01/08/10  Check and Chess  (Timely Words 0300)

In my dictionary, the word "check," when used as a noun, has 14 different meanings. Americans will naturally associate the word with money, whether it be the written order to a bank to pay the amount specified from funds on deposit or the bill at a restaurant which must be paid. The origin of this word in English, however, is related to the game of chess. This "game of kings," entered the West from Persia but may have originated in Russia, where it continues to be very popular today. It is played by two players on a chessboard with 64 squares on which each player has control over 16 chessmen which are distinguished by their shapes. They include a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks and eight pawns. In chess, "check" denotes a move that directly attacks an opponent's king. If the king is unable to escape from this attack, it becomes a "checkmate" and brings the game to an end. Thus "check" may also denote an abrupt halt or stop, a restraint or control. It is important for parents and teachers to keep a check on the children under their supervision. In Japan, a similar game, called "shogi," is played on a checkered board of 81 squares. Rules are similar to chess, but each player has 20 chessmen which are distinguished by the ideographs written on them. It is said that around 1010 A. D, in Madrid, Spain, East and West, Christian and Muslim began coming together in the one cultural activity they had in common, which was the game of chess. Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, an English philanthropist, has left us these significant words "In life, as in chess, forethought wins."

01/08/12  Eyes  (Timely Words 0301)

One of the characteristics of the English language is the irregularity of its pronunciation and spelling. Such short, simple words that are pronounced the same as the letters U and I, for example, can be spelled in different ways. The pronoun "you" denotes the person being addressed and the noun "ewe" signifies a female sheep. An "aye" denotes an affirmative vote, but an "eye", the organ of vision, is one of the most important parts of the body, a marvelous organ which naturally makes adjustments related to brightness and distance. Among our five senses, it is primarily through our eyes that we gain knowledge. Eyes, like skin, come in different colors and it is reported that people with blue eyes are less sensitive to pain than people with eyes of any other color. People who can see more clearly from a distance, are said to be far-sighted, while those unable to see distant objects clearly are nearsighted and British scientists have found that nearsighted children exhibited a "higher-than-average intelligence". Medical research has indicated that the pupil of one's eye gets bigger if the viewer likes what is seen, but gets smaller if the opposite is true. Finally, here are a few interesting facts which I have collected from various sources in regard to eyes: the giant squid has the largest eyes in the world; an ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain; and a shark is the only fish that can blink both eyes. When Jesus called eyes "the lamp of the body" and said "If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light" (Matthew 6:22), he was not speaking simply of our physical eyes.

01/08/15  "Bon-odori"  (Timely Words 0302)

In Japanese tradition, the sense of "community" is very strong. This "community" is not limited to those living or working in the surrounding area. It includes family members and ancestors who have passed away. Every summer in the middle of July or August, depending on the area, a special celebration is held to welcome back the spirits of those who have died. Traditionally, on the 13th day of the month, a little fire is lit in a small clay pot placed at the entrance to the family's home. Called a "welcome-fire", it is to guide or welcome the spirits of the dead. Various kinds of food are placed on a Buddhist altar in the home for the returning spirits and a Buddhist priest is called to chant a sutra, or prayer, before the altar. During this "Bon" festival, a traditional folk dance, called "Bon-odori", is held in a large open area for the entire community. In the middle of the open area, a wooden platform is erected on which at least one large, traditional drum is placed and where dance leaders may give directions. Women and men, girls and boys, many of whom are dressed in the traditional Japanese summer kimono, circle the platform performing the repetitive steps and hand motions that are involved in the dance to celebrate the "homecoming" of the ancestral spirits. On the 16th day of the month, another fire is lit to signify farewell as the spirits leave. Since I had been asked to present a program in the nursing home in this retirement community on August 13th, I explained about this Japanese festival which I have seen many times but never participated in despite numerous invitations to do so.

01/08/17  Swans  (Timely Words 0303)

Birds that live in or by the water are called aquatic birds. The three most common such birds are ducks, geese and swans. All of them have webbed feet. Ducks have broad, flat bills. The bills of geese are shorter and more pointed; their necks are longer, but not as long as swans. Swans are usually white and they move gracefully. In American slang, a peculiar person may be called a "duck" and a silly person may be called a "goose", but to say that someone resembles a "swan" may be a compliment. According to an ancient legend, swans that are mute during their lives sing a beautiful song just before they die and so "swan song" denotes the final work or appearance of a composer, artist, actor, etc. Swans swim in a pond in the central park in my hometown and I used to enjoy watching them. They also swim in the River Thames in London, England. Those swans in the winding 130-kilometer stretch of the Thames west of Windsor Castle, the Queen's weekend home, are recognized as belonging to the Queen. Five times a year, Her Majesty's Swan Marker boards a flat-bottomed open boat and sails along that river to count the number of swans by catching them and lifting them out of the water, which is called "swan-upping." This custom has been followed since the 12th century. Because the Thames was very dirty 40 years ago, the number of swans decreased, but now the river is cleaner and there are more than a thousand swans residing there. The "Swanee River" made famous in Stephen Foster's song is not related to swans. It is his peculiar abbreviation of "Suwannee River" to fit the cadence of his song.

01/08/19  Flags  (Timely Words 0304)

A "flag" is a piece of cloth of distinctive size, color and design, used as a symbol or emblem. Every country has a special flag that represents that particular nation. The national flag of Japan consists of a red disc, representing the sun, in the center of a white field. Although this flag has been used on Japanese ships since 1854, it was not officially designated the national flag until two years ago this month. The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white, and a blue rectangle on which are fifty white stars in the upper corner next to the staff. The thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776 and the fifty stars represent the fifty states at the present time. Although the number of stars has changed as new states were recognized, the basic design of the flag was officially approved by the Continental Congress in 1777. Flags are also used to represent other organizations. The Christian flag, which may be seen in the sanctuaries of many churches in the U.S.A. along with the national flag, consists of a white field with a red cross on a blue rectangle in the upper staff-side corner. At the center of this retirement community, there is a large bulletin board on which are listed various meetings and important notices. On one side of the board a small Christian flag is displayed whenever one of the residents dies. When the flag is seen, we know that one of our friends has passed away and we check the board to find out who it was and when it happened.

01/08/24  Big Ben  (Timely Words 0305)

"Ben" is the common abbreviation, or nickname, for "Benjamin", which was the name of the youngest of the twelve sons of Jacob. In Hebrew, the name means "son of my right hand". According to Genesis 35:16-18, this last son of Jacob and Rachel was born as his mother was dying and with her last breath she named him Benomi, which means "son of my trouble", but his father named him Benjamin and he became Jacob's favorite son. Jacob's sons all became heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, and, in the 11th chapter of his Letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul stated that he was from the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin is also my middle name. It was the name of one of my father's brothers, my Uncle Ben, and was chosen as my middle name after my elder brother had been given the name of my father as his middle name. My wife and I followed this example, giving our elder son my name for his middle name and the name of my brother as the middle name of our younger son. "Big Ben" is a well-known name in the United Kingdom. Many people consider it the name of the 97-meter-high tower of England's Houses of Parliament. Others correct this misconception and assert that "Big Ben" is not the tower but the clock which is in the tower. Actually, however, this name was originally applied neither to the clock nor to the tower, but to the 13.5 ton bell in the clock tower, which tolls the hours. When the bell was installed in 1858, it was supposed to be called Saint Stephen's bell, but the newspapers called it "Big Ben" after Sir Benjamin Hall the rotund Commissioner of Works who supervised its installation.

01/08/26  Translations  (Timely Words 0306)

There are many words that begin with the prefix "trans" derived from a Latin word meaning "beyond" or "through". Some of them are related to movement or changes from one place or form to another, such as "transport", "transfer", "transmit" and "transform". In relation to language or literature, there are the words "transcribe", "translate" and "transliterate". To "transcribe" is to write in a different form. To "translate" is to express words in another language and to "transliterate" is to represent letters or words in the corresponding characters of another alphabet. Many of the readers of these "Timely Words" messages are involved in translating or translations of one kind or another. The Bible has been translated from the original Hebrew and Greek into over a thousand different languages, but there are also a number of different translations into the same language. In English, the King James Version, also called the Authorized Version, was first published in 1611. This translation is in the classical English of the Shakespearean age, but there are numerous translations made by committees or individuals into contemporary, or modern, English. All translations are imperfect but most of them have positive as well as negative aspects. When I preached the sermon at the Penney Memorial Church recently, my wife was the liturgist who read the Bible lessons. I asked her to read the Old Testament lesson from the American Standard Version and the New Testament lesson from the King James Version, both of which are in dated English. In a future message, I will explain the reason.

01/08/28  Planets, Animals and Plants  (Timely Words 0307)

The word "planet" is derived from a Greek word meaning "wanderer", a person who roams about aimlessly. But the courses followed by the planets revolving around the sun are very definite so "wanderer" is not an appropriate term for them. The Japanese names of the days of the week are derived from the sun, the moon and the five planets of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The only planet that we know has life on it is the planet Earth, on which we live. Living things on this planet are divided into two major groups: animals and plants. A basic difference between them is related to the power of locomotion, the ability to move. Animals are able to move from one place to another, but plants are unable to do so. Both animals and plants range in size from microscopic protozoa and bacteria to huge mammals and trees. The largest land animal is the elephant. Some elephants are almost four meters tall and weigh over 10,000 kilograms but, according to The New York Public Library's "Book of Answers", the largest animal ever seen alive was a female blue whale which was 34 meters long and weighed 170 tons. The same book reports that the world's largest plant is the General Sherman Tree in the Sequoia National Park in California. This giant Sequoia is about 83 meters tall, more than 30 meters in circumference and is thought to be about 3,500 years old. Truly, we live on an extraordinary planet in an amazing universe. As an ancient poet wrote, when the wonders of the heavens are considered, it is amazing that the Creator is concerned about human beings and has given them such power (Psalm 8).

01/08/31  Emperor  (Timely Words 0308)

The title given to the head of a government depends upon the character and tradition of the nation over which he or she "rules". Most nations today are "republics" whose heads are called "presidents". "Kingdoms" are ruled by a "king" or "queen"; a "sultanate" is ruled by a "sultan" and an "emir" rules over an "emirate". A dictionary definition of an "emperor" is the "ruler of an empire". There are no "empires" in the current list of members of the United Nations, but one country continues to call its head of state an "emperor". That country is Japan. Rooted in a Latin word meaning "command", this title was first applied to Roman magistrates and military commanders, but from the time of Julius Caesar,it was used for rulers of the Roman Empire. The reign of the last Roman emperor ended in 1453, but after that, rulers of certain areas in Europe, Africa and the Americas were also called "emperors". The ancient ruler of China was called "emperor" in English and the same title was accorded the ruler of Japan, even before there was a Japanese "Empire". The Chinese characters used in that title, pronounced "tennou" in Japanese, literally mean "heavenly sovereign". Under the present Japanese Constitution, which was produced under American supervision during the Allied Occupation, the Emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power". In reply to those who asked about paying taxes to the Roman emperor, Jesus' reply was "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17).

01/09/02  Bible Translations  (Timely Words 0309)

At a recent worship service at Penney Memorial Church, I used both the King James Version and the American Standard Version of the Bible in my sermon. Both translations use archaic words, such as "thou" and "thee" for our modern English "you", but I chose these particular translations for two reasons. First, my sermon centered on the expressions used for Christians in I Peter 2:9 and I preferred the term "a peculiar people" used in the King James Version. "Peculiar" does not mean only "queer, strange or odd". It may also mean "belonging distinctively or primarily to one person, group or kind". The New International Version of the Bible translates the Greek term "a people belonging to God", and I wanted to emphasize that the retired church workers from many different denominations and areas of service who now live in this retirement community are really "a peculiar people" for various reasons. In the Old Testament passage, Exodus 19:1-8, similar expressions were used for the Israelites. In this case, I used the American Standard Version, which is a more accurate translation because it gives the original Hebrew name for God: "Jehovah", or "Yahweh". In the King James Version and most other English translations, the Hebrew name for God has been changed to "LORD", written in small capital letters. This was because the Jews avoided mouthing the Hebrew name for fear of "taking it in vain" or "misusing" it and so violating the commandment given in Exodus 20:7, but I think our understanding of the Old Testament is deepened when the more exact translation is used.

01/09/05  Cricket(s)  (Timely Words 0310)

The yard around our house in this retirement community includes a large grassy lawn along with trees, bushes and flowers. There is also a variety of birds with their distinctive shapes, colors and chirps or songs which we enjoy seeing and hearing. And there is also a variety of insects. Among those that we have seen or heard are the slender, chirping, hopping insects called "crickets". Crickets have long antennae, strong hind legs for jumping and two pairs of fully developed wings. Male crickets may produce a shrill, chirping sound by rubbing their front wings together. We sometimes hear the chirping of crickets in the evening. But there is another kind of "cricket" that is not so common in this North American country. Rather, it is in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries where the summertime ball and bat game called "cricket" is popular. In cricket, two teams of eleven players each compete against each other. Two wickets are placed 20 meters apart in the middle of a field. A "wicket" consists of two small wooden crosspieces known as "bails" resting on three wooden stumps, 71 centimeters high. A batsman with a paddle-shaped bat stands in front of the wicket and tries to protect it by hitting balls bowled toward the wicket by members of the opposing team. If the ball is hit far enough, the batsman and his partner run to exchange places to score a run, but if the bails are knocked down, the runner is out. It may take several days to complete one game and George Bernard Shaw has written that "Baseball has the great advantage over cricket of being sooner ended."

01/09/07  Chameleons  (Timely Words 0311)

Some politicians are called "chameleons". Not only politicians. Others in offices in which the approval of the general public is important may also be called "chameleons" at times. In fact, this word may be used for anyone who often changes his or her opinion in order to conform with those of others. When used of human beings, "chameleon" means a changeable or inconstant person. This word is derived from a Greek word literally meaning an "on the ground lion". Its primary meaning in English is a certain kind of lizard with a flat body and bulging, independently rotating eyes. Chameleons feed on small animals, chiefly insects. Although they move very slowly, they have a long, sticky tongue with which they capture their prey. In fact, their tongues may be longer than their entire bodies. A distinctive characteristic of the chameleon is the changes that occur in its skin color. Such changes are actually caused by changes in light, temperature and emotion but their shades of brown, gray and green generally blend with the forest surroundings. It is because of the ability to change color and to blend in with their surroundings that their name is given to people who change their opinions to blend in with those around them. People desiring the acclaim of the general public may need to conform to public opinion, but the person with a healthy faith and firm principles does not simply conform to the pattern of this world, but is transformed by the renewing of his or her mind in order to follow what he or she believes to be right, or God's will, as we read in the New Testament Letter to the Romans, chapter 12, verse 2.

