03/08/12  Defective Modem  (Timely Words 0600)

A computer is a marvelous device. I make use of my computer everyday—to write letters, manuscripts of talks or sermons and messages for this "Timely Words" webpage. It is also used for viewing other webpages on the internet and for sending e-mail messages to our children, grandchildren, relatives and friends in many different states and countries. It is truly a marvelous device—when it works properly. At the end of last month, the day before my wife and I were scheduled to go by car to the state of Michigan to attend the wedding of my nephew, I was unable to go online with my computer and could not connect to the internet. Thus, the computer could not be used for correspondence nor for adding new messages onto my webpage. My phone calls requesting help or instructions regarding how to solve the problem were ineffective, but I took my computer with us on our trip. At a few places, I was able to go online but at other places I was unable to do so. We enjoyed the wedding and met many relatives and friends there. A week later, we returned to Florida—after driving about 4000 kilometers and were still unable to go online. It was suggested that the internal modem in my computer was defective. I did not know what a modem was, but I find that it is "a device that converts data from one form into another" and that the word is derived from the first letters of "modulate" and "demodulate." Fortunately, a neighbor who I often ask to help me when I have computer problems, had a new, unused modem on hand that he gave me, so now my computer is working again and I am able to go online. I am very thankful.

03/08/14  Dome of the Rock  (Timely Words 0601)

There are a number of English words that are derived from the Latin word, domus, meaning "house." They include "domicile," "domestic" and "dome." A "dome" is a hemispherical roof which is associated with Arabic architecture and Islamic mosques. Probably the most famous dome in the world today is the Dome of the Rock, which is located in Jerusalem. In this capital city of the state of Israel, there are a number of places that are considered sacred by Jews, Christians and Muslims. The most outstanding structure in this city is the octagonal mosque located in the southeast area with a domed roof. Called Dome of the Rock, this mosque is said to have been built on Mount Moriah, which according to the story recorded in the 22nd chapter of the Old Testament book of Genesis, was the place where Abraham was instructed to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. Later, it was on this site that the great temple built by King Solomon, as described in I Kings, chapter 6, was built. Centuries after the destruction of that temple by the Babylonians, another temple was built on the same site by King Herod. The only remains of that temple which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. is part of a wall, now found next to the Dome of the Rock, called the Wailing Wall where many Jews come to lament the destruction of the temple. According to Islamic tradition, it was from this site that Muhammed, the prophet, ascended into heaven, after meeting with Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Built in the seventh century, the Dome of the Rock is the oldest extant Islamic shrine.

03/08/17  Hats  (Timely Words 0602)

It is customary in this retirement community to have an Ice Cream Social during the month of August, where people enjoy talking with each other and eating ice cream. All who attended the social this year were required to wear a hat of some kind. For those who did not bring a hat of their own, hats of various sizes and shapes were available to borrow at the entrance. About 150 people attended and, after going through the line where six kinds of ice cream and four kinds of toppings were available, we sat around tables. Songs were sung and one person from each table was chosen to talk about the particular hat he or she was wearing. Certain kinds of hats are related to certain countries or cultures. The large straw hat with a broad brim and tall crown, called a "sombrero" is popular in Mexico and the American southwest. In England, it is more common for men to wear felt hats with a narrow rim called a "derby" or a "fedora." A round, brimless cloth cap, called a "beret" is often worn by Frenchmen and in the eastern Mediterranean, some men wear a brimless cloth cap with a tassel hanging from the crown called a "fez." Neither my wife nor I usually wear a hat, but at this social, I wore the small cap I wear on the tennis court and my wife wore the largest hat of all which belonged to a neighbor lady who was in the hospital and could not attend. The tall crown of that hat had red and white stripes and the wide brim had white stars on a blue field. Thus, it resembled the American flag and It had to be inflated before it could be worn. Needless to say, it attracted much attention.

03/08/20  Power Outage  (Timely Words 0603)

Fifty years ago, when my wife and I were living in a small city in Japan, we frequently experienced what was called "teiden." This Japanese word is composed of two Chinese characters literally meaning "stop electricity." At such times, the electric power in the community was temporarily cut off. We were reminded of those experiences a few months ago when the electric power supply in this retirement community suddenly and unexpectedly ceased. For two or three hours we were without electricity and realized how different life is without electric power. Not only were we without lights. Our television, videocassette and radio were unusable, along with the washing machine and drier, oven and air conditioner or heater. We were forced to consider how dependent we are upon electric power in our daily lives at the present time. We recalled such experiences recently when we heard and read about the power outage in a large area of the northern United States and southern Canada. Although the word "blackout" was often used during the war to denote the extinguishing of lights that might be visible to enemy aircraft during an air raid, this term may also be used for the lack of illumination due to an electrical power failure. This power outage left 50 million people without power for many hours. Not only were homes affected, but offices, laboratories and public facilities were closed down. Elevators suddenly stopped. Subways and trains did not run. In the light of this experience, we should consider how dependent we are upon others and upon a source of power that is beyond our control.

03/08/22  Obesity  (Timely Words 0604)

My wife and I spent most of our adult lives in Japan. Although we did not eat Japanese meals every day, our weight has never been higher than normal. Whenever we returned to our homeland, however, we were impressed both with the number of very fat people here and with the very large portions of food served in restaurants. Recent newspaper articles have reported on the increasing number of "obesity-related health problems" and many in the medical community consider obesity one of the gravest threats to the nation's long-term health. "Obesity" is the condition of being extremely fat. According to the report, 64 percent of the adult population and 30 percent of children are overweight. 69 million adults and 15 percent of children are considered obese. Lawmakers are considering new laws to confront this problem. They include laws requiring fast food and chain restaurants to post nutrition information such as caloric, fat and sugar content on menus, restrictions on the sale of soda and candy in schools and imposing physical education standards in the schools. Americans have been getting heavier for three decades which has resulted in an increase in the number of people with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney failure. The nation's Health and Human Services Secretary has called obesity "the fastest-growing disease in America." Some schools send parents health report cards and encourage them to supervise the diets and exercise programs of their children. While seeking to maintain a healthy body, we should also be concerned about a healthy mind and spirit.

03/08/25  Different Viewpoints  (Timely Words 0605)

It is common to consider Japan to be located in the Far East, but on world maps which have the United States of America in the center, Japan is actually located in the Far West. It is on maps that have Europe in the center that Japan is in the Far East. Maps printed in Japan have Japan at the center, and on such maps, the U. S. A. is in the Far East. Thus, our particular view of the world depends on our perspective, or viewpoint. From what standpoint do we look at the world? It is natural for us to view the world from the standpoint of the land we consider our homeland, but we need to recognize that there are other viewpoints which are also legitimate, depending on the standpoint and the direction one is facing. There are many kinds of problems in the world today—political, cultural, religious, economic, etc. Not only problems between nations in Africa, in the so-called Near East, Middle East or Far East, but problems within countries, including the United States of America and Japan, can be viewed from different perspectives with their different ways to find solutions. Even if all people agreed on a common legal or moral base, there are still different ways to interpret or apply the legal or moral principles. While we will never reach universal agreement on all matters, it is important for us to try to understand the viewpoints of others and to respect them. Those who consider the teaching of Jesus as their norm should remember his words in Matthew 7:1-5, where he taught us not to judge others and to take the plank out of our own eye before seeking to remove a speck from another's eye.

03/08/27  "English" and "Dutch"  (Timely Words 0606)

Most readers of these "Timely Words" messages will think of a language when they hear or read the word "English." Some of them will also think of a place or people where that language is spoken. But very few of them will think of "the spin given to a ball by striking it on one side or releasing it with a sharp twist" which is another definition of "English" found in my dictionary. Among the tennis players in this retirement community, I am known as the player who puts English on the ball, but in my case, some opponents call it "Japanese" because of my long residence in Japan. It seems that this meaning of "English" was first used in the game of billiards, when the billiard or pool ball was struck to the right or left of its center which caused it to spin to the right or left after it struck an object or a rail. But why was such an action called "English?" One explanation is that the rosin applied to the cue tips was originally imported from England and a player would "apply a bit of the English" before making his stroke. But a more persuasive explanation is that the word refers to the tricky or deceitful effects of such a stroke at a time when the English were unpopular. There are a number of derogatory expressions which Englishmen originated using the word "Dutch" to indicate their negative impression of Dutch men, including "Dutch courage" (resulting from drinking liquor), "Dutch uncle" (a stern adviser), "Dutch treat" (guests pay for their own expenses), "Dutch reckoning" (guesswork) and "Dutch defense" (retreat or surrender). I am sure many nations could create expressions using the term "American" in them also.

03/09/02  September 1st  (Timely Words 0607)

Monday of this week was a special day for a number of reasons. It was the first day of this ninth month of the year, whose English name, "September," is derived from the Latin word for "seven" for it was the seventh month in the ancient Roman calendar which began in March. Its name, along with the English names of the following months, remained the same even after the calendar was revised and the year began two months earlier. September 1, 1939 marked the beginning of the Second World War when the forces of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany invaded Poland. That war officially ended exactly six years later, on September 1, 1945, with the signing of surrender papers by Japan and the victorious allies. In Japan, where the surrender ceremony took place aboard an American battleship in Tokyo Bay, the date was September 2nd. September 1st is also the anniversary of the great earthquake that occurred in the Tokyo-Yokohama area in 1923. As a result of that earthquake and the disastrous fire that followed, over 150,000 lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of houses were destroyed. Since that time, September 1st has been designated "Disaster Prevention Day" and people are urged to be prepared for and seek to prevent such a disaster in the future. And the first Monday of September is a legal holiday in all 50 of the United States of America, called "Labor Day." Celebrations of various kinds are held in many different places in honor of the country's laborers and, traditionally, it was the Labor Day festivities that marked the end of the summer vacation, following which a new school year began.

03/09/04  Blue  (Timely Words 0608)

Our daughter, who was born in Japan and lived there with us until she went to college, chose an interesting subject for her senior thesis at Earlham College. Entitled "A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Color Terms: 'White,' 'Black,' and 'Red' in English, Greek and Japanese," it indicated the different implications of these colors in these particular languages and the cultures they represent. Glancing through her thesis, I was reminded of the wide variety of meaning of words related to "blue" in Japanese and English. The common translation of "blue" into Japanese is "aoi," but this word may refer to the "blue" sky, "green" fields or a "pale" face. In English, "blue" may denote a gloomy or depressed spirit and "blues" may denote either a melancholy state or a style of jazz music having a slow tempo. There are many terms that begin with the word "blue." "Blue blood" denotes high or noble descent, a member of the aristocracy. A "blue book" is an official list of persons employed by the U. S. government. "Blue laws" are designed to enforce certain moral standards. "Blue collar" is related to wage earners who wear work clothes and whose jobs include manual labor. A "blue chip" is a stock that sells at a high price, a valuable asset or property. A "blue ribbon" is an award given for excellence, the first prize in a competition. A "blueprint" is a technical drawing of architectural plans. A pedantic or scholarly woman may be called a "blue stocking" and "blue pencil" is a verb meaning to edit, revise or correct. Finally, "once in a blue moon" means very seldom and "out of the blue" means from an unexpected or unforeseen source.

03/09/08  Fortuitous or Providential?  (Timely Words 0609)

During the 47 1/2 years my wife and I served as missionaries in Japan, we made periodic trips to our homeland. On two such trips, we returned with our three children by way of Europe. On the first such trip, we went by way of India, Egypt and the Holy Land. On the second trip, we went through the Soviet Union. On both such trips, we purchased a camping car in Germany and traveled through most of the countries in both West and East Europe, so we have many memories of interesting events that occurred in many different countries. At a recent meeting in this retirement community, we related a number of experiences that we considered especially interesting and meaningful. One that was most surprising occurred in Beirut, Lebanon, where we had to spend the night because our flight from Delhi had been delayed and we had missed our flight to Cairo. The airline provided our hotel room that night, but I became ill and had to be taken to the hospital after midnight. Leaving our children in the hotel, an American man she had just met helped my wife take me to the hospital. Since our passports were being held at the airport, we had no entry permits or local currency. The next morning, my wife, while waiting for a taxi, met a Lebanese man we had known in New York City. He had planned to be in Damascus that day, but after that accidental meeting, he provided all the needed help for my wife and children and myself. Depending upon one's perspective, or faith, such meetings may be called fortuitous or providential. We consider them providential and thank God for his protection and guidance on all of our trips.

03/09/10  Central Park  (Timely Words 0610)

In New York City, there are five administrative units called "boroughs." The central borough and the core of the city's business and social activities is the borough of Manhattan, which was the name of a Native American tribe. Because it has rivers on three sides and a bay on the other, it is actually an island which is connected with other boroughs by bridges and tunnels. In the year 1626, Manhattan was reportedly sold by Native Americans to the Dutch West India Company for merchandise valued at 24 dollars. Manhattan has many skyscrapers and other buildings that attract the attention of both residents and visitors, but at the heart of this biggest city in the United States of America is a park which is visited by 25 million people every year. Central Park has just celebrated its 150th anniversary. When the undeveloped land was purchased in 1853, it was swampy, with few trees and inhabited by squatters. Ten million loads of imported soil and rock, millions of shrubs and 402 species of trees were added to these 337 hectares, amounting to 6 percent of Manhattan's area. According to a recent newspaper article, there are now 26,000 trees, 51 sculptures and monuments and 8,968 benches in this central park. There are also 19 playgrounds, 12 ballfields, a zoo and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Following our marriage in 1949, my wife and I rented a basement apartment in a brownstone house just west of Central Park during my final two years in seminary. Looking back at that time, we are sorry that we were too busy to go to that nearby park very often and take advantage of its facilities.

03/09/12  Adolf Hitler  (Timely Words 0611)

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Adolphus, meaning "noble wolf," was a royal name in Germany. Along with its variations, Adolph and Adolf, it was not uncommon in Germany and Britain until the end of the Second World War. Since then, however, the name has become unpopular because of its association with the chancellor of the Third German Reich, Adolf Hitler, who was born 114 years ago in Upper Austria. A poor student who dropped out of school and twice failed the admission exam for the academy of arts in Vienna, Hitler served in the German army during the First World War after which he helped form the National Socialist German Workers' party, also known as the Nazi party, of which he became the dictatorial leader. In 1933, he became the German chancellor and sought to promote German superiority in world affairs. His invasions of surrounding countries in 1939 started the war that lasted for six years. He began building concentration camps and gas chambers for what he called "subhumans," notably Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals. A couple of significant quotations from Adolf Hitler are: "The great masses of people . . . will more easily fall victims to a great lie than to a small one" and "If you wish the sympathy of the broad masses then you must tell them the crudest and most stupid things." It is difficult to imagine why the German people were willing to follow such a leader and sensible people today should learn from the past and not follow a leader on the basis of emotion or nationalistic tradition. We must make use of our minds and make decisions based on a recognized moral standard.

