2 words: thank you!

It's time. 


I've been thinking about this a long time. I finally had the courage to admit myself: it's time to move on. It's time to say goodbye to this blog. Why? I'm part of a big project, that needs my attention. I also feel I want to write in my language. 

I love this blog. I want to leave it when I still love it - with beautiful memories.
Thank you for reading and following. 

Kiitos! If you're a Finnish reader, you'll find me HERE.

Words of 2016 - June

Celebrate

Tomorrow will be my last day of work. I'm a little melancholic about it, because I really enjoyed my job. I'm going to miss my students and fellow teachers. The last nine months have been a huge learning experience for me. I've learned a lot about myself and about my professional-self. Despite the melancholy, Im filled with gratefulness, for I got to experience all this right after graduating from university. I'm going to celebrate all the wonderful memories and people I got to meet - and hopefully touch.

5 Happy Moments In Life

1. The Mona Lisa Moment

One of my favorite songs is Masterpiece (Mona Lisa) by Jasmine Sullivan. I love how it illustrates one of the big moments in life. I'm talking about the moment we notice our own value; our ideas and thoughts are important. We are beautiful and precious.

2. The Manhattan Moment

My big dream was to see New York City. That dream came true when I was 20 (and 3 times after that). I remember coming out of a subway station and being surrounded by skyscrapers and yellow cabs. The view took my breath away. I'd been dreaming about New York, and now I was there. Your big Manhattan moment doesn't have to have anything to do with New York, but it's a moment when you get to experience something you've anticipated for a long long time. You realise you're surrounded by it. It's really happening.

3. The Marathon Moment

To experience a Marathon moment, you've had to work hard. You might feel tired and almost ready to quit, but something inside you gives you strength to carry on. And that realisation that you are working hard, pushing your limits and conquering yourself brings you joy. And when you finally cross that metaphorical finish line... Wow!

4. The Mandela Moment 

Mandela moments are my favorite happy moments. You experience them when you realise, that something you've said or done, had a positive impact on someone else's life. As a guidance counselor I get to experience these moments almost on a daily basis, and that's why I love my job.

5. The Monday Morning Moment 

Often there's nothing worse than a Monday morning. You feel tired and unmotivated to start your work week, but still you have to get your butt out of your bed and make things happen. But Monday morning moments don't necessarily have anything to do with actual Monday mornings. Instead you realise how thankful you are for things you have in your life. You see how lovely your home is - though it might be small or you budget doesn't allow you to paint the walls. Or you feel how nice it is to just to walk and hold hands with your husband instead of going to a fancy restaurant. Small everyday moments.

Word of 2016 - May

Peace

Once again,  I have no idea what's going to happen. Once again I'm standing on the edge of something new and saying goodbye to something old, though it never really had time to become old. Once again I am reminding myself: don't worry. Everything will be alright.

Lovely Letters - May/June Sign Ups

Welcome to Lovely Letters! A bi-monthly snail mail pen pal program for bloggers and non-bloggers hosted by Mintspiration and My Soul Called Life. That’s right! We made another slight change to the program by welcoming not just the blogging community, but anyone who is looking to build new friendships by sending lovely letters and packages all across the globe.

  

May thru June 2016 ♡ Lovely Letters Sign-ups

▷ Click here to sign-up for the May thru June 2016 Snail Mail Exchange ― remember sign ups will be open from May 1st thru the 10th and will close at midnight PST.

▷ Pen Pal Pairings: On the 11th of May, you will receive an email letting you know who you have been paired with. Thereafter, you will spend the following 2 months getting to know your partner through blog stalking, social media, Skype, or however you like! 

▷ Connect with Your Partner: After receiving your pen pal’s contact information, you will have 2 days to connect with your partner.  If your partner does not contact you or respond within 2 days of being paired please email Claudia so she can attempt to pair you with someone on the waiting list. Bear in mind that communication is key and is essential in establishing a fun-filled pen pal relationship. 

▷ Theme: This swap’s theme is {Strong & Influential} & the color theme is {Yellow}.

▷ Mail Your Lovely Letter Parcel: Your Lovely Letter parcel must be mailed via certified mail no later than the 25th of June. Please note that because we want this program to be affordable and enjoyable for all participants there is a $7 limit. Here are couple pins to help give you some simple, yet meaningful ideas to encourage your pen pal and to make them feel extra special:

March – April 2016 ♡ Lovely Letters Link-up Party

I truly hope that everyone who participated in March – April’s Lovely Letters Exchange had a wonderful time making new friends! If you would like to share your experience we highly encourage you to blog about it and thank your partner via social media using hashtag #LovelyLetters. 

LINK UP RULES:

1. Link up a post about your Lovely Letters experience.
2. Link back so others can join in. Feel free to use the button provided below.
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY, comment on the blog linked up before you. This helps to create community. Feel free to give some comment love to the other bloggers as well.

