06/12/16  Crèche  (Timely Words 1000)

Although the most powerful and influential country in the world today is the United States of America, it is very obvious to both its citizens and to the rest of the world that in regard to many problems, it is not really “united.”  In fact, one of the characteristics of a true democracy is respect for a variety of viewpoints without an attempt to force the “unity” which is a characteristic of dictatorships.  One of the present problems which divides Americans is related to the extent the government should induce or promote activities or sentiments related to one particular religion.  There are many different religions affirmed by Americans today and in this season of the year, whether the government, which represents all citizens, should permit symbols or statements related to one religion in particular to be displayed on government property has become a controversial subject.  For example, should a crèche be permitted in a government building?  A crèche is a miniature representation of the nativity scene, of the stable in which Jesus was born and of those who came to see him.  The two quite different stories of Jesus’ birth recorded in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2 and the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, are both represented in this display.  Figures of the infant Jesus, laying in a manger, of Mary, his mother, Joseph, her husband, shepherds and Magi from the East are all represented.  In some crèches, various animals, including sheep, camels, cows and horses, are also included.  All the figures in the crèche now displayed in the church in our community are carved in wood that came from Bethlehem and those who see the crèche are reminded of the real reason for the Christmas celebration.

06/12/20  Wise Men  (Timely Words 1001)

At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who Christians believe was the Christ, or Messiah, the deliverer whose coming was foretold by Jewish prophets long before his birth.  In the nativity story in chapter 2 of the Gospel According to Luke, angels announced his birth to a group of shepherds who were caring for their flock of sheep.  A very different story is found in chapter 2 of the Gospel According to Matthew.  According to that story, “wise men from the east” came to worship this newly born “King of the Jews” because they had seen “his star in the east.”  It is not written how many wise men there were, but because it is noted that they offered three different gifts, it has been traditionally assumed that there were three wise men who came to worship the king.  But how shall we define a “wise man”?  How does a man become “wise”?  The Greek word magos, which was originally translated “wise man,” has been transliterated “Magi” in some modern translations, but the Greek term signified a sorcerer, or stargazer, who presumed a relationship between the movements of stars and historical events.  Although pictures and crèches often include both the wise men and the shepherds around the manger, reading the stories carefully, it is obvious that the time and place of their encounter with the baby Jesus were different.  But we are faced with the question, what is a “wise man”?  How would you answer that question?  In the Epistle of James, chapter 3, verse13, it is written: “Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”

06/12/24  Birthday of Jesus  (Timely Words 1002)

At the present time, the birth of Jesus is celebrated on December 25th by most Christians around the world.  Festivities of various kinds are also held by many non-Christians who do not seriously consider the reason for the celebration but enjoy the delightful customs related to it.  The Biblical narratives related to Jesus’ birth, however, include no indication of the date nor the season when he was born and it was not until hundreds of years later that December 25th was decided as the day to celebrate his birth.  Although there are various theories regarding why that date was chosen, the most common one is related to the season of the year.  From the winter solstice, daylight hours begin to lengthen.  From the Christian perspective, Jesus became the “Light of the World.”  Not only was he the Son of God; as the spiritual “sun,” he brought light into the world.  In ancient Rome, there were a number of pagan celebrations related to the winter solstice and, for various reasons, it seemed suitable to combine the celebrations of these very different traditions in which periods of new light are emphasized.  The use of evergreen trees as decorations, the lighting of candles and Yule logs were pagan customs that were adopted by Christian celebrants.  Another theory regarding the reason for the December 25 date is related to the conclusion reached by church historians a couple of centuries after his death, that the date of Jesus’ death was March 25, according to the ancient Roman calendar.  December 25 is exactly nine months later, which was considered significant to people of that time and place.  Whatever was the reason for choosing this date, I hope that Christmas will be a merry, meaningful time for you and that you will be enlightened.

