05/01/16  Observations  (Timely Words 0800)

As I sit at my desk and type this message, there are three different calendars which can be observed, depending on which way I am looking. They are of different sizes and have different characteristics. The one on the keyboard of my computer is very small. It includes the entire year of 2005, but there is no colorful distinction between regular weekdays, Sundays or holidays. The one on the file cabinet beside my desk also includes the entire year, but Sundays and holidays are printed in red. Since that calendar is from Japan, it is the Japanese holidays that have red numbers. Another calendar is on the window ledge in front of my desk. It is divided into weeks and has space for me to write the meetings or appointments I have for each day. It is also from Japan and on the opposite page each week there is a colorful painting or picture of Japan. In this calendar, Sundays are printed in red, but they come at the end of the week rather than at the beginning and the names of Japanese holidays are printed in red although the date is in black. In the small pocket calendar I always carry with me, my daily schedule is included. In that calendar, on Saturday, January 15, is written "Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday," but on the following Monday is written "Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Observed". To "observe" may mean to "perceive" or "notice," to "watch attentively," or to "keep or celebrate a holiday." As noted in previous messages, in recent years, a number of traditional holidays related to a certain date are now being observed on a Monday to make a longer weekend. While we observe holidays and holy days, we should also observe world events and work to bring peace in the world and to help people in need.

05/01/18  Houses of Worship  (Timely Words 0801)

The European Union has begun membership talks with the country of Turkey, located on the eastern border of Europe and the western border of Asia. According to a news article, the Turkish prime minister recently "presided over the opening of a new synagogue, mosque and church—the last partitioned into Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox sections—in the Mediterranean resort area of Belek," to show that that secular but largely Muslim nation practices religious tolerance. What interested me were the different words used for houses of worship by the different religious groups. Although all of these words denote a place of prayer, meditation or worship, each one has a special, or peculiar, connotation. Synagogues are found wherever there are communities of Jews. Derived from a Greek word meaning "to bring together," a "synagogue" is the meeting place for religious instruction of Jews. The Jewish place of worship, the "Temple" in Jerusalem, was destroyed in 70 A.D. A "mosque," derived from the Arabic word "to worship," is the Muslim house of prayer and worship. "Church," the place of worship for Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox Christians, is derived from a Greek word meaning "of the lord," for it is considered the Lord's house, the place to enjoy fellowship both with the Lord and with his people. In Japan, there are two other words used for places of worship. In Shinto "shrines," found throughout the country, there are receptacles where sacred objects are "enshrined" and where local deities are worshipped. Buddhist houses of worship are called "temples," as are the places of worship in Hinduism.

05/01/22  Inauguration  (Timely Words 0802)

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, which was ratified in January 1993 states "the terms of the President and Vice-President shall end at noon on the twentieth day of January." Thus, it is customary to hold an inauguration ceremony on that day. At noon on January 20, 2005, George W. Bush was inaugurated for the second time as President. This was the first such ceremony I was able to hear or view and I was impressed, impressed at the huge crowd of people who attended wearing coats and hats because of the cold weather. Since there is disagreement regarding how much religious influence should be allowed in government ceremonies in this nation with its peculiar history and present situation, I was especially interested in that aspect of the ceremony—the content of the oaths taken by the two men while raising one hand and placing the other on a Bible, the prayers that were offered by Christian ministers and the speech of the President, whose Christian faith was evident although he made reference to the scriptures of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Obviously, he was speaking with a wider audience in mind than what was gathered in front of him. From my perspective, his view of the state of the nation and the world at large reflects his perspective, which obviously is not recognized by all people, within or without the U.S.A. He emphasized many idealistic aims which he will seek to attain, but the way to attain them was not specified and not all nations (nor all of his countrymen) will agree with the ideals put forth and the way he will seek to attain them.

05/01/25  Hajj/Pilgrimage  (Timely Words 0803)

Names and words that enter the English language sometimes change their spelling, pronunciation or usage over the years. Years ago, one of the major religions in the world was known as Mohammedanism; the founder was called Mohammed, the believers in that religion were called Mohammedans or Moslems and the sacred book was known as the Koran. Nowadays, those proper nouns have been changed to Islam, Muhammad, Muslims and the Qur'an. The "five pillars" or requirements of the Islamic faith which Muslims are obligated to follow are: 1( Repetition of the creed ("There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah"), 2) Daily prayers five times a day (at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset, upon retirement), 3) Almsgiving (to the poor, slaves, beggars, etc.), 4) Fasting during the sacred month of Ramadan (no eating or drinking between sunup and sundown), 5) Pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage to the holy city and birthplace of Muhammad, at least once in one's lifetime, is called Hajj and it is preferable to make the trip during Ramadan, which is at this time of year this year. Recent news reports have focused on the millions of white-robed pilgrims from all over the world who are making the pilgrimage and performing the traditional rituals. A "pilgrim" is a religious person who travels to a sacred place or a person who embarks on a quest for some end conceived as sacred. In American history, the "Pilgrims" were English Puritans who founded the colony of Plymouth in New England. In one sense, all human beings are "pilgrims" on a "pilgrimage," hopefully leading to a meaningful and satisfying life.

05/01/29  Telephone Outlet  (Timely Words 0804)

There are a number of English words that begin with "tele," a prefix derived from a Greek word meaning "at a distance." "Television" denotes seeing at a distance; "telegraph" denotes writing at a distance, and we may hear a voice from a distant place using a "telephone." Telephones have greatly changed over the years. When I was a child, our telephone consisted of two separate parts connected by an electric wire: a vertical tube on the end of which was a mouthpiece into which one spoke and a receiver which was placed next to one's ear to listen to the words of the other speaker. Such telephones did not have dials; the telephone number was spoken to a telephone operator who made the connection. When dial telephones were introduced, there was no further need for telephone operators. The shape of telephones also changed, with the mouthpiece and the receiver connected into one unit. Now, the dial is being replaced by buttons which must be pressed. The cell phones which have now become so popular are much smaller and have many more convenient elements. Today (January 26th), a man came from the Maintenance Department of this retirement community to repair a damaged telephone connection in my study. A few days ago, I was unable to go online with my computer. Following the instructions given by my internet provider did not solve the problem. Then, I realized that I heard static when I used the telephone which shares the outlet with the computer and when I used another outlet, I was able to go online. Today, the telephone line was repaired and the problem has been solved.

05/02/02  Candlemas/Groundhog Day  (Timely Words 0805)

The second day of the second month in the Gregorian calendar has a special significance to some people in the West. In certain churches, it is called Candlemas for on that day the candles used in church ceremonies are blessed. Another name of this day, 40 days after Christmas, is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord or the Feast of the Purification of Mary. According to the second chapter of the Gospel according to Luke,"when the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord" (22-23). Thus, on the fortieth day after his birth, the baby Jesus was offered to God in the temple in Jerusalem and the woman who gave him birth was purified in accordance with the Old Testament law. Other people in the United States of America call this day Groundhog Day. One of the traditions immigrants from Great Britain and Germany brought with them to this land was the custom of forecasting the weather for the next six weeks according to whether or not the sun was shining on February the 2nd. According to that folklore, a common rodent, known as a groundhog or a woodchuck, ended its winter hibernation on that day. It was said that if it saw its shadow when it came out of its hole, it would return to its home and there would be six more weeks of winter weather. If it did not see its shadow, however, it would not return to its winter home and spring weather would soon begin. Whether or not this day or any day is special depends on our perspective, or faith, and how we live.

05/02/06  "Dutch"  (Timely Words 0806)

The word "Dutch" originally referred to Germans, and even today, the word "Deutschland" denotes the land of the Germans, or Germany. But in present-day English, "Dutch" refers to the Netherlands, the country on the coast of the North Sea between Germany and Belgium, which is also known as Holland. There are a number of English expressions that include the word "Dutch." All of them have a negative implication that reflects the English attitude toward the people on the opposite side of the sea during the seventeenth century when the two countries became rivals in international commerce and often fought for control of the sea and parts of the New World. A "Dutch treat" is not a "treat" at all for it means that everyone pays his/her own expenses. "Dutch courage" denotes the courage stimulated by drinking alcoholic liquor. A "Dutch uncle" is a person who bluntly and sternly scolds someone and to be "in Dutch" means to be in difficulty or disfavor. "Dutch reckoning" is simply guesswork; "Dutch defense" means retreat or surrender and "to do the Dutch" is to commit suicide. There are also words in English that are derived from Dutch that have become respectable, however, including "Yankee." This word is derived from Dutch words meaning "John" and "cheese," the Netherlands' national product. Although first used as an ethnic insult by British colonists for Dutch pirates, it was later applied to American revolutionaries and now may denote a native of New England or of a Northern State or of a player on one of the country's most respected baseball teams, who are proud to be called Yankees.

05/02/09  Manatees  (Timely Words 0807)

Before entering the Penney Retirement Community in the state of Florida where my wife and I now reside, I was quite ignorant regarding marine mammals. I had only read and heard about whales and had seen otters on the western coast of North America. Although I do not recall seeing a live dolphin, a couple of large, golden dolphins are visible on the peak of Nagoya Castle in Japan and dolphins are the symbol of the Nagoya International School which my wife and I, our children and grandchildren have all been involved with over the past 40 years. Since coming to Florida, I have often read or heard about manatees, and recently, when we visited a couple of hot springs in this state, we saw some manatees for the first time. Manatees have a heavy gray body with a tail that ends in a horizontally flattened fin. They spend their entire life in water and are the only marine mammals that feed exclusively on vegetation: seaweeds and sea grasses. They are usually about two to four meters long, weigh about 225 kilograms and consume up to 45 kilograms of vegetation daily. They must surface for air every 15 or 20 minutes at which time their hairless bodies may be seen just under the surface of the water, but only the nostrils on the tip of their nose emerge from the water. Most of the manatees which we saw had large white marks on their bodies, which were the scars that resulted from clashes with boats or their motors and the dwindling number of manatees are now protected by law in Florida. On our short trip, we were reminded again of the beauty and variety of the world in which we live and of the need to protect and maintain it.

05/02/11  "Saints"  (Timely Words 0808)

Question: does any special person come to your mind when you hear or read the word "saint?" The English word is derived from a Latin word meaning "holy." In the New Testament, all sincere followers of Jesus Christ were considered "saints," or "holy people," so some letters which are included in the New Testament are addressed to the "saints" of a certain area (Romans 1:7, Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, for example). Among Christians, Jesus' disciples and writers of New Testament books are commonly called "saints," including Saint John and Saint Paul, but in present-day English, any very virtuous person may be called a "saint." In Church History, the names of certain persons are usually preceded by this word as a kind of title, including Saint Augustine and Saint Francis. In the Roman Catholic Church, persons who are considered worthy of veneration, who have been "beatified" and then "canonized" by the pope are called "saints." Each "saint" is particularly remembered on the day designated as that saint's "feast day," and February 14 has been designated the feast day of "Saint Valentine." Although the identification of "Saint Valentine" is questionable, in the Middle Ages, the belief throughout rural Europe that birds began to mate on February 14th became associated with Saint Valentine's Day. As a result, customs related to romantic love developed in connection with this day and have been vigorously promoted by makers of chocolates and greeting cards. It would be preferable, however, to recover the original meaning of "saint" and to seek to become that kind of person.

05/02/16  Lithuania  (Timely Words 0809)

Question: do you know where the country of Lithuania is located? Is it in Asia, Africa or Europe? Actually, it is on the east coast of the Baltic Sea, if you know where that is. It borders Latvia on the north, Belarus on the east and south and Poland and Russia on the southwest. Along with Latvia and Estonia, it is one of the three Baltic States, located in Eastern Europe. It is said that there may have been Liths, or Lithuanians, living in that area as early as 1500 B.C. The country's total area is a little less than that of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, a little more than the American state of West Virginia and it has a population of over 3,600,000. Most of its citizens speak the Lithuanian language, which is considered the most ancient of the living Indo-European languages. In 1386, Lithuania united with Poland and from the 14th to the 16th century, Poland and Lithuania made up one of medieval Europe's largest empires. Later, Lithuania came under Russian influence, but after the First World War and the collapse of Russia, it declared its restoration of independence on February 16,1918. Annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, it was occupied by German troops from 1941 to 1944, when it was again annexed by the Soviets. It regained its independence in 1988 but continues to celebrate February 16 as its Independence Day. This day is also recognized in areas of the United States of America where there are many persons of Lithuanian descent. Independence is a blessing, which those who have it should use responsibly and seek to share with those who do not have it.

05/02/19  Presidents' Day  (Timely Words 0810)

The word "preside" is derived from a Latin word meaning "to sit in front of," so the person chosen "to sit in front of" an organization and exercise authority, or "preside," over it may be called its "president." There are many organizations or nations that have a "president" as their leader. In this retirement community, there is a president of the Community, a president of the Association of Residents and presidents of various groups within the association, of which I am one. But the special holiday listed as "Presidents' Day" on many American calendars is not related to such executives. Rather, it pertains to two of the most important presidents of the U. S. A., who were born in this month of February. In this republic, public holidays are determined by the individual states, but those holidays chosen by the federal government for its employees are usually observed by the states as well. Since 1971, the third Monday of February has become a holiday in all the states, although in some of them, it is called "Washington's Birthday" and in others "Presidents' Day." George Washington, the nation's first president, was born on February 22, 1732. One of his memorable sayings was: "Labor to keep alive in your heart that little spark of celestial fire called conscience." Regarding "labor," Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, born on February 12, 1809, said: "Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration." Both quotations are worth remembering.

05/02/22  High School/College Students  (Timely Words 0811)

There are interesting words to designate the ranks of students in American high schools and colleges according to their years in that school. First-year students are called "Freshmen." Among the meanings of "fresh" are: "new," "clean," "not yet soiled," "bright and clear." Although all first-year students are not "men" and do not manifest these characteristics, ideally, "freshmen" will bring some new vigor and "freshness" into the school. Second-year students are called "Sophomores," which is actually an "oxymoron," a word in which contradictory terms are combined. "Sophomore" is a combination of two Greek words meaning "wise" and "foolish." The implication is that second-year students are in the process of development from being foolish to becoming wise. In a sense, not only students in the second-year of high school or college, but all of us are in that stage of life where both wise and foolish decisions and actions are evident. Hopefully, we are continuing to make progress from the "moronic" to the more "sophisticated." The terms for third and fourth-year students, "junior" and "senior," simply indicate lower and higher rankings. Sons who are given the same name as their fathers often add "Junior" after their names to distinguish them from their fathers, who are the "Seniors." All of us, including those students still in school, recent graduates, older alumni and even those of us considered "elderly," should pause and reflect on how such terms might characterize our lives as we continue our progress in the "school of life."

05/02/25  Term Limits for Presidents  (Timely Words 0812)

The Constitution of the United States of America was approved by a majority of the original 13 colonies in 1789. The official document of this new nation specified who would be eligible to hold the office of president, outlined the manner in which he was to be elected and detailed his powers and duties, but it did not set a limit on the number of four-year terms one individual could hold that highest office. When the first president, George Washington, stepped down after serving two terms, he established a tradition that continued for the next 150 years, until the 32nd president, Franklin Roosevelt ran for a third term in 1940. Not only was this physically handicapped leader re-elected that year, but four years later, he ran for a fourth term and was re-elected. During his administration, a number of new social programs were introduced and wars broke out in both Europe and Asia. Roosevelt's long tenure stimulated both approval and disappointment, but two years after his death, which occurred within the first year of his fourth term, Congress submitted the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution to the states for their approval. This amendment established two terms as the maximum length of time any one person could hold the office of president. It required almost four years for the amendment to be approved by the required three-fourths of the states and 54 years ago, on February 27, 1951, ratification was completed when Minnesota became the 36th state to approve it. George W. Bush is now beginning his second term as president and will seek to establish some memorable projects before his term ends.

