The "Black" Cloud

If I am not mistaken, these days we should be welcoming in Cairo our famous "Black Cloud" as known as السحابة السودة. I think the cause (and solution) of this heavy black smoke is and will remain one of the great mysteries of Egypt, next to لعنة الفراعنة and why we "never" make it to the world cup!?

Talking about clouds, It reminded me of the very special time I spend with Leila and Farida, lying on our back on the ground, in the open air, looking up to the blue sky and Playing the never-boring game of "What shape is this cloud?"...Dabdoub, Batta, Dora, La vache qui rit :-) My kids always amaze me with their imagination, they can see things much better than my already-shaped realistic closed mind..the excitment of the game is so high because they jump around to show me quickly what they see in this cloud above them..before it is gone..before it disappears! Will never forget when they asked me how amazingly such big fluffy cotton-like clouds disappear and leave the sky without any traces, and the sky is clearly blue even after the thoughest foggy or stormy days (specially in Amsterdam)!

Suddenly I got a totally new perspective of what Isaiah wrote about clouds:

قد مَحَوْتُ كغَيمٍ ذُنوبَكَ وكسَحابَةٍ خطاياكَ. اِرجِعْ إلَيَّ لأنّي فدَيتُكَ». (إشَعياءَ 44:22

Your sins were like a big cloud, but I wiped them all away. Your sins are gone, like a cloud that disappeared into thin air. I rescued and protected you, so come back to me.” (Isaiah 44:22 ERV)
What a strong description he wrote through the Holy spirit, declaring the love of our Heavenly Father who calls us to come back to Him. Not only He is going to give us the "Running Hug" like we talked about in the last post..but He confirms that our sins and transgressions are erased like clouds disappear from the sky...with no traces..Just Gone away from His sight..because He took it all away..He redeemed us..no matter how big the cloud is! Wow..not only a running hug, but a clear Sky..all new..all Blue!

Heavenly Father, I thank you with tears in my eyes, that you are calling me back in your arms to take away my sins, my skies from black clouds, without a mark in your sight, no mater how big or small my sin can be, you just erased it..I pray that I never forget this promise..and i live believing it..always running back to You..knowing You cleared it all! Amen.

A Running Hug!

AIRPORTS...one of the most "true emotions filled" places on earth (next to hospitals!). In my past 5 years, I have gone in and out of many airports..and twice, we as a family have left a whole life, a whole country, behind us to start a new one in a new world. My eyes saw 2 extreme ends in the same airport...Arrival and Departure halls! same airport, yet with totally different sensations.

Departure halls are more of a drama movie, where true tears are hard to hide. When leaving back a life behind us, I was always able to hold myself in one piece until that moment at the departure hall..where every true sensation blows its way on my face or the faces of my loved ones! So genuine!

The Arrival hall at the other extreme, like a happy tune..a musical movie..a "Sound of Music/Mamma mia/or any movie of فرقة رضا". Joy is filling the air, family friends waiting with big smiles, banners, flowers, balloons, waving from afar (من ورا الازاز) and in Egypt, you ll find easily 20 loved ones coming to pick you up fighting whom takes your luggage and drives u home.

These Arrival halls are know for phenomenon I call "The Running Hug"..it is the act of running towards the person arriving, colliding, jumping into his arms with a deep unifying hug..to the extent that your kisses are reaching deep his neck. Always getting this same hug from my father in Cairo's Arrival Hall made me understand what Jesus told about the Prodigal son الابن الضال coming back to His Father, after willingly leaving Him:

فقامَ وجاءَ إلَى أبيهِ. وإذ كانَ لَمْ يَزَلْ بَعيدًا رآهُ أبوهُ، فتحَنَّنَ ورَكَضَ ووقَعَ علَى عُنُقِهِ وقَبَّلهُ. (لوقا 15:20

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." (Luke 15:20 KJV)

Experiencing these emotional hugs explained why Jesus said that the father ran & fell on "His son's neck"...an expression I never understood until I experienced it myself!

Thank you God for your great love..for you always waiting, looking even from afar to see us coming back..and Running..yes..i cant even imagine it, you running towards us... Not to blame or ask us why but to give us this hug, kiss on our neck and much more blessings! Amen.

Next time at the airport, when your loved ones give you a "Running Hug", Remember Him, waiting your return, doing just the same to YOU!

