Some time ago, after church, together with Denisa, I bought a small bush of roses. They looked so pretty. But I was gone away for a week and there was nobody to water my roses. So, they dried out. I cut them, leaving gust the roots. Maybe the roses will come back to life. Here is a photo of just the dried flowers.

On Saturday I went together with Denisa to Emima and Lucian’s wedding. I’ll post the photos soon. So, I planned to dedicate the whole Sunday morning to sleeping. But I just could not sleep. I woke up at 9 am. Because I got this free time I went with Emil for a swim. At noon we came back and took the barbecue grill from our landlord. Then we went and bought some chicken wings, 2 pieces of oceanic fish, 2 big shrimps. With all this in the car we went discovering a new quiet place to do some barbecue. After 1 hour of search we discovered a nice place near Comarna village, in Iasi district. Here are the photos…












Yesterday, I as was coming home by bus I took those two photos. In Romania people are not used with bigger cameras so I always get strange looks from them. So, I didn’t take photos with people on the street or in the bus, here in Iasi.
I didn’t know what I missed, I didn’t know the power of natural light coming from the window and lighting the face. So here they are… a man and a woman sitting next to the other in the bus.



The earnings of the righteous
(the upright, in right standing with God)
lead to life,
but the profit of the wicked leads to further sin.Proverbs 10:16
This verse in Romanian says something like:
The righteous uses his earnings for life,
but the wicked one uses his earnings for sin.Proverbs 10:16
Those two different point of views. But I think that they work together. They do not contradict one another. The first one says that the earnings themselves, the type of profit we make, if you are righteous, helps us to go go on the good path. And if we are wicked will will produce some kind of black profit that buries us deeper in sin.
The other translations says that if we are righteous and we live accordingly to our name, then we will use all we have to do good. But if we are wicked we will find out delight in sin and we’ll do that by investing in sin, so sin more.
In the same time if I am training now and if I want to be righteous, to become a wise man, I have to invest in the real life, in my eternity. But if I invest in sinful activities, then I will become wicked. Actually…
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick!
Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?Jeremiah 17:9
All this means that our hart is already wicked. So what can we do to transform it into a loving and caring one? Well, the only way is to give my hart to God. I did, but the struggle continues. It happens with people to become saints the next day. But this does not seem to happen with me. I still have my war against sin and evil. The Devil is not just letting me alone. I pray everyday to have the strength to fight, even if sometimes I loose like I did yesterday.
We don’t have just money to invest, Time, sentiments, feelings are also available to be invested in a way or other.
So what can I do? What can we all do about this fight? Well, as the verse says, to continue to fight the good battle. To continue to invest in the eternal life and try not to invest in sin.
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Yesterday I left unread one Psalm that I planned to peruse. Today I realized what jewel I lost . This is a real encouragement Psalm. It really helped me today to boost my trust in the Lord . Check it out.
1 I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I’ll bless your name into eternity.
2 I’ll bless you every day,
and keep it up from now to eternity.
3 God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough.
There are no boundaries to his greatness.
4 Generation after generation stands in awe of your work;
each one tells stories of your mighty acts.
5 Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking;
I compose songs on your wonders.
6 Your marvelous doings are headline news;
I could write a book full of the details of your greatness.
7 The fame of your goodness spreads across the country;
your righteousness is on everyone’s lips.8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God;
your holy people bless you.They talk about the glories of your rule,
they exclaim over your splendor,12 Letting the world know of your power for good,
the lavish splendor of your kingdom.13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal;
you never get voted out of office.God always does what he says,
and is gracious in everything he does.14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck,
gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.16 Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.18 God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.19 He does what’s best for those who fear him—
hears them call out, and saves them.20 God sticks by all who love him,
but it’s all over for those who don’t.21 My mouth is filled with God’s praise.
Let everything living bless him,
bless his holy name from now to eternity!Psalm 145
I hope it was good encouragement for you as well, especially the second part.
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Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.Psalm 139:23-24
Sphere: Related Content1-2 God, come close.
Come quickly!
Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing!
Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising;
my raised hands are my evening prayers.3-6 Post a guard at my mouth, God,
set a watch at the door of my lips and eyes.
Don’t let me so much as dream of evil
or thoughtlessly fall into bad company.
And these people who only do wrong—
don’t let them lure me with their sweet talk!
May the Just One set me straight,
may the Kind One correct me,
Don’t let sin anoint my head.
I’m praying hard against their evil ways.Psalm 141:1-6
For a few days I will be away for the IFES University Graduates Conference that takes place in Ohrid, Macedonia.
Bellow are the photos from the trip to Ohrid, Macedonia. Enjoy the photos and feel free to comment. If you want any of the photos in high quality, please contact me. The ones from bellow are just for preview purposes, if you want to see them bigger please go to the links at the end of the post.

























You can see the photos I took at the IFES university graduates conference bellow, for each day:

God gave me such a beautiful, encouraging Psalm to read. I want it to take it as my new prayer, and to fulfill it each day.
My theme song is God’s love and justice,
and I’m singing it right to you, God.
I’m finding my way down the road of right living,
but how long before you show up?
I’m doing the very best I can,
and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.
I refuse to take a second look
at corrupting people and degrading things.
I reject this world’s gods,
stay clear of their contamination.
The crooked in heart keep their distance;
I refuse to shake hands with those who plan evil.
I put a gag on the gossip
who bad-mouths his neighbor;
I can’t stand arrogance.
But I have my eye on salt-of-the-earth people—
they’re the ones I want working with me;
Men and women on the straight and narrow—
these are the ones I want at my side.
But no one who traffics in lies
gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
I’ve rounded up all the wicked like cattle
and herded them right out of the country.
I purged God’s city
of all who make a business of evil.Psalm 101
God please help me to do so each day, all day long.
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Today God had for me only encouraging words. I don’t have any enemies, but God spoke to me about enemies. He told me that irrespective of all the other people that might want my harm, God will rescue me.
Thank you God! Thank you because you are always at work and you warn me in advance. Thank you for your support and for your care.
1 Light, space, zest— that’s God!
So, with Him on my side I’m fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.3 When besieged,
I’m calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I’m collected and cool.13-14 I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness
in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
Take heart. Don’t quit.
I’ll say it again:
Stay with God.Psalm 27
11 God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.Psalm 29:11
3-5 You’re my cave to hide in,
my cliff to climb.
Be my safe leader,
be my true mountain guide.
Free me from hidden traps;
I want to hide in you.
I’ve put my life in your hands.
You won’t drop me,
you’ll never let me down.24 Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up.
Expect God to get here soon.Psalm 31
Please read those psalms: 27, 28, 29, 31, 35. They are full of encouragements. Maybe you go through hard times and God wants to talk to you.
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Sphere: Related Content7 Some trust, in themselves,
in what they have
or what they think that they can do,
but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God,
not in what we have,
neither in out own power.8 The others are bowed down and fallen,
but we, even if we fall sometimes,
we are risen and stand upright,
by God’s help and mercy.adaptation after Psalm 20:7-8