03/09/15  Job  (Timely Words 0612)

Inserting a different vowel between the letters j and b creates different words with interesting meanings. A "jab" is a quick stab or blow. In a boxing match, a boxer may jab his opponent. A "jib" is a triangular sail used on a sailboat, but it may also denote the arm of a mechanical crane. "Jeb" is the name of the governor of this state of Florida. Jeb Bush is the younger brother of President George Bush. A "job" is an action that needs to be done or a regular activity which one has to do. One of my jobs is to prepare messages for this "Timely Words" homepage, which I enjoy doing—most of the time. But when this word begins with a capital J, not only is there a different meaning, there is also a different pronunciation. "Job" is the name of the main character in the Old Testament book bearing that name. The central part of the book is written in poetry, but the first two chapters (the Prologue) and the last part of the 42nd and last chapter (the Epilogue) are written in prose. This drama raises the perennial question of why righteous people suffer. Job was a very righteous man but his wealth disappeared, his children died and he became afflicted with boils. His friends come to visit him, to console him, but they simply repeated the traditional view that Job's suffering must be the result of his sins. In the end, Job is once again blessed by God and the only answer given to the basic problem is that God has some purpose in permitting things to happen even though we may be unable to understand. The term "Job's comforter" denotes a person who discourages another while seemingly offering sympathy.

03/09/17  Sad Experience, Happy Result  (Timely Words 0613)

A lady from the United States of America wrote of her experience on a trip to Costa Rica which she had been planning for almost a year. In the airplane enroute, she imagined the happy time she would have the coming week in a retreat house on the Caribbean Coast. At a bus station, following her arrival, however, her outlook suddenly changed after finding that her suitcase had been stolen. She could not speak Spanish well and worried about how she could survive for a week without a change of clothes and other necessities. The black pants, sweater and jacket she was wearing was unsuitable for a week in the tropics. The next day, however, a group of women from the U. S. A., who learned of her situation, offered to take up a collection of essentials to help her out. Within minutes, one lady brought a bag containing clean underpants, socks, tank top and shorts. Others brought more of the same plus swim suits, water shoes, sandals, bug spray, suntan lotion and a pair of binoculars. Although the clothes did not fit perfectly, they served their purpose and were considered treasures. The woman's story ends as follows: "Within days my obsession over my lost bag dissipated, replaced by a cocooning glow of love. The women from Boston had shown me that the simplicity of love was a powerful antidote to a false dependence on things. The clothes I had lost were things I could easily borrow or could buy again, while the lesson I learned from them was irreplaceable." "By the time I returned home, I knew that losing my suitcase had been more of a blessing to me than a loss."

03/09/19  Sushi  (Timely Words 0614)

Recently, my wife and I and two other couples in this retirement community went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant. One of the couples had served in Japan as missionaries and the other had served in India. The name of the restaurant was "Sushiya," meaning "sushi shop" in Japanese, and the Chinese characters, which are also used in Japan, were also printed on the menu. In my older English language dictionary, the word "sushi" is not found. In a more recent dictionary, the word is included but the definition is incomplete and actually misleading. The definition is: "A Japanese dish consisting of thin slices of fresh raw fish or seaweed wrapped around a cake of cooked rice." However, an essential element in sushi is the distinctive character of the rice, which is vinegared and has other seasonings as well. Also, there are many other kinds of sushi beside those with fresh raw fish and seaweed, including cooked fish, vegetables and eggs. There are at least three different ways to write "sushi" in Japanese. Two different Chinese characters which include the character for "fish" in them may be used, but the name of this "sushiya," uses two separate characters literally meaning "congratulations" or "longevity" and "to rule" or "to administer." I do not understand how or why this combination of characters came to be used for that special Japanese dish, but it may serve as another example of the complicated character of the Japanese written language. We all enjoyed the variety of Japanese food at that restaurant and one of the group did order sushi stuffed in a fried bean-curd, called "inari-zushi."

03/09/21  Hurricane Isabel  (Timely Words 0615)

The big news in the United States of America this week was the advent of a hurricane named Isabel. A hurricane is a severe tropical cyclone that originates in the Atlantic Ocean and travels north. Heavy rains accompany the circulating winds. A similar weather pattern originating in the Pacific Ocean is called a typhoon. Hurricanes and typhoons occur annually, usually between July and October in the northern hemisphere, and can be very destructive. Hurricane Isabel destroyed many homes, toppled trees, caused about 20 deaths and left over 5.5 million people without electricity. About 5700 airline flights were canceled and some people are still missing. The name Isabel, the Spanish/Portuguese form of Elizabeth, is the 9th name in a list of 21 names used to identify hurricanes, indicating that this is the 9th hurricane of this season. There are six such lists of names, which are maintained by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization and used in rotation. Until 1979, only women's names were used, but now both women's and men's name are alternated. In the "Panchatantra," a 5th century collection of fables in Sanskrit, we find this meaningful quotation: "The hurricane does not uproot grasses, which are pliant and bow low before it on every side. It is only the lofty trees that it attacks." In the 10th chapter of the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, an interesting contrast is pointed out between powerless, manmade idols which will perish and God, the powerful Creator, who thunders, makes clouds rise, sends lightning with rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

03/09/23  Autumn  (Timely Words 0616)

Calendars divide time into years, months and days. A year is the period of time in which the earth completes a single revolution around the sun. A month is the period in which the moon completes a revolution around the earth. And a day is the period during which the earth completes one rotation on its axis. Another way of dividing time is according to the natural seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. These are derived from the mutual relationship of the sun and the earth as determined by two different events: 1) when the sun seems to stop in its movement toward north or south, called a "solstice," from a Latin word meaning "sun stand," and 2) when the sun crosses the equator and the length of day and night are about equal (called an "equinox," from a Latin word meaning "equal night"). Spring begins with the vernal equinox; summer begins with the summer solstice. Autumn begins with the autumnal equinox and winter with the winter solstice. Although the days of these events vary a day or two, depending on the particular year, they occur about the 21st day of the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th months of the year according to the Gregorian calendar. Thus, the season of autumn has just begun. This season is the time of harvest in agricultural communities in the northern hemisphere and for many thoughtful people, it is a time to give thanks to God for the natural blessings that result from sowing seeds and caring for the plants that bring forth fruit. In Genesis 8:23, it is written: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

03/09/25  Library of Congress  (Timely Words 0617)

A library is a place in which literary and artistic materials are kept for reading or reference. The largest library in the world is the Library of Congress, in Washington, D. C., which was founded as a research tool for the United States Congress 200 years ago, in 1802. At that time, it had 740 volumes and three maps, but last year, more than 500,000 new items were put in the library, bringing the total number of items to 127 million. In 1970, the library reported to Congress that the collection had grown by half in the previous 10 years. Besides books, there are ancient clay tablets from Iraq, Stradivarius violins, the first map to use the word "America," and even the contents of President Lincoln's pockets on the night he was murdered. Most of the books and other items are kept in the Madison Building, one of Washington's largest buildings, but it is not large enough so warehouses are being built in the adjacent states of Maryland and Virginia to alleviate the situation. Everything copyrighted has to go in the library, though some things are discarded when the copyright expires. Even with all the changes, the library remains true to its roots. It still does research for Congress and the public still can visit and ask questions of librarians. One of the concluding statements of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes is: "Of making many books there is no end" (12:12) and the New Testament Gospel of John closes with these words: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (21:25).

03/09/27  Rehabilitation  (Timely Words 0618)

Recently, my wife and I visited a couple of residents of our retirement community who are now in a rehabilitation center, about 40 kilometers away. "Rehabilitation" signifies the restoration to a former condition by means of some kind of therapy. Both of the men we visited recently had surgery by different surgeons at different hospitals in different cities but they are now receiving therapy at the same rehabilitation center and their rooms are across the hall from each other. Both men are bicycle riders and had operations on their right knees which had been causing them pain. While we were there, both of them were in the therapy room engaging in exercises for their new knees and hope to be released within a week, after which they will continue therapy at home. Just as physical therapy is helpful to rehabilitate those who have suffered physical injuries and psychological therapy for those with psychological problems, spiritual therapy is available for those who recognize their spiritual weaknesses and desire to attain spiritual health. An American pastor, John Sutherland Bonnell has written: "Emphasis on . . . vocational rehabilitation must not be allowed to overshadow the profound need . . . for spiritual reorientation." In the final verses of the 5th chapter of the New Testament Letter to the Galatians, the contrast between an infirm spirit and a healthy spirit is made clear. There, in verses 21-22, we read: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." These are the characteristics of a healthy faith.

03/09/30  Annual Convocation  (Timely Words 0619)

The verb "convoke" is derived from Latin words meaning "call together," and means to cause to assemble in a meeting. The noun "convocation" is often used to signify the assembly of clergy and laity in a religious setting. It has been the custom of my homechurch in Zion, Illinois to hold a Convocation every year at the end of September and beginning of October. In my childhood, I regularly attended the Convocation meetings, but after leaving my hometown for college and seminary and then serving as a missionary in Japan for almost fifty years, I have not been able to attend very often. This year, however, my wife and I have a special reason for making a special trip from Florida to Illinois to attend. The Japanese pastor of one of the churches we established in Japan along with his wife are also attending and we are helping them adjust to the cultural and linguistic differences they are facing on their first trip to a foreign country. Other countries represented at this Convocation include the Philippines, Guyana and South Africa. Along with the meaningful daily meetings at the church, we are enjoying times of fellowship with relatives and friends we have not seen for a long time. This year's Convocation theme is found in the 3rd verse of the 96th Psalm, where it is written: "Declare [the Lord's] glory among the nations." And how is this accomplished? According to Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God." It is not only with words that the glory of God is declared. It is also by manifesting the character of the almighty God of infinite love, we declare his glory to the world.

03/10/02  "Origami"  (Timely Words 0620)

At an Adult Bible Fellowship class this week, I pointed out irregularities in the pronunciation and spelling of English words. The words spelled h-e-i-r and a-i-r are pronounced the same, but if an h is added to a-i-r, it is pronounced "hair." Another word with the same pronunciation is spelled h-a-r-e, but if the h is taken from this word, the remaining word, a-r-e, is pronounced the same as the letter r. One of the problems of the Japanese language is that a number of words with different meanings also have the same pronunciation, even though they are written with different Chinese characters. For example, "kami" is the pronunciation of words meaning "the upper part," "God," "hair" and "paper." When a character meaning "fold" is added to the word meaning "paper," it designates "folding paper," or "origami." Many different objects can be made with "origami," depending on how it is folded. Some things are very complicated and require many kinds of folds in different directions. At a meeting for families during our church's Convocation this week, my wife and the wife of our Japanese pastor taught the children how to make some interesting articles with origami. Using small colorful sheets of "folding paper," they taught the girls how to make pretty tulips on green stems, and using large pages from newspapers, they taught the boys how to make helmets to wear on their heads. In Matthew, chapter 6, verse 29, Jesus directed his listeners' attention to the beautiful flowers of the field to remind them of God's loving care and in Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 17, mention is made of "the helmet of salvation."

03/10/04  John  (Timely Words 0621)

In a recent "Timely Words" message, I noted that the name of the governor of this state of Florida was Jeb Bush. I had never heard or read the name "Jeb" before and I presumed it was a nickname. To determine the given name of the Governor, I inquired of other residents of this community and called the county office but "Jeb" was the only name that was known and the name written on official documents. Later, checking a reference book in the library, I discovered that the name given to the Governor at his birth was John Ellis Bush, so "Jeb" was a nickname consisting of the three first letters of his full name. I also learned a few new things about the name "John." This name of a couple of important men in the New Testament was derived from a Hebrew name in the Old Testament, meaning "the Lord (Yahweh) has been gracious." "From the 16th century until the 1950s, John was consistently the most commonly-used name for boys in all English-speaking countries." Probably the slang meaning of "john" is a reason for its decreased popularity. The definition in my dictionary for "john" as a slang term is "a toilet." Since some people are reluctant to use that word in public, it has been given various euphemisms, such as "bathroom," even though there is no bath in the room, "rest room," "men's room" or "ladies' room." Other "Johns" listed in my dictionary include "John Bull" (a personification of England), "John Doe" (an unidentifiable person) and "John Hancock" (a person's signature). In the New Testament, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and the Apostle John was one of his closest disciples.

03/10/08  Foxes  (Timely Words 0622)

A fox is a small mammal of the same family that includes dogs and wolves. It has upright ears, a pointed snout and a long, bushy tail. Unlike dogs and wolves, which run down their prey, foxes usually hunt by stalking and pouncing. Thus, they are considered tricky and a crafty, sly or clever person may be called a "fox." As a verb, "fox" means to act slyly or craftily and the adjective "foxy" is used for a person who is shrewdly clever or conniving. In Great Britain, there is an interesting custom of English gentlemen going fox hunting on horseback. The purpose of this hunt is not to gain food or to capture a valuable animal. It is merely a form of recreation and social activity. One of Aesop's fables is about a fox which tried in vain to get at some grapes, but when it found that they were beyond its reach, it went away saying, "I see they are sour." It is from this fable that the term "sour grapes" has come to be used to signify something that is scorned because it is beyond one's reach and cannot be obtained. A certain kind of ballroom dance composed of a variety of slow and fast steps is called a "fox trot" and so is the music for that dance. Foxes do not usually live in holes in the ground, but the term "foxhole" denotes a shallow pit dug by a soldier in combat for immediate individual refuge against enemy fire. General Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying "There are no atheists in the foxholes of Bataan." In Luke 9:58, in response to the affirmation of a man willing to follow Jesus, he replied: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

03/10/10  Mariners, Marines, Marinas  (Timely Words 0623)

There are two major leagues in American professional baseball: the National League and the American League. In both leagues, the teams are divided into three divisions, related to their location: Central, East and West. The National League has a total of 16 teams and the American League has a total of 14 teams. One of the American League teams in the West division is the Seattle Mariners which is well-known in Japan because one of its outstanding players is Japanese. The literal meaning of "mariner" is a person who navigates a ship. Other words derived from the same Latin root, related to the sea, are "marine" and "marina." As an adjective, "marine" denotes something related to the sea, but as a noun, it may refer to a member of one of the military units of the United States of America, the Marine Corps, which crosses seas to accomplish its military aims. And a "marina" is a dock providing secure moorings for pleasure boats. During our recent visit to my hometown in northern Illinois, we enjoyed showing our Japanese pastor and his wife some of the sights in that area on the western shore of Lake Michigan, one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. On our trip to Chicago, we passed by one marina and later visited the largest marina north of Chicago, in Winthrop Harbor, where 1500 boats can be moored. There we saw boats of many different sizes and shapes. Most of them had a tall mast to which a sail is attached to catch the wind to push the boat, but others, powered by motors did not need a mast. People also may be driven by the winds of public opinion or by a different kind of power.