حضن المطار

المطارات هي من أكثر الأماكن المتكدسة " بالمشاعر الحقيقية " على وجه الارض ،( الى جانب المستشفيات بالطبع )
في الخمس سنوات الماضية دخلت من و إلى العديد من المطارات ، و ثلاث مرات .. أنا و أسرتي تركنا حياتنا كلها خلفنا من بيت لبيت و من بلد لبلد ، لنبدأ حياة جديدة كل مرة في بلد مختلف بعالم مختلف
رأت عيناي أقصي النهايتين لنفس المطار ، في صالة الرحيل و صالة الاستقبال ! نفس المطار ولكن بمشاعر و أحاسيس مختلفة تماماً 

صالة الرحيل .. هي تقترب كثيراً من الفيلم الدرامي ، يصعب إخفاء الدموع الحقيقية . و حين تركت خلفي حياة كاملة ، كنت دائماً أستطيع التحكم في نفسي حتى أصل الى تلك اللحظة ، في صالة الرحيل .. عندها تتفجر المشاعر و تشق لنفسها طريقاً الى وجهي أو وجوه أحبائي
مشاعر صافية صادقة 

أما صالة الوصول في أقصى الطرف الآخر ، كالنغم السعيد ، كالأفلام الموسيقية .. Sound of music , Mamma Mia أو أحد أفلام فرقة رضا :) الفرح يتطاير في الهواء ، الأهل و الأصحاب في المطار لإستقبالنا بإبتسامات من القلب و باقات الورد و البالونات ، يلوحون من خلف الزجاج وفي مصر عشرون من الاحباب يتجادلون حول من سيأخذ حقائبنا ومن سيوصلنا للبيت
في صالات الوصول ظاهرة أسميها" The Running Hug " .. إنها .. أن تجري نحو الشخص الذي وصل للتو و تصطدم به و تلقي بنفسك بين ذراعيه في حضن واحد عميق
و تقع قبلاتك على عنقه
وفي كل مرة أتلقى هذا الحضن العميق من أبي عندما أخطو في صالة الوصول بمطار القاهرة ، أتفهم جيداً ما قاله يسوع عن الإبن الضال عائداً إلى أبوه ، بعد أن غادره و تركه في إصرار 

" فقامَ وجاءَ إلَى أبيهِ. وإذ كانَ لَمْ يَزَلْ بَعيدًا رآهُ أبوهُ، فتحَنَّنَ ورَكَضَ ووقَعَ علَى عُنُقِهِ وقَبَّلهُ. (لوقا 15:20 )"
هذه الأحضان المؤثرة ( التي إختبرتها بنفسي ) فسرت لي تماماً ما قصده يسوع ، أن الآب ركض ، و إنه وقع على عنقه " على عنق إبنه " وقبَّله. 

إنه تعبير لم أكن لأفهمه حتى إختبرته بنفسي 

أشكرك يا إلهي من أجل حبك العظيم .. لأنك دائماً تنتظر ، تنظر بعيداً ومن بعيد ، لترانا حين نعود .. و تركض .. نعم .. و إن كان يصعب أن نتخيل هذا .. ولكنك حقاً تركض نحونا
لا لتلقي علينا اللوم ، أو تسألنا عن السبب ، و لكن لكي تمنحنا هذا الحضن ، و قبلة على العنق ، و بركات أخرى كثيرة ! آمين
و في المرة القادمة ، في المطار ، عندما يستقبلك أحباءك بهذا الحضن The Running Hug
تذكره ، منتظراً عودتك ، ليمنحك نفس الحضن العميق 

!خلينا منورين

There is No Bad Weather .. Only Bad Clothing!

"It is freezing outside!!" Moving to Amsterdam few years ago gave us loads of NEW surprises, and guess what, the weather is on the top of the list! We are now in the middle of season change, like these days, winter knocking on the doors, and a very anxious "Egyptian Family" whose cold winters were 20 degrees, is getting ready to face the -15 freezing cold.

One day at a parents school meeting, we started talking with a professor about how bad the weather is and how worried we are for the kids's first winter here...and he commented back unexpectedly-in a "cold" way:
"There is nothing called bad weather...there is only Bad Clothing!"
Boom..this was enough to silence and put us in thinking mode..it is quite true isn't?!

