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Posted by: KerimF
« on: December 24, 2024, 03:58:19 pm »

Quote from: Kerry on December 23, 2024, 10:44:50 am
I thought of you when my furnace broke and realized I was lucky to be in the US; and when I thought of you and others in Syria, I didn't feel very sorry for myself.

I think every region has its pros and cons. I don't think there is a paradise-like on earth, other than the ones in movies :)
The good news is that a human ends up feeling fine where he was born and live after he used to its pros and cons (reason of nostalgia?).
Posted by: Kerry
« on: December 23, 2024, 10:44:50 am »

Quote from: KerimF on December 23, 2024, 09:54:25 am

Here, we don't need to repair any sort of room's heaters or AC. We, since long ago, have no more enough fuel or electricity to warm even one room and bathroom in winter. I write you from a cold room. Fortunately, till now, the temperature in my room didn't fall below 8 degrees centigrade. I warm my body by heavy dresses.
   

I hope I will.
In the past, most of streets were decorated with various outdoor controlled lights, besides Christmas trees in every Christian house and in the public places, as Churches, restaurants and hotels.
Now...
I thought of you when my furnace broke and realized I was lucky to be in the US; and when I thought of you and others in Syria, I didn't feel very sorry for myself. 
Posted by: KerimF
« on: December 23, 2024, 09:54:25 am »

Quote from: Kerry on December 23, 2024, 08:39:23 am
I think you'll be hearing bells this Christmas.  Someone from the Church of St. Francis met with representatives of the new government which told them they want to protect religious liberty.


Quote
I live close to several churches.  I can hear their bells if I'm out working in my yard; but it's way too cold to being that most days here.  It's below freezing now.   I am glad my furnace got fixed fast.  It broke down on Thanksgiving!  Now there's something to be thankful about, right?  But the woman repair person got it fixed fast.  I had three heaters; but two wouldn't work when I plugged them in.  They were cheap, manufactured to break, I guess, so people buy more.  I did buy two more so my roommate and I had one in our bedrooms and one in the bathroom. But the woman went out of her way, going to the supply place to pick up the part when told it would take an additional day.   I tipped her.   She said I didn't need to tip her; I said, "I know, but maybe you saved me from carbon monoxide."  You see, I turned the gas oven on downstairs; and it kept most of the house warm since the heat rose up the stairs.   My sister was horrified and warned me about the carbon monoxide.   The repair woman was also surprised I did that!   But that's over now.

Here, we don't need to repair any sort of room's heaters or AC. We, since long ago, have no more enough fuel or electricity to warm even one room and bathroom in winter. I write you from a cold room. Fortunately, till now, the temperature in my room didn't fall below 8 degrees centigrade. I warm my body by heavy dresses.
   

Quote
I do hope you get to hear bells on Christmas, Kerim.  I'll probably be inside and not hear them here.

I hope I will.
In the past, most of streets were decorated with various outdoor controlled lights, besides Christmas trees in every Christian house and in the public places, as Churches, restaurants and hotels.
Now...
Posted by: KerimF
« on: December 23, 2024, 09:20:12 am »

Quote
There must be many Syrian people who have PTSD. Those in Gaza too for sure as well as many ,many other people in the ME.

If PTSD means 'post-traumatic stress disorder', it is natural to have it where/when there are wars and terror.

Between year 1981 and 2010, there was no reason for most Syrians, if not all, to have it. Assad, father then son, were submitted totally (under the table, of course) to the will of the US system. Therefore, there were no wars between Syria and Israel (though Israel was always given the right to bombard Syria under various pretexts, as it is the case now). Yes, there was a war in year 1973. Its goal, on the Syrian side, was to clean the Palestinian military presence at the south of Syria (the Palestinian militants were moved to the south of Lebanon), also to give the Syrian Jolan (heights) to Israel. On the Egyptian side, it was to open the Suez Canal for Israel and Europe.

I used to think that PTSD could be seen among the soldiers only during or after wars; for example, as it happened to many American soldiers who were in Afghanistan and Iraq (lately, among the Israelis soldiers).

For instance, a kid, Muslim or Jewish, who is raised to serve his Allah or Moses' God, has no reason to have PTSD. He just does what he is ordered to do in the name of his god with proud... killing, stealing or whatever.

Merry Christmas
Posted by: Kerry
« on: December 23, 2024, 08:39:23 am »

Quote from: KerimF on December 22, 2024, 08:14:32 am
We used to celebrate Christmas and New Year Eves prior to year 2011.
Now, we hope we will not hear bombs instead of the Christmas Bells, as it happened recently in Germany :(
I think you'll be hearing bells this Christmas.  Someone from the Church of St. Francis met with representatives of the new government which told them they want to protect religious liberty.