05/03/02  March  (Timely Words 0813)

To walk in a formal military manner with measured steps at a steady rate is the basic meaning of "march," but other types of non-military popular movements may also be called "marches." In democratic countries, marches may be utilized to effect social or political changes and some independent thinkers "march to the beat of a different drummer." If such persons have a charismatic personality, they may be the leaders of a new movement for better or for worse. The name of the third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, however, is not named for this kind of "march." Rather, it is named for the Roman god Mars, the second-ranking god after Jupiter, the father of Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome. The name of this god of war and of vegetation has also been given to one of the planets that revolve around the sun which has a red appearance. Because there seems to be some evidence of water on Mars, whether now or in the past, there is speculation that some form of life may also have existed there. Previously, before two additional months were added, this month of March was the first month of the year. It is the month when days become longer and plants are revived. New life is evident in the leaves of trees, the flowers that bloom and the renewed energy of both animals and human beings. In some areas where the month begins with rough, boisterous weather and ends calmly, it is said that "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." It is our hope that for the nations of the world, this month will be the beginning of new life, of vegetation rather than war and more lamb-like than lionish.

05/03/06  The Secrets of "Nym"  (Timely Words 0814)

This message is based on a chapter with the above title in a book by Richard Lederer entitled "Crazy English." It begins as follows: "Somebody once defined a synonym as a word you use when you can't spell the word you really want. What a synonym really is, of course, is a word with the same, or nearly the same, meaning as another word, such as 'big' and 'large' or 'small' and 'tiny.' Somebody else once quipped that a great many poems seem to have been written by a prolific Irish genius named Ann O'Nymous. Here the pun is on the word 'anonymous,' and when a work is anonymous, its creator's name is not revealed. In 'synonym' and 'anonymous,' the common element is 'onym,' a Greek root that means 'word' or 'name,' and many words about words themselves contain this root." Among the words considered in that chapter are: "antonym" ("a word that is opposite in meaning to another word"), "homonym" ("a word spelled and pronounced like another word, but of different origin and meaning"), "pseudonym" (literally, "false name," the "pen name" used by some writers instead of their real name; Mark Twain, for example, instead of Samuel Longhorne Clemens) and "acronym." An "acronym" (literally, "high word") is a word formed from the initial letters of a name ("WAC" for "Women's Army Corps") or by combining initial letters or parts of a series of words ("radar" for "radio detecting and ranging"). Etymology, which deals with the origin and development of words, is a very interesting area of study for those interested in the meaning of words.

05/03/09  No/Know/Noh  (Timely Words 0815)

A couple of the main problems for students of English are related to the many irregularities related to spelling and pronunciation. For example, the two-letter word "no" is simply a negative, the opposite of "yes." But if a "w" is added to the end of the word, the pronunciation changes. "Now" denotes the present time. And if a "k" is added to the beginning of that word, the pronunciation reverts to the same as it was before. To "know" means to understand. The problems for students of Japanese are quite different. Although the pronunciation of the Japanese syllabic symbols is always the same, there are thousands of Chinese characters which are also used. These characters have at least two different pronunciations in Japanese and some of them have many more. Also, the same pronunciation may be used for many different characters with very different meanings. In my dictionary, there are five different characters pronounced "noh." The meanings include "a brain," "a purse," "agriculture," "pus" and "ability." The character meaning "ability" is also used for a traditional, unique Japanese drama developed in the 14th century. In this classical play, there are only male participants, even though they may take feminine roles. There are many different kinds of wooden masks used in the symbolic pantomimes by the actors in elaborate costumes. Their acting and dancing is accompanied by singers, or chanters, with a unique vocalization and by three drummers and a bamboo flute player. If someone asked me when I first arrived in Japan, "Do you know Noh?" I would have said "No," but now I do know Noh.

05/03/12  Sunday/Sonday  (Timely Words 0816)

Most countries throughout the world divide time periods into weeks with seven days. That's an odd number, but in the Bible, it is considered a sacred number, a perfect number. According to the Biblical account of the creation of the world, found in Genesis, chapter 1, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. That became the basis of one of the Ten Commandments given through Moses in Exodus, chapter 20, which stated that people should work six days and rest on the seventh day, which was called the "sabbath", meaning "rest". Today also, Jews continue to rest on the sabbath, the seventh day of the week. In the Christian Church tradition, however, the day for rest and worship was changed to the first day of the week, to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on that day. In both the Romance languages of Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese and in Japanese, the names of the days of the week are derived from the sun, moon and the five planets of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn in that order. Interestingly, there are two English words with three letters beginning with "s" and ending with "n" that are both pronounced "sun". The one spelled with a "u" denotes the bright, shining star at the center of our solar system. The one spelled with an "o" denotes a male child. Since in the New Testament, Jesus Christ is called the "Son of God", Christians may consider Sunday, the first day of the week as the "day of the Son" rather than "the day of the sun." Christians believe that both of these "suns" shine forth light into the world.

05/03/15  Caesar  (Timely Words 0817)

Julius Caesar is the name of the Roman statesman and general who succeeded in establishing a dictatorship known as the Roman Empire in 44 B.C. In March of that year, he was stabbed to death in the senate house by an opponent. In the ancient Roman calendar, the 15th day of March was called "Ides" and it is said that Julius Caesar had received a forewarning from a soothsayer to "Beware the Ides of March." That saying has become a classic warning of impending and certain danger. Although Caesar was originally a family name, it came to mean "emperor." It is from this name that the German "kaiser" and the Russian " czar," or "tsar," were derived. "Caesarean section" denotes a surgical operation to extract a fetus from a uterus for there was a legend that Julius Caesar was born by that method, but a "Caesar salad," consisting of tossed greens, anchovies, croutons and grated cheese with special dressings and an egg is not related to the Roman emperor. It was the rushed response to a sudden crowd of tourists at "Caesar's Place," a restaurant in Mexico, operated by Caesar Gardini. There were both advantages and disadvantages to be included in the empire ruled by the Caesars. In Jesus' day, many Jews were opposed to paying taxes that went to Rome, while others were willing to do so. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 22, verses 15-22, there is a story of how Jesus responded to the question of paying taxes to Caesar asked by representatives of groups in favor of it and opposed to it. After noting that the coins which would be used to pay the taxes bore the image of Caesar, he replied: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." According to the story of creation in Genesis, chapter 1, human beings were created in the image of God, so it is ourselves we should give to God.

05/03/18  Patrick  (Timely Words 0818)

A number of English words begin with the letters p-a-t-r-i, derived from the Latin word for "father." A "patriarch" is the male leader of a family or tribe and a system of social organization in which descent and succession are traced through the male line is called a "patriarchy." A "patrician" was a member of a noble family in ancient Rome and may denote an aristocrat, or a person of refined manners today. "Patrimony" is the property inherited from one's father and a person who gives support to some organization may be called a "patron." A "patriot" is a person who loves, supports and defends his "fatherland." The names "Patrick" and "Patricia" are both derived from this root and a man named Patrick became famous as the patron saint of Ireland. As a youth in Wales, he gave little thought to religion until he was captured by Irish pirates and sold as a slave in Ireland. Working for six years as a herdsman, he felt an increasing awareness of God and after his escape, he resolved to return to the land where he had found his faith to share it with the Irish pagans. To prepare himself for this task, he visited various monasteries and deepened his spiritual understanding. When he returned to Ireland about 432 A. D., he was vigorously opposed by druid priests who repeatedly captured him, but he always managed to escape. Traveling throughout the country, he made many converts and founded monasteries, schools and churches. Saint Patrick is now recognized as the Father and Founder of the Church in Ireland. On his feast day, March 17, the biggest annual parade in New York City is held as over 100,000 people walk along Fifth Avenue in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

05/03/22  Holy Week  (Timely Words 0819)

Something that is set apart for a sacred purpose may be called "holy." Those who believe that a shrine or temple is the "house of God"consider it a "holy place." Christians consider the church, where God is worshipped and where believers experience communion with God, a "holy place"and the writings which are considered the basis of the Christian faith (the Bible), a "holy book. And this week preceding Easter Sunday is called "holy week." During this week, the final days of Jesus' life, as recorded in the four Gospels in the New Testament, are recalled. The week begins with "Palm Sunday,"the day Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the symbol of humility, while crowds of people welcomed him waving branches from palm trees, the symbol of victory (John 12:12-16). Nowadays, in some churches, palm branches, or fronds, are given to those who gather to worship on Palm Sunday. The hymns chosen to sing on that day, the scripture readings and the sermon are all related to that "Triumphal Entry"into Jerusalem. Most of the people who shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"as he entered the city had a misconception of what would happen during that final week of Jesus' life, the first "holy week." Many were hoping that he would incite and lead a rebellion against the Roman government and establish an ideal kingdom in fulfillment of certain Old Testament prophecies. As the week continued, it became clear that Jesus was not the kind of "messiah" those people desired. Rather, he was willing to give up his life for the benefit of others and left us an example to follow (Philippians 2:5-11).

05/03/24  A Good Example  (Timely Words 0820)

An important element in attaining one's goal is to have a good example to follow. This is true in art, music, drama, sports, woodworking, preaching, learning to speak a different language and in many other areas. If we have a good example to copy, we are able to make better and more rapid progress than if we had none, whether we aim to write beautiful Chinese characters or to speak a foreign language fluently. It is very important in ethical or moral areas also for children and young people to have good examples to follow. As the English author, Samuel Johnson, wrote: "Example is always more efficacious than precept." At the last meeting of Jesus with his disciples, which is remembered during this Holy Week in the Christian Church, he took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist, poured water in a basin and began washing his disciples' feet and drying them with the towel. This was the customary work of a servant for guests in that day and area. Then he said to them: "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you"(John 13:13-15). Jesus taught his disciples not only with words, but also with his example, for "actions speak louder than words." Christians believe Jesus was the Son of God, but the example he left us to follow was one of humility. He emphasized serving others rather than dominating them; the most effective preachers are those that show their faith by deeds rather than simply by words.

05/03/26  A New Beginning  (Timely Words 0821)

In the normal course of events, that which has a beginning also has an ending. Often, the end of one event becomes the beginning of something new, as the end of one year marks the beginning of a new year. In Christian Churches, during the week before Easter the final days of Jesus' life are solemnly recalled, including his Last Supper with his disciples, his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, his betrayal by one of his disciples, his arrest and trials before Jewish and Roman authorities and, finally, his crucifixion. It may seem strange that the day of his death is called "Good Friday" in English. This may be a corruption of an earlier term, "God's Friday," or it may imply the good result that Christians attribute to Jesus' sacrificial death. At the time of his death, his disciples were sorrowful and completely disheartened, for their Lord, who they hoped would establish a new kingdom, had been betrayed, condemned and killed. How then, can the revivification of those depressed followers a couple of days later be explained? Not only did their sadness change to joy, but they were energized to share their joy with others in very practical ways. The Biblical account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead seems unbelievable, but for those who do believe, it becomes a new beginning, which has changed the course of human history. For Christians, the day of Jesus' resurrection, the first day of the week, has become a holy day and Easter Sunday is the high point of the year. In John 20:29, the resurrected Jesus said to the doubting Thomas: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

05/03/30  Virgin Islands  (Timely Words 0822)

The continents of North and South America are connected by a strip of land in which Mexico and six small countries are located. East of this land is the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, in which there are many islands, and the Atlantic Ocean. The archipelago separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, called the West Indies, includes a number of groups of islands, including the Bahama Islands and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. In the Leeward Islands, which are a part of the Lesser Antilles, there is a group of about one hundred small islands called the Virgin Islands. This name was given by Christopher Columbus who discovered them on his second voyage to the New World in 1493 in honor of St. Ursula and her companions. Over the years, they have been ruled by Spain, England, Holland, France and Denmark. Following the purchase of sixty-eight islands by the Danish ruler, King Frederick V, in 1754, they were known as the Danish West Indies. In 1917, the United States of America purchased these islands from Denmark to strengthen its influence in the area around the new Panama Canal. The formal transfer ceremonies took place on March 31st and that day is a legal holiday in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The three largest islands in this group bear the names of saints. They are St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. Another group of about thirty islands, known as the British Virgin Islands remain under British control. Residents of the Virgin Islands engage in stock raising, farming and fishing, but the islands have become a popular tourist attraction.

05/04/04  Daylight Saving Time  (Timely Words 0823)

The amount of daylight on a particular day of the year at a particular latitude is fixed. However, the hours of sunrise and sunset vary from day to day. During the spring and summer months, the sun rises earlier and sets later so there are more hours of daylight than in the fall and winter. In order to make more efficient use of the longer hours of daylight, clocks and watches in most areas of the United States of America are advanced one hour between the first Sunday of April and the last Sunday of October. This time change, which conserves electric power while providing more useable hours of daylight for activities in the late afternoon or evening, was first observed during the First World War. It was introduced again during the Second World War and later adopted as a fuel-saving measure during the energy crisis of the winter of 1973-74. Benjamin Franklin, when serving as the U.S. minister to France, wrote an article recommending the earlier opening and closing of shops to save the cost of lighting. Now, 200 years later, his recommendation is being followed. Not only the U.S.A. but also most areas of Canada and countries in the European Union as well as Russia observe the time change. Following the Pacific War, while Japan was under U. S. Occupation, daylight saving time was introduced there also, but it was unpopular in that country where nature and tradition are highly respected. Daylight saving time has been compared to an old Indian who cut off his blanket at one end and sewed it on to the other end to make it longer. During this season, we should reflect on how we make use of the limited time we have (Ephesians 5:15-16).

05/04/06  Spring and Fall  (Timely Words 0824)

As noted in the previous message, daylight saving time in the U. S. A. begins on the first Sunday of April and ends on the last Sunday of October. Thus, residents must adjust their clocks and watches on those days. But some people find it difficult to remember whether they should turn their clocks ahead one hour or back one hour. So the saying, "Spring ahead, Fall back,"was created to help them remember in which direction to move the hour hand on clocks and watches. In this statement, both "spring"and "fall"have a couple of different meanings. In fact, in the dictionary I usually use, there are 6 different definitions given for "spring"as an intransitive verb, 6 as a transitive verb and 16 as a noun. And there are 25 different definitions given for "fall"as a verb and 18 as a noun. In this saying, the word "spring" implies both the season of the year that precedes summer and a quick move forward. And the word "fall"signifies both autumn and a downward drop. Remembering this word, we turn our clocks an hour ahead in the spring and an hour back in the fall. A natural fountain or flow of water may also be called a "spring" and, in the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 4, verse 14, Jesus referred to the spiritual refreshment he gives to believers as "a spring of water welling up to eternal life." To "fall"may mean to fail, but in the Old Testament book of Psalms, chapter 145, verse 14, we read the encouraging word that "The Lord upholds all those who fall." A healthy faith engenders new life and stimulates hope for the future.

05/04/10  Rein/Reign/Rain  (Timely Words 0825)

The spelling and pronunciation of many English words is very irregular. For example, there are three homophones beginning with "r," ending with "n" with the vowel sound between them pronounced the same as the letter "a." If that single letter were inserted between the two consonants, however, another word would be created with a different pronunciation. When spelled r-e-i-n, the word denotes a long, narrow leather strap attached to the bridle of a horse and used by a rider to control the horse. When spelled r-e-i-g-n, the word denotes the exercise of sovereign power or the term during which a sovereign rules. But the most commonly used word, spelled r-a-i-n, denotes the drops of water that fall from the sky. Rain is very important for both the life and beauty of the earth. According to the English essayist and poet, Samuel Johnson, "rain is good for vegetables, and for the animals who eat those vegetables, and for the animals who eat those animals." Different areas of the world have rainy seasons at different times of the year. "April showers bring May flowers" is a common saying here, but in Japan, the rainy season is in June, considered a month for weddings and graduation ceremonies in the U. S. A. Both my wife and I graduated from high school and university and were married in June. This year, we have been invited to participate in the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nagoya International School in Japan, which we helped establish and served in various capacities and which our children and grandchildren attend(ed), so we plan to spend the month of June in Japan and hope the rainy season there will be a mild one.

