Change of Seasons

Change of seasons has its rituals here in Europe. Welcoming winter requires some life adjustments to the city and its inhabitants, not only referring to some Christmas decoration on the streets, earlier hour for turning on the light posts and Anti Slippery snow ready tires, but also about the preparations put in place to receive such a harsh season. what was truly catching my attention is how they dealt with greenery and trees, the beautiful sight of "dead" colorful tree leaves displaying a splendid array of red to orange colors will soon all fall to leave naked thick "scary" branches. They know end of Autumn comes with heavy winds to bring down the leaves, but also shake off the dead branches. For that, they go around trimming and cutting off loose branches to avoid that this beautiful autonomy looking tree doesn't turn into a life threatening block falling on the heads of pedestrians or crushing down cars. Cutting away and Trimming the tree to Make it safe and ready for the trials of Blowing winds and loads of Snow!

You know that you and I are branches hanging to the Tree of Life, Branches extending from our Lord. I love tis passage in John 15, where Jesus talks to us about the power of abiding in Him, Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine/tree, neither can we bear fruit unless we abide in Him. But the second verse of this passage might be shocking to some:

"Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." (John 15:2 AMP)
«أنا الكَرمَةُ الحَقيقيَّةُ وأبي الكَرّامُ. كُلُّ غُصنٍ فيَّ لا يأتي بثَمَرٍ يَنزِعُهُ، وكُلُّ ما يأتي بثَمَرٍ يُنَقّيهِ ليأتيَ بثَمَرٍ أكثَرَ. (15 يوحَنا:1-2 )

Yes, We will be cleansed and trimmed to bear more fruits, we will go through tough cutting to be ready for the winds to come and for the snow to carry. God, Through His loving Hands, knows how our dead branches can crush the ones around us, how falling leaves can leave a mess and slippery grounds on our path of life. It is tough yet His caring hands and Holy Spirit will allow and take us through to bring us to make you and I bear richer, and more excellent fruits. 

Heavenly Father, Here I am..Make me ready for the change of seasons...ready to stand firm and strong abiding in You when the wind blows and winter tests..for in Spring by your glory I shall flourish your Love to the world and bring shade to the ones in need.

Let the trimming begin my friends!

I don't know that man!

What starts small, can grow bigger than your control.
On that special Holy Thursday, allow me to take you through an eye opening personal experience. It was on a rainy Saturday morning, stuck at home with the kids, i decided to fetch for my notebook to scribble down some thoughts. And the long searching started, going from my room up to the kitchen drawers...only to stop at the end by an innocent voice pointing me out to the balcony...! Here was my notebook, soaking up all the rain it could get like a thirsty camel! Angry me, got my notebook in and was waiting for some explanation...looking at these shameful eyes and trembling voice. Leila realized, after first drawing throughout few pages in my notebook, that she has done something i asked her not to do. Afraid of facing me with such an act, she decided to hide it out of my sight...may be i ll forget all about this notebook anyhow...and yes, that's where the balcony pops up again in the story..and you know the rest. I explained to her firmly yet in my arms that what started with "coloring" ended up in an "all wet" bigger problem..."two wrongs don't make it a right". All the Big wrongs have a small innocent beginning..yet allowed to grow.

Can't help not think about Peter on that tough Thursday night of trial:

But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. (Matthew 26:70, 72, 74 NIV)

فأنكَرَ قُدّامَ الجميعِ قائلًا: «لستُ أدري ما تقولينَ!». فأنكَرَ أيضًا بقَسَمٍ: «إنّي لستُ أعرِفُ الرَّجُلَ!». فابتَدأَ حينَئذٍ يَلعَنُ ويَحلِفُ: «إنّي لا أعرِفُ الرَّجُلَ!». وللوقتِ صاحَ الدّيكُ. (مَتَّى 26:70, 72, 74)

It's been shocking to me seeing how a small denying lie was growing into swearing..then brutally transformed into cursing and insulting, yes, a disciple insulting. What? But how? This is Peter, the Rock..even a disciple as solid and bold as Peter was falling into the swirling growing sin effect. We always talk about Peter denying, but rarely think of him reaching a level of swearing and cursing. Oh God, how many times i have accepted a small drop of lie to end up in a pool of mud...yes, the flood always starts with a drop!

But that same Peter, experiencing the love of Christ, the forgiveness of His Heart, received the Holy Spirit who took him to a whole new level of authority. Not only he declared his faith but taught it to the multitude openly and got 3000 on his first big public speech! Wow...this is a Turn-Around as defined. From denying You in front of a slave to fishing 3000 souls.

