September 23, 2014 Tuesday

Richard Simmons and I did some resistance band work on the legs, chest, back and arms.  I know you might think differently of Richard but this is a substantial workout.


2 Samuel chapter 1 - This is the Lament (poem) that David wrote for the loss of his beloved friend Jonathon and his father Saul.  Even though Saul spent a long time trying to kill David, David only remembered his fondness for him and grieved his loss.  We may all have that relative that was a pain but still was an important part of our lives.  Even bad influences are influences, for better or worse.


On this day:
2005 - Nicole had driven home from Albion the day before and the Old Grey Tempo only made it to Metropolitan airport parking lot.  When I got out there she was sitting on the curb playing her guitar.  You might say she was playing a lament for that old car that had been her friend from the day grandma had given it to her on her 16th birthday.  It had held basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, and bowling teams and equipment.  It had gone back and forth to college to college.  So many miles and it finally gave it up.  On this day the mechanic gave us the bad news, she was all done.  Her transmission, motor mounts and basic structure had worn out.  RIP.  sniff


1838 - Victoria Chaflin Woodhull was born. She became the first female candidate for the U.S. Presidency. A little known piece of info.  Well to me anyway.


Parenting - A word out to all the parents of our armed forces today.  When the US has to take a stand and use armed force against another country or people in this case, our young people are always the first called.  Let's all pray today that our action against ISIS doesn't come to that, but that some peace will be found with little loss of life.  Big prayer.


Damascus:  Since we are here, it is good to know what this country can win or lose with this war.

There have been several attacks on Syrian-owned businesses in Turkey in recent weeks [AFP/Getty Images]

Istanbul, Turkey - "I spent all my life waiting and dreaming of this moment of change," said Yassin al-Haj Saleh, one of Syria's most prominent writers and political dissidents. "So, when the moment came, I could not leave the country." Saleh, who had been imprisoned for 16 years under Hafez al-Assad's regime, was forced to go into hiding from Bashar al-Assad's forces following the uprising against his rule in 2011. Saleh later escaped to rebel-controlled areas in Syria, but was then forced to hide from armed groups. "After two years, I felt I was being suffocated," he recalled. Just over nine months ago, Saleh decided he could no longer remain in Syria and left the country for the first time in his life. He joined the growing Syrian diaspora in Turkey, which is now estimated to number close to one million people. Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  God Bless America!

SELECTED TWEETS ? REPLY RETWEETFAVORITE A glimpse into the discussion generated by this article. Tweets are selected automatically by a computer algorithm. Handle Tweet Action Close help SELECTED TWEEPS ? ‹ MunirahOnline davidrieff LilianneFan joshkawessels burayw0a ghassanaboajami ElCidBarett AJEnglish HASSANKONAKATA simsron Sannri oteihona17 NonVitalTooth godbergawamy JohnEdginton SamKhan999 MID_EAST Stefan_Laurell DewiArmand NewsFeedNetwork › A sample of Twitter users ("tweeps") that tweeted this article. Tweeps are selected automatically by a computer algorithm. Photo Handle Close help

September 22, 2014 Monday Autumnal Equinox (or first of Fall)

Did Pilates with Denise Austin.  This is pretty advanced, not a good starting place.  Pick an easy one to start, like Pilates for Dummies.  Seriously.


Galatians  chapter 1 - This while Paul was still on the earth, that people had already started to fall away from the true Gospel.  The Galatians had begun to believe that their salvation was dependent on good works instead of the true gospel: faith in Christ's work. (from the study writer).  We do good works because we want to show God our love, not because we can earn our way into heaven.


On this day:
10 years ago 2004 on this day it was 80 degrees.  I fed the cats and went back to bed.  Took the day off work, not to sleep all day.  Mom went up to St Clair with the Merry Widows from church.  I had the house to myself.  Nicole was off to college.  So what did I do?  Cleaned out a closet, watered the flowers, had a nice chat with Lisa when she stopped by, took Nicoles' car up to the repair shop and then went to Cottage Hospital to feed my Aunt Margaret that was in hospice.  My cousins Peggy and Kathy wanted to take a day and go to the casino so I said I would fill in with their mom.  What do you do with your days off?  It's true, I can't do nothing.  But not to earn heavenly awards.