05/04/13  Railroad  (Timely Words 0826)

The common meaning of "railroad" is "a road laid with parallel steel rails along which cars carrying passengers or freight are drawn by locomotives." At first, horses pulled the freight cars, but, later, steam-powered engines were used. The first railroad in the United States of America was constructed in the state of Massachusetts in 1826 and a transcontinental railroad, from the east coast to the west coast, was completed in 1869. In colloquial American English, "railroad" is sometimes used as a verb, meaning "to rush through quickly, especially so quickly as to prevent careful consideration." It was this kind of "railroad" that came to my mind as I considered how to explain my first election to the Board of Directors of the Nagoya International School at its 40th anniversary celebration which my wife and I plan to attend in Nagoya in June. Plans for the establishment of this international school were made in 1963, a year we were on furlough from our missionary work in Japan. When we returned to Nagoya with our three children at the end of August in 1964, we helped clean up and prepare the dilapidated building which would be used for that school during its first year. All members of the newly established Board of Directors had already been elected, but certain influential Directors decided that I should also be on the Board. Since the president of the P.T.A. also serves on the Board, they decided that I should be elected president and that plan was realized at the first P.T.A. meeting. Consequently, I sometimes say that I was "railroaded" to become P.T.A. president and a member of the Board of Directors.

05/04/15  Following Instructions  (Timely Words 0827)

It was during the American Civil War that both sides of the conflict decided to tax personal incomes as a means of raising much needed revenues, but that income tax was only temporary. In 1913, when the 16th amendment to the Constitution was passed, Congress was officially given the right to collect taxes on income. In the U. S. A., April 15th is the deadline for filing federal income tax returns, so people who had income last year have been busy filling out the required documents. Instructions regarding how to fill out the tax forms are provided, but when various sources of income, including interest from stocks and bonds, pension funds, etc. as well as wages need to be reported, many people find it difficult to understand and follow the instructions and request specialists to prepare their returns. Many of us older folk find it difficult to understand various kinds of instructions because of the advances in technology. In regard to computers, for example, and the amazing "internet" to which they give us access, even when we are given instructions to follow, it is often difficult for us to do so. Cicero, the Roman orator and philosopher who lived in the first century before Christ, wrote: "the wise are instructed by reason; ordinary minds, by experience; the stupid, by necessity; and brutes, by instinct." Instructions are needed in all areas of life, especially in the moral area. Where such instructions are to be found and how to understand and follow them is a problem. According to the classical translation of the New Testament, scripture, inspired by God is profitable for "instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16).

05/04/20  Ushers/Greeters  (Timely Words 0828)

In some theaters, auditoriums, courtrooms or legislative chambers, there are attendants, who meet people at the entrance and may escort them to a seat. Such a person is called an "usher," which is rooted in a Latin word meaning "entrance." When a meeting place is crowded, it is helpful to have an usher usher a latecomer to a vacant seat. The "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod," who carries a black wand surmounted by a gold lion, is the title of the officer responsible for maintaining order in the British House of Lords. Large churches that have rows of wooden benches with backs, called "pews," usually have ushers that greet people at the entrance, called the "narthex." If there are church bulletins, which include announcements and an order of worship for the day, the ushers give them to those who enter. At the interdenominational church in our retirement community, designated ushers for each month greet those who enter by any of the three entrances, give them a bulletin and circulate the offering plates at the proper time. During this month of April, my wife and I are serving as ushers. We also served as the "greeters" at a meeting of the Symposium Club this month. At meetings of this club, a lecture is given by one of the members on the special research he or she has done related to a certain subject. At such meetings, "greeters" simply greet, or welcome, the people who attend. The common American method of greeting or welcoming guests is to shake hands with them or hug them, but my wife and I sometimes follow the Japanese custom of bowing to them as well to remind them of our years of service in that country.

05/04/24  Cardinals/Popes  (Timely Words 0829)

One meaning of "cardinal" is a dark red color. There is also a North American bird having that color that is called a "cardinal." My wife and I frequently see this kind of cardinal through our dining room window as it picks at the birdseed we have put in a container that hangs from a pole. A professional baseball team in the United States of America also bears that name as do a group of men in the Roman Catholic Church who wear red robes and who elect the official head of that church who is called the "pope," meaning "papa." Many years ago, an amusing article appeared in a Japanese newspaper about a conversation between a Japanese student and a Roman Catholic priest while the "St. Louis Cardinals" baseball team was playing in Japan and the church officials called "Cardinals" were meeting in Rome to select a pope. They had very different concepts in mind as they used that word, as well as such words as "St. Louis" and "Red Sox," "winning" and "losing," "following the rules" and the number of their "supporters" in Japan. Recently, the "College of Cardinals" met in Rome to elect the successor to Pope John Paul II, who passed away after serving in that office for 26 years. Because of the number of members of the Roman Catholic Church around the world and the great influence exerted by its leader, the character and outlook of the man chosen to hold that position is of worldwide interest. To take the place of the deceased pope who came from Poland, the 115 Cardinals chose a German bishop to take his place. The new pope has chosen to be called "Benedict," the 16th pope to have that name. There have also been 16 popes called "Gregory" and "John" is the only name that has been used by more popes, a total of 23.

05/04/28  A Visit to a Zoo  (Timely Words 0830)

There are a number of English words beginning with z-o-o which are related to animals, including "zoology," the biological science of animals, "zoography," the biological description of animals, "zoogeography," the biological study of the geographic distribution of animals, and "zoolatry," the worship of animals. A "zoo" is a place where many different kinds of animals from many different parts of the world are kept for people to see. In many zoos, the animals are confined to cages, but in the Jacksonville Zoo, which is located about one hour away from the retirement community where my wife and I live, it is not so. Rather, most of the animals are able to roam freely in large areas that resemble their native lands and it is the human visitors to the zoo that must stay within the fenced-in walkways that have been prepared. Recently we went to that zoo by bus along with 30 other residents of this community. After entering the zoo, we did not stay together as a group but were able to visit the areas where the animals we wanted to see were living and return to the entrance after two hours. Walking around the zoo, we saw large elephants and rhinoceros, tall giraffes and hefty gorillas, lions and leopards, zebras and llamas, kangaroos and crocodiles, large and small birds of many different colors and shapes, reptiles and fish and many animals whose names we had never read or heard before. We were amazed at the great variety of living things in the world and we find it difficult to believe or imagine that such variety, beauty and uniqueness developed by chance, apart from a purposeful Creator and Designer.

05/05/02  Lei Day  (Timely Words 0831)

The verbs "lay" and "lie" are frequently confused. "Lay" is a transitive verb and takes an object, but "lie" is an intransitive verb and does not take an object. Thus, when I take a nap in the early afternoon, I lay my glasses on my desk before I lie on my bed. Another kind of "lie," a noun spelled and pronounced the same as the verb, means a false statement, but if the vowels are reversed, the pronunciation becomes the same as "lay," and the meaning changes also. In many Western countries, the first day of the month of May is called May Day and is celebrated by displaying flowers as symbols of the arrival of spring and the beauty of this season of the year. "Lei," however, is a Hawaiian word denoting a garland of flowers worn around the neck and, in Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day. Leis, composed of carnations, jasmines or orchids, are often presented to visitors and guests to these islands at any time of year, but a special effort is made for everyone to wear a lei on Lei Day. This tradition began on May 1, 1928 and the slogan that "Lei Day is May Day" became popular. In some areas, schoolchildren in homemade costumes present programs of Polynesian songs and dances on this day before a school queen and her court. Contests are held and prizes are awarded for the most beautiful garlands, fashioned out of blossoms, seeds, leaves, ferns and pods. Both residents and tourists are urged to dress in gaily colored island clothes—muumuus and aloha shirts. My wife and I have worn leis during visits to Hawaii on our way to or from Japan and have both a muumuu and an aloha shirt, which we seldom wear.

05/05/04  Constitution Day  (Timely Words 0832)

The first week of May is known as "Golden Week" in Japan because of the series of holidays that are observed during that time. May the 3rd is Constitution Memorial Day, for it was on that day in 1947 that the new Constitution was put into effect. Under the previous Constitution, the Emperor was considered a descendant of the Sun Goddess, an absolute ruler who was to be revered. The first Article of the present Constitution, however, which was composed and enacted under the influence of the occupation authorities following the end of the Pacific War, clearly states that "the Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power." And the most significant and controversial part of this document is Article 9: "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized." Now that Japan has again become one of the main economic and political powers in the world, it is difficult for it to literally follow these criteria, even as it is difficult for some Americans to literally follow certain rules or implications of the American Constitution–or for Christians to follow certain commandments in the Bible.

05/05/07  Constitution/Bylaws  (Timely Words 0833)

It is not only countries and other organizations that have constitutions; people have them also. One meaning of "constitution" is "the system of fundamental laws and principles that prescribes the nature, functions and limits of a government or other institution," but another meaning is "the physical make-up of a person." A healthy man may be said to have a "strong constitution." Many organizations that have constitutions also have "bylaws." When "by" is used as a prefix, it denotes something secondary or incidental. A "bypass" is "a road or highway that passes around or to one side of an obstructed of congested area;" a "bystander" is "a person who is present at an event without participating in it;" a "by-product" is "something produced in the making of something else;" a "byline" is a line at the head of a newspaper or magazine article with the author's name," and a "bylaw" is a "secondary law, a law or rule governing the internal affairs of an organization." For many years, the Association of Penney Retirement Community Residents, of which my wife and I are members, has had both a Constitution and Bylaws, which were last revised five years ago. At a recent meeting of the Association, we were given the draft of a proposed revision which would merge the two documents into one. If this draft is approved by a majority of the members at the next business meeting, it will simplify the legal basis of the organization since we will then need to refer to only one document instead of two. In the case of legalistic documents, we recall the "byword," "the fewer the better."

05/05/12  Inlet/Outlet  (Timely Words 0834)

Last Sunday, my wife received telephone calls from all three of our children, who live in New Mexico, Thailand and Japan. Of course, that second Sunday in May is celebrated as Mother's Day. (I think it would be reasonable to put the apostrophe in that term either before or after the "s," but I will follow the customary usage.) In response to a request from our daughter in Thailand, the following day, we went to a large shopping area, where there are 95 different "outlets," to buy something she wanted. While waiting there for my wife, I thought about the meaning of "outlet." It would be natural to think that "outlet" would be the opposite of "inlet," but that does not always seem to be the case. I considered making a comparison of the usage of these two terms with the terms "upload" and "download," which are now commonly used in relation to computers. However, to my surprise, I did not find either of these words in my American Heritage Dictionary, published in 1985. In that dictionary, the common meaning of "inlet" is related to a bay along a coast, a stream leading inland from the ocean or a narrow passage between two islands. But the meanings of "outlet" are not related to water. Rather, the definition that fits the shopping area we went to is as follows: "a store that sells the goods of a particular manufacturer or wholesaler." I was reminded that the usage and meaning of words change and that translations are always imperfect—whether in reference to political or religious documents or to a common conversation.

05/05/14  Surprise  (Timely Words 0835)

Sometimes I find it difficult to decide on a subject for these "Timely Words" messages. My primary aim is to continue to provide interesting, informative, meaningful messages for the former listeners to my "Daily Word" telephone messages in Japan (many of whom I hope to see next month), so I compose messages related to the meaning, pronunciation and usage of words as well as those related to annual events or personal experiences. This message was stimulated by a telephone call a couple of days ago from Dallas, Texas. When I answered the phone, I was amazed to be informed that the caller was a childhood friend of mine who lived in my neighborhood and with whom I often played. While still young, he moved away and I do not think we have been in contact with each other for over 70 years. He found my phone number here in Florida by calling the church in northern Illinois with which I have been related since my birth. After informing him of the address of this homepage, I reread the "New Message" on it and found a serious mistake in it. I immediately corrected it and informed the man who is responsible for the "Previous Messages" file, who sometimes contacts me regarding words or details that he questions. In that message, I had mistakenly written "input and output" instead of "upload and download." That mistake should also be corrected in the files or memories of all who read it. I am embarrassed and I apologize for any confusion it caused. Although I clearly recognize my fallibility, I will try to be more careful in the future.

05/05/17  Middle  (Timely Words 0836)

"Middle" denotes an area or point that is equally distant from extremes. When used in mathematics, the "middle" of a line or a circle may be very exact, but when used in theoretical contexts, the "middle" is not so clear. In political or religious positions, the "middle ground" is often a matter for debate. "Middle School" is the educational unit between elementary school and high school, but who to include in the "middle class" in a society is more difficult. In Japanese, it is common to divide months into three divisions of ten days each (called jun), so we may speak of the beginning of the month (jô-jun),the middle of the month (chû-jun) or the end of the month (ge-jun), and the meaning is very clear. This is the middle of the month of May (go-gatsu no chû-jun). In the Gospel of John, chapter 19, verse 18, it is written that Jesus was crucified with two others, "one on each side and Jesus in the middle," so the place of Jesus' cross is very clear. But how to define "middle age" is much more difficult. It has been humorously defined by various American writers as follows: "That time in life when one wishes that there was some other way to start the day than by getting up;" "When each day makes you feel two days older;" "When you are too young to take up golf and too old to rush up to the net;" "When the hardest thing to raise in your garden is your knees;" "When you want to see how long your car will last instead of how fast it will go;" "When a man feels he gets less for his money each time he goes to the barber," and "The uncomfortable feeling that perhaps your gray hair isn't premature."

05/05/20  Slides  (Timely Words 0837)

What is a "slide?" There are many different kinds of "slides." Children may think of the fixture in a playground on which they climb a ladder and then slide down a chute. A baseball player may think of a way to reach a base safely without being tagged out. But the "slide" which stimulated this message is "an image on a transparent plate for projection on a screen." My wife and I are now preparing for our trip to Japan later this month where we will join in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Nagoya International School. Included in that preparation is looking through the many boxes of slides that we have of people and places around the world. I think present teachers and students might be interested in seeing the farmland on which the school was built before there was any building there and some of the historic events or ceremonies that took place 35-40 years ago, so I have chosen such slides to take with us to Japan in case there is an opportunity to show them. While choosing certain slides from the thousands which we have, I wondered what will happen to those slides after my wife and I depart from this life. In this era when digital cameras, CDs and DVDs are becoming popular and people or organizations having slide projection equipment are very few, it may well be that the slides which are meaningful to us will slide into a garbage can. Some American presidents build museums or libraries in which to store documents they consider important. My wife and I do not plan to do so, but if we find the time, we will sort through our slides to choose those we think are worth saving.

05/05/24  Earthquakes/Typhoons  (Timely Words 0838)

A recent article in our local newspaper was titled: "Agency produces earth-shaking map." It told of a new U.S. Geological Survey Website that provides an up-to-date quake-probability map for the state of California. Using various systems of measurement and historical records, the website includes a "forecast of earthquake hazard in the next 24 hours" for the entire state. While my wife and I lived in Japan, from 1951 to 1999, we experienced many earthquakes and the tremors that preceded or followed them. Earthquake drills along with fire drills are regularly practiced in schools there. Earthquakes do not occur in our home state of Illinois and the first time we experienced one was in San Francisco, California, while we were waiting for the arrival of the freighter which was to take us to Japan on our first trip there. The freighter was delayed so we had to remain in San Francisco for a couple more days during which we felt the earth quake. After boarding the freighter, we spent the next two weeks on a turbulent ocean blasted with strong winds caused by a typhoon. This was the second fearful event that helped prepare us for the natural situation in Japan just before our arrival there. Both earthquakes and typhoons are common occurrences in Japan and if they can be accurately predicted, it will be of great benefit. There is an interesting story in the Old Testament book of I Kings, chapter 19, verses 11-12, where the prophet Elijah experienced the presence of God, not in a powerful wind or earthquake or fire, but in a "gentle whisper."

