What's Up With The Rain

This was a day all things seemed to go wrong. This evening I was gonna take the night bus to Ålesund, something that was very important for my nephew Christoffer who lives there, because I was gonna drive him somewhere tomorrow and help him buy a moped. This evening I had a four hour clown show and I had a lot of things I had to do before leaving Oslo. To save time, I borrowed Karl Anders’ car. If I knew what would happen next, I would definitely drive by public transportation instead. And if I had heard the radio warning that the roads were VERY slippery on this day… And if I had understood after my FIRST crash that the reason was slippery roads… On the way to my job, I wasn’t able to stop for a woman that suddenly stopped for a man crossing the road. I didn’t understand what I had done wrong. I felt that I had done everything right, but it still happened. Luckily I barely hit her. I crashed the glass for my left blinker and I just might have made a stripe or two in the paint on her rear bumper. Next time I crashed, it was like the brakes didn’t work at all and I bumped my left wheel into an edge in the middle of the road. It wasn’t like I had a lot of speed, and it wasn’t like I bumped really hard into it. Everything could have been good, but the wheel started leaking. I parked at the first possibly place I could find and tried to phone for a taxi, but couldn’t get through. While I tried to get through, I was walking to find the name of the street I had parked and I met a lady that showed me a way I could drive, avoiding the motor road. So I tried to get there while the tire was still leaking. I easily found the right area, which wasn’t far away, but I had a problem getting to the right building, so I decided to park the car and try to find it on foot. I put all my small money, about 5 Euro, on the parking meter and found that it wasn’t enough for the whole time I was staying there. I knocked on the windshield of a car just by and changed with a man in the car, getting 5 Euro more in small money. It just took a minute. When I came back to the machine, it had swallowed my money and refused to return them - so I was back to where I started. I started to be in a hurry reaching my job by now, even though I always calculate lots of extra time in case something happens… So I said a silent prayer I wouldn’t get fined (and thought about how badly I would sue them if I got) and decided to walk fast, but not run for my job. At first I didn’t recognise the place I was at all, and I forgot to pay close attention to where I had parked, because I was so set on trying to find out where I should walk. By now I had given up on getting there by time, but I still did. Problem was when I was going back to the car. I used so long time in looking for it, that I gave up my hope on reaching the night bus to Ålesund. After I gave up and kind of just walked around, it took 2 minutes before I found the car. Funnily effective to give up on something… So I changed to spare tire and drove home. When I got home I called a taxi, since I didn’t have time to drive by public transportation to Oslo Central Station. My bus was leaving at 10:00 PM. I called at 9:20 PM and ordered the Taxi for 9:35 PM, which left me with 15 minutes to pack for my trip, so I set a new personal record of packing for a week of travel. At 9:37 PM I stood outside the house, wondering why the Taxi hadn’t arrived. At 9:40 PM I called the Taxi company and found that they had put me up with a car for 9:35 AM tomorrow morning. Amazing!!! I asked them to send a car ASAP. I was thinking that if the car didn’t arrive by 9:45, I could just forget about it. At 9:45 the Taxi came. I told the driver that if he wasn’t able to get me there in time, he could just forget about this trip. He arrived at 9:54. While paying, he told me that he did racing on a pretty high level. Surely the right man for the job. But thing is that at one point getting there, he lost control of the car, slipping like crazy. He complained about how odd it was that the roads could get so incredible slippery at plus 7 degrees Celsius. Even though they were wet, it was just too much. I made a joke about the water being mixed with oil. A joke he took deadly serious, saying: “Well, it has to be something!”. This man was used to racing, and he was amazed by it… So my question is: What’s in the water? Maybe some environmental experts should run a test the next time the roads get like crazily slippery for no apparent reason. On the way to the bus, I was stopped by a man asking if I wouldn’t like to drive a car up to Ålesund. He said that I would get the trip and food and everything for free. He even said I would do him a big favour. I asked Jesus, but felt like: “No”. I guess the days experiences with driving didn’t make me too happy with the thought either, although it was tempting to get the trip for free. Two minutes before the bus was leaving, I left the desperate man and got on my ride to Ålesund. What a day!!!

Using My Space

Today I worked a lot. I planned a few jobs for December and January and prepared for a job I will do tomorrow. Luckily I could come home to Karl Anders for a couple of hours in the afternoon and relax with Bible and prayer together with a few friends.