Same for life, this sentence fits perfectly. God did not promise an all-Spring life time on earth..i didn't read about الدنيا ربيع in the bible..in fact i read much more about thunder storms, tornadoes, hurricane...knowing that wearing our heavy warming Coat of FAITH is what will help us go through these tough times, the times of loss, of pain, of anger and rage..the time we seek revenge for someone taking away the life of our kids like happened yesterday in وراق church..i build my faith on the One who said:

قد كلَّمتُكُمْ بهذا ليكونَ لكُمْ فيَّ سلامٌ. في العالَمِ سيكونُ لكُمْ ضيقٌ، ولكن ثِقوا: أنا قد غَلَبتُ العالَمَ». (يوحَنا 16:33)

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” (John 16:33 ERV)

Dear God, I pray today with heart full of faith, asking you to fill us up and the ones who lost yesterday dear ones, with your Holy Spirit, the comforter, who will guide us in times of trials..yes, i am afraid, but i know that wearing faith in You..You are bigger than any fear and with you, we shall conquer the valley of death and return back love to the ones who offense us! In Jesus name, Amen.

اما  فيش حاجة اسمها الجو وحش

عندما إنتقلنا للحياة في أمستردام لأول مرة منذ سنوات ، صادفتنا كثير من المفاجات الجديدة ، وتخيل .. الطقس كان من أول المفاجات في القائمة
نحن الان في منتصف موسم التغيير ، وفي مثل هذه الايام ، كان الشتاء يدق على أبوابنا، "عائلة مصرية" تعودنا إن أقل إنخفاض في درجة الحرارة يصل الى ٢٠ درجة مئوية ، و نحن الان نفس العائلة المصرية ، نستعد لمواجهة -١٥ درجة
!نستعد لمواجهة الثلج 
وفي إجتماع أولياء الأمور بالمدرسة ، كنت أتحدث مع أحد المدرسين عن برودة الجو و عن قلقي على بناتي الصغيرات من أول شتاء لهم في هذا الطقس السئ
 :فأجابني على غير توقع ، و بطريقة تماثل الجو " ببرودة "
" لا يوجد ما يسمى بالطقس السئ .. توجد فقط ملابس سيئة "

كان رده صادم ، كاف لنسكت تماماً و نفكر
!!أنه على حق ، أليس كذلك ؟

وبالمثل حياتنا ، نجد أن هذا القول مناسب تماماً
فالله لم يعدنا بربيع طوال أيامنا على الارض .. فلم أقرأ عن "الدنيا ربيع " في أي صفحة من صفحات الكتاب المقدس
بل عن عواصف رعدية و أعاصير
و نعلم إن إرتداءنا لمعاطف ثقيلة دافئة من " الايمان " هو ما يعبر بنا خلال الأوقات الباردة العصيبة
تمر بنا عواصف من الخسارة و الألم ، براكين من الغضب و الثورة .. أعاصير تسعى بنا للإنتقام
.. تمر بنا إضطهادات و ضيقات و تجارب
 : عندها أحتمي و أبني إيماني على من قال

"قد كلَّمتُكُمْ بهذا ليكونَ لكُمْ فيَّ سلامٌ. في العالَمِ سيكونُ لكُمْ ضيقٌ، ولكن ثِقوا: أنا قد غَلَبتُ العالَمَ». (يوحَنا 16:33 )

إلهي الحبيب
أصلي اليوم بقلب ملئ بالإيمان ، أن تسكب فينا ، نحن و كل إنسان فقد عزيزاً ، أو يسعى لإنتقام ، أو يملأه الغضب و الحزن ، أن تسكب الروح القدس في قلوبنا ، الروح المعزي ، الذي يقودنا في وقت التجارب
نعم ، أحياناً أخاف ، و لكن أستعد جيداً و أرتدي الايمان بك ، أنت أكبر من كل خوف ، بك نهزم وادي الموت و نعيد الحب الى قلوب من يكرهنا
في إسم يسوع آمين 

!خلينا منورين

To-Do List

Back to "real life" after a long break..الاجازة طارت كالعادة..I also hate that feeling, suddenly your mood changes even physically:
حواجبك يضموا على بعض، السرحان يزيد، تبتدي تكلم نفسك و مش بعيد كام شعراية بيضة يزيدوا في راس سعادتك
and probably this starts happening on your last day of holiday..your grey brain cells wake up again..and you start planning your first day at the office (or even at home which needs a lot of work too!).