05/05/28  Visit to Japan  (Timely Words 0839)

As the month of May draws to a close, my wife and I are preparing for our visit to Japan—the third since our retirement in 1999. The first two visits were related to churches we had served in the cities of Kariya and Takahama in Aichi Prefecture. This time, we will join in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Nagoya International School, with which we have both been related (along with our children and grandchildren) throughout the years. Sunday afternoon, we plan to drive 220 kilometers to the city of Orlando in a rented car and spend the night in an inn near the airport, from which we are scheduled to leave early the next morning. After changing planes in Chicago, we begin the 13-hour flight to Nagoya. We are looking forward to the NIS Gala on Friday night, June 3, and to the Graduation Ceremony on Sunday. A meeting of former listeners to my "Daily Word" telephone messages is scheduled for June 11 at the Tsurumai Public Hall and I am planning to preach at the churches in Kariya and Takahama on June 12 and 19. We also hope to visit the EXPO. I recently obtained a new International Driving Permit in the expectation that a car will be available for our use and that I will remember which side of the road to drive on. We hope to see former students, parents, members of churches and Bible Classes as well as readers of these "Timely Words" messages. We plan to stay at the home of our son along with our daughter from Thailand and are scheduled to depart from Nagoya International Airport on the afternoon of June 30.

05/06/02  Busyness  (Timely Words 0840)

Since entering this Christian retirement community six years ago, my wife and I have had to reconsider the meaning of "retire." Because the prefix "re" usually means "again" or "anew," we jokingly say that (like an old car that has been used for many years) we need to get new "tires" to keep going at our normal pace. Or we may consider another meaning of "tire" and note that, since our retirement, we have become "tired" again. The reason we feel tired is because we participate in so many volunteer activities as well as attending regular meetings and stimulating study sessions, all of which we enjoy but which keep us busy. Although, we are not engaged in any "business," we are experiencing another kind of "busyness." This has been especially evident as we have been preparing for our visit to Japan. While considering what clothes to wear during the "rainy season," which is usually hot and humid, we recall that some years it was cooler and drier. Along with our wearing apparel, we are also taking gifts and other things that we presume we will need. Since I hope to continue adding up-to-date messages on this homepage and to send and read e-mail during that trip, I must also take my laptop computer and its attachments. Sunday, our last day in the U.S., was an especially busy time. As usual, we attended the "Dialogue Class," of which I have been the president during the past year, for an hour before the worship service, following which we ate our dinner and then went to the car rental office to obtain the car I drove for three hours to the inn near the airport where we spent the night. Monday morning, we boarded a plane for Chicago, from which we flew on to Nagoya, arriving safely on Tuesday afternoon, Japan time.

05/06/08  A View from Above  (Timely Words 0841)

On our trip to Japan from Florida, we spent 16 hours in the air—3 hours from Orlando to Chicago and 13 hours from Chicago to the new international airport in Nagoya. On both flights, we were able to look out of a window and there were two views which were particularly impressive from my point of view. At certain times along the way, there were clouds in the sky. Sometimes, clouds filled the entire sky, so that nothing could be seen. At other times, we were above a sea of clouds that seemed to be formed in lines of varied shapes and heights. And at other times, the clouds were gathered together in larger or smaller bunches with sections of clear sky between them. In such cases, the size and shape of the clouds were very different and, using our imagination, we could discern many interesting figures in them, but in whatever case, the sight was beautiful. There were also times when a clear sky without clouds offered extraordinary sights of the ground beneath us. The tall mountains in Alaska were characterized by white veins of snow that extended from their bare, brown ridges. This also was a beautiful sight, but the tall mountains we saw in Japan were quite different. These mountains also had ridges, but rather than being brown and white, they were a beautiful green. Whether clouds or mountains, the natural formations and colors were beautiful and the question arises about whether this is simply the result of chance or the artistic design of a Creator. According to Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

05/06/12  NIS Gala  (Timely Words 0842)

According to my dictionary, a "gala" is a "festive occasion" and the first "a" in the word may be pronounced like the "a" in "pat" or in "pay" or in "father." Yes, the pronunciation of English words is very complicated and irregular. There are a number of different recognized pronunciations of the same letter. The main purpose of our visit to Japan this month was to attend the special celebratory events of the Nagoya International School, which held a "Gala" in a Nagoya hotel on June 3rd. This school was established forty years ago and has recently completed a complete renovation of its unique circular building. At the Gala, which was attended by about three hundred people, who enjoyed a buffet dinner, musical entertainment and a raffle, I was honored as the "Special Guest" and presented with a special attractive memento "in appreciation for the many years of service on behalf of Nagoya International School." The statement contains the further excessive words that "you have not only helped students of NIS, but you have facilitated the internationalization of the entire region as well." In my greeting, I quoted from letters written by my wife to our parents about the school over 40 years ago, which my mother had saved. At the Gala and at the school, which we had visited the day before, we met many present and former teachers, students, Board members and friends. My wife especially enjoyed meeting former members of her pre-school classes who are graduating from high school this year or have already graduated from college. We realized that, not only the school, but also we ourselves are getting older.

05/06/14  Graduation/Commencement  (Timely Words 0843)

The final ceremony marking the conclusion of the educational process for students of a certain school may be called either a "graduation" or a "commencement." Students who "graduate" will move up from that school and "commence" a new stage of life after having completed the school's requirements. The 38th Commencement of Nagoya International School was held on Sunday afternoon, June 3rd, in the school's gymnasium, which is also used as an auditorium. National flags of over twenty countries were displayed, representing homelands of students presently enrolled in the school. There were 16 graduates from four countries and the Nagoya City Fire Bureau Band, which regularly plays at NIS Commencement programs, played the national anthem of each of those countries: France, Korea, Japan and the United States of America. Addresses were delivered by the salutatorian and valedictorian of the graduating class and by the special commencement speaker. A couple of meaningful songs were sung by the Concert Choir. I had been asked to deliver the Benediction, the short prayer offered at the end of a church service or a public ceremony. I was surprised to learn that the particular benediction I had composed for this school, with the variety of cultural and religious traditions represented by its students, which I had offered as the Board Chairman ten years ago, had been used at every Commencement since then. Following the ceremony, a reception was held at which my wife and I enjoyed meeting more old friends while eating and drinking refreshments that were available.

05/06/17  Visiting EXPO 2005  (Timely Words 0844)

Every few years, an international exhibit of products, art works, historical mementos, etc. representing individual countries is held in an approved place to promote both the understanding and commercial interests of the countries involved in the exposition. This year, EXPO 2005 is being held near the city where our son's house is located, so my wife and I and our daughter, who arrived from Thailand the day after we arrived, visited the EXPO on two consecutive days. We are grateful that this is a "dry rainy season" in Japan thus far but the clouds on those days kept us from getting sunburned. The grounds were very crowded, both inside and outside the various pavilions, but we tried to avoid the long lines that delayed admission to certain popular sites. We were amazed at the exhibits of countries we thought we knew as well as those unknown to us, but another amazing thing happened while we were there. As I walked along the trail, a man walking in the opposite direction stopped and asked if my name was Clark Offner and if I had once lived in the city of Kariya. When I replied that it was so, he informed me that he had known me at that time, when he was a high school student over fifty years ago. He not only remembered my name but the names of my wife and our two children as well. After he told me his name and I looked at him more closely, I did recall having seen him before, but I did not remember anything else. Looking at the crowds of visitors at the EXPO, we were impressed by the relatively few Caucasian faces we saw, but it is probably not surprising that the majority of visitors were from Asia.

05/06/20  "Daily Word" Listeners Meeting  (Timely Words 0845)

When my wife and I came to Japan in 1951 as missionaries, our "mission" was not only to establish churches, but to manifest the spirit of Christ as we sought to minister to the needs of the people around us. Along with our church-planting ministry, we were involved in the establishment of the Nagoya International School, which is now celebrating its 40th anniversary. I also began a telephone ministry, transmitting a recorded Christian message in Japanese from our church in the city of Takahama. (Later, a book was published which included one such message for every day of the year.) Then I began an English language telephone service called "Daily Word," which became very popular. Eventually taken over by NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone), almost 900,000 calls were received during the 19 years it continued. It was our custom to hold "Listeners Meetings" at a public hall in Nagoya on the 5th Sundays of the month where we spoke in English and "Daily Word Echoes," composed of corrected essays written by listeners on topics I had suggested, were distributed. Listeners came from distant places and we enjoyed talking with them. Two "old-timers" of that group organized a meeting at a public hall on Saturday afternoon, June 11th. There, we enjoyed meeting with about two dozen former listeners, including one from Tokyo and one from Kobe, but elderly ladies from Fukushima and Tsuyama were unable to attend. At the meeting, discussion included a plan to make a permanent site on the Internet where the "Daily Word" and "Timely Words" messages (now totaling over 7,000) would always be accessible.

05/06/24  Amnesty/Religious Dialogue  (Timely Words 0846)

Amnesty International, which seeks to promote the human rights of persons throughout the world, has emphasized the rights of those who have been arrested or imprisoned on the basis of their religious or cultural traditions rather than having committed a crime. A couple of decades ago, a missionary friend and I organized the first Amnesty group in the city of Nagoya. For a few years, I also composed the sample English postcard messages which were sent to members throughout the country to copy and send to officials in countries where such prisoners were being held to protest the violation of their human rights. Later, many other groups were formed in Nagoya; two weeks ago my wife and I attended the meeting of one of them, where the problem of lepers in Japan was discussed. The following Saturday, we met with a few of the members of the inter-religious dialogue group I had organized 25 years ago to encourage a deeper understanding of other religions. There are many different religions in Japan, but most Japanese do not have a deep religious conviction of their own nor do they understand much of other religions. This group continued to meet following my retirement, but has now discontinued its monthly meetings. Nevertheless, those who attended the recent quickly called meeting included two Buddhist priests, one leader of a Tenrikyo Branch and a member of the Salvation Army. The hope was expressed that even irregular meetings of the group would be helpful and I hope that may be one of the results of that meeting. I have been very happy to meet many old friends from many different backgrounds.

05/06/26  Kariya/Takahama Churches  (Timely Words 0847)

When my wife and I first came to Japan, in the fall of 1951, we spent our first year in Tokyo. There, we attended a Japanese language school and I taught English Bible Classes in a church and a company. We also visited certain cities, towns and villages where there were no churches, for we wanted to begin our missionary work in such a place. On a trip on the Tokaido Line from Tokyo to Kyoto, we disembarked at a number of stations and spent an hour walking around the area to get an impression of that community before boarding the next train. For a couple of reasons, the community which stimulated the most negative impression was Kariya, but it was to that city that we felt led to begin our work. An uncle of our landlady in Tokyo lived in Okazaki and it was through his contact that we found a place to live in Kariya. Following the establishment of a church in that city, we began work in the neighboring town of Takahama. Now, there are small congregations with Japanese pastors that meet in those two cities. Regular meetings and classes were also held in the nearby communities of Chiryu and Higashiura, but no churches were established there. Although the churches in both Kariya and Takahama, for various reasons, are struggling, we are thankful they continue to exist. On the past two Sundays, we attended worship services in those churches at which I preached the sermons, using somewhat "rusted" Japanese. After the services, we enjoyed a time of fellowship with those who attended and a couple of days later we went back to both cities to talk with the church leaders.

05/06/29  Accomodations  (Timely Words 0848)

This is our third visit to Japan since we retired. Each visit raised the problem of accommodations while we are here. Shortly before we left for the U.S.A. in 1999, a lady who had lived in our neighborhood years before and who had attended English classes taught by my wife read an article in the newspaper about our retirement and came to say "Farewell" to her. My wife mentioned that our son was planning to tear down his old house and build a new one on the lot next to a well-known park just outside of Nagoya and needed temporary accommodations for his family during that time. The lady said she had an apartment in a nearby community she was not using and that became the home of our son and family for the next four years. Our first visit, in 2001, was in response to a request of our Japanese churches to hold special meetings. At that time, an apartment just below that of our son became available and that is where we stayed. There was also room there for our daughter who came to visit us from her home in Thailand. Our second visit, in 2003, was related to church business, but we were able to stay in an apartment next to a regular listener to my "Daily Word" telephone service who knew of our need for one. Following that visit, we stopped in Thailand to visit our daughter. On this third visit, stimulated by the Nagoya International School's 40th anniversary celebration, we are enjoying living with our son and family in the new 2-storey house that he finished building last year. We are amazed at the beautiful, comfortable and efficient home that is the result of his skillful carpentry abilities which we did not realize he possessed.

05/07/01  Times Change  (Timely Words 0849)

Before my wife and I left for Japan last month, we were concerned that our trip would be less enjoyable due to the rainy days which are expected during the "rainy season" there. However, we were surprised at the little rain we experienced, which has caused concern to farmers and water system operators; rain did not interfere with our schedule at all. Among the many impressions we have carried back to the U.S.A. from our recent visit are the changes that have taken place in certain areas. We visited the three different neighborhoods in Nagoya in which we had lived for ten years or more. One house we could not find for it was no longer there. Another house was to be torn down soon and a new, bigger house had replaced the old house in which we had lived in a third area. It was very obvious to us that "times change." A few days before we left, our son brought a new puppy dog home. The black Labrador retriever they had had for many years died last summer and now they have a small, light brown boxer with a white stomach, white paws and a black nose. The family is in the midst of "training" this new "family member" and we are again reminded how "times change." We are now back in the U.S.A., which is also experiencing a water shortage in certain areas. We expect our son from New Mexico to join us here in my hometown in northern Illinois over the Independence Day celebrations at the home of my sister, whose husband is a former mayor of the city, before we leave for Florida on July 7th.

05/07/04  Fireworks Display  (Timely Words 0850)

Even as religious groups celebrate certain days as "holy days" (days set aside for special religious observances), nations celebrate certain days as "holidays" (days marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event). In the United States of America, the 4th day of the 7th month of the year is celebrated as Independence Day to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by representatives of the Thirteen Colonies on that day in 1776. In my hometown of Zion, Illinois, it is customary to have an impressive fireworks display in the central park in the evening of that day. Our elder son, who had just arrived from a short trip to Michigan, joined my wife and me, my sister and her husband to watch the fireworks along with countless other observers who had gathered around the park. While others sat on blankets they had spread on the ground, we sat on folding chairs we had brought from my sister�fs home. For half-an-hour, from 9:30 to 10:00 p.m., our attention was riveted by the amazing display of colorful cascades high in the sky accompanied by loud explosions. There was a great variety of both color and sound. Some fireworks showered their green, red, blue, gold or white tentacles following only one explosion, while others continued to explode and shower the sky with additional streams of colorful lights as the observers responded with "ohs" and "ahs." Following the impressive spectacle, it took us much time to get to our car and drive back home because of all the cars and people in the area, but on this day, we enjoyed the "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" that are considered "unalienable rights" in the Declaration of Independence.

