Floaters

Vacations with Kids has its undeniable benefits. Next to the joy they bring of just being there, Leila and Farida add another dimension to the excitement of the days. They just want to live each day to the fullest, they are ready mentally and physically to enjoy since the minute they open their eyes, specially if it's a summer destination where the beach or pool is as-if calling them since the first hour of the day. This enthusiasm touched me deep when on the first morning at our beach destination, we woke up, got dressed for breakfast, and here they are fully ready...putting on their swimming goggles (نظارات الغطس), hahaha, it was hilarious, not even seeing the pool yet, we went walking to breakfast with their goggles on, they were receiving the day with open arms and a WIDER open heart to enjoy.

Their enthusiasm and readiness reminded me of The feeding the multitude great miracle performed by Jesus. Just imagine a huge gathering of at least 5000 sitting all day listening to our Lord's teachings, not thinking about their next meal. There was obviously no catering tents, nor a feast set up for them, it was Only Jesus teaching. When hunger stroke in, they followed Jesus orders and Sat down to receive their dinner. Some of them must have noticed that He only had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, but still sat down to receive. If I were there, not seeing that the sermon was "food included", I might have have left to catch up the "grocery store" before it closes its doors, I am sure some of the multitude did so. But others Believed and Stayed as in Matthew 14:

The followers answered, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish.” Jesus said, “Bring the bread and the fish to me.” Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. (Matthew 14:17-19)
فقالوا لهُ: «ليس عِندَنا ههنا إلّا خَمسَةُ أرغِفَةٍ وسَمَكَتانِ». فقالَ: «ائتوني بها إلَى هنا». فأمَرَ الجُموعَ أنْ يتَّكِئوا علَى العُشبِ. ( مَتَّى ١٤: ١٧-١٩)

Dear Lord, I come to you today at this first hour with a open heart hungry to receive. Even if my eyes do not see the feeding and blessings you have prepared, but my heart kneels on the grass to receive the meal you put forth in front of me...and I know as with the multitudes, your meal is sufficient and abundant with leftovers for me to feed the ones in need. I bring my heart to you today with my Goggles on even before seeing the Pool of your blessings!

Dear friends, Put on your Goggles and Dive in His blessings!

Summer, Swimming and a Lesson

Summer and Swimming are two eternally inseparable words (Specially if you live in a 40 something degrees country). Going to the pool or the beach with my girls added a lot of fun to it, bringing great moments of bonding and fun missed by a working father. I am happy that they finally learned how to swim confidently without floaters (عوامات), it just gives them another level of enjoyment as well for us as parents an additional sense of security. Couple of weeks ago, we went for a weekend along the sea shores to soak the sun and welcome summer. Here we are digging our feet in the hot sand, standing at the beach, I saw in their eyes a sense of freedom and pride looking at their "floaters-free" arms, ready to jump in the water..and Splash! It only took them 5 minutes and some waves to realize that this is not a pool, this is a way lesser stable environment, where they felt pushed, pulled, dragged, splashed-in-the-face by waves and...surely at risk! They both held my arms with one request: Can we wear the floaters please!

So many lessons I get from them! I just realized that no matter how big, independent, knowledgeable and powerful we become, we still need our "floaters" too. This world is more of a roaring Sea than a silent wave less blue swimming pool where a green flag at sea might turn to Red anytime. NO matter how stable my life is, waves keep coming whether I like it or not, and then only then, I will not worry as I have my floating rescue ring keeping my head above water. David the Psalmist knew perfectly who and what to hold on to when the current pulls and the waves are restless:

Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. (‭Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭4‬ AMP)
أيضًا إذا سِرتُ في وادي ظِلِّ الموتِ لا أخافُ شَرًّا، لأنَّكَ أنتَ مَعي. عَصاكَ وعُكّازُكَ هُما يُعَزّيانِني‭‬ ‮ (المزامير ٣٢:٧)

Dear Lord, I thank you that You are there watching like a father, keeping your eyes on us in this roaring sea. I want to live my life knowing that I am holding strong to the One that keeps my head up high, and my heart praises thanks when I know that 
"The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth." (‭Psalm‬ ‭145‬:‭18‬). 
I thank you for the Rescue Ring you have put in me! In Jesus Name, Amen!

Life is not a swimming pool, keep you Rescue Ring ready!

School performance..and a Father

Fist of all, I would like to wish all my friends and dear ones "Ramadan Kareem"! May it bring the warmth and love we always share together during its days and long nights!

