July 31, 2018 Tuesday #lostsheep#treats#Drive-in#Vietnam

Get Faith
Psalm 119:176  "I have strayed like a lost sheep.  Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."  Coincidentally the VBS lesson yesterday was the lost sheep.  Sue tells a great story especially for 3 - 5 year old s which was the group I have this year. The children were mesmerized as was I, although I have read the story and even taught it myself many times.  It is all in the delivery.  I found myself wanting to throw up my arm to answer questions, I had to remind myself I was the leader.  Never underestimate the power of a good story teller!!  And a great story, are you a lost sheep? looking for a shepherd?  Jesus is your guy!

Get Fit
Not a good week for me unless I can count getting up and down off the floor 20 times, which I am sure is counter balanced by the yummy pudding and cookie treats that I have been partaking of.

On this day
1976  Pete and I had made some type of commitment - we were looking for a house on the east side.  We decided it was too much traveling back and forth to Birmingham, especially after a night of drinking.  There was a house - 3 story old house next to a friends place on a canal that we went to look at.  It was huge and we went to Travis Burger for lunch and to discuss the house.  The price was really reasonable for a 18,000 sq ft house on a canal.  (In hindsight after a little paint and a couple years I could have sold it for twice the amount.)  We decided it would be too much work, and maybe too much commitment.  We went to the marina and found Pat and Pam and Jim and Sharon.  We all went to Ford's Cove for the afternoon and then the drive-in that night.  Wow!  the drive-in!

1498 - Christopher Columbus, on his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, arrived at the island of Trinidad.  Good thing they speak English in Trinidad!!

From Udon Thani Thailand to Vietnam (not far)

Vietnam (UK: /ˌvjɛtˈnæm, -ˈnɑːm/, US: /ˌviːətˈnɑːm, -ˈnæm/ ( listen);^[10] Vietnamese: Việt Nam pronounced [vîət nāːm] ( listen)), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 94.6 million inhabitants as of 2016, it is the world's 14th-most-populous country, and the ninth-most-populous Asian country. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, Thailand across the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesiaacross the South China Sea to the east and southeast.^[d] Its capital city has been Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976, with Ho Chi Minh City as the most populous city.  Thailand actually borders Vietnam as you can read above.  Has not been the favorite country in my lifetime.  i came close to losing my brother over there, in fact some of my brothers good health was left over there.  Now I'm writing a second book that is based in Vietnam - I do hear it is beautiful there, so let's take a look.

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday Lauren!

July 30, 2018 Monday#refuge#preschool#singlebars#refrigeratormagnet!

Get Faith
Psalm 91:2  "I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress:my God, in Him I will Trust.""
The older I get the more I trust in God for my problems and worries.  Life can be difficult and I feel bad for anyone that has so much that they forget that they still need God.  When you depend on your own abilities to get through everything - you forget the one who can restore life and faith to you everyday.  Remember your God and thank Him for all that you are and have.

Get Fit
Going to do VBS today and I have preschoolers.  Of the 90+ kids they have registered so far, 30% of them are preschool, but they have a lot of people to help with this group.  I'm sure I will get my exercise in today.

On this day
1975 - It was a Wednesday and that meant my boyfriend Pete went to Brownies and maybe Pat, Pam's boyfriend too.  So after work what would we do?  Pam and I went to Raleigh House, which was a west side bar that catered to young singles - just like Brownies.  We were forbidden to go to Brownies - what does that tell you ?  Right Pam?

1619 - The first representative assembly in America convened in Jamestown, VA. (House of Burgesses) Like to be a fly on the wall to hear what their problems were - roads? maybe?  lol

Udon Thani Thailand
 Howabout a fridge magnet for a souvenir?  Get them today we leave tomorrow!!

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday Craig 

July 29, 2018 God'sanswer#Beakid#floatingdesk#education!

Get Faith
Acts 9:6  "Lord, what do You want me to do?"  It amazes me that these reading come up so timely.  I am in a dilemma in my life and have to do something, but I am having a difficult time doing it.  This isn't the first time in my life this has happened - but I hope it is the last.  This world knows how to put you in crisis.   I have been praying for weeks, maybe months for an answer and then I get this  verse.  I have been asking him this all this time, and I do think He has answered me today.  Thy will be done.  When you find yourself in a tough place, be sure to take it to the Lord in prayer.  But.  Just remember that He says yes and no and sometimes the answer is not what you want it to be. 

Get Fit
It is a beautiful day here to get out and walk and breathe in some fresh air.  I was reading a health expert report and it said to be active so that your heart and all of your body gets a lot of oxygen and blood because it works better that way.  In other words be a kid!  Play outside.

