles

Av Johnny Danielsen

Norwegian version here / Norsk versjon her.

Once upon a time there was this very special kind of turtles. They were giants, with huge, flat shields. The shields were so big and flat that soil gathered on top of it, and usually with the years, plants started growing. Even trees. Small gardens were what the turtles were carrying around on their backs. But there were a huge variation on what were growing in these gardens. Some had almost nothing growing, others could have a lot. Some had shield gardens with a lot of fruit, while others could only offer leaves, grass and other veggies.

Once two turtles met each other. One of them had a somewhat sparse grown shield garden. The leaves on its small trees were more yellowish or grayish green, than they were green. The shield garden on the other turtle, on the other hand, was so big that the turtle’s shield was totally covered in the rich, thick foliage. The leaves were strongly green, and an abundance of berries, fruits and flowering flowers were everywhere in the shield garden.

The first turtle was surprised to see such an incredibly garden, and wondered how it could be. He thought that since the two turtles lived in the same area, the two gardens should have been pretty much similar? Usually such turtles do not eat the growth of other turtles, nor their own. But the smell of the flowers and mature fruit awakened such a hunger in the first turtle, that he just had to ask the other. “Sorry, but could I get to taste some of the fruit growing on your back? It smells so nice!”

“Off course you can!” the other answered, and put his broad side towards the first, so he could just pick and choose. The first reached its head towards a particularly tempting apple. It tasted sweet and good, it was like fresh nectar. The first apple was quickly followed by others, but then he saw some plums and had to taste them as well. Then some cherries and the greatest blue berries he had ever seen. He had never tasted such fruit! Finally, his curiosity got the best of him. “How is it that there is so much tasty fruit growing in your shield garden? After all, we live in the same area; shouldn’t we have quite similar shield gardens?”

The other watched the first thoughtfully. “I believe it is because I’m always outside…”
“Outside? Aren’t everyone outside?” the first looked surprised at the other.
“Yes,” the other answered. “But you seek shelter when the sun is too strong… or when it starts raining. You find yourself a cave or find cover elsewhere.”
“But that is because it isn’t very comfortable to get completely wet by rain, or to be baked in the sun!” The first exclaimed. The other smiled. “It is true that it’s not always so nice, especially it could be hard in the beginning.” He reached out his head towards the first’s shield garden and bit of a leaf. The face he made made it clear it was a bit bitter. Then he looked at the first turtle, “Once, my shield garden was quite similar to yours, but with the time, it became this fertile.” He shook himself gently, so his whole garden rustled. “Today it gives me both shadow against the sun, and it keeps me both dry and warm when it rains.”

The first turtle reached out for a tempting plum and enjoyed its taste. “Taste great too! But how do the sun and the rain help you get such a garden?” The other smiled again, and stretched itself out after an apple from its own shield garden. “Well. When you seek cover for the rain, your shield garden never gets the water it needs, and the plants growing on you need water. They will also need water in order to withstand the heat of the sun at noon. That’s why it’s a good idea to seek places with a lot of rain when it rains. Then the plants will hold up a lot better when it is warm.”

The first nodded “Yes, I can see that. But why do you want to stay out when it is hot? Wouldn’t even the plants do better if not exposed to the strongest heat and sun?”

“You’re no fool, I hear!” the other answered. “There are times that the heat get so strong that I do seek cover. But the plants grow at the best when they get the heat they need, and the sunlight make the fruit both larger and sweeter. That’s why it is a good idea to seek good, nice warm places when it is sun and you got enough water.
“Hmm…” The first had just reached out for another sweet and juicy apple. “You may have a point there. But it sounds both a bit too cold and a bit too warm, what you are talking about. How did you start?”

The other went over to a small stream nearby. “Not only plants need water.” he said, and drank of the fresh water. “It started actually a day when I met another turtle. He had the most fantastic shield garden I ever have seen. Flowers and fruits everywhere, and he let me taste.” He licked himself around his mouth. “Never have I tasted such fruit. Just as you, I wonder how that could be, and he shared the same idea I just shared with you: To stay outside.” He laughed a bit “I guess I really had a dream about being able to eat myself full every day on fruit from my own shield garden. Anyway I started following this other turtle I met, hoping to learn how to get such a garden myself. But in fact I was disappointed. It didn’t take long time before the plants I had in my own shield garden started withering.”