This year Ramadan coincides with the last days of school for many of our children. The excitement it brings to my kids is not caused by the vacation to start soon, but rather by the end of "year closing event" they will perform in front of all the parents, showcasing what they learned and put their efforts in perfecting. Leila and Farida kept rehearsing their songs and plays, thinking about the surprising effect they will leave on us.
Here comes the BIG day of the show, they went to school and with a big kiss on my face they told me "See you today Papi, don't be late." I went as promised since I missed it last year, and sat among all the parents that came to watch their kids glowing and growing as a year passed by by. All the kids looked amazing, with the biggest proud smiles on their faces, looking with confidence into the eyes of their parents with a posture of "Look at me...I am a super star". They got their confidence by the applause and kisses sent in the air from their moms and dads. ALL so cheerful except one, who had her eyes wet, her head turning around, every second and another, standing on the tips of her toes, searching desperately for her parents...who didn't show up, despite the promise to be there. I was really sad, you could see her confidence shaken, her hopes crashed and her interest lost. She knew that no one is there to cheer for her. At the end show, her mother came in running, and as soon as the girl's eyes fell on her, she broke into unstoppable tears...in fact both of them.
So small of an incident, so Big of emotions!

In that moment, I thanked God for always having His eyes over me. How comfortable and peace inducing is the confidence we have in His presence throughout our days. I know that all my works are in front of His eyes, to rejoice and to save. I know that nothing can separate me of His love..no distance, darkness, sleep, traffic, work nothing...He is watching all over me. I Love this verse in Psalm 34:

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry (Psalm 34:15 NIV)
عَينا الرَّبِّ نَحوَ الصِّدّيقينَ، وأُذُناهُ إلَى صُراخِهِمْ. (المَزاميرُ ١٥:٣٤)

I pray today that our walk in life would bring Him joy and pride as my kids did brought to my heart that day. Yet I know, that no matter what mistake I do on stage, He will be there helping, correcting and cheering me up as He promised saying "and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. (Matthew 28:20 AMP)". AMEN!

Keep your peace my friends...He is ALWAYS there!

!إرفعوا الستار

آخر ايام العام الدراسي
 الاثارة التي تملأ عيون الاطفال بإقتراب الاجازه ، ويفوقها اثارة و حماس ( حفلة نهاية السنة الدراسية ) .. الاستعدادات للعرض الكبير الذي سيقدمونه امام الاباء و الامهات و الذي يجمعون فيه كل ما تعلموه طوال العام ويستجمعون كل قدراتهم الصغيرة علي الإبهار
 ظلت بناتي يتدربن بكل حماس علي الاغنيات و يراجعن الادوار ..في انتظار اللحظة التي فيها ستلتقي أعيننا وهم علي المسرح و نحن ننظر ونستمع بإنبهار شديد ، و نفكر كيف يكبر الاطفال بسرعه 
ثم جاء اليوم الكبير و قبلتني ابنتي بسرعه قبل المدرسه وقالت " هشوفك النهارده .. متتأخرش "
 وعدتها وذهبت تماماً كما وعدتها ( فمازال ضميري يؤنبني لاني لم احضر حفل العام الماضي ) وجلست بين الاباء والامهات في انتظار أطفالنا في أبهي لحظاتهم.
صعد الاطفال علي المسرح بعيون تلمع بالسعاده والفخر..عيون تنطق بكلمه واحده " انا نجمة
يستجمعون ثقتهم بنظرات في اعين اباءهم ويتلقون السند والشجاعه وقبلات في الهواء هنا وهناك
 كلهم سعداء إلا واحدة .. ظلت تبحث بعينها الصغيره الدامعة... تلتفت كل دقيقه .. تقف علي اطراف اصابعها بحثاً عن ابيها او امها .. احزنني ان اري ثقتها تهتز .. و املها يتحطم .. وببساطة فقدت حماسها للحفل ، فلم يكن هناك من يسعد طفولتها
 في نهايه الحفل دخلت ام الطفله تجري و جرت الطفله نحوها في بكاء و حسرة... و بكت الام ايضاً.. موقف بسيط جداً .. و مؤثر جداً
و لكني في هذه اللحظة شكرت الله الذي لم يرفع عينه عني ابدا
وكم هو احساس مريح و يبعث علي السلام.

