A Room with a View

One of the mysteries in the world of hotel reservations is the "Room View" Concept...I always considered it over-rated. Until a week ago, I booked a room with City view that literally had zero views (or in fact the view of our neighboring building balcony)..being in a city on the sea side, missing most of the day light and a bit of sea-blue was strange! We agreed to do something different and broke out concept of functionality to move to a Room with a View...WOW! The room was EXACTLY the same except for the view, the background, the backdrop of our stay in the room...We then rejoiced the scenery and the beauty of God's creation. Despite obviously we were not sticking our face to the window all day, yet filling your soul with it the first minutes of the day , even the rest of the day, with that backdrop, was a mood lifter bringing us to another state of indulging appreciation for the gifts of His Hands.

Despite it was the same room with all its benefits and carefully crafted touches, just living with this backdrop made our days happier, sunnier and more upbeat. Same for our days living with Him as a Backdrop, filling all your ground and surrounding you and your thoughts. God will bring another dimension to your life's fulfillment, to the purpose of your stay and the enjoyment of your goals. I always believe that that the minutes or the hour at the morning with Him are not ending there...yet it is setting the scene for the day to go with His presence. We can not limit God in our Khelwa (or prayer time), He is worthy Taking the Whole scene of your room, your Life.

Dear God, I come today putting in your hands the hours of my life, surrendering all to you, seeking to live consciously knowing your presence filling my days, and I know that you are bringing purpose to the cause and flavor to the tasteless. Lord, take away from my heart all fears of living in the sight of your eyes, I am not fearing you anymore, in fact I feel safe and comfort knowing you are watching me and over me all day. You are the Backdrop of our Lives...You are the Scene to make it full! In your hands, I place all that I am, AMEN!

Choose your life to be with a View, don't settle for side walk!

Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:10 AMP)

كُفّوا واعلَموا أنّي أنا اللهُ. أتَعالَى بَينَ الأُمَمِ، أتَعالَى في الأرضِ. (46 المَزاميرُ:10)

Hotel Bedrooms..and beds!

Hotel bedrooms...and most of all the "all-over the bed" fluffy cushions that just seem to hug you once you lay down your head..who cant resist that? Include my family in! We have been travelling lately across different places and spent some nights in hotels. As you know, during holidays, your days are packed, literally you stuff each and every minute with action and don't want to miss a thing..and the kids walk along through your plan..enjoying but at the end of a long day, probably later than their sleeping time, they do long for a good deep sleep. What a nice site seeing them in bed...yet Obviously the challenge is waking them up again quite early to catch a bus or start a tour. I have been trying different techniques and none worked, tickling, shaking, uncovering, pushing, lifting, you name it..nothing effective, except one...I turn on the TV on a cartoon channel...and boom..all alone, without a word from me, they open their eyes, lift their heads and come out of bed to watch what they love properly (an option only allowed in holidays hotel mode)!!! Wow!

Just wondered what puts you out of bed? Waking up for something you love, for a purpose? That igniting start of the day needs a call..some just do it because they have to..otherwise, you miss your school, work, classes, forced to wake up, while others do it with a loving longing heart for a purpose. Jesus showed us what kicked off His days on earth, the day as it should start:

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35 AMP)

وفي الصُّبحِ باكِرًا جِدًّا قامَ وخرجَ ومَضَى إلَى مَوْضِعٍ خَلاءٍ، وكانَ يُصَلّي هناكَ، (مَرقُسَ 1:3 )

Just realizing what you can get out of these moments..the blessings, peace, comfort, guidance, and wisdom. These are some of the fruits you will have for breakfast! Yes, I deeply desire that wake up mode..like my kids, open my eyes, lift my head and come out of bed to receive His Love!

Don't know what wakes you up? Remember the cartoon channel trick!

