Parenting
Thankful for…
Having spent a wonderful Thanksgiving evening with a fascinating group of friends, with full tummy, after a call from my beloved daughters, and anticipating the wonderful community event I will have the honor of hosting tomorrow, I am thankful! Thankful for family, friends and the glorious Baha’i Faith which has given me tools for spiritual [...]
Birthday cake baking fathers of the world, unite
Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet. (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 37) Love. Love is what has been laid down in the Holy Tablet. Many more laws indeed but the [...]
The night is darkest before dawn
The darker the night will turn, and the more intense and dreadful its convulsions and commotions become, the nearer will be the appointed time when the bright morn of deliverance will dawn, when the day-star of felicity and emancipation will shine, when the light of the glory, power and independence of the Faith of God [...]
Finding contentment in Pixie Hollow
Friday movie night was dedicated to Tinkerbell, “the spunky, rebellious, impatient, impulsive, determined, persistent, temperamental… yet still charming and lovable fairy” which was born out of Disney’s unlimited ability to branch out stories and produce brand-able characters. Tinkerbell, like all other fairies, is given a unique talent symbolized, in her case, by a… hammer. When [...]
Joyous feast
The Feast tonight was joyous for so many reasons but most of all because of two phone calls: First came the news, delivered to me by a cell phone call as I was biking across Key Bridge from Georgetown to Arlington, that Mariama had declared! She is Nancy’s Malian neighbor who attended a fireside less [...]
Pondering the purpose of life
Just a few random thoughts before jumping into a “Go / No Go” meeting at work… Monday’s Prayer Station once again reminded me how much the question of the meaning of life is on people’s minds. I was reflecting last night on the value of journaling one’s thoughts. There is a qualitative difference between when [...]
After Feast, the spiritual dessert of teaching
On Monday, my beautiful daughters helped us host the Feast of Rahmat (Mercy). In preparation, they had colored these 9-pointed stars in “rainbow” colors with signs for different virtues on each welcome card — I had told them that we will have many Baha’i guests and even the spirit of Abdu’l Baha will be with [...]
Baba Lyuba’s birthday cake recipe
In honor of my birthday, I will share the recipe for my favorite birthday cake. It is not a fancy-looking cake but anyone has ever tried it has praised it. This is a three layer cake where the top and bottom layers are identical but the middle one has walnuts. Each layer is baked separately. [...]
Does God like mistakes?
Last night I was sitting at the table helping my older daughter color welcoming cards to be used at the upcoming Feast of Rahmat (Mercy) which she and her baby sister will host next Monday. As she was coloring diligently, trying to stay within the lines (apparently a very important thing for a 4 1/2 [...]
Persevering in the quest of the Beloved
I am in pain these days — the pain of separation whose only soothing medicine, I know, is detachment. And while convulsing in this pain, I ask questions of why and how, Baha’u’llah gracefully provides answers: But, O my brother, when a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading [...]