According to France24, "So far, a promise to allow churches to continue ringing their bells has been kept, and they sound at dusk to mark mass at the Church of Saint Francis, also known as the Latin Cathedral."


https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20241213-reassured-for-now-aleppo-s-christians-prepare-for-christmas


I live close to several churches.  I can hear their bells if I'm out working in my yard; but it's way too cold to being that most days here.  It's below freezing now.   I am glad my furnace got fixed fast.  It broke down on Thanksgiving!  Now there's something to be thankful about, right?  But the woman repair person got it fixed fast.  I had three heaters; but two wouldn't work when I plugged them in.  They were cheap, manufactured to break, I guess, so people buy more.  I did buy two more so my roommate and I had one in our bedrooms and one in the bathroom. But the woman went out of her way, going to the supply place to pick up the part when told it would take an additional day.   I tipped her.   She said I didn't need to tip her; I said, "I know, but maybe you saved me from carbon monoxide."  You see, I turned the gas oven on downstairs; and it kept most of the house warm since the heat rose up the stairs.   My sister was horrified and warned me about the carbon monoxide.   The repair woman was also surprised I did that!   But that's over now.

I do hope you get to hear bells on Christmas, Kerim.  I'll probably be inside and not hear them here. 
Posted by: Heartsong
« on: December 22, 2024, 04:49:56 pm »

Quote from: KerimF on December 22, 2024, 08:14:32 am
We used to celebrate Christmas and New Year Eves prior to year 2011.
Now, we hope we will not hear bombs instead of the Christmas Bells, as it happened recently in Germany :(
There must be many Syrian people who have PTSD. Those in Gaza too for sure as well as many ,many other people in the ME.
Posted by: KerimF
« on: December 22, 2024, 08:14:32 am »

We used to celebrate Christmas and New Year Eves prior to year 2011.
Now, we hope we will not hear bombs instead of the Christmas Bells, as it happened recently in Germany :(
 
Posted by: Kerry
« on: December 22, 2024, 03:33:25 am »

O Holy Night -- Mahalia Jackson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJgMQ2E7Fsc
Posted by: Kerry
« on: December 22, 2024, 03:29:16 am »


Susan Boyle ~ Little Drummer Boy


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-lR7DVXoic
Posted by: Heartsong
« on: December 21, 2024, 11:22:43 pm »

Casting Crowns - I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day Live


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7670CXvPX0
Posted by: Giuliano
« on: December 11, 2024, 06:59:46 pm »

Quote from: Heartsong on December 11, 2024, 09:06:09 am
Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (Official Lyric Video)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qYz7rfgLWE&t=1s
One of my favorites!
Posted by: Heartsong
« on: December 11, 2024, 09:06:09 am »

Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (Official Lyric Video)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qYz7rfgLWE&t=1s
Posted by: Runner
« on: November 23, 2013, 11:41:25 am »

I have found that within me...the more I hear about " those who are trying to stop Christmas" ( both the Christian side and the traditional side of it ) the more I "get back into it"!LOL
How perverse is that!
We had all but dropped it...then with the push against it...I find I push back, and stand for it!

I don't believe at all that Jesus was born in December...but really, who cares, it is ours and part of our culture and tradition.

I hope the Christmas trees sell well James.

I don't particularly 'enjoy' Christmas myself now, but I enjoy all the happy memories of those years gone by..." Happy family" gatherings, a warm house and good food.
The warm house and good food is no longer a "treat" but something that is taken for granted.
Back then, it was wonderful to have a open fire light in EVERY room and the whole house warm and full of aunts , uncles and cousins.

I think materialism has robbed us of treats to look forward to. Kids get iPads and cell phones all year round, what is left to give at Christmas? It has lost it mystery and wonder.
I think we had "the best years".

But,it is still ours...and the fact that it is such a money maker is probably it's protection..no one will let it go now..not until the world is ruled by  Islamic law , sharia law or whatever it is called.
At this rate...it is coming very fast.

Posted by: James
« on: November 23, 2013, 04:29:48 am »

Yes I agree, it would seem a bit of a waste of time and effort if I was on my own trying to "keep Christmas".
In fact a lot of things seem to loose there significance when you are on your own, what would be the point of travelling the world and seeing great sights if you had no one to share it with.

Jesus birthed every year, good thought.
Posted by: Kerry
« on: November 22, 2013, 07:16:28 pm »

Where is everyone else, James?   They must be queued up at the malls waiting for them to open for the first day of Christmas shopping.  It gets earlier every year, it seems. 

I've never had a real Christmas tree since moving out on my own.  I had a little artificial one one year but didn't enjoy it.   Doing something like that for myself wouldn't be that much fun. 

My favorite thing about other people's trees is when they have ornaments handed down from the past.    I like to hear people talk about where they came from.   It's nice if the kids have the ornaments their parents had, I think.  Sometimes you can hear the love they had for their parents when they talk about the ornaments.   I also like the old ones better than most of the new ones I see. 

So I see the old ornaments from past years on a new tree.  Isn't that something like the spirit of Christmas?   Jesus was born so long ago, but he can also come and almost be born again every year in our hearts if we make room.   Even in the "darkest hour" -- as in the mid of winter when it's so dark -- this can happen.