05/07/10  Back in Florida  (Timely Words 0851)

On the 29th of May, my wife and I began our trip from the town of Penney Farms in Florida to the city of Nagoya in Japan. We rented a car from an agent in a nearby town and drove to the city of Orlando, where we spent the night in an inn near the airport from which we departed early the next day. After a very enjoyable time in Japan, where we met with family and friends related to school, churches and other activities, we left Japan on the 30th of June. On our return trip, we did not simply change planes in the city of Chicago; we stayed for a week in the home of my sister and visited with church members and friends in my hometown. On July 7, our son accompanied us to the airport in Chicago, where he boarded a plane going southwest a few minutes after we boarded a plane going southeast. At the Orlando Airport, we went to pick up the rental car we had ordered by telephone, but my credit card was not accepted there so we went to another agency and obtained a car at a lower fee. Following the 3-hour drive, we arrived home and were happy that our own car started without a problem after not being used for over a month. At the post office, I received a huge container of mail for us that had accumulated over the past five weeks. Now we continue to read the mail and talk with neighbors and friends who ask many questions about our trip. It is the "hurricane season" here and the citizens of this state have been advised to be prepared for strong winds and rain. Both Japan and the Chicago area had less rain than usual this year, but Florida has had plenty of rain. We are reminded that whether we consider the weather favorable or unfavorable depends on both the region and our perception or evaluation and the same reasoning is true in other areas as well.

05/07/10  "Timely Words" Messages  (Timely Words 0852)

For the English language telephone service I began in Japan, I composed a different message every day. That service was called "Daily Word." After my retirement, I did not want to feel pressure to compose a daily message, so I called the webpage "Timely Words" and added new messages at my convenience, but I tried to make all of them "timely." Recently, the messages have included personal experiences related to my visit to Japan, but now that I am back in the States, I will try to return to more general or educational subjects. However, I would like to receive communications from readers related to the kind of messages they desire. What kind of content do you prefer—historical, geographical, etymological, logical, cultural, religious, moral? During my visit to Japan, I met with the man who set up the "Timely Words" homepage and inquired about having it revised. Hopefully, the "Guestbook" will again be useable and "voiced messages" will also be available with my American English pronunciation. You may communicate with me by clicking on the "Mail to Clark Offner" box on the title page. Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists created by the National Hurricane Center. The lists included only women's names until 1979 when men's and women's names were alternated. The recent hurricane, named "Dennis" did not cause much of a problem in our area, but we were encouraged to "Be Prepared," which is good advice in all areas of life. Recently, I read the statement that it is better to believe in the existence of God and to find out that there is no God than to not believe in God and find out that actually God exists.

05/07/17  "Dog in the Manger"  (Timely Words 0853)

The word "mange" denotes a skin disease caused by parasitic insects. The English word is derived from an Old French word meaning "to eat." Another English word derived from the same root is the word "manger." In this modern industrialized world, few people have actually seen a "manger" and many people do not understand its meaning. According to one dictionary, a "manger" is "a trough in which feed for livestock is placed." Another dictionary is more specific in its definition: "a box or trough to hold hay, etc. for horses or cattle to eat." In case you do not know what a "trough" is, it is a long, narrow receptacle. During most of the year, we seldom hear or read about a "manger," but during the Christmas season, as the year approaches its end, the word "manger" is frequently seen or heard for it is related to the story of Jesus' birth. According to the second chapter of the New Testament Gospel of Luke, an angel appeared to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks at night and informed them of the birth of "a Savior . . . Christ the Lord," who was "lying in a manger." When the shepherds followed the angel's directions, they found that it was so and spread the word about the baby lying in a manger. Turning to another page in my dictionary, I find the the interesting term "dog in the manger," which is defined as "One who prevents others from enjoying what he himself has no use for." This expression comes from "a fable about a dog who settled himself in a manger and would not let the ox eat the hay, even though the dog wouldn't and couldn't eat it himself." Unfortunately, we find dogs in mangers today in many countries where wealthy people have much more than they need but are not willing to share any of it with others.

05/07/20  Islam  (Timely Words 0854)

One of the major religions in the world today is Islam. It has become the focus of much attention in recent years because of the activities of certain groups which profess to be inspired by it and because of the influence of certain Islamic countries with immense oil resources. In Arabic, Islam means "submission." Total submission to the will of God (Allah) is the basic belief of Islam and adherents to this religion are called "Muslims," literally meaning "ones who submit." In the year 610, an Arabian merchant, named Muhammad, claimed to have received a revelation from Allah through an angel. This and subsequent revelations were eventually written in a book, which has become the holy text of Islam, called the Quran. This Islamic scripture is written in Arabic and it is only the original Arabic version which is considered the word of God. No translation is recognized as such. The Quran consists of 114 chapters, arranged in order of length, with very few historical points of reference. It emphasizes the unitary, omnipotent and omniscient nature of God, the implications of the revealed Law, the nature and scope of prophecy and the punishments and rewards that await humanity on the future Day of Judgment. The basic statement of faith for the Muslim is: "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet." Muslims are required to repeat prayers at designated times five times a day, to fast during the holy month of Ramadan, to visit the sacred temple at Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in a lifetime and to make contributions to those in need. Muslims recognize both Moses and Jesus as prophets of Islam.

05/07/23  Bias  (Timely Words 0855)

As I have noted in previous messages, I think it is impossible to make a perfect translation from one language to another. My personal experience is related to the languages of Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese and English and I have come to the realization that languages reflect the cultures in which they developed; certain words or expressions in one culture do not have their exact equivalent in another culture, making a perfect, literal translation impossible. Until we try to translate words into another language, we are often unaware of their distinctive implications and consider our native language as suitable for communication to all people. I was reminded of this as I read newspaper articles related to President Bush's selection of a candidate for the Supreme Court. Some articles emphasized the need for one who is unbiased. Others seemed to prefer a judge who has the right kind of bias. In this case, "bias" denotes "a preference or inclination . . . that inhibits impartial judgment; prejudice." From my perspective, there is no one who is without a bias. Many people are unaware of their biased views, which have developed as a result of their personality, education and experience. We unconsciously inherit biases from our parents or assimilate them from our social environment. Such biases may be related to ethnic, educational or social status factors. Not only judges, but teachers, pastors, students and all people should attempt to recognize their biases and seek to eliminate them. Let us recognize all people as a part of the same human family, despite our different languages, cultures, skin colors, genders and experiences.

05/07/28  Nuts  (Timely Words 0856)

Certain English words have a number of very different definitions. In some cases, it is difficult to imagine how such a wide variety of meanings got connected to that word. For example, according to one dictionary, the basic meaning of "nut" is "a hard-shelled, solid-textured, one-celled fruit, such as an acorn or a hazelnut that does not split open." Such nuts may be put in a dish for people to eat. The nut used by a carpenter, however, is quite different. It is "a small block, usually of metal, with a threaded hole through the center for screwing onto a bolt." Such nuts are usually kept with tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches. Another kind of "nut" is the "ridge of wood at the top of the fingerboard of a stringed instrument, over which the strings pass." Such nuts are found on violins and guitars. Then, there is the slang usage denoting "a crazy or eccentric person." People suffering from mental illnesses may be considered "nuts," but some narrow-minded folk use the term to refer to those who disagree with them on certain issues. And a person who is very enthusiastic about something may be called a "nut," such as "a movie nut," or "a baseball nut." We may say that such people are "nuts about movies" or "nuts about baseball." As an interjection, "nuts" is used "to express contempt, disappointment or refusal." Although there may be times when I make use of the word, either in its singular or plural form, I would not to use it in response to a statement or proposal of my wife. If I do use it, the context must be carefully considered to determine the correct meaning. It is not only nuts who serve nuts along with drinks or who use nuts to fasten bolts. And we should consider any viewpoint or proposal carefully, even those we disagree with before replying "Nuts."

05/07/31  August(ine)  (Timely Words 0857)

When the word spelled a-u-g-u-s-t is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable, it is an adjective, denoting something inspiring awe and reverence. When the accent is placed on the first syllable and the first letter is capitalized, the word becomes a noun denoting the eighth month of the year. "Augustus" was the title given by the Roman senate to the first Roman emperor, Octavian, in 27 B.C.E. It was this grandnephew of Julius Caesar who decided that the name of this month should be changed to "August" in his honor just as the previous month had been changed to "July" in honor of his great uncle. It is said that Augustus took a day from another month to add to his month so that it would not have fewer days than that of July. In this southeastern state of Florida, August is very hot and humid and the month when hurricanes develop. There are two famous religious leaders in church history whose names include this name and whose influence continues in the church today. Their name is "Augustine" and both of them have been designated "saints" in the Roman Catholic Church. The writings of St. Augustine, the bishop of Hippo in northern Africa in the 5th century, emphasized certain doctrinal, philosophical truths that are considered basic in Christian theology. It was another St. Augustine, who went to England, stimulated the spread of Christianity among the Anglo-Saxons in the 7th century and became the first archbishop of Canterbury. And the oldest city in the United States of America, located on the east coast of the state of Florida, about 45 minutes from our present residence, is named St. Augustine and we often take visitors there to see various historic sites and other places of interest.

05/08/05  Planets/Days of the Week  (Timely Words 0858)

The English word "plane" is derived from a Latin word meaning "flat." It may denote a flat surface or a carpenter's tool used for smoothing wood, making it more flat. It is also used as a shortened form of "airplane." When a "t" is added, it becomes "planet," which is rooted in a Greek word meaning "wanderer" and originally denoted a celestial body that seemed to move. In modern English, a "planet" is a heavenly body which revolves around a star, such as the sun. In the solar system, there are nine known major planets which revolve around the sun, one of which is the earth. In ancient astronomy, however, all heavenly bodies that seemed to move were considered "planets." The five "planets" other than the sun and the moon were given names of Roman gods: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. From the names of these gods/planets, the names of the days of the week were derived. In Japanese as well as in European languages, this relationship may be recognized, but in English, Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian names of the deities were used. Thus, English names of the days of the week between the days of the Sun and Moon and Saturn originally looked more like Tiw's Day, Woden's Day, Thor's Day and Frigg's Day. One theory regarding why a week consists of seven days is related to the mistaken concept that there were seven planets that revolved around the earth, but the Jewish/Christian tradition is based on the Biblical account of creation, which ends as follows: "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from the work of creating that he had done" (Genesis 2:2-3).

05/08/07  Jackson(ville)  (Timely Words 0859)

The retirement community in which I live is in the northeastern area of the southeastern state of Florida. It is less than an hour's drive from the city of Jacksonville, the largest city in the state. Before the present name was given to that community, it was called Cowford, but the influence of Andrew Jackson is seen in the change of names. It was under Jackson's leadership that Native American tribes were defeated and the area was finally purchased from Spain and Jackson was appointed the provisional governor of the territory in 1821. Checking my atlas, I was surprised to find the number of towns, cities and counties named after this seventh president of the United States of America. There are 14 cities or towns named Jackson, 24 counties with that name and seven cities named Jacksonville. Andrew Jackson was a well-known, controversial political and military figure, particularly in the state of Tennessee and surrounding area, at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. It was under the command of this major general, also known as "Old Hickory," that the U. S. Army defeated the British troops in the last battle in the War of 1812, known as the Battle of New Orleans. Subsequently, Jackson was elected to the U. S. Senate in 1823 and received the highest number of both popular and electoral college votes for the presidency in 1824 but did not receive the necessary majority of votes in the electoral college, so John Quincy Adams became president instead. Jackson resigned from the Senate in 1825 and began a campaign for the presidential election of 1828, which he won and served for two terms.

05/08/09  Winds  (Timely Words 0860)

The four-letter word spelled w-i-n-d has two different pronunciations with very different meanings. As a verb, to "wind" means to turn in a series of circular motions. But as a noun, "wind" denotes moving air and there are many different kinds of winds. Some winds are comfortable and useful but others can be very destructive. Both my wife and I were born and raised in towns near the Illinois city of Chicago, which is known as the "windy city," because winds often come off of Lake Michigan. Now we reside in the state of Florida, where hurricanes often occur at this time of year. In Japan, we experienced typhoons and I was interested to know the difference between these windstorms. According to one dictionary, a "typhoon" is a "severe tropical hurricane occurring in the western Pacific or the China Sea," while a "hurricane" is a "severe tropical cyclone originating in the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea." So the difference in meaning is related to the place of origin. A "cyclone" is a "violent, rotating windstorm" and one definition of a "tornado" is "a whirlwind or hurricane." An ancient poet wrote that the Lord "brings out the wind from his storehouses" (Psalm 135:7) and Jesus spoke of the mysterious nature of the wind in his talk with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He said it was necessary to be born of the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God and then explained the mystery of being "born of the Spirit" as follows: "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).

05/08/11  Religious Convictions  (Timely Words 0861)

My wife and I are members of thePenney Memorial Church which has occupied a central place in thisPenney Retirement Community since it was built in 1926.  Since there are almost a hundred ordained ministers who reside here, many of them regularly participate in the religious services and take turns preaching on Sunday mornings.  At the August 7 worship service, it was my turn to preach and, once again, I chose my wife to serve as the liturgist, or worship service leader.  The title of my sermon was “Following the Leader.”  The stimulus for that sermon occurred while I was listening to a tape recording of a lecture in Japanese I had given at a Buddhist University in the Japanese city of Nagoya in 1994.  The Ministry of Education had recently approved the university’s request to change the names of certain courses that had wider, international implications.  Because I had done research on Japanese religions and had engaged in interreligious dialogue, I was asked to give a lecture on “Buddhist Culture and Christian Culture.”  In that lecture, I expressed my perception that few Japanese had thoughtfully chosen their religion but were simply following the traditions and rituals of their community and homes without thinking deeply about their meanings and thus were without the firm religious convictions that are emphasized in Christian cultures.  Now, viewing American society and the “Christian culture” in this country following my retirement, I question whether the contrast I made in that lecture was correct.  Recognizing Christ as our “leader,” I posed the question, “Are we really following our Leader?”

05/08/16  Religious Traditions  (Timely Words 0862)

In my sermon on August 7th, I noted that, from my perspective, most Japanese follow the traditions of both Shinto and Mahayana Buddhism.  All residents in a community are considered parishioners of the local Shinto shrine; many of them make periodic visits to the shrine and perform the rituals there.  Most homes are connected to a certain Buddhist temple, a priest from which comes to the home to conduct funeral or memorial services.  In many homes there are sacred places representing both religions, even though their doctrines are quite different.  Even most of the priests of the shrines and temples are simply following in the profession of their fathers rather than having made the choice themselves.  I mentioned a Shinto priest I knew who was the second son of a Shinto priest.  Following Japanese custom, his elder brother became the priest at that shrine and this man became a priest at a Buddhist temple.  When his elder brother died, however, he immediately changed and became the priest at the Shinto shrine.  I could not imagine a Christian minister changing so easily to a different religion with very different doctrine.  I also related the experience I had at a different Buddhist university in Japan where I spoke with four students, one of whom was already a Buddhist priest and the other three were preparing for the priesthood.  I asked them to tell me their idea or concept of “Buddha,” what that word meant to them.  Not one of them was able to express their faith related to the founder and central figure of their religion.  And my experience in interreligious dialogue strengthened my observation that few Japanese have a firm religious conviction or understanding of their religion.

05/08/20  “Christian”  (Timely Words 0863)

Those people who can communicate in more than one language are aware ofthe difference between a “translation” and a “transliteration.”  “Translation” is related to meaning and “transliteration” is related to pronunciation.  In my recent sermon, I included a section related to how the English word “Christian” has been translated or transliterated into Japanese.  Following the arrival of the first Christian missionary, a Roman Catholic priest from Portugal, to Japan in 1549, Chinese characters with a positive meaning were used to transliterate the word “ki-ri-shi-tan.”  After the policy of the ruling powers changed and Christianity was forbidden, however, different Chinese characters with a negative meaning were chosen.  Over two centuries later, when the first Protestant missionary came from America, the Japanese syllabary for foreign words was used to transliterate the word as “ku-ri-su-chan,” which has been the common term used since then.  However, a more recent translation of the Bible makes use of a more suitable term, using both the Japanese syllabary for foreign words for the title “Christ” (“ki-ri-su-to’) and a Chinese character meaning “person.”  Thus a “Christian” (“ki-ri-su-to-sha”) is, literally, a “Christ person.”  This is by far the best translation or transliteration, for a “Christian” should be a “Christ person,” not simply a person who believes in Christ, is baptized and follows Christian rituals, but a person who manifests the spirit of Christ in daily life.  For me, creeds and rituals are not as important as the humble, loving spirit seen in Jesus’ ministry which should also be evident in the lives of his followers, the true “Christians.”