01/09/08  Holy Books  (Timely Words 0312)

The adherents of Judaism, Christianity and Islam are distinguished by their reliance upon a sacred book as the basis of their faith. The holy book of Judaism and Christianity is called a "Bible", which is derived from a Greek word meaning "books". In the Bible there are many books of different types of literature, written by many different individuals over hundreds of years. The Bible of Judaism has three major divisions: Law, Prophecy and Writings, into which its 24 books are divided. This Bible has been rearranged into the 39 books which now constitute the Old Testament in the Christian Bible. The 27 books in the New Testament include 4 Gospels related to the life of Jesus Christ, a history of the Early Church, 21 letters and a final prophetic vision. Thus, there are a total of 66 books in the Christian Bible. The holy book of Islam is called the Quran, the Arabic word for "reading". This holy book consists of divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammad which were recorded by his secretary. The Quran is divided into 114 chapters, generally arranged in relation to their length, from the longest to the shortest, rather than in chronological order. In the case of the Bible, the original manuscripts, written in Hebrew and Greek, are not in existence, but the manuscripts now available have been translated into many different languages. The original text of the Quran, however, written in the classical Arabic of the 7th century, has been preserved and is considered literally as God's Word. As such, Muslims believe that it cannot genuinely be translated into other languages.

01/09/11  "The Vicar of Bray"  (Timely Words 0313)

The word "vicar" is rooted in a Latin word meaning "substitute", as is the word "vicarious". Although the specific rank and duties of a vicar vary according to the particular church, vicars are clergymen in the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the United States. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope is sometimes called the "Vicar of Christ". Although I have never heard it, I understand there is a popular song about the "Vicar of Bray". This 18th century song depicts a "chameleon-like" vicar of the 16th century who managed to maintain his position during the exceptional religious changes that occurred at that time. In 1534, King Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England came into existence. Henry VIII was succeeded by his son, Edward VI, who became king at the age of nine and died when he was 15. During his reign, the country moved further toward Protestantism, but after his half-sister, Mary I, was recognized as queen, the country returned to the Roman Catholic Church. Then, after her half-sister, Elizabeth I, became queen in 1558, the country again became Protestant. To remain a vicar throughout such drastic changes must have been difficult, but the song about the Vicar of Bray implies that it could be done. This is that song: "And this is the law I will maintain, / Until my dying day, Sir, / That whatsoever king shall reign, / I'll still be the Vicar of Bray, Sir." The endeavor to be faithful to the contrasting religious affirmations of these different sovereigns certainly required both religious and political agility.

01/09/16  "Timely Words" Messages  (Timely Words 0314)

The shocking events of Tuesday, September 11, stimulated my thinking about the meaning of the name of this homepage. What is the implication of the title, "Timely Words"? I would like to receive readers' reactions to the kinds of messages I have been writing. Would you prefer more "timely" comments on: current events? daily activities in this retirement community? Bible passages? rather than messages related to the meanings and usages of words? You may respond in the "Guestbook" or in e-mail to me. I hope readers will inform me of the kinds of messages they prefer. On Tuesday, after playing tennis for a couple of hours, as is my Tuesday morning custom, I was shocked to read the headline, in Japanese, related to the terrorist attacks on the webpage of the Japanese newspaper I subscribed to in Japan. I immediately left the internet and turned on our television set to get the details; the TV set stayed on for the rest of the day, whenever my wife and I were at home. Later in the morning, we attended a meeting where a book review was given, but where people talked about the terrorist attacks. In the dining hall at noon also, the table conversation centered on the terrorist attacks. In the evening, we attended the suddenly scheduled church service which provided time for prayer and meditation related to the proper Christian reaction to such attacks (= manifesting the holy love of God). Before that service, my wife, who is head of the Flower Committee, went to place flowers on the church altar and I went to the nursing home, as I do every Tuesday, to help feed a disabled patient.

01/09/18  Terrorism  (Timely Words 0315)

Recently, newspapers, radio and television broadcasts have made repeated use of the word "terrorism." "Terror" denotes intense fear, and "terrorism" is the use of terror and violence to intimidate to achieve an end. The world is still in a state of shock as a result of the suicidal airplane crashes that occurred within a couple of hours in American cities that caused thousands of deaths of innocent people. Along with feelings of sorrow and anger, thinking people will seek to understand and learn from these terrorist attacks by asking such questions as "how" and "why." How was it possible for so many individuals to work together so efficiently to carry out such attacks without being discovered or opposed and why did they do so? The question of "how" should eventually be answered by investigations now under way, but as usual, the question of "why" is more complicated. It is very difficult, maybe impossible, to truly understand the heart or mind of another person, whose physical and psychological constitution, personal experiences, culture and religion are all different than ours. Motivations and methods of terrorists differ according to the situation, but Christian Americans should take time to reflect on attitudes and actions of our predecessors during the Crusades and the colonization of North America, their/our treatment of Native Americans, black Africans, Jews, Muslims and other "outsiders" and certain nations or systems with which we disagree. In our effort to comfort the sorrowing and restore damaged places and minds, let us also seek to understand and to eliminate the causes of such terrorism.

01/09/21  National Crisis  (Timely Words 0316)

One meaning of "crisis" is a crucial or decisive situation, a turning point in the course of anything. The terrorist attacks of last week in which four plane crashes caused by suicidal hijackers resulted in the sudden deaths of thousands of common people going about their daily activities or flying in one of those planes stimulated a national crisis. Some radio and television stations changed their programs and devoted themselves to broadcasting the latest news related to the attacks and their aftermath. News segments included repeated broadcasts of the President's declaration of war against terrorists and nations that protect and encourage them. My impression is that, whereas the citizens and their elected representatives are sharply divided in their evaluation of the policies of the federal government, in this crisis, they are, generally, supporting the President. Sports events and other activities were canceled. People have been forced to reconsider their basic values, which are related to their faith. Church services last Sunday were crowded with worshippers. A patriotic atmosphere has developed and we see many national flags displayed. But the government must be careful in its response and how it engages in the "war" it has declared. It must seek to be fair in its investigation of who or what groups were behind the attacks and not descend to the immoral level of the attackers in its retaliation. We should keep in mind Jesus' command to "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44) and the exhortation in Romans 12:21: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

01/09/23  Prophets  (Timely Words 0317)

The last part of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible consists of books of "prophecy" written by or about men called "prophets". The English word "prophet" is derived from a Greek word, the latter part of which means "speak", so it denotes a "speaker". But the prefix "pro" can have different meanings. It can mean "before". If that is the meaning, a "prophet" is a person who foretells events; that is to say, he "speaks before" the events take place. This is the common meaning of the term today, but it is not the primary meaning of the term in the Bible. Another meaning of "pro" is "for" or "forth". In the Bible, a "prophet" is a person who "speaks forth" God's word, a person who "speaks for" God. Sometimes, the prophecy includes words about the future, but that is not the primary sense of the term. Much of the Old Testament prophecy was related to the time in which it was spoken. Insofar as the person was a spokesman for God and was communicating God's word, he could be called a "prophet". An important belief of Christians is that the infinite God who created the world has spoken to finite human beings who are God's creation. If one asks "How does God speak to human beings?" my answer is that God speaks in a manner that a person whose "spiritual ears," "heart" or "mind" are alert and open to receiving such a word will understand. I do not expect God to speak to an American today in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the Greek of the New Testament or the "King James Version" of English. If a person's heart is open to the leading of God's Spirit, that person may receive guidance from God.

01/09/26  Islamic Extremists  (Timely Words 0318)

"Islam", an Arabic word meaning "submission", denotes the religion of those who are in submission to Allah, or "God", as revealed in the Qur'an, the holy book of Muslims, or "true believers". This word has often been seen in articles related to the terrorist attacks in the United States which were evidently orchestrated by Islamic extremists. A full-page letter recently appeared in American newspapers addressed to "Dear Fellow Americans" and signed "Your Muslim Brothers and Sisters." It began with the words "In the name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful." These words are found at the heading of each chapter of the Qur'an. The aim of the letter was to disassociate Islam from the recent crimes caused by "individuals with distorted minds." It noted that "any terrorism against innocent victims is strictly prohibited by Islam." As a matter of fact, history shows that any religion, philosophy or political policy can be deformed by extremists who utilize it for their own perverted purposes. Using the terminology of respected documents, their aims and methods are often in direct contradiction to the original implication of those documents. We must also recognize the danger of identifying certain religious, philosophical or political characteristics with particular ethnic groups. All Irish are not really Catholic. All Japanese are not really Buddhist. All Arabs are not really Muslims. And even all WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) are not really Christian. We must judge individuals on the basis of their own, individual attitudes and actions. "Actions speak louder than words."

01/09/28  The Press and Pressure  (Timely Words 0319)

When used as a verb, "press" means to exert steady weight or force against something. The keys of a piano are pressed to make beautiful music. Oranges are pressed to extract juice from them. And clothes are pressed with an iron on an ironing board to make them more presentable. When used as a noun, "press" often denotes a machine used in printing, a printing press. Sometimes, "press" is used to signify the various kinds of printed matter, such as newspapers and magazines, the people involved with such publications, such as editors and reporters or the matter dealt with in such publications, such as news and criticism. This press is very important in a democratic society to either create or reflect public opinion. The word "pressure" may denote the condition of being pressed, but there are various kinds of "pressure". Along with air pressure and water pressure, there is psychological pressure when we feel we must get something done by a certain time, before a deadline. There is also social pressure to make us conform to a particular tradition or the general opinion of those around us. In democratic nations, the press is very influential in exerting pressure, whether in accordance with the program of those in power or of those in the opposition. At the present time, the government of the United States of America is applying pressure on other nations to join in the "war against terrorism" and the American press, in general, is supporting that effort. Whether or not one submits to social or political pressure depends upon the character and strength of one's own convictions.

01/09/29  Feast Days  (Timely Words 0320)

Nowadays, "feast" usually means a large, elaborately prepared meal, but this word is rooted in a Latin word meaning "joyous," and its basic meaning is a periodic religious festival having special significance. Calendars distributed in English-speaking countries may include names of civic holidays and feast days of both Jews and Christians. In the Christian calendar, the major feast day is Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' resurrection, after his crucifixion on Good Friday. That festival, determined according to the lunar calendar used by the Jews, occurs in the Spring, the time of new life in nature. In the Jewish calendar, the holiest day of the year is Yom Kippur, "Day of Atonement". Observed in the Fall, ten days after Rosh Hashanah, which marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year, it is a solemn day of fasting, penitence and prayer. This year, Yom Kippur fell on September 27th. When the Jewish Temple (destroyed in 70), was still standing in Jerusalem, ceremonies were held on this day, as commanded in the 16th chapter of the Old Testament book of Leviticus (where we find the origin of the word "scapegoat"). The sins of the people were confessed and sacrifices were offered to atone for them. Made up of the words "at" and "one," "atone" is to be at one, to reconcile. The Bible teaches that sin separates us from God and reconciliation, or atonement, requires an offering to atone for sin. In the Old Testament, animals were offered, but in the New Testament, Jesus became "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), so animal sacrifices are no longer needed (Hebrews 10:1-18).

01/10/04  Eagles  (Timely Words 0321)

The bird-feeder in our yard which we can see from our dining table as we eat our meals attracts sparrows, cardinals, woodpeckers and blue jays, but large birds, such as eagles, are not attracted to this bird feeder. Eagles are large meat-eating birds with a wingspread of up to 7 1/2 feet, or 228 centimeters. They have a strong, hooked beak that is almost as long as their head. Eagles have been used as symbols of royal power from ancient times. Indicating both courage and immortality, symbols of eagles were included on the military standards of the Roman Empire and of the troops of Napoleon. A white-headed eagle, which is sometimes mistakenly called a Bald Eagle, is a symbol of the United States of America. It is found on the Great Seal of the United States which is also pictured on the back of an American dollar bill. It is said that the eagle was chosen as a symbol of victory because it is not afraid of a storm but is strong and smart enough to soar above it. The eagle's talons on that seal hold both an olive branch and arrows, symbolizing the country's desire for peace but willingness to fight to achieve its goals. "Eagle" was the name of the spacecraft that carried the first human beings to the moon. An "Eagle Scout" is a person who has received the highest rank in the Boy Scouts and in the game of golf, an "eagle" denotes a score of two below par on a hole. Among the Biblical references to eagles is that found in Isaiah 40:31: "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

01/10/05  X  (Timely Words 0322)

The 24th letter of the English alphabet is peculiar for a number of reasons. Along with the letter Q, it does not have a unique pronunciation that distinguishes it from other consonants. Rather, it has the same pronunciation as Z or "(e)ks". In mathematics, it is used to indicate an unknown quantity, but in Roman numerals, it signifies the number 10. It may be used to indicate a particular point on a map or diagram, in which case we may say that "X marks the spot". It is also used in place of the signature of a person who cannot write. Some people use an X to represent a kiss in letters they write to people they love. In the case of "Xmas", it becomes an abbreviation of "Christ", for the same symbol is used in the Greek alphabet for the first letter in "christos', the Greek word for "Christ". In Japanese, X has a negative meaning; it is used to indicate that something is not permitted or is wrong. Pupils do not like to see an X on papers returned from their teacher. Contrary to the U.S. custom, an X would never be used on a ballot when voting for someone. Rather, it would represent a negative vote. In Japan, a circle indicates a positive response or an affirmative vote. Very few English words begin with X. The electromagnetic ray, called an X-ray in English, is a "rentogen-ray" in Japanese, using the name of its discoverer instead of an X. Finally, we consider the word "xylophone." The prefix "xylo" comes from a Greek word for "wood" and "phone" is derived from the Greek word for "sound". A xylophone is a musical instrument consisting of wooden bars of various lengths that make different sounds when struck by a small mallet.

01/10/07  God's Ways and Ours  (Timely Words 0323)

People with a penchant for orderliness want things to be done in a uniform fashion, and are irritated when orderly procedures are not followed. The closing verses of chapter 14 of the New Testament letter of I Corinthians inform us that God is not a God of confusion or disorder and people are urged to act in an orderly way. The Bible teaches that God created the universe, which appears to be very orderly. Why is it then that many things happen in the natural world, in human history and in our own individual lives that seem to be so confusing, unreasonable or unfair? A part of the answer to this difficult question is found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 55, verses 8-9, where it is written: "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" God has purposes that are beyond the grasp of human intelligence and God may seek to achieve those aims in ways that do not fit human patterns of thought. A basic element in faith is to trust even when we do not fully understand. If the biblical picture of God is true, it is natural that our understanding of the aims and actions of that divine person is incomplete for God is infinite and we are finite. The Bible also teaches that events we consider unfortunate may bring about a good result. Remembering such truths may help us to have peace within despite the confusion without.

01/10/11  Organs  (Timely Words 0324)

Often, when a word ends with the suffix "ism", it denotes an activity, state or quality related to the root to which it is attached, such as "terrorism", "patriotism", "nationalism" and "alcoholism". In the case of "organism", however, that is not so. An "organism" is a living thing, whether plant or animal. Particular parts of an organism that are adapted for specific functions may be called "organs". The human heart, lungs, liver and kidneys are organs that most people have never seen but they are very important for a healthy life. Years ago, when some friends began talking about the surgical operations they had experienced, one person remarked that it sounded like an "organ recital". This, of course, was a pun, for the common meaning of this term is a musical performance by an "organist". "Organ" music is produced by air that is forced through pipes of different lengths and diameters. Simple keyboard instruments that produced music through a set of pipes are known to have existed in the pre-Christian era. Organs have become the main musical instruments in most Christian churches. In the King James Version of the Bible, there are four references to an "organ", but later versions have changed the translations to "pipe" or "flute". British prime minister and author, Benjamin Disraeli, wrote: "O Music! miraculous art! . . . A blast of thy trumpet, and millions rush forth to die; a peal of thy organ, and uncounted nations sink down to pray." Additional pipes were added to the organ in the Penney Memorial Church in this retirement community a few years ago, so it now has over 1,500 pipes and can produce beautiful music.