An InLinkz Link-up

Songs that bring joy

I wrote in my earlier post, 10 song that make me cry, that music has a strong effect on me. This time I'm going to list songs that make me happy. I hope they could uplift you if you're feeling down.

1. Masterpiece (Mona Lisa) by Jazmine Sullivan

I love the message of this song! We all should have that big realisation, that we are masterpieces - beautifully made.   



2. Master Blaster (Jammin') by Stevie Wonder


It's impossible not to dance when I hear this song. 



3. September by Kirk Franklin (original by Earth, Wind & Fire)

There's hope! There's a silver lining.



4. Girl In A Country Song

This is such a girl power song!



5. Right In Front Of You by Anna Abreu

This song reminds me that right now is good. 



6.  Kärleksvisan by Sarah Dawn Finer
  
This song is also in English but the lyrics are not as lovely as in the Swedish version. This song is a true love song. A promise song. "Because I love you, just as you are..."


7. How Can I Keep from Singing by Audrey Assad or Celtic Women

Because I have hope, how can I keep from singing?



8.  Songbird by Eva Cassidy


I have to say,  Eva Cassidy's all songs are divine. But Songbird speaks about love in such a lovely way.



9.  Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

If I'm feeling tired I put this song on and start to dance like a crazy woman. It works!



10. Diggin' On James Brown by Tower Of Power


This is another crazy-dance song!

10 songs that make me cry

Music takes me places - sometimes to very emotional places. After listening one very melancholic song 10 times in a row, I decided to share other beautiful songs that touch me deeply. Some have those powerhouse climaxes. Some are very low key and mellow.

1. All I Ask by Adele

This melancholic masterpiece has 1 sentence that always makes me cry: It matters how this end,s cause what if I never love again.



2. Melancholy blue by Trisha Yearwood

I remember the first time I heard this song; we were watching country music awards with my dad. (I'm from Finland and almost nobody listens to country, but my dad is a huge fan and I love some artists too) We both cried. 



3. Goodbye's (The Saddest Word) by Celine Dion

It baffles me how Celine was ever able to record this song.



4. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables from Les Miserables 

This might be, surprisingly, my favorite song from Les Mis. 



5. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story from Hamilton

Eliza's parts are so touching!



6. Pretty Funny from Dogfight

This song illustrated insecurity and disappointment perfectly.



7.  Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood

It's a hopeful song but so melancholic.



8. Candle In The Wind 1997 by Elton John

He sang the song at his dear friend Lady D's funeral. 



9. Broken Vow by Lara Fabian

A BIG heartbreak song.



10. Who Wants To Live Forever by Queen

This song gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes when I think about Freddie Mercury.




Check out my happy song list, too!

Words of 2016 - April

Organised

I feel like there's too much going on in my life right now. Once again I'm feeling bit overwhelmed, because I'm not the most organised person in the world. It's a skill that would make my life so much easier - especially when you don't need extra stress from trying to find missing paper forms etc. 

I am trying to be more organised this month. So far it's been an uphill battle. But I'm not giving up.

Spring Cleaning Inspiration - Plus a giveaway

Spring. Oh, I just love you so much! It means winter is finally over. Spring seems to give an extra spark of inspiration every time. This year I'm exited about decluttering. It might have something to do with a book I got to review (and host a giveaway, YAY!)

There's something satisfying in decluttering, don't you think. 

Decluttering books are pretty trendy right now, so before I started reading Ruth Soukup's Unstuffed: Decluttering your home, mind & soul, I wondered what new could it offer to this genre. There has to be something special about this book, because it's a best-seller (in Christian Personal Growth section) on Amazon! And there was.

Unstuffed thoughts

I like how Ruth writes from a holistic (a fancy word) point of view. Decluttering is not just getting rid of stuff - it's getting rid of things, thoughts and habits that affect our well-being. My favorite part was reflecting what kind of vision I have for my home and the Unstuffed weekend challenge. I'm a challenge person, what can I say.

Unstuffed quotes

"First, it's important to choose long-term values over short-term bargains. --How will this item enrich my life over the next year, five years, or ten years?" 

"If you don't love something or if it doesn't bring joy or value to your home, don't let it stay." 

Unstuffed inspiration

1. I want to get my digital world unstuffed too

2. I'm going to change the way I shop. 

3. Decluttering is a holistic way of life

The Giveaway

I'm happy to say, one of my readers can win her (or his) own copy! Enter below. (International giveaway) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Justin Bieber Marriage Lessons - What do you mean?

Communication. It's hard sometimes. I mean, really hard...  even when you've decided to have a love-based marriage.

I've noticed, that sometimes for some reason, I don't seem to be able to tell my husband what's really going on in my head or what I'm really feeling. 

It's not his fault, because it has nothing to do with him not understanding what I'm saying. What I'm saying is not what I really want and need to say.