You all know your fist hour back to work..TAWAHAN..you are like اكلك منين يا بطة
Usually the most efficient trick is to write down your "TO-DO list", putting down all the activities/tasks/problems to solve and attack one by one..frankly, it hepls controlling this tawahan in the midst of the load of tasks to handle!

A lot of us, including myself, feel this mood of tawahan when it comes to prayer..what to pray, what to say, don't have much to pray about..I prayed my usual words..and that's it!. Inspired by the real life "to-do list", I found it extremely efficient to create my own "TO-PRAY list"..yes, it is list of topics and MORE importantly friends to pray for..we all are used to this sentence "pray for me..صليلي ..محتاج صلاوتك..اذكرني في صلاتك" and these "Prayer requests" are becoming more and more these days..i found out that I took them lightly and almost forget them all..though they are VERY IMPORTANT to the ones who asked them! Starting this list, i believe it made me feel connected to them, i see them in my mind and feel that when this person and myself unite together in prayer..we believe we make change happen! Yes Jesus said it:

وأقولُ لكُمْ أيضًا: إنِ اتَّفَقَ اثنانِ مِنكُمْ علَى الأرضِ في أيِّ شَيءٍ يَطلُبانِهِ فإنَّهُ يكونُ لهُما مِنْ قِبَلِ أبي الّذي في السماواتِ، لأنَّهُ حَيثُما اجتَمَعَ اثنانِ أو ثلاثَةٌ باسمي فهناكَ أكونُ في وسطِهِمْ». (مَتَّى 18:19, 20
Just try it..and please include me on your list! Thanks :)Have a blessed week!

Celebrity Sightings

Are you that type of person that jumps to take a photo with the celebrity dining next to you in a rstaurant or may be spread all over your wattsapp groups and FB status "Omar el Sherif (or Angeline Jolie) fel restaurant waraya..will die to go and talk to him" and probably the rest of the evening will be about him and how he eats, what beer he drinks, vegetarian walla men mo7eby el fillet..and surely about the ones around him on the table..guessing who they are.Then we continue talking about all the celebrities sighting (meeting) we had in our past life and who we still wish to meet.

Funny enough (and seriously enough too), we should also realize that each of us is a celebrity on his own, living under the spot light and the eyes of his own surrondings. You are very important as you are an Ambassador to who you follow, a disciple (تلميذ) to Jesus, We have the chance to give people a "True disciple sighting" by watching our life.
Jesus said clearly:

   15:8 بهذا يتمَجَّدُ أبي: أنْ تأتوا بثَمَرٍ كثيرٍ فتكونونَ تلاميذي. (يوحَنا 

When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. (John 15:8 AMP)

And said as well:

فليُضِئْ نورُكُمْ هكذا قُدّامَ الناسِ، لكَيْ يَرَوْا أعمالكُمُ الحَسَنَةَ، ويُمَجِّدوا أباكُمُ الّذي في السماواتِ. (مَتَّى 5:16 AVDDV) إذًا نَسعَى كسُفَراءَ عن المَسيحِ (كورِنثوس الثّانيةُ 5:20

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 AMP) and So we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20 AMP)

And i am quoting here few lines from a devotional I read lately "God has chosen to make His love, mercy, grace, justice, righteousness, holiness, and every other aspect of His stunning character visible through you and me! God’s glory is His “wow factor,” because when it is experienced and visibly seen, it’s an awesome reality!"

So when was the last time you stunned your world by loving someone who is unlovable? By forgiving a deep offense? By choosing integrity over compromise? By serving others instead of serving yourself? By reaching out to the poor and oppressed? By extending grace to an needing soul?

Be a Celebrity my Friend! And Act it too!

The Garbage Bag

"Can you take the garbage bags out please?" That's a request 'order' i get quite often from Aline..well you can guess these are heavy bags full of....garbage and seems logic for a man to do...but i always didnt like it..probably because i am not that good in tying the knot and closing well these black plastic bags! 