In the evening I removed a sleeping couch from my room and put in a real bed instead, that I have borrowed. In the process I had to remove A LOT of stuff I had stacked under and at both ends of the sleeping couch, trying to make as good use of the space as possible, since I practically live and have my office all in a small room. After putting in the bed, I was happy when I found that there are exactly enough space to put a bookshelf at the end of the bed if I put it so the books face the bed (see picture). I won't be able to access the lower part of the shelf, but it's still great, and the shelf will be exactly as wide as the closit.

Magic and Superheroes

Today I got a visit from my magician friend. He showed me some really cool magic routines I plan to incorporate in my clown show. I would have thought it would be harder to do magic, but I'm already starting to get the hang of it. I need to train more to get it really flowing, but I was so excited by all the stuff I learned that I was kind of hyped by the time he left. Solbjørg dropped by right after, and she thought I was stressed, but I was just so excited that I could hardly sit still.

Afterwards Karl Anders, Solbjørg and me went together to IKEA, where I bought a new bookshelf. I will use it to expand my balloon storage system.

The picture shows a hat I made for my flatmate Tor Arne in the late evening, as he is attending a "hat party" (everyone will wear strange hats) on his bible school tomorrow. The figure on the hat illustrates Spiderman with a machine gun, which again illustrates that Tor Arne is a powerful superhero in Jesus :)

Day at Home

I woke up kind of late today, as I wasn't sleepy last night and ended up being awake pretty late. I didn't feel too good when I woke up, so I wondered how I should start the day. I ended up with the idea that I could pray in tongues for a while. After praying in tongues for a couple of hours I found that I continued to pray in tongues inside the rest of the day, no matter what I was doing.

I had a pretty unsocial day today, doing all those small things that needs to be done. I sorted personal papers, did laundry, sorted music collection, made room for a new bookshelf I plan to buy and stuff like that.

Salvation Army to India

Today I had a workshop on balloon figure tying and creative evangelisation for 8 young evangelists from The Salvation Army in Oslo. They are going to India to do welfare work and evangelisation. They plan to use creative means such as balloons to come across the language barrier.

Roaming Oslo

This evening I roamed the streets of Oslo with some friends.

Norwegian Army Rising

Today I prayed with some friends for a couple of hours. There were such an incredible anointing. We prayed for national issues and I really got so much faith in how God will move in this nation. He is rising up something new, something from the grassroot. There is a baby about to come. Let's pray it will survive and grow strong.

Jesus is raising up an army in this nation with a clear prophetic flow. An army that preaches His word clearly, without compromise. An army that will go wherever He leads. This will not happen through our organisations and structures and in the forms and programs we have made. This will happen in a way that it will be clear that it was a work of God. This army will refuse to be bound and controlled in any way. The soldiers in this army will be totally non-religious. Most of them don't know Jesus yet. Many of them are still bound in all kind of ways and have big inner wounds, but they will look up to Jesus, be set free and healed and filled with a joy that will be a testimony to many. In their footprints there will be great healing and refreshment.

Some of the soldiers are about to rise, but are still alone with their passion to follow Jesus. We must pray that they find eachother and form communities with a Jesus lifestyle. Pray that groups of people that are whole-hearted for Jesus will form all over Norway. It's a prayer according to His heart.

Kjetil Having Fun

Today I went shopping with Solbjørg. Afterwards we met with Kjetil and went to a coffee shop at Grønland (east side of Oslo), where we relaxed with our cups of something hot and something luke warm and assembled one Kinder Egg each. Kjetil had a lot of fun playing with his Kinder toy:

Lapsi

Today I got a surprise visit from a professional magician. He learned me a card trick and gave me some ideas for a magic routine I can use in my clown show. He promised to come back later and learn me more. Nice. I learned him some juggling and to make a safari tiger with balloons. How fun life can be. Two adult guys playing around for hours with balloons, juggling balls and cards, forgetting about time and place.

All the time while we were playing I had a CD named "Lapsi" by Anni Hagström playing in the background. At one point the CD ended, and my friend told me that I had to put back on that amazing CD. It's all instrumental and so filled with the presence of Jesus. Anni handpaints all the covers herself. I don't know if it can be acquired anywhere but in Finland. I bought my copy in the Metro Church in Kuopio. This CD is such a blessing for me that I would have liked the whole world to hear it. Maybe I should buy some extra copies next time I'm in Finland.

Picture: Handpainted CD front of "Lapsi" by Anni Hagström.