03/10/12  Intermediaries  (Timely Words 0624)

A person that acts as a messenger or a go-between between persons may be called an "intermediary." During our recent visit to my hometown, my wife and I served as intermediaries for our Japanese pastor and his wife who were making their first visit to this country and were unable to communicate easily in spoken English. Not only was the language different. There were many American customs which were new to them and required an explanation. In Japan, when people are introduced, it is customary for them to bow to each other. In this country, the traditional custom is to shake hands, but nowadays, many people exchange hugs, which may be a bit embarrassing to foreigners. When ordering meals at restaurants, we spoke in Japanese with the pastor and his wife to find out what they wanted to order and when the waitress came to take the order, we sometimes spoke to her in Japanese also, causing both confusion and embarrassment. In meetings at the church, they were able to give simple greetings or to read a prepared speech in English, but extemporaneous conversation was difficult, so we were happy to serve as their intermediaries. Mediators are needed not only between people of different cultures. Even people within the same culture may find it difficult to understand one another because of their different specialties and may require a mediator to clarify matters or to bring two opposing sides together. According to the Bible, a mediator is also needed between God and men. In I Timothy 2:8. it is written: "there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

03/10/15  Symposium and Communion  (Timely Words 0625)

There are many activities, meetings and opportunities for service for the residents of this retirement community. In fact, there are so many things to do that some of us question whether or not we are really "retired." This week, along with my regular activities, there are two special meetings at which I am scheduled to speak. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday afternoons of the month there is a meeting of The Symposium, at which one of the residents reads a scholarly paper he or she has prepared, after which questions or comments are made by those in attendance. "Symposium" is derived from Greek words meaning "with" and "drink". Among the ancient Greeks, a "symposium" was a drinking party, which included drinking, music and intellectual stimulation. The subject of my paper on October 14th is "Inter-religious Dialogue." During my years in Japan, I began an inter-religious dialogue group that continues to meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month even today. Every week on Wednesday morning, a Communion Service is held in one of the assisted living units in our community and I will be leading the service there on October 15th, assisted by my wife who will distribute the bread and wine after I give a homily related to "saints." In the New Testament, "saints" refers to all believers. Both "communion" and "community" are derived from a Latin word meaning "common" and denote a sense of unity in fellowship. In the Communion Service, when the bread and wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus Christ, are received, we experience a sense of union with Christ and with one another.

03/10/17  Languages in the U. S. A.  (Timely Words 0626)

In the United States of America, an official census is conducted every ten years. The census conducted in the year 2000 was very detailed. It included many elements beside the population, required the help of some 860,000 temporary workers and cost six billion dollars. One result of the census was the indication that nearly one in five Americans speaks a language other than English. Of the total population of almost 285 million, about 47 million, 5 years of age and older, used a language other than English. These residents were considered "linguistically isolated" because of their limited English ability and are unable to assimilate fully into American society. The most common language other than English is Spanish, spoken by over 28 million residents. This is followed by about 2 million who speak Chinese, 1.6 million who speak French, 1.4 million who speak German and 1.2 million who speak Tagalog, the language of the Philippines. Many school districts are trying to find bilingual instructors to teach their students. Recently, when my wife and I served as interpreters for our Japanese pastor and his wife during the Annual Convocation of our church in northern Illinois, we were reminded of the problems we experienced over fifty years ago when we first went to Japan and did not know the language. The Bible has been translated into all languages so readers can understand its message, but, from the Christian perspective, the most clear revelation of God, is found in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, who, according to John 1:1-14, was the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us.

03/10/19  Fall  (Timely Words 0627)

A common subject of conversation between people living in places where there are seasonal changes is the weather. Charles Dudley Warner, an American editor and author, wrote that "Everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it." Although scientists have tried to effect changes in the weather, seasonal changes continue as in the past. This autumn season is also called "fall" for it is the time when the leaves of trees fall to the ground. Many people would agree with the American poet and editor, William Cullen Bryant, who referred to autumn as "melancholy days, the saddest of the year." But that is not the only way to view this season. A French author, Marquise de Sevigne, has written: "I have come hither to enjoy the fine weather and to bid farewell to the leaves. They are still on the trees, they have only changed colour: instead of being green, they are the colour of the dawn, and such a variety of colours that it composes a brocade of gold, rich and magnificent, which we would find more beautiful than green, were it not the signal for a change of seasons." And an American clergyman, Tryon Edwards, has written: "The leaves in autumn do not change color from the blighting touch of frost, but from the process of natural decay. They fall when the fruit is ripened, and their work is done. And their splendid coloring is but their graceful and beautiful surrender of life when they have finished their summer offering of service to God and man. And one of the great lessons the fall of the leaf teaches is this: Do your work well and then be ready to depart when God shall call."

03/10/21  Yankees, Marlins and Cubs  (Timely Words 0628)

The series of professional baseball games played each fall between championship teams of the American League and the National League in the United States of America is called the World Series. That series is now being held in the cities of New York and Miami between the New York Yankees, and the Miami Marlins. This is the 39th time for the Yankees to play in the World Series, which is by far the highest number for any team, but it is only the 2nd time for the Marlins, which became a professional baseball team in 1993. The term "Yankee" originally denoted a native of New England, the name applied to the six northeastern states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. During the Civil war, its meaning was broadened to include residents of all of the Northern States and nowadays it may refer to any citizen of the United States of America. A "marlin" is a long, slender deep-sea fish, also called a "spearfish." It was given that name because the pointed nose of its snout resembled a marlinespike, a pointed metal spike used to separate strands of rope in splicing. A "cub" is a young bear, wolf or lion and another National League team is called the Chicago Cubs. Because I have been a fan of the Cubs since my youth, I was very disappointed to see the Marlins defeat the Cubs in the 7th game of the National League play-off after the Cubs had won 3 games and were hoping to play in their first World Series since 1945. Whether Yankees, Marlins or Cubs, however, victory will not be gained unless they compete "according to the rules." (II Timothy 2:5).

03/10/23  Live Oaks  (Timely Words 0629)

One of the characteristics of this Penney Retirement Community is the large number of large trees that beautify the spacious grounds around and between the houses. As I gaze out a window while composing this message, I can see six different kinds of trees, some of which are very tall. Among the tallest and broadest are the live oaks, a kind of evergreen American oak tree. Oak wood is durable, tough and attractively grained. It is used especially in shipbuilding and construction and for flooring, furniture and railroad ties. The live oaks in this community, however, are not considered a source of lumber but objects of beauty. In ancient times, the oak tree was sacred to the god of thunder because it was considered more likely to be struck by lightning than any other tree. A couple of years ago, one of the tall live oaks in our neighborhood was struck by lightning, but it remained tall and appeared healthy until last week when, suddenly, half of it collapsed. Some of the long, sturdy branches of this 80-year-old tree fell on a resident's house, breaking part of the roof. Lumber workers were called to cut up the branches and haul them away or pulverize them as many of us residents gathered to watch. It was evident that the base of the tree was decayed on the inside although it appeared healthy on the outside and we old folks were reminded that a healthy exterior may hide an unhealthy interior. But I also recalled a poem in my father's scrapbook when I was a boy: "Don't worry if your job is small and your rewards are few. Remember that the mighty oak was once a nut like you."

03/10/26  Science and Conscience  (Timely Words 0630)

"Science," derived from the Latin word, "to know," denotes "systematized knowledge of nature and the physical world." Such knowledge is obtained by acute observation and experimental investigation. We live in a scientific age and modern life is largely dependent upon scientific information. How different our lives would be without the benefits produced by science. However, the proper focus of scientific knowledge is "nature and the physical world" and human existence is not limited to this sphere alone. Human beings have a spiritual element that cannot be completely controlled by scientific data. This is the area of the "supernatural" in which imagination, faith, religion and conscience are relevant. "Conscience" is composed of "science" preceded by "con," meaning "with," for "conscience" is not limited to scientific knowledge. In my dictionary, it is defined as "a knowledge or feeling of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right." In his youth, George Washington kept a list of a hundred and ten "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation," which may have originated from the work of 16th century French Jesuits. In it, the last rule listed was: "Labour to keep alive in your Breast that little spark of Celestial fire called Conscience." Although all people are not "religious" in a formal sense of belonging to and following the rituals of a certain religion, from my perspective, all human beings have a "faith" of some kind in regard to matters related to the origin of the universe, of life, its meaning and value and all have a "spark of celestial fire" which they can follow or ignore.

03/10/29  Standard Time  (Timely Words 0631)

There are various meanings of the word "standard." It may denote a flag or banner related to a certain nation or organization. All countries have national flags. When this national standard is displayed, different emotions are stimulated, depending on the viewer. Citizens of that nation may feel patriotic while citizens of other nations may sense feelings of hostility for one reason or another. Another kind of "standard" is a criterion which is universally recognized. "Standard time" is the time in any of 24 time zones around the world: 12 to the east and 12 to the west of the meridian that passes through an observatory in Greenwich, England. In the continental United States of America which extends some 4000 kilometers from the east coast to the west coast, there are four standard time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific. In each of these time zones, it is customary to set clocks one hour ahead of standard time from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October to provide more daylight at the end of the working day. This is called "daylight-saving time." Residents were reminded to set their clocks and watches back one hour to "standard time" last Saturday night so they would not leave home too early on Sunday. During "daylight-saving time," we do not "save" any daylight but we change the time on our clocks to make it more convenient. Some 2000 years ago, Jesus is quoted as saying: "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." (John 11:9-10)

03/10/31  Fast/Fasting  (Timely Words 0632)

According to the Islamic calendar, we are now in the ninth month of the year, called Ramadan. The name of this month is rooted in an Arabic word meaning "hot" or "dry," but since the Islamic calendar is lunar, the month of Ramadan falls eleven days earlier each year with respect to the fixed solar calendar, so it is not always a hot or dry season of the year. However, it is always a month of fasting for Muslims, commemorating the experience of Muhammad that month, which resulted in the establishment of Islam and the composition of the holy text known as the Quran. During this month of Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. In this case, "fast," as a noun, means "abstaining from food and drink (and sexual relations)", but when "fast" is used as an adjective or an adverb, it has quite different meanings, some of which are completely opposite to this meaning. "Fast" may mean "moving quickly." In this meaning, "fast" runners or vehicles have an advantage in a race. Another meaning is "fixed firmly in place". In this meaning, "fast" shutters and doors are desirable in stormy weather. But another meaning of "fast" is "disposed to dissipation; wild." In this sense, the person who lives a "fast life" would find it difficult to "fast" during Ramadan or any other holy season. Fasting is also a custom in other religions, but in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 58, the true meaning of the "fast" for sincere Jews is revealed: "to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free . . . to share food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter."

03/11/02  "Faith" and "Religion"  (Timely Words 0633)

At this Penney Retirement Community, there are three different classes that meet in different places on Sunday mornings before the worship service. One class is for men, another is for women and the third, called the Dialogue Class, is for both men and women who are interested in exchanging their various viewpoints on both religious and social issues from different theological perspectives. My wife and I attend the Dialogue Class, which is now reading and discussing the book "Why Religion Matters" by Huston Smith. On the Sunday I led the discussion, I presented my viewpoint which has developed over the years, beginning with a conservative religious environment until I left home to go to university. Following my studies at seven different universities and seminaries in three different states and one foreign country and research related to other religions during 48 years in Japan, I have come to the conclusion that "faith" is an integral characteristic of all human beings whether or not they are "religious" in the traditional sense. For some people, faith is related to a religion and may be expressed through certain religious rituals or creedal statements. However, it is obvious that many people, both in Japan and in the United States, take part in religious ceremonies and make a verbal profession of faith in a certain religion but whose lives are not consistent with that religion's doctrine. True faith is seen in one's attitudes toward others and the values and priorities evident in daily life. The conclusion of the meaningful 2nd chapter of the New Testament Letter of James is: "faith without deeds is dead."

03/11/06  Three Meals A Day  (Timely Words 0634)

One of the most popular places in this retirement community is the Dining Room. Tables in the Dining Room are different sizes, permitting four, six or eight diners to sit around them. There, we meet and enjoy stimulating conversations with residents from many different backgrounds, viewpoints, interests and experiences in countries around the world while eating. Meals are prepared three times a day, but the noontime meal is the most popular. At that meal, each table is given a number and when that number is called, diners seated there join the line of people who pass along the counter where the food is available. The menus change every day, but the noon meal always includes different kinds of meat, potatoes, salads, vegetables, soup, dessert and drinks. Diners choose the food they desire and take it on a tray to their tables. The hot food is served from the steamtable by the kitchen staff. The common term for the morning meal is "breakfast," for at that time the "fast" which lasted through the night is "broken." The noon meal may be called either "lunch" or "dinner." Usually, the main meal of the day is called "dinner," whether it is eaten at noon or in the evening. If dinner is eaten in the evening, the noontime meal is called "lunch," which is a lighter meal than dinner, but if dinner is eaten at noon, the evening meal is called "supper," which is also lighter than dinner. "Lunch" is a noontime meal and "supper" is an evening meal, but "dinner" may be eaten either at noon or in the evening. In the Dining Room here, it is customary for diners to offer a prayer of gratitude before eating.

03/11/07  Harvard  (Timely Words 0635)

In the year 1620, a band of Pilgrims who had been persecuted for their faith in England boarded a ship, the "Mayflower," to flee to North America. They arrived on the coast of what later became the state of Massachusetts and soon established churches in which to worship according to their beliefs. Leaders of this community recognized the need of a school to train clergymen and on November 7, 1636, 367 years ago this week, the General Court of Massachusetts ordered the establishment of a school for that purpose. Many community leaders had attended Cambridge University in England so the name of the town in which the school was established was changed to Cambridge and the first students were admitted in 1638. How to accumulate the needed funds to support this institution was a problem from the beginning, but when a young Puritan immigrant named John Harvard died that year, he left his library and half of his estate to that school, becoming the school's first benefactor. As a result, the General Court decided that the school should be called Harvard College. At first, the school was closely allied with the Congregational Church and was supported by state agencies, but over the years it has been increasingly supported by private contributions, following the example of John Harvard. During the second half of the 19th century, Harvard College experienced a period of unprecedented development and has become one of the world's most highly respected universities with many professional schools and the largest university library in the world, with a collection of over 8 million volumes.

03/11/08  Seasons  (Timely Words 0636)

A particular period of time may be called a "season," which is derived from a Latin word meaning to plant. There are many kinds of "seasons," including the four natural divisions of the year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. The astronomical beginning of those seasons is determined by the mutual positions of the sun and the earth. Spring and autumn begin with an equinox (on March and September 21/22) and summer and winter begin with a solstice (on June and December 21/22). In the traditional Japanese almanac, however, the seasons begin earlier and the winter season begins this weekend. Not only does the winter season begin early in Japan, but the Christmas season begins early there also. For most Japanese, Christmas has more of an economic or social significance than a religious meaning and there are many more representations of Santa Claus than of Jesus during the Christmas season. On a Japanese short-wave radio broadcast a few days ago, it was noted that a major store on the Tokyo Ginza had started its special Christmas/yearend illumination display. In the U. S. A., Christmas decorations and preparations usually begin after Thanksgiving Day, the 4th Thursday of November, and in the church calendar, the season of Advent, which is a preparation for Christmas, begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and includes the four Sundays before Christmas. There are seasons in our lives also and during the cold and bleak winter season, it is good to remember that, according to Psalm 74:17, God is in control of both summer and winter and that winter will always be followed by spring.

