so tragic

All ashamed I now continue the set of posts related to our current life change. This is hard to make sound tactful, but I'm canceling my participation in the CTS Challenge 2008. It overlaps so bad with my first days in the new job that I just can't think of going.

This doesn't mean the challenge would be dead. We've got some 10 people in the list, and I wish that everyone goes ahead to beat him/herself into longer life expectancy. Wyrwals at CTS has promised to host the after race alumni re-union, and I regret us missing that even more than missing the race.

cheers to all you joggers, and pardon for my unsportsmanlike manner.

we are still called hirviniemi

It's time to open up. The last three months changed basically everything in our life, except the name and the blog... new town, new house, two new jobs. So, it's the time to give you a major update.

We now live in Lieto, a little village by Turku, south-west coast of Finland. The reason for moving was my new job as the Pastor for Young Adults and Families in Turku Pentecostal Church. The church made the decision this Sunday, and now we are in process of discussing with the church' leadership the starting date and other details.

The other job is my temporary job as an assistant to my brother in law who builds stone patios etc. Basically I carry stones, make cement, shovel grit and sand. It's quite not like my life time calling, but for a month are two I can't think of more relaxing job. Eight hours days, meeting nobody, thinking nothing and worrying even less, no planning, no working out the plans, no meetings, no nothing. Just picking up stones in a good company of fun bro-in-law - who, on the contrary, does a lot of thinking and planning and all other difficult part of the trade. I'm just the assistant.

However, it's a good way of re-orientating for the new challenges that come along with up-coming job. It looks like really exciting thing, and centers around many themes that have grown important to me over last few years. The bottom line of the job is uniting the church 25-40yearers better together, and bringing their perspective into church leadership. Which means like a lot of challenges, but in very interesting themes. So, while still acting Obelix for few more weeks, I'm getting more and more eager to start with the new office.

All this has happened since May when we made up our minds that we are leaving Kotka and looking for a new set-up for our life. We knew back then that if things are to work out, they should work out at once, and we gave it a change. What we saw, was God helping us with every detail, and now we're feeling peace to settle our life around here.

I'll post some pics sometime soon.