His Dream

Today while working on a price list for the services my company offers, iTunes came to a track in my music library that really caught my attention. I had it on repeat for a long time and transcribed it this evening. The track is called "His dream" and is from a CD by Peter Helms & Rene Piet (Recabite Band) named "Land of Promise". The spoken lyrics go like this:

I will light in your heart a lamp of understanding
I will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
so that you may know my dream for you

I want you to understand the riches of my glory
which is your inheritance
I want you to experience my power as you believe
I will restore all that has been lost
I came that you may have life full of vitality
a fresh godlife so powerfull that you will be
lifted above your present circumstances
A life so overflowing that it will lift others
wherever you go
A life so excessive that the only explanation
is my favour on you and my grace within you
A life so superior that every devil and demon
will flee from you as you walk in my ways

Therefore today as you hear my voice
harden not your heart
Seek me first above all else
Lift your eyes because I will do far more
than you could ever imagine or guess or
request in your wildest dreams

In those days everyone did what was right
in his own eyes
No king
A famine in the land
Joy turned to mourning
Hope to despair
Their song a complaint
Disease in exchange for health
Life to death
No bread in the breadhouse
They entered the land of leftovers

I really felt God speak to me through most of this. The last part I understand as a testimony of how life might be, while the rest show how God wants it to be. WOW!!!

I also had Karl Anders over for dinner today. We had a nice time of talking, eating and prayer.

Who Framed Pondus?

I came back to Oslo by bus this morning. In the evening I got a visit by Rosalind. It wasn't a special occasion, but she still brought me a present. She had taken a stripe from a comic named Pondus, put it in a frame and packed it inside some nice wrapping paper. The stripe shows Pondus bribe off a police officer with a balloon figure after being caught for speeding. This really opens my eyes for new possibilities. I should always have balloons on me from now on. I can tape a couple to my drivers license.

Stig was kind enough to send me a link to this Pondus stripe:
Pondus i Dagbladet 17/11-06

Swedish Connection

Today there were a gathering where anointing oil from the different nations was mixed as a symbol of the anointings of the different nations coming together. Afterwards everyone was prayed for using the oil. I had kitchen duty during this session, but even I was prayed for, as someone came to the kitchen to pray for us who were there.

It has been a good gathering, reminding me quite a bit of the Connect Europe gatherings I have attended. Most of the people who came here was also relation-oriented more than structure-oriented and emphasized the need of community and prayer and having Jesus as the center of everything they do in life.

It was also a huge prayer answer to get some contact with the Swedish. And it's always lovely to get more friends from other countries.

Picture: Magdalena (Sweden) and Anne Maria (Norway).

The Örebro Legacy

Today Petra made me aware that the gathering we are on now is exactly two years after a gathering in Örebro in Sweden, where a few Finns, Norwegians and Brydon from Shetland met and called forth the Swedish people in prayer. We prayed for connections between the nordic countries, especially for the Swedish connection. This happened on the weekend of week 46 in 2004. Now on the weekend of week 46, two years, later we are a bunch of Finns and Swedish people, two norwegians and a few people from other nations gathered here in Stockholm in Sweden.

Today we had a very strong session where the Finns and the Swedish people asked for forgiveness for past sins against eachother. Then the Finns were prayed for. God really moved and touched people there.

Today we also had group discussions about different questions. Afterwards the different groups shared some of their thoughts in the bigger fora involving everyone.

Gathering in Stockholm

Today me and Anne Maria travelled together to Stockholm to a family gathering for the 24/7 prayer network. There are about 70 people coming, mostly from Finland and Sweden. I'm looking forward to get some Swedish friends and more Finnish friends.

We arrived kind of late in the evening, but I still had time to meet some new Finns (not new like they were born yesterday, but like I haven't seen them before).

Picture: Me after a few hours of travel. I'm obviously too tired to make a funny face, which make this picture a rare collectible.

IKEA Get Together (And Never Leave)

Today I had a photosession with confirmation youth in Oppsal Church. The photos will be used for prayer cards for the intercessors and for a photocollage that will hang in the Church.

In the evening I went shopping at IKEA. I ran into Elsie and Kjell Arne there, so we sat and talked a little in IKEA couches surrounded by IKEA furniture, giving kind of a livingroom feeling. Maybe we should start having gatherings at IKEA? It was actually quite nice.

When I was leaving IKEA, I was stupid enough to follow the signs, which made me go in a circle. I took an extra round, just to be sure that it was really so that those signs that are supposed to tell where the exit are, lead people in a circle and never to the exit. I guess someone working at IKEA really wants me there, but I'm now smart enough to overlook the signs and find the way out by myself.

Picture: Kjell Arne and Elsie relaxing in IKEA furniture.

Get Together

Today I had an effective day in my office. I also dropped by the wednesday prayer meeting in the church right next to my house. Strange thing with those prayer meetings in "church buildings". There can be a clear flow in how it is prayed, but still something is missing. I think this "something" might be the intimate and relaxed feeling you get when you meet in a home.

