Iliotibial Band Syndrome

I injured my knee couple of month ago, and yes it had(s) its impact on me. Last February, I went out for my regular run, and just 10 minutes later, i felt a strange pinch inside my knee..i kept going thinking it would click back normally, but no it didn't. In short, after some checkups/MRIs, found out I developed what's called the "illioTibial Band Syndrome". With such an inflammation in my knee tissues, I had to quit running for a while to allow its good healing. Guess what, this was just the igniting flame to start the engine of "Laziness" and "Self Pity"! Yes I admit, My "Lazy Me" was just making sure that I keep focusing on my injury, envying runners i saw on the streets, and most of all, blinding me of all other activities I still could do without relying on the knee (I could hear the laughs and whispers of that Lazy Me!). Something inside me, mentally, got turned off and this "letting go" mode took over all the Health awareness rituals I have built throughout the past year. I allowed it to grow more and more, till I decided to step up again, dust off and hit it back to the gym (without knee exercises). WOW...How did I allow my self in that downward spiral..Felt so good, so energizing..and determined to bring back what I lost.

I have lived exactly the same on my Spiritual level (I guess I am not alone). I remember times when I felt my soul souring up to the skies, and my faith unshaken..then comes Sin conquering me in moments of weakness, afflicting that same "Knee Injury" on a spiritual level. Yes, the same "Letting Go" mode finds its way back creating "self pity" times. At such times, I do feel weak, desperate and surely living a lie (literally listening to the laughs of THE Enemy growing deep in me). The Prophet Micah ميخا wrote with the Spirit a verse I keep dear to myself and in front of my eyes:

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me. (Michah 7:8 NASB)

لا تشمَتي بي يا عَدوَّتي، إذا سقَطتُ أقومُ. إذا جَلَستُ في الظُّلمَةِ فالرَّبُّ نورٌ لي. (ميخا  ٨:٧

I just love the determination and persistence in that verse, Though I fall I WILL Rise..for the power of the resurrection is in us, lives in you and me, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and counselor to know that Falling is just temporary while our victory is everlasting. If I Stumble, I WILL RISE!

Dear God, I pray today that I along all the ones reading these words, can say out loud 'I will dust off and Rise again in the Light of your love..for I know Lord that You again have compassion on us; tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. (Michah 7:19 NASB).

Dust off, and Rise Now..in His Light once again!

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!

Elevator Speech

"Elevator Speech" a term I got introduced to during my days in Amsterdam. Working in the head office, you could, by chance, have an elevator ride with one of the "BIG bosses" of this big multinational. Basically, In few words, you need to explain to these super busy directors who you are, what you do and what value you are bringing to this place. It should be done in a simple clear and brief way taking no longer than an elevator ride from ground floor to the 5th floor (it would be your lucky day if they go with you to 7th floor-you ll have few words more). Since you might not meet them often, you'd better impress and get your point through in these few seconds rather than talk about the rainy bla bla weather (which was always a topic that pops up as a default!). Believe me, it helps a lot...work on it I propose, it can be your work, your passion, your faith..whatever it is, you should be ready to passionately share your elevator speech to any one at any time!

Seems that John the Evangelist knew exactly, through the Holy Spirit, what an elevator speech should look like. He did summarize it all in one verse, exactly the size of a tweet تويتة, just 140 characters. It is one of the most famous verses that I would like to share again with you dear friends in these Easter times:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

لأنَّهُ هكذا أحَبَّ اللهُ العالَمَ حتَّى بَذَلَ ابنَهُ الوَحيدَ، لكَيْ لا يَهلِكَ كُلُّ مَنْ يؤمِنُ بهِ، بل تكونُ لهُ الحياةُ الأبديَّةُ. (يوحَنا 3:16 AVDDV)

No better Elevator speech can summarize the Love of God to the WHOLE world, a love given for free to you and me as a gift on the cross...a mission statement of a love that broke the chains of sin and gave a totally new meaning to death, a Passover from temporary life to Eternal Life through the Power and Glory of the Resurrection of His only Son.

Christ is Risen..Indeed He is Risen.

المسيح قام....حقاً قام.

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!