The last few months I have been developing this seminar. It’s only in my imagination and it’s not something I am about to actually do. Nevertheless I have been stating that I would have enjoyed doing a marriage counselling seminar. I even have the title ready but that’s a secret.

Over the years I have been in and out of many homes and families. Coming from a big family and having loads of friends that have married, got loads of children or no children, seeing friends being widowed, getting divorced and in general having all kinds of problem, I find myself qualified. I could really say something about all this and I have loads of real-life-examples.

One of the sessions would be sounding like this: Take care of one another! Take care of what you’ve got! I know the attendees could feel a bit offended and the ones with problems would probably be provoked, but I believe I could share something that could give some hope and new insight.

I once read about Hillary Clinton and how she chose to forgive Bill after the terrible scandal and take care of what they got. We can believe her or not. We can question her motives. My point is: She decided to take care of what she had. Even if the whole world, literally the whole world, knew what a jerk he had been.

Paul wrote:
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

And I would go on speaking on how you should take care of your spouse. I cannot care less when people tell me “we haven’t been to the movies since the kids were born”. Grow up! I don’t care how you do it. Just take care of what you’ve got. Find a way. Don’t blame time, kids, other people or anything else.

Just take care!

My former boss and I still laugh when we talk about an episode in Chicago many years ago. We met with an important business contact. Already pretty tired from the flight, having lost my luggage and done some panic shopping, we were having dinner with him at a steak house.

The business man kept telling us that he was not an idiot. His goal was clearly that we should succeed at our presentation the day after and he gave us all possible insight in his organization and team. But he was not an idiot you know.

Yesterday I was attending this business network meeting and was inspired to ask a couple of questions and comment during a two hours interactive seminar. I tried to be relevant, serious and not too talkative. And then I stopped. Sometimes I just need to stop talking.

Later on at the train station a young man came up to me. He was clearly not one of the attendees at the meeting. He said: “I am a drug addict. And also I am not the smartest guy.” “Really?” I gave him a small amount of money and wished him luck.

The other day I was at the gym and the young instructor told me he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. Literally.

And I am thinking: What is it with young men these days? Have we completely removed all self esteem from them or are they in fact stupid?

“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.”

Just shut it.

I love multitasking. The other day one of Norwegian’s financial newspaper, Dagens Næringsliv, had an article about this. Eva Grinde wrote about some research that shows and documents that multitasking people are not more efficient than others. I can agree. I also disagree.

To my understanding completing one task may be done faster if you only do one thing at the time. But there is also something else going on when I live out my multitasking; I am creative and I am proactive. I might suddenly be able to make the phone call I have been reluctant to do. I might start writing the emails that should have been sent a long time ago. Multitasking gets me going.

The question about whether I am able to actually have control on different areas and subjects at the same time is something else.  But multitasking certainly helps me managing my life some days.

Is God multitasking? If I don’t believe that I am surely limiting him. Therefore I do believe he is able to have his mind on a million things and a billion people at the same time. All the time! After all he is God. He can care for my small worries at the same time as he cares for the people of Japan. There is no doubt in my mind.

I want to keep this in my mind when I turn to God in prayer. I need to stop limiting him and his capacity.

Paul writes and worships God for this:
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”

A well dressed lady was hitchhiking at a bus stop. She was probably late for something. I stopped the car. ‘Where are you going?’ We were going to the same mall. She had lost the bus and was late for work. We had a nice chat during the ride. We were mostly talking about hitchhiking and work. I wished her luck with finding a new job and she thanked me for the ride when she left the car.

A few weeks ago another lady asked for a ride. I was on a ferry working on my lap top. ‘Do you by any chance have a car and can I go with you?’ she asked me ‘I have to go to work and there is no bus at this time.’ I looked a bit surprised by the question, but told her ‘of course’ even if I actually would have enjoyed some time alone in the car. It was early in the morning.

She was an interesting character. I must say. When she jumped out of my car 20 minutes later I knew all kinds of stuff about her. I had asked her a few questions and commented on some of her stories. She didn’t ask me one question. Not one. But she is interested in her students I can tell.

Reading the New Testament I find that Jesus asking people all kinds of questions. And people were asking him questions. Good questions are one of the keys to a good conversation.

 Jesus ‘disciples had an interesting discussion one day. When they came back where Jesus was he asked them:
«What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?»

He was interested and still is.

Scroll down to find the English version; «Keep it Short and Simple«

Jeg er litt redd for å bli en ordgyter. En som spyr ut masse ord uten egentlig å ha så mye å si. Jeg verdsetter derfor kunsten å fatte seg i korthet, både hos meg selv og andre. Ikke så å forstå at man ikke kan skrive langt eller snakke lenge, men det nytter ikke hvis det bare blir mye mas og lite innhold.

Men jeg innser at vi, som min mor sier, «er så forskjellige vi mennesker». Så derfor respekterer jeg de som bruker mange ord og gjør det nok mange ganger selv også. Når jeg leser artikler på nettet, noterer jeg meg for eksempel at kunnskapsrike politikere bruker mange ord. Det gjelder både fordi de har mye på hjertet, har evne til å beskrive det ganske omfattende og også ønsker å dokumentere ting skikkelig ved å belyse en sak fra flere sider. Jeg skjønner det. Det har definitivt sin verdi. Alt til sitt bruk.

Noen har behov for å lese mye, mens andre leser for å formidle videre. Jeg er mer av det siste slaget. Derfor kan jeg etter noen siders lesing i en bok, legge den fra meg, gjøre meg noen notater og la tankene fly og koble det til andre historier og eksempler. Plutselig er det noe som trigger disse tankerekkene, og da har vi det gående.

Det er ganske interessant å se hvor kortfattet nytestamentets forfattere klarte å uttrykke seg. Tenk for noen voldsomme opplevelser de var med på. Og likevel klarte de seg med Twitter-versjonen. På Twitter har du 140 tegn til rådighet. Sjekk denne tweeten (bare 129 tegn):

@Jesus kom hjem til @Peter og så at svigermoren hans lå til sengs med feber. Han rørte ved hånden hennes, og feberen slapp henne.

Kan det sies enklere? Kan det gjøres enklere?

Keep it Short and Simple

I am a bit afraid of being too verbose. Not very afraid, but a little bit. People that use too many words to express their opinions or tell their story, either written or in speaking, can be boring. So I admire people that manage to express themselves in short.

But like my mother states; people are different. She is so right. We differ in many ways also in the aspect of how we express ourselves. So I respect it when people are using many words and I guess I am doing it myself many times. When I read articles on the net written by famous politicians, I fully understand that they have to use many words in order to explain their opinions properly and cover the subject form all sides. There is a time and a place for everything.

Some people have an urge for reading and are just very good at absorbing information and knowledge. Others investigate so that they can teach and share. I am more of the latter kind. I tend to read a few pages in a book, put it aside, let my thoughts spin and then save the information for later. Suddenly I would connect it to something else and with the correct trigger I will share it. And I wouldn’t stop for a while.

I am very impressed by the way the authors of the Bible managed to describe marvelous events in short stories. It is almost as if they were using Twitter sometimes. One tweet is 140 signs.

Here is one “tweet” by Matthew (it is only 137 signs):
@When Jesus came into @Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her,

Could it be more short and simple?