I did it!

It worked! It worked! I feel proud. As you see, I do now have a Grphic site up as well as a How-To-Do. Believe me, it was not supposed to be easy. If I didn't have Jenny or Abigail, I'm sure this blog would be elsewhere now. (Thank you girls. ^.^) I shall update them as I have something to update with.

Ahem. That was pretty much what I had to say. I wanted to feel that I actually had done something on my blog today. I have a test tomorrow I need to read for, but I am about to fell asleep here I sit. And I am listening to Mordred's Lullaby. This must be the weekend where songs have a wonderful timing.

What to do, what to do...

I've been sitting and thinking for a couple of days now. I started my "Villain" post (and that was even before I saw Abigail's post!) but something stopped me. (Mainly dinner.) However, I did not dig that post up; I sat down with Photoshop. That's what I'm saying, it's impossible to control my mind when my mind has taken control.

As you all probably know, I enjoy making graphics and such. It's a hobby. But still, what to do with all the avatars? To be honest, I have no idea myself. (Yeah, very promising.) Because of that, I thought: "Hmm. Shall I stuff a couple of graphics into my blog or not?" The reason why I am so unsure is because I wanted to have a blog based on thoughts and reflective opinions. I want to do one thing, but my mind wants to do something else. Help? Anybody? Somebody? Something? (Well, not you, Teddy.)

Amazing Grace and John Newton

It is a song we know so well, especially we Christians. But to many, it is just a song. You listen to it, put it away when it’s over and move on. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I know it does for me in many situations. However, I want to write a proper post about this hymn. This is dedicated to Jenny, a very dear friend of mine. This post is also for them who may love Amazing Grace as well as the story behind it.

The hymn Amazing Grace was published in 1779. It was written by John Newton. In the beginning, he was both a slave trader and an English captain. His father was a shipmaster, while his mother was a Nonconformist Christian. However, she died when John was rather young. His got his first meeting with the sea when he was around eleven years old, and after this, his father wanted him to do to work on a sugar plantation. John however, had other plans. As I already mentioned, he signed into a merchant ship.

During this time, he was captured, and forced into the Royal Navy. While being a midshipman on the HMS Harwich, it brought many troubled episodes on him which would later affect his life. The time was so hard, and he even thought about suicide. Thankfully he recovered, and was transferred to the slave ship Pegasus. Also here, I ended in trouble. He was sent to West Africa, was abused and so on. The poor man was saved in 1748.

It was the same year that while being on his way back to England, his ship was filled with water. He cried out to God. When he came home, he started to read the Bible. I am sure it must have woken something in him, and he accepted the doctrines of Evangelical Christianity. While stopping with things as gambling and drinking, he continued with the slave trade. The man felt sorry for them, but nothing was done yet. While he was in Africa in 1748/49, he was sick. It was during this he asked God for help, and he said “That he was at totally at peace with God.”

It was first in 1954 he stopped with sailing, but he didn’t leave the slaving operations. He studied while being in England, and in 1764, he became a priest. He became known to many great people, and William Wilberforce is maybe one of them we’ll remember the most. A lot is to be told about his later years, but that is something I won’t bring up now. I rather want to mention Amazing Grace.

It is said that the song was written for a sermon in 1973, but one can’t quite tell exactly how it was. If one studies the song and John Newton, there are many similarities and it’s no secret that it’s based on his actions and experiences. The song is about that we can receive forgiveness and redemption, no matter our sins. The soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God. That is so much more than what we can ask for!

Look at John Newton. By looking at his life, he was a sinner, but this man wrote the hymn that so many loves. He changed; he found God. He was saved. “Was blind, but now I see.” Isn’t that true? I believe so. We can’t see without God because He is the Truth. God will open our eyes. And when we come Home, the we will see.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Twas grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home

We are here for just a time, but at the end, we will go home. God leads us to so many things which we never could have managed without Him. The Grace is carrying us, and as John Newton once said: “The Grace will lead me Home.”

