God Bless Your Comings and Goings



Norwegian folk dancers in traditional bunad garb performing at the Folk Musem at Bygdøy

There is a wonderful Folk Museum outside of Oslo, Norway which has a collection of ancient dwellings gathered from all over Norway.  You can wander through this outdoor collection at leisure, getting a glimpse of how my ancestors lived from a couple hundred years ago clear back to Viking times a thousand years ago.  There are many living displays that make it fun, such as ladies baking lefse, or folk dancers such as those shown above, There's also an indoor museum with all kinds of displays about everyday life in ancient Norway.  It's a remarkable place, and one I never grow tired of visiting on my infrequent trips overseas.

One of these homes is completely decorated on the inside with what can only be described as a painted wallpaper of sorts..  It's as if a very creative person got snowed in one winter with nothing to amuse him or herself with but a variety of paints and some brushes.  I can't imagine how much time it must have taken!

You can see a delightful 360-degree image of the main room of this home by using this link:

Living Room from Akkerhaugen in Sauherad, Norway

In another home, someone has neatly painted the following words across the door lintel:

Gud bevar dine ingang og utgang nu og i evig tid.

Translated: God bless your comings and goings now and forever.

The first time I saw this, I remember standing there for a long while looking at it, and wondering about the person of faith that painted it so many years ago.  It really moved me.  I can't think of a nicer sentiment to have across your doorway for those living and visiting there.