Devoirs de Vacances

Do you remember these so-called Devoirs de Vacances-Literally translated "Vacations' Homework"-Here I face them again with my kids..but this time with a lesson. On the last week of school, Aline and I went to meet our daughters' teachers to get a feedback about this year's progress. The interesting thing in our meeting is that, next to the focus on the past year, the teachers spent a handful amount of time talking about summer, Yes, SUMMER! They talked so passionately about the importance of keeping the kids happy and enjoying the skills they crafted throughout the year..the reading, calculating, writing and more. Quoting one of them "Leila needs to feel connected to school even being physically not there..her connection is through keep doing what she enjoys at school..this will not only develop her..but make her ready and hungry to come back and learn more..she will start back school, fitting in, and hit the ground running as she, in summer, lived the school before it starts"!

WOW..That was an eye opener for the eternity we are getting ready for. It made me reflect on the life I am leading on earth, and whether the "Summer" I am living into shall lead smoothly and willingly "Back to School" or not. Same for Heaven, Am I living "Heaven" on "Earth" by acknowledging and cherishing the Love and Companionship of my Creator throughout all my days?! If Heaven is living eternally with Him, would I still want to be there...despite that I struggle sitting and enjoying His presence at least on a daily basis for few minutes? As for my kids, what if Reading, writing or maths don't move them at all..Would they wanna be back to school? I see their hunger to learn more makes them ready to embrace the days to come and the joy school will bring..They are living it before it starts.

I pray today that the short life you and I are living become a true opportunity to experience HIS Love, and taste every day the Kingdom of God that is WITHIN us as Jesus Said 
"For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. (‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭21‬)" 
ولَمّا سألهُ الفَرّيسيّونَ: «مَتَى يأتي ملكوتُ اللهِ؟». أجابَهُمْ وقالَ: «لا يأتي ملكوتُ اللهِ بمُراقَبَةٍ، ولا يقولونَ: هوذا ههنا،أو: هوذا هناكَ! لأنْ ها ملكوتُ اللهِ داخِلكُمْ». (‭17‬ ‮لوقا‬:‭20-21‬ AVDDV)

Let's Live Heaven on earth and That Love so big that shall grow into us and shared outwards to all the world around us. Allow me to quote these expressive words from Pope Francis talking about our readiness "We must let him prepare our hearts, our eyes, our ears for our homeland. Being prepared for heaven means starting to see it from afar," he said, and that requires prayer, courage and the humility to allow the Lord to work in one's life.

Enjoy your Summer prepared my friends!

The "Wanting" to Change

"Coaching" is the big thing now in the world of human development. Who ever is in the business world knows what "coaching" means. Most of the time, it is a one to one tailor made form of training made for executives, that unlike traditional therapy, which often focuses on the past, on who you got to where you are now, coaching focus on the present and future, on where you want to go (in life or business) and the most effective way to get there.

I am reading these days a book by one of the top business coaches in our days "Marshall Goldsmith" with an interesting title and topic "What Got You Here Wont Get You There". He was talking about his role as a coach and his ability to make success with his clients who with, a big ego, tend to resist a needed change. He wrote a statement that caught my attention "I have now made peace with the fact that I can not 'make' people change. I can only help them get better at what they 'choose' to change". This "wanting to change" is the key. Boom! This is so simple..yet powerfully true!

Same in the spiritual world, our Loving god has created us with the free will to "choose and want". I guess that the most amazing changes happened to the ones wanting to go the extra mile..wanting to reject their reality and embrace a new world...the ones that made God's might meet their heart's desire. Their boldness and courage melt my heart. Every time I read the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar at the wall of Jericho, I see this boldness that I pray having one day. Those 6 lines in Mark 10:46-52 are worth reading..every letter of it. The scene is great to imagine and allow me to quote these three verses:

فلَمّا سمِعَ أنَّهُ يَسوعُ النّاصِريُّ، ابتَدأَ يَصرُخُ ويقولُ: «يا يَسوعُ ابنَ داوُدَ، ارحَمني!» فانتَهَرَهُ كثيرونَ ليَسكُتَ، فصَرَخَ أكثَرَ كثيرًا: «يا ابنَ داوُدَ، ارحَمني!». فوَقَفَ يَسوعُ وأمَرَ أنْ يُنادَى. فنادَوْا الأعمَى قائلينَ لهُ: «ثِقْ! قُمْ! هوذا يُناديكَ». (مَرقُسَ.  10:47-49)

He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!” Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”” (Mark 10:47-49 ERV)

The blind Bartimaeus's deep manifested desire caught the attention of Jesus and literally stopped Him! This is a person that took 4 crucial decisions: He knew he was blind...He didnt accept his situation...wanted deep down to change..and finally he knew in Whose hands to put his faith! I am sure if Marshall Goldsmith had Bartimaeus as an executive under coaching..He would have written about his success story of change!

God, i pray to have this faith..I pray to have the listening soul for the "coaching" of your Holy Spirit. Amen

May the blind open the eyes of our heart, Lord!