Bless you Egypt's Unrest!

I say: Bless you Egypt's unrest!

If Egyptian Police intentionally left their duty and released prisoners to terror innocent people, if indeed that was El Adly's plan to show us how insecure the country would go without this "regime", well, Thank you Adly & Bless you unrest!

for you gave us a chance to know that we don't need you to be safe!

for the chance to gain trust in our selves one more time!

for the pot where differences between all people sects did melt down!

for the chance that once again all Egyptians were united in their goal!

for the chance to realize that we care about Egypt more than anything else!

for the chance to realize that Egypt's safety is our priority!

for this historical chance, when Egypt for once, is secular!

for reminding us how great we are, the descendant of Pharos!

It is indeed the first time - since really long time - when people forgot their religion, their political views, their social differences, etc, and were one for one goal: we will keep Egypt safe! It is comforting to see how the youth and men went out forming organized committees to protect their people, the Egyptians! It reminds us with our power, together! It reminds us with our unity, and sharing of the nation, cause and goal, problems and dreams, we share our belonging to Egypt!

I, therefore, joyfully say: Bless you Egypt's unrest!

P.S.: Inspired by watching the Bless you prison movie couple days ago, where Nicoleta finds her path back to God in communist prison.

If I am in Egypt now

If I am in Egypt, I would definitely have went down to streets on Tuesday to protest, peacefully, against the ruling regime.

If I am in Egypt, I would have gone again on Wed and Thu to protest, again peacefully, against the regime.

If I am in Egypt, I would have never participated in any damaging or violence acts, and would have subjugated to curfew conditions.

If I am in Egypt, I would have fought the anarchic people who try to take advantage of such a great move, i.e., the peaceful protesting, and would go shoulder to shoulder with my fellow Egyptians, regardless of their political affiliation, however, I would have never gone shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim Brotherhood group.

I heard Ali, a college student who claims no affiliation to any political party, at El Arabia channel saying how it was peaceful, and that some youth from Brotherhood were mad and wanted to burn and damage, but they tried to stop them. He also condemned the way the police treated their peaceful move, from the very beginning of Friday. In sense, that is what pushed it to be non-peaceful. So, who is the main responsible for what is going on? The current regime, which should leave, but in lawful way, not through violence.

It would have been much more better, and much more efficient if we had continuous small peaceful protests until the elections are due. We should have protested with specific feasible requests before the elections, so that we guarantee fair elections. But what is happening now is a loss of the protest messages, as if we only want Mubarak to leave. Yes, we hope for change, not in authority, but in mentality of authors. I am afraid that violent change is NOT leading to a change of authority mentality, the other way around, it confirms it.

So, what? Should I protest or not? What would have I done if I am in Egypt? I am not sure, I really am not sure. I am confused in thoughts between longed desire for speedy reformation, and a hope for smooth peaceful such reformation. I am confused between rejoicing for the people wake up, and my sorrow for the blood shed and the damages. I am between my hope for a, finally, a change, and fear from that change. I am between looking forward for secular regime, and my fear from radical-fanatic- religious gang, i.e., Muslim Brotherhood. Sigh! I am confused... I don't know where is the goodness for Egypt... I just pray that whatever outcome will be for Egypt's goodness.

So, in conclusion, what to do now if I am in Egypt? Again, I would protest, again and again, but peacefully and never participate in any damaging or violence episodes. God bless Egypt.

"Blessed is Egypt my people" (Isaiah 19:25)

Not Yet!

To Muslims friends, we - Copts - say: In God we are indeed rejoicing! But we are still mourning!

Indeed, many Egyptians got disgusted of the New Years Crime in Alexandria. Indeed, the rational and non-fanatic Egyptian muslims stood up. Indeed, celebrity tried to show sympathy.

BUT:

the martyrs blood is still fresh, we didn't forget yet!

the tears of the afflicted families are not dried yet!

the wounds are not healed yet!

the blood of Copts that was shed in a train, on Jan 10th, just after Christmas, is still warm!

the suddenly became handicapped children, are still handicapped!

Clearly condolences, demonstrations, protests, or execution court decision for one of last year's crime in Nagah Hammadi, are all together NOT a comfort.

We need to tackle and solve the roots of the problems.

