Big Black Cloud.. Again

Here comes again the big "Black Cloud-السحابة السودة"..Isn't it a pity that such a perfect weather month like October is ruined by such an unexplained phenomenon! I remember enjoying outdoor activities as Summer heat fades away and winter (the bit we have back home) didn't yet crawl its way into the streets of Cairo. You can not be around a group of people these days without hearing their endless complaints of such horrific pollution and how disastrous it is to their overall health and moods. Just a thought hit me...what about the ones who are producing this pollution, the ones starting the fires and burning the so called "قش الرز". Are they feeling guilty with such wrong doing? Are they realizing the suffering they are creating to millions around them? Do they even still smell or see the same smoke the way we do? I guess they got used to it, or so embedded in their ways that in fact they like it! Their personal benefit in such an act BLINDS their eyes and gives them a fictitious peace of consciousness.

I just reflected on the Black Clouds you and I do create in our lives. Numerous sins and wrong doings found their way to pollute our soul, yet I guess we are blinded exactly as the "black cloud producers". The personal benefits we get from a lie, a cheat, a treason, or a look sedates our consciousness and makes us co-exist in a Smoke filled inner-self. My fear that this black cloud can (and will) hit the ones around you, they will smell it and eventually bear the consequences with you, yes, the consequences are one sin's most terrifying realities.

I love David for the man of God he was, yet he committed adultery and sinned. He knew he could blindly accept it and find excuses, yet he Prayed with tears asking God to fetch his soul and open his eyes, showing him what to clean:

"Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
اختَبِرني يا اللهُ واعرِفْ قَلبي. امتَحِنّي واعرِفْ أفكاري. وانظُرْ إنْ كانَ فيَّ طَريقٌ باطِلٌ، واهدِني طَريقًا أبديًّا. (139 المَزاميرُ:23-24 )

Dear Lord, I had enough starting fires, seeing smokes and accepting it. How far do we need to go to realize the pain we are creating to our selves and the disgrace we bring to the ones around us. Till when will we keep our eyes on the cloud of others yet accept the fumes we spread around. Open the eyes of our heart Lord to the blind spots we let go and the accepted failures we nurture within. I want to scream out loud with the born-blind healed by Jesus "“But I do know this: I was blind, and now I can see.” (John 9:25) 
In Your Glorious name, Amen.

When you see the black cloud, remember your own.

Open Space Office

"Open Space" Office is a phenomenon that most of us have encountered at work. It is something that defies our normal notion of "Focus and Deliver" specially if you grew up in house where "Khosh oddatak, e2efel el bab, Rakez w zaker" was on the top list of the most said phrases in the house. On the first days in Open Space, a piece of advice was very much needed facing the unbelievable flow of noise, chats, movements, calls, passers by, watching who works or plays solitaire (now browsing the net) and many more; and I am happy that I received it. "Youssef, do not make your agenda be managed by what comes from outside, chats will happen in the cubicle next to you, gatherings and laughs will be loud and grabbing your attention, invasions of your desk with endless question will . If you answer all, you will kill your productivity and obviously fail. Build filtering walls, Focus on one topic at a time, Manage your own agenda rather than be moved by all outside factors...and the others, seeing you productive, will respect that!" and yes, it was hard to follow, yet could not imagine surviving without this technique.

I guess We live these days in the "Social Open Space" Lives. The notion of your time and privacy has changed drastically, no longer your life is immune to external factors, chats, laughs, outings, rumors, comparisons and more. The distraction is attacking everywhere, just at the tips of your fingers. Try to have a decent conversation in group, in few minutes, half will be already checking their phones! Your days goes fine, then a message in wattsapp turns it around, or a photo on Facebook gets you in scenarios of thinking, or a late email at evening while with family kills the night. All this shakes your faith and peace from-within. They invade even your quality time spent with yourself and and your Creator, these few minutes are always full of distractions, right? Jesus expressed it beautifully in the parable of the seeds in different soils:

"And He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out". (Matthew 13:3-4, 7)

فكلَّمَهُمْ كثيرًا بأمثالٍ قائلًا: «هوذا الزّارِعُ قد خرجَ ليَزرَعَ، وفيما هو يَزرَعُ سقَطَ بَعضٌ علَى الطريقِ، فجاءَتِ الطُّيورُ وأكلَتهُ...وسَقَطَ آخَرُ علَى الشَّوْكِ، فطَلَعَ الشَّوْكُ وخَنَقَهُ. (13 مَتَّى:3-4, 7 )

Yes we have to admit, our lives now are getting chocked and strangled by distractions killing our productivity and ability to let grow the seed of His words in us, we just lead our lives responding to what happens into our "Social Open Space" allowing it to shape our thoughts, reactions and overall mood.

Dear Lord, We Thank you for the days of connection we live into, yet We pray today for a defined and focused heart in each one of us, a heart that can live with barriers to distractions, a heart that will lead from within rather than react to the outside, a mind that will stay focused on what matters in that wide Open Space..a Soul seeking you to bear Fruits and grow in the light of Your love. Amen!

Keep focused my friends!

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