What do you mean?

Since I got married, I've noticed how confusing marriage can be. And when I haven't defined a feeling, hidden very deep inside my heart, I become very confusing. 

I say things I don't mean. I act the way I don't mean to act. But because I don't know what I'm feeling, my behaviour turns into a crazy emotional mess. When my husband answers rationally, it leaves me unsatisfied. Why? Because the real reason is still hidden. 

I've noticed that couples need to work hard to communicate better. I've also noticed, that before I can communicate better with my husband, I need to be able to understand myself better - to communicate better with myself. 

First you wanna go to the left, then you wanna turn right.

Wanna argue all day, making love all night. 

I've talked with many married ladies, and one thing that seems to be an issue for many of us, is the weird jealousy. I'm not talking about being jealous about other women. I mean, that we (I generalise) are jealous when the husband spends time with his (guy) friends. 

But do we really want our hubby dearest to stop spending time with his friends? No! 

Do we really want him to forget his hobbies? No! 

Do we really want him to stop doing the things that inspire him? No! 

But still we're upset when he has a guys' night and is excited about it. This is just one example of confusing feelings and how we react to them. 

What do you really mean, my silly little head?

As I said, the jealousy thing was just one example. If that's not your thing, lucky you, but you might have something else that's turning you into a weirdo. Before you can communicate well, you have to know what you are feeling and thinking. 

What's behind this jealousy? Why am I so insecure about this? Why? When? Where? Questions and more questions!

Try to get inside your own silly little head, so what your communicating to your husband is really what you mean. 

I've noticed, that we are often jealous of his friends, because we feel he is not excited to spend time with us. When we're together, it's not "cool" or something he is dying to too. Maybe we're just... ordinary. 

And if we are ordinary, something to not get really excited about, does they love us anymore? Are we not attractive anymore? Are they bored with us?

Am I a disappointment?

Be a voice, not an echo

I found this wonderful quote:

A dude called Einstein said that. Pretty smart guy, right!

Justin Bieber Marriage Lessons - The Feeling

You might be feeling a bit confused now. Why on earth would I be writing about Justin Bieber? Well, let me tell yah!

Justin Bieber can actually make your marriage better!

The Feeling

I'm just going to come clean and say I've been listening to Justin Bieber's new album. There are couple songs, that have actually spoken to me. So much, in fact, that I knew  right away I had to write about them on my blog. 

In this post I'm going to talk about The Feeling. 

I believe that one of the biggest things, that leads to unhappy marriages and divorces, is that we are so fixated on the feeling. Love should feel good. And when it doesn't, we think it's not love. And if it's not love, what's the point staying together?

When a marriage is based on the feeling marriage is suppose to feel good and be easy. Your spouse is the one! The one who makes you feel good, who makes you happy. Loving him/her is not a chore and it comes easy. Feeling-based marriages don't require work, because love comes naturally. 

But the truth is, love is not easy - it doesn't come naturally. Love is not a feeling, love is a verb. Infatuation is a feeling.

Grass is not greener on the other side. It's green where you water it

I just love that! It illustrates love and relationships perfectly. Love means you water the grass under your feet. And what could that mean in real life, in your relationship? 

1. Make a decision to change your feeling-based marriage into a love-based marriage.

"I am in love with YOU. I am not in love with the FEELING"

2. Start to love. Practise how. Try to do it better everyday.

Be prepared to fail and love your spouse when he/she fails. You're only a human being. But consistently love him/her. Remember, love is a verb! Love your spouse even when you don't like him/her.

3. Remember, other people (read: your spouse) can't make you happy. They can love you.

It's pure stupidity to give up on love, when your spouse doesn't make you happy anymore. Did you say I do to "Do you promise to "love" him till the feeling fades away and he stops making you forget that you're not happy?" or "Do you promise to love him in sickness and in health?" 

What I love about love-based marriages is something my mom and dad have showed me. They've been married over 40 years! When you have a love-based marriage you might go through times when it's not fun and lovely to be with the other person. But when you love someone (VERB) feelings often come back too.

Undercover Jihadi Bride - 2016 Monthly Keyword Reading Challenge

March keywords: Game, fire, darkness, school, like, change

Because the keywords can be tweaked, I chose the word darkness. And the book I chose to read was Undercover Jihadi Bride.

I bought it from Kinokuniya, Singapore (I just love that book store) on our holiday there. And let me just say, I couldn't put it down. A true eye-opener. It really gave me an extra spark to do my best to help my own students to see how valuable and important they are.

Book overview

"Twenty-year-old ‘Mélodie’, a recent convert to Islam, meets the leader of an ISIS brigade on Facebook. In 48 hours he has ‘fallen in love’ with her, calls her every hour, urges her to marry him, join him in Syria in a life of paradise – and join his jihad.