!تلك الثقه بوجوده... بحضوره... بملازمته لنا كل ايام حياتنا

!وأعلم ان كل أعمالي امام عينيه ، فأفرح قلبه .. وفي وقت الحاجة... يحميني
 و انا أدرك انه لا شئ ...لا شئ ...يمكن ان يفصلني عن محبته...لا يعوقه شئ عن ملاحظتي و الاعتناء بي .. المسافات لا تعوقه .. و لا ظلمه !تحجبه و لا زحام يضلله .. الهي لا ينعس و لا ينام

يقول عنه داود النبي في المزمور
عَينا الرَّبِّ نَحوَ الصِّدّيقينَ، وأُذُناهُ إلَى صُراخِهِمْ. (المَزاميرُ ١٥:٣٤)

..أصلي ان تكون حياتي ( و حياتكم ) لمسرة قلب الله و سبب فخره .. تماماً كما يجلب أولادي السعادة الي قلبي كل يوم 
نعم أدرك انه اياً كانت اخطائي علي مسرح الحياة .. سيكون الهي هناك .. مسانداً .. مقوماً .. مفرحاً 
كوعده الامين ... وَهَا أَنَا مَعَكُمْ كُلَّ ٱلْأَيَّامِ إِلَى ٱنْقِضَاءِ ٱلدَّهْرِ». آمِينَ

!اصدقائي ..احتفظوا بالسلام .. فالله دائماً هنا
! خلينا منورين

Caught Red Handed

I love it when I catch my little girls "red handed" متلبسين as it gives me the chance to share with them another learning or lesson that, I hope, would last them for life.
I specially remember when I first caught them trying to read in bed after already being put to sleep. I came in, to suddenly hear this chaotic silent noise, the bed cover still moving, a pretention of a sleep..and a torch light forgotten On :-) Despite "fearing" punishment, they obviously could not deny their action. I then went on talking them through the importance of a good sleep on healthy growth, eye fatigue of reading in dark and some more of that "Daddy bla bla bla".

Next day, happened the unexpected! After hearing some noise from their room, I went in to find them simply keeping a small light on, sitting and reading as if Last night's lesson was just out of the window. They looked at me with an innocent smile seeing the anger on my face, and purely explained "dont worry Papi, Mami said we can spend some time reading today as tomorrow is holiday! Bonne nuit Papi!" then went back to their fairy tales. In total silence, I left the room wishing them a good read and sweet dreams! Boom..it was me who got a lesson that night, their contrasting "BOLD" action of reading in bed and not fearing it only came through the "POWER and AUTHORITY" given to them by Aline!

This brings me back to more than 2000 years ago, to a group of Jesus followers that went from hiding behind closed doors out of FEAR (John 20:19), to BOLDLY speaking out loud to the multitudes about our Lord Jesus Christ. On His first public sermon Peter did not hide or deny but Spoke in all "Power and Authority". On that day about 3000 people were added to the group of believers. (Acts 2:41). The contrasting "BOLD" actions are telling us the message...They Received as well received "The POWER and Authority"..a totally different one  as Jesus Promised:

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. (Acts 1:8 AMP)

لكنكُمْ ستَنالونَ قوَّةً مَتَى حَلَّ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ علَيكُمْ، وتَكونونَ لي شُهودًا في أورُشَليمَ وفي كُلِّ اليَهوديَّةِ والسّامِرَةِ وإلَى أقصَى الأرضِ». (أعمالُ الرُّسُلِ  ٨:١)

That power of the Holy Spirit in those few men changed the face of the earth for ever. Do you know that you have the same power in you? Do you use it for its purpose? On that special day of Pentecost (العنصرة), I urge you to Pray for that same unchangeable Holy Spirit in you, seeking "The power and authority" to be the witness of faith, hope and love you were ASKED to be.

Be Bold my Friends...you have THE Power!

!القوة بين إيديك

عادة حين أفاجئ بناتي ، في تلك اللحظة التي يرتكبون فيها غلطة من غلطاتهم الطفولية، أستغل الفرصه لأقدم درساً أبوياً جديداً يتعلمون منه وربما ينفعهم يوماً في الحياة!
وأتذكر جيداً مرة فاجأتهم يقرؤون حينما نتوقع ان يكونوا نياماً!
 لاحظتهم يتدارون بسرعه تحت الأغطيه و أحد الكشافات مضاءاً ( نسيت ابنتي مع استعجالها ان تطفئه ) و اختها تتظاهر بالنوم العميق... وطبعاً لم يستطيعوا ان ينكروا فعلتهم
 و انطلق سيل النصائح الابويه عن فوائد النوم مبكراً ، و خطوره القراءة في إضاءة خافته علي العين .. الي آخره :)
 وفي اليوم التالي .. سمعت اصواتهم مره اخري .. و بينما توقعت ان افاجئهم و يتكرر مشهد الامس .. حدث عكس ما توقعت .. وجدتهم و بمنتهي الثقه يقرؤون في غرفة مُضاءة و لم أري أي علامة من علامات الخوف علي الرغم من علامات الغضب الظاهرة بوضوح علي وجهي
 لاحظت ابنتي فأوضحت ببراءة .."لا تقلق .. ماما وافقت ان نقرأ لفتةه اطول ، فغداً أجازة" و تمنت لي ليله سعيده و عادت الي كتابها
تركتها وقد تعلمت انا درساً جديداً
جرأة اليوم في مقابل خوف الامس
!من اين لهم بكل هذه الثقه
 انها " القوه و السلطان "الممنوحتان لهن من أمهم 