When we moved to amsterdam, we got our fitst culture shock! Garabage collection happens only TWICE a week, bet2oulou eih ya wlad..twice a week! Not only that, you have to get out the garbage yourself (no matter rain, snow, storm, -15c.) to a specific designated spot (بلاطة محددة على الرصيف..ده بجد) few meters away from home on Tusday and Friday morning between 7:00 and 7:45 in a black well sealed plastic bag!! يا حلاوة!!What if i miss the garbage truck? Hard luck, youll keep your trash with you until the next collection day! And you can imagine what does it mean to keep some garbage for a week..happened once..and i can tell..only once was enough to make me not miss it again! At that moment, i missed back home عم ابراهيم البواب the porter who passed by everymorning at our doorstep to collect the garbage daily..what a great option and a great sensation!

This made me think, are we doing it the dutch way when it comes to cleaning out our heart and pouring out all our Garbage "in prayer" at His feet? Are we keeping these plastic bags inside until it starts stinking..and becomes painful and only then we decide to clean it out? Do people around me notice this smell of not taking my garbage out..as probably it shows..sooner or later? We have the option to do it DAILY EVERY MORNING EVERY MINUTE...not on a specific balata or sealed bag..but are we using it? Are making use of some breaks/days off to do that cleaning or we r just piling up more and more?

Dear God, I thank you that you are a God abundance, a God of daily presence, reaching out to us and asking us to come and pour our hearts at your feet..i thank that you said clearly

أَنَا أُحِبُّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَنِي، وَٱلَّذِينَ يُبَكِّرُونَ إِلَيَّ يَجِدُونَنِي. لِأَنَّهُ مَنْ يَجِدُنِي يَجِدُ ٱلْحَيَاةَ، وَيَنَالُ رِضًى مِنَ ٱلرَّبِّ، (أَمْثَالٌ 8:17, 35)

And you told us to come to you

تعالَوْا إلَيَّ يا جميعَ المُتعَبينَ والثَّقيلي الأحمالِ، وأنا أُريحُكُمْ. (مَتَّى 11:28

I want to come to you every morning and ask you to give me a clean heart like David prayed to you..i want it to be a Daily Option!

Thank you!

Bring your garbage out daily..and He ll bring you a new House daily!

Scary Night Watch

Playground! الفسحة! Who doesn't smile like me when he recalls his playground at school...it meant everything fun for us..it meant freedom, energy, breaking loose, football, basket, (سجاير في الحمامات for some people), it meant all that fun until that specific moment!
Once during those scout camps at school (معسكرات الكشافة) i had the duty of night watch (حراسة ليلية) at 3:00 am..the darkest hour..we just simply had to guard our camping site who was just in the heart of our playground (sounds silly i know..but it was THE peak of our adventurous camping..an honour to go through)! Suddenly this joyful place i knew each inch of it by heart, became, in this darkness, the scariest doom..the horror site of walking trees, shadows appearing on the walls, sounds of steps running afar, and ابو رجل مسلوخة waiting to eat his next terrified scout boy! And as you guessed it..i am still alive, not eaten yet, as it was all in my head, the playground was the same during night and day, it was darkness that stripped away my joy and replaced it with doubts and fear!

Isn't our Life a bigger playground, where we can walk through with a big smile on our face or with a fearing doubting heart...we can walk with faith knowing what awaits out there, or walk with worry and anxiousness questioning how we will survive all this! I believe, as in the playground, LIGHT is the changing factor..and yes, I thank God we know who said these powerful mighty words:

ثُمَّ كَلَّمَهُمْ يَسُوعُ أَيْضًا قَائِلًا: «أَنَا هُوَ نُورُ ٱلْعَالَمِ. مَنْ يَتْبَعْنِي فَلَا يَمْشِي فِي ٱلظُّلْمَةِ بَلْ يَكُونُ لَهُ نُورُ ٱلْحَيَاةِ». (يُوحَنَّا 8:12

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. (John 8:12 AMP)
Dear God, I come at your feet today, opening my heart for your light to shine in the darkest places .God,i really want to walk in your light.., i want you to open the eyes of my heart Lord like you did open the eyes of the blind men..chasing away fear and darkness..knowing that even in the darkest hours, your light will keep shining..in me and through me!