1914 - Three British cruisers were sunk by one German submarine in the North Sea. 1,400 British sailors were killed. This event alerted the British to the effectiveness of the submarine. Really?


Parenting - Adam and Janet stopped by at church and then over for lunch yesterday with their little guy Parker, who is 4 months.  It is a joy to see the love and adoration they have for their son.  We all know that wears off little by little, but for now, he is the apple of their eye.  For good reason, what a cutie!  If you looked at your 16 year old like that I expect their response would be "yeccccch!"


Damascus - Children

The Syrian civil war’s impact on the health of Syria’s children is far more insidious than has been widely understood, a leading children’s advocacy group reported Sunday, with large numbers dying or at risk from chronic and preventable diseases that have flourished because the country’s public health system has basically collapsed.

In a report timed to coincide with the start of the fourth year of the conflict, the group, Save the Children, said the effects of untreated illnesses on Syrian children were only partly reflected in the documented statistics. They show that at least 1.2 million children have fled to neighboring countries, that 4.3 million in Syria need humanitarian assistance and that more than 10,000 have died in the violence.

Continue reading the main story

Related Coverage

• 

  video

  Syria’s Wounded GenerationJUNE 14, 2013

“It is not just the bullets and the shells that are killing and maiming children,” said the report, “A Devastating Toll.” The conflict, which began in March 2011, has left a “shattered health system resulting in brutal medical practices that have left millions of children suffering,” the report said.

Sorry to put such a downer in here, but I think we need to be aware.


Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!

September 21, 2014 Sunday International Day of Peace (finally)

Going to church in a while with Mom.  In the mean time Psalm 19 says " How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"  Going to hear me some words!


On this day:
2002 - This is a puzzler.  My journal said I had to be to work at 7 am because the Boss went to Cedar Pointe.  I can't imagine any circumstance, under the sun, that would have convinced him to go there.  I am baffled.  If you knew him, and how much he loved his work and his picnic table desk in that backroom truck scale you would understand what I mean.  Way out of his comfort zone.  Wish I had added more info now.
1985 - North and South Korea opened their borders for their family reunion program. awww!


Parenting - We were talking at Melissa's the other night about the controversy regarding beating children for punishment.  I, personally think that any kind physical contact to punish a child is a failure on the parents part to deal properly with a behavior situation.  My friend Don said that he had been beat with a razor strap a number of times.  He didn't think he deserved it, and he had in turn spanked his daughters and, they didn't think they deserved it, either.  Does it work?  If you have to beat a child again, even a second time, obviously no.  I was hit by my mother, not for punishment, but because she was mad at my father.  My brother was punished with a belt, which they found out later he was innocent of the crime he was punished for.  I did not lay hands on my kids that I ever remember.  They hated sitting quietly (no talking ) on the couch for long periods so much that it was very effective.  Maybe the next generation will think that is mental cruelty. 


Damascus - religion:

DEAR WIKIPEDIA READERS: To protect our independence, we'll never run ads. We survive on donations averaging about $15. Now is the time we ask. If everyone reading this right now gave $3, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. Yep, that’s about the price of buying a programmer a coffee. We’re a small non-profit with costs of a top 5 website: servers, staff and programs. If Wikipedia is useful to you, take one minute to make a tax-deductible donation to keep it online and ad-free another year. Thank you.

One-time Monthly* $3 $5 $10 $20 $30 $50 $100 $

Problems donating? | Other ways to give | Frequently asked questions | By donating, you are agreeing to our donor privacy policy. The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. By donating, you are agreeing to our donor privacy policy and to sharing your information with the Wikimedia Foundation and its service providers in the U.S. and elsewhere. The Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. By donating, you are agreeing to our donor privacy policy and to sharing your information with the Wikimedia Foundation and its service providers in the U.S. and elsewhere. *Recurring payments will be debited by the Wikimedia Foundation until you notify us to stop. We'll send you an email receipt for each payment, which will include a link to easy cancellation instructions.

