Conversations with God

Today, while walking back from the doctor's office, Mona and I was chatting about stuff.
Usually Mona doesn't like to hold our hands when walking outside, she is very independent and proudly claims so! She will only hold our hands when crossing the road, or when mummy and daddy think it's appropriate, like when there is a huge crowd etc...

So while walking back together she reached out her little hand and grab mine and said:

Mona: I need to hold your hands to get more leg power, so we can walk faster you know!
I thought that statement was quite interesting and funny and wanting to know more, I asked her:
More leg power honey, how does that work? How do we get more leg power by holding hands?
Mona replied: When we hold hands our blood touches inside our hands and that creates more energy and it goes to our legs and gives us leg power!
Me (intrigued): Hmmm, that's interesting! Where did you learn this honey, who told you this is how we get leg power?
Mona: God!
Me: God! Really?
Mona: Yep! God tells me everything you know!
Me: Oh ok, that must be nice! Do you talk to God a lot?
Mona: Yes, everyday all of the time!
Me: Wow, that's so cool.... So what is God like? Do you see God when you talk to him.
Mona: Sometimes! Sometimes I see God and sometimes He is in my tummy!
Me (absolutely loving this conversation by now!): So what does God look like? Is God a man or a lady?
Mona: God is a Man, just like a daddy you know, but a bit older. He is like my grandfather you know and He is really gentle when He talks to me! I like talking to God and telling Him stuff you know!
Me: Yes honey, I know. I love talking to God too.
Mona: I like talking to God's mum too! She is really nice too!
Me (totally surprised): God has a mum!?
Mona (laughing): Yes, God has a mum! Everyone has a mum! You're silly mum!
Me: Wow! So God has mum!! That's so great!!

I bend down and gave my nearly four year old daughter a big kiss, and we happily went along with the rest of our day, still holding hands all the way home...

 

Mona, Age 3 - March 2010

Mona learns another Baha'i Prayer for Children

Yesterday, Mona wanted me to record a video of her singing her night time prayers for her mamijoon and papijoon who lives in Mauritius. (grandma & grandpa).

I think she wanted me to record her singing her prayers because it's been about a week that she just learned the Baha'i Prayer for children 'O God! Educate these children" and she is quite in love with this prayer...



As I mentioned before, saying night time prayers is a big part of our night time routine, usually the last part of the routine, just before saying goodnight and tucking her in...

So this is usually how she sings her prayers...
She first starts with the new prayer that she recently learned, 'O God! Educate these children', then she sings 'O God! Guide me', followed by the French version of the same prayer and usually end with the prayer 'Blessed is the Spot'.

In this particular video, she asked me not to sing with her for the last prayer, 'Blessed is the Spot', because she wants to show mamijoon and papijoon that she can sing it on her own without my help. lol...



Here are the Baha'i Prayers that she is singing, in same order as they appear in the video:

"O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thy orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them, let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them, in order that they may be trained, grow and develop and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver, Thou art the Compassionate."
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha

"O God! Guide me, protect me, make of me a shinning lamp and a brilliant stat. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful."
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha

"Mon Dieu, guide moi, protege moi, illumine la lampe de mon coeur et fais de moi une etoile brillante. Tu es le Fort, le Puissant."
~ 'Abdu'l-Baha

"Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow, where mention of God hath been made and His Praise Glorified."
~ Baha'u'llah

French Baha'i Prayer

I finally managed to record a video of Mona saying her prayers in French. I've been meaning to record this video ever since I posted the video of Mona saying prayers in Farsi...

This little video was recorded during our bedtime routine, so Mona looks tired and sleepy in the video. Mind you, we had just finished reading two story books and reading 3 prayers and singing two prayers in English and French, when I remembered to record it... lol...

In the first part of the video I am saying the words for her first and she repeats after me, and in the second part, she says it all by herself and we say our good night in french as well.
Enjoy...

Here is the English translation of this Baha'i Prayer for Children:

O God, Guide me, protect me,

illumine the lamp of my heart and make of me a brilliant start.
Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.
'Abdu'l-Baha

Elfing ourselves!

It's that time of the year again...
...That's right, it's time for an elf video dance!

From one little elf family to yours,
We wish you all a warm and lovely holidays
& a happy New Year 2010!

With elfing love,

Mona's answer!

Earlier today, I took Mona with me to the doctor's office...
Nothing unusual, just having a little check up and Mona was just being her usual self, chatting with the nurses and showing up her new dances moves to the other little kids in the waiting room. She even shared her sultanas with one of her little new-made friends...


While I was having my check-up, doctor Alice was chit chatting with Mona, and Mona, sitting on her chair, casually responded to her while still eating her sultanas.
Then doctor Alice asked Mona: 'So Mona, what are you going to do this Christmas?'
And Mona nonchalantly replied: "We are Baha'is! We don't celebrate Christmas!"

I just cannot explain to you how I felt when I heard Mona's answer!


I was at first surprised of her brief, but very honest answer, because I really did not expect her saying that.
And then I also immediately felt really proud of her for being able to define who she is and be able to proclaim it high and without fear!

I am really proud of my 3 year old little girl...

She is a Baha'i.
I am a Baha'i.
We are a Baha'i family.

Much love to you and yours during this Holiday Season!

P.S: Don't know what the Baha'i Faith is? Then click here.

Last Minute Gift Ideas!

Looking for some last minute gift ideas?
Well look no more, you have come to the right place!

As some of you know, I have just recently launched my new photography website: 'Sabby Nur Photography' and this morning I just posted some gift certificates for portrait sessions for this holiday season.

