It was the first day of Eid-Alhda today, which means we get three days off. It’s the Arab version of Christmas vacation. Normally days off are quite welcome, but as I mentioned yesterday, when I don’t have activity, I just feel like im more alone. As you faithful readers will have noticed, I sometimes vent and complain about my divorce in this space. I also bemoan the fact of my singleness. I was able to log on to Lakewood’s (my home church’s) website and watch a service online. It was nice, because normally there is a delay when you watch video with the unstable broadband here. But this time, there was no hiccup with the hour long broadcast. It was refreshing because normally only the 30 minute version is broadcast, but online it was the full 60 which meant it had the praise and worship segments as well. I needed that because the best thing about Lakewood is their emphasis on the praise and worship.
The message from Joel Osteen then really convicted me. It was all about keeping a positive attitude despite negative circumstance, and speaking truth and affirmation into every process. I so needed that because I had spent the whole day alone, and was really fighting not being depressed, especially during the holiday season. I felt like I was in a mini-spiritual battle. I just reaffirmed my faith verbally and knew that the Lord was going to take care of me.
I went to the mall (they have gigantic malls here) to give me something to do after my work out. And about an hour in, Nader called and invited me to a barbecue at his place. This is the first time he had done that since I’ve been here. I gladly accepted. It was a wonderful night. I met several of Nader’s closest friends and they were all very sharp and interesting people. It was a real “wine and cheese” type of crowd and I absolutely loved it. Everyone knew each other very well as they had all been friends for years and years. I was the new face in the crowd and everyone was so gracious and friendly to me. For a guy lacking a lot of friends so far, I feel like I gained quite a few. They were all married couples…so as a single guy, I stood out even more. But still it was a great night. We also got a promising lead for work. I do love living in Bahrain, but the isolation is sometimes hard to deal with. Its not like I want to go to the street and solicit people to become my friends. That will all happen in time, I just have to be patient.
Speaking of friends, I have some big news. My old friend from Grad. School, Guy Schaefer and I have been talking. He is ready for a change in life, and I needed a sales/producer just like Guy. So he agreed to come over and give Bahrain a shot. We are going to the see if its going to work for three months and then make a decision for the future. That way it’s a no lose proposition for both of us. If it works out great…if not, it’s a paid vacation in foreign land.
I always admired and respected Guy. When I first met him in Grad School at Regent U. in Virginia, I immediately looked up to him. He was very funny, energetic and had this amazing charisma. He was the type of Guy…(pun not intended) that you looked up and tried to emulate. Im thrilled that circumstances have allowed us to reconnect again. He is going to be a great addition for us. I really feel that I and KSDI are going to make a huge impact in changing the world. Having Guy on board will certainly help that. Its funny, when I first started looking for apartments, I felt God leading me to get either a 2-3 bedroom place. I wasn’t quite sure why, because 1 bedroom is plenty of space for me. But I couldn’t find just the perfect place. So I prayed that God would lead me to an Apartment, where I would know that it was the perfect fit. It happened. I pulled up at Aman plaza, and before we even entered the building, I knew that this is where I was supposed to live. I wasn’t sure why at first because it was a 3 bedroom place, and I didn’t need that much extra space. Now I realize why God prompted me. Guy is going to live with me until the dust settles. So the extra room will come in quite handy. God has a plan for everything, even my loneliness and solitude. But from hear on out…I’ll speak encouragement about my situation. I learned my lesson…keep everything positive.
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