Gardens

Today, I had the lovely experience of visiting Al Azhar Park. It is an oasis of beauty, vegetation and fountains in the large overwhelming city of Cairo. It's located near the citadel and the Saleh Salem road. One can see the pyramids of Giza the hills of Mokattam the beauties of the city along with the ugliness of its poverty all from the Garden that over looks Cairo. The normal sounds of the city seem nonexistant in the quiet lush garden. It's an area of peace, solitude, and beauty all laid out for us by a great amount of extravagant spending (it cost 30 million to build). It's hard to critique this amount of money spent on a garden though. It is relatively cheap to enter, and it's open to all sectors of the population. It's beautiful. I felt as though I had been on a vacation just from spending a few hours in this lovely place. My flatmates and I, I must admit, were immediately confessing how we would love to go on a date to this location. (Why the female mind always goes to dating, I don't know). I have officially decided that the most amazing date in the world would be going to the garden for the afternoon, and then eating dinner there. *sigh*

In the mean time, the many different facets and nuances of Egyptian life are becoming more apparent to me. It's amazing that there are such many differences within the culture. The other night I was at a party with alcohol, dancing etc. When that very day, I had been in a Christian Egyptian house where the idea of meeting a man in public is considered questionable. There are many differing views and complex relations connecting them all here. I have to begin to define my own view and my own belief and approach to these situations, so I have to define my self within this culture.

In the mean time, I've been dreaming a lot. One of my dreams made it very apparent that I have to choose. I have reached that defining point in my faith, where my distractions are growing dangerous, and I have to decide to choose truth over worldly and emotional idols. I have to choose to engage with God more and to allow Him to have a greater influence over my life. This is frightening to me. He can use people to do great things. I don't know if I am ready to do great things, or if I can even do them. I am okay with living in the background, but I know it's time to step out into the light. It's time for my difference to be visible to the world .

I have to allow my faith to become a garden as well. I need to be a garden of faith within this world the same way that Al Azhar is a garden in Cairo. My faith should be affecting to all people who see it. In the same way that Al Azhar's beauty leaves one stunned and speechless, God's love should be able to do the same to people through me.

Growth pains are hard, difficult, and frightening. I hope that I can weather them well. I know that through Him all things are possible, but I hope that the growth is not as painful as I am expecting it to be. I look forward to the end results.

the following are lyrics to one of my favorite songs:
God has smiled on me. He's been good to me. God has smiled on me. He has set me free. God has smiled on me. He's been good to me.