أعادني المشهد الي ذلك اليوم .. حين تحول التلاميذ و الرسل من الخوف و الاختباء خلف الابواب المغلقة الي الجرأه و الاعلان امام جموع الناس عن المسيح 

لكنكُمْ ستَنالونَ قوَّةً مَتَى حَلَّ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ علَيكُمْ، وتَكونونَ لي شُهودًا في أورُشَليمَ وفي كُلِّ اليَهوديَّةِ والسّامِرَةِ وإلَى أقصَى الأرضِ». (أعمالُ الرُّسُلِ ٨:١)

وفي أولي عظاته امام جماهير من الشعوب المختلفة .. يقف بطرس بقوة و سلطان
يعظ بلا خوف
مضيفاً الي المؤمنين ثلاثه الاف نفس
لقد تحصن بقوة و سلطان من الروح في ذلك اليوم
!قوه الروح القدس العاملة في اولئك الرجال، الخائفون بالأمس، غيرت وجه الارض
وهل نعرف ان نفس تلك الروح تسكن فينا؟
و هل نستخدمها من أجل ذات الغرض ؟

أصلي وأدعوكم لتصلوا من اجل ذات الروح الذي يملأنا... و يسكن فينا
ومن اجل ذات القوة و نفس السلطان الذي يمنحه الروح القدس فنحيا شهودا علي الايمان
!أليست هذه دعوتنا
!لنكن إذاً بقوة بطرس و جرأته .. فروح واحد يجمعنا .. يقوينا .. و بسلطان يؤيد شهادتنا

 خلينا منورين

I Have The Power and Authority, Dad!

I love it when I catch my little girls "red handed" متلبسين as it gives me the chance to share with them another learning or lesson that, I hope, would last them for life.
I specially remember when I first caught them trying to read in bed after already being put to sleep. I came in, to suddenly hear this chaotic silent noise, the bed cover still moving, a pretention of a sleep..and a torch light forgotten On :-) Despite "fearing" punishment, they obviously could not deny their action. I then went on talking them through the importance of a good sleep on healthy growth, eye fatigue of reading in dark and some more of that "Daddy bla bla bla".

Next day, happened the unexpected! After hearing some noise from their room, I went in to find them simply keeping a small light on, sitting and reading as if Last night's lesson was just out of the window. They looked at me with an innocent smile seeing the anger on my face, and purely explained "don't worry Papi, Mami said we can spend some time reading today as tomorrow is holiday! Bonne nuit Papi!" 
then went back to their fairy tales. In total silence, I left the room wishing them a good read and sweet dreams! Boom..it was me who got a lesson that night, their contrasting "BOLD" action of reading in bed and not fearing it only came through the "POWER and AUTHORITY" given to them by Aline!

This brings me back to more than 2000 years ago, to a group of Jesus followers that went from hiding behind closed doors out of FEAR (John 20:19), to BOLDLY speaking out loud to the multitudes about our Lord Jesus Christ. On His first public sermon Peter did not hide or deny but Spoke in all "Power and Authority". On that day about 3000 people were added to the group of believers. (Acts 2:41). The contrasting "BOLD" actions are telling us the message...They Received as well received "The POWER and Authority"a totally different one as Jesus Promised:

But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be 
My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. (Acts 1:8 AMP)
لكنكُمْ ستَنالونَ قوَّةً مَتَى حَلَّ الرّوحُ القُدُسُ علَيكُمْ، وتَكونونَ لي شُهودًا في أورُشَليمَ وفي كُلِّ اليَهوديَّةِ والسّامِرَةِ وإلَى أقصَى الأرضِ». (أعمالُ الرُّسُلِ ٨:١)

That power of the Holy Spirit in those few men changed the face of the earth for ever. Do you know that you have the same power in you? Do you use it for its purpose? On that special day of Pentecost (العنصرة), I urge you to Pray for that same unchangeable Holy Spirit in you, seeking "The power and authority" to be the witness of faith, hope and love you were ASKED to be.