03/11/12  The Pledge of Allegiance  (Timely Words 0637)

Because the national flag is considered the symbol of one's country, patriotic citizens treat it with deep respect. In certain communities, schools and other organizations in the United States of America, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag is regularly recited. At that time, it is considered proper for those reciting it to stand at attention and face the flag, placing their right hands over their hearts. The present official wording of the Pledge is: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." This Pledge, in its original form, was first printed in a Boston magazine for young people in 1892 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of America's discovery. Fifty years later, in 1942, the Pledge was officially recognized by the United States Congress and, in 1954, the phrase "under God" was introduced into it. Since the first part of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," this phrase has now become the focus of national attention because the atheist father of an elementary school pupil in California has charged that forcing his daughter to repeat that pledge violates the constitutional protection of religious freedom. This very controversial issue must be decided by judicial authorities, but I cannot help but consider the problem in the light of the crisis faced by Christian families in Japan during the nationalistic fervor of wartime Japan.

03/11/14  Cracking a Code  (Timely Words 0638)

One kind of "code" is "a system of symbols, letters or words given certain arbitrary meanings, used for transmitting messages requiring secrecy." During wars, it is customary for military forces to make use of codes to communicate so that the enemy does not understand the messages. At times, a foreign language may be used as a code language. To "crack the code" means that the coded messages are no longer secret and that the enemy understands them. During the Pacific War, it was a great advantage for the United States to have cracked the code of Japanese forces while the Japanese were unable to crack the code related to assaults of the U. S. Marines. This code was based on the complex and unwritten language of a native America group known as the Navahos. The son of a missionary to this group of native Americans had suggested the use of this language as a code which would be difficult to break. Since it was understood only by members of that native American group, it was not only the Japanese forces that could not understand it. A group of 29 Navaho code talkers were recruited into the Marine Corps to transmit messages and the Japanese were unable to crack that code. Later, a major in the Marines stated that "were it not for the Navahos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima." Communication between people of different cultures is difficult and a common language is desirable. For Christians, the message from God was most clearly communicated in the person of Jesus Christ, the Word which became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14).

03/11/16  Japanese Musical Instruments  (Timely Words 0639)

It is the custom of a group of residents in this retirement community to attend a Friday morning Coffee Concert in the nearby city of Jacksonville once a month. There, we enjoy beautiful music played by the professional Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra following an informal time when coffee, tea and cookies are available in the lobby. At the last concert, the man sitting next to me asked if there were any special musical instruments peculiar to Japan. My answer was that there are three such instruments: koto, shamisen and shakuhachi. The koto and shamisen are stringed instruments and the shakuhachi is a wind instrument. The koto is a lyre with 13 strings over a wooden sound-box about 180 centimeters long and about 30 centimeters wide. It is placed on the floor and the player kneels beside it and plucks the strings with small plectrums attached to the thumb and two forefingers of the right hand. The shamisen is a small lyre, similar to a banjo, having three strings. The body is covered with catskin and the strings are plucked with a triangular ivory plectrum. The shakuhachi is a vertical Japanese flute made from the base of a bamboo stem. It has five holes and is about 50 centimeters long. These traditional Japanese musical instruments were usually played in rooms with straw-matted (tatami) floors. In my experience, I have only seen the koto played by females and the shakuhachi played by males, but the shamisen may be played by both. In the 150th Psalm, the last chapter of the longest book in the Bible, we are told to "praise the Lord" with seven different kinds of musical instruments.

03/11/18  Sandwich  (Timely Words 0640)

In the lunch boxes of many workers and students who take lunches with them to eat at lunch time will be found various kinds of sandwiches. A "sandwich" is a couple of slices of bread with a filling such as meat or cheese placed between them. The story behind this word is an interesting one. Originally, Sandwich was a proper noun. It was the name of one of the port towns on the southeastern coast of England which formerly provided ships and men for the British navy. An "earl" is a British peer, ranking above a viscount and below a marquis and in the year 1660, an admiral in the British navy was given the title "Earl of Sandwich." When the English explorer, Captain James Cook, discovered a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, he named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of a British politician, John Montague, who was the 4th earl of Sandwich. Now, these islands are called the Hawaiian Islands and they are the latest addition to the United States of America. This 4th earl of Sandwich served as lord of the admiralty during the American Revolution when British forces were defeated. Nicknamed "Jemmy Twitcher," this earl of Sandwich was an inveterate gambler who was famous for his round-the-clock sessions at the gaming boards. "Jemmy" used to order his servant to bring him pieces of meat between slices of bread so that he could continue gambling without loss of time. Eventually, such a bread-and-meat combination was given the name "sandwich" and now this word may also be used as a verb to denote the inserting of something tightly between two other things of differing character or quality.

03/11/22  Cues  (Timely Words 0641)

The 17th letter in the modern English alphabet is the letter Q. In English words, a Q is always followed by a U. Actually, it is really an unnecessary letter for its pronunciation is the same as that of the combined letters K and W. There are three different English words pronounced the same as the letter Q. The one spelled q-u-e-u-e denotes a long braid of hair, a pigtail, or a long waiting line of people. I have never worn a queue, but I have stood in a queue while waiting to buy a ticket for some event. One of the other two words, spelled c-u-e, designates the long, tapered rod used to propel the ball in billiards and pool. I have seldom made use of this kind of cue. The third word, also spelled c-u-e, is used in dramatic productions as a signal for a speech or action to begin. I have had experience with such cues in dramas in which I played a part. A phrasal verb, "cue in," is used to inform someone of late news that that person had missed. The periodical published by the University of Dubuque, which I attended, was named "The CUE." That periodical both informed readers of late news related to the university and sometimes stimulated new speeches or actions. During the latter part of my first year at that university, I served as the Sports Editor and during my second and third years there as the Business Manager of that periodical. It was at that school that I met the girl who became my wife and recently we have enjoyed looking at old copies of "The CUE," now turning brown and yellow, and reading articles that included our names in school events of almost sixty years ago.

03/11/23  Giving Thanks  (Timely Words 0642)

In the minds of many people, "prayer" denotes a request or petition made to a deity. It is often in times of trouble, uncertainty and fear that people pray. In the Bible, however, "prayer" signifies communion with God and includes confession, praise and thanksgiving. In the 100th Psalm, we are encouraged to worship the Lord with gladness and joyful songs, with thanksgiving and praise "for the Lord is good and his love endures forever." Too many religious rituals focus on petitions rather than on gratitude. In Japan, November 23 is a national holiday, Labor Thanksgiving Day, established in 1948 to recognize the importance of labor and to be thankful for its produce. Traditionally, this was the day when the emperor ritualistically partook of newly harvested rice, supposedly in the presence of his ancestors' spirits. In the United States of America, the fourth Thursday of November is now observed as Thanksgiving Day. The American Thanksgiving Day tradition is rooted in the celebration of the Pilgrims, who arrived in the "new world" in the fall of 1620. Following great hardships in getting settled and a bleak winter, during which about half of the 101 passengers of the ship which brought them from England died, they constructed a number of wooden houses and, with the aid of a Native American, planted and cultivated fields of corn and barley. Following an abundant harvest in 1621, Native Americans were invited to join them in a Thanksgiving celebration that lasted three days and strengthened the mutual ties between the "newcomers" and the "natives." Giving thanks, however, should be a yearlong custom.

03/11/25  California  (Timely Words 0643)

The third largest state in the United States of America and the state with the largest population is California. The first known occurrence of this name is in a long, romantic, Spanish poem written in the early 16th century where it refers to an island in the ocean. The name was probably coined by the poet, Garci Ordonez de Montalvo, who was probably influenced by the names of certain Spanish cities. When Spanish explorers reached the tip of the peninsula of what is now called Baja (or Lower) California, they thought it was an island and named it California. Baja California, which separates the Gulf of California from the Pacific Ocean, is now divided into two Mexican states and the present state of California was originally called Alta (or Upper) California. Many cities in California have Spanish names, including its largest city, Los Angeles, meaning "The Angels," and many bear the Spanish names of saints, including San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, San Bernardino and Santa Ana. Many of these cities are the result of missions founded by a Spanish missionary of the Franciscan order, who was born 290 years ago this week, on November 24, 1713. The first mission founded by Junipero Serra, in 1769, was San Diego and a Serra pageant re-enacting his arrival there is presented annually at the old mission station. A sculpture of Friar Serra, representing the state of California, may be seen in the Statuary Hall. Many citizens of the U. S. A. are not aware of the meaning of the names or the historical origins of the cities in which they live. Learning about them may be stimulating and even inspiring.

03/11/27  States of the U. S. A. #1  (Timely Words 0644)

Today's message is a quiz related to various states of the United States of America. At the present time, there are 50 states. How many of them can you name? Forty-eight of them are contiguous on the North American continent. Another one on the same continent, the largest state, is separated from the other 48, and one is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Do you know the names of these two states, the latest ones to be included? The names of ten states have two words in their names, five of which include the directions of North, South or West and four include the word "New." How many of them can you name? The smallest state also has two words in its name. Do you know its name? The state with the longest name in one word has 13 letters in its name and another has 12 letters. Do you know their names and can you spell them correctly? Three states have names with only four letters and three have names with five letters. How many of these can you name and spell correctly? Finally, what state do you think has the largest population and which has the smallest population? Now, all states have abbreviations consisting of only two letters. There are eight states with names beginning with M and, in some cases, it is confusing which abbreviation is used for which state. In a subsequent message, I will provide the answers to these questions, but I would like to know your reaction to such a message as this—asking questions in one message and giving the answers in a later message. You may contact me through the "Mail to Clark Offner" heading on the "Timely Words" title page.

03/11/29  December  (Timely Words 0645)

There are a number of words in English that begin with the prefix "d-e-c" which is related to the Greek word for "ten." Among them are decimeter, meaning one-tenth of a meter, decade, a period of ten years, decimal, a number using ten as the base and Decalogue, the Ten Commandments which are the heart of the Old Testament moral law, written in the 20th chapter of the book of Exodus. Whether or not displaying the Decalogue in government buildings is a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state is an ongoing problem in the U. S. A. Another word beginning with this prefix is the 12th month of the year: December. The name of this month, along with the names of the previous three months has remained the same even after the calendar was changed from ten months to twelve. This final month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar, is a busy one in many countries. In fact, the traditional Japanese name for this month literally means "teacher run." In countries and communities with large Christian populations, the month centers on the celebration of Jesus' birth on Christmas Day, December 25th. The four weeks preceding that Feast of the Nativity are the Advent Season. "Advent" is derived from a Latin word meaning "coming" or "arrival" and this is a season of preparation for the first coming of Jesus, the Christ. While buying Christmas gifts, putting up Christmas decorations, preparing for family gatherings and yearend parties, time should be found to quietly meditate on the meaning of the celebration and to thank God for the love revealed in the gift of his Son.

03/12/03  States of the U. S. A. #2  (Timely Words 0646)

This message answers questions posed in a previous message (#644) relating to states of the U. S. A., so it is advisable to read that message before this one. The names of the 50 states, in alphabetical order with explanations added are: Alabama, Alaska (largest, separated from contiguous states), Arizona, Arkansas, California (largest population), Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii (islands in Pacific Ocean), Idaho (5 letters), Illinois, Indiana, Iowa (4 letters), Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine (5 letters, ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (13 letters, MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio (4 letters), Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania (12 letters), Rhode Island (smallest), South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas (5 letters), Utah (4 letters), Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming (smallest population). It is common to divide these states into four regions: Northeast (9), Midwest (12), South (16) and West (13), but the capital is not included in any state. It is a separate unit called Washington D. C. Efforts have been made to give this District of Columbia voting representation in Congress and to accept it as the 51st state, but they have not been successful. When the country was officially established, there were 13 states. Additional states were added every few years until 1912 when Arizona became the 48th state. It was 47 years later that Alaska and Hawaii were added as the 49th and 50th states.

03/12/05  Japanese Prefectures  (Timely Words 0647)

After composing a couple of messages of questions and answers related to states in the U. S. A. for readers in both the U. S. and foreign countries to consider, I decided to compose a message related to Japan and its prefectures to test or increase the knowledge of readers in both the U. S. A. and elsewhere. Japan is an archipelago consisting of many islands, but the four largest ones are the most important. Do you know their names and their meanings? How many prefectures can you name? Formerly, the administrative units were called "provinces," but now they are called "prefectures," which a dictionary defines as "the district, office, or authority of a prefect." In Japanese, the 47 prefectures have four different designations. One, the capital, Tokyo, is a "to;' one, the large northern island of Hokkaido is a "do;" two, Osaka and Kyoto, are "fu," and the other 43 are "ken." The name "Hokkaido" means "North Sea Road." The island of "Honshu," on which Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and 31 other prefectures are located, means "main/basic state/province." On the island of Shikoku, meaning "four countries/provinces," there are four prefectures and on the southern island of Kyushu, meaning "nine states/provinces" on which there used to be nine provinces, there are now 7 prefectures. On the Ryukyu Islands, still further south, the 47th prefecture of Okinawa is located. The smallest prefecture in size is Kagawa and the smallest in population is Tottori. I presume you know which one is the largest in population, but we should remember that size and numbers are not always indications of importance.

03/12/08  Church (New) Year  (Timely Words 0648)

My dictionary defines a calendar as "a system of reckoning time in which the beginning, length and divisions of a year are arbitrarily defined." There are a number of different kinds of calendars used by particular nations, cultures and religions, each of which begin at different times and have different divisions of different lengths. The Gregorian calendar in general use in most of the industrialized world begins on January 1st. In the Gregorian calendar for this year, the Jewish New Year began on September 27th and the Islamic New Year began on March 5th. In liturgical Christian churches, the New Year begins with the Advent Season which begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas (December 25th). "Advent" means "coming" or "arrival" and as the beginning of the Church Year, it is a preparatory season for the celebration of Jesus' birth on Christmas Day, just as Lent is the preparatory season for Good Friday and Easter. In the Church Year, the Feast of Epiphany (when the divinity of Christ was manifested to the Gentiles) lies between Christmas and Lent. Following Easter, festivals commemorating Jesus' Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost are held. The Sunday after Pentecost (or Whitsunday) is Trinity Sunday, the beginning of the Trinity Season which lasts for about 6 months until the first Sunday of Advent. During this Church Year, various important events in the life of Jesus, the Christ, are commemorated. We are now at the beginning of a new Church Year as we approach the Christmas season when the significance of Jesus' birth is considered.

03/12/10  Thanksgiving Day Trip  (Timely Words 0649)

It is the custom for families to gather together for a special dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Although there was a special dinner at the dining hall in this retirement community, my wife and I did not eat there. Rather, we drove to the city of St. Petersburg, the fourth largest city in Florida, about 350 kilometers to the south. This burg was not named for St. Peter. It was named by a man named Peter, who was president of a local railroad, for the city in Russia, which was his former home. That St. Petersburg, whose name was changed to Petrograd, Leningrad and then back to St. Petersburg, was named by the Russian czar, Peter I, also known as Peter the Great. Our eldest granddaughter from Japan is now living with a family in St. Petersburg while attending her senior year in high school. We were invited to share the Thanksgiving dinner with that family and the parents and aunt of the mother who live in a retirement community closer by. It was a real feast that included the traditional cuisine of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry jelly, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables in a salad, and three different kinds of pies for dessert. Following that dinner, we again went by car to the city of Bradenton, a few kilometers further south, where we enjoyed meeting a couple of missionaries we knew in Japan, who live in another community for retired missionaries. We returned home late at night, very tired after a very enjoyable day and thankful for the many blessings we enjoy—including an efficient car and a super-highway on which we may drive up to 112 kilometers an hour.