01/10/14  A Piece of Peace  (Timely Words 0325)

Although English has become an international language, it is a very confusing language because the spelling and pronunciation of words is so irregular. For example, the words "pi" and "pie", with their different meanings and different spellings are pronounced the same. In these words, the vowel is pronounced the same as the letter "i". If an "n" is added to "pi", however, the pronunciation of the vowel changes, and if a "t" is added to "pin", its pronunciation reverts to the former pronunciation and we say "pint". If an "r" is added to "pie", on the other hand, the pronunciation of the vowel changes yet again and we have the word "pier" which has the same pronunciation as "peer". When a "c-e" is added to a "pie", however, still another pronunciation of the vowel is made and we have the word "piece", which is pronounced the same as "peace". But when an "s" is added to the vegetable called "pea", the "s" is pronounced like a "z", so the plural of "pea" is "peas." What a confusing language English is! Following the terrorist attacks in the United States, people throughout the world are longing for peace. In musical or literary works, they may be attracted by peace pieces. If a comprehensive peace is not immediately obtainable, even "a piece of peace" would be pacifying. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 26, verse 3, it is written that the person who steadfastly trusts in the Lord will be kept in "perfect peace." And following his last supper with his disciples, Jesus left these words with them: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

01/10/16  Nomination Committee  (Timely Words 0326)

A number of English words begin with "nom", rooted in the Latin word for "name". Among them are: "nominate", "nominee", "nomination" and "nominal". "Nominate" means to propose as a candidate for election; the person so nominated is called a "nominee". Recently, I agreed to be a nominee for the Nomination Committee of the Penney Retirement Community Residents Association and was elected a member of that committee. Later, at a meeting held at my residence, I was chosen to be the secretary of the committee which must select nominees for officers of the association and for chairpersons of the various committees for one-year terms. Depending upon the office, some officers or chairpersons may be reelected for a second one-year term. Prior to the annual meeting of the association in February 2002, this committee must select nominees for 35 positions, 11 of which are now filled by people whose terms have ended, but we hope to persuade the remaining 24, who are permitted to do so, to continue for one more year. One meaning of "nominal" is "existing in name only and not in actuality". This word is sometimes used in relation to religious affiliation. We may say that many Americans are "nominal Christians" and many Japanese are "nominal Buddhists". Which is to say that, although they may be listed in some document as "Christian" or "Buddhist, they have never made their own personal decision to identify with that faith and, although they may outwardly follow customs related to those religions, their basic faith and life orientation is not so.

01/10/19  Quakes and Quakers  (Timely Words 0327)

To "quake" means to shake or tremble. People may quake when they are excited, angry, sad or cold. At times, in certain places, the earth itself quakes when plates under its surface move. We have never felt an earthquake here in Florida, but in Japan, we often experienced them. Most such quakes or tremors did no or very little damage in our area, but a few caused disasters in areas where they were centered. It is interesting that the term "Quaker" is applied to the Society of Friends, a religious group that is noted for its quiet, peaceful meetings. It had previously been applied to a group that trembled and shook with religious fervor during their spiritual experiences, but that is very different from the meetings of Friends at which emphasis is placed on the guidance of the "inner light" in each individual. I once attended such a meeting at a Friends Meeting House. There was no pulpit, no preacher and no ritual was followed. Those in attendance sat in rows on the four sides facing each other. During the entire hour, not a word was spoken. Those present spent the time in silent meditation with their eyes closed or directed downward. At that meeting, no one was moved to speak. According to the Journal of George Fox, the founder of this Society of Friends, they were first called "Quakers" in 1650, soon after the Society was founded, by a judge of Derby, England because Fox had told him to "tremble at the word of the Lord". Their strong disapproval of war, refusal to bear arms and active involvement in philanthropic movements may cause some people to "quake" even today.

01/10/22  Humility  (Timely Words 0328)

In Latin, the word, humus, means soil, but in English it denotes the dark, organic material in soil that is produced by decomposed vegetable matter. From this Latin word, the English word "humble" is derived. This word signifies something or someone that is low, or near the ground. A humble person is meek and modest in behavior and attitude. On three different occasions, Jesus said these words: "Everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great" (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). In Luke 14:11, this saying follows his teaching that people should not choose the higher places at a public gathering. Rather, they should choose the lowest place. Then, the host will urge him or her to move to a higher place. This is a common custom in Japan, where the "lowest place" in a traditional Japanese room is near the entrance and the "highest place" is near the alcove where a scroll or picture is hanging. Upon entering the room, a guest who sits near the entrance is urged to move up to a higher place. It may be questioned, however, whether sitting near the entrance is an expression of a truly humble attitude or merely a traditional form. A characteristic of the genuine disciples of Jesus is humility. Unfortunately, many of us Christians are not good examples of this quality, but the true follower of Christ is one who humbly recognizes his or her own weakness and looks to God for help. A proud Christian is a contradiction in terms. In Proverbs 16:18, it is written: "Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall."

01/10/24  AARP 55 Alive  (Timely Words 0329)

A well-known organization among residents of retirement communities in this country is the AARP, or American Association of Retired Persons. The aim of the organization is to improve the quality of life for those citizens over fifty years old. Providing information and education for such people, it promotes a variety of programs for their benefit and maintains a network of local chapters throughout the country. Twice a year at this Penney Retirement Community, a program sponsored by the AARP is held. Called the AARP 55 Alive Driver Safety Program, for two consecutive days for four hours each, instruction is given to older drivers which takes into consideration the physical changes they experience and how they may compensate for such changes. As we grow older, our vision, our hearing and our reaction time all may degenerate which would affect our driving ability. Special care must be taken by older folks to drive safely both while speeding along highways or driving through business or residential areas. Those who enroll in this program and follow the instruction given not only become safer drivers but receive a discount for their automobile insurance. My wife took the course last year, but it was only after I completed the course this year that our insurance rates were lowered because both of our names appear on the automobile insurance policy. As men and women advance in age, they should recognize changes in their physical and mental condition and make allowances for them in order to continue to live both a satisfying and satisfactory life.

01/10/26  Musicians' Faces  (Timely Words 0330)

Penney Retirement Community is observing its 75th anniversary this year and one of the special events in celebration was a performance by the First Coast Wind Ensemble. An "ensemble" is a group of musicians who play together and instruments used in a "wind ensemble" are those which produce musical sounds when players blow into them. They include piccolos, flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, saxophones, trumpets, trombones and tubas. This northeastern area of Florida on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is commonly called the "First Coast" as it includes the oldest permanently settled city in North America, St. Augustine. The First Coast Wind Ensemble is composed of about fifty musicians, including college students, college professors, music teachers and office workers. They receive no income for playing. They play because they enjoy it and they do an outstanding job. The evening they played in our community, my wife and I were able to sit on the front row, just behind the conductor. We had a fine view of the entire ensemble and I was especially interested in seeing the expressions on their faces as they played. Some of them seemed relaxed. Others were seriously concentrating on the music and some faces bore tense frowns as the blowing was done. "Face" is a very important consideration in Japan. In this case, it does not denote a physical part of the head but one's prestige or value in the eyes of others. To lose face is shameful and one tries hard to save one's face. According to the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 8, verse 1, "wisdom brightens a man's face."

01/10/28  Watch  (Timely Words 0331)

A "watch" is a small, portable timepiece worn on the wrist or carried in a pocket. However, as a verb, "watch" means to look carefully or to observe closely. These days, American women who are concerned about gaining too much weight are sometimes called "weight-watchers." And employees who want to quit work immediately at quitting time have been called clock-watchers, but some of them may actually be watch-watchers. The masculine name, Gregory, is derived from a Greek word meaning to watch or to stay awake. There have been 16 popes of the Roman Catholic Church named Gregory, the second most popular name for popes, following John. This Greek word was often used in the New Testament Gospels when Jesus was speaking to his disciples. It is found in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 13, verses 33-37. In these verses, Jesus repeatedly encouraged his disciples to watch or to be alert in order to discern the meaning of events which were taking place and to be ready for an unexpected divine revelation, or even the end of the age. Later on, in the next chapter, he urged his disciples, who were tired and beginning to fall asleep, to "watch and pray" (Mark 14:38). Sometimes, it is difficult, even for watchmen, to stay awake, but if we wish to understand the significance of what is happening in the world around us and to observe how God is working out his purpose in historical events, we need to keep alert, to watch, and even, at times, to pray for wisdom and discernment. This is especially necessary in the midst of the complicated situation in the world today.

01/10/31  Blue(s)  (Timely Words 0332)

Recently, as I gazed out of the window at the blue sky and saw a "bluebird" or a "blue jay" fly from a tree, I began to think about the many words and meanings related to the color blue. As an adjective, "blue" means gloomy or dismal and to have the "blues" is to be in a state of depression. "Blues" may also signify a kind of music with a slow jazz rhythm which may be enjoyed by the "blue collar" class, made up of wage earners whose jobs are performed in work clothes and often include manual labor. Such people do not look forward to a "blue Monday" which is the beginning of a week of work following the pleasures of a weekend, but that term may have originally been used by ministers to denote the day after excessive work on Sunday. Just as "blue skies" symbolize hope and happiness, a "blue ribbon" is the first prize in a competition and "blue chips" are the most valuable counters or chips in gambling games, so "blue chip stocks" are stocks that sell at high prices because of public confidence in them. "Blue blood" is a term used for a person of noble or aristocratic descent and "blue stocking" may denote a scholarly woman for "Blue Stocking Society" was the nickname given to a female literary club of 18th-century London. "Blue laws" are strict rules designed to enforce certain moral standards and some communities have "blue laws" to regulate Sunday activities even today. "Blue book" may denote an official list of those employed by the U.S. government or to a list of socially prominent people. And "out of the blue" is a phrase used to describe something completely unforeseen and unexpected.

01/11/03  Moonlight and Moonshine  (Timely Words 0333)

The moon is a natural satellite of the earth. It is about one-eightieth the size of the earth and takes 29 and a half days to make one revolution around the earth, during which it may be seen as a crescent or a full moon. It is interesting that people may see different images when they look at the full moon. In America, we may see the face of a man, but in Japan, a rabbit pounding steamed rice is seen. The moon does not emit any light of its own but reflects light from the sun. Such light may be called "moonlight" or "moonshine", but each of these words has a secondary, informal meaning. To "moonlight" means to work at another job than one's primary, full-time job. Often such a job is done at night under the moonlight. "Moonshine" may denote foolish or nonsensical talk, thought or action, but it is more often used to mean illegally distilled whiskey. From 1920 to 1933, the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages was forbidden in the United States of America. During this Prohibition era, whiskey, which is distilled from grain, was illegally produced in many secluded rural areas by moonlight and transported under cover of darkness to places where it was illegally sold. In 1925, over 1.7 million stills were thought to be in operation. But moonshining did not end with the repeal of the Prohibition Amendment to the Constitution. A recent investigation in a mountainous area of Virginia has resulted in the arrest of a number of accused moonshiners and it is estimated that, from 1992 to 1999, moonshiners produced 1.5 million gallons of liquor, avoiding $19.6 million in federal taxes.

01/11/05  "Born-Again Christians"  (Timely Words 0334)

In the New Testament, the followers of Jesus are often called "disciples". This English word comes from a Latin word meaning "learner" or "pupil". A "disciple" is one who is taught by another and who follows the teaching and example of his or her teacher or master. From among his many disciples, Jesus chose twelve men who became his inner circle of disciples, to whom he gave more particular instruction and whom he sent out to preach and to minister as his representatives. These twelve men were called "apostles", from a Greek word meaning "one who is sent out". According to the 26th verse of the IIth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus' disciples were first called "Christians" in the town of Antioch. Evidently, the name was first applied by unbelievers to the followers of Christ. A "Christian" may be defined in various ways. A person who believes that Jesus is the Christ and has become his disciple, one who manifests the spirit of Christ and seeks to follow his teachings, may be called a Christian. In a more formal sense, a Christian is one who has been baptized and has joined a Christian Church. Since some people are baptized as infants or without a personal commitment, the term "born-again Christian" is sometimes used to describe those who have made a personal decision to believe in and follow Christ and have experienced new life through that faith. Jesus indicated the need for a basic change of thinking and manner of life when he said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, that "No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again."

01/11/07  Batteries  (Timely Words 0335)

What comes to mind when one hears or reads the word "battery" will depend upon one's profession or special interest. Obviously, this word is related to "batter", the primary meaning of which is "beat", but a baseball player will think of the man at bat and a cook will think of the mixture of flour and milk used in cooking. So it is that "battery" also has a number of different meanings. It may denote machinery used in battering, but a lawyer will think of the illegal beating or touching of another person which may be considered a crime. A baseball enthusiast will think of the pitcher and catcher combination. A military officer will imagine a fortification equipped with heavy guns. Residents of New York City may think of the park on the southern tip of Manhattan Island, previously the site of Dutch and English fortifications, which is now called "the Battery" and has monuments of historic significance. But many of us common folk will think of the small device for generating electric current used in flashlights, radios, tape recorders and many other appliances in common use today. In fact, the stimulation for this message came while I was shaving and I realized the small batteries in my electric razor needed changing. And a couple of days ago, my neighbor could not get his car started because the battery had no power, so I drove my car beside his. Then we connected my car's battery to his and jump-started his car. And I thought: minds or spirits may be compared to storage batteries. If they are being used, they need to be regularly recharged or revived from some stimulating or inspiring source.

01/11/09  Pine Trees  (Timely Words 0336)

Diversity is one of the attractive features of Penney Retirement Community. Not only is there diversity among its residents who come from various parts of the country, have been members of a variety of Christian churches and have served in various capacities in many different countries around the world, there is also a variety of activities that appeal to a wide range of interests. And there is variety in the natural beauty in the midst of which the community is located. Looking out my window, I see different kinds of trees. One has a very large trunk and many large, long branches full of green leaves. Another is much shorter and slimmer with shorter branches and smaller leaves with red berries scattered among them. A third tall tree is called an evergreen because it remains green all year long. Its long and thin leaves are called pine needles for it is a pine tree. We now have two large plastic bags full of pine needles behind our house which I swept up from the roof over our front porch and raked up from our front lawn. They will eventually be used as mulch in my wife's flower garden. Another kind of "pine", spelled and pronounced the same, denotes an intense longing or yearning. My wife pines for the beautiful autumn colors of tree leaves she remembers in Japan and northern states in the U.S.A., which are not seen in Florida. According to Isaiah 60:13, the pine will be one of the trees which will adorn the Lord's sanctuary and I recall the closing lines of a famous poem by Joyce Kilmer I memorized many years ago: "Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree."