Be Bold my Friends...you have THE Power!

Through Their Eyes...

Sabah el kheir ya gama3a..salute to the ones who could watch the tennis final last night and made it to the morning moment fresh start..to his or her morning minutes of silence and prayer! by the way, Isn't amazing that God created the day and the night, so we can start fresh Everyday..start a new beginning, a new hope, a new You..giving us this chance everyday!

Sometimes i do an exercise to get a new perspective of parenthood, i put myself in the shoes of my kids, looking from their eyes, thinking through their smaller view! one day doin this exercise, i got hit with this simple incident..on that day, seeing through their eyes i looked at us as parents and realized that the kids must be saying now out loud in their mind "you are cruel parents...you do not love us..why do you do this to us..dont you see the pain we are going through!? Dad, it is painful, cant you stop it please?" You know what, i even saw these expressions in their eyes filled with tears, in their screams filled with pain..we were so much in pain, our hearts aching as well seeing them going through this..but they HAVE to live this experience..they will pass through..they have to take their vaccines (el tat3eem)!!!

Can you imagine how hard for the kids to understand what they went through if they didnt come and ask us why? If they didnt have the full blinded trust in their Father, in their Mother..the trust that all they are going through is for their good? That in the middle of this fear and pain, we were there watching with love..telling them to trust us giving them a healthy future life...

Do we trust our Father that much, do we trust the one that said:

"Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. (Ashe3ya Isaiah 43:1-3 ERV)" and said “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you. I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes. (Ashe3ya Isaiah 49:15, 16 ERV)". 

Just come and speak with Him like a father and He ll surely let you know His love.

Where is My Hug?

You men (and women) travelling for business will know what I am talking about! You know this moment at the end of your trip when you are at the airport's free shop searching for a gift for your little ones that are waiting for you back home..the little ones that you miss so much. At that moment, at the airport, i only dream about this simple loving act..THE RUN in my arms and THE HUG welcoming me back home..And me giving the girls their little gift! You all surely love this moment...we akid the hug and kiss of the wife too :)

However, one of these times, things did not go as i always loved it to be...i came back after 3 days away, opened the door, shouted HELLO and went on my knees waiting for that run and amazing hug...but i waited for longer than usual, i felt something was wrong..ran to their room, to find them playing normally (Thank God)..but they gave a normal 'hi'..one i sometimes get during the week back from work ..but not after travelling for 3 days! And then the LESSON HIT ME I knew what happened, i told aline to manage their expectations as i ran late and couldn't get them anything..i just felt that the RUN and the HUG were for the love of what I got, not for the love of who I am! What a painful moment for a loving Father!

I might be dramatizing it a bit...i know my kids love me so much..i love the moments when they just come to caress and kiss me and sit on my lap and they know that i adore them, i would do all the good for them ALWAYS, i would die for them. BUT this story above doesnt ring a bell...doesnt it remind you of a relationship you know...i had the same relation with my heavenly Father..till that moment when showed me the (No Hug) lesson.

Friends, praying has always been linked in my mind with demands, needs, and wants...till i realized that praying is much bigger..it s creating a relationship..a bond..knowing Him more..he is a living God with a living Holy spirit inside me! And i knew if i want to know Him, i d better sit with Him and read what He has to say.. only then prayer moments got a much much richer taste! Try it..let me know if i can help with some start ups!

"Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need." (Matthew Matta 6:32, 33 ERV) "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew Matta 6:8 ERV)

A Father's love

Couple of years ago, i went through an experience that turned my perception of what God is or i would say what we are to God. We took Farida to the doctor and for our surprise, he asked us to have her heart scanned! Yes, an almost 4 years old getting her heart scanned, cant tell you how this caught of off guard..and that moment, we looked up to Him with a question mark..But we took her to the hospital, and there she slept on that bed with lots of wires connected to her chest, but guess what her smile was not leaving her face as were next to her, she knew we were doing something good...but this sight of her on the bed WITH WIRES NEVER departed my mind as I felt so painful, so worried, so anxious, so LOVING! That was the moment that God put us through...it was for us to see..as i then realized, if me earthly father feel that pain..what about Him, our heavenly Father, how much love can He have for us? All this worry at that moment, turned to praise to thank him for being our Father..at that moment, i decided to keep believing that He is always righteous..yes it is a decision! And reading this in Isaiah 49:15-16 made it clear

 "[And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me. (Isaiah 49:15, 16 AMP)" 

Watch this song..what a love! God bless your day!


http://youtu.be/sdA3Equ1I3s