some tea and cake at home at 6 a.m., and then up to the very early morning prayer in the village:
after greeting everybody and wishing a blessed day, people go home to sacrify the sheep:
and then families sit together, share, prepare BBQ and the lunch and enjoy the atmosphere of this holy day:
and in the afternoons and over the next days tea with friends.
hope your Id was also a blessed one!
Id moubarak said and happy feast of devotion, sacrifice and faith!
Allahumma taqqabbil to all the pilgrims in Makkah (Mecca), in remembrance of prophet Abraham.
some of my memories and facts about that most important celebration in the Muslim year:
https://ittosjournal.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/remembering-id-el-adha-2011/
https://ittosjournal.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/preparing-id-el-kebir/
This post I write in memory of Louise L. Hay who died yesterday at the age of 90.
I count her as one of the most important teachers in my life.
Although her teachings are not all convenient with my Muslim faith (I exclude these parts or replace for example words like “the universe” with “Allah”) and also not all her teachings were really new (sometimes a repetition of what other great people, even Muslim thinkers, already pronounced before her) she had a unique beautiful way to put things into words, very easy to understand and easy to apply.
She found the right words to explain things and to touch my inner system.
I really would suggest all of her books, calendars, etc.
When I was in a very difficult time of inner growth and development, about seven years ago, it was mainly through her writings (beside the Qur’an) God guided me to healing, hope and acceptance, alhamdulillah.
And until today, her books and affirmations accompany me through my every day.
I am very, very thankful to have been able to learn, through her inspiration, about:
The power of thoughts.
The healing and creative effects of positive thinking.
That life is a mirror of my inner beliefs.
That I always have the freedom to choose my own perception and thoughts.
That I first have to love myself before I am able to give love to others.
How to love and accept, myself and others.
To be good to myself.
How to treat myself well and how to accept the best for myself.
How to nourish my inner child, to forgive and release the past.
To cherish my God-given talents and gifts.
To use my God-given power to create everything possible.
To feel love, safety and trust instead of fear and doubt.
To feel courageous and competent.
Accepting.
To trust in divine destiny and that everything is and gets well.
My favorite breakfast these days:
homemade paneer (made of fresh cow milk) sautéd in olive oil with a bit of salt and curry,
half of a green apple seared, with cinnamon and a fresh tomato from the garden… yumm!
The recipe was inspired by this wonderful book of Sarah Wilson.
If you, as well,do not want to use feta or store-bought paneer, you can find an online recipe for the paneer here: http://indianhealthyrecipes.com/how-to-make-paneer-cubes-at-home
Barak Allahu feek for all the lovely comments on my last post!
I really appreciate your encouragements and words, al khair, inchaallah.
It was the one thing I was just not prepared for, at all.
It was what we had planned and expected the least. Never.
We have been very happy and really busy enough with four kids and our growing school project, alhamdulillah.
I was happy to gain back more and more freedom, now that they were all growing older. After nearly fourteen years of being pregnant, breastfeeding, diaper-changing and caring for very small children, even the smallest one shows, with his four years of age now, already large amounts of independence.
So I enjoyed myself so much in just having sometimes a few hours alone, in being able to travel a few days without children, in engaging in bigger projects outside the home, in being myself, thinking about myself and being just with myself.
And then this:
menses already ten days over, a tearing belly, knowing that this might not be just an early menopause-symptom,… and the result of the test: positive!!!!
Pregnant with the fifth child!
Oh—my–God. It just cannot be possible, mashaallah. It cannot!
A whole world of dreams and plans broke over me. I felt weak, and old, and imprisoned, and forced into something I just was not ready for.
Astaghfirullah. Lord, forgive me, make it easy for me…
It was horrible, I immediately began to feel very sick, uncomfortable, tired, miserable, with no joy in anything and ready to vomit every moment.
Scenarios of having a big pregnancy belly, giving birth and holding a baby came to my mind like horror and it just felt so strange, so far away, and so not at all me any more, I thought I was over all of this.
Towards the outside world I didn’t’ show these thoughts.
I hid it, the pregnancy and my awkward feelings. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I maybe looked like I’ve got it all together, but inside, I felt like standing ankle deep in crap.
I first had to make peace with it myself.
I had to learn how to find the magic and wonder in this mess, in becoming a small-baby-mother, again. I had to gain back faith and confidence and trust.
I had to learn to surrender in Allah’s will, to be thankful.
I had to learn to accept and to let go, to drop myself and to give up my selfishness, my wish to control and my ego-claims.
I had to accept that I cannot just close our family-door and all the blessings and prosperity we live in, if God wishes us to take this task and to care for another child. I had and I still have to accept this duty.
It took time. These whole summer vacations I spent pondering, meditating and working on this.
I slowly feel better now. I still have some nausea, but I begin to accept the situation and even begin to feel something like joy, honor, gratitude, pride and excitement with it, alhamdulillah.
I begin to accept this mission that was imposed upon me.
I look forward to a house full of children, to a small one who needs us all and who will have his place among our wonderful-crazy family-tribe, inchaallah.
My faith helps me a lot – I just know that everything happens for our highest good.
I find inspiration and encouragement in blogs from moms who have more than seven or ten children, in movies like “cheaper by the dozen” and especially in the belief that destiny (God’s way) is always perfect for us.
And I find joy in the joy of our kids who are eager to welcome the new family-member.
So many wonderful women do and did it, nearly all my neighbors have more than four kids – yes I can, as well, inchaallah.
I still have nearly six months to grow into it, and time will help.
When life gives you lemons – make lemonade!
– Up into this new adventure, into this new learning opportunity, into the joy of being a family of seven!
I mean, honestly, having a full handful of children, being “mom of five”, sounds not so bad at all…
August – time of vacation, of nothingness, of days spent without timetables and social obligations…
time to read without real purpose, just to the pure pleasure of it.
Some old summer-classics, beautiful Muslim fiction and a new field guide:
Anne Morrow Lindbergh “Gift from the Sea”
Naima B. Robert “She wore red trainers”
Rosamunde Pilcher “The Shell seekers”
Katie Daisy “How to be a Wildflower”
Happy summer days to you!