01/11/12  Dialogue  (Timely Words 0337)

A monologue is a speech by one person, but a dialogue is a conversation between two or more people. Sermons in Christian churches are usually monologues by a preacher, or sermonizer. However, if there is opportunity for listeners to speak back to the preacher in a relaxed atmosphere following the sermon, his monologue may provide the starting point for a dialogue (which may be called "Sermon Feedback"). Jesus often made use of dialogue in his ministry. The 4th chapter of the Gospel of John includes a dialogue he had with a woman of Samaria. This dialogue shows how Jesus refused to be bound by traditions or customs of his day which were unjust or unkind. In the first place, he was willing to engage in meaningful conversation with a woman, which proud men of his day refused to do. Secondly, this woman was a Samaritan, a person of mixed-blood who would be called a "ha-fu" (or "half") in modern Japanese, who were despised by the so-called pureblooded Jews of that day. Finally, she seemed to be a woman of poor reputation who evidently came to draw water from the community well at noontime to avoid meeting other women of her neighborhood who usually came earlier in the morning. Jesus' dialogue with her indicates his lack of prejudice and his concern to share God's love with all kinds of people. To this woman, he offered "living water" which would quench her spiritual thirst and stated the important biblical truth found in verse 24 that "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

01/11/14  Great Lakes  (Timely Words 0338)

"That's great" is an expression one may use upon hearing some good news. In that case, the meaning of "great" is "very good." Other meanings of "great" are "of outstanding significance or importance" and "extremely large in size." "Great Britain" was the central nation in the British Commonwealth and a number of terms related to areas on the mainland of the United States of America include this word. The "Great Plains" denote the large area of low valleys and plains east of the Rocky Mountains, which are called the "Great Divide" because they are the dividing line of precipitation that will eventually flow eastward into the Atlantic Ocean or westward into the Pacific Ocean. The "Great Basin" is the plateau between mountain ranges in the states of Utah and California which covers most of the state of Nevada. And the "Great Lakes" signify five freshwater lakes which are the largest area of fresh water in the world with a combined surface area of over 246,000 square kilometers. Except for Lake Michigan, which lies entirely within the United States, these lakes form part of the international border between the United States and Canada. From west to east, their names are: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. The lakes are connected to each other by straits, short rivers and canals. From an American viewpoint, these are Great Lakes, lying east of the Great Basin, the Great Divide and the Great Plains, but the perspective of a man of faith many centuries ago is found in the 145th Psalm, verse 3. "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom."

01/11/16  Lake Erie/Niagara Falls  (Timely Words 0339)

Lake Erie is the fourth largest and the shallowest of the five Great Lakes. The name, Erie, is not limited to the lake. There are counties in three U.S. states and cities or towns in four states that bear that name. If an "e" is added to the beginning of this name, a word meaning weird or mysterious is formed, having the same pronunciation. But the name of the lake and of these counties and cities is not related to this word. Lake Erie is not an eerie place. Erie was the name of a particular group of Native Americans that lived in that area before the coming of immigrants from Europe. In the native language, this word meant "long tail", or "cat", and this group of Native Americans was referred to as the Cat Nation. Lake Erie is connected to Lake Huron on the west by two rivers and a small lake and to Lake Ontario on the east by a river and a canal. The water in the 55-kilometer-long Niagara River must flow over the famous Niagara Falls on its way from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. This river is the boundary between the United States and Canada and there are cities on both sides of the river named Niagara Falls. The city on the Canadian side is in the province of Ontario and the one on the United States side is in the state of New York. Niagara Falls, one of the most famous spectacles in North America, is divided into the American Falls, which are 51 meters high and 323 meters wide, and the Horseshoe, or Canadian, Falls, which are 48 meters high and 792 meters wide. The volume of water that flows over Niagara Falls is the greatest of all the waterfalls in the world.

01/11/18  Thanksgiving  (Timely Words 0340)

Autumn is the season of the year when the leaves of trees become dry, die and fall to the ground in areas where the weather gets cold. Consequently, this season is also called "fall". The beautiful colors of the leaves in various shades of red, orange and yellow create a very pretty atmosphere for observant people. This beautiful display of color which stimulates pleasant feelings in the viewer as the leaves die may stimulate further reflection. If at our demise, those around us are impressed with some beautiful, inspiring remembrances that we are leaving behind, we should be thankful. Autumn is also the season of harvest, when farmers' efforts of planting, transplanting and caring for the plants bear fruit. In many countries it is the time for harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations. In Japan, a harvest festival tradition with ancient roots is called "Niinamesai", which literally means "New Taste Festival." At this time, the emperor tastes newly harvested rice in the darkness of night, supposedly in the presence of the spirits of his ancestors. This tradition is the background for the national holiday now called "Labor Thanksgiving Day", celebrated on November 23. Thanksgiving Day in the United States is now celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Its roots go back to the Pilgrims who set apart a day of thanksgiving to God for the abundant harvest in 1621 which they joyfully shared with many of the Native Americans in the area. Thanksgiving, first to God and then to human beings, should not be limited to one day or season. It should characterize our daily lives all year long.

01/11/21  Baroque and Victorian  (Timely Words 0341)

Recently, my wife and I joined a group of residents in this retirement community who attended a symphony orchestra concert which was titled "Baroque Chronicles". A "chronicle" is a historical record and there are a couple of books in the Old Testament named "Chronicles". "Baroque" denotes a particular style of art, including both architecture and music, characterized by elaborate ornamentation, that flourished in Europe in the 17th century. The 36 members of the orchestra (20 women, 16 men) were all dressed in black. For the pieces composed by Telemann, only stringed instruments (violins, violas, cellos, basses and a harpsichord) were played. For the pieces composed by Vivaldi, a bassoon was added. Two flutes and the organ were added for those of Handel and oboes were included when the pieces composed by Bach were played. I was not sure of the meaning of "baroque" until I checked the dictionary and it reminded me of the term "Victorian", which also denotes certain qualities that characterized a certain period of English history: the 19th century, during the reign of Queen Victoria, the longest reigning monarch in English chronicles. In the case of "Victorian", moral qualities, including prudery and pompous conservatism, are included along with a highly ornamented style of architecture. Both the feminine name "Victoria" and the masculine name "Victor" are related to "victory", which is the aim and hope of those involved in military operations. A necessary element in accomplishing this aim is faith. In I John 5:4, it is written: "This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

01/11/23  T/Tee/Tea  (Timely Words 0342)

The 20th letter in the English alphabet is the letter T. A "T-square" is a ruler in the shape of a T that is used by draftsmen for drawing right angles or parallel lines on technical drawings so the expression "to a T" means "perfectly" or "precisely." We may say that an actor fits the role to a T. There are two three-letter words that have the same pronunciation as this letter. The one spelled t-e-e denotes a small peg with a curved top which is used for holding a golf ball for the first drive of the golfer. As a slang expression "tee off" may mean to begin or to make angry. The other word, spelled t-e-a, denotes a plant, the dried leaves of which are used to make a beverage also called "tea". This beverage, which originated in China about 2700 B. C., became popular in Western countries over 3500 years later. There are a number of different kinds of tea and I may tease you to tell me the names of some teas. Tea is the common beverage served in Japan at most meals and to guests. There are few meetings, whether for business or for pleasure, that do not include serving tea. The common tea in Japan is "green" tea, but there is a clear distinction between the tea that is usually served at mealtime or to guests and the special tea that is made during the formal tea ceremony. The Indian tea which is more popular in the West is called "crimson" tea in Japanese. In Jesus' day, the common beverage among the Jews was wine and, according to the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of John, the first miracle that Jesus performed was changing water into wine at a wedding celebration.

01/11/25  Prayer  (Timely Words 0343)

Many Japanese have difficulty distinguishing the "r" and "l" sounds in English. Thus, the verbs "play" and "pray" are confused. In the life of a person with a healthy faith, however, there is a great difference between "playing" and "praying" even though, at times, the two actions may be combined. The word "prayer" itself may be pronounced in two different ways. When pronounced with two syllables (pray-er), it denotes a person who prays, but when pronounced as a single syllable (prayer), it denotes the act of praying or the words of the person who prays. The particular meaning of prayer differs depending upon one's religion or faith. "Prayer" is commonly considered to be a petition made to a deity and in some religious groups, the repetition of certain traditional words is considered "prayer". From my Christian perspective, however, prayer is primarily communion with God. It is not limited to petition nor can it be restricted to particular words that will produce a special effect. Both Old Testament prophets and Jesus clearly taught that the mere repetition of words is useless without a vital faith that is evident in daily life. Jesus' teaching on prayer is found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5-15. There he criticizes those who make long, repetitious prayers in public to be seen and praised by others and exhorts his listeners to pray to their heavenly Father in secret. He also taught them an exemplary prayer which is often repeated by Christians today, but there is no special benefit that comes from simply repeating it. The effect of true, personal communion with God is seen in one's life.

01/11/28  Mauritania  (Timely Words 0344)

Following the terrorist attack in New York City and Washington, D.C. by Muslim extremists on September 11th, there has been an increased interest on the part of many Americans regarding Islam and Islamic nations. In the United Nations, there are five countries that have the term "Islamic" in their official names. They are: the Islamic State of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republics of Iran, Pakistan, the Comoros and Mauritania. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania, located in northwest Africa on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, celebrates its Independence Day on November 28th. On that day in 1960, the country gained its independence after being a French protectorate and colony for more than half a century. Mauritania means "land of the Moors". As a common noun, "moor" denotes a broad tract of open wasteland, which could apply to the large desert area of Mauritania, but as a proper noun beginning with a capital M, it denotes a member of a Muslim people of mixed Arab and Berber descent living in northwestern Africa. The Moors invaded and occupied Spain in the 8th century and greatly influenced the Western civilization of that day. Moorish art and architecture remain in Spain even today. Almost all of the 2,700,000 citizens of Mauritania, about half of whom are living below the poverty level, continue to be engaged in agriculture, but deposits of iron ore have also given rise to a mining industry. The official languages are Arabic and French and although there is friction between the Moorish inhabitants of the north and the black Africans in the south, almost all citizens are Muslims.

01/11/30  "Saint" Andrew  (Timely Words 0345)

What is a "saint", or who is a "saint"? Many of the letters of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament are addressed to the "saints" in a certain place. The Letter to the Romans, for example, is addressed "To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (1:7). The Greek word which is translated "saint" means holy or separated one. Thus, in New Testament days, all believers in Christ, or Christians, were considered "saints". Later, the meaning of that word was changed and now, in the Roman Catholic Church, a "saint" is one who has been canonized, or declared to be a "saint", by the pope and thus worthy to be venerated on the basis of certain conditions having been fulfilled. Recently, the Vatican issued a new list of 6,538 saints, each of which has been given a certain day each year as its "feast day". The feast day of St. Andrew is November 30th. Andrew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples who were called "apostles". In the first three Gospels, all that is written about Andrew personally is that he was a fisherman, the brother of Simon Peter, but in the 4th Gospel, we learn that it was Andrew who introduced his brother to Jesus (John 1:41-42), who brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus with which 5000 people were fed (6:8-11), and who, along with Philip, introduced some Greeks to Jesus (12:20-22). Thus, Jesus' disciple, Andrew, who introduced people to Christ, is a worthy example for all Christians to follow. The Sunday nearest the Feast of St. Andrew is the beginning of the Advent season, which is the beginning of the church year in the Christian Church calendar.

01/12/02  Adventure/Advent  (Timely Words 0346)

An exciting, unusual or dangerous experience may be called an "adventure". Helen Keller, the blind American author and lecturer wrote: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as India's prime minister, wrote: "We live in a wonderful world that is full of . . . adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if we only seek them with our eyes open." And the English mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, wrote: "Without adventure civilization is in full decay." "Adventure" includes the word "advent", which means coming or arrival. In the Christian tradition, "advent" denotes the coming or arrival of the Messiah and the liturgical church year begins with the season of Advent which begins on the Sunday nearest November 30th, the Feast of Saint Andrew. There are four Sundays in Advent which precede Christmas, when we celebrate the advent of the Christ. Jesus spoke of his coming again in the future, which is called the Second Advent. Christian groups that emphasize that Second Advent are sometimes called "Adventists". This year, Advent Sunday falls on the 2nd day of December. From that day on, Christians will be thinking of and preparing for Christmas. In some churches, an Advent wreath is displayed in which there are four candles. One candle is lit on each of the four Sundays in Advent. This Advent season may be the time for an adventure as we seriously consider the reason for such a widespread, joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ. I pray that this Advent season will be a blessed time for you.

01/12/05  Prohibition  (Timely Words 0347)

Some societies, social or religious groups, or even nations have attempted to force their members to follow certain moral or ethical ideals by forbidding or prohibiting certain activities or customs that are considered degrading, unhealthy or seductive. In the United States of America, the 13 years between 1920 and 1933 are known as the Prohibition era. During that time, "the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors" was officially prohibited following ratification of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. To amend the Constitution requires the approval of three-fourths of the states and approval of the 18th Amendment was gained after many years of effort by people with strong convictions regarding the ill effects of alcoholic beverages in January 1919 and took effect one year later. Efforts to enforce this Amendment, however, proved to be time-consuming, expensive and ineffective. The Prohibition laws were violated by both individual citizens and organized criminal groups. Both illegally distilled domestic liquor and beverages produced in foreign countries and smuggled into the U.S.A. were made available to those desiring them. Realizing the impossibility of fairly and consistently enforcing the law, a new Amendment was required to repeal the 18th Amendment. The required three-fourths of the states ratified the 22nd Amendment just 68 years ago on December 5, 1933. This difficult experience in the history of this nation made clear that true morality cannot be forced from the outside. It must have an inner, spiritual base.

01/12/07  Pearl Harbor  (Timely Words 0348)

Gems include precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, but the hard, rounded abnormal growth formed inside the shell of an oyster is a different kind of gem called a "pearl". Pearls are cultivated in Japan by introducing a tiny irritant into the shell of an oyster which is then placed in a cage and suspended into the ocean for a few years during which time a pearl is formed. Pearls are highly prized by fashionable ladies and in the vision recorded in the 21st chapter of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, the twelve gates of the heavenly city of Jerusalem are made of pearl. "Pearl" is the name of some women and of a couple of American cities. There are also three "Pearl Rivers" and one "Pearl Harbor" in the U.S.A. Pearl Harbor is a large, natural harbor on the southern coast of the island of Oahu in the state of Hawaii where an important naval base is located. It got its name from the pearl oysters which once grew in its waters and it became famous after the sudden attack of Japanese airplanes on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Hawaiian time. On many calendars made in the U.S.A., that day is marked "Pearl Harbor Day". In that attack, nineteen naval vessels and 188 aircraft were destroyed and over 2,400 servicemen and civilians were killed. The next day, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan amidst complaints that warnings of the attack had been ignored. This Pacific War lasted for over three and a half years, officially ending on September 2, 1945, Japan time, when Japanese authorities signed the surrender documents on the deck of an American battleship in Tokyo Bay.

01/12/11  Environment  (Timely Words 0349)

The English word "environ" is derived from a Latin word literally meaning "in a circle". It means to surround or encircle. If an "s" is added to this verb, it becomes a plural noun denoting the districts surrounding a town or city. The hometowns of both my wife and me are in the environs of the city of Chicago in the state of Illinois in the United States of America. Her hometown is on the west side of the city and mine is on the north, but we met at a university in the neighboring state of Iowa. It may be that my hometown was too far away to be included in the "environs" of Chicago, for it was about 72 kilometers away while my wife's was only about 19 kilometers from the center of the city. Another English word from the same Latin root is "environment", meaning surroundings. This has become a very important word in our day because of the deterioration of our natural surroundings. Our environment includes the stars and planets in the sky, the lands and oceans that make up the earth along with the plants and animals that live on it. There is now a deep concern regarding the state of our environment. According to the stories of the world's creation, found in the 1st two chapters of Genesis, the first book in the Bible, human beings were the final and highest form of creation who were given the charge to subdue the earth and to "rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every living creature that moves on the ground" (1:28). This story makes clear that it is human beings who are responsible for the environment and they must take their responsibility seriously.