On this day
1974  Most of the time in the summer I would go straight to work from Pete's boat.  We lived on it all summer, like people do their cottages.  I have to admit I was very often not real sharp on Monday morning after being on the boat all that time.  My desk felt like it was moving with the tide, if you can imagine that.  Later that day Andy picked up our brother Mark (who was living with me) and took him to get fitted for a tux.  Andy was getting married in August and Mark was standing up for him. 

1588 - The English defeated the Spanish Armada in the Battle of Gravelines. Here's a naval battle for you!  Land and sea and eventually - air!

Udon Thani Thailand

Education

Main article: Education in Thailand

Primary-school students in Thailand

In 2014 the literacy rate was 93.5%.^[70] Education is provided by a well-organized school system of kindergartens, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools, numerous vocational colleges, and universities. The private sector of education is well developed and significantly contributes to the overall provision of education which the government would not be able to meet with public establishments. Education is compulsory up to and including age 14, with the government providing free education through to age 17.^{[citation needed]}

Chulalongkorn University, established in 1917, is the oldest university in Thailand.

Teaching relies heavily on rote learning rather than on student-centred methodology. The establishment of reliable and coherent curricula for its primary and secondary schools is subject to such rapid changes that schools and their teachers are not always sure what they are supposed to be teaching, and authors and publishers of textbooks are unable to write and print new editions quickly enough to keep up with the volatility. Issues concerning university entrance has been in constant upheaval for a number of years. Nevertheless, Thai education has seen its greatest progress in the years since 2001. Most of the present generation of students are computer literate. Thailand was ranked 54th out of 56 countries globally for English proficiency, the second-lowest in Asia.^{[71]  I found this pretty interesting.}

^{Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!}

July 28, 2018 Saturday #Friends#brainexercise#choices#Expats!

Get Faith 
Proverbs 17:17 "A true friend is always loyal"  And good to have.  I have many good friends that I can trust and that are there when you need them.  I particularly don't like to burden my friends for too much, I think it is a good way to loose a friend.  All friendships slip at times with a wrong comment or missed event but a true friend will always forgive and forget.  The best friend we have is of course Jesus.  He is always available to listen to your troubles and remind you of the truly important things in life.

Get Fit
AM yoga.  I wondered this morning if I can't follow the video if I can remember this without it.  I should try, because it really is a great start to a day.  Maybe a good way to exercise my brain as well in remembering.

On this day
1967  This is a day I haven't read or remembered.  It was a Friday "Out to Walters beach with Lana & Mark.     I called Don met him at clubhouse - Big nothin  - home at 9:15  picked up Waynette played Tripoli all night."  I was 20 years old and apparently had specific things that I preferred - like my girlfriends and Tripoli over beer and boyfriends.  Lol,

1821 - Peru declared its independence from Spain.  Well at least someone had a big day!!

Udon Than Thailand

Udon Thani, or Udon for short, is an important regional hub that connects northeastern Thailand with the rest of the country as well as neighbouring Laos. Once a far-flung, sleepy provincial town, Udon sprang into action when the Thai and US governments built a joint-force military base there during the Vietnam War, bringing a large influx of GIs and Vietnamese immigrants to the city, thus creating a multi-culturally diverse base which lasts until today. Besides its military past, Udon is home to one of the world’s earliest bronze-age civilizations, at Ban Chiang. Archaeological evidence – earthenware pottery and bronze fragments – unearthed here suggest that the prehistoric settlements existed between 2100BC and 200AD. Other ancient structures and artifacts are also found inside Phu Phra Baht Historical Park. Here, rising amidst a vast sandstone mountain are peculiar rock formations, as well as dinosaur foot prints, cave paintings and Buddhist structures. Udon is approximately 560km from Bangkok. The urban centre, Udon City, is home to a large concentration of expats, some of whom settled down here after the war. Udon’s dining and nightlife scene is, therefore, culturally diverse and offers good choices. Most Booked HOTELSRating 

Read more at: http://www.thailand-guide.com/udon-thani/?cid=ch:OTH:001  So some of our young men stayed there!  

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday Rebecca and Jeff!!!!

July 27, 2018 Friday #Pilatesinterrupted#unkindwords#Checkups#Savetheelephants!

