Omar Rikabi

Alien [Un]Intelligence

Omar Rikabi — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 03:56:16 +0000

This St. Patrick’s Day, remember that the Irish who first came to America as immigrants were attempting to escape a humanitarian horror… and were feared, unwanted, and unwelcome. I originally posted this story on my old blog, and I believe it is more relevant now than when I wrote it eight years ago. As always, I hope […]

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My Muslim Problem

Omar Rikabi — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 04:23:02 +0000

Updated January 30, 2017. I first wrote this post a little over a year ago when the presidential campaign rhetoric about Muslims was heating up. At the time, I didn’t think an actual presidential ban on people based on their nationality, ethnicity, and religion was possible, but now it is a reality… a reality that impacts […]

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Pray For Me

Omar Rikabi — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 22:18:57 +0000

“Daddy, is he preaching in a church?” A church, no. A house of worship, yes. My almost five year old daughter, Norah, and I watched Pope Francis address a joint session of Congress last week (a.k.a. his “Sermon on the Hill”). I love the pomp and circumstance of a State of the Union address, and […]

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He Had a Name

Omar Rikabi — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 03:32:08 +0000

I have an almost daily battle with my six-year-old daughter to get dressed for school. This morning it was her sneakers. She calls them her happy shoes. She can put them on herself, and even tie them. But she always wants “Daddy to do it.” And I do. I always do. *** She’s my firstborn. My […]

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Snicker Snack Sacrament

Omar Rikabi — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 02:17:00 +0000

The Rikabi’s first “real summer” is in the books. We made some memories, while avoiding the make it the best summer ever! trap. We had a bucket list that included big things for us like swimming lessons and trip to Fayetteville, and small things like shop at Trader Joe’s and learn to tie shoes. If […]

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The Spice(s) of Life: A Recipe

Omar Rikabi — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 04:23:46 +0000

My parents had been married about five years when Mom bought a whole fish at the Safeway, threw on spices and seasonings at random, and broiled him up for dinner. When Dad got home and took his first bite, he declared, “This tastes just like masgouf!” Masgouf should be considered the national dish of Iraq. The […]

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Flag of Our Father

Omar Rikabi — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 15:14:13 +0000

When I was a kid, during the summer flag and firework season, my church would cover the cross above the altar with the stars and stripes. After my father’s country and my mother’s country went to war… twice… I’ve come back to that image as I’ve wrestled through some questions: Am I an American Christian, […]

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This I Believe

Omar Rikabi — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:34:35 +0000

For the second Sunday in a row, I felt compelled to make a statement as a pastor to my congregation about what was happening nationally (you can listen here). Here’s my position: A friend posted a meme that summed it up: “My Facebook feed looks like a battle broke out between Confederates and a Skittles […]

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A Gift From Dad That Keeps On Giving

Omar Rikabi — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 17:34:37 +0000

For Father’s Day, my girls made a card with a drawing of my PK charcoal grill, along with the gift of a PK Grills t-shirt and hat. My wife gave me the gift that keeps on giving… for everyone: A charcoal chimney starter and five bags of charcoal. Why are lumps of coal the best gift […]

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“What Do We Pray For?” Signs of Peace Part 3: Forgiveness

Omar Rikabi — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 16:17:48 +0000

First send in the missiles. Then send in the Marines. Then send in the missionaries. That was a strategy I heard on “Christian talk radio” about how to deal with Islam and the Middle East. Kill. Then convert. In a battle against a radicalism, which says one must convert or be killed, why is a common […]

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