06/12/28  Times/Words Change  (Timely Words 1003)

Some areas of these United States of America had a “white Christmas” which may be very beautiful to see but very frustrating to those taking long trips.  Here in Florida, we have had both warm and cool weather with considerable rain on Christmas Day.  During this holiday season, many friends and relatives come to visit residents in this retirement community.  My wife and I have been enjoying the visit of our son and his daughter from New Mexico along with a granddaughter from Japan.  The granddaughter from New Mexico is a junior in high school and the granddaughter from Japan is a freshman at Arizona State University.  During their visit, we were again reminded and impressed with the fact that not only customs change, but a living language continues to change and that we comprehend very little about the present computerized age.  Both girls have tiny cell phones with which they are not only able to communicate both by voice and typing, but can also use them as calculators and cameras.  Along with his cell phone, our son carries with him a pocket pc (personal computer), which enables him to do everything my laptop, or desktop computer does—depending on the software he has installed.  Not only do we now enjoy making use of the gift he gave us, we have also been alerted to the meanings of a number of acronyms or abbreviations.  We now have a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) with which we are able to hear CDs (Compact Disks), view and hear DVDs (Digital Video [or Versatile] Disks) as well as to watch and listen to our own TV (Television) and VHS (Video Home System).  An interesting acronym created by my brother, a retired professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois in a textbook he wrote, entitled Design Homology, was GOD for “Grand Omni Designer.”

07/01/01  Year of the Boar  (Timely Words 1004)

In a recent conversation, a lady told me about a man with “a lot of payshuns.”  I wondered if the man was a doctor and asked her how to spell that word.  Many words in the English language are pronounced the same, but have different spellings and meanings.  In this case, she was speaking of “patience” rather than “patients.”  This incident came to mind as I prepared this message regarding the “Year of the Boar.”  In Oriental tradition, every year is related to one of the twelve zodiac signs and the New Year of 2007 (according to the Gregorian calendar) is the “Year of the Boar.”  The word “boar,” spelled b-o-a-r, signifies “an uncastrated male pig” or “a wild hog,” and the ravaging, destructive nature of boars is noted in Psalm 80:13, the only Bible passage in which boars are mentioned.  But there are other words with the same pronunciation that are spelled b-o-r-e.  As a verb, “bore” may mean “to make a hole” through something and a drilling tool may be called a “bore.”  Another meaning of “bore” is “to make weary with dullness, repetition or tediousness,” and a person “that arouses boredom” may be called a “bore.” Also, a “high wave caused by a flood tide upstream” is another kind of “bore.”  People in the Occident, unacquainted with the zodiac signs, who have only heard, but not read that this is the “Year of the Bor,” may have different imaginations or illusions regarding the kind of year it may be.  Let us try to avoid both the destructive inclination of a boar and the dull repetitions of a bore.  Rather, let us seek to become the kind of bore that can bore a tunnel through the darkness of world problems and to become a bore on the top of a new wave of goodness and love, supporting peace and justice for those in need throughout the world, to help make the New Year a meaningful “Year of the Bor.”

07/01/05  Government Officials Mistakes  (Timely Words 1005)

It is widely recognized these days that governments and government officials and agencies sometimes make mistakes.  Today’s message includes two examples from the personal experiences of me and my wife.  When I applied to a government agency for enrollment in the Social Security program years ago, I stated the date of my birth: December 16, 1927.  After a short pause, I was informed that, according to the data on the computer, my birthday was December 11.  Although my entry into the program was approved, I was told that I now had two birthdays and that in my dealings with Social Security, my birthday was December 11.  On all documents both before and after that surprising event, I have consistently entered December 16 as my birthday, except on matters related to Social Security.  If I forget to do so, I am informed that my birth date is incorrect.  It is my supposition that, prior to the general use of typewriters and computers, an official in my hometown made such a small loop on the 6 in my birthdate that it was mistakenly considered a 1.  In fact, I have an official Certificate of Registration of Birth issued in 1928 that clearly states the correct date, but I have also retrieved an old Certificate of Birth, typewritten in 1943 and signed by the town’s registrar, that has four typographical errors in it, including the date of birth.  When my wife renewed her Florida Driver License last month, she was surprised to notice that the license she has used for the past 6 years, which included her picture and which she had repeatedly used for identification, had an M under the designation of “Sex” rather than an F.  Over the years neither she nor anyone else had noticed the mistake.