The first looked at the other dismayed. “Withering? Why?”
“Look at the mountains, do the same plants grow on the whole hill side?” the other smiled.
The first turned its head towards the mountains, “Well… no, the tops are bare, farther down grass and scrubs, and on the slopes, trees are growing in varying layers. But what does this have to do with this?”
The other shook his shield, “Look at your shield garden, then on mine. Do you see many of the same plants?” The first nodded. “Off course, there are… uhm…” He studied the two shield gardens closer. “Hmm… no, actually none. Why do you think that is so?”
“For the same reasons the plants in the hills grows in different layers. The layers come from different temperatures, but you will also see that where there is much water, other plants grow than where it is dry. I guess you are able to see the difference between a march and a forested top, don’t you?” He winked jokingly to the first.

The first laughed “Yes, off course I do! But what does that have to do with your shield garden withering?”
“Well, what happened”, the other said. “Was that when I started following my new friend, it was like if I moved from a forested top down into a marsh… or from the top of a mountain down to the bottom of a valley. And the plants that grew in my shield garden couldn’t survive, so they withered away, but little by little, new plants started growing. I actually believe some seeds to my new shield garden came from my new friend. A that time little were growing still, and that was when the cold of the rain was at the worst. And the heat of the sun almost cooked me in my own shell… But the plants were growing in good, wet soil, and after some decades, my shield garden was nice and fertile. Not by far close to how it is like now, off course. I needed quite a few more years before I got this far.”

The first turtle smiled. “So your dream came true then? Each day you are eating yourself full from your own shield garden?”
The other shook his head. “It may have been my dream, but the time with my friend taught me something new. I didn’t see him eat from his own garden very often. Usually he ate the same stuff that most turtles do.”
The first was surprised “But why that? He could have eaten of the best food that has ever existed!”
“That was what I meant too. But what I saw him doing, was that he shared of his fruits to everyone he met – both turtles and others.”
The first was even more baffled. “Shared with others? Why?”

“Well,” the other turtle answered. “One day I asked him about it. He asked me how many turtles I had met that had a shield garden similar to his. Have you seen many?” He looked at the first questioningly.
The first shook his head: “You’re one with the most fertile shield garden I have ever seen. Not even one has come anywhere close to yours!”
“That was the same answer I had, and the old answered that’s why.”
“That is why?”
“I said that too. “That’s why” he answered. ‘Because there are way too few turtles that get a chance to taste such fruits. That’s why I travel around to share of my fruit to everyone who wants some.'” The eyes of the other went blank. “That is when I lost a dream… and got a new one. I followed him some more months and learned more, before I left him to share of my fruits with others. That’s why.” He smiled to the first. “Do you want some more fruit?”

Skilpaddene

Skilpaddene

Av Johnny Danielsen

Engelsk versjon her. / English version here.

Det var en gang en helt spesiell type skillpadder. De var store, med brede flate skjold. Skjoldene var så flate og store at det samlet seg jord oppe på skjoldet, og med årene begynte det som oftest å gro opp planter av alle slag. Til og med trær. Det vokste rett og slett små hager oppe på skilpadderyggene. Men det var ofte stor variasjon på hva vokste oppe på skjoldene. Noen hadde nesten ingenting som vokste, andre kunne ha mye. Noen hadde skjoldhager med mye frukt, andre kunne bare by på blader, gress og annet grøntfor.

En gang møtte to skilpadder hverandre. Den hos den ene var skjoldhagen litt glisten, og mange av bladene på de små trærne var mer gul eller grågrønne de var grønne. Hos den andre skilpadden derimot, hadde skjoldhagen vokst seg så stor og frodig at det var ikke mulig å se noe av skjoldet. Bladene var kraftig grønne, og det var både bær, frukter og blomstrende blomster overalt i skjoldhagen.

Den første skilpadden ble litt forbløffet over å se en slik frodig hage, og lurte på hvordan det kunne ha seg. Han mente at siden de to levde i det samme området, burde jo hagene ha sett ganske like ut? Nå bruker skilpaddene sjeldent å spise fra hverandres skjoldhager, eller sin egen for den saks skyld. Men duften av blomster og moden frukt, vekte en slik hunger i den første skilpadden, at han til slutt spurte den andre “Unnskyld, men tror du at jeg kunne få smake litt av den frukten som vokser på ryggen din? Det lukter så godt!”

