Hotel Bedrooms..and beds!

Hotel bedrooms...and most of all the "all-over the bed" fluffy cushions that just seem to hug you once you lay down your head..who cant resist that? Include my family in! We have been travelling lately across different places and spent some nights in hotels. As you know, during holidays, your days are packed, literally you stuff each and every minute with action and don't want to miss a thing..and the kids walk along through your plan..enjoying but at the end of a long day, probably later than their sleeping time, they do long for a good deep sleep. What a nice site seeing them in bed...yet Obviously the challenge is waking them up again quite early to catch a bus or start a tour. I have been trying different techniques and none worked, tickling, shaking, uncovering, pushing, lifting, you name it..nothing effective, except one...I turn on the TV on a cartoon channel...and boom..all alone, without a word from me, they open their eyes, lift their heads and come out of bed to watch what they love properly (an option only allowed in holidays hotel mode)!!! Wow!

Just wondered what puts you out of bed? Waking up for something you love, for a purpose? That igniting start of the day needs a call..some just do it because they have to..otherwise, you miss your school, work, classes, forced to wake up, while others do it with a loving longing heart for a purpose. Jesus showed us what kicked off His days on earth, the day as it should start:

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35 AMP)

وفي الصُّبحِ باكِرًا جِدًّا قامَ وخرجَ ومَضَى إلَى مَوْضِعٍ خَلاءٍ، وكانَ يُصَلّي هناكَ، (مَرقُسَ 1:3 )

Just realizing what you can get out of these moments..the blessings, peace, comfort, guidance, and wisdom. These are some of the fruits you will have for breakfast! Yes, I deeply desire that wake up mode..like my kids, open my eyes, lift my head and come out of bed to receive His Love!

Don't know what wakes you up? Remember the cartoon channel trick!

Intimacy

"Diane is my intime".."NO..she is MY intime"..."NO, MINE!".."MINE!" And here we go..another long argument of whose intime Diane is! Leila and Farida are growing fast and naturally the "Intime" concept enters our world!

Seeing that debate, I took them aside for a father-daughters talk and started sharing with them the magnificent concept of "Intimacy".
"You know girls..An "intime" friend is not a day and night relationship, it is found through heart warming close walk of life built through cosy talks and one to one moments. My intimacy was built with my "intimes" during the one to one trip to basata and the morning prayers on that small hill, my one to one trips to sokhna and long sleeples nights of chatting in the balcony eating the left overs of the afternoon's mashway we grilled together..my ups and downs emotions at the beginning of adulthood at university shared with a friend on the ahwa in kasr el 3eini or just long walks in these silent (back then) downtown streets at 2am...even the chats in the car after an early morning run or an intense session at the gym..or sharing a snack in the kitchen makes it all. These are the moments that built that relationship..that made us "Intimes". Those intime are there for you whenever you want them..they will change their schedule for you and make sure your comfort and peace is back...the ones loving what You love and hating what you hate; the ones that know your deepest desires and struggles! When it comes to the joy of intimacy, it surely takes two to be Intime...you shall do the same to them. You can go out to big parties, birthdays, camps, and make 100s of new friends, but the intime ones are those you invest intimate one to one times, those who will share with you the hot cup of chocolate under a blanket in a cold night sleep over."

I just realized that Our fellowship with God is not far from what we experience with our intime friends, in fact, it follows the same dynamics..this heart warming relationship will never be built solely through crowded encouters but rather through close intimate one to one moments drawing yourself close to His arms and pouring it all at His feets..opening the door when you hear Him knocking and calling Him inside for this hot cup of tea and a needed healing chat!

Didnt He say..

أنا أُحِبُّ الّذينَ يُحِبّونَني، والّذينَ يُبَكِّرونَ إلَيَّ يَجِدونَني. (أمثالٌ 8:17)

I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17 AMP)
And He wants to speak to us like close friends:

ويُكلِّمُ الرَّبُّ موسَى وجهًا لوَجهٍ، كما يُكلِّمُ الرَّجُلُ صاحِبَهُ. (الخُروجُ 33:11

In this way the Lord spoke to Moses face to face like a man speaks with his friend. (Exodus 33:11 ERV)

Just close your eyes now and recall the joy and comfort these moments with your intime brought to your heart..and imagine this "face to face talk" with the one who loves you to death. He seeks His intimate time with you. Are you ready to cultivate this great intimacy..or you are just satisfied being occasional friends!

What a friend we have in Him!

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!