Chicken or Fries?!

Aline: Leila, eat your food first before finishing all your fries. Chicken is very good for your growth.
Leila: But mom, I LOVE fries!
Me: and you love chicken as well, right?
Leila: Yes I do love chicken, but I love fries even more and if I eat chicken first, I will be full and won't enjoy my Fries anymore!
Aline and I: ......

I am sure lots you have encountered this in your life time, being the kid or the parent. I can't deny that Leila was straight forward honest. WE all do have preferences that shape our choices, hence our lives on a global scale. Look at your day at work or at home, you might start by the task you love, then the less enjoyable. Your wattsapp groups, checking first the closest to you then moving to the rest. Your music..your food..your channels and so on! We surely enjoy loads of things, yet some are loved more than others.

When it comes to faith and our relation with our Heavenly Father, I always pictured it more of a Black and White choice. I thought once I love Him I must be hating evil, that's it, that's enough, I am safe! But then got hit by this awakening passage in John 3:

"The Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil." (John 3:19 AMP)

وهذِهِ هي الدَّينونَةُ: إنَّ النّورَ قد جاءَ إلَى العالَمِ، وأحَبَّ النّاسُ الظُّلمَةَ أكثَرَ مِنَ النّورِ، لأنَّ أعمالهُمْ كانتْ شِرّيرَةً. (3 يوحَنا:19 )

People loved Darkness more than light...They loved Light, but darkness was a preference, their first choice. Oh Lord, Can it be true, I was soothing myself saying I love you, yet I ignored the fact that Darkness was preferred in MANY times..too many I would say. Darkness satisfied my appetite, my hunger seemed temporarily filled, deceptively leaving no space for Light, just like the chicken and fries of Leila. I was getting in peace with myself, accepting I can love both as long as you are in the formula. But no, they do not mix. We do good, yet accept the dark to co-exist. You have set before us life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore told us to choose life, but we don't, quite too often.

Lord, It is a mysterious choice, a choice so much tarnished by grey shadows, a choice where room temperature seems fine..where cold is too cold and hot is burning...a choice we would prefer not making, but rather live and let live...yes i know this "dancing on the stairs" life and surely it wearies me more than an uphill steady growth. Holy Spirit, help us through our struggles, make our choices clear..guide us choosing LIFE!

Choose what fills your hunger...Choose LIFE!

طاطس و فراخ.
آلين : ليلة ، كُلي الأكل الأول قبل ما تخلصي البطاطس المحمرة ، الفراخ مهمة و مفيدة جداً علشان تكبري
ليلة : لكن يا ماما ، أنا بحب البطاطس
أنا : ولكن بتحبي الفراخ كمان يا ليلة ، مش كدة ؟
ليلة : أيوة بحب الفراخ ، لكن بحب البطاطس أكتر ، ولو أكلت الفراخ الاول هشبع و مش حتبسط و انا باكل البطاطس  
......آلين و أنا 

لا أنكر إن ليلة كانت أمينة و صريحة جداً . كلنا لنا أشياء مفضلة من خلالها تتشكل إختياراتنا ، و بالتالي حياتنا كلها على شكل أشمل
أنظر إلى يومك في العمل أو البيت ، غالباً ما تبدأ بالمهمة التي تستمتع بها قبل تلك التي لا تفضلها
حتى في ال watsapp ، بتلقائية تختار المقربين الى قلبك أولاً، ثم الباقيين :)
في الموسيقى ، الفنون ، الأطعمة ، قنوات التليڤزيون و هكذا
نحن نستمتع بأمور كثيرة ، و لكن بعضها أحب لقلوبنا من البعض الآخر 

و عندما يقترب الامر من الإيمان و علاقتنا بإلهنا السماوي ، أرى الامر أقرب إلى الأبيض و الأسود في الخيارات . اعتقدت في وقت ما أنني إن كنت أحب الله فأنا بالضرورة أكره إبليس ، و هكذا إطمأنيت للفكرة و أنا بذلك في أمان ما دمت أحب الله ! إلى ان إنتبهت على تلك الآيات 
وهذِهِ هي الدَّينونَةُ: إنَّ النّورَ قد جاءَ إلَى العالَمِ، وأحَبَّ النّاسُ الظُّلمَةَ أكثَرَ مِنَ النّورِ، لأنَّ أعمالهُمْ كانتْ شِرّيرَةً. (3 يوحَنا:19 )
أن الناس يحبون الظلمة أكثر من النور ، لقد أحبوا النور ، ولكن الظلمة كانت مفضلة ، كانت إختيارهم الأول