Please feel free to check it out here and order a gift certificate for your favorite person and/or for yourselves, as the gift certificates do not expire and can be used whenever you want.

Also if you know someone who might be interested, please feel free to share this post and links with them.

Thank you for reading,

And don't forget to keep cool, drink your water, and eat lots of fruits!

Lovingly,

Arising to Serve - Baha'i Video for Free Download

http://www.bahai.org/arising/

"It is hoped that the film will serve as a source of learning,
encouragement, and inspiration to those who,
in response to the summons of their Lord,
are arising to serve their fellow citizens in every corner of the world."

http://www.bahai.org/arising/

Baha'i Video "Arising to Serve: Glimpses from 41 Regional Conferences" is available for free download on the official Baha'i website: http://www.bahai.org/arising/

Enjoy and re-live the experience!

Much love,

Ghormeh Sabzi - The Recipe

Ghormeh Sabzi or The Persian Green Herb Stew is most definitely one of my favorites dish in the Persian Cuisine. But it has not always been this way...
By far and large, Ghormeh Sabzi, is not what one would call a 'pretty' dish, and if it happens to be your first time tasting it, the colour and smell would not seem very inviting.
Ghormeh Sabzi is a dish that you have to try, at least a few times (well, at least in my case), before your taste buds starts to really enjoy the bursts of intense flavours of this very dark green stew of herbs when eaten with the aromatic rice (cooked the Persian style of course!).

It's hard to believe that the only Persian dish I was familiar with before I got married to my Persian husband was Adas Polo, also known as Adas Pilaf (Rice with lentils and raisins)...
But a marriage of cultures can certainly produce some miracles, and in my case it sure did. Firstly with our beautiful daughter Mona and now with me cooking Persian Cuisine! ha! Who would have thought that was possible... lol...
I have been quite adventurous lately in learning how to create those delicious Persian dishes and one that I have almost perfected is of course the very famous Ghormeh Sabzi.
And since I cooked it today totally from scratch, and had some requests for sharing the recipe, I thought I might as well do it here.

So here is what you will need:

(Tumeric)

- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp of tumeric powder
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 750grams of lamb, chopped into chunks (Beef or Chicken can be used too)
- 1 cup spring (green) onions, finely chopped (green part only)
- 1 1/2 cup of spinach, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fenugreek leaves, finely chopped
- 1 can of red kidney beans, drained
- Juice of one fresh lemon
- 1/2 cup of leemoo-amonee (dried lemons, approximately 5 to 6 dried lemons)
- 1 tsp of dried lemon powder (optional)

Leemoo-Amonee (Dried Lemons)

Note: The herbs can be purchased already chopped, either in sachet as dried herbs or in can, but this recipe is of course used with fresh herbs (Sabzi)

(Dried chopped herbs for Ghormeh Sabzi)

Cooking Method / Directions:

1. Saute or fry the onion over medium heat in a couple of tabespoons of oil, until it is a deep golden brown. The Persian called this piaz-daagh.
   
2. Add the tumeric and fry for another minute or two.
3. Add the meet chunks and toss well to coat in tumeric. Add salt & pepper and the optional dried lemon powder and allow meat to cook until browned well on all sides.
4. Meanwhile, in another heated and well oiled pan, fry the herbs until they are fragrant and they starts to deepen in colour. Watch them carefully as they will go bitter if burned. You want them to be a deep, dark green without blackening.
5. Add the fried green herbs to the onion and meet mixture and stir well.
6. Add about 2 cups of water to the mixture. You want it to be a 'slurry', but not 'soupy' mixture.
7. Add lemon juice, stir it well and turn the heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours.
8. About 1 hour through the simmer, add the leemoo-amonee (dried lemons). Crack them a little bit and add to the stew, making sure to push them down into the liquid. They tend to pop back up, so try to cover them down with the meat to keep them submerged. Do not add the dried lemons any earlier, or they will turn the stew bitter.
   
9. And finally add the drained kidney beans and let the stew cook/simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes.
10. Make sure to taste the stew to check on the seasoning and sourness of the stew. (Add more lemon juice if needed, but before you do, press down on the dried lemons to get them to release the liquid they've absorbed.)

And your Ghormeh Sabzi is ready!

Serve with Polow (rice) or if you want to go country style try them with Lavash bread (Persian bread).... so yummy!

Oh and just a little bit of advice, if you are serving this dish to a first-timer, make sure to not serve your guests the dried lemons, they would scream in horror when they bite into what they think is a nice chunk of meat! lol.... (no jokes!)

You are Invited to Serve the Faith (dot) com

Hi guys, I just saw this post on Baha'i Views by George and I just had to share with you all... it is so cleverly done and straight to the point.

Here it is, folks. http://www.servethefaith.com

The latest and greatest invitation to teach the Baha’i Faith.In 4 minutes and some seconds. Cute. Cuts through the confusion. Done by some people you might know. Devon Gundry, the guy with some great songs AND the co-creator of SoulPancake. And how about Golriz Lucina, also of SoulPancake. Here she is on Twitter. And here is her blog. These guys design good. -gw

For my brother, Anis...

Happy Birthday!



We love you
Bisous
xoxox

For my brother, Brian...

Happy Birthday!!



We LOVE you!
xoxox

Stand By Me - Andy, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora

Iranian singer Andy sings 'Stand By Me' with superstars Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.

It's pretty cool, both Andy and Jon Bon Jovi starts the song in farsi... check it out!