Showing posts with label Darkness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darkness. Show all posts

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Chicken or Fries?!

Aline: Leila, eat your food first before finishing all your fries. Chicken is very good for your growth.
Leila: But mom, I LOVE fries!
Me: and you love chicken as well, right?
Leila: Yes I do love chicken, but I love fries even more and if I eat chicken first, I will be full and won't enjoy my Fries anymore!
Aline and I: ......

I am sure lots you have encountered this in your life time, being the kid or the parent. I can't deny that Leila was straight forward honest. WE all do have preferences that shape our choices, hence our lives on a global scale. Look at your day at work or at home, you might start by the task you love, then the less enjoyable. Your wattsapp groups, checking first the closest to you then moving to the rest. Your music..your food..your channels and so on! We surely enjoy loads of things, yet some are loved more than others.



When it comes to faith and our relation with our Heavenly Father, I always pictured it more of a Black and White choice. I thought once I love Him I must be hating evil, that's it, that's enough, I am safe! But then got hit by this awakening passage in John 3:

"The Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil." (John 3:19 AMP)
وهذِهِ هي الدَّينونَةُ: إنَّ النّورَ قد جاءَ إلَى العالَمِ، وأحَبَّ النّاسُ الظُّلمَةَ أكثَرَ مِنَ النّورِ، لأنَّ أعمالهُمْ كانتْ شِرّيرَةً. (3 يوحَنا:19 )

People loved Darkness more than light...They loved Light, but darkness was a preference, their first choice. Oh Lord, Can it be true, I was soothing myself saying I love you, yet I ignored the fact that Darkness was preferred in MANY times..too many I would say. Darkness satisfied my appetite, my hunger seemed temporarily filled, deceptively leaving no space for Light, just like the chicken and fries of Leila. I was getting in peace with myself, accepting I can love both as long as you are in the formula. But no, they do not mix. We do good, yet accept the dark to co-exist. You have set before us life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore told us to choose life, but we don't, quite too often.

Lord, It is a mysterious choice, a choice so much tarnished by grey shadows, a choice where room temperature seems fine..where cold is too cold and hot is burning...a choice we would prefer not making, but rather live and let live...yes i know this "dancing on the stairs" life and surely it wearies me more than an uphill steady growth. Holy Spirit, help us through our struggles, make our choices clear..guide us choosing LIFE!

Choose what fills your hunger...Choose LIFE!

طاطس و فراخ.
آلين : ليلة ، كُلي الأكل الأول قبل ما تخلصي البطاطس المحمرة ، الفراخ مهمة و مفيدة جداً علشان تكبري
ليلة : لكن يا ماما ، أنا بحب البطاطس
أنا : ولكن بتحبي الفراخ كمان يا ليلة ، مش كدة ؟
ليلة : أيوة بحب الفراخ ، لكن بحب البطاطس أكتر ، ولو أكلت الفراخ الاول هشبع و مش حتبسط و انا باكل البطاطس  
......آلين و أنا 

لا أنكر إن ليلة كانت أمينة و صريحة جداً . كلنا لنا أشياء مفضلة من خلالها تتشكل إختياراتنا ، و بالتالي حياتنا كلها على شكل أشمل
أنظر إلى يومك في العمل أو البيت ، غالباً ما تبدأ بالمهمة التي تستمتع بها قبل تلك التي لا تفضلها
حتى في ال watsapp ، بتلقائية تختار المقربين الى قلبك أولاً، ثم الباقيين :)
في الموسيقى ، الفنون ، الأطعمة ، قنوات التليڤزيون و هكذا
نحن نستمتع بأمور كثيرة ، و لكن بعضها أحب لقلوبنا من البعض الآخر 

و عندما يقترب الامر من الإيمان و علاقتنا بإلهنا السماوي ، أرى الامر أقرب إلى الأبيض و الأسود في الخيارات . اعتقدت في وقت ما أنني إن كنت أحب الله فأنا بالضرورة أكره إبليس ، و هكذا إطمأنيت للفكرة و أنا بذلك في أمان ما دمت أحب الله ! إلى ان إنتبهت على تلك الآيات 
وهذِهِ هي الدَّينونَةُ: إنَّ النّورَ قد جاءَ إلَى العالَمِ، وأحَبَّ النّاسُ الظُّلمَةَ أكثَرَ مِنَ النّورِ، لأنَّ أعمالهُمْ كانتْ شِرّيرَةً. (3 يوحَنا:19 )
أن الناس يحبون الظلمة أكثر من النور ، لقد أحبوا النور ، ولكن الظلمة كانت مفضلة ، كانت إختيارهم الأول