03/12/12  Wounded Knee  (Timely Words 0650)

The common meaning of "wound" is an injury, so a "wounded knee" is an injured joint on one's leg, but "Wounded Knee" is also the name of a creek in South Dakota and what is called the "Battle of Wounded Knee" is considered the final battle of the Indian wars. One of the most shameful themes in American history is related to the treatment of the Native Americans by the European invaders. With superior weapons and an obvious lack of moral character, the so-called white men pushed so-called red men off of their native lands and made treaties with them, which the invaders disregarded when it was to their advantage. The tribe of Native Americans known as the Sioux had been forced to sign a treaty which granted them land in the Black Hills territory of South Dakota, but when gold was discovered in those hills in the mid-1870s, the treaty was unilaterally canceled and the Sioux were ordered to leave. Some of them refused to do so and, under the command of their chief, Sitting Bull, they fought against the United States army. In the "Battle of Little Bighorn," in 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and some 260 calvarymen were surrounded by the Sioux and wiped out in what has been called "Custer's Last Stand." Later, suffering from disease and famine, many Sioux surrendered and Sitting Bull became famous after joining Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, but he returned to fight for his people, was arrested and killed. Disarmed Sioux men were brought to Wounded Knee and there, on December 28,1890, almost 200 men, women and children were shot and killed by the American soldiers.

03/12/14  Japanese and Habakkuk  (Timely Words 0651)

Recently, I presented the program at a Sunday evening meeting at this retirement community. The aim was to introduce those who attended to the complicated Japanese written language. I noted that it was unfortunate that the first written language Japan encountered was Chinese, with its 50,000 different ideograms, or characters (called kanji in Japanese) which were then applied to the entirely different Japanese language. Now, there are about 2000 kanji designated for common use in Japan, about 1000 of which are taught in elementary and middle schools. Because of the obvious need for other symbols to communicate in written Japanese, two separate syllabaries were devised with 51 symbols each. One of the syllabaries is used basically to transliterate foreign words. Using an overhead projector, I drew some simple kanji, including those meaning above, below, river, mountain, sun, tree, root, Nippon (combining sun with root). I also displayed the two syllabaries and copies of pages from my kanji dictionary, showing how the complicated characters may be identified by the radicals and the number of strokes in their composition or by their pronunciation. The pages I displayed showed the 215 radicals used when writing kanji, the 453 kanji in that dictionary that are composed of 11 strokes and a page showing that there are 82 kanji pronounced "sen," 34 pronounced "so" and 83 pronounced "sou." We then read the dialog between a prophet and God in Habakkuk 1:1-2:4 in the Old Testament and focused on 1:1 and 2:4 in both English and Japanese, emphasizing the need for a living faith.

03/12/16  Tintinnabulation  (Timely Words 0652)

In "The Bells," a poem of the well-known American poet, Edgar Allen Poe, we find the words "the tintinnabulation that so musically wells from the bells." I was surprised to find this word in a dictionary for I thought it was a word made up by Poe for this poem. According to the dictionary, however, it means "the ringing or sounding of bells." This word came to my mind last week when my wife and I once again stood in front of a large supermarket next to a tripod stand with a kettle hanging on a chain. There was an opening in the top of the kettle to allow passersby to insert money for the Salvation Army which regularly solicits funds for its social service activities in this way at this time of year. Both of us wore red caps like the one worn by Santa Claus and smiled at people who entered or left the store. I was the bell ringer, who constantly rang a small bell to attract attention, but my wife was the main focus of attention because she carried a large puppet with a smiling face, a white beard and a red cap like the one worn by Santa. With her hand imperceptibly causing his mouth to move, she greeted people "Merry Christmas" in a Santa Claus-like voice. Needless to say, this attracted the attention of both adults and children. Some of the children wanted to touch or kiss the puppet and to engage in conversation with it. Their parents also smiled and both adults and children merrily deposited bills and coins in the kettle. After two hours of standing, smiling, talking like Santa Claus and ringing a tintinnabulum, we were tired, but we were happy to contribute our time and effort for this worthy cause.

03/12/19  The Wright Brothers  (Timely Words 0653)

There are a number of words in English which have the same pronunciation but have different meanings and, in some cases, different spellings. Such words are called "homonyms." There are at least six homonyms which begin with the R sound, end with the T sound and have the I sound in the middle. One of them, spelled r-i-g-h-t, is the opposite of "left." Another, having the same spelling, is the opposite of "wrong." A third homonym, spelled r-i-t-e, denotes a ceremonial act and a fourth one, spelled w-r-i-t-e, is what people do with a pen or pencil. Still another one, spelled w-r-i-g-h-t, signifies a person who constructs something including a "playwright," but when this word begins with a capital letter, it is a proper noun, a surname. In American history, a couple of brothers whose surname was Wright are famous because of what they accomplished 100 years ago this week. After months of experimenting with kites and gliders, Wilbur and Orville Wright, who were in their thirties, constructed a flying machine that included a motor and on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they finally succeeded in their attempt to launch the world's first airplane. On that first flight, the machine, which weighed 340 kilograms and had a wingspan of 12 meters, stayed in the air for 59 seconds and traveled 260 meters. Both of the Wright brothers have been elected to the Hall of Fame in New York City and the site of the epoch-making flights and glider experiments is now designated as the Wright Brothers National Memorial, a 175 hectare area administered by the National Park Service.

03/12/21  Winter Solstice  (Timely Words 0654)

One of the reasons for the varied, irregular pronunciations and spellings of English words is because many words have been introduced from foreign languages and, in many cases, the spelling or pronunciation of the word in English resembles its spelling or pronunciation in the original language. During this weekend, we have entered the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere when the hours of daylight become longer. Because the sun seems to have no movement at this time, it is called the "solstice," from Latin words meaning "sun stand [still]." Likewise, the summer solstice in June marks the beginning of summer, when daylight hours begin to become shorter. In ancient Rome, a prominent festival was held at this time of year for eight days, called Saturnalia, in honor of the Roman god Saturnus (from which the seventh day of the week and one of the planets that circle the sun get their English names). The lively Roman festivities at this time included reveling, feasting, gambling and rioting. Schools were closed; people exchanged presents and greeted one another with the words "Hurrah Saturnalia." It was to oppose, compete with or utilize this festival for Christians that the Christian celebration of Jesus' birth, the season of which is uncertain, came to be celebrated at this time of year and some of the pre-Christian customs were continued with a different meaning. For Christians, it is significant that the birth of Jesus, who is called "the Light of the world," is celebrated at the beginning of the season when daylight hours lengthen. I wish you a bright, merry and meaningful Christmas.

03/12/24  Christmas  (Timely Words 0655)

Although we are not sure of the day, the month or even the year, when the baby was born who was named Jesus and later was called Christ, his birth is now celebrated throughout the world on December 25th, called Christmas. "Christ" is the Greek form of the Hebrew word "Messiah," which means "anointed one." In the Old Testament, this term was sometimes used for men, including priests, prophets and kings, who had been set apart for special divinely ordered activities and had been anointed by the high priest. In some Old Testament prophecies, mention is made of the coming of the Messiah, who would deliver the children of Israel from their bondage and establish a kingdom that would last forever. This title was applied to Jesus, the son of Mary, but his ministry and teaching was very different from what the Jewish people were expecting. Although he often spoke about a kingdom, he made clear in his testimony before the Roman governor that his kingdom was "not of this world" (John 18:36). As the Anointed One, the Messiah, or Christ, he never sat on a throne. Rather, he was condemned as a criminal and died on a cross. Christians believe that he gave his life as a sacrifice for sinful people and the basic reason that Christians give gifts at Christmas is in commemoration of the great gift of God's love which was manifested in the birth of Jesus, the Christ. According to the verse that many Christians believe to be the heart of the Gospel, "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

03/12/26  Christmas Recollections  (Timely Words 0656)

The Christmas season is celebrated by many families in many different ways. As I reflect upon the Christmas celebration in my home in northern Illinois 70 years ago, these are some recollections. A week or so before Christmas, father brought home an evergreen tree to be erected in our living room. Our whole family, including father, mother and six children, helped to decorate the tree which reached the ceiling of the room when placed on a stand. It was our custom for each member of the family to give a gift to every other member and to place presents under the Christmas tree to be opened on the morning of Christmas Day. Day by day, the number of the pretty wrapped gifts increased and I sometimes peeked at the names written on them to see which ones were for me. On the window ledge behind the tree, father attached a large representation of a fireplace with a hook at the top for each child from which we could hang one of our stockings. On the morning of Christmas, those stockings had been filled with small toys or candies that each of us were permitted to enjoy while waiting for the entire family to gather for the distribution of the gifts from under the Christmas tree. But on Christmas Eve, as we sat in the living room, we heard the sound of sleigh bells outside and then a knock at the door. Who should appear but a man in a red suit with a white beard and a bag over his back who smiled and distributed gifts from his sack. I do not recall my age at the time, but one Christmas Eve I noticed my father's ring on the finger of this "Santa Claus" and realized who "Santa" really was.

03/12/28  Boxing Day  (Timely Words 0657)

From the standpoint of my wife and me, the month of December includes a number of special days, besides Christmas. Both of us celebrate our birthdays in this month. Also, December 4th is the feast day of Saint Barbara, which is the name of my wife, and December 26th is the feast day of Saint Stephen, which is the name of our elder son (but his name is spelled with a v, because my wife's maiden name was Stevens). In England and some other countries that were a part of the British Commonwealth, the first weekday after Christmas is called "Boxing Day." The word "box" has a number of different meanings; there are various kinds of "boxes." A certain kind of evergreen tree is called "box." A blow or slap with the hand may also be called a "box." And the sport of fighting with the fists is called "boxing." An ancient Greek mural, dated in the 15th century before Christ, depicts fighters wearing gloves and boxing was introduced into the Olympic Games in 688 B.C. "Boxing Day," however, is not related to the sport nor to the tree. Rather, it refers to the rectangular containers, into which many different kinds of things may be put. Many Christmas presents are put into boxes and wrapped with pretty paper. And in England, boxes placed in churches for the casual offerings of worshippers were opened on Christmas Day and the contents were used to purchase gifts or to give cash to mail carriers, newspaper deliverers, messengers and other employees on the day after Christmas. Although I had experience in my youth in each of these activities, I do not recall receiving any special gifts on Boxing Day.

03/12/31  Yearend Customs  (Timely Words 0658)

Every nation and culture has its own traditions and customs relating to the ending of an old year and the beginning of a new one. The ones I know best are those of Japan and the United States of America. In Japan, the word designating the end or "twilight" of the year is "seibo." If an honorific "o" is added to this word, the meaning changes. An "oseibo" is a yearend gift given to those to whom one wishes to express gratitude for past favors which, hopefully, will continue in the future. "Bonenkai," or "year forgetting parties" are held, which include drinking rice wine while sharing memories of the past year. Traditionally, all debts should be paid and all accounts settled by the end of the year and homes are thoroughly cleaned. The traditional New Year's Eve meal includes buckwheat noodles, whose long length symbolize a long life. Shortly before midnight, Buddhist temple bells may be heard as they toll 108 times to signify the elimination of the 108 earthly passions. In many American homes and meeting places, New Year's Eve parties are held and the New Year is welcomed with ringing bells, blowing horns, clashing gongs, tooting whistles or shooting firearms and people play games, sing songs and dance around. But there are also watch night services held in many churches, both in Japan and the U. S. A., where worshippers gather to quietly meditate on spiritual truths while they prayerfully bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year with a renewed dedication, discarding their "old self" and putting on a "new self," as noted in the New Testament book of Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 22-24.

04/01/02  New Year Customs  (Timely Words 0659)

In countries using the Gregorian calendar, today marks the beginning of a new year. Since it is a leap year, it has 366 days, including 29 days in the second month of February. In most countries, it is the year 2004. Because of a miscalculation by a chronologist in the 4th century of this present era, it is mistakenly considered to be the 2004th year after the birth of Jesus, the Christ. A number of countries or cultures use a different number for the present era. In Japan, which is an important part of the world community, 2004 is recognized as the year in international affairs, but a unique Japanese era begins with the enthronement of a new emperor and this New Year is the 16th year of Heisei. New Year customs in the United States of America are often related to the national traditions of the countries from which residents or their ancestors immigrated, so there are many different customs depending on the family or community. Many people, however, will be watching a televised American football game in one of the so-called "bowls:" the Rose Bowl in California or the Orange Bowl in Florida. In Japan, people will be eating traditional New Year food, visit a neighborhood shrine to pray for health and prosperity in the New Year. They may also make formal visits to relatives and friends and will spend time reading their New Year's greeting cards delivered on New Year's Day. Many children will receive some money as gifts and, traditionally, everyone is considered to be another year older. To all of the readers of or listeners to these "Timely Words" messages, I wish a meaningful and happy New Year.

04/01/04  "No Room in the Hotel"  (Timely Words 0660)

Before Christmas, a one-act play was presented in this retirement community, directed by a resident who had prepared an abbreviated version of "No Room in the Hotel." The cast met to rehearse three times before the presentation. We did not have to memorize our lines but were able to read them. The play began with a poorly dressed, foreign couple with a baby seeking room in a hotel in a small town, named Bethlehem. The clerk told them the hotel was full for she did not want to permit such a couple to stay there. In a conversation of a newspaper reporter (whose part I played) with another traveler, it became clear that rooms were available for a senator who was sponsoring an anti-alien bill to rid the country of aliens and his wife and for a lady poet who were all disgusted at seeing the poor couple with their baby in the lobby. The other traveler offered to give up his room for the poor family, but the clerk refused his offer and the couple left. The traveler then found a small box after they had left and pretended that it contained myrrh (which had been offered by the Magi to the baby Jesus) so the poet suggested that this may have been a miraculous reappearance of the Holy Family. Believing it was so, the poet, the senator and his wife all felt a kind of inspiration but did not change their basic outlooks. After the traveler left, the reporter, who was most deeply moved by the strange course of events, decided he needed to do more than write articles. He had to DO something to stop discrimination, which has continued since Jesus' birth, and he began by becoming a friend and brother to the homesick bellboy in the hotel.

04/01/07  "Four Freedoms"  (Timely Words 0661)

It is customary, in the United States of America, for the President to deliver an address to the United States Congress at the beginning of a year. On January 6, 1941, as a war was being fought in Europe between Nazi Germany and the Allied powers, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address included the following memorable statement: "In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world." It was eleven months later, on December 7th, that Japanese bombers attacked U. S. ships at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii followed by the declaration of war against Japan the following day. Unfortunately, despite the victory of the Allied powers in that Second World War, the "Four Freedoms" enunciated by President Roosevelt—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear—have still not been attained and each one of us should work to make them a reality in our areas.