Religion in Syria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Membership of a religious community in Syria is ordinarily determined by birth. Based on statistical analyses from 2006, Muslims were estimated as constituting 87% to 90% (depending on whether Druze were included or not)^[1] of the total population, although their proportion was possibly greater and was certainly growing. The Muslim birthrate reportedly was higher than that of the minorities, and proportionately fewer Muslims were emigrates. Of the Syrian population, 74 to 64%^[1] were Sunnis (including Sufis^[2]), whereas 13 to 21% were Shias, either Alawites (18.0%) from which about 2% are called Mershdis and they are the followers of Sulayman al-Murshid, Twelvers (3%), or Ismailis (0.1%).^[1] 5% were Druze,^[1] while the remaining 10-15% were Christians.^[1] Not all the Sunnis are Arabs. Most of the Kurds, who make up 9% of the population^[3] are officially Sunni, as are the Turkmens who encompass 1%.
A striking feature of religious life in Syria is the geographic distribution of the religious minorities. Most Christians live in Damascus, Aleppo and Homs, although significant numbers live in Al-Hasakah Governorate in northeastern Syria, Tartus and Latakia. Nearly 90 percent of the Alawis live in the coastal area of the country, namely in Latakia Governorate and in Tartus Governorate in the rural areas of the Jabal an Nusayriyah; they constitute over 80 percent of the rural population of the coastal area. The Jabal al-Arab/Jabal al-Druze, a rugged and mountainous region in the southwest of the country, is more than 90 percent Druze inhabited; some 120 villages are exclusively so. The Twelvers Shia's are concentrated in the rural areas of Homs, in addition to two rural towns in Aleppo Governorate, plus some living in Damascus. The Ismaili Shias are concentrated between the Salamiyah region and Masyaf region in Hamah Governorate; approximately 10,000 more inhabit the mountains of Tartus Governorate in a small city called Kadmous. The Jewish community has declined dramatically in the last 20 years. Some estimates that in Damascus remained fewer than 100 Jewish people. But there are some others also in the Aleppo area, as are the Yazidis, some of whom inhabit the Jabal Sam'an and about half of whom live in the vicinity of Amuda in the Al-Jazira.

September 20, 2014 Saturday!

Got up to late to use my gym/living room, so I will get a walk in later.


2 Chronicles:  chapter 24, is about Joash, who was raised in the faith, but did not take it to heart.  He fell from favor, as king and so the people of Israel fell from grace as well.  They suffered for it.  This is a continuing saga of moving away from God and returning to him for forgiveness.  It is still going on.  He still forgives.  You can't tire him out.


On this day:
2001 - Nicole played basketball against L'Anse Cruse and won 50 to 34.  Bruce Udell, our church youth leader came to watch her play.  I am pretty sure that is why they won.


1884 - The Equal Rights Party was formed in San Francisco, CA. I like this it is EQUAL rights.  Not over intitled.


Parenting - Bruce had a huge impact on my daughter.  She emulates him on a lot of things.  He now has 2 kids of his own and I hope that they have as strong roll models in their lives as he provided for Nicole.  You can be THAT person for any child.


Damascus - sports?

Syria Travel Guides

Children’s Activities

While Syria does not boast famous theme parks or impressive aquariums and zoos, it is home to some stunning sights which guarantee to keep your children occupied and enthralled for hours. There are traditional souks offering a myriad of smells, sounds and sights, and there are ancient ruins to run around and explore; and for something completely different, a trip to the coast ensures golden sand and clear blue water.
Beaches
Children of all ages love the beach, and the Mediterranean coast in Syria offers stunning beaches which are scattered with kids clubs and beach sports that the whole family can join in. Latakia is one of the country’s top holiday resorts and offers all-day family entertainment in many of the hotels and along the beach, and there is also the opportunity for older ones to enjoy a variety of water sports. There is nothing better than building giant sandcastles and your children will be entertained for hours with the soft golden sands of Latakia.


The pictures that came up under sports were not sharable.  Sad.


Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable! 

September 19, 2014 Friday POW/MIA Recognition Day Fly the Flag!