Get Fit
Often I feel like there are forces working against me.  I was 10 minutes into the Pilates workout when the computer rewound or whatever it does and went back into the log in page.  Well 10 minutes is better than nothing I guess.  (I' m  easily foiled)

Get Faith
Proverbs 17:22  "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  I needed this reminder this morning.  When someone says something to you that you interpret as a dig it can be upsetting.  I am trying to think of it without any malice but having a difficult time.  I would just like to get back to the cheerful heart and forget it.  Have you had an incident when you thought you have been ridiculed, but aren't sure if you misread it?  What did you do?

On this day
2017  Last year, I was working occasionally at CK but had an appointment with my oncologist.  I had the cancer surgery earlier this year and had 3 month check ups to make sure it wasn't coming back.  He said on this day, there was no sign of it - we looked good for another 3 months.  This will go on for five years.  With as many friends as I have had with cancer I have a hard time not worrying.  I am beginning to realize it has a profound effect on my life "a cancer survivor", so far.  Make sure you keep your regular check ups!  I have another CT scan next month for an update.

1214 - At the Battle of Bouvines in France, Philip Augustus of France defeated John of England. When you get disgusted with the current state of affairs look to our history and understand it is our true nature to war.

Udon Thani Thailand

Wildlife

Main article: List of species native to Thailand

The population of Asian elephants in Thailand's wild has dropped to an estimated 2,000–3,000.^[65]

The elephant is Thailand's national symbol. Although there were 100,000 domesticated elephants in Thailand in 1850, the population of elephants has dropped to an estimated 2,000.^[65] Poachers have long hunted elephants for ivory and hides, and now increasingly for meat.^[66] Young elephants are often captured for use in tourist attractions or as work animals, although their use has declined since the government banned logging in 1989. There are now more elephants in captivity than in the wild, and environmental activists claim that elephants in captivity are often mistreated.^[67]

Poaching of protected species remains a major problem. Hunters have decimated the populations of tigers, leopards, and other large cats for their valuable pelts. Many animals (including tigers, bears, crocodiles, and king cobras) are farmed or hunted for their meat, which is considered a delicacy, and for their supposed medicinal properties. Although such trade is illegal, the famous Bangkok market Chatuchak is still known for the sale of endangered species.^[68]

The practice of keeping wild animals as pets threatens several species. Baby animals are typically captured and sold, which often requires killing the mother. Once in captivity and out of their natural habitat, many pets die or fail to reproduce. Affected populations include the Asiatic black bear, Malayan sun bear, white-handed lar, pileated gibbon and binturong.^{[69]  This is a not so great thing to find out}

^{about this months location.  From 100,000 elephants to 2,000 - 3,000?}  

^{Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Save the elephants!}

 

July 26, 2018 Thursday #Loveyourself#Runnerseuphoria#CaaptpainKoolandpool#Phuket

Get Faith
Romans 13:9  "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Too often we don't love ourselves - so then what?  The search for love, the everyday stuff - your family, your dog, your friends doesn't always include loving yourself.  We know that by how many people are on meds for depression and the number of suicides we hear about.  If you base your joy on substance - on this earth, you may very well be disappointed.  Even people with millions of dollars and beautiful homes are not happy and commit suicide which should tell you that "stuff" isn't the answer to happiness.  The inner joy and peace that God teaches in the Bible is the best source of love for yourself and to share with others.  The simple act of caring is a seed to love.  I know quite a few people that indeed love their neighbor MORE than themselves.  God loves you and that should be the best start to loving yourself.

Get Fit
Another good way to fight depression is exercise.  Have you heard of runners euphoria?  I have never had it I'm not a runner - but I will ask Nicole.

On this day
2013  I had hired and set up Pat's office at Captain Kool for the summer.  I was only  going in for 4 to 5 hours to get them going and then I would come home to enjoy my retirement.  Every year is a different scenario with that place.  As Pat says "if it was easy everyone would do it".  True.  Later in the day Nicole had brought home a pool and put it up a couple days before.  It was maybe 2 feet deep and 12' around.  It took two days to fill it with water - then there is the chemicals, a pan to wash feet before going in - the assorted things that went with the filter and on this day we decided to get the rafts and a beer and try it out.  It was way cold and we stood in it for 10 minutes or so and drank a beer and laughed at ourselves.  You can still barely see the circle where the pool was from the new grass, the pool was put up a couple more years after that I think.

1788 - New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 11th?  I thought NY was a front runner back in those days.

Udon Thani Thailand
The Andaman Sea is a precious natural resource as it hosts the most popular and luxurious resorts in Asia. Phuket, Krabi, Ranong, Phang Nga and Trang, and their islands, all lay along the coasts of the Andaman Sea and, despite the 2004 tsunami, they remain a tourist magnet for visitors from around the world.Big Buddha monument overlooking Phuket.