04/01/09  Foreigners/Aliens/Immigrants  (Timely Words 0662)

One of the very attractive features of the world in which we live is the great variety of the elements in it. This variety makes the world beautiful. There are many different kinds of plants and animals with their peculiar sizes, shapes, colors and other characteristics. There are also different kinds of human beings with their peculiar skin color, size and cultural traits—all of which contribute to the charm of our world. Unfortunately, some people have prejudices against persons who are different than they are and treat them unfairly. In the U. S. A., residents who have entered the country from another country are all considered "foreigners." Those who continue their political allegiance to another country, are "aliens," but those who settle permanently in the U. S. A. are called "immigrants." Although there are narrow-minded members of Christian churches who interpret the Bible in a peculiar way to support their prejudices against those who are different, others, including me, consider all people as creatures of a loving Creator who loves all human beings without distinction and we should do likewise. The New Testament makes clear that, among believers, racial, cultural and other distinctions have been erased and "there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). All believers who consider themselves "aliens and strangers on earth" (Hebrews 11:13), whose "citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20) will seek to share their experience of God's love with others rather than discriminate against them.

04/01/11  Adulthood  (Timely Words 0663)

The words "adolescent" and "adult" are both derived from a Latin verb meaning "to grow up." But when does an adolescent become an adult? That is difficult to determine and it depends upon the criterion used to define the terms. In Japan, the change from adolescence to adulthood has traditionally been an important event which was typified in both hair style and dress and in 1948, January 15th was established as a new holiday to recognize the advance into adulthood of all who had celebrated their 20th birthday the previous year. Now, that holiday has been changed to the second Monday of January, so on January 12th this year, celebrations will be, were or are being held at public halls throughout the country to welcome the new adults who will now be qualified to vote and enjoy all the rights of citizens. In the United States of America, the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1971, granted the right to vote to all citizens 18 years of age or older. However, there are many people who have the body of an adult but the mind of a child. Samuel Johnson has written: "It is unjust to claim the privileges of age, and retain the playthings of childhood." F. Scott Fitzgerald has written: "Grown up, and that is a terribly hard thing to do. It is much easier to skip it and go from one childhood to another." And the Apostle Paul wrote: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (I Corinthians13:11). To become truly mature takes a lifetime and we should all continue to make progress toward that end until the end.

04/01/14  Granddaughter's Return  (Timely Words 0664)

Our eldest granddaughter, whose home is in Japan, is now a senior in a high school in the city of St. Petersburg, Florida where she is living with an American family. She returned to her home near Nagoya for the Christmas and New Year's holidays and enjoyed time with her family, relatives and friends. Since her mother is Japanese, she has both a Japanese and an American passport, which makes traveling quite easy between these two countries. When she returned from Japan last week, my wife and I met her at the Jacksonville Airport, late in the evening, and brought her to our home about one hour away in the town of Penney Farms. Jacksonville, in the northeastern corner of the state, with a population of 740,000, is the largest city in Florida. The next day, we took her with us to the monthly Coffee Concert of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, which we attend regularly. The following day, we drove the 335 kilometers to St. Petersburg, the 4th largest city in Florida, on the state's west coast. This city is located across a bay from Tampa, the state's 3rd largest city, to which it is connected by a bridge over the bay which is 13 kilometers long. After spending an hour at the home of her host family, my wife and I returned to our home in the Penney Retirement Community. Most of the way to and from St. Petersburg, I was able to drive on an interstate highway, where the speed limit is between 105 and 112 kilometers an hour, so even though we stopped to eat going in both directions, we returned home about 9 hours after we left. It was a busy, but happy couple of days for all three of us.

04/01/16  Vermont  (Timely Words 0665)

The northeastern region of the United States of America is called New England. There are six states in New England, including five of the smallest states in the country. The name of one of them was derived from French words meaning "green mountain." This state of Vermont was the first state to enter the Union after the original 13 colonies had declared their independence and established the new nation. Fourteen years before that, however, the people of the Green Mountains had declared their independence from Great Britain, which they did 225 years ago this week, on January 15, 1777. Before that time, their land had been the cause for disputes between France and England and between the colonies of New York and New Hampshire, but after the collapse of British authority and the effective military might of the so-called Green Mountain Boys, their declaration of independence was made and a constitution was established. In 1791, however, Vermont became the 14th state of the U. S. A. The largest city in this small state has a population of less than 40,000 and the population of the state capital, Montpelier, is less than 9,000. The state has become newsworthy recently because the former governor of the state, a medical doctor, Howard Dean, has become the front-runner among the eight men and one woman who are seeking the Democratic Party's nomination as its presidential candidate in the election scheduled for this fall. Certainly, Mr. Dean's experience as the former governor of Vermont and as a doctor along with the views he enunciates now will influence voters—both now and later.

04/01/18  Stars and Planets  (Timely Words 0666)

A "luminary" is an object that gives light. If we look up at the sky on a cloudless night, we see a multitude of "luminaries" called "stars." Both of these words have secondary meanings. A notable person in a specific field may be called a "luminary" for such a person may transmit noetic light and an outstanding artistic performer or athlete may be called a "star." Stars are celestial bodies that give off their own light, but other celestial bodies, called satellites, reflect the light of stars, such as the moon, which revolves around the earth, or planets that revolve around the sun. There are nine known planets. With the exception of Earth, each of them bears the name of a Roman deity: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. In both English and Japanese, the names of the days of the week are related to the sun, the moon and the gods/planets of Mars, Mercury, Jupitor, Venus and Saturn, but the English names are derived from the Norse names of these gods. The planet closest to the earth is Mars, named for the Roman god of war, related to the Norse god, Tyr. There is now a spacecraft from Earth on Mars and it is expected that the information gained from this rover will add much to the understanding of our universe. In the creation story in Genesis, it is written: "God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars" (1:16). And in Psalm 8:3-4, a poet asked God "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?"

04/01/21  Caucuses and Primaries  (Timely Words 0667)

In the United States of America, a national election for president is held every four years. The 54th such election will be held on November 2nd this year. There are now two main political parties in the U. S. A.: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Candidates for president will be officially chosen at national party conventions held in the summer, but delegates to those conventions are chosen by voters at caucuses and primary elections held in the individual states. At a "caucus," voters listen to speeches and debates before they indicate their choice; in a "primary (election)," they simply go to a voting place and cast their ballot. Because the results of the caucuses and primaries in the first two states to hold them are very influential on a broader scale as well, persons seeking the nomination have been actively campaigning for the caucuses in Iowa on January 19th and the primary election in New Hampshire on January 27th. The Republican Party's candidate for president is expected to be George W. Bush, but there are a number of men who are hoping to gain the endorsement of the Democratic Party. Actually, according to the complicated process specified in the Constitution, the president is not chosen directly by the voters, but by the electors in the Electoral College who will be chosen in the national election. It is these electors who have the responsibility to select the president. It will be interesting to see how the complicated process by which the president is finally chosen is played out this year. All the candidates, being human, have both strengths and weaknesses.

04/01/23  Language Differences  (Timely Words 0668)

The written Japanese language is difficult to understand because of the many different Chinese characters used, many of which have the same pronunciations and all of which have more than one pronunciation. But because of its very irregular spelling and pronunciation, the English language is also very difficult. For example, the literal meaning of "heir," spelled h-e-i-r, is "one who inherits the estate of another." The pronunciation of this word is the same as the word spelled a-i-r, which signifies the atmosphere around us. If an "h" is added to the beginning of this word, the pronunciation changes to "hair," which denotes the filaments that grow out of the top of our heads. Another word with the same pronunciation, spelled h-a-r-e, denotes a small animal like a rabbit, but if the "h" is removed from that word, the pronunciation changes, becoming the same as the letter "r." "Are" is the "present tense indicative plural and second person singular of be." Yes, English also is a difficult language to learn after one has become an adult in another land and culture with a completely different language. However, to understand people who were born and raised in a land with an entirely different language and culture, it is necessary not only to understand the literal meaning of words, to recognize their peculiar pronunciations and how to read and write them. It is necessary also to understand intimated implications as well. It is not only language differences but differences of perspectives that hinder genuine understanding between people, whether from a foreign land or of one's own land.

04/01/25  Prophecy/Prophets  (Timely Words 0669)

The final section of the Old Testament contains writings called "prophecy" and stories about men called "prophets." But if we ask the meaning of these words, whether in English or Japanese, many people have misunderstandings. In fact, the misunderstanding may be traced back to the Greek root of the words, which begins with the prefix "pro," which may mean either "before" or "forth." Thus, a prophet may be a person who predicts events "before" they occur or one who speaks "forth" the word. Although the Old Testament prophets sometimes did speak about future events, their primary function was to "speak forth" the word they had received from God, whether related to the past, the present or the future. Basically, "prophets" were God's spokesmen. In Japanese, the term for "prophecy" is "yogen," in which the "gen" means "word" or "speak." But there are two different characters which may be used for "yo." One means "beforehand" and the other means "entrust." Thus, one kind of "yogen" is a prediction, a word spoken beforehand. But the only "yogen" we find in the Bible is the word entrusted to a prophet by God. Each prophet is different and is given a message from God related to the particular situation at that time. There are many prophecies in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, delivered during the 40 years of his prophetic ministry. In the first chapter, he related how God called him to be a prophet and the kind of prophet he was to be. There were also prophets in the New Testament and those preachers who faithfully proclaim the word of God entrusted to them may be called "prophets" even today.

04/01/28  A Boring Message  (Timely Words 0670)

I am sure that some of the messages on this "Timely Words" homepage are considered boring to some readers/listeners. This raises the question of the meaning of words pronounced bor or bord. One kind of bor, spelled b-o-a-r, denotes a male pig. Another, spelled b-o-r-e, signifies a person that arouses boredom. As a verb, "bore" means "to make weary with dullness, repetition or tediousness." But there is another verb with the same spelling and pronunciation that means to make a hole with a drill. Carpenters and others who work with wood often bore holes in a "board." In this case, "board" denotes a long, flat piece of wood, a plank. Thus, both a board may be "bored" with a drill and a person may be "bored" by an uninteresting message. But there are yet other kinds of "boards." Many organizations have a group of administrators that are members of "boards" that make decisions related to the operation of the organization. Thus there are boards of directors and boards of trustees that have the final authority in certain companies, schools or even churches. The Penney Memorial Church, which is at the center of this Penney Retirement Community, has a Church Board that supervises the activities of the church. It includes the Church Moderator, a clergyman who is in charge of the religious services and presides at business meetings during his one-year term, but most of the Church Board members have three year terms. At the recent annual meeting of the Church, I was elected to the Church Board and this event provided the stimulation for this "boring message."

04/01/30  Franklin Roosevelt  (Timely Words 0671)

One hundred and twenty-two years ago this week, on January 30, 1882, one of the most influential Presidents of the United States of America was born in Hyde Park, New York. Franklin Roosevelt is the only man to have served three terms, a total of 12 years, as President. In fact, he was elected to a fourth term, but died three months after his fourth term began. Six years after his death, an amendment to the Constitution limited a President to two terms in office. Not only his notable policies and exceptional leadership during the Great Depression and the World War attracted attention, but also his refusal to be discouraged by a physical handicap. When he was 39 years old and already actively involved in politics, he was stricken with polio, which left his legs and lower abdomen paralyzed. Using a wheelchair and crutches, he continued his political involvement in both state and national politics. Following the stock market crash of 1929, he was selected the Democratic Party's candidate for President, pledged "a new deal for the American people" and stressed his concern for the "forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid." In his first inaugural address, he declared that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." His "New Deal" legislation changed the political arena and its effect continues today. Although his influence on the conduct of the war, both in Europe and in the Far East, was great, he died one month before Germany's surrender and four months before Japan's capitulation. It was his stated desire that this country become "the great arsenal of democracy."

04/02/01  Church Building  (Timely Words 0672)

When spelled with a capital C, "church" often signifies a particular Christian denomination, such as the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, or the Methodist Church, but it may also denote all Christians, regarded as a mystic spiritual body. When spelled with a small c, it usually means a church building. In the more traditional churches, there are particular words that denote a specific part of the sanctuary or its furniture. The entry hall or lobby of a church is called a "narthex," derived from the Greek word for "box." From the narthex, the central aisle which leads to the "chancel," the most important part of the church, is called a "nave," derived from a Latin word meaning "ship." In the "chancel," there is an "altar," or a "communion table" in the center which attracts the attention of the worshipers. In some churches, a cross is placed in the center of the altar with candles or flowers beside it, or there may be a large opened Bible on it. At services when the "Lord's Supper," or "Communion" is included, bread and wine is placed on the communion table. Also in the chancel is the "pulpit," from a Latin word meaning "platform," from which the minister preaches his sermon. Many churches also have a separate "lectern" in the chancel from which the Bible is read. In some churches, there is a "choir loft" where choir members sit before and after they stand to sing. The traditional wooden benches on which the worshipers sit are called "pews," which is rooted in a Greek word for "foot." You are invited to visit a church on a Sunday morning and see how many of these things you recognize.

04/02/03  Super Bowl  (Timely Words 0673)

Some people who hear or read the word "bowl" may think of a game played in a bowling alley in which players roll a heavy bowling ball down a wooden alley to knock down large wooden objects called "pins." The more common meaning of the word, however, is a vessel to hold soup or fruit during a meal. At times, along with the soup bowl and fruit bowl, there may also be a small finger bowl with water in it to rinse one's fingers and, in some homes, we may see a fish bowl, in which small fish swim in the water. At the present time in the United States of America, there is another common meaning of "bowl:" a bowl-shaped stadium in which football games are played. There are a number of such "bowls." Games played there at the close of the football season are called "bowl games" and include the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Peach Bowl, Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl. The final professional baseball games played in the fall between the champions of the American League and the National League are called the "World Series," but the final game between the championship teams of the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference is called the "Super Bowl." Last Sunday, the 38th Super Bowl was held at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. There, the New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32 to 29 as the result of a field goal kicked over 41 yards just four seconds before the end of the game. At that time, we were reminded of the expression used in baseball games: "The game is not over until the last man is out." And we also should not give up hope until the end.

04/02/06  Progressive Dinner  (Timely Words 0674)

As a noun, "progress" denotes movement toward a goal. As a verb, "progress" means to advance or proceed and the adjective "progressive" means moving forward, advancing. In U. S. history, there have been three different political organizations named "Progressive Party" in the presidential elections of 1912, 1924 and 1948. Twice a year, a "progressive dinner" is held in this Penney Retirement Community and at the dinner last week, over 150 residents participated. At this dinner, four courses are prepared: appetizers, salad, main course and dessert. The first three courses are prepared and served by hosts/hostesses in their homes, but we all meet together in the large meeting room for the final dessert course. About 20 diners were assigned to certain homes for the appetizer course. There, the individuals or couples were told which home they were to go to for the salad course. Six to ten people then enjoyed their salad together, after which each one was informed at whose home he/she would have the main course. The groups did not move together, so at each home we ate with different residents. The hosts/hostesses decide what kind of food to serve, and then submit their bills to the organizers who repay them from the fund into which each participant had paid five dollars. My wife and I always enjoy this "progressive dinner," for we are able to visit the homes of other residents and meet and eat with folks we may not be well-acquainted with. In this "progressive dinner," we not only progress from one home to another. We also make progress in getting to know our neighbors.

