Ramadan Day 19

Things are getting a bit better with the kids. As for Ameena she is knee-deep in kids as well, lol. Yesterday I made a prayer chart for the kids. I also finally hole-punched and tied the ABC's of Ramadan colouring book. A first Eid card was made by me too from the kit as a demo for the kids. Our 'snowy' tv was updated with digital cable and new channels but I will ignore it during Ramadan as much as possible. My big news for the day was that I called my two brothers! I haven't had contact with my younger brother in about 2 yrs but it was he who cut me off not the other way around. Alhumdullilah though he talked to me for awhile so I felt like a burden had lifted from my shoulders. I also talked to my older brother who had me cracking up with his jokes and impressions. He was very talkative and much more than my younger brother. He mentioned the Chapelle show and I said I think I heard that guy is muslim and my brother said you just want him to be. I said, no that's how I first heard about the guy. He didn't believe me. So right now I just looked on wikipedia and he is a muslim. See I'm not crazy big bro! lol  Insha Allah I hope the silat-ur-rahim keeps up. After that I read Quran to the kids out loud which takes a lot longer than reading it to myself somehow so I am only on Juz 11. How was your day 19? (is anyone out there?)

Ramadan Day 18

Still working on the problem with the kids. As for Ameena, her reminder is about not backbiting. Today we went to a history fair where people were all basically dressed like me, lol. Seriously there were all in period costumes so the women were all nice and covered up except for some highland dancers. One guy though was dressed up as a native although he wasn't. He said that there are all sorts of people involved in their group but no Arabs and Indians. Huh? How does that apply to us? Oh I get it , I guess I'm the arab and dh is the Indian. So I set him straight and told him how the kids and I had Ojibway roots. The kids got to make a candle and a rope so it was fun for them as well as learning about the history of the area and its settlers. Later on that day ds1 and his wife came over which was a suprise and he told me about his new purchases from Soundvision including miswak toothpaste. Can you tell he's my son? He also had bought a book about gheeba (backbiting). Funny coincidence to go along with this book eh? Our neighbour sent over food again, alhumdullilah. This is the 3rd time and I've only sent over food once! Yikes, better get cracking.  In the evening I read Quran to the kids and dh translated a talk from an imam in Malaysia for us. The imam was saying that a malay guy went to the states and went to a church with  his Christian friend but the Priest told him to get out. But he didn't want to leave so the priest said you can stay if you answer all my questions correctly which he did. ( I have no idea what the questions were though). Then the malay guy said now you have to answer my question; how can you get to heaven? Apparently the priest then recited the kalimah (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) in arabic. The congregation said they wanted to go to heaven too and all became muslim. I know, I know...all the catholics are choking right now or spitting out their coffee. This story does seem a little over the top. I would need proof to believe it. However I do know that there are priests and ministers that believe in Islam but don't want to lose thier lucrative positions so they never let on. I also know that one priest even kept a  Quran in his church office and that is how one of his congregants converted. That happened in Quebec. So it was a very interesting day. How was your day 18?

Back to Nature

Do you ever think sometimes that God is trying to tell you something? In this last week I've been affected by three sets of experiences. They aren't mine but they affected me anyway. First of all I watched Garbage Warrior which is about an architect who buys land and builds houses from trash and they are self-sustainable. The US gov't didn't like that too much though because they said his stuff was not up to code. Its a great movie and you should watch it. Secondly I came across this post at the blog 30 Mosques in 30 Days which I told you about before. Another example of living off the land. Finally there is the guy who lived without money for a year. Don't you want to eat plants and bathe in the river? No? Come on? With the cost of hydro shooting up 17% this month in Ontario I'm thinking about going back to candles at least!

Muslims are doing it for themselves.

Last time there was a tragedy in Pakistan a lot of us gave funds and blankets and clothes etc to help out. When my daughter's mother-in-law (she is from Pakistan) told me that most of the stuff was taken by the gov't to give to the army I was really upset! This time the tragedy is a flood not an earthquake and people are a little slower on the draw but part of that is due to the mistrust we are feeling towards the Pakistani government. In Toronto they've decided to do the work themselves and go there and distribute the goods with no government go-betweens. Read the article here.  Does this want to make you give more?

Ramadan Day 17

Where has the time gone? I can't believe how many days have already passed. Although if I were fasting it would probably feel like forever especially with these long days. Yesterday was also another day to take care of our children's problem but we also got to go to iftar. Before that though I took ds2 to look for eid gifts for his siblings. He has a paper route so he wants to buy something this year. I made sure to buy milk and juice for the iftar this time instead of the usual pop they ask you to bring because I don't want the kids to drink too much of that. We brought rice to the iftar; they tell each family what to bring. I guess its better when its more organized like that. But I remember the way it was at church and you could bring whatever, so that if you were poor, then even a loaf of bread. That way no one felt hard pressed. Not that we feel that way but I wonder if anyone does. I guess you could just take your name off the list. Perhaps I overthink things? Its in my nature. At the iftar my daughter-in-law didn't show up but another convert did with her mother and I spent the whole time talking to her. This woman is such a lovely person and so accepting of her daughter's conversion. She told me that her daughter converted when she was only 12! Imagine that! I'd give more details but I think I shouldn't for privacy sake but I wish I could tell you her lovely story. I can say she was introduced to Islam through books though. Masha Allah. Afterwards I was thinking ,isn't it amazing that I spoke to this woman for so long and yet I barely know her and the people in the mosque don't give me the time of day and after 10 yrs barely even know who I am! Well on another note I forgot to bring cans for the canned food drive even though I did write it on the calendar. Tsk, tsk and I am the one who started the canned food drive when I was a Muslim Girl Guide leader a few years ago. How was you day 17?