سيدي ، هل يمكن أن تكون تلك حقيقتي ؟! هل كنت أُهَوِّنُ الأمر على نفسي ، أقول أني " أحبك " ، مع هذا أتجاهل أن الظلمة كانت و ما زالت إختياري الأول في كثير من الأوقات
الظلمة ، أرضتني ، أشبعت شهيتي ، جوعي بدا و كأنه " إمتلأ " ! وبخداع شديد .. تنتزع الظلمة أماكن النور في حياتي
تماماً كالفراخ و البطاطس في نظرة ليلة
كنت في سلام مع نفسي ، متقبلاً أن أحب الاثنين " النور و الظلمة " و أتعايش مع كلاهما ، مادام الله موجود في المعادلة ، على كل حال
ولكن .. لا ! إنهما لا يمتزجان معاً ! أن نقوم بالخير ، و معه .. نقبل و جود الشر في نفس الوقت ! لقد وضع أمامنا الحياة و الموت ، البركة و اللعنة ، و من ثم طلب الله منَّا ، أن نختار الحياة ، و لكننا لا نختارها .. في غالبية المرات لا نختارها 

..سيدي
!أنه إختيار غامض ، إختيار مشوه بالدرجات الرمادية ، إختيار .. كدرجة حرارة الغرفة ، فاتر ، و محتمل
!إختيار ، فيه ، الحار حارق ، و البارد ثلجي
!إختيار ، لا نرغب أن نقوم به ، بل نعيش و نتعايش
!نعم أعلم تلك الحياة " الرقص على السلم " ، التي في النهاية تتعبني أكثر بكثير من النمو و الصعود المستمر 
!الروح القدس ، يعيننا خلال هذا الصراع ، يجعل إختياراتنا واضحة ، يقودنا .. فنختار الحياة
!إختر ما يشبع جوعك فعلاً .. إختر الحياة 
!خلينا منورين

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

A Train Ride!

Did you travel by train before? I do personally believe that IT is the best means of travel, quite convenient and Fast (No long check-in processes), Reliable (delays are not that common), and comfortable (usually you have more leg space and walkways than in planes) and Yes...you do not need to choose "Chicken or Beef", there is a whole cafeteria if needed. However, what tops it all is the Scenery you get to enjoy while on a train ride, specially here in spain, we cross through God's amazing nature, from Green pastures, Farming lands, Mountains, valleys and Olive tree fields. I am usual passenger on the 6:45 am train, I can tell you nothing compensates this early wake up but filling my eyes and soul with these beautiful scenes enrobed in the background of a Golden shining sunrise, giving it a dreamy paradise look and feel..but suddenly, all this beauty just disappears, brutally cut and replaced by a total Loud and Black Darkness...We are going through a Tunnel!

 That's the inconvenience about diving in these scenes, you do not know when the tunnel comes, you can't see it from the train windows, you are Just suddenly INTO it, surrounded and captured. What keeps my breath in place is that I know it lasts for few seconds or minutes, then we are out to the green pastures again!. Despite the Darkness I thank God for the Tunnel, It was needed anyhow to get us through this big mountain on our way...otherwise we would have crashed into it!

Our life on earth is a Train Ride! We live in The light and enjoy all its beauties, we look around and thank Him for the gifts He pours in our lives then suddenly, trial comes and all the green turns to black, we lose sight and sense of time not knowing when we'll see the light again. Our Lord Jesus did not promise a Green scene all the way, we are never told our lives will be free from tunnels, storms, hurt or disappointments but He told this graceful fact :

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] (‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ AMP)

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

It is this trust in Him, driving the train that keeps my head above water when flood surrounds, when darkness of a tunnel shuts the light and when all around us seems losing the essence of Love.. when all the news are filled with blood, bombs and death. I know He has conquered it all and I would go back to green fields or to an even Far greater beauty beyond what one have ever seen, heard or imagined as the scriptures says.