04/02/08  Needles  (Timely Words 0675)

A "needle" is a small, slender metal instrument with an eye at one end through which a length of thread is passed and held. Needles are used by women or men who sew while making garments. A woman who sews may be called a "seamstress," but a man who sews is usually called a "tailor." The stimulus for today's message is a traditional Japanese observance held annually on February 8th called "hari-kuyo," which a Japanese-English dictionary translates as "a needle-mass." On this day, it is customary for seamstresses, tailors and others who make use of needles to collect needles which have been used and broken during the past year and express gratitude for their usefulness by disposing of them in a formal way. The broken needles may be placed into a soft block of bean curd called "tofu" and then deposited into a stream or ocean or taken to a Shinto Shrine or a Buddhist Temple where a religious service may be performed for them. In this way, thanks are expressed for the needles along with a prayer for greater skill in sewing. In informal English, "needle" may be used as a verb meaning to goad, provoke or tease. According to a well-known saying of Jesus, found in Matthew 19:24, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Here, Jesus makes clear that wealth may be a hindrance rather than a help in gaining the hoped for spiritual state which requires humble faith. Some interpreters think that the Greek word for "camel" has been mistakenly substituted for "rope" which is written with one different letter in Greek.

04/02/11  Leap Year  (Timely Words 0676)

February, the name of this second month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar, is derived from a Latin word meaning "feast of purification," for ceremonies of religious purification were held at this time of year in ancient Rome. In regular years of 365 days, there are 28 days in this second month, but every four years, this month has 29 days to synchronize the year with the solar cycle. Now, all years whose number is exactly divisible by 4, including this year, are "leap years," but those which are divisible by 100 but not by 400, are not leap years. Thus the year 2000 was a leap year, but the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not. To "leap" means to jump up or to jump over. In ordinary years, the day of the month that falls on Sunday that year will fall on Monday the following year, but in "leap years," it "leaps" over Monday to Tuesday. It is said that the final words of the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, who died in 1679, were: "I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark." People with a healthy faith, however, may view the future in brighter terms. The vision of heaven recorded in the final chapter of the last book in the Bible, includes the words, "There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light" (Revelation 22:5). And the vision of the future found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah includes this description: "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy" (35:5-6).

04/02/13  Friday the 13th  (Timely Words 0677)

There are many different kinds of superstitions. Most of them are related to the language, history or culture of a particular people. In Japan, the number 4 is considered unlucky because it has the same pronunciation as the word meaning "death" (shi). Many people try to avoid that number. The first telephone number I was given in Japan was a number that I am sure had been rejected by Japanese applicants because the pronunciation of those numbers, 9242 (kyu-ni-shi-ni) may also mean "sudden death." After telling that number to others, they were able to remember it without writing it down. In countries where there are many Christians, the number 13 is considered unlucky by some for different reasons. One is that it follows the number 12, which has been considered a special number for various reasons. There are 12 months in the year, 12 hours in a day, 12 inches in a foot, 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 disciples of Jesus in the New Testament. Some superstitious people will refuse to attend a gathering where there are exactly 13 people present, which was the number of those present at the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. Following that Last Supper, Jesus and his disciples went to a lonely place to pray. There, Jesus was arrested and his disciples ran away. Because it was on Friday that Jesus was crucified, in the minds of some Christians, Friday the 13th is an especially unlucky day. It occurs only in the months whose first day falls on Sunday, which happens twice this year, one of which is this month and I hope you have a happy Friday the 13th.

04/02/15  Valentines  (Timely Words 0678)

On many English language calendars, February 14th is called "Valentine's Day" or "Saint Valentine's Day." On this day, it is customary among some people to give a greeting card called a "valentine" to their sweetheart or to someone they love, and chocolates may be given along with the card to express their sentimental feeling. The explanation for the customs related to "Saint Valentine's Day," however, is very confusing. In fact, even the identification of the person after whom this day is named is questionable. There were a number of men in the first centuries of this era who were called "Valentine." Two of them suffered martyrdom in the second half of the third century and thus may be considered "saints." Although their names are mentioned in early histories of Christian martyrs, little is known about either of them, but this 14th day of February has been designated the feast day of a Saint Valentine. In the Middle Ages, there was a belief throughout rural Europe, noted in English literature, that birds began to mate on February 14th and this belief became associated with Saint Valentine's Day. In England, customs related to this day have been observed from the 15th century. Sending valentines to one's sweetheart or lover developed by the 17th century and, following the pressure of the postal system and chocolate companies, the kinds of valentines changed. Customs related to Valentine's Day imply a certain kind of romantic love which is quite different from the kind of sacrificial love described in the New Testament—in I Corinthians, chapter 13, I John, chapter 4, verses 7-21 and elsewhere.

04/02/18  Colorful Meanings  (Timely Words 0679)

Certain colors have secondary meanings. The most common "meaningful colors" are black, white and yellow. The term "black-and-white" itself may mean "evaluating things as totally good or totally bad" and, unfortunately, some arrogant people view those who are different in that way. The colors, black, white and yellow have been used to denote differences between the Negroid, Caucasian and Mongoloid races, and those who are not Caucasian are considered "colored." Though the skin colors of different peoples are distinctive, classification according to color is arbitrary and misleading, and the secondary meanings of these colors are obviously prejudicial. "Black" may mean "evil or wicked." "White" may mean "unsullied or pure". And "yellow" may mean "cowardly." In Japan, I was called a "white person," but I often demonstrated that, although my ancestors were German, I was just as "colored" as Africans or Japanese by holding a piece of white paper next to my face to show that my skin is also colored. In fact, the skin color of many Japanese is lighter than mine. This second month of the year in the United States of America is now known as "Black History Month." During this month, the contributions of African-Americans in many different areas, including sports, politics, history, medicine and the arts are noted and emphasized. Although so-called "WASPs" (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) have been notoriously inconsiderate in this regard, the teaching of the Bible is clear: all human beings, as creatures of a loving God, are members of the same family.

04/02/20  Presidents' Day  (Timely Words 0680)

The two most popular presidents of the United States of America are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In my atlas, 42 cities, towns or counties and one state in the U. S. A. are listed under the name of "Washington" and 34 cities, towns or counties are named "Lincoln." George Washington became the first president following the War of Independence in which he served as commander in chief of the Continental Army. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, presided during the Civil War between the northern (Union) states that opposed slavery and the southern (Confederacy) states that promoted it. In his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, he declared that all slaves were free. Both of these men were born in the month of February and in my school days, in the northern state of Illinois, there was a state holiday on both of their birthdays, that of Lincoln on February 12th and that of Washington on February 22nd. In the U. S. A., each state determines the official holidays for that state. The federal government, however, determines the holidays for federal employees and most states follow its example. Since 1971, the federal government has combined these two holidays in a Presidents' Day holiday on the third Monday of the month. Two of the famous landmarks in the nation's capital, Washington, D. C., are the stark white obelisk called the Washington Monument, dedicated in 1885, and the statue of President Lincoln seated in a chair in the Lincoln Memorial, dedicated in 1922. They should remind viewers of the respect for justice, peace and freedom for all people that these men emphasized.

04/02/22  Musical Terms  (Timely Words 0681)

The stimulation for this message came from the monthly symphony orchestra concert my wife and I attend along with other residents of this retirement community. At the recent, unusual concert, the instrumentalists in the orchestra provided the accompaniment for four vocalists who sang solos, duets, trios and quartets. The vocalists were listed as a soprano, a mezzo-soprano, a tenor and a baritone. I wondered about the precise meaning of these words and, after checking my dictionary at home, this message was developed as a result. The word "music," which is the art of organizing tones to produce a unified composition, is derived from Greek mythology in which nine goddesses called Muses presided over the arts and sciences. "Mezzo" is derived from a Latin word meaning "half," and a "mezzo-soprano" is a voice having a range between soprano and contralto. "Soprano," from a Latin word meaning "above," is the highest singing voice of a woman; "contralto," derived from Latin words meaning "below alto," is the lowest female voice and is sometimes used as a synonym for "alto," derived from the Latin word for "high." "Tenor," from a Latin word meaning "continue," denotes the highest natural adult male voice and "baritone," from Greek words meaning "heavy tone," denotes a male voice lower than tenor, but higher than "bass," derived from a word meaning "low," which is the lowest male singing voice, (Another word, however, with the same spelling but a different pronunciation denotes a certain kind of fish.) As noted in Psalm 98, both vocal and instrumental music are included in Biblical worship.

04/02/25  English Pronunciation  (Timely Words 0682)

In both the "Daily Word" telephone messages transmitted in Japan and the "Timely Words" messages transmitted on this homepage, I have often noted the irregularity of the pronunciation of words in English. Recently, while looking through some old newspaper clippings I brought from Japan, I found one that pointed out this irregularity in a peculiar way. The article began with the question of what is the longest word in the English language. It noted that there is a longer word than "antidisestablishmentarianism." Since I cannot pronounce the longer word, I will not include it here, but I could not find either of these words in dictionaries I have on hand. The article then noted another long word, spelled "g-h-e-a-u-p-t-e-i-g-h-p-h-t-h-o-u-g-h," that could be pronounced "potato." The explanation was that the first two letters, "gh," be pronounced as the "gh" in "hiccough," followed by the "eau" pronounced as the "eau" in "beau." The next two letters, "pt," are pronounced as the "pt" in "ptomaine," followed by the "eigh" as in "neighbor," the "phth" as in "phthisic" and the final "ough" as in "though." I am sure that many readers of this message will be unable to find some of these words in their dictionaries, but they are all listed in the two dictionaries I have on hand. This raises another question about spelling or pronunciation: which dictionary should be considered authoritative for in both spelling and pronunciation, there are differences between British English and American English. The problem of authority is also important in matters related to religion, philosophy, ethics and law.

04/02/27  English Pronunciation 2  (Timely Words 0683)

After composing the previous message related to the strange pronunciation and spelling of certain words in English, I found some even stranger examples. Consider the many different ways the sound of a long "u" is spelled. For example, the words spelled y-o-u and e-w-e are pronounced the same:iu. And the same pronunciation is given the letters e-u in the word "eucalyptus," e-a-u in "beauty" and i-e-w in "view." The long "u" pronunciation is also found in the following words with yet different spellings: "do," "due," "drew," "food," "fruit," "rude," "canoe" and "through." And that word, "through," stimulates further thought regarding the many different pronunciations given the letters o-u-g-h. Consider how these letters are pronounced in the following words: "through," "though," "thought," "thorough," "rough," "cough," "hiccough" and "plough." Needless to say, there are countless other examples of irregular pronunciation of English words. There is no need for the letter "l" in words such as "could," "should," "would," "calm" and "palm." There is no need for the letter "p" in such words as "pneumnia," "psychology" and "ptomaine." The student of Japanese, on the other hand, finds it difficult to remember the hundreds of different Chinese characters used in the written language and how to write them. In some of the more complicated characters, there are more than 15 strokes. Also, all Chinese characters used in Japanese have at least two different pronunciations and some of them have over ten. Clearly, it is advisable to learn a foreign language when we are young and our minds are still flexible.

04/02/29  An Orderly Universe  (Timely Words 0684)

During the two decades of the "Daily Word" telephone service in Japan, it was our custom to hold meetings of listeners in a public meeting place in the city of Nagoya on the afternoon of the 5th Sunday of a month. Months having five Sundays occur every three or four months—about four times a year. At such meetings, all who attended expressed their thoughts on a certain theme that had been announced in a telephone message. English was the language used by my wife and me and by all who attended. Looking over the list of meeting dates, I find that we never held such a meeting in the month of February. In fact, it is very unusual for February to have five Sundays. This occurs only in a leap year when February 1st falls on a Sunday, which happens this year. The last year in which February had five Sundays was 1976. It is reported that on February 29, 1504, an interesting event occurred on the island of Jamaica, where Christopher Columbus and his sick and mutinous crew members were stranded. When the natives stopped providing them food, they were faced with starvation. Checking his almanac, Columbus discovered that a lunar eclipse would occur that night. He warned the natives that he would "blot out the moon" if they did not provide food. When the eclipse occurred, the natives were amazed and fearfully began providing food again. Because we live in an orderly universe, we are able to predict certain events. How do we explain this? The Bible teaches that the universe is the creation of God and human beings find meaning in their lives by adjusting their lives to conform to God's purpose for them.

04/03/02  First Days of March  (Timely Words 0685)

This third month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar, is called March, derived from Mars, the Roman god of war and of vegetation. Mars is also the name of the planet closest to the earth, on which two "rovers" are now sending back information about the topography of that planet, which lacks vegetation. March is the month when daylight hours lengthen in the northern hemisphere and the spring season begins with new life evident in vegetation. Thus, it is not surprising that it was considered the first month of the year in ancient Rome and that in Japan, the following month of April is the beginning of a new school year. The first days of March have special significance in a number of states in the United States of America. On March 1, 1803, Ohio became the 17th state and on that day in 1867, Nebraska was admitted as the 37th state. March the 2nd is a legal holiday in the state of Texas, called Texas Independence Day, for it was on that day in 1836 that the territory of Texas declared its independence from Mexico. This second largest state was annexed by the United States on March 1st, 1845 and later that year was admitted as the 28th state. On March 3rd, 1845, Florida became the last of the Atlantic seaboard states to gain admission to the Union as the 27th state and it was on March 4th in 1791 that Vermont, which had previously been claimed by both New Hampshire and New York was recognized as the 14th state. The first days of March mark new beginnings in a number of states, but for the person with a healthy faith, the mercies of the Lord are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22).

04/03/05  Fruits  (Timely Words 0686)

The produce of edible plants are often divided into "fruits" and "vegetables," but the line of demarcation between them is sometimes unclear. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? In fact, all plants in the vegetable kingdom bear fruit. When I am at home, it is my custom to eat fruit at both the beginning and the end of each day: at the beginning of breakfast, at the end of supper and/or just before retiring. At the present time, I regularly eat half of a grapefruit at breakfast and I sometimes eat grapes at the conclusion of the noon or evening meal and I have wondered why such a large citrus fruit is called a "grapefruit." According to a dictionary, the reason is because grapefruits grow in clusters like grapes. Grapes grow on a vine, as do melons (which are considered fruit), pumpkins and squashes (which are both considered vegetables). While in Japan, we enjoyed eating Japanese "mikans" and because we used the Japanese word for that fruit even when speaking English, our children did not learn the English word for them until they returned to the United States of America. A Japanese-English dictionary defines "mikan" as "a mandarin orange; a tangerine." I am not acquainted with "mandarin oranges," but tangerines here in Florida have tighter skins and many more seeds than Japanese "mikans." We also enjoy eating oranges, pears, bananas, cherries, peaches, plums and nectarines. And it is my custom to eat an apple every evening before going to bed. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 15-20, Jesus taught that even as a tree is known by its fruit, so people, whether good or bad, are recognized by their actions.

04/03/07  Lent  (Timely Words 0687)

The word "lent" is the past tense of the verb "lend". Thus, I may say that I lent a book to my friend yesterday. When spelled with a capital "L", however, this word denotes the pre-Easter season in the Christian Church calendar. Easter is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and Lent lasts for forty weekdays before Easter. The date of Easter, which is determined by a correlation of lunar and solar calendars, falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. Thus the date varies from year to year. This year, Roman Catholic and Protestant churches will celebrate it on April 11th, so for those churches, Lent began on Wednesday, February 25th. This word is related to the word "lengthen" for days gradually become longer during the pre-Easter season. Lent is observed as a time of self-examination and penitence. In some church traditions, fasting and abstinence is also emphasized. This custom seems to have originated in the 4th century. The forty-day period reminds us of the forty days of Jesus' temptation in the desert before he began his public ministry as recorded in the 4th chapters of the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke. In these accounts, Jesus withstands the temptations of the devil by quoting verses from the Old Testament. One of the benefits of memorizing Bible verses or remembering Biblical truths is that they may strengthen and encourage us in times of testing or temptation. During Lent, Christians seek to quietly and prayerfully prepare themselves for the climactic celebrations of Jesus' death and resurrection.