Darkness is a state of faith, my friends!
Note: funny enough, i lately checked our official class graduation pic taken near one of the school gates, saw the statue of Jesus Christ being the center of the pic..and guess what, three words were engraved under it, this same verseانا نور العالم ..if i only just read it carefully on that night...كان ابو رجل مسلوخة خاف مني اليوم دة :-)

Olive Oil in Jars of Clay

I love olive oil...in salads, with fish, on labnah, even law ghamesto lwa7do! Lucky that i am livinh now in the biggest oil producing country world wide :) Last night refilling our olive oil jar, made me look back when this product meant business..it was again one of these state controlled commodities during Roman times. It was used for eating, annointing, religiuos rituals, even for oil lamps. It was VITAL!

To my wonder, i read about its history, and came to find about a small hill in Rome called "Monte Testaccio"..probably you havent heard of it yet as well! it s an artificial hill in Rome with a circumference of nearly a kilometre and stands 35 metres high, though it was probably considerably higher in ancient times, composed almost entirely of fragments of broken amphorae (clay vessels-fokhar) used for olive oil transport dating from the time of the Roman Empire, containing the remains of an estimated 53 million empty useless vessels! It stands a short distance away from the east bank of the River Tiber, near the Horrea Galbae where the state-controlled reserve of olive oil was stored in the late 2nd century AD.
!يعني من الاخر كان اكبر مقلب زبالة في هذا الزمن

Basically, with all the production/imports they had during the Roman empire, they had quite a problem of recycling their packaging material! These vessels at the end didnt mean anything, it was cheaper to throw them away..eventually creating this hill! Cause their value is in WHAT THEY CONTAIN and the SOURCE it came from!

Wow..this brought a total new perspective of what Saint Paul refers to, talking about what we really are..and where our power/value comes from. He wrote it perfectly in his letter to Corinthians:

"However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:7 AMP)"

(ولكن لنا هذا الكَنزُ في أوانٍ خَزَفيَّةٍ، ليكونَ فضلُ القوَّةِ للهِ لا مِنّا. (كورِنثوس الثّانيةُ 

It was that clear to him that the value created in you and I..the value we bring to others around us, the good works we struggle to spread and the unhuman forgiveness we are to offer..is coming from our God..dwelling in us, through His Holy Spirit..it can not just come from these fragile clay breakable vessles!

Dear God, I thank you today knowing that it does not depend on me, but the power comes from a Higher source, i pray that I am filled everyday with your Holy Spirit, the Oil of your presence making it known that this vessel is just uncapable ALONE of going the extra mile you asked us to go. In Jesus name, Amen!

King-size Bed!

A King size bed is a blessing all parents know..or a queen size too..or a prince size (doesn't exist i guess so)..el mohem, serir kebir! You surely know why..it is just to fit the kids when they decide to come sleeping next to you in the middle of the night! Feeling about to fall out of bed at 3am is something usual in a life of a parent..being kicked, waking up with a foot in your face, or without a cover cause some little one took it all...that's what my lovely Leila and Farida do at times..and they are getting bigger and bigger every year..but the bed is not!

It seems that i never get the lesson cause i always ask them the same question and get the same answer!
Me: why did you come ya banat into our bed?
Them: because we felt (uncomfortable..afraid...cold..anxious..etc) and we felt safer next to you..so We Run to your bed!

They know exactly where their comfort, safety and peace is! They love lots of things in the house and loads of other room to go to..yOu can guess..living room=TV , kitchen=FRIDGE, plaroom=TOYS..but at times of need, they know where to head to..they head to their parents room!

Made me wonder, when I am feeling (uncomfortable..afraid...cold..anxious..etc), to whom or where do I run? With these feelings, i know that i used to run to people and to things, or even actions..some of us run to a friend, others to the fridge, others to smoking, to sports, to drinks, a relationship..loads of options! Wish i could learn from my kids...in the darkest hour of night, to run to the right room..to where my Father is..and guess what..His room is NEVER locked!

Dear God, on this special day I pray from the deep of my heart to always know where to go to..to choose the right option..to come closer and closer to You..like wrote in proverbs (امثال) The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong. (Proverbs 18:10 AMP)

Knowing that in You we find our real selves again..like You said loud and clear

تعالَوْا إلَيَّ يا جميعَ المُتعَبينَ والثَّقيلي الأحمالِ، وأنا أُريحُكُمْ. اِحمِلوا نيري علَيكُمْ وتعَلَّموا مِنّي، لأنّي وديعٌ ومُتَواضِعُ القَلبِ، فتجِدوا راحَةً لنُفوسِكُمْ. لأنَّ نيري هَيِّنٌ وحِملي خَفيفٌ». (مَتَّى 11:28-30

Let me in this year LIVE THESE WORDS! In Jesus name, Amen!