01/12/12  Human Rights  (Timely Words 0350)

In English, spelling and pronunciation are very irregular as is evident in the following sentence: Be careful when you write the word "rite" that you spell it right. In fact, the word "right" by itself may be used in a variety of ways with many different meanings. My dictionary lists 12 definitions of "right" when used as an adjective, 7 when used as a noun, 11 more when used as an adverb and 3 when used as a verb. Wow! That's extraordinary. This message is about "human rights" for this week is "Human Rights Week" in the U.S.A. December 10 is observed as "Human Rights Day" by most member countries of the United Nations commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the U.N. General Assembly on December 10,1948. It was on December 17, 1791 that the first ten amendments, known as the "Bill of Rights", were added to the U.S. Constitution, so the week begins and ends with special commemorative days. In this case, "rights" denote what belongs to a person by law, tradition or nature. There are 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the following statements: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude." "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion." "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinions and expression." Unfortunately, many of these articles are not universally observed at the present time.

01/12/14  Arranging Albums  (Timely Words 0351)

Among the various tasks I had hoped to accomplish after my retirement was arranging the slides and snapshots I had taken over the past decades in an orderly way so that they could be found easily and shown to interested parties as needed. Recently, I began this stupendous job. Over the years, my wife and I tried to remember to write the date and any other important data on our snapshots and slides and to keep related pictures together, but did not always succeed. We both are in our seventies, have been married for over fifty years, have three children and four grandchildren. Furthermore, we have traveled around the world, visiting some 35 countries on all five continents and 48 of the fifty United States of America. Wherever we went, we always had at least one camera with us to take pictures to remind us of certain places or persons. In years gone by, I often showed slides to groups of people when telling of our missionary work in Japan or of our travels in a variety of countries, but slides are not so popular these days. Generally speaking, my slides are pretty well arranged according to time, place and subject matter, but the numerous snapshots of family and friends which have accumulated in recent years require hours of concentrated effort to arrange in an orderly fashion related to time or place or content. Some snapshots have already been placed together in the small packets received from the developer or in small albums focused on a certain event from which they must be removed to include in a larger album. Time, patience and a clear aim are all required to accomplish this purpose.

01/12/16  Humility  (Timely Words 0352)

"Humility" signifies a lack of pride, the quality or condition of being "humble". "Humble", derived from the Latin word for "ground", denotes a low rank or station (near the ground), a meek or modest attitude, showing submissive respect. We are told in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter 18, verse 12, that "Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor" and in the New Testament book of First Peter, chapter 5, verse 5, it is written: "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" According to Confucius, "Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues." And the French monk, Bernard of Clairvaux, wrote: "It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment." The expression "eat humble pie" means to accept insult or shame, to admit one's error, apologize and behave meekly. The origin of this phrase is interesting. Actually, the original reference was to "umble pie". In the 18th century, "umble pie" was eaten by the servants and huntsmen while the lord of the manor and his guests feasted on venison. Umble pie was made from the "umbles", the internal organs such as the heart, liver and gizzard of a deer, but "venison" is the choice deer meat. Thus, to "eat umble pie" meant that one was in an inferior position. In British English, often the first "h" in a word is not pronounced, so "humble" and "umble" may be pronounced the same. In Philippians 2:5-8, we read of how the Son of God humbled himself to become a man.

01/12/19  Emancipation  (Timely Words 0353)

Emancipate means to free from oppression, bondage, or restraint, to liberate. One of the benefits of the tragedies that have been occurring in Afghanistan is the emancipation of women who have been severely oppressed or restrained by the ruling powers in that land. Although the conditions are different in each case, in many other countries, there are people who are or have been oppressed, restrained or even enslaved and need to be emancipated. On New Year's Day in 1863, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln made an Emancipation Proclamation in which he declared that all slaves within those states then in rebellion against the authority of the federal government "are and henceforward shall be free". Since this Proclamation applied only to those areas not controlled by the federal government, it had little immediate practical effect. But some eight months after the assassination of President Lincoln and the end of the war, that Emancipation Proclamation became effective when the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified and it was 136 years ago, on December 18, 1865, that that amendment was declared ratified. According to the amendment, "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude . . . shall exist within the United States." This is a good time to reflect on the present state of affairs and consider whether or not there are certain groups, classes or races in our countries today that are in need of emancipation and whether we ourselves may need to be liberated from prejudices against certain kinds of people who are different than us.

01/12/21  Winter Solstice  (Timely Words 0354)

In regard to climate, the earth is divided into five regions, called "zones". There is a Frigid Zone around both the north and south poles. The region along both sides of the Equator is the Torrid Zone, also known as the Tropics, for it lies between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Between the Frigid Zones and the Torrid Zone are two Temperate Zones, where the temperature is more moderate. In both the North and South Temperate Zones, there are four distinct divisions in a year, called "seasons". They are spring, summer, autumn and winter. The seasons are determined by the relative positions of the earth and the sun and begin with what is called an "equinox" or a "solstice". Spring and autumn begin with an "equinox", from Latin words meaning "equal night" for on these days, the length of day and night are approximately equal. Summer and winter begin with a "solstice", from Latin words meaning "sun stand". On these days, the sun has reached the limit of its apparent northward or southward movement and seems to "stand still". This year, the winter solstice is December 22nd, so the winter season will begin on that day. Although winter is the coldest season of the year, it may also be a heart-warming time when we consider the meaning and spirit of Christmas, celebrated at that time of year. In Psalm 74, verse 17, it is written that the Lord "made both summer and winter." God is in control of the seasons and his unchanging purpose is implied in the words of Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

01/12/23  Christmas Day/Decorations  (Timely Words 0355)

This week there are national holidays to celebrate the births of respected persons in both Japan and Western countries. In Japan, December 23rd is the 68th birthday of the Japanese emperor, who is sometimes called a "kami". Unfortunately, "kami" was the Japanese word early Christian missionaries chose to translate the word "God" although the meaning is very different. As a result, there has been much misunderstanding. Because that day fell on a Sunday this year, December 24th was the substitute holiday. On December 25th, the birth of Jesus is celebrated, even though neither the day, the month nor the year of his birth is known for sure. It seems that December 25th was chosen by the church at Rome in the 4th century to provide Christians a reason to celebrate at the same time as the pagan winter solstice celebrations honoring the sun which were held at that time. The story of Jesus' birth in the Gospel of Luke, however, implies that Jesus was born at a warmer season of the year. Miscalculations resulted in the so-called Christian era beginning in 1 A.D., but now it is recognized that Jesus was born a few years before that. Christmas decorations usually begin to appear following Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November. Those relating to trees and greenery, including the Yule log, Christmas trees, wreaths, mistletoe and holly, are related to pagan customs which preceded Christian celebrations. Sometimes, making use of existing words or customs when introducing new ideas, whether religious or otherwise, is helpful, but it can also be very confusing and misleading.

01/12/27  Christmas Memories  (Timely Words 0356)

This message consists of memories of how Christmas was celebrated in my home when I was a child. A week or two before Christmas, father brought home a pine tree which was put in the living room in a small can of water to keep it fresh. At a convenient time, our whole family, including father, mother and six children, gathered to decorate it. First, father strung colored lights through the branches and fixed the ornament at the top that almost touched the ceiling. Then, we all attached the other decorations. We did not have a fireplace, but a large picture of a fireplace was tacked on a window sill behind the tree on which we children each hung one of our stockings for Santa Claus to fill. It was our custom for everyone to exchange gifts with everyone else so, as Christmas approached, the white sheet under the tree became full of prettily wrapped gifts with the names of giver and receiver on them to be opened on Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve, we heard a sleigh bell outdoors, after which the doorbell rang and Santa Claus appeared with his bag full of gifts, one of which was given to each of us. I do not recall how old I was when I realized that father was never present when Santa arrived and when I recognized father's ring on Santa Claus' finger. On Christmas morning, early risers were able to take the small gifts out of their stockings and play with them until the whole family was together. After father read from the Bible about the birth of Jesus, God's gift to us, the gifts from under the tree were distributed and opened. It was a truly happy time. I hope you have a joyful, meaningful Christmas this year.

01/12/28  St. Stephen  (Timely Words 0357)

In some Christian churches, December 26th, the day after Christmas, is celebrated as the Feast of St. Stephen. Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox churches, however, observe St. Stephen's feast day on December 27th. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. The story about him is related in the 6th and 7th chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, the New Testament book that relates the early history of the church. Stephen, whose name means "crown" in Greek, was one of the seven men chosen to distribute food to the widows and thus enable the apostles to concentrate on prayer and preaching. But Stephen also was an effective preacher and finally was forced to testify before the Jewish Council, where he gave a very impressive testimony. As a result, the councilmen were enraged and sentenced him to death. As he was being stoned, he prayed for his executioners, following the example and teaching of Jesus, his Lord. One of those who witnessed his execution was a young man who was very impressed and later became the great evangelist, known as Paul. In the speech recorded in chapter 22, Paul speaks of Stephen as the "martyr", or "witness", of Christ (verse 20). The Greek word "martus" meaning "witness", is the root of the English word "martyr" which denotes a person who chooses to give up his life rather than deny his faith. We are happy that our elder son, Steven (the spelling of whose name is derived from my wife's maiden name which was "Stevens"), drove 2500 kilometers from the state of New Mexico along with his daughter, Danielle, to spend Christmas with us.

01/12/31  Yearend Customs  (Timely Words 0358)

As the year draws to a close, many different yearend customs are observed in particular countries or among specific groups. In northern and central Europe, men and boys dress in grotesque costumes to scare away demons. Austrians drown a straw figure known as The Death. In remote parts of the British Isles, huge bonfires are lit to "burn out the old year." In Japan, the final month of the year, called "shiwasu", literally meaning "teacher run", denotes the very busy time it is for Buddhist priests and others. Yearend gifts are given to show appreciation to those to whom one feels obligated and homes, offices, churches, factories, etc. undergo a thorough house-cleaning at the end of the year. On the grounds of Buddhist temples there is a structure in which a large dome-shaped bell is hung. A long, wooden pole is hung beside the bell. When this pole is pulled back and released to strike against the bell, the result is a sonorous tolling of the bell, quite a different sound than that of Christmas bells that have a different shape and a clapper within. On the final day of the year, the bells in Buddhist temples are slowly tolled 107 times. The final, 108th toll, is sounded as the New Year begins. This symbolizes the elimination of the 108 evil passions or carnal desires in Buddhist teaching and beginning the New Year with a purified heart. In the United States of America, many New Year's Eve parties are held to welcome the New Year in a boisterous way, but many Christians will gather in churches on the final day of the year for the watchnight service in which the New Year is begun quietly in prayer.

02/01/02  New Year  (Timely Words 0359)

Scientifically speaking, a year is the period of time in which the earth completes a single revolution around the sun which takes 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds. According to the Gregorian calendar now widely used internationally, a year is divided into 12 months. Months are related to the period of time it takes for the moon to make a revolution around the earth. In the Gregorian calendar, 7 months have 31 days, 4 have 30 days and 1 has 28 days in regular years but 29 days in leap years. Deciding when a new year begins is not related to natural movements but to the calendar one uses, reflecting one's culture, religion or national tradition. The Gregorian calendar begins on January 1st and this New Year is numbered 2002 A.D. (A.D. is the abbreviation of Latin words meaning "in the year of the Lord", but this is not actually the 2002nd year after the birth of Jesus.) In Japan, a new era begins with the enthronement of a new emperor and this is the 14th year of the "Heisei" era. According to the Jewish calendar, this is the year 5762, although that is no longer believed to be the number of years since the creation of the world. The Jewish New Year will begin on September 7th of the Gregorian calendar this year. The Islamic calendar, like the Jewish one, is a lunar calendar, and this year of 1422 indicates the number of years since the "Hegira", when Mohammed moved from Mecca to Medina (in 622 A.D.) This year, the Islamic New Year will begin on March 15th in the Gregorian calendar. Whatever your tradition, I hope you have a happy, healthy year, whenever it begins.

02/01/05  Calendars  (Timely Words 0360)

A "calendar" is a system of defining the beginning, length, and divisions of a year. In the creation story in the book of Genesis, it is written that God put lights in the sky to separate the day from the night and to "serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years" (1:14). Time divisions are determined by the movements of the earth and the moon. One rotation of the earth on its axis determines the length of a day. One revolution of the moon around the earth determines the length of a month and a revolution of the earth around the sun determines the length of a year. The problem is how to combine these three separate units of time into one consistent calendar for these different movements do not fit together precisely. Lunar calendars are based on the movement of the moon while solar calendars are based on the relation of the earth and the sun and unless there are periodic adjustments, seasons of the year gradually move away from their previous designations on a calendar. An ancient Roman calendar had ten months in it, but in 45 B.C. the "Julian calendar", decreed by Julius Caesar, went into effect. It had twelve months and a total of 365 days in common years followed by a "leap year" every fourth year that had an extra day. The Gregorian calendar, promulgated by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, made the simple change of considering century years as common years except when the year number is divisible by 400. As a result, the seasons always begin on the same days. Whatever calendar is used, we may affirm the words of Psalm 118:24: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

02/01/06  Year of the Horse  (Timely Words 0361)

Very few English words begin with z, the last letter of the alphabet. Only the letter x has fewer words in its section of a dictionary. A number of words that begin with "zo", derived from a Greek word meaning "living being", are related to animals, including "zoo", "zoology", "zoolatry" and "zodiac". "Zodiac" signifies a zone of the sky in which there is a group of stars, some of which were given animal names. There are twelve such constellations and, in the Orient, time is divided into 12-year cycles, every year of which is related to an Oriental zodiacal animal that supposedly exhibits certain characteristics. The twelve animals involved are: rat, ox/bull, tiger, hare/rabbit, dragon, serpent/snake, horse, sheep/ram, monkey, rooster/cock, dog, and boar/pig. This year of 2002, according to the Gregorian calendar, is the year of the horse. People born in the year of the horse are supposedly popular, attractive, cheerful and friendly. There are a number of English words that begin with "horse", including such plants as "horse chestnut", "horse nettle", "horseradish", "horsetail" and "horseweed" and a fish called "horse mackerel". Some English expressions are also related to "horse". To "horse around" is to engage in rowdy, rough play also known as "horseplay". To "hold one's horses" means to restrain oneself and "a horse of a different color" signifies another matter entirely. In ancient times, horses were important symbols of military might and were often used in battles. In Psalm 20:7, it is written that "some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

02/01/09  "Fir" and "Pine" Trees  (Timely Words 0362)

As noted in the Introduction of this "Timely Words" homepage, the "Daily Word" telephone messages that I transmitted in Japan were later introduced into the NIFTY-Serve computer network. Readers were able to raise questions or make comments in Japanese related to the messages that appeared there. The university professor who introduced those messages into the English Forum of NIFTY-Serve continues to put these "Timely Words" messages there also (as well as to add them to the "Previous Messages" section of this homepage), for which I am very grateful. He recently sent me a question raised by a reader related to the message in which I stated that we decorated a pine tree for our Christmas tree when I was a child. The question was whether "pine" trees ("matsu" in Japanese) were really decorated as Christmas trees rather than "fir" trees ("momi"), which the reader considered quite different. Checking my reference books, I found that the "fir" tree is a particular species within the "pine" tree family, so it would have been more accurate, or exact, to call that Christmas tree a "fir" rather than a "pine", even though the original statement was not incorrect. I am happy to receive questions or comments regarding messages, which may also be entered in the "Guestbook" section of this homepage. Incidentally, both "the fir tree" and "the pine tree" are listed together in many English versions of Isaiah 60:13, but Japanese translations use different words, which indicates a difficult problem faced by translators of literature written in a completely different cultural and geographic setting.