I might need to get rid of this Denise Austin at 20 years old doing Super Stomach.  Just a little too perky, almost like she just sucked the helium out of a balloon.  It is only a 15 ab workout but at her speed it seems like 2 hours packed into 15 minutes. 


James chapter 5 - Talking here about confessing your sin and receiving forgiveness.  We don't like to admit our guilt to anyone, but it is the best way to admit it to our selves so we can cleanse our souls and forgive ourselves.  God knows that.


On this day:
1998 - Waynette and her mom came over, Mom, Nicole and I went with them to the DIA to see the Angels from the Vatican exhibit.  I still remember so many of those pieces of art, but my favorite was Mary holding Jesus' body after the Crucifixion, across her lap.  Still brings tears.


1819 - John Keats wrote "Ode to Autumn." -

CCLV. Ode to Autumn

SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,	5
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease;	10
For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;	15
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;	20
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barrèd clouds bloom the soft-dying day	25
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river-sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;	30
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies. Thought I'd print it here for you. Parenting - Get your culture on here!. Damascus - Museum  Print available Street Scene in Damascus. Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!

September 18, 2014 Thursday

Kick boxing with Bobby this morning.  Not bad after ballroom dancing last night.  Keep moving folks!


1 Chronicles - chapter 16   From the Old Testament.  If you believe there is a God why would you not want to send him your praise and adoration for how great He is?  It is in your own best interest to acknowledge and thank him for creation and your life. "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name"


On this day:
1995 - Nicole would have been 10, she went to school and came home mid day with a sore throat.  We played Canasta all afternoon.  I used to love Canasta, I played as a child with my grandmother and now I want to play again. 
1895 - Daniel David Palmer gave the first chiropractic adjustment.   How many are thankful for this, raise your hand, if you can.


Parenting - I took both kids to the chiropractor early on.  The first time Aaron went he exclaimed he had never been able to turn his head to the side so well, he said he felt like an owl.


Damascus Syria.  Lets check out some more points of interest, while we can.

Damascus

Points of Interest

Damascus Univ. (1923), Damascus Oriental Institute of Music (1950), a technological institute (1963), an industrial school (1964), and the national museum (1919) are in Damascus. The old city lies south of the Barada, and the new town (greatly extended since 1926) lies north of the river. Points of interest include the Great Mosque (one of the largest and most famous mosques in the Muslim world), the quadrangular citadel (originally Roman; rebuilt 1219), a 16th-century Muslim monastery, and Azm palace (1749; now a museum and center for the study of Islamic art and architecture). The biblical "street which is called Straight" still runs in the old city from the east to the west gate, flanked by bazaars.

Sections in this article:

Read more: Damascus: Points of Interest | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/damascus-points-interest.html#ixzz3DfuV1rmB


Enjoy the day!  Make it Memorable! 

September 17, 2014 Wednesday

Pure and Simple Stretch with Karen.  Such a nice slow stretch and bend and breathe.


Mark chapter 10 - This is about the rich and the kingdom of God.  The young man approached Jesus and asked what he could do to inherit eternal life?  He lad led a Godly life, obeying the commandments, but he loved his wealthy life style.  Not a problem if as this young man did, you do not love your wealth more than God.  Jesus knew he did.


On this day:
1993 - Sometime an empty page says more then what you might have written.  This was not my best year.  Mark and I split up, he moved to Florida, and I had to look for a job.  A large part of this year is unwritten, probably because I didn't want to remember a lot of it.  I did find a job within a couple weeks of beginning my search,  I thank God and my friend Ann for that.  It wasn't easy, but as the song goes, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
1872 - Phillip W. Pratt patented a version of the sprinkler system. Not a newsworthy day.


Parenting - The difference between what Mom and I and Nicole will watch on TV is huge.  We do find commonality with Dancing with the Stars, for different reasons.  I can't believe Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong is dancing this year.  Go Boomers.


Book --  doing well on my book endeavor.


Damascus -  Lets look to see if there are places we would visit in times of peace.  This is a beautiful shot of the city.  I hope there is something left after the impending doom.


Add caption