In the early evening I visited Karl Anders. Grete and Toggy was also there. We ate soup and shared from our life's and prayed for eachother.

Afterwards I visited Åse Marie. I hadn't seen her in quite a while, so it was good to get an update what is going on in her life and pray together.

Picture: Karl Anders, Grete and Toggy.

Office Day 2

Today I was also mostly in my office getting a ton done (my to-do list is still growing). In the evening I visited Karl Anders for a few hours, just to make sure I didn't rot in my office - before I continued to work. I was thinking of sleeping, but I had put some stuff on my bed that I was gonna work with. In stead of just throwing it away and say: "Some time later", I worked my way to this nights sleep... Still not there, but much closer. Just had to post before midnight...

Office Day

Today I was home all day. Just went out to send some letters. The rest of the time, I mostly did office work. So I got a ton done. Only sad that my to-do list never seems to shrink. It's longer now than when the day started, since I was reminded during the day of more things that I should do.

Usually I like things to happen all the time, but sometimes I love these all home days when I just get stuff done.

Spiritual Pioneers

Today I got very inspired hearing Johannes Amritzer talk about being spiritual pioneers and explorers. He shared stories from His own life where Jesus had lead him to go places where there were almost no christians, just a lot of mosks. And he had started to consult people and pray for the sick and seen Gods power. He talked about being hungry for God and never satisfied with status quo. He also said that it is on time that people stop being charismatic robots and start listening to the Spirit on the inside and follow Him. I kind of saw that last one to match up with one of my recent posts named "Vision of Jesus".

He also mentioned a years old prophesy about a mighty army of spiritual vikings that would arise in the north. So... Men of Norden: ARISE!!!

Safari Tiger

Today when I was just gonna prepare for a clown job, I got a phone call from someone wanting a balloon bouquet for a girl becoming 30 years young. I didn't know if I was able to squeeze it in, but somehow I felt like doing it. It could have become stress, but I had fun with it and I had some really cool new balloons I wanted to use.

I also made a Safari Tiger, which held the bouquet in his hands. Unfortunately I forgot to take photos, having just 10 minutes to pack for the next job. To please my lucky readers, I made a new Safari Tiger and took a photo of it this evening. It is a common design, but I made my first one today, and I think it is sooo cool.

Photo: Safari Tiger. This one lacks ears, as I am out of glue.

Quote

I like to make quotes, those small sentences that say an hour of talking with just a few words, but that also require people to think for themselves. Usually I don't share them, but my quote for today are:

Either we have religion, or we have revival.

The whole point now is that I will NOT explain what I mean with this, and you can think for yourself. I would like to state that I define revival as christians coming into a close relationship with Jesus. Awakening I call it when people who have never known Jesus, start following Him. The rest you can figure out for yourself.

Today I was also thinking about the great pride of the western church. We have an additude of having all the answers - and the rest of the world should learn from us and be like us. We have programs for church growth and programs for anything really. We know how a church should function and be organised. There is always a book on the subject, written by some western fellow. And we have all the great prophets and great speakers that really have seen visions from God and publish books and share it with the world. Yea, all the great prophets seem to be born in the west.

But do we realise that we have been born in utter darkness and live in utter darkness? Do we realise that Europe spiritually speaking is the darkest continent in the world? Do we realise that the church always follow after the rest of the world? When the society change their view on some moral question, the church usually follows after a few years. We think we have light. We point towards "those other people - those dreadful sinners of the world". We point and say: "We are better, we have light, what they do - we do not do". A few years later, we do the same. And we twist a little on how we see those things from the scriptures. Once upon a time when this was seen upon as a sin by the church, but we now know better. Because we always think that we are moving in the right direction. For some reason we always think that we have more light today than hundred years ago. We are developing, you know.

The thing is that there are other places in the world where there is light. There are places in the world where lots of people come to faith, where christians dedicate their lives in serving Jesus, even thou they know they can be killed for their faith. So I wonder... Where are the chinese prophets and the african prophets and what have they got to learn us?

Vision of Jesus

This morning I was having my scheduled 1 hour morning Bible and prayer thing. Just after I had started praying, I saw a crystal clear vision of a man hasting towards me (He was not running, but still going fast in an elegant way, almost like he was floating above the ground). He held his right hand straight out with the palm of the hand facing me. He wasn't shouting, but still saying in a strong and authoritative way: "Stop". I could not see his feet, but on the upper body he was wearing a kings clothing. He had some sort of royal jacket. It had many details, which I could see clearly, but that became dim afterwards. But I can say that it was more beautiful and more royal than any kings clothing I have ever seen. It was looking modern and had a soft fabric. I remember that there were fabrics of red and that there were elements of gold in the clothing. Otherwise I can no longer remember the details.