Dear God, Today I say a special prayer for all the souls going through war and violence, the souls seeking THE Light at the end of the tunnel, the souls that wonder where you are...and seek Your Peace within. For those I pray today so that they know You have Conquered the World, through you and your spirit they shall pass and they shall see green pastures again. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Life is a Train ride...with tunnels on the way..just Keep His peace!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Clear the Way!

In our house, we just prefer a total darkness when it comes to bed time..no we don't usually use a "nawassa". So for waking up at night, and avoiding to bump your little toe in bed (ouch!) or your knee in the table corner, it requires a high infra-red dark-radar-sight photographic memory skill!

After few months in our new house in Madrid, we started knowing by heart the dimensions of the rooms and I could walk blind folded even to reach anywhere i want..funny enough, the kids were better and faster learning it specially the way from their room to ours. Until one night, sleeping in peace i woke up at the sound of a BOOM..Loud noise..then my daughter crying out. I put on the light to find her on our room floor..she tripped over something..yup..it was there, i knew why..i have left my 47 sized shoes in the middle of the way..it was a trap (quite a big one) waiting for somebody to stumble upon and fall..fall and cry! Since then Aline and I took a commitment to discipline ourselves in keeping all the paths of our house "clear" from any traps and obstacles..all should be back in place right where they belong!



This story reminded me of a verse I have close to my heart:
لذلكَ أنا أيضًا أُدَرِّبُ نَفسي ليكونَ لي دائمًا ضَميرٌ بلا عَثرَةٍ مِنْ نَحوِ اللهِ والناسِ. (أعمالُ الرُّسُلِ 24:16 AVDDV)
Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. (Acts 24:16 AMP)

Yes, I realized that I need in prayer to ask our Heavenly Father for strength in keeping my life and my conscience CLEAR AND VOID of offense not only towards Him but towards my fellow human beings..I need to keep clear any traps of lies, cheating, anger, lust..i need to train my thoughts and seek the Holy spirit liberating my conscience from traps on the way as it has the power to pull me down..and trip others along! I pray for that in Jesus name, Amen.

Commit to keep your conscious clear my friends!

Friday, January 10, 2014

The Night Runner

Running..Who's in? I am happily amazed by the trend of Running that is taking over the world and even happier to see it happening back home, on the busy streets of Cairo, with groups like Cairo Runners having 147,000 followers on their facebook page and "actually" thousands running..not just following on FB. For me, I am the Night-time runner type..I just like the silent streets, the glowing light bulbs and the release it brings you after a stressed day at work. To my surprise, I found out that Night running is becoming THE trend with its runners tripling around the globe in the last couple of years!

One can not hide the risk of running on dark streets where visibility can put your safety at risk! That's why clever and adaptive companies like Nike and Asics created a whole line of sports wear for city night running...they have added to the shorts, t-shirts and shoes a strip of Retro-reflective (this silver strip) material that bounces the light back to its source making you visible to the cars on the dark asphalt jungle you are running through. Brilliant "shiny" idea!


Made me think about you and I when Jesus called us to be Light of the World! Wow!

“You are the light that shines for the world to see. You are like a city built on a hill that cannot be hidden. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14, 16 ERV)
أنتُمْ نورُ العالَمِ. لا يُمكِنُ أنْ تُخفَى مدينةٌ مَوْضوعَةٌ علَى جَبَلٍ، فليُضِئْ نورُكُمْ هكذا قُدّامَ الناسِ، لكَيْ يَرَوْا أعمالكُمُ الحَسَنَةَ، ويُمَجِّدوا أباكُمُ الّذي في السماواتِ. (مَتَّى 5:14, 16 AVDDV)


Midst the darkness surrounding you, YOU are called to be the Light..in fact, just as the retro-reflective clothing shines in the dark..we are called to shine back the Light of our Lord, the source of all Light..the One who said with full authority I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (John 8:12). If we stick to Him, seek His Holy Spirit, we shall be the Light, reflecting back the image of our Heavenly Father!


Put on your Running shoes of Faith and Shine back His Light my friends!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

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 :-)