05/08/25  Sermon Feedback  (Timely Words 0864)

In some mechanical systems, both “input” and “output” are needed to keep the system functioning in an acceptable way.  Even among some human beings, it is well to have both “input” and “output” to maintain a healthy, balanced relationship.  In most Protestant churches, it is common for a preacher to preach a sermon at the Sunday morning worship service.  Ordinarily, this is a kind of “monologue” with only the preacher speaking and the congregation listening.  There are sermons, however, that raise questions in listener’s minds or that stimulate other reactions.  In such cases, some people would like to participate in a “dialogue” to clarify or elucidate points raised.  When I am given the opportunity to preach, it is my aim to faithfully expound a Bible passage, according to my interpretation, and apply it to our present day in a way that will stimulate thinking or reacting on the part of listeners.  For the benefit of both the preacher and the listener, it is my custom to schedule a “sermon feedback” session following the sermon.  In this retirement community, such a session is held in the Church Lecture Room on the following morning.  Because I am on the Cemetery Committee, which works for two hours in the cemetery on Monday mornings, cutting grass, trimming bushes and trees and caring for the gravestones, it is after an abbreviated time in the cemetery that I return to the Church Lecture Room to attend the “sermon feedback” session, where a number of listeners to the Sunday sermon gather for a meaningful time of discussion.  This is always a very helpful time for both the preacher and the listeners.

05/08/27  French  (Timely Words 0865)

There are a number of words in an English language dictionary that begin with a word denoting a European country, including “French,” “Irish,” “Scotch” and “Dutch.”  Today’s message will consider words beginning with “French.”  Not all of them are related to the country of France.  In fact, as a verb, “french” means to cut into strips before cooking, so “French fries” are strips of potatoes fried in deep fat.  Along with the “French fries,” we may be served “French dressing,” which includes both seasoned oil and vinegar, to put on a salad.  “French toast” denotes a slice of bread soaked in a milk and egg barter and lightly fried.  A “French horn” is a valved brass wind instrument with a circular shape, tapering from a narrow mouthpiece to a flaring bell at the other end and producing a mellow tone.  A “French cuff” is a wide cuff on a man’s shirt that is folded back and fastened with a cuff link.  Years ago, I wore shirts with French cuffs at times, but I have not used cuff links in recent years.  Certain homes or buildings may have “French doors” or “French windows.”  Usually such doors or windows are in pairs having glass panes which extend the full length of the doors or windows.  Finally, the term “French leave,” when used in the armed forces, has the same meaning as AWOL, or “absent without leave,” meaning the serviceman has absented himself from his post without permission.  This is derived from an old French custom of leaving a party early without bidding a formal farewell to the host and hostess—which was frowned upon by the British.

05/08/30  A Round Trip  (Timely Words 0866)

A trip to a place and back to the starting point is called a “round trip” even though the trip may be a straight line forward and back.  Recently, my wife and I took a trip by car that was literally a “round trip” because we circled through 13 different states before returning home.  According to our odometer, we traveled 2836 miles in those 10 days.  My brother and his wife, who live near the University of Illinois where my brother taught mechanical engineering for many years, had invited us to visit them and tell them about our recent trip to Japan.  Looking at the map, we decided to make stops along the way to visit friends we knew in Japan, who we were able to inform of our coming beforehand.  We made two stops in Alabama to visit friends, one couple we had not seen for forty years.  We then made three stops in Illinois—one at the home of a former missionary family that was related to Nagoya International School and two at the homes of my brother and sister.  We also drove through the hometown of my wife, which she had not visited for many years.  In the state of Indiana, we visited another former missionary couple that had lived up the street from us in Nagoya.  And in West Virginia, we visited a former missionary who was also involved in the establishment of Nagoya International School.  We enjoyed meeting all of these old friends and informing them of our Japan trip.  On the way home, we stopped to take a tour through an old coal mine and surrounding homes that reflected the situation in the late 1800s.  It was a most enjoyable “round trip” in which we were able to share experiences and memories with others, to continue to learn from one another and to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around us and beneath us.  We thank God for his protection and guidance.

05/09/03  Hurricane Katrina  (Timely Words 0867)

Typhoons that occur in Asia are designated by numbers while hurricanes that arise in the Atlantic Ocean are given names of men and women.  The names are listed in alphabetical order and alternate between male and female.  There are six such lists of 21 hurricane names.  The list being used for this year of 2005, which began with Arlene, has now reached the middle of the list with one of the most destructive storms in American history named Katrina.  Katrina is one of a number of names derived from Catherine, a name found in the list of saints in the Roman Catholic Church as well as in the roster of rulers or monarchs of such countries as Russia, France and England.  As a result of the wind and waves that struck the below-sea-level city of New Orleans, a major seaport, business, industrial and recreational center, levees, which were constructed to protect the city, broke and the city was inundated.  Thousands of lives were lost; thousands of homes along with their contents were destroyed.  Residents were without electric power, food and drinking water.  Roads and bridges became impassable.  People stranded on the roofs of their houses were rescued by helicopters.  Over 25,000 residents were temporarily housed in a huge domed athletic stadium and then transferred by hundreds of buses to a larger, more comfortable stadium 560 kilometers away.  It is expected that it will take months and years for the city and surrounding area to be restored and some residents have stated that they will not return to that city.  Although such a natural disaster is sometimes called an “act of God,” it does not seem related to an act of the God I believe is revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus, the Christ.

05/09/06  Labor Day Weekend  (Timely Words 0868)

Although “weekend” literally means the end of a week, it denotes the period between Friday evening and Sunday evening, so a “weekend” includes the beginning of a new week as well as the end of an old one.  Labor Day Weekend, however, extends for a day longer because it includes the holiday, called Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday of September.  When I was young, Labor Day marked the end of our summer vacation, for a new school year began after Labor Day, but now, schools begin earlier. Labor Day has been observed since 1882 to honor working people.  That day was chosen by Peter McGuire, founder of a labor organization for carpenters, for “it would come at the most pleasant season of the year, nearly midway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, and would fill a wide gap in the chronology of legal holidays.”  The purpose of the special day was not only to honor workers but also to bring their pitiful situation (low pay, long hours, despicable working conditions) to the attention of the general public.  On that day, labor unions commemorate the many good effects produced by union activities as well as noting both the beneficial results produced by laborers and their continuing needs.  In Luke 10:7, we find Jesus’ words that “the worker deserves his wages.”  On Labor Day, parades, concerts and other festivities are held.  In my hometown of Zion, Illinois, the 60th Class Reunion of the 1945 graduating class of the community high school was held, but I decided not to make another 1800-kilometer trip to that distant town which I had visited on two different occasions during the past two months.  However, I did send a newspaper article about my recent trip to Japan and wished them a happy time.

05/09/09  Genes/Jeans  (Timely Words 0869)

“Gene” and “jean” are homonyms, having the same pronunciation though they are spelled differently and have very different meanings.  A “gene” is an element by which hereditary characters are transmitted from parents to their children.  All of us were born with genes received from our parents, which may have a positive or negative influence in our lives.  “Gene” is also a masculine name, a shortened form of “Eugene,” which is derived from a Greek adjective meaning “well-born;” a resident of this retirement community is named Gene.  As a common noun, “jean,” derived from Genoa, denotes “a heavy, strong, twilled cotton, used in making uniforms and work clothes.”  Blue colored pants made of jean, called “blue jeans,” have become very popular among young people in the U. S. A.  Men also wear them when working.  “Jean” is also a feminine name, which along with “Joan” and “Jane” was developed from the feminine form of “John.”   Among the 500 residents in this community, there are 7 Jeans and 1 Jeanne, along with 4 Joans and 4 Janes.  There are also 4 Junes, which are related to the name of the month.  In Japan, names using Chinese characters have meaning and parents usually consider the meanings of names before giving them to their children.  At times, the names have implications related to the time or hopes of the parents when the child was born and may influence the outlook of the child. My wife and I are both happy with the genes passed on from our parents, who were not aware of the meaning of the names they gave us.  Our children’s names are all found in the Bible, but the spelling is different in two of them.

05/09/12  Blameworthy  (Timely Words 0870)

“Worth” usually denotes something having value, something desirable.  It is used to refer to wealth or riches.  To be “worthy” usually implies being admirable.  In fact, “worship” is derived from this word and signifies sincere adoration.  A person who is highly commendable may be said to be “praiseworthy.”  However, the opposite of “praiseworthy” is a strange combination of terms that seem quite contradictory.  “Blameworthy” signifies a person deserving blame.  Following the hurricane that caused such a great disaster in a certain area of this country, resulting in the loss of lives, property, homes, possessions, schools, companies, etc., the focus of attention has been on why there was not better emergency preparations and why it took so long for help to be made available.  Was it the local or state officials or the federal government that was “blameworthy”?  All of the individuals, organizations or government officials involved have their particular perspective in regard to the situation and what was or was not done and when and why or why not.  Each person or organization involved tends to justify their response, but we are reminded of the sign that was on the desk of President Harry Truman, who recognized that, as president, he was finally responsible for both the praise and blame of federal actions.  On the sign it was written: “The Buck Stops Here.”  In the game of poker, the “buck” is a marker placed in front of the player who is to deal the next hand.  “Passing the buck,” meant shifting responsibility to another person, but the sign on President Truman’s desk indicated that he accepted the final responsibility for the decisions made and the actions taken by federal government officials and agencies.

05/09/16  Sounds  (Timely Words 0871)

There are a number of different meanings of “sound.”  We hear many different kinds of “sounds” with our ears.  Some are musical, whether produced by pianos, harps, other musical instruments or birds.  Other are scary, whether produced by the collapse of a building, an airplane crash or an angry elephant.  At times it would be convenient if we could close our ears just as we close our eyes, but an ancient Greek playwright wrote that sounds are what the blind “see.”  Conversations, lectures and sermons are transmitted by the sounds produced by the vocal cords of the speakers.  Those of us with “sound” ears that function well should be thankful.  In this case, “sound” denotes something “free from defect, decay or damage; in good  condition.”  When we hear or read lectures or sermons related to religious, political or philosophical subjects, we should verify that they are based on “sound” reasoning.  Another kind of “sound” is a long body of water connecting larger bodies of water.  Such “sounds” are found in various parts of the world, but one which has been the cause of international controversy is the “Sound” which connects a strait of the North Sea with the Baltic Sea and separates Denmark and Sweden.  It is 70 kilometers long and at one point only 4 kilometers wide.  Finally, a fourth kind of “sound” is a verb meaning to measure the depth of water.  A person with a sound mind will sound the depth of a sound before permitting a large ship to enter it or one might hear the sound of the ship scraping on the land.  According to the King James translation of II Timothy, chapter 1, verse 7, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

05/09/19  The PET Shop  (Timely Words 0872)

On the edge of the Penney Retirement Community, there is a building called the “PET Shop.”  In it are many tools and materials that are not related to dogs, cats or other “pets.”  In this case, the capital letters PET stand for “Personal Energy Transportation.”  Everyday, there are a number of workers who voluntarily come to assist in the building of three-wheeled vehicles, made of wood with rubber tires that are powered by a hand crank.  The vehicles are made for people who are unable to make use of their legs—whether due to land mines, accidents or disease.  The driver is seated while rotating the handlebars attached to the chain connected to the front wheel.  There is space behind the seat where some things may be carried.  There are an estimated 22 million land mine victims around the world who have lost one or both legs due to land mines and thousands more who have lost their mobility due to other causes.  Many of these people live in places without hard surfaces where a standard wheelchair cannot function. One of the originators of this vehicle, who had served as a missionary in Africa for many years where he realized the need for such a carrier, is now living in this retirement community and supervises the construction, packaging and sending of them to 56 countries around the world.  Many testimonies have been received from men and women, boys and girls, whose lives have been changed because they have become able to transport themselves from place to place.  This is a very practical way to show love and mercy to those in need.   Further information is available on the Internet website: www.petflorida.org.

05/09/22  Walking  (Timely Words 0873)

Residents in this retirement community are in various stages of physical and mental alterations.  In regard to mobility within the community itself—going to and from the post office or dining hall, the library, swimming pool or fitness center, the church or meeting hall—various means of transportation are used.  Many people prefer to walk (if they are able to do so), but others use a bicycle, a tricycle, a golf cart or a car.  We have been informed that walking is a very good form of exercise for older people and some residents go for a walk regularly.  While sitting at my desk and typing this message, I am able to look through a window and see people walking on a sidewalk.  It is interesting to notice how people walk.  All pedestrians progress in a similar way, placing one foot in front of the other as they walk.  But each walker has his or her own characteristic way of walking.  Some walk briskly; others walk very slowly.  Some walk with stiff, straight bodies while others are more relaxed.  There are those who seem to walk with a bounce and others who shuffle along the way.  Obviously, some people are on the way to a meeting that begins at a certain time, while others are simply strolling.  The way one walks also depends on the kind of shoes one is wearing—whether tennis shoes, sneakers or shoes with high heels.  The English novelist, Charles Dickens, wrote these words: “walk and be happy; walk and be healthy.  The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.”  And the German philosopher and poet, Friedrich Nietzsche, who denounced all religion, wrote: “A sedentary life is the real sin against the Holy Spirit.  Only those thoughts that come by walking have any value.”

05/09/26  An Enjoyable Tour  (Timely Words 0874)

The place where my wife and I now live is called a “retirement” community, but there seem to be very few residents here who have really “retired.”  Even though most of them have left their church-related employment, they keep busy with volunteer service along with physically or mentally stimulating activities.  At times, trips to other places are organized for those who are interested and can afford them.  A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I joined 36 other residents to take a trip to Branson, Missouri, a small town that has become famous for the large number and variety of musical, dramatic, entertaining shows that are provided in over 70 different theaters scattered around the area.  We went in the large bus provided by the company that sponsored the tour.  To reach that town, we traveled in six states and spent two nights on the road, both going and returning. On the three days we spent in Branson, we attended amazing performances by a family of musicians, a comedian who came from Russia, a violinist who came from Japan and other musical groups, including one on a showboat on the water after we had enjoyed a delicious meal.  Along the way to and from Branson, we stopped and walked around a pretty botanical garden in Alabama and visited the hometown of Elvis Presley in Mississippi.  The show my wife and I enjoyed the most was that of the Japanese violinist, Shoji Tabuchi, whose superb musical ability was the apex of a stupendous performance that included other musicians and surprising theatrical productions.  During the tour, we enjoyed the fellowship with other residents as well as the beautiful scenery along the way and the amazing abilities of the performers.