Your Schedule Doesn't Lie

"I literally have no time..i barely make it through the day..tab a3mel el mawdou3 dah emta..aywa 3amalt (to do list)..bas bardo mesh hases enni masek youmi we msaytar 3ala w2ati..tab bos 3al schedule beta3i keda"

I just read such an amazing insight "your schedule doesnt lie"..in fact your daily/weekly life schedule is a barometer for what you truly value and believe to be important! Dont tell me you value fitness and you work out only once a week, or you value family and kids, and all they get is couple of hours in the weekend on your way back and forth to city stars before meeting the rest of the group. Even at work, just a look at your schedule will show what are your key priorities/targets serving your long term strategy! If not, dont expect to get close to acheiving your targets..if you dont invest time in them...we ensa el bonus ya helw!

Ah, and you value your relationship with God..and want it to grow deeper...show me your schedule "oops, it was there in my schedule, ah eftakart, asl kan 3andena mashaweer..we khalty gat, wel zahma, mesh ader a2olak 3al osbou3dah fel shoghl...wel devoirat..wel dorous..yes, i admit, it has only 1 hour weekly in my schedule"

I believe you can guess it by now..Your schedule doesn't lie! You ARE your schedule!

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". (Luke 12:34 AMP) 

And let me say..where your heart is, there your schedule will also be!

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!

Just Do It!

Is it really really important to sit everyday and have my time of prayer..sit with Him everyday? Tab youm wa7ed kefaya?..youmein tayeb? La2? Tab nos sa3a fel marra? Tab abl el akl ba3d el akl?! Everyone asked himself these questions one day..and I say, it depends what do you want out of this relationship. Before any of you decide to embark and commit to something, you know exactly what you are aiming for and the size of your desire defines the size of your prize and impact..just ask the ones who lost 10s of kilos in diet and what it did to their life, ask the ones who wake up everyday to go to the gym and see their shape and health trun for the better, the ones that quit smoking, ask the ones who commit to their studies ans make it through to the university..and yes, the ones that always get promted and grow in their carrers. Just ask yourself, in what were you committed and what did you get out of it. 

Your commitment is fuelled by what you will get at the end...let me ask you one thing: do you really want to see all God's promises turned to reality in your lives..do you the amazing fullfilment He promised..His promises are beyond any imagination..but for those who seek Him and really Love Him...those who come to HimI love those who love me, and those who look for me will find me. Those who find me find life, and the Lord will reward them. (Proverbs 8:17, 35 ERV)..and he is waiting with Open arms..in fact, He will Run to you just seeing there in the horizon coming to Him..yes he wil run to you as He did to "el ebn el dal" 

So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently]. (Luke 15:20 AMP). 

Just decide today..and Commit..and be amazed! Are you ready? Or will you just accept the minimal outcome that "yadobak" keeps you going. Decide and commit! You have done it somtime in your life before...Just Do it!

Wake me Up!

Good morning friends...yes i know these tough minutes fighting in bed, your mind saying no, keep sleeping, your body pulling you down, and a secret magnet (yet scientist are trying to discover) is sticking you to bed! Talking about mornings, how many times, you ve heard the phrase 'you should start your day with Him, with prayers'...a lot i guess...well, i did..and i wNt to do wake up everyday and have my few minutes but surely need you to encourage me.

I searched the bible for some inspiration to see what 'the role model does'..and got HIT BY SURPRISE...do you know how Jesus starts his day or when even?! Read Mark 1...which I call 'a day in the life of Jesus'..he walked by galilee to 'recruit some disciples' then went to kafrna7oum where he teached the crowd and yes..get some demons out of a poor man..then went to Simon to find that his mother in law sick..he dealt with it and healed her..hope it didn't angry simon  then Now when it was evening, after the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those under the power of demons, Until the whole town was gathered together about the door. (Mark 1:32, 33 AMP)..yes the whole town..so guess ehen this day ended..FINALLY COMING TO MY POINT, what did Jesus do after this loong, hectic day? And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35 AMP) WOW...did He need that..after such a day and night? 

Well..i guess i Do need it much more...this surprise made me take the decision, that i will wake up every morning and seek my time with Him..but who of you will encourage me..Who is with me? Let's wake up, share our thoughts and remember each other in prayer..i am sure we ll create a virtual group of vitamin souls to each others..not easy? 

But are you willing to join this challenge?