Anna Erelle is the undercover journalist behind ‘Melodie’. Created to investigate the powerful propaganda weapons of Islamic State, ‘Melodie’ is soon sucked in by Bilel, right-hand man of the infamous Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. An Iraqi for whose capture the US government has promised $10 million, al-Baghdadi is described by Time Magazine as the most dangerous man in the world and by himself as the caliph of Islamic State. Bilel shows off his jeep, his guns, his expensive watch. He boasts about the people he has just killed.

With Bilel impatient for his future wife, ‘Melodie’ embarks on her highly dangerous mission, which – at its ultimate stage – will go very wrong … Enticed into this lethal online world like hundreds of other young people, including many young British girls and boys, Erelle’s harrowing and gripping investigation helps us to understand the true face of terrorism."

Lovely Letters Parcel

Do you remember the "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die" scene from Despicable Me? I went through similar feelings on Friday, when I opened the parcel Claudia had sent me. 

"It's so pretty I'm gonna die!"

It was lovely to get a parcel from a different country! Claudia is such a thoughtful friend, that the goodies she sent me were nothing short of wonderful.  

Some chocolate is missing from the photo, because I already ate it. Raspberry and chocolate is a perfect combo!

If you're wondering why Claudia sent my a parcel, go HERE to read more about the Lovely letters snail mail exchange. I send Claudia something too. 

Funny story, though (not really): I was supposed to send my parcel from Thailand, because we were there on a holiday, but couldn't do it because the post office was closed. So I had to do it in Singapore. And all that hassle made me forget some of the things I had made and bought for Claudia. Couple days ago when I was unpacking my bags, I found them. 

I guess, Claudia's going to get a second #LovelyLetters parcel. 

When was the last time you sent someone snail mail?

Words of 2016 - March

Now

This month I've been struggling with restlessness. I've been worrying about the next school year, because I still don't know where I'll be working (or if at all). So instead of worrying, I want to celebrate the glorious now. My now is filled with beautiful blessings. 

A lovely way to celebrate International Women's Day

As you may have noticed,  I am co-hosting the Lovely Letters snail mail program with lovely Claudia. Since I was on a vacation in Southeast Asia, I wasn't able to post this month's sign up post. That's why we decided to give you couple more days to join us! 

Lovely Letters is a perfect way to celebrate the International Women's Day! You'll get to meet and connect with a lady (maybe even from a totally different country) 

Welcome to Lovely Letters! A monthly bi-monthly snail mail pen pal program for bloggers hosted by Mintspiration and My Soul Called Life. That’s right! We made a slight change to the program. In short, we received some feedback from a few participants who participated in January’s exchange and it seems that 2-1/2 weeks is simply not enough time to get to know your pen pal partners. Minttu and I agree. So instead of giving you 2-1/2 weeks to get to know one another, we are extending the swap to 2 months instead. 

  

March thru April 2016 ♡ Lovely Letters Sign-ups

▷ Click here to sign-up for the March thru April 2016 Snail Mail Exchange ― remember sign ups will be open from the 1st thru the 5th the 10th and will close at midnight PST. 

▷ Pen Pal Pairings: On the 6th of March, you will receive an email letting you know who you have been paired with. Thereafter, you will spend the following 2 months getting to know your partner through blog stalking, social media, Skype, or however you like! 

▷ Connect with Your Partner: After receiving your pen pal’s contact information, you will have 2 days to connect with your partner.  If your partner does not contact you or respond within 2 days of being paired please email me so I can attempt to pair you with someone on the waiting list. Bear in mind that communication is key and is essential in establishing a fun-filled pen pal relationship. 

▷ Theme: This swap’s theme is {Invigorating & New} & the color theme is {Pastels}.

▷ Mail Your Lovely Letter Parcel: Your Lovely Letter parcel must be mailed via certified mail no later than the 25th of the April. Please note that because we want this program to be affordable and enjoyable for all participants there is a $7 limit. Here my Pinterest board to help give you some simple, yet meaningful ideas to encourage your pen pal and to make them feel extra special: 

Follow Mrs K's board Pen pal/ Snail mail on Pinterest.

February 2016 ♡ Lovely Letters Link-up Party

I truly hope that everyone who participated in February’s Lovely Letters Exchange had a wonderful time making new friends! If you would like to share your experience we highly encourage you to blog about it and thank your partner via social media using hashtag #LovelyLetters. 

LINK UP RULES

1. Link up a post about your Lovely Letters experience.
2. Link back so others can join in. Feel free to use the button provided below.
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY, comment on the blog linked up before you. This helps to create community. Feel free to give some comment love to the other bloggers as well.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mysoulcalledlife.com/" rel="nofollow" title="My Soul Called Life"><img src="http://www.mysoulcalledlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LovelyLetters-e1448764915208.png" alt="My Soul Called Life" style="border:none;" />

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