Paris on my mind

I have a couple of places on this planet where I feel at home - one of them is of course Oslo, but other than that New York and Paris are places where I feel really ALIVE. For Easter I'm actually going to Paris, and I'm looking forward to it. Last time I was there I went with two friends and met another American friend there. I loved it. This time I'm going all by myself, but I think that'll be great as well. I love to explore the different parts of the city, just walk for hours and then to sit down and enjoy the scenery. There'll be a couple of cultural experiences as well. I bought a ticket to a concert with Ani DiFranco - that'll be fun. The wonderful jazz artist Lian Amber will be in Paris as well, and I guess you'll see me there.

It's great to have something to look forward to. Paris - here I come!

Loves us out of isolation

During the last week I've had a couple of conversations that have made me think more about my faith and where I'm at in my Christian walk. I've realized that a lot of the theological conflicts today are grounded in the view and interpretation of the Bible. I read something yesterday that made me think about this. It said that Christians today are challenged to live in the tension between being naive and intellectual. We are allowed to think, but at the same time we are told that the highest faith level in the Kingdom of God is that of a child. It might mean that faith is about a relationship - letting God mother us and love us. I love that thought, because it tells us that God loves every human being, and sees them as family. I believe that - and I do hope that every human being is included in this, but what then about the Bible? Is there room for interpretation or are we to think of every word as God's direct voice into our lives and situations? I think of the Word as a gate - a gate into a life in God's love and presence; a gate into a relationship with God. It tells us about who God is - how Jesus is the bodily presence of God at Earth and shows us how God loves every human being. There are a lot of difficult passages, but how are we to read them? I believe that fellowship and relationships are crucial in a human being's life - and GOOD relationships are images of God's relationships to us. A mother and a father love their child, even though they don't live according to their principles. A brother will always be a brother even though he doesn't share the same values. I believe our view of humanity should be similar to this view of family. We're all created by God, loved by God and created to fellowship with God. The task of the Church is to be a Family - a family who loves all, included the so-called "black sheeps" of the family, and don't divide who's in and out. A family with one task at hand: To love the world, so that the love of God is seen through the Church and the World.