05/09/28  Philippians  (Timely Words 0875)

One of the books in the New Testament is called “Philippians” or “The Letter (or Epistle) of Paul to the Philippians.”  In the Sunday morning class that my wife and I attend before the worship service, we studied this New Testament letter during the month of September.  It was my responsibility to lead the class on the 4th Sunday of the month when we considered the 4th chapter.  In my preparation, I was impressed by the similarity of the name of this book and that of an Asian country, the Republic of the Philippines, which I visited on numerous occasions during my years of service in Japan.  Also, on one of our return trips to the U. S. A. from Japan, when we traveled around Europe in a camping car, we visited the remains of the city of Philippi.  I was surprised to discover that both that ancient Macedonian city and the present Asian republic were named after a king known as Philip II.  In the former case, Philip II of Macedon, named the city after himself in the year 356 B.C.  In the later case, in 1542 A.D., a Spanish explorer named the islands for the infant who became Philip II, king of Spain.  One of the surprising characteristics of the letter to the Christians in Philippi, who are called “saints” (1:1; 4:21), is the repeated emphasis upon joy and rejoicing, even though the letter was written by the Apostle Paul while he was “in chains” in Rome because of his faith (1:12-14).  According to his testimony in this letter, he had “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (4:12) and he encourages his readers to rejoice and experience inner peace through their trust in the Lord, who is always near (4:4-7).

05/10/02  Seals  (Timely Words 0876)

One kind of “seal” is a signet that makes a mark on a document.  In Japan, such seals are very important for they are used in place of signatures.  If I have the registered seal of someone, I can legally withdraw money from that person’s bank account or use it as that person’s signature on a document.  When I was in Japan, I made use of three different seals.  One simply contained the katakana symbols for my surname: o-fu-na.  A more ornate one consisted of three capital letters (C. B. O.) in Gothic English.  But the official seal which was registered with the government, contained my name in the Chinese characters I chose, which signified a large boat with nine storerooms which are beautiful, pronounced “Oo-funa Kura-ku Bi.”  One day, at a special place in a department store, a man gave free advice to those who asked him regarding whether their names were lucky or unlucky, depending on the number of strokes in their Chinese characters.  First, I asked him about the significance of the number of strokes in my name, written in katakana, but he said it is only Chinese characters that are relevant, so I asked about the four characters: “Oo-funa Kura-ku.”  His reply was that the number of strokes indicated an unlucky result.  However, I noticed that he did not correctly count the number of strokes in the character “ku.”  He informed me that for characters that signify numbers, that number is counted rather than the number of strokes.  So I asked if the result would change if the character “bi,” was added.  After counting the strokes in that character, he replied that the result was still unlucky.  I am surprised that educated people in Japan continue to believe such superstitious traditions.

05/10/05  Jewish New Year  (Timely Words 0877)

When does a new year begin?  That depends on the calendar one uses.  Some calendars are related to the phases of the moon as it circles the earth.  Others are related to the movement of the earth around the sun.  There are also variations in the number of days in a month and the number of months in a year.  Consequently, the New Year begins at different times depending on whether one is using a lunar or solar calendar, the Gregorian, Islamic, Jewish or another kind of calendar.  According to the Jewish calendar, a new year began this week.  Called Rosh Hashana, it begins on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri.  In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashana also marks the beginning of ten penitential days which end with Yom Kippur, which falls on October 13th in the Gregorian calendar for this year.  During those ten days, conscientious Jews reflect on the sins they have committed in the past year and seek God’s forgiveness.  Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is considered the holiest day in the Jewish year.  The original tradition related to this festival is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, but times have changed and since there is no Jewish temple at the present time, the rules cannot be followed literally.  Because the ritualistic prayers are read by the rabbis in Hebrew, brief courses in the Hebrew language have been offered to make them more meaningful to those who attend the services.  The prayers of Buddhist priests in Japan would also become meaningful if the listeners were able to understand them.  Not only at the beginning of a year, but every day is an appropriate time to reflect on our sins and seek forgiveness.

05/10/08  Circulating Art Committee  (Timely Words 0878)

There are over 500 residents in this retirement community and most of those who are fairly healthy are actively involved in a variety of activities.  Along with the volunteer services that enhance the effective operation of the entire community, there are activities that provide for the expression of individual abilities or interests, including musical groups for both singers and instrumentalists.  The wide variety of artwork includes stained glass, woodcarving and pottery as well as painting.  In the Art Studio, instruction is given by accomplished artists in various kinds of painting— including oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel and paintex (a special Japanese method of painting using powdered silk). The paintings of numerous artists are on display on the walls of meeting rooms and corridors of many buildings in this community.  Persons who regularly walk along those corridors or who attend meetings in those rooms will see those particular paintings so often that they may lose their attractiveness.  To tend to this problem, a new committee has recently been formed to circulate artistic works around the community.  My wife and I are now members of the Circulating Art Committee and, following a recent meeting, we went to the corridor for which we will be responsible and noted the titles, artists and type of art of the ten framed works of art hanging there.  Next week, we will take down those paintings, deliver them to committee members responsible for another corridor and hang the paintings from still another corridor on ours.  We expect that both the viewers and the producers of these works of art will approve the activities of this committee.

05/10/11  Major League Champion Teams  (Timely Words 0879)

In the Sports section of recent newspapers, readers have been informed daily of the results of the games of teams seeking to be the champions of their leagues.  Finally, the winners of the American League and National League championships will play each other in the World Series.  The names of the four teams in each league involved in this struggle will be considered in today’s message.  They are the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox in the American League, the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros in the National League.  I do not know the details of how the names were chosen for those particular teams, but I will note my observations.  The Boston and Chicago teams are obviously named for the color of the “socks” they wear.  Depending on the context, a “Yankee” may denote a native of the U.S.A., of a northern state in general or of a New England state in particular.  The “Angels” are located in the city whose Spanish name means “The Angels.”  The “Padres,” which means “Fathers” or “priests” in Spanish, come from another California city with a Spanish name; “San Diego” is the term used for “St. James.”  Houston, Texas, the largest city in the South, has a Spacecraft Center and an Astrodome, so there are many “Astros” or “Astronauts” there also.  The team from St. Louis is one of three major league teams that have birds’ names.  Can you name the other two?  But “Cardinals” are not only bright, red birds; they may also be members of an important council in the Roman Catholic Church.  Finally, the name of the team from Atlanta originally denoted a Native American warrior who fought “bravely.”

05/10/11  Carmelites/St. Teresa  (Timely Words 0880)

One of the surprising facts I discovered in my preparation for this message was that there is no word in an English dictionary spelled c-a-r-m-e-l.  Until now, that was how I thought the word designating a certain kind of candy or syrup that I have enjoyed through the years was spelled.  Now, I find that the correct spelling is c-a-r-a-m-e-l and that there are three different ways to pronounce that word.  There is a mountain in northwestern Palestine, however, called Carmel, from Hebrew words meaning “garden land.”  It was from a group of hermits living on Mt. Carmel that the religious order in the Roman Catholic Church came to be called “Carmelites.”  Other religious orders in the Roman Catholic Church are the Dominicans, Franciscans and Jesuits.  A nun who entered a Carmelite convent in 1535 later became an earnest reformer whose influence continues to inspire and motivate seekers of spiritual vitality today.  She felt that convent life was not conducive to spiritual growth and meaningful prayer and sought to initiate reforms that would encourage a more effective spiritual life.  Having endured years of severe physical illnesses, she began to have visions and mystical experiences and established a number of small religious communities in Spain, including some whose nuns were called Discalced Carmelites.  “Discalced” means “without shoes” in Latin.  Nuns in such convents went barefoot or wore sandals.  In 1622, 40 years after her death, this lady was beatified by Pope Gregory XV and became St. Teresa, one of the great mystics and religious reformers in the Roman Catholic Church. In 1970, St. Teresa of Avila became the second woman to be declared a Doctor of the Church.  Her annual feast day is October 15.

05/10/19  Crowns and Clowns  (Timely Words 0881)

I hope this message will be included in the “Voiced Message” file for the benefit of Japanese readers especially because many Japanese students of English have difficulty discerning the difference between the “r” and “l” sounds in certain English words.  There is a big difference in the meanings of “play” and “pray” and of the expectations of people who have gathered together to do one or the other.  Likewise, there is a difference between “clown” and “crown.”  In the New Testament, there are a number of verses that include the word “crown” in English, but in the original Greek manuscripts, two completely different words are translated “crown.”  The most common one denotes the wreath that is placed on the head of the winner of an athletic event as noted in I Corinthians 9:25.  The other kind of crown is the golden diadem worn by royalty.  In the New Testament, the word “clown” is not found, but there are residents in this retirement community who are engaged in a “clown ministry.”  This group of less than ten women and men meet regularly to talk and plan for the events they are asked to attend to entertain, encourage or stimulate others.  Soon after our arrival here six years ago, my wife joined this group of clowns and has been an active member ever since.  Whenever she participates in the clown ministry, she spends more than an hour to paint her face white with a large red lip, black eyebrows and a red ball for a nose, before donning her red clown costume with a yellow wig and tall red hat. Along with their ministry in this community, they are sometimes asked to perform in surrounding communities as well.  They do a good job and each of the clowns deserves a crown.

05/10/21  First Electric Light  (Timely Words 0882)

Among the many conveniences those of us living in industrialized societies enjoy are electric lights.  How different our lives would be if such lights were not available. We are reminded of this during times of power outages.  It was 126 years ago this week that Thomas Edison and his associates in New Jersey, tested an incandescent light bulb that burned for a remarkable 131/2 hours.  Edison and his team had been experimenting for years with various materials that could sustain high temperatures without fusing, melting or burning out and for a suitable encasement through which light could shine.  Finally, on October 21, 1879, they accomplished their aim.  Thomas Edison, who held more than 1,300 U.S. and foreign patents, was one of the greatest and most productive inventors of his time. The “faith” of this enlightened thinker may be seen in his affirmation that “this world is ruled by Infinite Intelligence.  It required Infinite Intelligence to create it and it requires Infinite Intelligence to keep it on its course.  Everything that surrounds us—everything that exists—proves that there are Infinite Laws behind it.  There can be no denying this fact.  It is mathematical in its precision.”  In our daily lives today, electric lights are very important.  But to live a meaningful, satisfying life, spiritual light is also needed. In the Gospel According to John, chapter 8, verse 12, Jesus is quoted as saying to the people, “ I am the light of the world,” but in the Gospel According to Matthew, chapter 5, verse 14, he said to his disciples: “You are the light of the world.”  So it is expected that the spiritual light which came from above in Jesus, the Christ, will continue to shine through the lives of his disciples.

05/10/25  Boar(d) and Bore(d)  (Timely Words 0883)

For some readers, this may be a very boring message.  One of the homonyms it considers is the word “bore,” one meaning of which is “to make weary with dullness.”  The noun related to this verb, which is spelled and pronounced the same, denotes “a person that arouses boredom.”  Another verb with the same spelling and identical pronunciation means “to make a hole in or through, as with a drill,” and the noun related to that verb, spelled and pronounced the same, means “a hole made by boring.”  But there is a noun with the same pronunciation, which has a different spelling and a very different meaning.  A “boar” is a wild animal having a heavy body with short legs, cloven hoofs and a long, mobile snout.  Domesticated boars are called hogs or pigs.  If a “d” is added to these words, another group of homonyms are produced.  “Bored” is simply the past tense of “bore,” but there are a number of meanings related to the word “board.”  The simplest one denotes “a long, flat slab of sawed lumber.”  Such boards are used for the floors and walls of many homes.  A table that is set for serving food may be called a “board” and, at times, this word may denote the food or meals provided, so certain inns use the term “room and board” to refer to the services they provide.  Finally, “an organized body of administrators” may also be called a “board.”  During my years in Japan, I served on the boards of directors or trustees of a number of international organizations as well as local churches.  At the present time, I am serving on the Board of the Penney Memorial Church.  At times, those serving as board members may become bored members, but seeing a boar on a board would certainly attract their attention.

05/10/28  Protestant Reformation  (Timely Words 0884)

There are many different kinds of Christian churches—not only different kinds of church buildings, but different kinds of church organizations also.  It is common to divide the churches into “Eastern” and “Western” traditions.  Orthodox churches are considered “Eastern;” Roman Catholic and Protestant churches are considered “Western.”  On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German priest, posted 95 theses on the door of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany, questioning the custom of selling indulgences for the benefit of both the living and the dead—a custom promoted by the Church.  These theses were quickly publicized and questions were raised regarding various details of the Church’s doctrine that Luther believed were not supported by the Bible, which he considered the final authority for Christian belief.  He also emphasized that salvation, according to the New Testament teaching of the Apostle Paul, was gained through faith alone, not by works.  Following subsequent confrontations, Luther was excommunicated and his supporters, who “protested” the actions taken by the Church, were called “Protestants.”  Since Luther sought to stimulate “reforms” in Church doctrine (including recognition of the Bible as the final authority and that salvation is gained by faith alone), the movement he began 488 years ago is called the “Reformation.” Many Protestant churches observe the last Sunday of October as “Reformation Sunday.”  Sermons on that day relate to Luther’s example and emphases, and the hymn for which he wrote both the words and the music, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” is often sung.

05/11/02  All Souls Day  (Timely Words 0885)

In the Roman Catholic Church, the first day of November is designated “All Saints Day” to honor all the saints who have departed from this world and are now in heaven.  The vigil of preparation on the evening before that day, originally called “All Hallows’ Eve,” is now known as “Halloween.”  The next day, the second day of November, is called “All Souls Day” in the Roman Catholic Church.  On this day, the souls of those believers who have died but have not yet entered heaven because they have not yet been fully cleansed of all their sins are remembered.  According to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, the souls of saints immediately go to heaven after dying, but the souls of other believers must endure the cleansing, or purging, of their sins in the state or place called “purgatory.”  There is no mention of such a state or place in the Bible, so Protestants do not recognize its existence nor do they observe “All Souls Day,” but there may be similarities between the feelings of Catholic believers on “All Souls Day” and of Japanese Buddhists who remember family members and others who have died in their rituals before the Buddhist altar in their homes.  From my perspective, it is commendable to remember those who have died, but the true character of one’s faith is more clearly seen in the attitudes and actual deeds manifested toward those who are living around us.  If, indeed, the souls of those who have died are aware of the actions of those of us still living, I believe it would be more satisfying to them for us to show practical love to those around us now than to perform rituals for the dead.

05/11/05  November  (Timely Words 0886)

November is the name of the 11th month in the calendar used in most English-speaking countries in the world today.  This name is derived from the Latin word for “nine” and it originally designated the ninth month of the old Roman calendar, which consisted of ten months.  Even after two months had been added to the beginning of the year of that calendar, the names of later months remained unchanged.  Although the names of the 5th and 6th months were changed to July and August to honor Julius and Augustus Caesar, the names of September, October, November and December continued to be used for the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th months even though the prefixes in their names come from the Latin numbers 7, 8, 9 and 10.  Checking my dictionary, I find that of those four months, November is the one with the fewest number of words beginning with the prefix related to its number.  The only word listed, beginning with “nov,” derived from the Latin word for “nine” is “novena,” which denotes “prayers and devotions for a special purpose, repeated for nine consecutive days” in the Roman Catholic Church.  Most of the words beginning with “nov” are related to the Latin word for “new,” including “novation,” “novel,” “novelty,” and “novice.”  Thomas Hood, an English poet and humorist, has written: “No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No comfortable feel in any member, No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November!” and Edwin Way Teale, an American teacher, editor and writer has written: “How sad would be November if we had no knowledge of the spring.”

