Celebrate Milestones

Last Friday, Leila and Farida came back home after their tennis training with a celebration mood saying their trainer congratulated them for reaching a “Milestone”: 10 consecutive Backhands shots all in the court…not one ball went out! Now they aim to the next one: 15 shots! Originally defined, a Milestone (used in project management as well) is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at intervals of one mile, constructed to provide Reference points along the road. This can be used to reassure travellers that they follow the proper path and indicate either distance travelled or remaining to a destination. In fact, I consider them moments of both self reflection on where we have reached and a needed pause, moments of celebration and encouragement, looking back with pride and looking forward with energy and greater confidence to the next milestone ahead of you. We do need these moments as they add sweet taste to the journey specially if obstacles and battles arise along the way. Yes, Keep celebrating your Milestones!

I wonder why don’t we act the same when it comes to our spiritual life! We tend to see it black to white, end to end swift change between two extremes…jumping from weakness to sainthood, from falling to running, from fear to total confidence all in one day. I have fallen in that trap many times and got discouraged along the way, doubted if I can make it through to the purpose I am created for, just because I ignored the simple pauses God puts along the way, the Milestones of growth in my relationship with Him, allowing me to look back and reflect and Thank HIM for the road crossed so far and knowing, by faith, that He will remain with me as He promised all along the way till the end of milestones. Be it fasting, changing of heart, or a new commitment to start fresh and stop falling, they all need “milestones" to catch your breath, smile and Thank HIM. On my milestone pauses, I remember this comforting and energising verse: 

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ AMP)

واثِقًا بهذا عَينِهِ أنَّ الّذي ابتَدأَ فيكُم عَمَلًا صالِحًا يُكَمِّلُ إلَى يومِ يَسوعَ المَسيحِ. (‭1‬ ‮فيلِبّي‬:‭6‬ )

Dear Lord, I thank you for the milestones along the way, for over seeing each step along the way and allowing us to say with full confidence that the good work YOU began in my heart and the heart of every reader, throughout the “projects" of life, will go on to its next phase shining your Light. I pray for your Holy Spirit to strengthen us every morning, sitting with You, and guide us through a new day spreading your Love, winning our spiritual battles and accomplishing the purpose we were created for, milestone by milstone. AMEN!

Keep Shining my friends!

(I thank God for this Milestone…for reaching the 100th Post!)

Live the circus!

The Circus has always been fascinating to the young and old equally! Yesterday, we went with the kids to watch this amazing manifestation of human's ability and mind blowing capabilities, breaking limits of what we think our physical bodies can do! Not only the acrobats, but the set up, music, decorations..the whole "circus" fulfilling experience. So, after the show, in the car driving back, I asked the girls about the most dramatic part "ya Banat, tell me, what is your most Wow part of today?" And with pure Simplicity, Leila answered me "Pa, amazing how a man can, blind folded, jump on the shoulder of his friend and his friend take care of him, hold him strong and lift up high..they must be really good close friends!" BOOM...and my answer was...Speechless!

Despite all the show, colours, balloons, clowns and "pop corn", all what captured her attention was how trust and care could make them lift each other up and present such dangerous crazy moves! If we only know how much we can lift each other up, if we only see beyond our differences "specially the political ones with an important day tomorrow in our country". We were created social human beings and we need each other to walk through the path of life, not only in good times, but most certainly in tough times when our faith is weak and powers are low!

Reminds me of a verse i keep close to my heart:

لذلكَ عَزّوا بَعضُكُمْ بَعضًا وابنوا أحَدُكُمُ الآخَرَ، كما تفعَلونَ أيضًا. (تسالونيكي الأولَى 5:11 AVDDV)

So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ERV)

Dear Lord, i thank you for the Love you have been surrounding me with..i thank you for the people you bring in my life cheering me up and bringing me closer to the source of infinite love day after day..i thank you for the hearts that i find when I need someone to lift me up...I pray that you bless them and pour your Holy spirit onto them to keep shining and caring along the way! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Live the Circus.. Lift your Friends..The show is On..every minute!

An Autumn Lesson

Orange and Halloween! This color correlation reminds me of the orange, brown, and yellow leaves that we see falling and filling the streets in Autumn..those who went living in Canada those days (and they are a lot) know how magnificent and pituresque the colouring of trees in autumn is...a delight to the eyes of photographers!

Looking closer at these leaves, you realize that this beauty is just a dead cover, a beautiful life-less clothing, which the tree has to let go to receive soon its new magnificent filling green shiny cover of young full of life leaves. Amazing how the winds just blow when the trees are the weakest, to make sure they can shake off the useless. Thank God mr. and mrs. Tree are not selfish enough to keep holding strong to these dead leaves..they hand in willingly what they have, to receive what's more alive..even if it means waiting few months!

The letting-go of the trees reminded me of this innocent young boy "the hero of the day" in the famous miracle of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. He was there in the right place, at the right moment, but I guess he had to willingly accept letting go what he had when Andew saw him in the midst of the crowd (5000 men at least). If he calculated it correctly, he surely would be running away holding tight to his bread and fish..and you all know that it is so easy for a young kid to escape وسط الزحمة! But he knew in Whose Hands he was putting his food..and though the Book doesnt mention it, but I believe this boy after beeing greeted by all around him, went back home woth Loads of bread and Fish worth a monthly value of shopping!

