The Swedish “Fika”

If you come to Sweden and not have “fika,” then you’ve not been in Sweden. Swedes love their coffee and they love their cinnamon buns, called “bullar.” I guess Dad and I are not “real” Swedes because we don’t have fika. We just have our breakfast, dinner at lunch (as my granddaughter Sarah calls it), and a light meal in the evening. But “real” Swedes they have fika.

Fika is the coffee and sweet buns or cookies in between meals. When we visited my brother Lars and his wife, Lilo, we had wonderful fika on their back deck. As we arrived I asked my sister-in-law for help photographing us. She did an excellent job! Thanks, Lilo!

I had been asked by a reporter for the daily Christian newspaper DAGEN for help to do a report on my daughter and her family’s visit to Sweden. The article came in yesterday’s paper. For those who read Swedish and would be interested in reading it, go to DAGEN.SE, on the page for Family News for June 16.

Here we are, left to right! The children in the front:Brianna, David and Sarah. Back row: Myself, Dad, my son-in-law Thom, and my daughter Carina.

The house in the background my brother has built himself, to replicate houses built 200 years ago. I’m proud of my brother!

The table set for fika.

Any fika without the heart-shape gingersnaps (pepparkakor)
and “bullar” would not be a real fika.

Thom and Carina

In Sweden the winters are long, dark and cold. So people take any chance they have to be basking in the sun. Even summers can get cold and dreary, with lots of rain. My daughter and her family had a delightful visit, with sunny and warm weather.

The girls special fika-table.

Father and son basking in the sun.

Swings and summer go together.
Little Sarah and “old” grandmother both enjoying
this summery treat!

That was that! A happy memory to take with me home from a visit with the brother I prayed for when I was 12 years old. God heard my prayers and with Lasse the world was made richer. So also with his lovely wife, Lilo.

May we all do our part to make the world richer. It’s a choice!

I’m reading a book by John Ortberg, All the places to to go… How will you know?
In relating the story of Ruth from the Bible, he states: “She just chose the opportunity to love.”

What opportunity will you and I have today to choose to love, to make the world a better place?

I thank God for the people that have enriched my daughter’s life these past three weeks. May the memory of her visit to Sweden live long in her heart, as also in her beloved family.

Choose the opportunity to love!