Ramadan Day 16

Yesterday was just like the day before. I cannot get much done until this problem is solved. One interesting thing is dh discussed a ceramah he listened to about Jinns. It always important to be wearing your armour of taqwa to battle these fiends; the shaitans amongst them. Aoodhu billahi mina shaitanir rajim. How was your day 16?

Hidden Door Bookshelf

I saw this on instructables and its calling my name. Books, hiding...ahh.. a kids dream come true and for all the kids in us grownups. I would make the other side a cute play area though to curl up and read a book or whatever. Don't you wish you had one?

Ramadan Day 15

Ameena's day was very productive again but mine was a repeat of yesterday with dealing with the kids' problem again. I read quran out loud to the kids again but they seemed kind of antsy. I also tried to read the Quran in arabic. Is it just me or does the Quran mention fi sa mawatti wa al ard, a lot of times? How was your day 15? How is Ameena inspiring you?

Ramadan Day 14

Yesterday I didn't accomplish much( Ameena's day though was superproductive!) as again I was tied up having to take care of an issue with my kids all day long. In the morning when I went shopping though to get something related to this I saw a muslim gentleman from the next town over and he told me to tell dh to go to the new islamic school for taraweeh and iftar. I mentioned that they didn't allow women and he said well there are a few women (I'm guessing the wives of the owners or something) and that of course they wouldn't kick you out. I told him that dh and I had already gone there twice for information about the school and were disappointed both times and even about my email response I got from them. He asked for my number and said he would make sure they called me. Hmm..should I have hope this time? Later on that evening dd2 got some great news about something that was really upsetting for the past little while which would have ruined all her plans. But Alhumdullilah things worked out and I feel so happy for her. In the evening instead of reading Quran we watched a movie about scientific verses in the Quran (This is the Truth, Interview With Leading Scientists). Ds2 especially was interested it. How was your day 14?

Ramadan Day 13

Yesterday I decided it would be great to break some people's fasts so I went shopping for the ingredients in the morning. While I was doing that I donated money to the Red Cross for the Pakistani flood. Then I had to pick up some library books and I saw a lot of kids at the library and wondered what was going on. Well they were there for reptile day and dd3 was signed up for that so I went home and picked her up and brought her back. Is this old age? I forgot to write the event on the calendar and she never thought to either. Well she didn't miss all of it and she got to hold two snakes. One was a corn snake and the other one I don't know. Yuck! I certainly didn't want to hold it and I kept thinking about the Christian story of Adam and Eve with the snake being satan. (no matter how long I'm muslim some things just won't leave my mind!) I wish I would have remembered a camera though. One lady there told me I had a nice scarf. Then I made Date Squares (and sent them over to the neighbours' house) and Blueberry Squares and Shrimp Pasta. I took the pasta dish from Pioneer Woman's website and no one liked it! I though it was just ok and much better with parmesan added (I finally found kosher parmesan). And this is why I hate cooking. So much work and then no one likes it. I guess its like that whenever you try out a new recipe but it just makes me even more ornery. Oh I substituted the white wine with white grape juice and the canned tomatoes with fresh tomatoes from my garden. After Maghrib I read some Quran again to the kids. I was pretty tired by this point though. I still have to call my other siblings. So how was your day 13?

Thinking of Eid fashion

Don't know if any of you are thinking about what you will be wearing for Eid but I thought I would share this find with you. I just love these bracelets and they look even better in real life. I used to know a muslim selling Avon but can't seem to remember how to find her link.Anyway here they are.

Ramadan Day 12

Ameena's focus was on dhikr today. As for myself I called my sister and talked for hours. Its been a long time since we talked so there were many things to chat about. I sent out an email for my kids about the new Mooz Lum movie. My neighbour sent over food for iftar; chicken noodle soup and some small snacks. Masha Allah I haven't even sent anything for her but I was thinking of it. After Maghrib I went downstairs and ds4 say hurray we get to listen to Quran. Well that's the kind of thing you want to hear your kid say! The older kids though are not impressed with the arachaic english its written in. I need to get one of those new Qurans with modern English. I prefer the old-fashioned one though because it sounds like the Bible I grew up listening too and I feel old English better captures Classic Arabic. Anyone else agree? So insha Allah for day 13 I hope to call another sibling. How was your day 12?