Are We Living in the End Times?

Is the time running out for the planet Earth?

The Bible teaches about the end times, meaning the time before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. A few days before his death, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the signs of His second coming and the end of the present age. I want to take some quotes from this speech according to The Gospel of Matthew chapter 24, and The Gospel of Luke chapter 21. Please read them carefully and ask yourself: Is He talking about the time we are living in right now? In any case, everything is in God's hands. He is the Lord of history. Faith in Him can bring us peace and safety.

This is what Jesus Christ taught two thousand years ago:

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven."

"At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

A burning tank in the Syrian civil war.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011.

"If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time."

"So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."

"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ... So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

A meteor exploded over Russia in 2013.

"The stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies
will be shaken." (The Gospel of Matthew 24:29)

A Significant Milestone

My home church (the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church) covered in snow.

Photo by Gilmore.

This morning, I attended the Liturgy of the Orthodox Christian church. It was a very special Liturgy for me, because in the middle of the ceremony, they accepted me to become a "catechumen". I stood in front of the church hall.  The priest laid his hand on my head and said a few certain words, and then everyone at the ceremony prayed for me. As I walked back to my spot, I was moved to tears. It was such a sacred and touching moment. In a sense, I have been a catechumen already since last year, but only now it's official. What does it mean?

According to the OrthodoxWiki: "A catechumen is one who is preparing for baptism in the Church. In modern usage, catechumen can also refer to one who is preparing for chrismation (or another form of reception) to be received from a heterodox Christian communion. In the ancient Church, the catechumenate, or time during which one is a catechumen, often lasted for as much as three years and included not only participation in the divine services but also catechesis, formal instruction from a teacher, often the bishop or appointed catechist. Catechumens are understood to be Christians upon beginning their catechumenate, and should they die before baptism, they are traditionally given an Orthodox funeral."

 «An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him...»

The catechumenate (Russian: оглашенные) period is a long process. At times, I have been frustrated, and I've been asking myself: "Why they make it so difficult and slow to join the church?" I have had to be patient... God has strengthened me by sending me an "angel" and spiritual guide (cf. the Gospel of Luke 22:43). Without her, I would have given up long ago. Like she used to say, "We are instruments in the hands of God". Amen to this. Afterwards we can understand the Divine providence. No matter how you feel, there is the guidance of God behind it all.

Today, I also found a "godfather" (Finnish: kummi, Russian: крёстный) for me, and he even lives on the same street as I do. That's really great because I had no idea who could be my godfather when I am going to be accepted to the church on April 19 (may God grant it). Now all these problems seem to have been solved...

Indeed, this was a great day for me! Thank God for the guidance, in spite of my weak faith. Thanks also to my "Russian angel" and to my friends.

Peace and blessings to all. （＾—＾）

Teisuka

The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Vaasa. Православная церковь

Св. Николая Чудотворца в Вааса. The church was completed in

1866, and was originally built for the Russian population of Vaasa.

Photo by Teisuka.

A Parcel from Russia

The Vladimirskaya icon, as Russians call it.

Last week, I received a big parcel from my dear Russian friend. The parcel included many kinds of items: a great religious book called Everyday Saints and Other Stories written by Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), four CD's full of Russian Orthodox music sung by the Sretensky monastery choir, three T-shirts (very beautiful), sacred images (out of which one was a refrigerator magnet), an Orthodox bookmark, the Vladimirskaya icon, and a wonderful handmade Easter egg. Wow!

This was the best birthday gift I have ever gotten in my life and it made me really happy. I feel that the whole content of this parcel is caused by the guidance of God. I mean, I can recognize "the God's hand" or Divine providence in these gifts and it strengthens my weak faith. Thank you very much, my dear friend. Большое спасибо, мой ангел! You really are an angel sent to me by God. （＾—＾）

Blessings to all of my friends!

Teisuka

A handmade Russian Easter egg.

One of three Russia T-shirts (all different).

Four CD's, full of Russian Orthodox music sung by

the Sretensky monastery choir.

A religious book (Everyday Saints and Other Stories),
sacred images, a refrigerator magnet, and a bookmark.

Love Beautify the World

After a long time, I wrote a poem.

What a day for you whose heart is in love,
the sun is shining, the world is in harmony,
the unspeakable peace lives in your soul,
pure joy and gratitude – no shadows at all.
Everyone, everywhere is smiling, is happy,
you see all the beauty as for the first time,
all is clear, all is pure and white –
blessed are those who are in love.