02/01/11  Visit to St. Augustine  (Timely Words 0363)

St. Augustine is the name of an important person in the history of the Christian Church who lived in north Africa in the 4th century. It is also the name given to the oldest permanent European settlement in what has become the United States of America in 1565 by Pedro Menendez, the Spanish explorer who established the settlement there. Whenever we have guests who come to visit us here in the state of Florida, if we have time and if they are interested, we take them to the city of St. Augustine, about 45 minutes away, where there are many historic sites and other attractions. One day during the visit of our son and granddaughter over Christmas, we took them there again. This time, we went to two places they had not been before. First, we went to the Fountain of Youth where there is an ancient spring near the site where Ponce de Leon arrived from Spain in 1513. It is said that he was seeking a legendary fountain that had the power to restore youth to those who drank of it. We all drank of that fountain. Then we went on to the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which my wife and I also had never visited before. The present lighthouse was built in 1874. Over 50 meters tall, there is a circular staircase in the center of it with 219 steps from the ground floor to the top. Thankful for the refreshing, stimulating drink from the Fountain of Youth a short time before, we all walked up to the top, from which we had a fine view of the surrounding area. We were reminded that it takes an effort to attain a desirable end. Needless to say, it is always easier to go down than to go up.

02/01/13  Yale Glee Club  (Timely Words 0364)

The state of Florida is a peninsula in the southeastern area of the United States of America. The Atlantic Ocean is on the eastern side of the peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico is on the western side. The city of Jacksonville is located in the northeastern corner of the state and the coastline along the city is known as the First Coast. One of the well-known churches near the seacoast is St. Paul's By-The-Sea Episcopal Church. For the past 28 years, this church has hosted a Beaches Fine Art Series to bring "great cultural experiences to Florida's First Coast." At times, a busload of residents from our Penney Retirement Community makes the 50-minute trip to that church to attend one of the programs. Recently my wife and I joined the group that went to the performance of the Yale Glee Club. The school that developed into Yale University, now located in New Haven Connecticut, began in 1702. The word "glee" signifies gaiety and joy and a "glee club" denotes a group of singers who perform pieces of choral music to entertain others. The Yale Glee Club began with thirteen men of the Class of 1863 who were accompanied by banjos and guitars. In 1970, the Glee Club became a mixed chorus of both men and women students. Over fifty stupendous singers, obviously from different ethnic backgrounds, were in the group that sang at the performance we attended. Following the performance, we enjoyed speaking in Japanese with the two young ladies who had Japanese names and faces. We were again impressed with the praiseworthy result that can be gained through the disciplined cooperation of a wide variety of individuals.

02/01/15  Homophones: "Ale" and "Ail"  (Timely Words 0365)

While composing the message related to the Yale Glee Club, I was again reminded of how strange the English language is with its irregular pronunciation and spelling. There are many different ways to pronounce English vowels. It is for that reason that lines or dots are drawn above vowels to indicate their correct (or common) pronunciation. While writing about "Yale", I checked a dictionary to see how many words beginning with "y-a" are pronounced like "Yale" with a long "a".I did not find one such word in my dictionary. Words that have the same pronunciation but differ in spelling, origin and meaning are called "homophones", derived from Greek words meaning "same sound". If the last three letters in the name "Yale" are detached and considered a separate word, that word is a homophone. "Ale" is a fermented alcoholic beverage. "Ail" has the same pronunciation, but means to feel ill. I wonder how many four-letter words you can think of that end with either of these three letters: "a-l-e" or "a-i-l". You may wish to stop reading (or listening to) this message and write down those words you know before I list the 22 that I have found. Half of them end in "ail" and the other half end in "ale". Seven pairs of these homophones begin with the same letter. They are: "bail"/"bale", "hail"/"hale", "mail"/"male", "pail"/"pale", "sail"/"sale", "tail"/"tale", "wail"/"wale". The remaining eight are: "dale", "fail", "gale", "jail", "kale", "nail", "rail"and "vale". I hope I have not confused you and that your understanding of the English language is helped by these "Timely Words" messages. I would like to know your reaction to them.

02/01/18  O.K.  (Timely Words 0366)

English has become an international language. Even many people who cannot speak English fluently make use of certain English terms or expressions. One such term is "O.K." which has spread around the world and has been called "the most widely used single term in human speech." Usually, periods are printed following the capital letters, but sometimes they are omitted; at times the term is spelled o-k-a-y. The term, signifying approval or agreement, may be used as an interjection, an adjective, a verb, a noun or an adverb (note the last sentence of this message). There have been various explanations of its origin. One theory is that it comes from a Native American language in which "okeh" meant "it is so". Another relates it to the abbreviation of the misspelled, slang expression "oll korrect", meaning "all correct". A third explanation is that it represents the initials of Obadiah Kelly, an early railroad clerk who used to stamp his initials on parcels for shipment. Finally, although this may not have been the first use of the term, the influence of the O.K. Democratic Club formed in New York in 1840, during the campaign to reelect President Martin Van Buren, is widely recognized. In this case, the letters were an abbreviation of the birthplace of President Van Buren, the New York town of Kinderhook, which he often called "Old Kinderhook", and "O.K." became a rallying cry for his supporters during that unsuccessful campaign. "Kinderhook" is a Dutch term meaning "children's point". O.K.! that's the end of the message; I hope you think it's O.K., that you will O.K. it (give it your O.K.) and that you are doing O.K.

02/01/21  Martin Luther King Jr.  (Timely Words 0367)

A student in the third year of high school or college is a "junior" and a fourth year student is a "senior". A son who bears the same name as his father is also a "junior" and his father is the "senior". In this case, the abbreviations "Jr." and "Sr." are usually written after their names. Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic priest who stimulated the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, is respected by all Protestants, not only members of Lutheran churches. Martin Luther King was the name of a Baptist minister in Atlanta, Georgia and his son, born 72 years ago on January 15, 1929, was given the same name as his father. Martin Luther King Jr. also became a Baptist minister and a leader of the civil rights movement which aimed at racial equality, to raise the status of black Americans through non-violent means. In his most famous speech, made before some 200,000 people gathered near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, he spoke of his dream that "one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: '. . . that all men are created equal,' . . . that my . . . children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King Jr. suffered for his convictions and finally was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had gone to help organize a strike of the city's predominantly black sanitation workers. The third Monday of January has been declared a holiday by Congress to honor him and to remind the nation of the ideals he sought to realize but which are still not attained.

02/01/23  Keeping Up  (Timely Words 0368)

There are a number of definitions of the word "keep", all of which include the idea of retaining or maintaining something. "Keep" is also found in such compound verbs as "keep down", "keep off" and "keep up". To "keep up" means "to maintain in good condition," "to continue at the same level." Almost three years have passed since my wife and I left Japan. Now, we are keeping busy with various activities in this retirement community and the surrounding area. At times, we are asked to give talks related to Japan and I want to "keep up" my understanding of Japanese. To that end, I try to listen regularly to a daily short-wave radio broadcast in Japanese and to read some Japanese every day. The radio broadcast is the 7 o'clock morning news broadcast live from Tokyo and heard here from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. the previous day. My Japanese reading includes writings of Japanese novelists and newspaper columnists/reporters, articles in Japanese newspapers available on the internet and messages included in the book of my own Japanese language telephone messages. On the homepage of the Nagoya-based Chunichi newspaper, I often read articles related to that city in which we lived for over 40 years and recently I read an article related to the city of Takahama where our church was located. That city is noted for the roof tiles manufactured there and this article told of a unique xylophone whose bars are made of the clay used to make roof tiles. It is important to "keep up" one's understanding of a foreign language or it will soon be forgotten. Likewise, we need to nurture our faith to keep it vital and meaningful.

02/01/26  "The Greatest Show on Earth"  (Timely Words 0369)

P. T. Barnum opened what he called "The Greatest Show on Earth" in Brooklyn, New York in 1871. Later, he joined with another circus owner, James Bailey, to form the Barnum and Bailey Circus and, after being combined with the Ringling Brothers Circus, "The Greatest Show on Earth" continued. Recently my wife and I joined other residents of this retirement community to attend the "All New 131st Edition" of that show. Included in the circus were clowns and animals as well as trapeze artists and other acrobats. We were impressed with the coordinated actions of elephants, tigers, llamas, camels and zebras and thought about the kind of disciplined training that was required to make animals conform to the detailed plans of human beings. Elephants walked in an orderly procession, the trunk of each one holding on to the tail of the elephant ahead, stood on their hind legs and sat on small stools. Tigers jumped on stools and through loops. But most amazing was the disciplined actions of the human beings on trapezes, ropes and wires high in the air. The agility and preciseness of their movements along with the coordination required to have a trapeze or the hand of an associate at exactly the right place at exactly the right time was extraordinary. We realized anew the wonder of the universe in which we live with the precise movement of planets and constellations. We again recognized the wonderful attributes of both animals and human beings and what can be accomplished through careful, purposeful, cooperative discipline. There was much to reflect upon after watching "the greatest show on earth."

02/01/28  "Wonderland"  (Timely Words 0370)

One hundred and seventy years ago this weekend, on January 27, 1832, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was born in the English county of Cheshire. Son of a clergyman and educated at Christ College, Oxford, he was ordained a deacon in the Anglican Church but never advanced to the office of a priest. Because he was shy and afflicted with a stammer, he did not feel able to function as a minister. Rather, he became a lecturer in mathematics and published mathematical treatises. He is best known, however, by his pseudonym and for the stories he wrote for children. Derived from Greek words meaning "false name", "pseudonym" denotes a "fictitious name assumed by an author," a "pen name." Charles Dodgson's pseudonym was Lewis Carroll and his most famous writing was "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." It is said to have been inspired by and written for the young daughter of a classical scholar whose name was Alice. Many of the characters in that story have become familiar figures in literature and conversation and some statements found in it stimulate serious consideration. One of which is the following: "Everything's got a moral, if you can only find it." A "moral" is a lesson or principle taught in a story or event. Looking at the world around us and at both past and present events from the perspective of the Biblical writers, we can perceive truths that should cause us to be more humble, more considerate of others and their needs and to seek to manifest the love of God for all people. If we are sensitive to divine guidance, we may find ourselves in a more wonderful "wonderland".

02/01/31  Carolinas Border Survey  (Timely Words 0371)

Ten of the fifty states in the United States of America have two words in their names. Four of them begin with the word "New" and five have a direction as the first word in their name. The two Carolinas fit into this category. "Carolina" is derived from a Latin word related to the name of the British King Charles who granted that territory to the colonizers. Both North Carolina and South Carolina were included in the colonies that seceded from Great Britain and fought the War of Independence. Along with all but one of those 13 original states, both Carolinas are located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the 400-mile (640-kilometer) border line between the two states is made up of straight lines, but part of the border is in the mountains. During much of the 18th century, teams of surveyors waded across swamps and hiked over mountains to map the line between the two states. Wars, property disputes and navigational errors delayed the result, but in 1815, a 23-foot (7-meter)-long map, which required 80 years to complete, was finally finished. It used trees, rivers and mountain ridges as guides. Now, civil engineers are combining traditional surveying methods with modern-day technology to make a more accurate map that will affect decisions regarding property rights and public services provided by the states. Sometimes, drawing accurate lines between adjacent lands or related concepts can be very difficult. In relation to what foreign Christians in Japan call "ancestor worship", for example, where do we draw the line between "respect", "honor", "veneration" and "worship"?

02/02/01  January  (Timely Words 0372)

Time flies! We are already at the end of the first month of the year and the beginning of the second month, according to the Gregorian calendar. In Japanese, when the Chinese characters denoting "light" and "shade" are connected, the meaning is "time", indicating that time is made up of both light and darkness. As we consider our own personal history or the history of our nation, we recognize that times of both light and darkness are included. The Japanese equivalent of the English expression, "Time flies", is more specific for it adds the words "like an arrow", which implies that it will not return. So it is, that because "time flies like an arrow", while learning from the past and planning for the future, we should make good use of the present time that is given to us. January, the name of this first month of the year, is derived from the name of the ancient Roman deity, Janus, who is pictured as having two faces, one facing forward and the other looking back. Janus was the deity of beginnings, including the spatial beginnings such as gates and doors. He also presided over such temporal beginnings as the first hour of the day, the first day of the month and the first month of the year. The word "janitor" is derived from "Janus", for a janitor was originally a doorman who looked in both directions as people came in and went out. As this first month comes to an end, it is a good time for us to reflect upon our lives, to ask what have we accomplished so far in this new year and what are our goals for the rest of the year? Remember, time is flying like an arrow and we must make good use of it while we can.

02/02/03  Ground-hog Day  (Timely Words 0373)

A common rodent in North America is a ground hog, or woodchuck. In English, some combination words are joined together to become a single word; others have a hyphen between them and some remain as two separate words. In fact, all reference books are not identical in this matter, but in the dictionary I usually use, there are two separate words in "ground hog". The first word of "ground-hog day", however, has a hyphen in it and "woodchuck" is a single word. Very strange! The second day of February is known as "ground-hog day" in the United States of America and a weather forecast for the next six weeks is made on the basis of whether that day is sunny or cloudy. On that day, it is said that ground hogs come out of their winter quarters and if it is sunny, they will see their shadows, become frightened and return to their holes. In that case, it is said that we will have six more weeks of winter weather. But if it is cloudy on that day, they will not return to their homes to sleep and winter will soon give way to spring. In the traditional Japanese calendar, the third day of the second month is the "season divider" day marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring. On that day, many homes follow an old custom that came from China. In order to rid the house of evil influences and to welcome a better future, roasted soybeans are thrown in each room in the house while calling out: "Fortune in! Demons out!" It was thought that throwing soybeans would scare away the demons, but now it is generally recognized that something more powerful is needed to rid the home and society of evil influences.

02/02/06  Fiction  (Timely Words 0374)

In this Penney Retirement Community, there are a variety of activities in which residents may participate—activities which are both meaningful and invigorating. Some involve physical exercise; others stimulate mental effort. The "Penney Writers" attracts those who enjoy writing. Each member is encouraged to write something to share at meetings; sometimes, a particular topic is suggested. After reading one's composition, comments, criticism or suggestions from other members of the group are welcome. At the last meeting, we shared memories of the house in which we lived in our childhood. At the next meeting, we are to write a "fictional" story. "Fiction" is a literary work based on the imagination of the writer. Although it may include some factual elements, it is not literally true. It was the English poet, Lord Byron, who wrote: "'Tis strange—but true; for truth is always strange; Stranger than fiction." And an American clergyman, Tyron Edwards, has written that "Fiction is not falsehood . . . . It is rather the fanciful and dramatic grouping of real traits around imaginary scenes or characters. It may give false views of men or things, or it may, in the hands of a master, more truthfully portray life than sober history itself." In fact, fiction may be more instructive than real history. According to Eleanor Roosevelt, "The reason that fiction is more interesting than any other form of literature to those of us who really like to study people, is that in fiction the author can really tell the truth without hurting anyone and without humiliating himself too much."