Dear Jesus, i thank you for praying strength over the faith of Peter, for knowing that he will go through tough times, but yet you saw him growing out of it triumphant and leading “Satan has asked to test you men like a farmer tests his wheat. O Simon, Simon (Peter), I have prayed that you will not lose your faith!” (Luke 22:31, 32 ERV) I thank you that when times of trial hit us, we know that you sent us strength to fight this drop of sin through the power of your Holy Spirit in us. Amen!

Enjoy His loving forgiveness on that day and everyday!

Stand your Ground!

"Stand your ground-اثبت مكانك" ...a statement (and a song) that keeps going in mind everytime I negotiate and discuss with...my 6 years old twins!
Leila (or Farida): Can i play with the ball here..please!
Me: No, no ball inside the house!
She: Pleazzzzeeee!
Me: No is No..خلاص
She: Mwah (بوسة و حضون عميق)
Me: Ok..just 2 minutes
She: Heeeeiihh..merci Pa.."another mwah (بوسة تانية في السريع)"
..(5 minutes later)...
TRAKHHH..اتكسرت الفازة..and even صمغ امير cant fix the vase anymore!
Me: see..That s why I said you should not do this in this the house! Next time just obey!
She (with tears in the eyes): ..But at the end you said OK just for 2 minutes!
Me:.....(silence)

If you are parenting (or managing), you know this moment when you give a direction/order and they start pushing against it and win..you just lose your ground, and as a parent, your words lose their strength and impact..so dont expect them to listen to your directions easily.

This reminds of the times i lost my ground to fighting wrong doings..i say no..but then open the door of negotiation with sin! I lost almost every battle when i decided to keep the door slighly open..because part of me was accepting who I am negotiating with and wanting what i m refusing. Feels so bitter, makes you feel like a loser..and that is exactly the intention of falling, is to get you broken and useless. I read lately the stories of two great names in the bible (Daniel and Joseph) who stood their ground and said no..i encourage you to read them..i selected two verses, that I keep in front of me in times of trial:

أمّا دانيآلُ فجَعَلَ في قَلبِهِ أنَّهُ لا يتنَجَّسُ بأطايِبِ المَلِكِ (دانيآل 1:8 AVDDV)
فأمسَكَتهُ بثَوْبِهِ قائلَةً: «اضطَجِعْ مَعي!». فترَكَ ثَوْبَهُ في يَدِها وهَرَبَ وخرجَ إلَى خارِجٍ. (التَّكوينُ 39:12 AVDDV)

Daniel Just deciding in his heart (not his mind..that tends to negotiate), refusing the great food of the king (and its political implications).. Joseph fleeing a beautiful queen (imagine nefertiti like) wanting him...(or any type of temptation that you know is not correct)...is SO powerful..and yes they got into problems later..but these problems were the turning point to a great life of faith..they got blessed beyond imagination!..just thinking what if they accepted..and negotiated?!

Dear God...i come to you today with all the shameful falls i went through, asking you to pick me up..get into your loving Hug and knowing that I am not alone..I thank you that Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your power is made perfect in my weakness.(2 Corinthians 12:9) ..I thank you for the Holy spirit lifting me up through trials..my strength is in You..I need your Peace! Amen

Do not negotiate..Stand your grounds my friends!

 !!إثبت مكانك
كلمات أغنية تظل تتردد في عقلي كل مرة أدخل في مفاوضات هامة مع .. بناتي التوأم ( عمرهما ٩ سنوات)
ليلة ( أو فريده ) : بابا ، ممكن ألعب بالكرة هنا .. Pleaaase !
!أنا : لأ .. مفيش كرة في البيت
ليلة : pleaaazzzzze !
أنا : لأ يعني لأ .. خلاص
ليلة : موووواه " بوسة و حضن عميق "
أنا : خلاص دقيقتين و بس
ليلة : هييييييه ، Merci Pa ، مواه ( بوسة تانية في السريع)
!بعد خمس دقايق ، دششششش ، الڤازة إتكسرت
حتى صمغ أمير مش هينفع يصلح الڤازة تاني
أنا : شوفتي ! علشان كده أنا قلت مينفعش كرة في البيت ! المرة الجاية إبقي إسمعي الكلام
!!ليلة و عينيها مدمعة : لكن في الآخر إنت وافقت و قلت لي إلعبي دقيقتين
أنا : ..... ( صمت )