04/03/10  Golden Wedding Celebration  (Timely Words 0688)

Gold is a precious metal and something considered especially valuable may be called "golden. The 50th anniversary of a wedding is commonly called the "golden wedding." Recently, in this retirement community, a special celebration was held to honor those residents who have been married for 50 years or more. Those who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year were given special recognition, but those who had been married 55 years, 60 years, 65 years and 70 years were also honored. One couple here was married 70 years ago, in 1934. My wife and I are in the group that has been married for 55 years, but couples who have been married for 50 years or more were all listed in the program and we were amazed to see how many there are. In our community with its approximately 500 residents, there are 106 couples who have celebrated their golden wedding anniversaries, which is extraordinary at the present time when so many marriages do not last so long. At the celebration in the church, the women walked down the aisle as the organ played and met their mates at the front of the sanctuary, after which the couples renewed their vows. Music included a solo by one of the celebrants and a violin quartet by the grandchildren of another celebrant. Following the celebration in the church, a reception was held in another meeting place, where refreshments were served and pictures were taken. Then, a program which featured a choir of boys and girls from a nearby private middle school was held in another meeting place. It was a very busy, meaningful time for all who attended.

04/03/16  Passion  (Timely Words 0689)

When used as a common noun, "passion" denotes a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred or anger. It may also denote boundless enthusiasm or a strong sexual desire. But when used as a proper noun, beginning with a capital P, it signifies the sufferings of Christ in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion. In the Christian Church calendar, "Passion Sunday" is the second Sunday before Easter, the Sunday before Palm Sunday. "Passion Week" is the week after Passion Sunday and "Passiontide" is the fortnight between Passion Sunday and Easter. Passion Plays are dramatic representations of the Passion of Christ and some churches present Passion Plays every year during this Lenten season. Such dramas were common in 14th century France, but the most famous Passion Play at the present time is the one that has been presented in the small German town of Oberammergau every ten years since 1634. This is to keep a vow made by the inhabitants of that community following a disastrous plague. Now, the main source of income for that town, which is also famous for its woodcarvings, comes from the tourists. A motion picture entitled "The Passion of the Christ," has recently become the cause of much discussion and controversy. It emphasizes the physical suffering Jesus endured before his tragic death. Although the Gospel narratives indicate that both Jews and Romans were involved in that cruelty, the New Testament makes clear that his sacrificial death on the cross was for the salvation of all sinners who trust in him (I Peter 2:21-25).

04/03/19  Taxes  (Timely Words 0690)

A "tack," spelled t-a-c-k, is a short, light nail with a sharp point and a flat head. Tacks are used to pin sheets of paper to a board. On the bulletin board in this retirement community, there is a notice tacked to the board related to a different kind of "tax," spelled t-a-x. This kind of tax is money paid to support a government. In the United States of America, there are a number of different kinds of taxes which residents are required to pay. Sales taxes are added to the price of certain items. Since some taxes may be determined by state governments, these taxes vary depending on the state, but federal taxes are the same throughout the country. The date for filing federal income tax returns for the past year is April 15th, so now many residents are involved in assembling the required documents along with the tax forms to be submitted by that date. Because some forms are very complicated and require careful attention, a tax consultant may be employed to assist in this work. It has been said that "the art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing." President Franklin Roosevelt called taxes "the dues that we pay for the privileges of membership in an organized society." Tax collectors in Jesus' day were despised and scorned because they collected taxes for a foreign government, but Jesus called one to be his disciple. When criticized for his association with such people, he made clear that his mission was to manifest God's love especially to those who were despised by others. (Matthew 9:9-13).

04/03/22  Gypsies  (Timely Words 0691)

A "tabloid" is a small-sized newspaper that presents sensational news. Recently, some tabloids in Britain have been warning that there will be an influx of Gypsies after Slovakia joins the European Union, for then its citizens will be able to freely cross the borders of other countries in that Union. Although the warning does not seem to be accurate, it focuses attention on the Gypsies: who are they and why are they feared? The word "Gypsy" is derived from "Egyptian," for it was thought that this nomadic people came from a so-called Little Egypt, but they probably came originally from northeast India, migrated into Persia, from which they dispersed into Europe and North America. They are now found on every continent, but they are particularly prominent in Spain and the Balkans. Gypsies have a unique, Indo-Iranian language, called Romany, and particular folkways. Dark-complexioned, short and lightly built, they usually travel in caravans and make their living as metalworkers, singers, dancers, musicians, horse dealers and auto mechanics. Gypsy women are also famous as fortunetellers. In the course of their wanderings, they have sometimes mixed with their non gypsy neighbors and have occasionally settled down, but they have tenaciously held to their identity and customs. Their bands are ruled by elders, but they often accept the religion of their country of residence. Most Gypsies are Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Christians. Various comparisons can be made between the Gypsies and those faithful followers of God described in the New Testament book of Hebrews, chapter 11, verses 13-15.

04/03/23  Sumo  (Timely Words 0692)

Although Western sports such as baseball and soccer have also become popular in Japan, sumo, which is peculiar to Japan, is considered the national sport. The Japanese word for "sumo" is composed of two Chinese characters which literally mean "strike each other." In my American English dictionary, "sumo" is defined as "Japanese wrestling in which a fighter loses if forced from the ring or if any part of his body except the soles of his feet touches the ground." In ancient times, sumo was considered a sacred event to foretell an abundant harvest or to predict the will of the gods. The oldest bout of sumo recorded in history was in the year 642 and in the ninth century it was adopted as a court ritual. At the present time, six times a year sumo tournaments are held, lasting 15 days, before packed audiences and on live nationwide television. Sumo wrestlers have huge bodies, which require a certain kind of diet to maintain. Some of them may weigh up to 150 kilograms, or 350 pounds. Not only the diet, but the daily activities of sumo wrestlers are generally determined by the "stable masters" of the particular "stables" in which they reside. Before the actual wrestling bouts take place, various ceremonial customs are followed, such as clapping the hands, stomping the feet, throwing salt and staring at one's opponent. In fact, the ceremony, which requires three or four minutes, lasts longer than the wrestling itself, which rarely exceeds one minute. In our daily lives, we sometimes must wrestle with problems that are difficult to solve and in the Old Testament, there is an interesting story about Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32:22-32.

04/03/26  "Last Supper" Tableau  (Timely Words 0693)

Five hundred years ago, in the Italian city of Milan, a mural was painted on the wall of a room in a convent. Because it was painted with water colors on wet plaster, it may be called a "fresco." This painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the famous Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer and scientist, depicts Jesus' last supper with his disciples. Although allied bombing in August 1943 reduced the convent to ruins, this mural was practically undamaged and it is this painting that many people envision when they think of Jesus' Last Supper. As one of the special events in this retirement community during Holy Week, the week before Easter, a tableau of the "Last Supper" will be presented in the church sanctuary. Twelve residents with beards have been asked to participate in this dramatic presentation. Usually, a "tableau vivant" is "a scene presented on stage by costumed actors who remain silent and motionless as in a picture." In this case, however, each of the twelve disciples has a few words to say to introduce themselves. I have been asked to take the part of Matthew, who is the fourth disciple, standing on Jesus' left side in da Vinci's painting. In order to manifest a more accurate representation of that disciple, I have now grown a full beard instead of only a goatee. One account of that "Last Supper" is found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, verses 7 and following. There, Jesus told his disciples to remember his sacrifice for them and all sinners, using bread and wine to represent his body and blood. This ritual is now performed in Christian churches throughout the world.

04/03/28  Frustration  (Timely Words 0694)

Since I add a new message onto this webpage three times a week, I sometimes find it difficult to decide on a new or different theme for each message. A newspaper or magazine article regarding current or historical events or something that occurred in this retirement community may suggest a theme. And at times, personal experiences provide a topic. That is the explanation for today's message on "frustration," which is "the condition of being frustrated." "Frustrate," means "to cause feelings of discouragement or bafflement." During the past couple of weeks, "frustration" is the word I have often used to describe my feelings. There are a number of reasons why I have felt frustrated, discouraged or baffled. The main reason is related to the new laptop computer I purchased recently because my old computer was showing signs of aging. Although the new computer is much more efficient and suitable in many ways, one must understand how to use it and a person my age who lacks electronic aptitude finds it difficult to adjust. I have repeatedly called on a commercial consultant as well as a very helpful neighbor to assist me and give instructions, but it has been a very frustrating experience that resulted in some messages not being entered on time. Then, our elderly neighbor, who lives by himself, became ill and we spent time trying to assist him. Now, he is hospitalized and is not expected to live much longer. Then when our son, his wife and son arrived from Japan and we went to the airport to meet them, somehow we missed seeing them until we found them waiting for us at the luggage retrieval area. We are now with our family in the city of Miami, but we have had other frustrating experiences on the way here also. It has been a frustrating week indeed.

04/03/31  Frustration/Gratitude  (Timely Words 0695)

Continuing the theme and narrative of the previous message, the day after our son, daughter-in-law and grandson arrived from Japan, we drove 270 kilometers to St. Petersburg, where our granddaughter is living while attending a public high school there. We used the car of a friend, which can carry six passengers. We turned off the main highway at the wrong exit and had difficulty getting back on to that inter-state highway. That night, we stayed in the luxurious home of the owner and manager of the sushi shop where our granddaughter works, but I could not add my new message to the "Timely Words" homepage because only cell phones were used there and there were no regular telephone outlets for my laptop computer. I had to wait until the following morning to find a usable outlet in a hotel lobby. We also had difficulty finding the park where our son and family wanted to go swimming. The next day, we drove about 400 kilometers to Miami to visit two colleges our granddaughter wanted to see. The following day, we drove back to St. Petersburg and then back to our retirement community, where we found that our neighbor had died the previous day. Retiring after midnight, we arose about 4:00 a.m. to get our son and family to the airport for an early morning flight to California, where he was scheduled to make a presentation at an English teachers conference. Despite the many frustrations of the last couple of weeks, we have much to be grateful for. We traveled far and fast and accomplished our goals without an accident. Our neighbor died without prolonged suffering and we had an enjoyable time with our family.

04/04/02  April  (Timely Words 0696)

This name of the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar is derived from Aprilis, the ancient Roman name of the second month of the year, which began in March, and is related to a Latin verb meaning "to open" for the buds of trees and flowers open during this spring season. April is also used as a feminine name, as are the names of the following months of May and June. April is the month when a new school year begins in Japan and the month when income tax returns are due in the United States of America. In ancient Rome, there were a number of festivals that were celebrated in this month, including the Feast of the Cows, when ancient rites were conducted to ensure the prosperity of crops, and the "Floralia," honoring Flora, the goddess of flowers. Important festivals will be observed this month by both Jews and Christians. The Jewish Passover, which commemorates the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt under the leadership of Moses over 3000 years ago, begins on April 6th. Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus, will be observed in Christian churches on April 9th, followed by the celebration of his resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, April 11th. The first Sunday of April is also the day in the U. S. A. when communities that observe "daylight-saving time" set their clocks ahead one hour to provide more daylight at the end of the working day during the late spring, summer and early fall. I pray that this month with its significant traditions and celebrations will be a time of new life and hope for you.

04/04/05  Baseball and Boxing  (Timely Words 0697)

Most popular daily newspapers have a special section devoted to sports. The kind of sports included in a newspaper varies according to the place and the season. In some areas, there are favorite sports which attract special attention. As noted in a recent message, sumo is considered the national sport of Japan, but I think that baseball would be recognized as the favorite sport. Since a couple of popular, professional baseball players from Japan joined a couple of major league teams in the United States of America, their attainments are carefully followed by many Japanese; the games in which they play are broadcast live and viewed by many fans even after midnight, in the wee hours of the morning. A recent article in the sports section of the daily newspaper delivered to our door reported on the games played in Tokyo by the New York Yankees and their star Japanese player, Hideki Matsui. In Tokyo, he hit home runs while playing against the Yomiuri Giants, the Japanese team in which he had been a star player for ten years, and against another major league American team, bringing great joy to Japanese baseball fans. On the front page of that sports section, however, was the sad story of a professional boxing match in which one boxer delivered several short punches to the head of his opponent, knocking him to the ground, from which he never got up. Following the death of the loser, the winner apologized to the man's family and decided to give up boxing. In the New Testament book of I Corinthians, chapter 9, verses 24-27, Paul uses sports—both running and boxing, to illustrate a spiritual truth.

04/04/07  (Church) Year/Holy Week  (Timely Words 0698)

How long is a year? When does a year begin and how is it divided? The answer to such questions depends upon the context in which they are asked for there are different kind of "years." A "solar year," the period during which the earth makes a complete revolution around the sun, is about 365 days. A "lunar year," consisting of 12 lunar months, the periods between two full moons, is about 354 days. A year begins at different times, depending on which calendar is used, whether Christian, Jewish, Islamic or Chinese. A "school year" also begins at different times, depending on the area. In Roman Catholic and Protestant churches at the present time, the "church year" begins with the season of Advent, on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus. The highlight of the church year, however, is Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after March 21st, which is April 11th this year. This week before Easter is called "Holy Week." It begins with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, when people greeted him with palm branches and includes Maundy Thursday, commemorating his Last Supper with his disciples, and Good Friday, commemorating his crucifixion. In most churches, special services will be held this week to focus attention on these events and their spiritual significance. If you are able to attend any such services, I would be happy to receive an e-mail message, informing me of your reaction.

04/04/09  Latin  (Timely Words 0699)

There was an ancient country south of Rome in the central part of what is now Italy named Latium. It is from the name of that country that the word "Latin" was derived. Latin was the language of both Latium and ancient Rome. It is also the basis of the Romance languages, which include Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian. Many English words are also derived from Latin. That part of the Western Hemisphere south of the United States, having Spanish, Portuguese or French as their official language, is called "Latin America" and a native or inhabitant of Latin America may be called a "Latino." Latino residents of the United States are also called "Hispanics" and the percentage of Hispanics in the U. S. A. is rapidly increasing. If present trends continue, it will not be long before the percentage of Hispanics in this country will surpass the percentage of Afro-Americans. "Latin Church" is a term used for the Roman Catholic Church, which for centuries used Latin as the language for its rituals, and a "Latin cross" is a cross with the horizontal bar shorter than the vertical bar. Latin crosses are commonly seen in Protestant churches, but in Roman Catholic churches, images of Christ on the cross, called crucifixes, are more common. At the time of the Protestant Reformation, stimulated by Martin Luther in 1517, only the Latin translation of the Bible was available for people to read. After the Latin Church excommunicated Luther, he translated the Bible into German, which made it available to the common believers as well as the educated priests. Since then, the Bible has been translated into many languages throughout the world.