Peer Pressure

“Pa, can we please get a dog PLEASE..just like the one Amy has! or a smaller one like the one of Sara. Ok?” After few weeks at school, you start realizing the impact of peer pressure your kids go through. I know you parents out there are not surprised when your kids start asking for what their friends own starting from toys, pets up to houses with several swimming pools. Suddenly back to school or kids birthday turned into a burden on the parents who have to manage their kids needs seeing what others are enjoying or bragging about. I love how kids are so transparent in their emotions, they do not need to hide or mask the influence they get from their peers at school. They will absorb and reflect that at home in a simple question format a need captured from their friends…yes, Peer pressure is a reality starting this early age.

We, sophisticated adults, seem to be more clever in hiding our needs, yet we know for sure that we are equally impacted-if not more-by that peer pressure. We pretend being immune to what our surrounding brings on our plate everyday, to the way our close circle acts and reacts. “Show me your friends, I will tell you who you are” is a true and wise statement. We know that deep down we start copying the attitudes of our surrounding, we absorb and reflect the need in acting it rather than speaking it out loud like our innocent kids. This goes specially to attitudes and way of life we believe we lack and dream of having. We like those Go-Getters yet give a deaf ear to the wrong doings on the way to get the goal, we like having this trendy look yet neglect the border line flirty side it brings, we yearn for this over empowering “charismatic" presence yet accept its side effect selfish attitude. Actions and attitudes do make an impact, specially if they get copied…they are contagious in a peer pressure way.

No wonder in proverbs, influence of peers and societal pressure was clearly stated:

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
20المُسايِرُ الحُكَماءَ يَصيرُ حَكيمًا، ورَفيقُ الجُهّالِ يُضَرُّ. (امثال ٢٠:١٣)

I am not seeking to open your eyes on the choice of your surrounding (You are mature enough to chose)..but rather I am asking each one of us to reflect on who we are to our friends and society..Are we the wise or the fools? Do we realise the power God has created in us to impact, influence and change…do we realise that we are created to Shine and Keep shining His Light?

What type of “Peer Pressure" you are spreading today? I hope the Up-lifting one!

A friend's Wifi

Signs of close friendship are plenty...you know you are close friends when you share memories of trips, when you know his/her favorite dish, what sets him off, what music reaches her heart, her preferred moment of the day, his type of milk, likes sugar in coffee or not (and even how many spoons..or may be sweetener)...When you walk in their home, you know where to find the coffee mugs and even make yourself one! Nowadays, I have noticed another sign of close friendship...Wifi! Yup, didn't you notice that once you enter all your close friends homes, your phone is just connected to their supercomplex-password-protected Wifi network. I always get this smile on my face when I see the wifi waves appearing on my screen...because i know I have been here so many times...it s like home to me where getting connected just happens. I don't think you just get connected in any house you go to!

Isn't great to have this same close friendship with the Almighty! I just feel that "connected" with God is also a sign of "close friendship" where you are not just a visitor passing by but rather a relationship seeker, someone seeking to get that close to THE best friend you can have throughout your days on earth! God is close and you can feel His presence..you WILL feel His Presence:

قريبٌ هو الرَّبُّ مِنَ المُنكَسِري القُلوبِ، ويُخَلِّصُ المُنسَحِقي الرّوحِ. (المَزاميرُ 34:18 )

The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. (Psalm 34:18 AMP)
Come with all your broken heart..sit with Him..talk..listen..build this friendship with time, passion, and sincere love...Your close Friendship with Him is granting you access to His "Wifi"..you will always be Connected to the network of Grace!

Get connected my friends! 

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!

A One Way Relationship?

Terrerren terrerren...(phone ringing...i know it is no longer the phone ring tone..i wonder in the world of this technology, how would one write the sound of phone ringing).

"Yaaah ya Aline..bossy meen bikalemni..men zaman awy...allo akhabarak..wenta kaman waheshny..feinak men zaman...i hope edert asa3dak akher marra? ...hayel, la shokr 3ala wageb mon beih..kwayes..aywa lessa bashtaghal henak...(then lots of talk from the other side)...7ader hashouf momeken asa3dak ezzay..Ya mousahel..khalas ma tshelsh hamm..mashy..tab 3awzeen net2abel..mashghoul awy!..tayeb mesh lazem net2abel..neb2a netkalem ba2a law 3andak wa2t..bye"

call ended!!!

Surely you have all been through such a call...and surely you wonder at the end of it..how can some people be so obviously CALLING YOU only in times of needs..only to ask for something, and never to see you in person..seek to know you closer..hear your news and wonder is they lift you up in a way or another..i hate to be judgmental, but these people we call in our society "masla7geya...مصلحجية.beta3 masla7to we bas" and what a bad title it is!

Imagine yourself getting this title one day..yes I deserve this title 3an gadara! How many times, i just knocked on His doors just to ask, do you remember the early rise up to pray a special prayer before the exam..or to go to the early oddas, or just to pass by church to light up a candle before the operation..how many times, i said "ok, i have done everything possible..all i have now is to pray (as if it s your last resort and not a daily relation)". How many time we promised to change at times of need..and just drop it when we get what we want!

If you give masla7a a bad name..Don't be one..REFUSE being one...and start to be a friend..as He wants to be your friend..in fact he called you His friend..imagine a friend as powerful as Jesus.."You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me". (John 15:14, 15 ERV)

Do you want this friendship..or just content with being مصلحجي beta3 masla7a? You choose!