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday to Amy, Yehiel and Walter!!

July 25, 2018 Wednesday #PeaceoftheLord#Catfun#Normasbirthday#singlecinema

Get Faith
Mark 10:27 "Looking at them, Jesus said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.""  World peace and healing cancer are two things that come to mind when I read this.  We are totally incapable of having peace.  We cannot get it in our own neighborhood, at work, in our cities and our country is severely divided in it's politics.  I know, if people would all think the same we could have peace - but they don't and honestly they will find something else to disagree and argue until it becomes a war - which we aren't far from in the United States.  There is apparently no happy medium.  So, I'm thinking cancer would be easier to cure.  God gives us the peace and healing that we need for our lives with Him and leaves us to battle out our differences here.

Get Fit
I did Pilates today but had to quit because the cat found his way into the house and decided legs and arms waving in the air was for his entertainment.  Note to self - put lock on garage door.

On this day
2012  Today is my friend Norma's birthday.  We have always made a big deal about it because we feel like family and thought she needed extra attention. (She does) Pam and I have always felt "big sister" to her and want to celebrate her day.  On this day we had a party at Pam's in her yard with her pool.  I made Mojito's and we floated in the pool.  It is a great memory for me and I have a picture to commemorate our friendship.  We always included Ty, her husband in the party but sometime he didn't come.  He did this time, later for the cake.  Happy Birthday Norma from your big sister Nancy.

0326 - Constantine refused to carry out the traditional pagan sacrifices. thank God for that!

Udon Thani Thailand
Plans are afoot to revive Udon Thani's 50-year-old cinema, a symbol of the city's boom years in the 60s and 70s 13 Feb 2017 at 04:30 0 comments NEWSPAPER SECTION: LIFE | WRITER: PHILIP JABLON 


The steady loss of Thailand's once ubiquitous stand-alone cinemas -- structures once symbols of the nation's modern, urban identity -- may soon be getting a break. For the first time in the country's history,...   Progress!

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable! Happy Birthday to Kelly, Airyan and Norma

July 24, 2018 Tuesday#Holy#Staystrong#Neighbors#MachuPicchu#Explore!

Get Faith
1 Peter 1:16 "Because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy".  God made us holy through His Son Jesus Christ.  We are forgiven, we are saved and we are holy.  Not because of who we are but because of what He wants us to be.  We must be holy to be accepted into heaven and we are if we believe in Jesus.  Believe and be saved.

Get Fit
Keeping our bodies fit to do His work as long as we can is important, for here and for there.  Today I used those resistant bands and did about 40 squats, worked out the legs and the arms.  I'm going to do VBS next week so I better get my strength and stamina on.

On this day
2011  Was a Sunday and after church Mom and I were home all day.  I worked out in the yard awhile  but then my neighbor Ty  came over and we went to drinking beer.  My refrigerator worked then so it was pretty easy to grab another one without losing our place in our ongoing conversation.  We had the best talks and solved the world's problems in the shade of the garage in the driveway, watching the neighbors go by.  I miss Ty and Shannon a lot.  They only moved a couple miles away, but it is never the same.

On July 24, 1911, American archeologist Hiram Bingham gets his first look at Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world’s top tourist destinations.Tucked away in the rocky countryside northwest of Cuzco, Machu Picchu is believed to have been a summer retreat for Inca leaders, whose civilization was virtually wiped out by Spanish invaders in the 16th century. For hundreds of years afterwards, its existence was a secret known only to the peasants living in the region. That all changed in the summer of 1911, when Bingham arrived with a small team of explorers to search for the famous “lost” cities of the Incas.  wow a hundred years ago!

Udon Thani Thailand

Thailand comprises several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is the mountainous area of the Thai highlands, with the highest point being Doi Inthanon in the Thanon Thong Chai Range at 2,565 metres (8,415 ft) above sea level. The northeast, Isan, consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the Mekong River. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Chao Phraya river valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand.

Southern Thailand consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus that widens into the Malay Peninsula. Politically, there are six geographical regions which differ from the others in population, basic resources, natural features, and level of social and economic development. The diversity of the regions is the most pronounced attribute of Thailand's physical setting.

Another beautiful country to explore!

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday! Kristina and Chip!  

July 23, 2018 #LifewithGod#Kaleforyoureyes#Hookup#Lese-majestelaws!

Get Faith
Matthew 10:29-31  "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?  And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from you Father...So do no fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."  Our Father in heaven watches and knows our every move and minute.  If you feel alone take a minute to consider the many places in the Bible that remind you of God's care and continuous  love.  Especially remember how he sent His only Son to die for you on the cross and raised Him back up on Easter morning so that you can have abundant life and life eternal. 