«هنا غُلامٌ معهُ خَمسَةُ أرغِفَةِ شَعيرٍ وسمَكَتانِ، ولكن ما هذا لمِثلِ هؤُلاءِ؟». (يوحَنا 6:9 AVDDV)
“Here is a boy with five loaves of barley bread and two little fish. But that is not enough for so many people.” (John 6:9 ERV)

Dear God, I pray today asking you to open the eyes of my faith to the blessings of letting go..letting go all in your hands, not looking back to what I have lost, be it dead leaves or the very valuable bread, but willingly accept it in your hands, knowing that You only bless back beyond what I think or imagine...You know it is hard to let go for me, but Revive in me that tree, that young boy that wont think it over but happily trust your abundance! Amen.

God bless Egypt today!

مش قادر أسيب الموضوع دة...

الغطاء الذي يكسو الطرقات في الخريف ، الاوراق البنية و الصفراء ، ثم هذا المشهد الرائع المبدع للأشجار البرتقالية ، متعة للعيون التي تهوى التصوير .

ولكن إقترب أكثر فتلاحظ أن هذة الاوراق ، ما هي إلا غطاء مائت ، رداء خال من الحياة ، أوراق يجب على الأشجار أن "تتخلى" عنها و تتركها للرياح لكيما تمتلئ حياة جديدة عن قريب تكسوها بغطاء لامع نضر من الأوراق الخضراء !
عجيب كيف تهب الرياح ، عندما تكون الأشجار ضعيفة ، كأنما لتتأكد إنها ستنتزع الأوراق الجافة بسرعة و كفاءة !
وكأنما الأشجار بكرم و إخلاء ، بلا أنانية أو ذات ، تستسلم للرياح و تترك الأوراق الجافة بلا تمسك .
تتركها برغبة كاملة و إرادة حرة ، لتستقبل ما هو أكثر حياة و نضارة .. حتى و إن إستدعى الامر بعض الإنتظار لشهور قادمة أخرى بلا أوراق .

و هذا " التنازل " الذي تمارسة الأشجار كل خريف ، يذكرني بهذا الولد الصغير " بطل اليوم " في المعجزة الشهيرة "الخمس خبزات و السمكتين " .
كان هناك ، في الوقت المناسب و المكان المناسب و لكنني أعتقد أن كان عليه طواعية و بكل إرادته أن يتنازل عن تلك الخبزات الخمس و السمكتين ، كل ما يملكه في هذه اللحظة ، يتركهما لأندراوس الذي ذهب اليه بين الخمسة ألاف رجل( على أقل تقدير ) المجتمعين في هذا اليوم حين طلبهما ليسلمهما للرب يسوع .

لو كان الولد الصغير حسبها بعقله الصغير " أيضا" لإحتضن خبزاته و سمكاته و جرى بعيداً مستكفياً بما عنده ،
وكان سهلاً عليه أن يختفي وسط الزحام !
و لكنه .. و عجباً أنه كان يعلم بين يدي من يترك كل ما يملك !
إنها يد الرب يسوع !
وأظن ، و إن لم يكن مذكوراً في الانجيل ، و بعدما تلقى كل الشكر و التحيات من الجموع ، أنه عاد الى بيته محملاً بكميات من الخبز و السمك ما يكفيه شهراً :) .

هنا غُلامٌ معهُ خَمسَةُ أرغِفَةِ شَعيرٍ وسمَكَتانِ، ولكن ما هذا لمِثلِ هؤُلاءِ؟». (يوحَنا 6:9 AVDDV)

إلهي الحبيب ،

أصلي اليوم طالباً أن تجعلني أرى بعين الايمان بركات التنازل ، التخلي عن كل شئ بين يديك ، دون أن أنظر للخلف متحسراً على ما تركت أو فقدت، أكان أوراقاً جافة أو قليل من الخبز والسمك ، بل واثقاً في إن بركاتك تفوق تصوري أو خيالي !
أنت تعلم أنه صعب علي أن أترك و أن أتخلى و أن أتنازل ، ولكن تظل تلك الاشجار حية أمام عيني ، وذلك الولد يحيا في داخلي ، لا يفكر في الامر مرتين ، بل بكل سعادة يثق في خيراتك !
آمين .

خلينا منورين!

New Operating System

Yes..finally..#iOS7..again, time line flooded with extra hyped happy people waiting to download the new operating system. Can't hide that i also do get excited whenever something new is launched..cause i expect it to be better..and specially when it comes from great developpers.

What about our OWN operating system #iME1.0..are we that excited to download it and show its interface to everyone around? It surely eliminates lots of bugs from your old system..gives you speed, agility, and definitely endless apps beyond what

I trust The Developper that during His Launch event Said out loud:

"A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (حزقيال Ezekiel 36:26 AMP)" and "You must be made new in your hearts and in your thinking. Be that new person who was made to be like God, truly good and pleasing to him. (افسس Ephesians 4:23, 24 ERV)"

And i guess what, I trust this developper with my Life...at least He lives in a cooler place than California..imagine that! So go ahead YOUR new version is there..just a prayer away, no connection needed, nor wifi:)

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.

My First Status

Those who leave #everything in #God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything....#Quote I Liked! 

Reminds me of :

Proverbs 16:3 (Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.)