02/02/08  Dodo  (Timely Words 0375)

This message begins with another example of the irregularity of English pronunciation. When the two letters "d" and "o" are placed together and used as a verb, they are pronounced "doo", the same as the word spelled d-u-e, but when used to denote the first and last notes of the musical scale, they are pronounced "dou", as the words spelled d-o-e or d-o-u-g-h. So how should we pronounce the word spelled d-o-d-o? This word is derived from a Portuguese word meaning "stupid" and, as a slang term, may denote a stupid person, a simpleton, or a person whose dress, lifestyle and ideas are entirely out-of-date. But it originally signified a certain kind of bird found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. This bird resembled a turkey with its hooked bill, short neck and legs and very small wings that were useless for flying. The female dodo laid only one egg each year, which Dutch colonists and animals found to be palatable, so, in the year 1681, the dodo became extinct and the expression "as dead as the dodo" means "long since dead, forgotten and finished with, a thing of the past." Will Cuppy, an American critic and humorist on the staff of the New York Herald Tribune, wrote: "The Dodo never had a chance. He seems to have been invented for the sole purpose of becoming extinct and that was all he was good for." Nevertheless, there are a couple of men in the Old Testament who bore the name of Dodo. One of them was the grandfather of Tola, one of the judges of Israel (Judges 10:1). And one of King David's "mighty men" was the "son of Dodo from Bethlehem" (II Samuel 23:24).

02/02/11  February  (Timely Words 0376)

This second month of the year has been given different names by different peoples related to their particular views or traditions at this time of year. The name given to this month by Emperor Charlemagne was related to the shedding of horns by stags. The name used in the French Republican calendar meant "Rain-month" while for the Dutch, it was "Vegetation-Month". For Anglo-Saxons, it was the month of "Kale (or Cabbage) Sprout" and in the traditional Japanese calendar it was the month of "more clothes", probably in reference to the growth of vegetation. The present English name of "February" is derived from a Latin word for the feast of purification which was observed in ancient Rome in preparation for the new year which originally began in March. In Japanese tradition, purity is important and many Japanese rituals aim at purification. In the Old Testament also, there are various commandments related to purification. According to the 12th chapter of Leviticus, a woman is unclean for a period after giving birth to a child and must follow certain rules to be purified. The purification of Jesus' mother, Mary, is noted in Luke 2:22 and in some Christian churches, the Feast of the Purification of Mary is observed this month. In modern life, the need for purity is recognized in relation to food and living conditions, but the need for our hearts and minds to be purified is of even greater importance. Spiritual cleansing that comes from the Holy Spirit is required. The Christian belief related to spiritual purification is found in the First Letter of John, chapter 1, verses 5-9.

02/02/13  Khaki Camouflage  (Timely Words 0377)

Some people like to stand out in a crowd and be recognized. For that reason they may wear colorful clothes or special ornaments that attract the attention of others. On the other hand, some people try to blend in with the crowd and be inconspicuous, avoiding any attention-attracting elements. During battles in which airplanes fly overhead seeking to identify the location of enemy fighters, troops on the ground avoid calling attention to themselves through camouflage. This is a means of concealing oneself by blending in with the natural surroundings, following the example of the lizard, known as a chameleon, which changes its color to blend in with its environment. Scientific camouflage was particularly developed by the French during the First World War to hide military objectives and industrial plants and was increasingly used by army troops to harmonize their uniforms, helmets and equipment with the colors of leaves and brush. In fact, the "mud-colored" khaki uniforms now used by many armed forces was originally a camouflage for troops in dusty surroundings, first used in 1847. "Khaki", derived from a Persian word meaning "dust", may denote either a color (light olive or yellowish brown) or a sturdy cloth of that color and is now the color of the uniforms worn by Boy Scouts also. Japanese tradition emphasizes blending in with the group while the American tradition encourages individuals to stand out. Harmonizing with one's surroundings and utilizing one's individual talents are both important, but an underlying spirit of humility and love should characterize them both.

02/02/15  St. Valentine's Day  (Timely Words 0378)

In the Roman Catholic Church tradition, there are over 6,500 persons who have been designated "saints" and are, consequently, considered worthy of veneration. Each of these "saints" has been allotted a certain day of the year as his or her feast day; the 14th day of February has been designated "St. Valentine's Day." In response to the question "Who was St. Valentine?" a clear and decisive answer cannot be given. There are at least two Saint Valentines who share February 14th as their feast day. One of them is described as a priest of Rome and another was the bishop of Interamna, located north of Rome. Both of these men were executed for their faith, becoming martyrs, in the second half of the third century. The custom of expressing love to one's sweetheart on this day may be related to the old belief in Europe that birds began to mate on February 14th. Or it may be an attempt to Christianize an ancient Roman feast that was observed around that time. It was in the 17th century that the custom of sending a greeting or a gift, called a "valentine", to one's sweetheart developed. Nowadays in the West, it is customary for men to give a valentine to a girlfriend or to his wife, but in present-day Japan, chocolate makers have influenced public opinion so that it is the lady who is expected to give a gift to one or more men—including her superiors, to whom she feels obligated. It is hoped that recipients will return the favor by giving some white chocolates to the giver one month later, on "White Day", March 14th. Such customs should stimulate us to consider what is the real meaning of "love".

02/02/17  Shakespeare  (Timely Words 0379)

One of the clubs in this retirement community is the Drama Readers Club. At club meetings, famous dramas are read and members are assigned particular parts to read. At a recent meeting of the Literary Club, scenes from five of Shakespeare's dramas were presented by 24 readers. The dramas from which the scenes were taken were: Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Merchant of Venice and Taming of the Shrew. A reference book states that "Family Records show 44 different spellings of the surname [Shakespeare]." William Shakespeare is considered "the greatest playwright who ever lived" and his influence is evident in the classical English translation of the Bible, known as the Authorized Version, or the King James Version. Whether it was a purposeful recognition of Shakespeare's influence or simply chance, it is interesting to note that in the Authorized Version of the well-known 46th Psalm, the 46th word from the beginning is "shake" and the 46th word from the end is "spear". This is how that Psalm begins and ends: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." "He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

02/02/21  Vacuum  (Timely Words 0380)

Recently, I climbed up the step ladder I had put under the panel that covers the opening to our attic where we store things we do not use very often. After removing the panel, I entered the attic, changed a few things around and added a couple of boxes. In the process, I attracted some particles of the insulation found there and brought some back down to the room below. Consequently, although I do not make use of it as often as I should, I used our vacuum cleaner to clean up the little mess I had made. While doing so, I thought of the meaning of the word "vacuum" and the various ways it has been used. Derived from a Latin word meaning "empty", it denotes a space empty of matter. There are a number of terms that include the word "vacuum", including vacuum cleaner, vacuum bottle, vacuum pump and vacuum tube. As a verb, "vacuum" means to use a vacuum cleaner and that day I vacuumed the whole house. There is an old saying which has been widely accepted that "Nature abhors a vacuum" and the Dutch philosopher, Spinoza, quoted it in his "Ethics", but the Italian scientists, Galileo and Torricelli, showed that it was not so. The American story writer, Tennessee Williams, has written that "A vacuum is . . . a lot better than some of the stuff nature replaces it with." Bible commentators may also make use of the traditional saying when explaining the words of Jesus in Luke 11: 24-26 in which he makes clear that even if evil thoughts and desires are discarded from our hearts and minds, unless they are replaced with good alternatives, our final condition may be yet worse than before.

02/02/22  Birthdays  (Timely Words 0381)

The third Monday of February is a holiday in the United States of America. Called Presidents' Day, it honors two of the most famous and highly respected presidents, whose birthdays occur in the middle of this month. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, served during the Civil War and is remembered for his short but meaningful Gettysburg Address. In the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., there is a large statue of this president sitting in an armchair. His birthday is February 12th. The country's first president was George Washington and there is a 170-meter tall monument in his honor in Washington. President Washington's birthday is now observed on February 22nd (which is also the birthday of our daughter-in-law) but for the first 19 years of his life, it was celebrated on February 11th. It was after the British parliament replaced the Julian calendar with the Gregorian calendar in 1752, that his birthday was changed. I also have had a change in the date of my birthday. Until I applied for Social Security when I became 65 years old, the 16th day of a certain month was my birthday and that is the date that appeared on all official and unofficial documents. When I submitted my application form for Social Security, however, I was told that, according to their files, my birthday is the 11th day of that month. I presume that sometime in the past, someone did not make a full rounded circle in the number 6 and it was mistaken for a 1 and was entered into the computer files as an 11 instead of a 16. Now I must remember to use that mistaken date of birth when writing on Social Security documents.

02/02/24  Bible  (Timely Words 0382)

The word "paper" is derived from "papyrus", a tall grasslike plant, or reed, that grows in water, from which the Egyptians manufactured a material for writing on. Papyrus was exported to Greece, where there were many writers, from the Phoenician city of Byblos. The Greeks then coined the word "biblos" from the name of that city to signify a "book". The diminutive of "biblos" is "biblion", literally meaning "little book" and the plural of "biblion" is "biblia". This is the root of the English word "bible". As a common noun, "bible" signifies a book considered authoritative in its field. When capitalized, however, this word denotes the sacred book of Christianity which is composed of 66 "little books", 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Greek word "biblia" is used in the last verse of the Gospel of John, where it is written that if all the things that Jesus did were written down, the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." Daniel Webster, a well-known American lawyer, statesman and orator stated: "I have read the Bible through many times, and now make it a practice to read it through once every year. It is a book of all others for lawyers, as well as divines; and I pity the man who cannot find in it a rich supply of thought and rules for conduct." The English philosopher, John Locke, wrote: "The Bible is one of the greatest blessings bestowed by God on the children of men. It has God for its author; salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture for its matter. It is all pure, all sincere, nothing too much, nothing wanting."

02/02/27  Library  (Timely Words 0383)

Before the invention of paper, the inner bark of certain trees provided the material on which writing could be done. In Latin, this was called "liber", which came to mean "book" and it is from this word that the place where books are kept is called a "library". The largest library in the world is the Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C., which has over 55 million items on every conceivable subject in many different languages on bookshelves that have a total length of about 435 kilometers. It has been said that "a library is a place where someone can find what he wants to know if he can find someone who knows the place where it is." Now that many libraries have computers, the search for a particular book, a particular author or a particular subject has become much easier. Many residents in this Penney Retirement Community are retired ministers or missionaries who have a continuing interest in books and the knowledge that is derived from them. Many of them have small libraries of their own in their individual residences, but there are two libraries operated by the Residents Association. One is located in a section of an apartment building, across the hall from the bank. The other is in a room adjacent to the lecture room in the church. The librarians and their staff are all volunteers serving under the direction of a Library Committee, whose chairperson is elected by the Residents Association. At the annual meeting of the Association early this month, I was chosen to serve in that capacity for this year.

02/03/01  Leap Year  (Timely Words 0384)

The natural divisions of time are days, months and years. A day is the time it takes for the earth to make one rotation on its axis. A month is the time it takes the moon to make one revolution around the earth. And a year is the time it takes the earth to make one revolution around the sun. But constructing a calendar in which all three divisions are harmonized in a way that keeps them in line with each other and the seasonal changes over a long period of time is a problem. In the calendar established in 45 B.C. by the Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, known as the Julian, or Old Style, calendar, one year consisted of 365 1/4 days. At the end of four years, therefore, an extra day needed to be added to the year. Such years, having 366 days, were called "leap years" because, in ordinary years, the day of the month that falls on Monday one year will fall on Tuesday the next year and on Wednesday the year after, but on the fourth year, it will "leap over" Thursday to Friday because an extra day has been added. A more exact measurement determined, however, that it takes 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds for the earth to make a revolution around the sun. Thus, in 1582, a New Style, or Gregorian, calendar was established by Pope Gregory XIII. According to this calendar, every fourth year is a leap year, but only the centenary years (years ending in 00) which are divisible by 400 become leap years. Thus, the years 1600 and 2000 were leap years, but 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not. In leap years, the month of February has 29 days, but since this year is an ordinary year, it has 28.

02/03/03  Dolls  (Timely Words 0385)

In Japan, where odd numbers are considered more favorable than even ones, five seasonal festivals are observed on odd-numbered days of odd-numbered months. The 3rd day of the 3rd month is the day of the Doll Festival. American girls consider a doll a plaything. They have dolls of different sizes and enjoy holding them, making them stand or sit and dressing them in a variety of clothes. But in Japan, dolls are usually considered works of art to be looked at rather than to be played with. Many dolls are enclosed in glass cases, have adult faces and beautiful kimono that are never changed. The particular dolls that are on display in Japanese homes during the Doll Festival are also wearing traditional kimonos. They are not to be handled but are only to be looked at. The full set of 15 dolls are arranged on a 7-tiered platform. The two on the top tier represent the emperor and empress. Those on the lower tiers represent court-ladies, court-guards, musicians and jesters. In traditional Japanese homes with girls in the family, the platform and dolls are taken out of storage and displayed for a couple of weeks. On March the 3rd, girls dress up in pretty clothes themselves and invite friends over to partake of special refreshments and to admire their doll collection. The English word "doll" was originally a nickname for Dorothy or Dorothea, which is derived from Greek words meaning "gift of God." These words are found in the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 8, where it is written that salvation is not the result of human effort. Rather, it is a "gift of God" which is received by faith.

02/03/06  Pilgrimage  (Timely Words 0386)

The word "pilgrim" is derived from a Latin word meaning "foreigner". It is used in that sense in the King James Version of Hebrews 11:13, where it is stated that devout believers before the coming of the Messiah considered themselves "strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Generally, however, a "pilgrim" is a person who goes on a trip to a shrine, a sacred site or some other place for a religious purpose. When written with a capital P, it refers to one of the English Puritans who, in 1620, founded the colony of Plymouth in what became the New England state of Massachusetts. "Pilgrimage" may denote a journey to a sacred place and during this Lenten season preceding Good Friday and Easter, some Christians make a pilgrimage to the "Holy Land" where Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection took place. Muslims are expected, or required, to make a pilgrimage to the Arabian city of Mecca. According to Muslim tradition, it was in a cave near there that Muhammed received his revelation from God. Nowadays, there are strict rules regarding the clothing worn by those on that pilgrimage and the rituals they observe while there. Multitudes of Muslims have recently returned from such a pilgrimage. In a wider sense of the word, any long journey or search for something, or life itself, may be called a "pilgrimage". Sir Walter Ralegh in "The Passionate Man's Pilgrimage", wrote: "Give me . . . My bottle of salvation, My gown of glory, hope's true gage, And thus I'll take my pilgrimage." All of us are on a pilgrimage through life and should consider the end toward which we are moving and the progress we are making.