لو إنت أب ( أم ) أو مدير تنظم سير العمل ، تعرف جيداً تلك اللحظات حين توجه أو تعطي أمر ثم يبدأ نقاش وجدال و مفاوضات بغرض تعديل رأيك ، يدفعونك لتغير موقفك ، و يكسبون
أنت عندها تفقد " أرضك " ، و كأب .. كلامك سيفقد قوته و سيضعف تأثيره .. فلا تتوقع أن ينفذوا كلامك فيما بعد بسهولة
!وهذا يذكرني بالأوقات التي فقدتُ فيها " أرضاً " في معارك ضد الخطية ، أبدأُ بكلمة " لا " .. ثم أفتح باباً للنقاش
أخسر كل المعارك عندما أترك الأبواب " مواربة " ، لأن جزء مني يرحب بما أتفاوض حوله ، و جزء مني يرغب بشدة ما أحاول أن أرفضه
إحساس مرير ، شعورك بالفشل ! و هذا هو الغرض من السقوط ، أن تنكسر فتصبح عديم القيمة

قرأت مؤخراً عن رجلين عظيمين في الكتاب المقدس
عن دانيال و عن يوسف . اللذين ثبتا مكانهما و قالا " لا " أشجعك أن تقرأ عنهما ، إخترت آيتين لأجعلهما أمامي في كل مرة أمر بتجربة من هذا النوع ..

أمّا دانيآلُ فجَعَلَ في قَلبِهِ أنَّهُ لا يتنَجَّسُ بأطايِبِ المَلِكِ (دانيآل 1:8 )
فأمسَكَتهُ بثَوْبِهِ قائلَةً: «اضطَجِعْ مَعي!». فترَكَ ثَوْبَهُ في يَدِها وهَرَبَ وخرجَ إلَى خارِجٍ. (التَّكوينُ 39:12 )

دانيال .. قرر في قلبه ( وليس عقله الذي ربما يفتح باباً للنقاش ) أن يرفض " أطايب الملك " طعامه الشهي
و يوسف يهرب من ملكة جميلة ( تخيل نفرتيتي مثلاً ) ترغب فيه أو لك أن تتخيل أي تجربة أو إغراء تعرف في داخلك أنه خاطئ
إحساس عنيف ، نزاع صعب ، و نعم بالطبع واجه كلاهما ( دانيال و يوسف ) مشاكل كثيرة نتيجة قراراتهما الصارمة ، و لكن هذه المشاكل لم تكن سوى نقطة تحول عظيمة في حياة و إيمان كل منهما ..ملأت البركة حياتهما بما يفوق التخيل و التصورات
و تخيل معي .. ماذا لو قبل أي منهما النقاش و ترك باب المفاوضات موارباً 

..إلهي الحبيب
!آتي نحوك الآن ، بكل سقطاتي المخجلة ، أتضرع إليك أن تقيمني ، تنتشلني ، أرتمي في أحضان حبك ، و أعلم أني لست وحدي
!أشكرك لأن نعمتك تكفيني ، و أن قوتك تكمل في ضعفي
!أشكرك لأجل الروح القدس الذي يقيمني وقت التجربة و الإختبارات ، قوتي فيك ، لأني بشدة أحتاج سلامك
.آمين

!صديقي .. لا تتفاوض .. إثبت مكانك 

!خلينا منورين ️

Back to School

Suddenly my timeline on facebook is flooded with proud fathers and mothers posting the pictures of their children's first day of school or even nursery..it is all over, the same picture probably, the kid standing there with a back pack half their size looking so cute with a big smile on the face, some times with mami or daddy huggin them so strong! If my mother had facebook, sure i would have seen my same pic posted the'like of fan page of "Dallas (7areem el sultan of that time)" and the latest hit from the super star Dalida!

I just fell in love in all that pride i have seen, i am sure that we all parents, wish the best for our kids at school, but i know that no matter their performance, we will still love them, no matter their failures, they are still running to our shoulders and cry.(i do remeber this day after one of the Chemistry exam in Thanaweya 3amma..my dad's shoulder was soaking wet), cause they know where is their comfort, they know that we are always Proud of them..we are always there to Raise them and lift them up! I really do wish that I am up to that pride and I can keep my Father always always proud of me..as I walk down the path of life seeking worthy to be called His son and He Himself my Father!

God bless your Rentree-first week of school or nursery!