“Klart du kan få det!” svarte den andre, og stilte bredsiden til, slik at den første kunne velge og vrake.
Den første strakte hodet ut mot et eple som hang fristende på en gren. Det smakte søtt og godt, det var som frisk nektar. Det første eplet ble raskt fulgt av andre, men så la han merke til noen plommer, og måtte smake på dem også. Deretter kom noen kirsebær, og noen av de største blåbærene han hadde sett. Han hadde aldri smakt slik frukt! Til slutt ble nysgjerrigheten for stor. “Hvordan kan det ha seg at det vokser så mye godt frukt i skjoldhagen din? Vi lever jo i det samme området, burde vi ikke ha ganske like skjoldhager?”

Den andre så på ettertenksom på den første. “Jeg tror det er fordi jeg alltid er ute…”
“Ute? Er vi ikke alle ute?”, den første så forundret på den andre.
“Jo,” svarte den andre. “Men dere søker ly når solen skinner for sterkt… eller når det begynner å regne. Dere finner en hule eller skjuler dere andre steder.”
“Men det er jo fordi det ikke er trivelig å bli styrtvåt av regnet, eller å bli stekt av solen!” utbrøt den første.
Den andre smilte. “Det er nok ikke alltid så behagelig, spesielt kunne det være vanskelig i begynnelsen.” Han strakte hodet ut mot skjoldhagen til den første og bet av et blad. Grimasen han gjorde, røpte at bladet nok var en smule bittert. Så så han på den første skilpadden “En gang, var skjoldhagen min ganske lik din, men med tiden ble den så frodig.” Han ristet forsiktig på seg, slik at hele skjoldhagen hans raslet. “I dag gir den meg både skygge mot solen, og den holder meg både tørr og varm når det regner.”

Den første skilpadden strakte seg ut mot en fristende plomme og nøt den. “Smaker godt også! Men hvordan hjelper solen og regnet deg til å få en slik hage?” Den andre smilte igjen, og strakte seg selv og bet av et eple fra sin egen skjoldhage. “Jo du skjønner. Når du søker ly fra regnet, så rekker skjoldhagen din aldri å bli skikkelig vannet, og plantene som vokser på deg trenger vann. De trenger også vann til å stå i mot solen midt på dagen, og derfor er det lurt å finne steder med mye regn når det regner. Da holder plantene ut mye lengre når det er varmt.”
Den første nikket “Jo, jeg kan se det. Men hvorfor vil du være ute når det er varmt? Burde ikke plantene også ha bedre av å ikke bli utsatt for den sterkeste varmen og sola?”
“Du er ikke dum, du!” svarte den andre. “Det er ganger hvor det blir såpass varmt at jeg søker skygge. Men plantene vokser best når de får den varmen de trenger, og sollyset gjør frukten både større og søtere. Derfor er det lurt å finne gode, varme steder når det er sol og du har nok vann.”
“Mmm…” Den første hadde nettopp tatt seg enda et søtt og saftig eple. “Du har kanskje noe i det du sier. Men det høres både litt for kalt og litt for varmt, det du snakker om. Hvordan var det du begynte?”

Den andre ruslet bort til en liten bekk i nærheten. “Ikke bare planter trenger vann.” sa han, og drakk av det friske vannet. “Det begynte faktisk en dag da jeg møtte en annen skilpadde. Han hadde den mest fantastiske skjoldhagen jeg noen gang har sett. Blomster og frukt over alt, og han lot meg få smake.” Han slikket seg rundt munnen. “Aldri har jeg smakt slik frukt. Jeg lurte som deg på hvordan det kunne ha seg, og han delte den samme ideen med meg som jeg har delt med deg: å være ute.” Han lo litt “Jeg tror vel jeg egentlig hadde en drøm om å kunne spise meg mett hver dag på frukten av min egen skjoldhage. Men jeg begynte i alle fall å følge denne skilpadden jeg møtte, i håp om å lære å få en lignende hage selv. Men faktum var at jeg ble skuffet. Det tok ikke lang tid før plantene jeg hadde i skjoldhagen min begynte å visne.”

Den første så forskrekket på den andre. “Visne? Hvorfor det?”
“Se på fjellene, vokser de samme plantene på hele fjellsiden?” den andre smilte.
Den første snudde hodet mot fjellene, “Vel… nei, der er bart på toppene, gress og lyng lengre nede, og i liene vokser det trærne i ulike lag. Men hva har det med saken å gjøre?”
Den andre ristet på skjoldet sitt, “Se på din skjoldhage, og så min. Ser du mange av de samme plantene?”
Den første nikket “Klart det. Det er jo… uhm…” Han begynte å studer to to skjoldhagene nærmere. “Hmm… nei, faktisk ingen. Hvorfor det tror du?”
“Av samme grunn som at plantene vokser i ulike lag. Lagene skyldes ulike temperaturer, men du vil også se at der det er mye vann, vokser andre planter enn der det er tørt. Du ser da forskjell på ei myr og en skogkolle, gjør du ikke?” Han blinket skøyeraktig til den første.