Get Fit
Eating better. Spending less time looking at digital devices. It’s not just good for your body and mind—it’s healthy for your eyes, too.  Sorry to tell you but kale is REALLY healthy food for your eyes.  I better start eating more of it myself - my eyes are giving me trouble. RE; Bausch & Lomb Oculite

On this day
2010  Mom lived with me from 2004 to 2015 but once in a while I took her up to Andy and Alice's to visit with them.  She had been up there for a couple weeks when on this day they brought her down and I met them at Lindsey's.  We went to Chili's for dinner and I brought Mom home.  She couldn't do the stairs at Lindsey's Condo and I'm not sure Andy could either at the time.  It was a good excuse to go out for dinner and brink Mom back home.  It was nice to have a break occasionally.

1827 - The first swimming school in the U.S. opened in Boston, MA. I took swim lessons when I was 5.  They said I was too little - so I just watched what he said to do and did it off to the side anyway.  It worked I learned to swim.

Udon Thani Thailand

Human rights

See also: Human rights in Thailand and Lèse majesté in Thailand

The 2007 constitution was partially abrogated by the military dictatorship that came to power in May 2014.^[44]

Thailand's kings are protected by lèse-majesté laws which allows critics to be jailed for three to fifteen years.^[45] After the 2014 Thai coup d'état, Thailand had the highest number of lèse-majesté prisoners in the nation's history.^[46][47] In 2017, the military court in Thailand sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for violating the country's lèse-majesté law.^[47]Thailand has been rated not free on the Freedom House Index since 2014.^{[48]  If this was true here half the country would be in jail for trashing Trump.}

^{Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!  Happy Birthday Scott and Jason!}

July 22, 2018 Sunday#Eternalpeace#Healthy#sucessstory!#KingdomofThailand!

Get Faith
Galatians 1:3  "May peace and blessing be yours from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."  This ties in nicely with what Pastor Sean preached on this morning.  We would all like peace, but OUR peace not the other person's peace.  Pastor spoke of another Pastor that was preaching politics from the pulpit.  Oh, it isn't new, often it is subtle but the truth is we should preach Christ - not politics, mainly because of the division it causes among people.  If you really want peace you must be willing to work to a harmonious end with all people - under God and because Jesus is the most important King we have.  This is temporary people, heaven is not.

Get Fit
Remember when you were a kid?  The running, the jumping, the swimming, the biking? That is historically why kids have not had chronic aches and pains as adults do.  They haven't been on blood thinner, cholesterol medicine or heart medicine, etc. The key to not getting old and being sick is to keep active, it seems.  The opposite lifestyle even in kids is disastrous, the sedentary, over eating and no cardio life style isn't good for anyone.  Oh, and drink water!

On this day
2009  I forget details of my life as anyone else does, but I look back in journals and find things I have no memory of.  My neighbor Roxy's son Carmen was moving to California to live and I decided to write him a mini journal of the years that I had memory's of him in.  I have done this for a number of people over the years as a memento of our friendship.  I wonder if he kept it.  I was and still am very fond of  this exceptional young man.  I packed him a picnic basket of non perishable foods for his road trip across the country and when he got there he thanked me for saving his life with peanut butter sandwiches.  (He is now a successful business man with a beautiful wife and 4 kids, living the life!)

2009 - The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, occurred over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean. And this happened, thought to be a sign in many cultures.

Thailand

Kingdom of Thailand ราชอาณาจักรไทย (Thai) Ratcha-anachak Thai
Flag Emblem
Anthem: Phleng Chat Thai (English: "Thai National Anthem") MENU 0:00 Royal anthem: Sansoen Phra Barami (English: "Glorify His prestige") MENU 0:00
Location of  Thailand  (green) in ASEAN  (dark grey)  –  [Legend]
Capital and largest city	Bangkok 13°45′N 100°29′E
Official languages	Thai[1]
Spoken languages	Isan Kam Mueang Pak Tai

Thailand (/ˈtaɪlænd/ TY-land), officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a unitary state at the center of the Southeast Asian Indochinese peninsula composed of 76 provinces. At 513,120 km² and over 68 million people, Thailand is the world's 50th largest country by total area and the 21st-most-populous country. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, a special administrative area. Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. Although nominally a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, the most recent coup in 2014 established a de facto military dictatorship.

Just to expand our study of this location.  Note the large amount of ocean/sea frontage they have.

Enjoy the day!  Make it memorable!

Happy Lynn!!