Celebrating the Revelation of God tonight (Theo-phay), we remember what happened in New Year's Eve as, not the conclusion of decades of treating christians as second-hand citizens, but rather as a mark for a new era of Martyrdom. This reminds us when our Lord Jesus Christ told us that it will happen, a day will come when those who kill us think they are doing God a favor! It also reminds the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, which all tell us that repentance is our call, and to love those who persecute us is our challenge!

To Muslims, however, especially the rational ones, those felt sympathy with us and wanted to help, I say: In God we are indeed rejoicing! but we are still mourning!

"Drink At Least 8 Glasses Of Water A Day" -- Really?

Science News

"Drink At Least 8 Glasses Of Water A Day" -- Really?

ScienceDaily (Aug. 9, 2002) — Hanover, NH -- It has become accepted wisdom: "Drink at least eight glasses of water a day!" Not necessarily, says a DMS physician Heinz Valtin, MD. The universal advice that has made guzzling water a national pastime is more urban myth than medical dogma and appears to lack scientific proof, he found.

...

Valtin emphasizes that his conclusion is limited to healthy adults in a temperate climate leading a largely sedentary existence -- precisely, he points out, the population and conditions that the "at least" in 8 x 8 refers to. At the same time, he stresses that large intakes of fluid, equal to and greater than 8 x 8, are advisable for the treatment or prevention of some diseases, such as kidney stones, as well as under special circumstances, such as strenuous physical activity, long airplane flights or hot weather. But barring those exceptions, he concludes that we are currently drinking enough and possibly even more than enough.

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المسيح يصبرك يا أمي

In Response of Alexandria's blast, 2011 New Year's Eve

المسيح يصبرك و يقويكي يا أمي ... على أخوية إلي اتخطف من جنبي

على دمها اللي سال أختي .... على مستقبلها اللي ضاع بنتي

كل الكلام ضاع مني ... مش عرف أعزي و الا أبكي

مش فاهم لو ده هو ذنبي ... ليه يستشهد بيه صاحبي

ليه البريء إلي بيصلي ... ينجرح في بيتك يا ربي

واحنا مالناش غيرك ينجي ... ليك بنصرخ و ليك نشكي

إنت إلي تداوي جرحي ... وتبرد نار قلب أمي

إنت إلي تحمي كنيستي ... وتصلح حال أولاد بلدي

إنت إلي تنتإملي عن عيني ... وترجعلي أماني في بيتي

إنت إلي تهلك ، غضبي ... وتعلي المحبة في قلبي

واسامحهم من كل قلبي ... زيك وإنت عالصليب ربي

و احنا مؤمنين بيك يسوعي ... وانت علصليب إنت ربي

و إن كان الإستشهاد دربي ... أو الألم طريق رجوعي

بفرح أمشي معك طريقي ... وأقدم على اسمك حياتي

بس أمانة تعزي قلب أمي ... وترجع حقوق كنيستك أمي

نعيش في أمان نمجد اسمك ... نعيشلك بأمانة طول عمري

A prayer for Alexandria Jan 1st, 2011 Martyrs

Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we ask and entreat your goodness O Lover of mankind,

+ please grant the afflicted Copts your comfort.

+ please grant their families and beloved, your strength.

+ please grant all Copts to see, find and seek you in this new era of martyrdom.

+ please grant church clergy wisdom.

+ please grant us to return to you, and come closer to you, and find our refuge in you.

+ please grant us spiritual wisdom to understand your message allowing

this to happen, and grant us to seek answers and solutions from you, not from people, nor from leaders nor organizations.

+ please grant us, Copts all over the world, to love and forgive those who kill us, persecute us, chase us, and transgress against us, especially those who do it knowingly, in full awareness and on purpose.

+ please grant us to react spiritually, as citizens of Heaven, as befit your children, and not in a natural human way.

+ please grant us to let resentment go from our hearts, towards those who persecute us.

+ please grant muslims who hate us to know the truth, so that the truth, You O Lord, set them free.

+ please take charge of our relationship with those who hate us and prepare evil for us and those we didn't manage to truly love yet, plant peace among us, O King of Peace.

Lord, we need peace, we need a solution, but we much more need, and therefor ask and seek, You Yourself to dwell in us, please grant us to be with You, always!

"And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said:

(Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘ Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.)
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:23-31)