This is Kristiansand

Mette, this post is dedicated to you since you're probably very curious of what is going on in Østerveien 25 now when you're gone;) (For us who aren't as lucky being allowed to spend five weeks in Mauritius). Just have to say that the apartment is doing well, and the microwave is working;)

So, what's going on, really, in Kristiansand? The weather has turned from cold and wet to just wet. Rain every day. I'd heard that Bergen is the city where you always should have your raingear with you, but apparantly this doesn't only count for Bergen, but for Kristiansand too. This morning I put on my rainpants and rain jacket as I normally would. Since it's dark in the mornings you can't really tell whether the weather is wet or dry. Today I had bad luck. When I'd gotten out the door I realised that it wasn't raining. But my luck turned. After a couple of hours at uni the drops started falling and by the time I was done it was pouring. So, I didn't bring my raingear in vain. I don't understand the abundance of water. We should be able to transfer some of the rain we get up here to some dry area in Africa or something where they could have taken use of it.

Mostly,though, there isn't that much time to spend thinking about the weather. As a new year's resolution, as probably half the rest of the country and probably a quarter of the rest of the world, I've been planning to start to work out a bit more regularly than before Christmas. I wish it was possible to store time in reservoirs as you can with water, because time is something that for me goes and doesn't come. In many cultures the aspect of time is circular meaning you will never be able to run out of time because it will always return. Everything is a cycle, what has happened will happen once again. If a summer has passed it's not important because the same time next year there will be a new one. But in our western culture where we look at time as a linear thing, we measure it and look back at the past and into the future and it's harder to live in the moment. Even if you do live in the moment, the moment flies by so fast. I don't get hold of my time because there are so many things to do, so many people to spend the time with and not enough time.
At the same time, in eternity what goes on now doesn't really matter. This is nothing compared to eternity. With a shift in focus, focusing on what is not in this world, but on what is really important in life, what counts in eternity, maybe time here will be less important. With a focus upwards. With a focus on God who is our Saviour. It is easy to be lifted up when you go to a meeting and hear a wonderful speach, but when you get back to the stress it is easy to forget what you heard on Sunday. Maybe that should be my new year's resolution in stead. In stead of working out everyday. I will remember our Creator and remember that this is just another stage of eternity. He sees us and if I have time for Him, He will always be there because he has an abundance of time for every one.