02/03/08  Twelve  (Timely Words 0387)

Since human beings have ten fingers and ten toes, it is not surprising that 10 became the base of our counting system and of the metric system of weights and measures. The number 12, however, is associated with the calendar and time. There are 12 hours in a day, 12 months in a year and 12 signs of the zodiac. In the Old Testament, there were 12 tribes of Israel related to the 12 sons of Jacob. In the New Testament, Jesus chose 12 men from among many disciples to be his apostles and in the vision of heaven recorded in the Apocalypse, there were 12 gates to the heavenly city. In the Christian Church year, there are 12 days of Christmas, between Christmas and Epiphany, the last night of which, the night before Epiphany, is known as the "Twelfth Night" and this became the name of one of Shakespeare's dramas. In former days, in Great Britain, there were 12 pence to a shilling and, even now, there are 12 inches in a foot, which is the basis of linear measurement in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and some other countries. The word "inch" is derived from a Latin word meaning "12th part". Originally, it was roughly the length of a thumb's breadth but in 1305, King Edward I decreed that an inch should be the measure of three dried barleycorns. Thus, before the use of rulers, measurements were not very exact. Finally, there is a separate word to denote a group of 12. It is the word "dozen", but a "baker's dozen" means 13 from the custom of bakers to add an extra roll as a safeguard against the possibility of 12 weighing less than required.

02/03/11  Water  (Timely Words 0388)

Water, one of the most common elements in our world, exists in three forms: liquid, solid and gas, or vapor. As a solid, it is called "ice" and the vaporized form is "steam". As a liquid or ice, it covers about 70% of the earth's surface. Most of the living tissue of human beings consists of water, including 92% of blood plasma, 80% of muscle tissue, 60% of red blood cells and over half of most other tissues. In former times, water was considered an odorless, tasteless, colorless, transparent liquid, but nowadays such simple observations are no longer valid. Streams and rivers, lakes and oceans have become polluted with many different kinds of waste and periodic tests of public water systems need to be conducted. Last month, in the small West Virginia town of Berkeley Springs, 6 countries, 18 states and the District of Columbia competed in the 12th annual International Water Tasting event. Four categories of water were recognized: municipal, bottled, purified and carbonated bottled. Generally, natural water tastes better and is colorless, clear and odor-free, but some water has a chlorine, salty or metallic taste. Obviously, tasting is subjective with individual preferences influenced by childhood experiences or acquired tastes, but the water tasting judges awarded first prizes in the above-mentioned categories for water from Quebec (Canada), Sweden, Manitoba (Canada) and Bosnia. On two different occasions recorded in the Gospel of John (4:7-14; 7:37-39) Jesus speaks of the "living water" he will give to those spiritually thirsty people who ask for it.

02/03/14  Laying and Lying  (Timely Words 0389)

Many speakers of English confuse the verbs "lay" and "lie". "Lay" is a transitive verb, meaning to put or place, and takes an object. Thus, I may "lay books on the table." But "lie" is an intransitive verb, meaning to recline, and does not take an object. Thus, I may "lie on the bed." But "lay" is also the past tense of "lie", while the past tense of "lay" is "laid". Thus, I may say "I laid the books on the table yesterday, then I lay in bed." To add to this confusion, there is another word, "lie". As a noun, it denotes a false statement; as a verb it means to tell a lie and the past tense of this verb is "lied". Some people find it easy to lie. Those in positions of authority in politics or business may think that lying is beneficial. Others lie to please people or to make a good impression on them. A "diplomatic or well-intentioned untruth" is called a "white lie", but from a moralistic viewpoint, even such lies should be avoided for there are other ways to accomplish this aim that do not involve lying. Aristippus, a Greek philosopher in the 4th century B.C. wrote: "You can best reward a liar by believing nothing of what he says." The Greek biographer, Plutarch, wrote: "Lying is a most disgraceful vice; it first despises God and then fears men." According to the Scottish essayist, Thomas Carlyle, "A lie should be trampled on and extinguished wherever found. I am for fumigating the atmosphere when I suspect that falsehood, like pestilence, breathes around me." And in the Old Testament book of Proverbs 14:25, we read: "A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is a betrayer."

02/03/15  March  (Timely Words 0390)

When used as a verb, "march" means to walk in a formal manner with measured steps at a steady rate. This kind of marching is primarily done by soldiers or other military troops, but groups, such as bands, also march when they are in parades. This verb may have a more general meaning of simply advancing with steady movement, so we may say that "time marches on." As a noun, "march" may denote a musical composition to accompany marching, but it may also mean simply forward movement or progression, so we may speak of the "march of time." This third month of the year is called March, in English, but this word is not related to the marching noted above. Rather, it comes from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars, which is also the name given to one of the planets that encircle the sun—the one that has a reddish color and is about half the size of the Earth. In the month of March, there are many evidences of new life in nature as the season of spring begins. But March weather may also be changeable, so there is the saying that "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." In the ancient Roman calendar, the 15th days of March, May, July and October and the 13th days of the other months were called "Ides." In Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, before Caesar's assassination, a soothsayer warned him about the "ides of March," so the saying "Beware the Ides of March" is a warning of impending and certain danger. It is on the 15th day of March that income tax returns are due in Japan, so some people there may consider this warning relevant even today.

02/03/17  The Greatest  (Timely Words 0391)

This Penney Retirement Community, located in Penney Farms, Florida, includes many retired ministers, missionaries and other church workers. Since there are so many ministers here, we take turns preaching on Sunday mornings at the church in the center of the community. Since we come from many different church traditions and denominational backgrounds, there is a great variety in the kinds of sermons and viewpoints presented. Thus, it is important to try to keep our minds open to new ways of thinking, to different ways of interpreting the scriptures and to diverse theological emphases, which is to say that we are continuing to grow in our understanding of truth. Last Sunday, it was my turn to preach and my wife served as the worship service leader, or liturgist. My text was Luke 22:19-30, where it is recorded that even at the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, the disciples were arguing about which of them was the greatest. Even though they had heard Jesus' teaching and seen his example, they had not imbibed his spirit of humility. Jesus taught here and elsewhere that those who humbly and selflessly serve others are the greatest. Jesus himself provided an example, as recorded in the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, when he took the place of a servant and washed the feet of his disciples. It is my custom to provide a "sermon feedback" session on the day following my sermon, so on Monday such a time was held when those present were able to ask questions, raise objections or make comments relating to what I had said in my sermon. It was a very stimulating time.

02/03/21  Stars  (Timely Words 0392)

In answer to the question, "What is a star?" one must understand the context or situation in which the question is raised. If we are speaking of sports events or theatrical performances, "star" may denote outstanding or superior individuals. If the question is brought up in an astronomy class, the answer will be much more complicated. A star is a "hot, incandescent sphere of gas, held together by its own gravitation and emitting light . . . whose ultimate source is nuclear energy." The number of stars in the universe are beyond our comprehension. Stars are grouped together in "galaxies". The universe contains billions of galaxies and each galaxy contains billions of stars. The galaxy in which the solar system is located is called the Milky Way because of the way its luminous band appears in the night sky. In fact, the word "galaxy" is derived from the Greek word for "milk". On a clear night in a dark place with no obstructions on the horizon, it is said that about 2,500 stars are visible to the naked eye. Of course, using "far seeing" telescopes, many more can be seen. The prefix "tele", rooted in the Greek word for "far", is also found in the words "telephone," "telegraph" and "television." The sun, at the basis of the solar system, is a star which provides the Earth with both heat and light, even though it is about 150 million kilometers away. After viewing the sky thousands of years ago, a poet wrote these words in the 8th Psalm: "O Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. When I consider the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?"

02/03/22  "The Other Shore"  (Timely Words 0393)

The land next to the sea or ocean may be called a "coast". The eastern part of the United States of America is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. There are 14 states along that coast, but this northeastern part of Florida is called the "First Coast" because it was on this coast that the first permanent European settlement was established in 1565. Another word for "coast" is "seashore." "Shore" has a wider meaning than "coast" and may denote the land along the edge of a lake or river as well as a sea or ocean. My hometown was located on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Sometimes, the division between the land of the living and the sphere of departed spirits has been likened to a river. Using that figure, those of us still alive are on "this shore", while spirits of those who have died are on "the other shore." In Japanese Buddhism, that "yonder shore" is called "higan." In Japan, "Higan" also denotes the week of the "equinox" (from Latin words meaning "equal night") in spring and fall when the length of day and night are equal. On those days, the sun seems to set directly in the west, which is the direction of the "Pure Land", or paradise, according to Japanese Buddhist teaching. During "Higan," pious Japanese Buddhists visit family graves and make offerings in memory of their departed loved ones. The equinoxes are national holidays in Japan, marking the divisions between winter and spring, summer and fall and there is a saying that "cold and heat last until 'Higan'". Spring is the season of new beginnings in nature and of new hopes in the hearts of those who have faith in a merciful Ruler of nature.

02/03/25  Campus/Palms  (Timely Words 0394)

The word "campus", from the Latin word for "field", usually denotes the grounds of an educational institution, but the area of Penney Retirement Community is called a "campus" by its residents. This campus, which includes about 192 acres, or 77 hectares, has been designed so that streets run north and south and avenues run east and west. At the center of the community is the Penney Memorial Church, located at the end of a boulevard. Most of the cottages and independent housing units on this campus are surrounded by spacious lawns and there are many trees both in the lawns and along the streets, avenues and boulevard. These trees include magnolias which bear pretty flowers, which bloom and fall down, and evergreen trees such as pines, live oaks and palms. Branches of the magnolias, pines and oak trees extend far out from the trunk, providing shade for the surrounding area, but palm trees do not have branches. The large palm leaves, or fronds, grow out of the top of the trunk. Palm leaves were symbols of victory from ancient times. In the 1st century B.C., the Latin poet, Horace, wrote of the "victor's palm" and in the heavenly vision recorded in Revelation 7:9, there was a multitude "wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands." In the Christian Church year, the Sunday before Easter, which falls on March 24th this year, is called Palm Sunday, commemorating the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when, according to John 12:13, people "took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

02/03/27  Speakers  (Timely Words 0395)

Animals communicate by using characteristic sounds. In English, different verbs are used to indicate those sounds depending upon the animal that makes them. For example, dogs "bark", cats "meow", horses "neigh", donkeys "bray", cows "moo", pigs "grunt", sheep and goats "bleat" and lions "roar". In the case of human beings, words are used to communicate. But if words cannot be understood, gestures may also be used. This is often the case when we travel in a country whose language we do not understand. "Speak" and "talk" are synonyms. Both of these verbs denote the uttering of words to communicate meaning, but "speak" may imply a more formal or authoritative utterance while "talk" is used for ordinary conversation. A speaker may deliver a speech, but a talker communicates more informally. Robert Lee Frost, an American poet, has written: "Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." According to a well-known German proverb, "Speech is silvern, silence is golden." "Speaker" may also signify a "loudspeaker," which does not denote a speaker who speaks loudly but to a device that converts electric signals to audible sound. When spelled with a capital S, "Speaker" may signify the presiding officer of a legislative assembly, but it is interesting to find that, in England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak. From an ethical standpoint, we should always speak the truth, but according to the New Testament book of Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 15, we should speak the truth "in love."

02/03/29  Holy Week  (Timely Words 0396)

This week before Easter (beginning with Palm Sunday) is called "Holy Week" in the Christian Church. During this week, major events that occurred during the last week of Jesus' life are commemorated. Two special days this week are Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. On Thursday of that final week, Jesus met with his disciples and they ate together. This is now called the Last Supper. At that time, Jesus took bread, representing his body, and wine, representing his blood, and instructed his disciples to remember his sacrificial death by partaking of these elements. Christian churches today seek to follow his command in their observance of what may be called the Lord's Supper, Communion or the Eucharist (from the Latin word for "gratitude"). At that time, Jesus assumed the role of a servant, washed his disciples' feet and told them to "wash one another's feet" (John 13:3-15). He then gave them a "new commandment": "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35). "Maundy" is derived from the Latin word for "commandment" which was the first word of a liturgical song sung during the ritual of washing the feet. On Good Friday, Jesus' death on the cross is commemorated. In Paul's Letter to the Romans, chapter 5, verses 6-11, it is written that Christ's death demonstrated God's love for us and that through his death we have been reconciled to God. It is for that reason that the day commemorating Jesus' agonizing death is considered a "Good" Friday.

02/03/31  Easter  (Timely Words 0397)

The word "Easter" is derived from the name of an ancient goddess of spring whose festival was celebrated at this time of year, but it is now the name of the most important festival of the Christian Church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Each of the four Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament end with an account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. In the last chapter of Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo's "A Life of Jesus," entitled "The Question", we find these words: "Is the resurrection an historical fact? Or is it an episode employed to symbolize the deathless memory of the Christ? In order to get our thinking straight on this question, we must begin by considering the disciples themselves, who are reported to be eyewitnesses to what really happened. One of the deepest mysteries we encounter in reading the Bible is how it could be that these disciples, who had been cowards, became in the end courageous apostles. How was it that these same cowards, who in the words of Mark 'all deserted him and ran away' when Jesus was arrested, afterward 'went out and preached everywhere,' not only to the Israelites for they also undertook distant journeys to other countries. The question is: How were such men able to endure all manner of persecution and even death?" Indeed, this is a crucial question that must be considered. The answer of the New Testament and of the Church throughout the ages has been that Christ appeared to the disciples following his death and empowered them to be his witnesses and it is that new, spiritual life that is being celebrated on Easter Sunday.

02/04/03  April  (Timely Words 0398)

This fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar is called April. According to one theory, this name is derived from a Latin word meaning "to open" for it is in this month that the buds of trees and flowers begin to blossom or "open". The old Dutch name for this month was "Grass Month" and there is a common English saying that "April showers bring May flowers." In nature, Spring is the season of new beginnings and in Japan, this is not only the month when a new school year begins, it is also the beginning of the fiscal year. Japanese budgets and financial records are usually compiled from April to March. The traditional Japanese name for this fourth month is "Uzuki" or "Hare Month." The hare is one of the signs in the Oriental Zodiac system and a certain flower, called "hare flower" was said to bloom in this month. In the United States, April 15th is the date that income tax returns are due, so it is a busy and uncomfortable month for many Americans. In "The Waste Land," a poem written by T. S. Eliot in 1922, April was called "the cruellest month." Many years later, that reference was considered "one of the few poetic utterances ever to be confirmed by the Internal Revenue Code." In the Shakespearean drama "As You Like It", we find these words: "Men are April when they woo, December when they wed; maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives." April is also used as a female name, but it is not as popular as the names of the following months of May and June.

02/04/05  King Assassination  (Timely Words 0399)

Hashish is a drug made from the dried leaves and stalks of a hemp plant. When it is chewed or smoked, it has an intoxicating effect. A secret, fanatical group of Persian Muslims who killed Christian leaders during the Crusades were said to be "hashish users" and it is from the Arabic word for these people that the word "assassin" was derived. In modern English, an "assassin" is "a murderer, especially one who carries out a plot to kill a public official or other prominent person." Thirty-four years ago, on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, a King was assassinated. In this case, however, the King was a black American clergyman and civil rights leader whose name was Martin Luther King Jr. He was assassinated while talking with friends on the balcony of the motel where he was staying. His assassin, an escaped convict, shot him from a boardinghouse across the street. Dr. King was well aware of the dangers faced by those who fought for civil rights. In a speech he gave the night before his assassination, he concluded with an allusion to the experience of Moses, found in the 34th chapter of Deuteronomy. He said: "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life; longevity has its grace; but I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."