20140101- New 2014 reflections from Finland / Chasing Daylight Indeed

Finland Trip : 22/12/2013 - 3/1/2014 - Helsinki-Rovaniemi-Saareiselka

Just returned from a very cold dark country with only 3 hours daylight . And the daylight was not really daylight given the cloudy sentiment.

Helsinki is a very clean city. Their transport MRT has no ticketing gantries - ticketing purchase is based on 'trust' and one just walked in and out of the station just like that. However the fine will be high if caught.

 With a population of almost the same size as red dot- 5mio, umm...think red dot cleanliness standard indeed has deteriorated. And guess what? I saw a little dog just on leash boarding the domestic plane from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. And from Rovaniemi, I saw a little working husky on the coach to Saareiselka! Apparently,  both animals bought a discounted fare ticket! So cute. And that dog on flight was on PRIORITY!...it went into the plane FIRST! Good life. No way this can take place in red dot where 'anjing' is already a taboo word in education materials write ups, let alone them taking the local transport. Anyway, the human beans are already finding it tough to squeeze in daily, no need to fight animal rights. LOL

First time experiencing a minus 9 to 10 degrees up further north in their little small town called Saareiselka.  

 Land of the reindeers. Was not able to catch their famous northern aurora lights due to cloudy weather condition. Too bad. Had a good time watching the 8 min fireworks right above us with us a handful (Yes..small town) of people outside the Santa Hotel.  Many little lodges too had their fireworks popping the fireworks too.  But guess nothing could beat that of Sydney 2014 new year celebrations. Read about the EYE in the harbour this year  (the all seeing eye...illumuminati .)

Missing the Northern lights was to me a great disappointment. (Dying to see it..) Been always wanting to experience that awesome wonder creation of God. That was mainly the trip was aimed at. Not so much as to ski if not for joining Vic in disposing the timeshare thing in this place which was expired this year.

Nonetheless, the Lord reminded me of Him as the Light of the world and also Jehovah Rapha on 31/12/2013.  Because on the second day of the ski of the 4 day ski, I injured my left knee. The pain was yes a little excruciating and I could not put my leg straight that day. Sleeping was tough as it hurt real bad. To try to turn to my right I had to use my hand to hold my left leg over. That was that pain level. But I tolerated and I was so fearful that I was not able to take the trip of 11 hours plus on the plane back. Fear.  Woke up early next morning and started praying over that knee. Hobbled around the attic room in which we were sleeping in and prayed in intermittent tongues (cos painful and no words to describe -LOL) & declaring those Matt healing verses as the pain was throbbing. Thot I twisted it somehow even though I did not recall even having a fall on on the slope at all. And never had such a pain all these years of skiing. Wanted to pass the ski pass to our travel mate IG. But she was suffering from a kind of gastric or stomach flu since the first day we checked into the Lodge. With her vomitting, she decided to stay back that day to rest. So I decided that I had no choice but to just go for the day3 ski "waste" is not in our culture- but decided to go slow . Rubbed with Zambak and the deep heat. Out in the snow I scooped the snow and packed it unto my knee.  To be able to put on those ski boots and ski a little that day was already a miracle as I did not want to ski at all fearing that it would aggravate the pain.  Well, came back that evening and found the knee completely healed without an inch of that previous nite horror pain! PTL.  And guess what, IG was prayed over for her 2day vomitting and hey hey, she too was healed!  

Well, one of my bucket list remained unfulfilled. All the four of us wanted to see that aurora lights. But that 24 hour healing for me was real highlight for the year ending 2013. It was faith in action as I dreaded the thought of the agonizing flight of more than 11 hours back . The Lord heard that prayer. Never mind those northern lights after all. LOL (Mind a little bit lah- there for 5 days and none of the days were perfect for the aurora to appear :(....)

Love and blessings

A new Year 2014 has begun and the clock ticks on..

And yes, it is so nice to be back with the SONshine days in red dot.  Darkness and cold in the reindeer white dot land is no joke. Umm..holiday for a few days okie...but to live there? I think I rather be a wild reindeer or a wild husky.

To be a working reindeer or husky is tough life having to sleep in the cold and drag the sledges. So be FREE and  WILD - wild in the joy and hope of the Lord in 2014. As darkness closes in, so will His grace to those who overcome.

 It has to be a Creator God. It was for this reason we celebrate Christmas - for unto us a child is born. His name is Jesus Christ - the Messiah who is to come again.  That is the Hope. 

Mui

Love God Hate Sin Win Multitudes

 The above book read during this trip- coincidentally called "CHASING DAYLIGHT"
It is an inspirational memoir of former KPMG CEO Eugene O'Kelly (53 years) , written in the 3.5 mths between his terminal diagnosis with brain cancer and his death in Sep 2005. His reflection on life, death and success and the importance of living a balanced and meaningful life.
His main 5 pointers :
1. Face reality (when death sentence invoked, we face reality and we want to see the big picture)
2. Simplify life (answering the question of what is enough and forgo minute details and focus on big picture)
3. Live in the moment (with only months to live, every last moment becomes precious, time slowed down. The experience of being in the moment centers us and being centered puts us in the moment)
4. Recognizing & Creating meaningful perfect moments for ourselves and with others (included letters, phone calls, walks in the parks, good meals , intimate conversations, shared glance or just a step back to laugh at yourself..) - where is the centre and the peripheral? 
5. Achieving balance ( Ideally we want to increase the size of the centre so that it encompasses as many rings as possible)

My own further thots on this book: His 5th point is something which I think there is a shortcoming. I would have preferred that Jesus be that centre in my life and that His circle would embrace all the different peripherals circles that come within. I am first and foremost be embraced by HIM- covered under HIs Almighty wings. Balance in life is a real skill. The tyranny of the Urgent and Busy will always be there. Question is how to live our life out of this tyrant? Slow down and enjoy "angin" the "air" we breathe. Not to live an "Anjing" life..dog's life..hee hee. Thanks to my sister in law for correcting my Melayu. I learnt a new vocab this evening! Sounds alike but world apart! LOL.  How appropriate is this book read in this trip - indeed I was chasing for daylight each day and realised there was only 3 hours a day thereabout during this season of time/  And boy, we really missed the sunshine a lot a lot.  So seize the moments, my friends!