I first started to wonder if there were some hidden sins in my life, that Jesus wanted to show me, so I could stop doing them. But then I understood that "stop" in general meant just that: "Stop with everything"... Jesus wants me to stop doing so many things and spend time together with Him.

Naturally I ended up using some extra time with Jesus this morning. After a while I understood that this message is not only for me, but also for the church in general in the west:

All the church programs, stop doing them.
All the methods, stop trying them.
My people, just draw close to me.
I AM the way.

Balloon Workshop

Today I had a balloon twisting group for young people where I live. Daniel, Eirik and Jannike came - and Karl Anders also joined. Afterwards I hung out and had interesting conversations with Karl Anders.

My Inbox

Today I took a deep dig in the overwhelming paper bunch in my company inbox, where I put all my paperwork till it's done. I found receipts from February this year. This might be a good time to evaluate my routines.

Redeeming Love

I recently finished a book by Francine Rivers named "Redeeming Love". Through this book the author shares lots of insight in the love of Jesus and why it can be so hard for people to receive it. I read the norwegian version "Ufattelig Kjærlighet". Even in norwegian, the book is almost flawless - very little that reveals it's a translation.

I made a bracelet (and I'm very proud)

Today I did one hour of clowning somewhere right outside of Oslo. That took like most of the day, counting the time it took to prepare, use public transportation to and from, changing clothes and buffer time in case of transport delays or other unforeseen things (an artist just can't be late... think of all those sad kids). And some people think artists make a fortune because we charge a lot for one hour...

Afterwards I was at Jesus Kids in the center of Oslo. Maria and I had hobby activities with some of the children. I made a bracelet. Sorry children, I forgot you were there, being consumed with my art.

Afterwards we all had praise, drama, competitions, bible memorising and stuff like that. After we finished one mother told me that her son had been really eager to leave home, asking when Jesus Kids would start.

More Bad Excuses

Today I was caught by the presence of Jesus in the morning. It might sound like a bad excuse or something, but for a few hours I wasn't able to work, just to pray. This whole day was kind of special, because there was one prayer burden that haunted me all day. I tried to pray for other things, but Jesus kept pulling me back to pray for the same thing. I also felt quite hard attacked spiritually when I was weary after entertaining in a birthday party. They always try to get you when you look weak. I guess the attack was some sort of counterattack because of what I was praying for.

Lazy Office Rat

Today I planned to do office work, but still felt weary after the previous hard days of showbiz, so I took some resting time in the morning and started to clean around the house, which was also needed. And cleaning around the house is lighter work than doing company paperwork, if anyone wonders.

I also had time to pray with Anne and some other friends. We pray together every friday, but I have been travelling and working on fridays for the last... Long time. And these prayer meetings are so incredible encouraging and in such a good flow, so I love it when I make it.

Come Together

Today I had a resting day, since I have now worked seven days in a row. I felt quite weary yesterday evening. Showbusiness ain't like any other business for sure. It drains you of all the energy you could possibly have.

This evening I also had a chance to visit Helene, who is leaving for France soon and won't come back before 14. December. Inger Elisabeth, Hilde and Anne Lise also came. Inger Elisabeth, Hilde and me sat on the same train cabin going there. Suddenly a guy 4 rows in front of us turned his head and commented something we talked about. We ended up having an interesting conversation about what it means to be a christian and about the love of Jesus. This guy asked right on questions and seemed open and reflected. I guess everyone in the cabin could hear us, as it was 4 rows between us while we talked. Then Anne Lise came walking back to us. She had been sitting in the front part of the cabin worrying how she would find Helenes place, while she heard someone talk about this topics, turned her head and saw us.

Young Halloween

Today I clowned at a halloween gathering at a youth club on Ammerud (in Oslo). I made lots of balloon figures for a few hours and had a show in the evening. It was pretty mixed age - teenagers and some younger ones. I prayed about how to make the show and Jesus said... Don't remember exact words, but I ended up having a wild show. At one point I threw myself as hard as I possible could against the floor. I'm not talking to fall, I'm talking to run and throw my body towards the floor... Without hurting myself one bit. Once I tried doing the same without the anointing (help from Jesus) for it - that hurts.

I had been in this club one time before and was interviewed by a local newspaper. The club had put the interview behind glass on the wall, and many of the young kids remembered me from last time I was there. I also remembered most of the leaders from last time. In my job I see so many new people all the time, so it's always nice when I feel I know the place and the people where I go.