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!

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!