Teisuka (January 22, 2014)

Long Range Patrol – the Best Finnish War Film for Years

Kaukopartio (Long Range Patrol) movie poster.

The film crew and some cast members. The premiere night

party at the museum. Sitting in the foreground, a film
director Harri J. Rantala (a submachine gun in his hands)
and a costume designer / a makeup artist Sanna Panula.
Photo by Teisuka. (Click the photo to see it bigger.)

This time, I tell something about a new Finnish war film called Kaukopartio (English: Long Range Patrol), written and directed by Harri J. Rantala, starring Eerik Kantokoski, Ali Ahovaara, Hannu Rantala, Eeva Putro, Kalevi Haapoja, and Kristiina Karhu. The world premiere was held on December 27th 2013 in the Civil Guard and Lotta Svärd Museum. Earlier, the Finnish crew also filmed one scene in the museum.

First of all, I want to explain the term "long range patrol" (Finnish: kaukopartio, Russian: дальний патруль, Chinese: 長距離巡邏, Japanese: ロングレンジパトロール), if some of my readers doesn't know that. Long-range reconnaissance patrols, or LRRPs (pronounced "Lurps"), are small, heavily armed long-range reconnaissance teams that patrol deep in enemy-held territory.

In Finland, long-range patrols were especially notable in the World War II. These units penetrated Soviet lines and conducted recon and destroy missions. During the trench warfare period of the Continuation War (1941-1944), long-range patrols were often conducted by special Finnish sissi troops. In English, a Finnish word "sissi" means something like patrolman, partisan, or commando.

The Finnish movie called Long Range Patrol is not a typical war film. I mean, it's not a heroic story. It shows the cruel and nasty side of war. To be exact, this movie tells about the Finnish war crime during the Continuation War. In 1943, a Finnish long-range patrol (three young men) makes a campaign to the Soviet Union, and they get a mission to bring a prisoner of war. The mission fails badly, and the end result is ugly. There is one truly shocking scene in the film. Despite this, the two soldiers receive a medal of honor at the end.

In my opinion, Long Range Patrol is a good movie in many ways: screenplay, theme, directing, acting, setting, costume design, cinematography, editing – all is well done. The only minus side is a little bit scruffy picture quality (not sharp enough). The running time is only 60 minutes, so the movie could be a little longer, too. Anyway, the shots or scenes are long and lingering, and I like that style.

For me, the movie raised up many questions, but it's just a good thing. The story is not too simple, not too obvious, and black and white. You have to use your brains and think – think hard. Long Range Patrol gives you a food for thought, indeed. What really happens? What's going on? Are there heroes at all, or are they all just an "inglorious bastards"? Well, for my part I believe, there are also heroes and good men in the war, but this film don't tell about them.

All in all, Long Range Patrol is a brave Finnish film. Brave, because we must have courage to talk about the war crimes too, and not only about the heroic acts. I dare to say that Long Range Patrol is the best Finnish war film since Ambush (Finnish: Rukajärven tie) from the year 1999.

You can find the official Kaukopartio website by clicking here. Facebook site is also available to everyone, please click here. Thanks for supporting the Finnish cinema – kiitos! （＾—＾）

Teisuka

A real Finnish ski patrol during World War II.

Who is Always Stalking at the Window?

You're calmly walking on the yard, but something seems strange. It's like... someone is staring at you! Who is it? The yard is empty. Suddenly, a curtain moves in the neighbor's window. Is it the neighbor's grandmother who is watching you? No, it's not your neighbor's grandma, but something much hairier... The Cat! (￣ー￣)

I found these hairy little "stalkers" from the Finnish humor site, and I want to share them with my friends around the world. I hope these funny pictures makes you laugh. I wrote the captions myself.

Happy New Year to everyone! According to Chinese zodiac, 2014 is the Year of the Horse. Woohoo! （＾—＾）

Teisuka

The black spy next door.

Just a curious little kitten.

If you are lazy, a chair makes it easier.

Tiny little stalkers.

"Aww, how lovely little bird. We all would like to eat you."

Now who is watching who?

A cute and shy little stalker.

A case-hardened old stalker.

A little accident at work.

"See, I can sit like a man."

Some stalkers wants to be seen.

OMG, this one is a murderer too!

A long-term stalker with his stalking chair.
Tools facilitate the work.

"Damn window blinds! I'm too fat for this shit!"

"Whoops... I got caught."

Ouch!

A Famous Russian War Historian Visited the Museum

A Russian war historian Artem Drabkin and his interpreter Svetlana

in the museum. In the background, the blue and white Finnish

swastika. Photo by Teisuka.