The song tells about His mercy, His love and that He will take care of us. We know it, but we need to be reminded about it. And this song, it is so special to many of us exactly because it tells about how great out God is. Not only is it beautiful, but the message is so true and important to us. Just think about it. Just sit down and listen to the song.

The Lord is merciful.
“But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.”

Morgana

As you all maybe know, I am a rather big fan of the BBC Merlin show. Because of that, I thought it could be fun to play around with photoshop. Morgana is somehow easy to work with. It might sound weird. I think it is because there are so many ways to color the imagie itself. Here we go:

Clearing a Mind

I think I just need to clear my mind now. It just feels so full. I know people must look down at me when I say this, but I cannot help it.

It’s just that I am feeling that I am losing a part of my courage. Really, I am feeling stupid. I want to do something that others can and does, but I am not as good as them. I know so, and that is something I do see everyday. That is English.

People talk, and I can’t understand it all. Yes, it’s not my native language, but it doesn’t hurt less. There are words I have no chances to understand, there are conversations I cannot follow and I don’t live in the same country as many others do. I’m proud over being Norwegian, but in times like that, it just hurts so badly.

I looked at one chat today, and it made me upset. The topic did it, and so did the words as well. I have no right to be so, but I am. It’s so wrong of me, but I am praying to God that He will help me. I don’t want to feel stupid.

I guess I just needed to clear my mind a little. Anyway, I’ll be fine.

I should maybe edit this and add that no matter how much people tell me something, I do often have a hard time understanding. When somebody says something nice to me, of course I get happy and very thankful. That is true. But I have problems with taking positive thing in over me, and it takes a very long time. It's something I am working on wiht the Lady, and I do hope it will get better soon.

I should maybe make an own post to that, but I shall in that case do it later. And I do hope it will make sense. I just need to be told things sevral times before I really understand it, and at times, wants to understand it.

51 Things About Myself

I thought it could be fun to write a blog post that is based on my character and a bit about who I am. The other posts do so, but not in this way. I know Dana and Jenny have done something like this, but I decided to go with a slightly different list. You must excuse me because I found a list with 100 questions, but 51 are more than enough. I want to say though, that I found the title of the list rather amusing. “100 useless questions about myself.” I laughed. So I started editing it, but I must say it looks terrible random. Also, I did barrow parts from Jenny and Dana’s lists. Well, here we go:

1. Your name spelled backwards? Ehtram. Beautiful, isn’t it? It sounds like a name for a cow.
2. Where were your parents born? They both are born in Norway, but father was born in the south and mothers in the north.
3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Some free textures I found on the internet.
4. Last time you swam in a pool? This summer, I think.
5. Have you ever been in a school play? Yes, several. I find it rather enjoyable, but the funniest thing must have been to be a small elf. I remember I loved the socks.
6. Who is your favorite movie character? That’s a hard one. I know people will give me weird looks when I say this, but it has to be Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (But a certain Archie(Squee) do come rather high.)
7. Have you ever ridden on a moped? You must be joking with me here.
8. Who is your favorite book character? Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia.
9. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? None of them. It sounds so dangerous, and I would not like to do so.
10. Do you have cable? Yes. I don’t watch that much TV, but there are some rather good history programs occasionally.
11. Do you have a garden? Yes. Do I take care of it? No. Daddy is the one that takes care of it. It’s a hobby.
12. Favorite pizza topping? Minced meat and cheese.
13. What color lipstick do you usually wear? I don’t wear lipstick, so I can’t answer the question.
14. Crisps or popcorn? I think I will go with popcorn. Warm popcorn and butter. Not the healthiest thing in the world, but it does taste nice.
15. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? And you are asking me that question? No, I have not, and I don’t want to either.
16. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? I’ve never been eating homegrown tomatoes.
17. Have you ever won a trophy? With the lego league team I was on, yes. We won some trophies made of lego. I rather liked them.
18. Are you a good cook? Do I have to answer to that one?
19. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy? Some plaster.
20. Ever thrown up in public? I’m afraid I have. It was on the worst place that was possible. Thank goodness its many years ago. (It was at a grocery store.)
21. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? My grandmother’s uncle and aunt.
22. Did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby? According to baby pictures of me; yes.
23. Favorite thing to do before bedtime? Reading a good book while sitting in my bed.
24. What do you like to collect? That is a long list. To take a few things; books, shells, stones, coins, rubbers and Narnia things.
25. Have you ever had surgery? Yes, a couple.
26. What is your favorite season? You can’t ask me that question. Each season is unique in their way.
27. If you had to choose, what branch of the military would you be in? I know so little about it, but something close to the sea maybe.
28. What kind of fruit have you never had? Grapefruit is one example. And as far as I know, I have not tasted apricot either.
29. What is your least favorite fruit? Ananas. Last time I tried to taste one; I had to spit it out. It was gross.
30. Do you sing in the car? No, that does not happen.
31. What is your favorite breed of dog? There are so many beautiful types, so I don’t feel that you just can make a choice based on how they look. Of course, it will always be some of them that are prettier than others, but I think that is a slightly different question. But if I Must say something, I’ll go with Pomeranians.
32. If you could attend an Olympic Event, what would it be? I am not much of a sport person, but as far as I know, fencing is an Olympic Event. That could have been fun, but if I could choose anything, it would have been a chariot race in the old Greece.
33. If you could participate in an Olympic Event, what would it be? Fencing or archery. Anyway, I don’t think they would let me participate, but oh well.
34. Do you need corrective lenses? I wear glasses occasionally.
35. Have you ever locked yourself out of the house? I think so. I know others have locked me outside, but I’ve probably done it myself as well.
36. What's your favorite number? The number 9.
37. Did you make mud pies? Ha! Yes, I did. It was indeed a lot of fun. I do it sometimes today, but that is if very few people can see me.
38. Do you prefer scrambled or fried eggs? Yes. My answer is yes. Really, it’s hard to say which one I like the best. They are so different.
39. Have you ever fallen asleep in school? No.
40. Can you pick something up with your toes? Heh, yes. That’s a funny question.
41. Have you ever blown bubbles in your milk? Yes, if I had a drinking straw. But it should be said I did it mostly in my chocolate milk.
42. Are you superstitious? What makes you think that? *shifty eyes*
43. Are you allergic to anything? Yes, grass and a type of tree. I think its birch, but I can’t remember.
44. What are you thinking about? I’m thinking about that its school tomorrow and that I should get out of bed soon.
45. Do you wear a lot of make-up? It depends what you call a lot, but no. I just wear mascara at times.
46. Which book was the last one you read? Er, I can’t remember. It’s been an awfully long time since I finished a book. If I think very hard, it must be “Star of the Sea” by Joseph O'Connor. It was a strange book.
47. What are you reading now? The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall. It was given to me by Jenny. (Thank you my dear.)
48. How many Olympic Game arenas have you visited? Two. I’ve been at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. The games were held in 1936, but the finale in the World Cup in football was held there in 2006. Also, I’ve been in Olympia which is where the whole thing started. We walked inside the Olympic museum, and around the whole field where the ruins were left. That is maybe the most amazing place I’ve ever been.
49. How many siblings do you have? Two. An older sister and a younger brother.
50. How many Jane Austen works have you read? Just one. I’ve read Sense and Sensibility, but I’ve watched Northanger Abbey and the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. I will also watch Emma in the near future, and perhaps read it as well.
51. What are you going to do now? Post this and crawl out of bed so I can start my day properly.

And that’s it, I think. Some of the questions do look rather absurd, but that just made it more fun to work on this list. But oh, I should do as I said in the very last question. I really should go and start my day. (And the Dopey picture is there because I always said that was me.)