Den første flirte “Jo, jeg gjør da det! Men hva har det med at skjoldhagen din begynte å visne å gjøre?”

“Jo, det som skjedde”, sa den andre. “Var at da jeg begynte å følge min nye venn, så var der som om jeg flyttet meg fra en skogkolle til ei myr… eller fra høyfjellet til lavlandet. Og de plantene som vokste i skjoldhagen min kunne ikke lengre overleve, så de visnet. Men litt etter litt begynte nye planter å gro. Jeg tror faktisk at det kanskje var noen frø som kom fra min nye venn. Men på den tiden var det lite som vokste enda, og det var da kulden i regnet var verst, og varmen på soldagene stekte meg nesten i mitt eget skall. Men plantene vokste i god, våt jord, og etter noen tiår begynte skjoldhagen å bli fin og frodig. Ikke på langt nær slik den er nå, selvsagt. Jeg trengte en god del flere år før jeg kom så langt.”

Den første skilpadden smilte. “Så drømmen din gikk i oppfyllelse da? Hver dag så spiser du deg mett av din egen skjoldhage?”
Den andre ristet på hodet. “Det var nok drømmen min. Men tiden med min gamle venn lærte meg noe nytt. Det var sjeldent jeg så ham spise av sin egen skjoldhage. Han spiste som regel det samme som de fleste skilpadder gjør.”
Den første var forundret “Men hvorfor det? Han kunne jo ha spist den aller beste maten som finnes!”
“Det var det jeg også mente. Men det jeg så ham gjøre, var at han delte av frukten fra skjoldhagen sin til alle han møtte. Både skilpadder og andre.”
Den første var endra mer forundret. “Delte med andre? Hvorfor det?”

“Jo,” svarte den andre skilpadden. “En dag spurte jeg ham om det. Han spurte meg om hvor mange skillpadder jeg hadde møtt som hadde hatt en slik skjoldhage som ham? Har du sett mange?” Han så spørrende på den første.
Den første ristet på hodet: “Du er den med den frodigste skjoldhagen jeg har sett, ingen andre har kommet i nærheten engang!”
“Det var det samme svaret jeg hadde, og den gamle svarte at det var derfor.”
“Derfor?”
“Det sa jeg også. ‘Derfor’ sa han. ‘Fordi det er alt for få skilpadder som får smake slike frukter. Derfor drar jeg rundt og deler av min frukt til alle som vil ha.'” Øynene til den andre ble blanke. “Det var da jeg mistet en drøm… og fikk en ny drøm. Jeg fulgte ham noen måneder til og lærte mer, før jeg forlot ham for å dele av min frukt med andre. Derfor.” Han smilte til den første. “Vil du ha litt mer frukt?”

Han ser deg

Han ser deg

Dette er den norske versjonen av denne blogposten på engelsk.

“Forord”

En søndag for en tid tilbake når jeg var på gudstjeneste, fikk jeg under lovsangen og informasjonsdelen av gudstjenesten, dette bildet av et fyrtårn med et “øye lys” på. Samtidig begynte ordene “Han ser deg” å gå om og om igjen i hodet mitt, til jeg måtte først tegne et bilde og deretter skrive et slags dikt (er ikke sikker på om dette kan kalles det) eller i alle fall noen ord om dette temaet på et stykke papir jeg hadde. Det ble bekreftet for meg ut fra det faktim at pastoren min (blandt andre ting) snakket om hvordan Gud ser deg på en kjærlig måte.

Han ser deg

Han ser deg når du gjør ondt,
når du tenker kun på deg selv,
når du setter deg selv foran andre.
Han ser deg og gråter for deg.

Han ser deg når du gjør godt,
når du tenker på de andre,
når du setter de andre forran deg selv.
Han ser deg og smiler med deg.

Han ser deg når du er ensom,
når du gråter, når du sørger,
når du er… desperat etter… noe.
Han ser deg og strekker ut armene mot deg
for å gi deg det du trenger.

Han ser deg når du er glad,
når du er i feststemning og feirer.
når du leg, når du leker, når du danser.
Han ser deg og feirer med deg.