Happy Birthday to You!

When birthdays come near, we just judge automatically how long this person still has to live among us..obviously someone turning 15, we don't write on his facebook wall "Rabena ytawellena fi 3omrak..Rabena ykhalik lina"..we take for granted that he still has long life..unlike birthday wishes of someone in his late seventies!

I just cant help myself thinking of all the lives that left us to a better place earlier than we thought...lives that blessed us, and encouraged us, so many examples, Nathalie, Raja, Meral,... Sad but true, first thing I do, when i read that someone left us, specially young ones, i go and check their "facebook" page..suddenly a whole life is revealed in front of my eyes..you see posted in their "timeline" their days, their actions, trips, comments, thoughts, memories, a whole life giving a deeper meaning to separation..a different ache in the heart..a real close one!

It just made me think, of what is written in James (يعقوب)

هَلُمَّ الآنَ أيُّها القائلونَ: «نَذهَبُ اليومَ أو غَدًا إلَى هذِهِ المدينةِ أو تِلكَ، وهناكَ نَصرِفُ سنَةً واحِدَةً ونَتَّجِرُ ونَربَحُ». أنتُمُ الّذينَ لا تعرِفونَ أمرَ الغَدِ! لأنَّهُ ما هي حَياتُكُم؟ إنَّها بُخارٌ، يَظهَرُ قَليلًا ثُمَّ يَضمَحِلُّ. (يعقوبَ 4:13, 14 AVDDV)

Yes, our life will be on this "timeline" we leave behind, be it on facebook or in the hearts of people around us! What posts or uploaded memories we want to be tagged in..thank God we can edit and delete what's on our wall..but real life doesnt have that luxury!
I thank the Holy spirit that James continued it perfectly in the next verse:

فمَنْ يَعرِفُ أنْ يَعمَلَ حَسَنًا ولا يَعمَلُ، فذلكَ خَطيَّةٌ لهُ. (يعقوبَ 4:17 AVDDV)

Dear God, I thank for telling us
"Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:33 AMP)"

I thank you for letting me know that every day is a precious gift, that i should embrace every minute of it. I pray to have the open eyes and heart to see what i leave behind me..and to know that you are there watching over me. In Jesus name, Amen!

Lets be ready my friends!

Salty SALARY!

IT IS today...First day of the month..yes...time to check the bank account...THE SALARY is here! I know many of us wait for that day to come impatiently, for the salary means paying debts, buying stuff, medication, rent, etc. Salary is a sweet word to our ears, it has been linked to your value and worth for your company and the market place!

Made me wonder where this word comes from? I found out that salary comes from "SALARIUM" which derives from SALT. yes, salt ملح! During Roman empire, salt was "the salary" paid to soldiers, salt in the times of Jesus was not sold in Carrefour or عم مصطفى البقال, salt was scarce, was a necessity of life. It was used for seasoning (to give a nice flavor), preserving material (keep from turning bad..there was no deep freezer we talaga om babein), and sometimes to disinfect wounds..do you know that major reason for conquering lands was to secure salt back to "headoffice".. romans had soldiers guarding (Via Salaria)..the salt road leading back to Rome!

No wonder when i read Jesus words now i get a total different perspective of what we He what He tells us we are or ought to be! He said:

«أنتُمْ مِلحُ الأرضِ، ولكن إنْ فسدَ المِلحُ فبماذا يُمَلَّحُ؟ لا يَصلُحُ بَعدُ لشَيءٍ، إلّا لأنْ يُطرَحَ خارِجًا ويُداسَ مِنَ الناسِ. (مَتَّى 5:13

Am i expected to be that valuable..i am created to be a necessity of life to the community..are you a necessity? Do you make a difference in your surrounding like salt does, or you are tasteless, with a lost identity..like salt that does not salt!

Dear God, i pray today seeking your guidance, on how to pour my pinch of salt today..make my heart open for knowing where to act..makes my eyes see where salt is needed..difference is needed..and make it, In your name. Amen!

Throw in your "Pinch of Salt" my friends!