سيدي ، هل يمكن أن تكون تلك حقيقتي ؟! هل كنت أُهَوِّنُ الأمر على نفسي ، أقول أني " أحبك " ، مع هذا أتجاهل أن الظلمة كانت و ما زالت إختياري الأول في كثير من الأوقات
الظلمة ، أرضتني ، أشبعت شهيتي ، جوعي بدا و كأنه " إمتلأ " ! وبخداع شديد .. تنتزع الظلمة أماكن النور في حياتي
تماماً كالفراخ و البطاطس في نظرة ليلة
كنت في سلام مع نفسي ، متقبلاً أن أحب الاثنين " النور و الظلمة " و أتعايش مع كلاهما ، مادام الله موجود في المعادلة ، على كل حال

ولكن .. لا ! إنهما لا يمتزجان معاً ! أن نقوم بالخير ، و معه .. نقبل و جود الشر في نفس الوقت ! لقد وضع أمامنا الحياة و الموت ، البركة و اللعنة ، و من ثم طلب الله منَّا ، أن نختار الحياة ، و لكننا لا نختارها .. في غالبية المرات لا نختارها 

..سيدي
!أنه إختيار غامض ، إختيار مشوه بالدرجات الرمادية ، إختيار .. كدرجة حرارة الغرفة ، فاتر ، و محتمل
!إختيار ، فيه ، الحار حارق ، و البارد ثلجي
!إختيار ، لا نرغب أن نقوم به ، بل نعيش و نتعايش
!نعم أعلم تلك الحياة " الرقص على السلم " ، التي في النهاية تتعبني أكثر بكثير من النمو و الصعود المستمر 

!الروح القدس ، يعيننا خلال هذا الصراع ، يجعل إختياراتنا واضحة ، يقودنا .. فنختار الحياة

!إختر ما يشبع جوعك فعلاً .. إختر الحياة 

!خلينا منورين

A WOW Effect!

Who on earth can just not love this moment of Gift Giving (specially to the kids). The reactions, that glittering happiness in the eyes, this big smile and the hug afterwards are unmatchable joy inducers of life. However, Leila and Farida's happiness manifestations are dis proportionally stronger when the gift comes at unexpected time or even more...in an unexpected way, and bigger than their wish..asking that same wondering question every time "WOW..How and when did you do that?". They showed me that a surprise WOW effect always lasts longer than the Gift-Giving act itself, it brings a story-to-tell and a memory-to-cherish, and That's why the smallest unexpected acts are just invaluable (even for us adults).

How many times our Loving Heavenly father surprised you a with such a WOW effect? It is amazing the number of times He answers prayers beyond our expectations, in size or in timing. I love these verses showing how God works in ways that seem mysterious, ways that we only understand when we start drawing the dots and seeing the plan that have been slowly brewing to deliver this WOW surprise:

- For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP)

«لأنَّ أفكاري لَيسَتْ أفكارَكُمْ، ولا طُرُقُكُمْ طُرُقي، يقولُ الرَّبُّ. لأنَّهُ كما عَلَتِ السماواتُ عن الأرضِ، هكذا عَلَتْ طُرُقي عن طُرُقِكُمْ وأفكاري عن أفكارِكُمْ. (55 إشَعياءَ:8-9
- Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7 NIV)
أجابَ يَسوعُ وقالَ لهُ: «لَستَ تعلَمُ أنتَ الآنَ ما أنا أصنَعُ، ولكنكَ ستَفهَمُ فيما بَعدُ». (13 يوحَنا:7 )
- Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33, 36 NIV)
يا لَعُمقِ غِنَى اللهِ وحِكمَتِهِ وعِلمِهِ! ما أبعَدَ أحكامَهُ عن الفَحصِ وطُرُقَهُ عن الِاستِقصاءِ لأنَّ مِنهُ وبهِ ولهُ كُلَّ الأشياءِ. لهُ المَجدُ إلَى الأبدِ. آمينَ. (11 روميَةَ:33, 36 )

Dear Loving Father, Keeping a steadfast faith in your ways, believing that your Goodness stands ALL the way, makes us look forward unveiling your unexpected ways, your surprising gifts and Your abundant blessings into our lives. I pray that our hearts and minds read beyond the WOW moment and see, in hindsight, your Hand throughout that time weaving a tapestry of unexpected blessings into our own daily lives. Amen!

Keep the faith, Embrace the WOW moments, God has plenty of them for you and me!