Han ser deg, alltid.
Han ser deg for han elsker deg.
Han ser ditt verste og dit beste.
Han ser deg og setter deg høyt.
Han ser deg og ser ha han har skapt deg til.
Han ser ditt sanne JEG!

Han ser deg!
Hvilken frihet der er, når HAN ser deg.
Han ser deg i ett og alt,
ingenting kan du skjule for Ham.
Hvilken frihet er det at han ser deg.
Han ser deg bak dine masker.
Han ser deg bak dine murer.
Han ser deg bak alt du skjuler deg bak.
Han SER deg!

Han ser deg og elsker deg.
Han ser deg og vil deg alt godt.
For Han SER!

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Senere den samme dagen, så jeg den samme tegningen igjen og kortet var delvis skjult, så jeg så bare tårndelen av fyrtårnet. Det minnet meg om “Saurons øye” i fra Ringenes Herre. Noen mennesker TROR faktisk at det er slik Gud ser mennesker: Som en overherre som ser etter hver eneste feil i deg, klar for å straffe deg for hver eneste en av dine feil. Men hva de faktisk ikke ser, er at Guds øye alltid ser på deg med kjærlighet. Noen ganger trist, noen ganger glad, noen ganger til og med sint, ja, men alltid kjærlig. Som en far eller mor ser på deres barn. Selv i deres sinne, vil de alltid elske sine barn.

Jeg ber om at de som i dag tenker om det faktum at Gud ser mer som om Sauron ser dem, at de en dag (snart) vil se resten av bildet. At Gud’s “tårn” er et fyrtårn. Og at det øyet som ser dem er et kjærlig øye, som ønsker å se dem trygt inn i havn. At netttopp på grunn av dette altseende øyet, kan de føle seg trygg og vite at Gud vil føre dem inn til en trygg havn.

Da gav hun Herren, som hadde talt til henne, navnet: “Du er Gud som ser.” For hun sa: “Har jeg her virkelig fått se et glimt av ham som ser meg?”
1 Mos 16;13

He sees you!

He sees you!

“Foreword”

Last sunday when I was attending my church service, during the worship and information part of the service, I got this image of a light house with an “eye light” on. At the same time the words “He sees you!” was looping in my mind to the point I had to first draw the image and then write a sort of “poem” (not sure if this could be called that) or at least some words on this topic on a sheet of paper I had. It was confirmed to me by the fact that my pastor talked (among other things) about how God sees you in a loving way.

He sees you - Drawing

He sees you

He sees you when you do evil,
when you think only of yourself,
when you put yourself in front of the others.
He sees you, and cries for you.

He sees you when you do good,
when you think of the others,
when you put the others in front of yourself.
He sees you, and smiles with you.

He sees you when you are lonely,
when you cry,
when you are in sorrows,
when you are… desperate for… something.
He sees you and reach out his arms to you
to give you what you need.

He sees you when you are happy,
when you are in a party mood and celebrate
when you laught,
when you play, when you dance.
He sees you and celebrates with you.

He sees you, allways.
He see you because he loves you.
He sees your worst and your best.
He sees you better than you do yourself.
He sees you and value you highly.
He sees you and sees
what he have created you to be.
He sees your true SELF!

He sees you!
What a freedom it is,
when HE sees you.
He sees you in averything,
you cannot hide anything for Him.

He sees you behind your masks.
He sees you behind your walls.
He sees you behind everything
you hide yourself behind.
He SEES you!

He sees you and loves you.
He sees you and wants
you everything good.
He SEES!

Some comments

Later the same day I saw the drawing again and the card was partially covered, so I only saw the tower part of the light house. This reminded me about the eye of “Sauron” in Lord of the rings. Some people DO think that’s how God sees people: Like an overlord looking for every fault in you, ready to punish you for every one of them. But what they fail to see, is that the eye of the lord is allways looking at you with a loving eye. Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes even angry, yes, but allways loving. Like a father or mother sees uppon their own children. Even in their anger, they will allways love their children.

I pray that the people that today think of the fact that God sees them more like as if Sauron was seeing them, that they one day (soon) will see the rest of the picture. That God’s “tower” is the tower of a light house. And that the eye seeing them is an loving eye, wanting to see them into safety. That just because of this everseeing eye, they can feel safe and know that God will lead them into a safe harbour.