Last Sunday, a Russian war historian Artem Drabkin (Артём Драбкин) from Moscow visited the museum, my current workplace. I had the privilege to be his guide. In addition to Artem, there were two other people: Artem's interpreter, a Russian woman called Svetlana (Светла́на), and their Finnish host and organizer, Matti. We walked around the museum about 90 minutes, and I told about the objects in the exhibition and the Finnish war history, especially about the Lotta Svärd organisation and the Finnish women at war.

"Very interestings place. Spasibo" (thank you), Artem said when the tour was over. Then we shook hands and said "dosvidaniya" (until we meet again) to each other. Both Artem and Svetlana were nice and kind people, as Russians used to be. For me, this was a wonderful opportunity to meet a famous Russian war historian. I'm just reading his book called The Continuation War from the perspective of the Red Army (Finnish: Jatkosota puna-armeijan silmin). Excellent book, including a lot of rare photographs.

In Finland, Artem Drabkin also interviewed the Finnish veterans and Lottas of World War II. In my opinion, this kind of intercultural and international cooperation is remarkable and ground-breaking. Seventy years ago we (Finns and Russians) were enemies but now we are friends.

Artem Drabkin is the creator of a website devoted to the oral history of World War II on the Eastern Front. Like my Russian friend Victor says, Drabkin's project I remember is very interesting and important as it helps to keep our memory of WWII. Drabkin is recording interviews of war veterans in Russia, Germany, and Finland. At the moment, there are more than 2000 interviews in his collection. Artem's website is available in English and Russian at http://english.iremember.ru/

You can find the Russian Wikipedia article by clicking here.

Lotta Svärd and the Finnish Swastika

Finally, I want to tell something about the Finnish swastika, because it appears in my photos. The Finnish swastika has nothing to do with Nazism, just like a wholesome Finnish patriotism has nothing to do with that sick ideology. (All of my friends know that I hate Nazism more than any other "ism".)

In Finland, the swastika was often used in traditional folk art products, as a decoration or magical symbol on textiles and wood. It is thousands of years old symbol of luck. The swastika was also used by the Finnish Air Force until 1945, and is still used in air force flags.

The Finnish Air Force uses the swastika as an emblem, introduced in 1918 (the Nazi swastika came at a later date, in 1920). The type of swastika adopted by the air-force was the symbol of luck for the Swedish count Eric von Rosen, who donated one of its earliest aircraft.

Also a design by the artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela from 1918, the Cross of Liberty has a swastika pattern in its arms. Gallen-Kallela used the Finnish swastika in his early works, for example the painting called The Aino triptych (Finnish: Aino-triptyykki) from year 1889.

 The Aino triptych, an old Finnish painting by Akseli

Gallen-Kallela, 1889. Click the image to see it bigger.

The Lotta Svärd emblem was designed by Eric Wasström

in 1921. It includes four heraldic roses and a swastika.

In Finland, the swastika is an ancient symbol of luck.

On Japanese maps, a swastika is used to mark the location of a Buddhist
temple. 日本では、卍は、寺院などの地図記号として使用されている。

The swastika was used by Lotta Svärd, a Finnish voluntary national defence organisation for women between 1921 and 1944. The organisation was religious-patriotic, unarmed and non-political. In 1944, there were more than 240 000 Lottas in Finland. About 90 000 Lottas served their country at the front during the wartime 1939-1945. They worked in hospitals, at air-raid warning posts and other auxiliary tasks in conjunction with the armed forces. The motto of the organisation was "religion, home and fatherland" (specifically in that order; the mentioned religion was the Lutheran Christianity).

In addition, the swastika is a good symbol in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Originally, it's a symbol of the Sun. The Buddhist sign has been standardized as a Chinese character 卍 (wàn) and as such entered various other East Asian languages such as Japanese where the symbol is called 卍 (manji) or 卍字 (manji). The swastika is included as part of the Chinese script in the form of the character 萬 (wàn). In East Asian countries, the left-facing and horizontal swastika often marks the location of a Buddhist temple on maps.

P.S. I also add here some other new photos from my workplace, taken this week.

Teisuka
museum assistant

Me in the work. Last Wednesday, there was a Christmas event in the museum.
All workers were dressed in the old costumes. I used the Finnish military
uniform from the time of World War II (reconstruction, not original).

Me and Marshal Mannerheim (a lifelike wax figure, 194 cm

in length) in the headquarters, a railway carriage. This is my
favorite room in the museum. Click the photo to see it bigger.