Update

These pictures are from the last Holy Day a week ago. I am currently on vacation enjoying my husband and my mom's company. yes, she made it here! Amir is back at work tomorrow and i still have another two weeks with my beautiful mom. pictures of our adventures to follow:)

tomorrow - the Martydom of the Bab

"Ali (the Bab), in truth, is Thy servant, Whom Thou hast singled out from among Thy Messengers and Thy chosen Ones, and made Him to be the Manifestation of Thyself in all that pertaineth unto Thee, and that concerneth the revelation of Thine attributes and the evidences of Thy names." (Baha'u'llah: Prayers and Meditations, Page: 330)

marriage class

our marriage class photo and a photo of the "thank you" cake that Mutale made for Ginger. we will miss her much:( but, luckily, Hank will continue facilitating this class until we leave. no words to say of how much talking about marriage and reading and contimplating on the Writings enriches my understanding. i realized how studying this topic individually and together with other couples helped me personally to look at the whole concept of marriage as a sacred institution in a context of the process of moving forward an ever-advancing civilization from a broader perspective. on the photo: beautiful couples Arash and Bahareh, Mutale and Jarrett, Hank and Ginger and Amir and me.

friends who came to our dinner last night...three girls look giant in front:)

Today...

My mom is coming in 4 days, can't wait... She seems to have some problems with tickets, hope it'll turn out well for her and she gets to come on Sunday...

Tonight my husband is treating some people (and me!) with his cooking... The theme is China, I think he will use this gorgeous table cloth that came to us as a wedding gift from Singapore, and another wedding gift from Singapore, but by another friend, - chopsticks and soup spoons. I assume there will be a Chinese soup, sushi and Chinese spring rolls.... hmmm....yummy! It's going to be more fun to eat using some traditional stuff rather than universal spoons and forks:)

quote for today:

"Let your thoughts dwell on your own spiritual development, and close your eyes to the deficiencies of other souls." Abdul-Baha

it's a girl!

it's a girl! it's a girl!
Sieni who works in our office delivered a girl today:) Parents didn't want to know the gender until the end, so it was a surprise for all of us:) i am so excited and cannot wait to meet the little one. we had some prayers for her this morning which was quite touching... yey!!!!!! can't believe she is a mommy now:) and, no name yet...

5 months

"...I have not created spirits and men, but that they should worship me." Wherefore, wed Thou in the heaven of Thy mercy these two birds of the nest of Thy love, and make them the means of attracting perpetual grace; that from the union of these two seas of love a wave of tenderness may surge and cast the pearls of pure and goodly issue on the shore of life. "He hath let loose the two seas, that they meet each other: Between them is a barrier which they overpass not. Which then of the bounties of your Lord will ye deny? From each He bringeth up greater and lesser pearls." O Thou kind Lord! Make Thou this marriage to bring forth coral and pearls. Thou art verily the All-Powerful, the Most Great, the Ever-Forgiving. - Abdu'l-Baha (`Abdu'l-Baha: Baha'i Prayers (US edition), Pages: 105-106)

Animals

My friends Serghei, Liuda and Ilya went to the Zoo few days ago. These are the pictures they shared with me. Their son Ilya saw resemblance in this monkey's eyes and my eyes. Tell me what do u think:)
How sweet! Mama and baby are having some drink:)
oops, sorry, I didn't edit this picture before posting. I can tell u that this cutie is reaching out for some grass outside of fence.
quite chaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrming:)
no idea what kind of animal it is, but it stroke a nice pose for the camera! And look at that attitude!
Ahhh! So much fun! I can only guess what these turtles are so happy about:):):)
No feeding animals! How can one resist, seeing this fellow:)
Taking a break...
Hello! You look gorgeous today!

Reflecting on being thankful

i've been thinking about this feeling of false i get while exchanging smiles and "thank you"s. sometimes it's obvious artificilaity makes me sick. i came across this quote that partialy asked my questions. it appears that it's all about the awareness of gratitude, feeling it in one's heart, so it's much deeper than superficial conversation based on momentary emotions. and it comes out in deeds rather than words and thoughts. the whole "expectation" thing falls out of this context as this kind of gratitude is spiritual, therefore unconditional. being thankful not to someone but to God for the opportunity. shift of focus.

"Thankfulness is of various kinds. There is a verbal thanksgiving which is confined to a mere utterance of gratitude. This is of no importance because perchance the tongue may give thanks while the heart is unaware of it. Many who offer thanks to God are of this type, their spirits and hearts unconscious of thanksgiving. This is mere usage, just as when we meet, receive a gift and say thank you, speaking the words without significance. One may say thank you a thousand times while the heart remains thankless, ungrateful. Therefore, mere verbal thanksgiving is without effect. But real thankfulness is a cordial giving of thanks from the heart. When man in response to the favors of God manifests susceptibilities of conscience, the heart is happy, the spirit is exhilarated. These spiritual susceptibilities are ideal thanksgiving. There is a cordial thanksgiving, too, which expresses itself in the deeds and actions of man when his heart is filled with gratitude. For example, God has conferred upon man the gift of guidance, and in thankfulness for this great gift certain deeds must emanate from him. To express his gratitude for the favors of God man must show forth praiseworthy actions. In response to these bestowals he must render good deeds, be self-sacrificing, loving the servants of God, forfeiting even life for them, showing kindness to all the creatures. He must be severed from the world, attracted to the Kingdom of Abha, the face radiant, the tongue eloquent, the ear attentive, striving day and night to attain the good pleasure of God. Whatsoever he wishes to do must be in harmony with the good pleasure of God. He must observe and see what is the will of God and act accordingly. There can be no doubt that such commendable deeds are thankfulness for the favors of God." (`Abdu'l-Baha: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, Page: 236)

Reflecting on "making every effort" and "straining every nerve"

Strain every nerve to acquire both inner and outer perfections, for the fruit of the human tree hath ever been and will ever be perfections both within and without. It is not desirable that a man be left without knowledge or skills, for he is then but a barren tree. Then, so much as capacity and capability allow, ye needs must deck the tree of being with fruits such as knowledge, wisdom, spiritual perception and eloquent speech.
(Baha'u'llah: Baha'i Education, Page: 247)

Make every effort to acquire the advanced knowledge of the day, and strain every nerve to carry forward the divine civilization.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: The Arts, Page: 6)

O ye friends of God, redouble your efforts, strain every nerve, till ye triumph in your servitude to the Ancient Beauty, the Manifest Light, and become the cause of spreading far and wide the rays of the Day-Star of Truth. Breathe ye into the world's worn and wasted body the fresh breath of life, and in the furrows of every region sow ye holy seed.
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Selections ... `Abdu'l-Baha, Page: 271)

the word "strain" makes me feel of "pain" and "suffering". to me it means feeling a little pain of "i cannot do it anymore" but still trying to go a bit beyond of what is possible. not under estimating capacities but building them along the way.