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
Genesis 16:13

John 3,17-21

Johannes 3,17-21

Jeg var på en Gudstjeneste tidligere i sommer og kjørte storskjermen. Under prekenen ble jeg inspirert til å tegne og skrive ned det følgende.

I was at a service earlier this summer running the big screen. During the sermon I was inspired to draw and write down the following. The norwegian writing is translated to english below.

John 3,17-21

John 3,17-21

The Cross - part 1

The Cross - part 1

The Cross - part 2

The Cross - part 2

Norsk

Korset er et symbol på smerte og lidelse. Det finnes ikke mange andre [verre] måter å ta livet av andre mennesker enn på et kors. Mennesker lurer på hvorfor Gud tillater at mennesker skal bli utsatt for smerter og lidelse. Men Jesus’ død OG gjennoppstandelse er kanskje det beste eksempelet på hvorfor Gud tillater lidelsen. Fordi Gud kan vende set som var ment ondt til noe godt. Og det at Jesus ble ofret for oss, er både forferdelig og bra. Det forferdelige er at det var den eneste muligheten for at vi skulle kunne bli frelst. Men det fantastiske… er at gjennom den smerten, lidelsen og byrden Jesus led på korset, så har vi muligheten til å bli vasket ren. Vasket ren ved Jesus’ blod. Lidelsen ble altså snudd til ett av de største miraklene i verden: At vi, tross vår synd og skyld, har fått frelse i Jesus Kristus! Men vi kan ofte se noe tilsvarende i våre egne liv. Det er ofte motgangen som gjør oss sterkere i møtet med framtidige utfordringer og motgang.

English

The cross is a symbol of pain and suffering. There are not many other [worse] ways of killing another people than on a cross. Humans wonder why God allow people to suffer pain and sufferings. But Jesus’ death AND resurrection is possibly the best example of why God allow suffering. Because God can turn what was meant evil to something good. And that Jesus was sacrificed for us, is both terrible and good. The terrible part, is that it was the only way we could be saved. But the fantastic… is that through the pain, suffering and burdens Jesus suffered on the cross, we have the oppurtinity to washed clean. Washed clean with Jesus’ blood. Then the suffering was turned into one of the biggest miracles in the world: That we, contrary to our sin and guilt, have got salvation in Jesus Christ! But we can often see something similar in our own lives. It is often our hardships that make us stonger in the meeting with future challenges and hardships.

The lamb in the darkness

This is a story I wrote out on a sheet of paper during a prayer night we had with Quest here in Trondheim last year.

Before this, this concept had been revolving around in my head, even today it appears in my thoughts at times. I really wish I had the tools, knowledge and time required to be able to make small animated movie out of it. Had I been better at drawing lions and lambs, I probably would have drawn some scenes from this a long time ago (although I did attempt to make a painting of this scene at CSM last year.)

The lamb in the darkness

There is a lamb in the darkness. Far away from its flock, far away from its mother. In the darkness it have wandered, stumbling, hitting unseen things, falling and tripping.

Now a barb wire has ensnared him. Trying to get loose, the lamb managed to break its own leg. The lamb is desperate, crying (well bahing) for help. But who in this darkness can help him?

There is a shepherd, looking, searching for the lost lamb. The lamb is crying, but does it know it can shout for help from the shepherd? The lamb shouts.

The shepherd hears a sound in the darkness. A familiar sound. A very welcome sound. A sound not heard for way too long a time. The shepherd runs towards the lamb.

The lamb lies there in the darkness. Lonely. Crying. Hopeless. Then he sees a light in the darkness. Coming closer. Growing. The lamb is frightened; it does not know what this is. An enemy?

The shepherd is running. The lamb first sees him as a shining lion. Great, terrible and awesome: a lion of light. Then he sees the shepherd, THE SHEPHERD!

The shepherd arrive the lamb, but see… the lamb is no lamb, but a wounded man. The Shepherd, Christ, seem to be shining, and a shining hand reaches out towards the man. And as he touches it, it is as if some speckles of lights shoot out.

Other lambs, bright as snow, shining. They too are men. Some of them pray for the lost lamb, others tell and teach him about the shepherd. As they pray, the lost lamb is healed, the barb wire falls off.

The lost lamb starts shining. Brighter and brighter. The blood on its wool, from injuries and scratches, fades away. It is as bright as the other lambs. It joins them, and the speckles of shining lambs join the shepherd flock, following their shepherd.

Towards the next lost lamb. Where is he? Where is she?

The end? Nope, the story goes on and on until Jesus’ return.