PLEASE share with us a "WOW moment" in which God surprised you! I d love to read it 

Back to School ... Again

"Back to School" will be the topic these days (next to electricity cuts of course)! Leila and Farida started their school year this week, and obviously as all proud parents like you, we joined them on the first morning after a series on endless photos  To my surprise, taking them through the list of students in their class to as a mean of encouragement, I still saw their concerned looks, they missed an important piece of info: Who's their teacher? Knowing it will be "Marc", a sigh of relief and glitter of content flashed in their eyes pushing them to admit "Papi, he plays guitar, we will learn a lot by singing, it will surely be fun coming everyday". An eye opener on how crucial is the knowledge seeder in the way they preview their year...and they are 100% right!

Dear friends, our life does not cease needing a teacher, a coach or a counselor. Unfortunately, we believe we stop learning once studies are over, but just a review or check of your first morning minutes thoughts will tell you how desperately you wish you had a teacher to guide you and tell you what to do when you are clueless (which I am in many many circumstances). We are created creative, smart and with a free will to seek learning, growth and guidance. Sometimes, we search so far to get advice, yet we forget that THE teacher is available, is as near as your breath to you...How many times, we decide skipping the class just to chat with a friend or whoever can help us through..before even checking what the teacher has to say. Our heavenly Father says it loud and clear: 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8 NIV)
«أُعَلِّمُكَ وأُرشِدُكَ الطريقَ الّتي تسلُكُها. أنصَحُكَ. عَيني علَيكَ. (32 المَزاميرُ:8 )

I pray today that we set our chairs toward the podium, towards the teacher. If you believe that He is a promise keeper, if you believe that He has got the whole world in His hands, then just believe that as He said, He is the teacher we need to listen to every morning..or better said, every minute of the day..and I am sure He wont let us down. Just sit down close, get focused and listen!

Have a blessed "Life" school year my friends...

Sand Castle on a Salty Sea

Learning by experience is a powerful tool and my daughter Leila proved it right. This summer, on hot beach day, our parents, Aline and I were laying in the sun talking how "salty" the Red Sea is...you feel it sticking to your skin. Over hearing our discussion, Leila suddenly left the sand castle she was building and turned to us sharing this following simple fact "You know, The sea is made of Water and Salt..This is why it is salty..Papi showed it to me last year at home, where we poured in salt into water, it just disappeared but turned it into Sea water. So this is how they make it!".....turned her head and went back to her Sand Castle! I was just surprised that she kept this simple experience stored in the back of her head feeling so proud, leaving totally her play time, and sharing it in such a simple confident way. This scene confirmed a statement beautifully written about the concept of "experience" that you can hear an idea one hundred times and fail to make it a piece of who you are until you actually experience it, it rises from being just a CONCEPT to a TRUTH to you.

That is why I prefer the term relationship over the term religion. In a relationship, you need to go through a state of experiencing someone to build what you can call a relationship. No relation exists without experience, and our Book is filled with events in which people had the blessing to Experience Jesus and His love. Out of these I can never forget the Samaritan woman at the well...She has done what Leila have demonstrated perfectly. She met Him, experienced His encounter, The Messiah turned from a concept to Truth, and went to her village sharing Her story..She even left her most dear item she carried, she left her Jar at the well and went back without earthly water:

"Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did....Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” (John 4:28-29, 39 NIV)
فترَكَتِ المَرأةُ جَرَّتَها ومَضَتْ إلَى المدينةِ وقالَتْ للنّاسِ: «هَلُمّوا انظُروا إنسانًا قالَ لي كُلَّ ما فعَلتُ.
فآمَنَ بهِ مِنْ تِلكَ المدينةِ كثيرونَ مِنَ السّامِريّينَ بسَبَبِ كلامِ المَرأةِ الّتي كانتْ تشهَدُ أنَّهُ: «قالَ لي كُلَّ ما فعَلتُ » (4 يوحَنا:28-29, 39 )

Dear Lord, I do not want a RELIGION...I want an Experience-filled life with you, a life in which I encounter your presence, and hear your whispers, see your eyes watching over, and know that you are there closer than my breath to me. I know that this relationship I seek is the only way I will let go of my earthly breakable Jar, seeking Your ever flowing well of water, your Holy Spirit as you said. I pray for a relationship that shall make me strong and faithful in times of trial and tests, in times of standing on shacking knees...only then My life's experience with you will linger in my head and Raise me up to stand not just on concepts but on a Solid truth..on Solid grounds. In Jesus name, Amen!

Seek an experience, a relationship not a just religion my friends!