September 3, 2014 Wednesday

Abs and Arms this morning.  I don't know what keeps me on track with exercise.  I think it is mostly when I don't I can feel a huge loss of energy during the day.  Even a walk around the block can perk me up.  So don't think you will be tired and not able to accomplish anything if you work out, it is exactly the opposite.


Lamentations chapter 3 - Great is thy Faithfulness.  God's faithfulness to us, to you.  No matter if you have dropped off in paying Him attention, He is always there for you.  "Morning by morning new mercies I see".  That hymm will be in my head all day.  Every dawn is a new promise of God's faithfulness to you.


On this day;
2008 - I worked and then cut the lawn and worked in the yard.  When I am out in my yard it is an open invitation to my neighbors.  They come and we sit and talk, have a beer and just be neighborly.
It was a problem getting anything done when I worked, but now, I can get it done while they are at work, well most of them.  I hear that it is unusual to have this friendship with neighbors, todays people don't like to be that involved.  They have high fences, get out of their car in the garage, go in the house, that has the a/c on with windows closed and seldom speak to anyone.  When they cut the lawn they have head phones on listening to music.  My neighbors are all ages, not just elderly, so it isn't a generational thing.  I think its a shame.  Now with social media we are completely isolated from each other.  Not me, someone at your front door?  Might be me.
1838 - Frederick Douglass boarded a train in Maryland on his way to freedom from being a slave. Now we are a slave to our electronics.


Parenting - Talked to Aaron and Lisa yesterday about back to school days.  Matthew started 2nd grade and Anthony will be starting 2nd year of preschool.  Martina is too little to start anything.  I hear the parents saying, where does the time go?  Can't believe he is in 2nd grade.  I hate to tell them it is a down hill slope, going faster all the time.  Enjoy every moment of it.


Damascus Syria -  Lots to learn here:

Aram-Damascus[edit]

Main article: Aram-Damascus

Annotated view of Damascus and surroundings from space.^[15]

Damascus is not documented as an important city until the arrival of the Aramaeans, Semitic people from Mesopotamia, in the 11th century BC. By the start of the first millennium BC, several Aramaic kingdoms were formed, as Aramaeans abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and formed federated tribal states. One of these kingdoms was Aram-Damascus, centered on its capital Damascus.^[16] The Aramaeans who entered the city without battle, adopted the name "Dimashqu" for their new home. Noticing the agricultural potential of the still-undeveloped and sparsely populated area,^[17] they established the water distribution system of Damascus by constructing canals and tunnels which maximized the efficiency of the river Barada. The same network was later improved by the Romans and the Umayyads, and still forms the basis of the water system of the old part of the city today.^[18] The Aramaeans initially turned Damascus into an outpost of a loose federation of Aramaean tribes, known as Aram-Zobah, based in the Beqaa Valley.^[17]
The city would gain preeminence in southern Syria when Ezron, the claimant to Aram-Zobah's throne who was denied kingship of the federation, fled Beqaa and captured Damascus by force in 965 BC. Ezron overthrew the city's tribal governor and founded the independent entity of Aram-Damascus. As this new state expanded south, it prevented the Kingdom of Israel from spreading north and the two kingdoms soon clashed as they both sought to dominate trading hegemony in the east.^[17] Under Ezron's grandson, Ben-Hadad I (880–841 BC), and his successor Hazael, Damascus annexed Bashan (modern-day Hauran region), and went on the offensive with Israel. This conflict continued until the early 8th century BC when Ben-Hadad II was captured by Israel after unsuccessfully besieging Samaria. As a result, he granted Israel trading rights in Damascus.^[19]
Another possible reason for the treaty between Aram-Damascus and Israel was the common threat of the Neo-Assyrian Empire which was attempting to expand into the Mediterranean coast. In 853 BC, King Hadadezer of Damascus led a Levantine coalition, that included forces from the northern Aram-Hamath kingdom and troops supplied by King Ahab of Israel, in the Battle of Qarqar against the Neo-Assyrian army. Aram-Damascus came out victorious, temporarily preventing the Assyrians from encroaching into Syria. However, after Hadadzezer was killed by his successor, Hazael, the Levantine alliance collapsed. Aram-Damascus attempted to invade Israel, but was interrupted by the renewed Assyrian invasion. Hazael ordered a retreat to the walled part of Damascus while the Assyrians plundered the remainder of the kingdom. Unable to enter the city, they declared their supremacy in the Hauran and Beqa'a valleys.^[19]
By the 8th century BC, Damascus was practically engulfed by the Assyrians and entered a dark age. Nonetheless, it remained the economic and cultural center of the Near East as well as the Arameaen resistance. In 727, a revolt took place in the city, but was put down by Assyrian forces. After Assyria went on a wide-scale campaign of quelling revolts throughout Syria, Damascus became totally subjugated by their rule. A positive effect of this was stability for the city and benefits from the spice and incense trade with Arabia. However, Assyrian authority was dwindling by 609–605 BC, and Syria-Palestine was falling into the orbit of Pharaoh Necho II's Egypt. In 572, all of Syria had been conquered by the Neo-Babylonians, but the status of Damascus under Babylon is relatively unknown.<sup>[20]Wow this was all BC time history.  AND they were still at war!  I'm thinking there is no hope for this region.  I should read further before making that conclusion.


Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday Grandma RIP</sup>