One of those moments of truth

As some of our friends already know last week we had a very unpleasant bout with a particular health issue that Wanda was confronted with.

She had to spend a night in the hospital.

Now, due to my way of life the last 7 years, we have spent many days and nights separated with me being gone on ministry travel.

The unusual part was being separated in this way. Her absence was felt throughout every minute of the night...and waking up in the morning with her being gone and in the hospital was a weird feeling indeed. We didn't talk too much about it with the kids, but we all felt empty and couldn't wait for her to come back home.

This very unpleasant experience gave a glimpse, indeed a very brief glimpse of what someone might feel when they lose a spouse...it gave me shivers. It shook me to the core of my being, a sober reminder of the brevity of our days on earth and the meaning of it all.

Throughout this whole ordeal we never panicked, we knew Wanda will be OK. She is now home and getting better. But I'm more humbled before God, more wanting to make the best of each day we have on earth...

This last week I've been cooking, helping, running around taking kids to classes, etc. I've been appreciating Wanda's role and place in our lives even more. It's been both a challenge and a blessing. To be able to give back at least a bit, to serve her in the time of her need.

Without sounding too mushy (I like to keep my feelings private), I think this is a good time for me to say something publicly: I love my wife deeply! Going through what we have gone through in the last almost 18 years we've become so familiar with each other, it's hard for me to imagine life without her and I imagine it's the same with her.

I am just so thankful for our family and I really feel like this is a season and a time in our life for me to serve them and bless them before we jump into the next wave of adventure, whatever this might be in God's plan.

I want to thank also to all our covenant friends from different nations who have been praying for me and for us in the last couple of months and now also for Wanda. Thank you and may the Lord bless you for the seeds of love you have sown in us!

One of the ways I've been coping with the pressure is by Tweeting! What a life-saver for someone like me! Thanks to my trusty iPhone, it's just so incredibly easy with one tap to tap into the world of tweeter. Being able stay in the current of events or to connect with the heartbeat of so many like-minded people. It's amazing!

So here it is - when I'm so busy that I don't even have time for emails or TV or Facebook, I still have time to tweet! :) It's just so darn fast and easy!

So get on twitter and stop wasting your time updating all your Facebook friends about how you have a headache and the Monday blues!

Follow me on www.twitter.com/gpbakalov

Learn something, teach someone, fill your life with the essence of God awareness, truth seeking and truth spreading!

GPB

PS: You can connect your Twitter account with Facebook so all your "tweets" can appear automatically on Facebook.

Fortuna or Elohim?

First of all, have a very blessed 2009!

Happy is a strange word. It's pretty pagan in origin and it has to do with Fortune. "Fortune" comes from the cult of the Roman godess Fortuna, which was styled after the Greek female goddess Tyche.

All of this had to do with luck and superstition of course.

The Biblical concept of well being has nothing to do with LUCK and FORTUNE (or fortune cookies for that matter).

The Hebraic concept of BLESSING has to do with a PERSON, namely GOD himself and what He can do for us, rather than a strange deity (FORTUNA) and the possibility of some luck coming our way. Hence, my hesitance in wishing people a "happy" New Year!

Instead, Wanda and I wish you a very BLESSED 2009!

God's love is unconditional. His blessings are. Keep this in mind as you plan and prepare to venture in 2009.

Numbers 6:24

"The LORD bless you
and keep you;

25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."