Qur'an 20180117

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

11.  The Arabs who lagged behind will say to you, "We were engaged in our flocks and herds and our families: ask forgiveness for us."  They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.  Say, "Who then has any power at all on your behalf with Allah, if God's Will is to give you some loss, or to give you some profit?"  But Allah is Well-Acquainted with all that you do.

The Victory 48:11
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Here's an ethical question for you

I was at the night market last night, and I saw this woman selling huge clams.  I'm sure I showed you these clams before, because I had bought them before.  Well I bought another 3 kilos last night, it was only RM10.  Now if you look at the shells, you will see concentric lines and these lines are supposed to be able for one to tell the age of the clam.  Each concentric line being one year, as far as I understand.

This clam is about 200 years old!

This one is at least 250 years old.

This is one of the smaller clams, and is at least 100 years old.

Now I have no idea where they fished these clams out, but clams don't move around that much.  For a clam to live to over 250 years old, it must have been undisturbed for that long.  But humans have been fishing these waters for longer than that, and there were so many of these clams being sold, I am assuming they found a plentiful supply here in these shallow sea waters, in this small state smaller than Rhode Island.  Which is a ridiculous thought actually, due to ridiculous odds.  These clams should only have 30 lines at the most, and be the size of a quarter.  Perhaps these clams do average 250 years before being caught.  Perhaps each concentric line represent only one month of life instead of a year.  These are the tropics after all, and filled with life all year round.  Do I tell her these clams are 250 years old?  Do I tell her to put the clams back?  Well, I ate the ones I bought.  They were filling, delicious, and generated a lot of broth.  But should I buy them if I see them up for sale again?  I'm at odds with myself.  I don't know what to do.

 

 

 

Congratulations Erin

Congratulations on your business success.  You followed your heart when it came to your career, and now you reap the rewards.  Plus, it was better for your heart.  Be true to your heart, and don't be intimidated by your competitors.  You are beautiful, and I love you.

Happy birthday to your Mom, Natty honey.  May she live a long, happy and blessed life.

 

 

 

 

That being said

We can't just let evil prance around the world, doing whatever it pleases.  There has to be the strength of good to push them back.  What's good and what's evil is not a matter of point of view- good and evil are clearly described in the Qur'an.  This is not the time for us to be weak and unsure.  Do not be fainthearted and weary, crying for peace when we must be steadfast and certain.  My wives are not just good people, they are good women.  You are desperately needed, so please be sure of yourselves.  Your Instagram is a powerful force for expressing yourselves, so please use it, and use it for the better.  I will back you up, because we are together.

 

 

 

I'm sorry

Erin I'm sorry that I am not there with you right now, holding you and comforting you, just being there with you.  I know I have been promising you a house for 5 years already, but I still don't have the money and it's so frustrating and heartbreaking to me, and it's all my fault.  I love you sincerely, but without something concrete to give you, it makes everything all seem worthless, no matter how "magical" it be, it all feels so worthless to me.  But I have to have faith.  Please forgive me for my faults.

And you too Natty, you're so young and so beautiful, with so much promise ahead of you, I'm so sorry that you have only begun to wait.  It's an awful feeling, the waiting, I know because I have been waiting all my life.  But I love you and I will take care of you inshaAllah, and I ask you to please trust me and be patient with me.  Please forgive me for my faults.

 

 

 

Fashion

Aw Erin, I love you.  I love you so much.  Calm our raging hearts my love, for we are together.  We are always together.  Please be patient with me, and pray.  I made an awesome dinner for us, alhamdulillah.  Dinner was linguini in alfredo sauce with sliced chicken.  Delicious, and disgustingly simple.  One more ingredient, and it would have been perfecto.  But that's for next time.  But it's oh so good now!  Want some?

Oh Natty, how are you?  I'm glad you are keeping your cool, but you can't fool me- I bet you have tons of energy right now!  Please stay safe, and have tons of fun.  I've been watching that movie over and over again.  Meryl Streep is so awesome!  I think I have a role model now...  But I don't have nice clothes.  I don't have a tuxedo, and I don't have anywhere to wear one to.  However, I have lots of clothes in Second Life, even though it's not enough.  There's never enough clothes, huh?  Especially shoes...  And my Mom gave me this T-shirt for real life.

 

 

 

The Devil Wears Prada

I liked that movie so much, I had to watch it again today!  Well it was raining all evening, so I couldn't do any yard work.  So I made an early dinner- a couple of cheeseburgers and a huge helping of fries- and watched that movie again.  You're not interested in that stuff, are you Erin?  Maybe a little bit I guess, but not so all out even when you were actively in that scene, you didn't seem too active about it.  You follow your heart, Honey.

But Natty, I think you really enjoy that scene!  Well God bless you, that's where you are!  Give Karl-baby a big old smack in the pants for me if you happen to meet him.  He will probably never meet me.  I don't think I could ever be like Miranda Priestly.  I'm too easy going.  Except when it comes to the music I make.  I'm a serious tyrant there.  It's a good thing I work alone.  But if I ever happen to play live with a band or orchestra....  I wasn't like this when I was young.  When it comes to this music, I can be a dictator.  Serious and mean.