05/11/09  Trimming/Pruning  (Timely Words 0887)

On Monday mornings, I join a group of residents at the community cemetery which is nearby.  For a couple of hours we work to keep the cemetery in good condition.  Some men ride mowers to mow the grass.  Others use a cutter to cut the grass around the bronze markers on which are the names of the persons buried there.  There are a number of different kinds of bushes and trees in the cemetery and it is my job to trim them to keep them looking trim.  To maintain the preferred shape of the bushes, I clip off branches that protrude.  As I do so, I am reminded of a Japanese proverb about the pounding down of a post that sticks out and say to myself, “The branch that sticks out gets cut off.”  Another word for this action is “prune.”  As a noun, “prune” denotes a dried plum, but it has a homonym, which is a verb meaning to “to cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of a plant to improve shape or growth.”  In the translation of the New International Version of the Bible, the 15th chapter of the Gospel According to John begins with these words of Jesus to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.   Remain in me and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

05/11/12  States/Prefectures Names  (Timely Words 0888)

I wonder how many of the 50 states now included in the United States of America the average citizen in the U. S. A. can name from memory, or how many of the 47 prefectures in Japan the average citizen of Japan can name.  Probably, high school students can name more than their parents.  Looking at the list of names of states in the U. S. A., I find that ten of them have two words in their names.  How many of them can you name on the spur of the moment?  Five of them begin with a direction, such as “North,” “South” or “West.”  Four of them begin with the word “New.”  And one has an “Island” in its name.  Among the Japanese prefectures, three of them have three Chinese characters in their names.  All of the others have only two.  In six of the prefectural names, we find the character for “mountain” and in three of them the character for “river.”   It would be interesting to know how the present names were chosen.  In the case of the state names beginning with “New,” three of them were included in the original 13 colonies and, obviously, their names were related to places in England.  The names of three of the states have only four letters in their names and the names of three others have only five letters.  I will conclude this message with a brief explanation regarding the name of the state in which I now reside.  “Florida” is derived from the Spanish word for “flowers.”  The Spanish explorer, Ponce de Leon, who landed here in the year 1513 on Easter Sunday, the “Feast of Flowers,” gave it that name.  There are many beautiful flowers that grow in this “Sunshine State” and Jesus also told his disciples to look at the flowers in the fields and learn from them (Matthew 7:28-30).

05/11/14  Red People/Oklahoma  (Timely Words 0889)

The color red has a number of different connotations depending upon the culture and context in which it is used.  It is the color of blood and to describe a person as “red-blooded” implies that the person is strong or virile, but a person’s face may become red when that person is angry or embarrassed.  As a traffic signal, a “red light” signals drivers to stop their vehicles, but a “red-light district” denotes a neighborhood containing many brothels.  “Redneck” is a slang term for a member of the white rural laboring class in the southern United States who manifests a conservative, bigoted attitude, but “red” is also commonly used for a Communist.  In the past, “red tape” was used to tie British official documents and now it denotes official forms and procedures, which are complicated and take much time to complete.  A “red carpet” signifies a carpet laid down for important visitors who are welcomed with great honor and dignity.  Along with “white,” “black” and “yellow,” “red” has also been used as a racial designation related to skin color and “redskin” is a slang term for a Native American.  The name of the American state of Oklahoma literally means “red people” in the language of the Choctaws, one of the Native American tribes that were forced to relocate in that area.  It was on November 16, 1907 that President Theodore Roosevelt signed the proclamation admitting Oklahoma into the Union as the 46th state.  For this purpose, he used a quill pen fashioned from an eagle feather found in the mountains in southeastern Oklahoma.  Americans today should get red in the face when they read about how the “white” settlers from Europe treated the Native American “red people” in this land.

05/11/18  Gettysburg Address  (Timely Words 0890)

The town, or borough, of Gettysburg, with a population of less than 8,000, is located in southern Pennsylvania, just north of the Maryland state line.  This borough, or burg, was named for Gen. James Gettys, to whom the site was originally granted by William Penn, the leader of Pennsylvania.  It became the site of a major military confrontation between the armies of the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War.  In the Battle of Gettysburg, over 3,000 soldiers of the victorious northerners and almost 4,000 soldiers of the defeated southerners lost their lives.  A military graveyard for the Union soldiers who died there was dedicated on November 19, 1863.  Edward Everett, a noted orator and former senator from Massachusetts, was asked to deliver the major address at the Dedication Ceremony. Following his two-hour talk, President Abraham Lincoln was asked to deliver “a few appropriate remarks” for the occasion.  Having spent the previous day on the train, he did not complete the preparation of his talk until the morning of the day on which he took less than two minutes to deliver the 270-word message which is now known as the Gettysburg Address. Although his short speech was not highly acclaimed at the time, it has since become a famous document in American history, ending with the words “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” The expressed hope of this great American president continues to be relevant today.

05/11/22  Camp Anokijig  (Timely Words 0891)

The city of Racine, Wisconsin, is located about 35 kilometers north of my hometown of Zion, Illinois.  During my high school days, I sometimes went with church friends for a couple of weeks during the summer vacation to a camp on the shore of a spring fed lake which was owned and operated by the Racine Y.M.C.A.  The name of the camp was Anokijig.  At the camp, a capable staff prepared meals and supervised daily schedules, which included swimming, boating, fishing, hiking and horseback riding.  The last year I went to that camp, I served as a tent-leader for the entire summer.  Recently, I received an e-mail message from a friend who lives in Wisconsin informing me that the Y.M.C.A. was planning to sell that camp and a group of former campers quickly organized “Friends of Anokijig” which aimed to raise enough money to buy the camp and continue its program. According to a recent report, the Y.M.C.A. agreed to sell the camp to that group and the report included “comments” by some of those involved.  In one of those “comments,” the names of the former Camp Director and one of the “counselors” was included, as follows: “As a 71 year old who remembers well his two weeks at Anokijig when I was eight or nine, I am glad to read it will be preserved as a camp to serve youth.  Thanks to all who made this possible. I still have fond memories of Ray Vance, both at the camp and in Racine. I even remember my counselor’s name...Clark Offner from Zion, IL.”   You can imagine my surprise at reading this “comment” by a man I do not know that stimulated fond memories of camping experiences about 65 years ago.

05/11/25  Special Days in November  (Timely Words 0892)

This eleventh month of the year, called November in the Gregorian calendar, has special days for my family.  Of course, there are certain special days observed by citizens throughout the country, including a couple of national holidays.  November 11th is “Veterans Day.”   For some years after the end of the First World War, which was officially concluded with the signing of an armistice by representatives of the armies involved at 11:00 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, that day became a day for remembering those servicemen who had sacrificed their lives for their country during that war.  Now, the veterans of subsequent wars—the Second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War are also included in the memorial activities.  Our second son was born on that day, so it has a special significance in our family.  Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the U. S. A. now, so various activities in both churches and public places are held to express thanksgiving for a harvest of many kinds of grains, fruits and vegetables.  I was the leader of the Thanksgiving Eve Service at the church in our retirement community on November 23rd.  At that service, the Womens Chorus sang and my homily included the many references to thanksgiving (kansha) in the (Japanese) Bible.  An elder sister of mine was born on November 28, so her birthday sometimes falls on Thanksgiving Day.  And one of our granddaughters, who lives in Japan, was born on November 26 in the 62nd year of the Showa era, so the date of her birthday, written in the regular Japanese order of 62-11-26 can be read the same, whether from left to right or from right to left.

05/11/28  November 30th  (Timely Words 0893)

In this Christian retirement community, a weekly Communion Service is held in a chapel on Wednesday mornings led by one of the resident retired ministers.  On November 30th, I will be in charge of that service and give the homily.  On such occasions, I try to speak on a topic that is related to the church calendar, the season of the year, the date or some current events, but November 30th poses a special problem, for that is not only the feast day of St. Andrew, one of Jesus’ apostles, but also the birthday of a couple of famous American and British writers whose words continue to stimulate serious thought. Mark Twain, the American humorist and writer, was born on this day in 1835 and Winston Churchill, the British statesman and prime minister during World War II was born on this day in 1874.  According to Mark Twain, “Man is the only animal that blushes.  Or needs to.”  And the following quotation is from Prime Minister Churchill during the war: “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.”  But Andrew was the subject of my homily.  Although he was not especially famous, according to the Gospel of John, on three occasions, Andrew introduced people to Jesus that became very important—including his brother, Simon Peter, who became an influential leader (1:40-42), the boy with the loaves and fish by which a multitude was fed (6:8-11), and a group of Greeks (12:20-22).  In this regard, Andrew is a good example for all of us.  We may not be famous nor outstanding, but we may be able to function as an intermediary, introducing people, things or ideas to others that may have important results.

05/12/01  Waste/Waist and Wait/Weight  (Timely Words 0894)

Whenever my wife and I came back to the U. S. A. for a visit while living in Japan, the abnormally large bodies of many Americans impressed us deeply.  Not only were they overweight, they were obese, and doctors warned that people whose weight was great were more likely to have heart problems.  People were advised to wait before adding to their weight.  Recent studies, however, have indicated that such problems are not simply related to weight, but to the particular part of the body where the weight is located.  Fat around the waist, in particular, is considered conducive to heart disease, diabetes, strokes and breathing problems.  The “waist” is that part of the human trunk between the bottom of the rib cage and the pelvis. Health surveys have shown that, over the past four decades, the average waist size for American men has increased from 35 to 39 inches (88 to 97 centimeters) and from 30 to 37 inches (76 to 94 centimeters) for American women.  Instead of adding to their waist, diners may add to the waste by leaving food on their plates.  Such waste may be thrown away or fed to animals. English teachers in non-English-speaking countries often have a problem communicating because many English words have homonyms with completely different meanings.  As Americans prepare for the special holiday festivities and meals served during this final month of December related to Christmas and the end of the year, they should wait before adding weight to their bodies and be willing to add food to the waste instead of to their waist.  According to I Corinthians 6:19, the bodies of believers are temples of God’s Holy Spirit and should be kept in good condition.

05/12/04  St. Nicholas  (Timely Words 0895)

In many of the introductions of the New Testament letters to churches, all believers are called “saints,” meaning “holy ones.”  However, “saint” is now generally limited to special people who have been officially canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.  The Church has also determined a feast day for each “saint,” even though details regarding the life and activities of the “saint” may not be certain.  December 6th is the feast day of St. Nicholas, about whom very little is known.  He was bishop of Myra, which is now part of Turkey, in the 4th century and became known for gifts he gave to those in need.  Following his death and burial, Christians from Italy came and secretly stole his remains to keep them from being desecrated by non-Christian invaders and buried them in Italy, where a church built in his honor became a very popular shrine for pilgrims from all over Europe.  In various areas, gifts were given to others on his feast day.  The Dutch settlers of New York, in what has become the United States of America, retained the custom of giving gifts on the feast day of St. Nicholas, whom they called “Sinterklaas.” In the speech of non-Dutch Americans, this name became “Santa Claus” and his feast day and the gift-giving custom became related to the Christmas celebration.  Over fifty years ago, my wife and I first arrived in Japan about two months before Christmas.  A lasting impression of the way the Christmas season was celebrated and the decorations which were displayed at that time was the popularity of Santa Claus and an almost complete absence of anything related to Jesus, the Christ.  Has anything changed since then?

05/12/07  Pearl Harbor Day  (Timely Words 0896)

In Japan, August 6 is remembered as the day in 1945 when an atomic bomb was dropped from one American airplane and exploded over the city of Hiroshima.  As a result of that first use of nuclear power as a weapon, about 100,000 people lost their lives and a large area of the city was destroyed.  From the American point of view, that bombing ended the Pacific War although it was 8 days later that Japan officially surrendered.  Many of the memorial activities that are held in Japan on that day are critical of the American action.  From the American point of view, however, Japanese should remember what happened on December 7, 1941, which is known as Pearl Harbor Day in the U. S. A.  On that day, over 350 Japanese airplanes dropped bombs and shot bullets at the ships, planes and people in the Pearl Harbor area of the Hawaiian island of Oahu.  As a result, eight battleships, three light cruisers and eight other naval vessels were destroyed or damaged, almost all the airplanes at the nearby bases were destroyed and over 2,400 sailors, soldiers, marines and civilians lost their lives.  In certain states or cities, December 7 is known as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.  It is now recognized that the U. S. government and military forces should have known about the coming attack and have been prepared, but a lack of sharing of information between different branches of the government and military forces brought about that surprising result.  It is feared that a similar lack of sufficient sharing of information between agencies, committees and governments influenced the decision to go to war in Iraq and the prolongation of that war.  Countries and individuals should both learn from the past.

05/12/11  Post Office & Birdcage  (Timely Words 0897)

The English word “post” has three quite different meanings.  It may denote a stake set upright into the ground to serve as a marker or support.  In Japanese, there is a well-known proverb that “The stake that sticks up gets hammered down,” which indicates the Japanese emphasis on community rather than independence.  Another meaning of “post” is a military base or a place to which someone is assigned for duty.  And a third meaning denotes the delivery of mail.  The local office where mail is received and assorted, where stamps and other postal matter are sold is called a “post office.”  Most communities in industrialized countries have a post office at which mail is not only received but also delivered.  In the small town of Penney Farms, Florida, in which the Penney Retirement community is located, however, although there is a post office in a convenient location where mail is received, mail is not delivered to the homes of residents.  Rather, all residents rent a small post office box into which their mail is deposited daily and which they are able to open using the key for that particular box.  Thus, most residents make daily visits to the post office to pick up their mail and the post office has become a social place where people meet friends and neighbors.  For communications between residents themselves, however, there is another small building where there are small, doorless boxes on which the names and house numbers of every resident are printed.  This is commonly called the “birdcage” and is used for announcements from the business office, notes and general communication between residents.

05/12/16  Social Security Problem  (Timely Words 0898)

Social Security is a government program that provides economic aid to retired citizens who have paid into its program over the years.  Recently, I telephoned their office and had to listen to a recorded voice asking various questions to verify that I was the person I claimed to be, questions regarding my birthplace, birth date, my mother’s maiden name, etc.  I was then informed that there was a mistake in my response so my call was not acceptable and, at that time, I was unable to talk to a living human being.  While wondering whether I had misspelled my mother’s maiden name, I remembered that when I first applied to Social Security many years ago, I was told that, according to their computer record of my birth date, I was born on the 11th day of the month rather than on the 16th as I had informed them.  Then I recalled a typewritten birth certificate I had received from my hometown office when I submitted my first application for a state driver’s license.  It had three typewritten mistakes on it, including the spelling of my father’s birthplace, my mother’s birthplace and my birth date.  I still have that copy on hand and see the corrections I made using a pen.  I imagine that, on an earlier, handwritten document, before typewriters were used, the loop at the bottom of the number 6 was too small and appeared as a number 1, but I had no trouble getting a driver’s license with my correct birth date on it and I also have a valid copy of my correct birth certificate.  However, when I applied for Social Security, I was told that I now have two birthdays and that in Social Security records, my date of birth is the 11th day of the month.  It is fortunate that I remembered that, for after informing the lady on the telephone of the situation, I did accomplish the purpose of my call.

05/12/18  Teacher Run Month  (Timely Words 0899)

At the present time, the Japanese names for the twelve months of the year are composed of two Chinese characters, or ideograms, the first of which signifies a number followed by the character for “moon,” or “month.”  Thus, this month of December is “juuni gatsu” (“twelfth month”).  In old Japan, however, every month had a special name that was related to some event or custom that was related to that time of year.  This twelfth month of the year was called “shiwasu,” composed of Chinese characters meaning “teacher run,” but nowadays, it is not only teachers who are “on the run.”  Many people become very busy as the yearend approaches and they try to accomplish their aims before the end of the year.  Customs related to the Christmas season, which also comes at this time of year, just adds to the “busyness” of normal “business.”  Looking up the word “shiwasu” in my Japanese-English dictionary, I was surprised to find that, along with such expected translations as  “the last month of the year” and “December,” I found the strange word “hogmanay.”  This was a completely new word for me, so I looked it up in my American dictionary and found that it is a word of Scottish origin, denoting “New Year’s Eve, when children traditionally go from house to house asking for presents.”  I will enquire of a resident of this retirement community who hails from Scotland whether that tradition continues today, but in old Japan, it was not children but Buddhist priests who “ran” from house to house, seeking offerings.  During this busy time of year, it is important that we keep our minds focused on matters, values and aims that are most important, not only for ourselves but for others as well.