07/01/10  Meaning of Names  (Timely Words 1006)

All people in modern societies have individual names that distinguish them from other people having different names.  There are both family names and personal names, but the number of names, the order in which they are written and how they are chosen differ, depending upon the culture.  In China and Japan, not only the meaning of the names but the number of strokes used to write them is often taken into consideration.  Many Americans do not know the meaning of their names nor why they were given them.  In the case of my wife and me, we were never informed by our parents why they gave us our names but we have discovered their meanings.  In my case, Clark is related to a “cleric,” a “clergyman” or a “clerk.”  Since I am a clergyman and have also served as a clerk, the name is appropriate.  My eldest sister has informed me that our parents were, at first, planning to spell my name with an “e” at the end until she pointed out that their names and the names of their three children all had five letters in them, so they eliminated the “e” (and used five-letter names for my two younger sisters also).  My middle name, Benjamin, meaning “son of my right hand,” which was given to the last child of Jacob (Genesis 35:18), was also the name of one of my father’s brothers.  My wife’s name, Barbara, is derived from a Latin word meaning “strange” or “foreign,” but I can attest that she never acts like a “barbarian.”  Her middle name, Jean, is the feminine form of John, derived from the Greek name for Joshua, a Hebrew name meaning, “Yahweh has been gracious.”  But “Smiley,” the name she chose as her clown name is especially appropriate.

07/01/14  Sweet Suites  (Timely Words 1007)

Once a month on a Friday morning, my wife and I join other residents of our retirement community and go in our community bus to a symphony orchestra concert in the city of Jacksonville, about an hour away.  At these “Coffee Concerts,” coffee, tea and cookies are available without charge in the lobby of the symphony hall before the concert begins.  At the recent concert we attended, I was amazed not only at the beautiful music but at the irregularities in the spelling and pronunciation of English words.  The amusing title of that concert was “How Suite it is!” in which the pronunciation rather than the meaning of “suite” was significant.  The word spelled s-u-i-t-e, is pronounced the same as the word spelled s-w-e-e-t but it has a number of quite different meanings.  It may mean “a series of connected rooms serving as a living unit” or “a set of matching furniture,” but in this case, it referred to “an instrumental composition .  .  .” and the orchestra played suites composed by Debussy, Bach, Tchaikovsky and Bizet.  The word “sweet” denotes “a sugary taste,” “pleasing to the senses, feelings or mind” and those of us “senior citizens” who attended the concert would agree that the suites were sweet, which many of us would not say about modern music.  Not only music, but words and dispositions also may be “sweet.”  It is well for us to speak “sweet words” to others, remembering the words of the 103rd verse of the 119th Psalm, addressed to God: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”  If more people used sweeter words in their conversations (and even in their criticisms), our world would be a much sweeter, happier place.

07/01/18  Right and Left  (Timely Words 1008)

There are many customs and traditions in the U. S. A. and Japan that are very different.  In some cases, they are completely opposite.  To stimulate the thinking of Americans who have never been to Japan, I sometimes say, with a smile on my face, that, “in Japan, the ‘right’ side is the ‘wrong’ side and the ‘left’ side is the ‘right’ side.”  Such a statement also reflects the complexity of the English language.  In my dictionary, there are 12 definitions of “right,” one of which is the opposite of “left.”  The opposite of another meaning of “right” is “wrong.”  Because traffic rules in Japan were influenced by the British, cars run on the left side of the street, so the left side is the correct, or right, side and the right side is the wrong side.  “Right” and “left” also have political implications, developed from the seating arrangements in the British Parliament.  Those seated on the right side belonged to the Conservative Party and those seated on the left supported the Liberal Party, so “right” and “left” acquired political or philosophical significance as well.  A major problem today, not only in American society but throughout the world, is the divergent views of the more conservative citizens and those who are more liberal in matters related to marriage, birth control, capital punishment, religious freedom, armed conflict, etc.  In the inter-religious dialogue group I created in Japan, representatives of various religions and political perspectives met together regularly to share their views.  It was emphasized that we should have open minds and listen respectfully to the views of those who had different opinions or beliefs and that is the emphasis that is needed by world citizens today.

07/01/22  Proofreader  (Timely Words 1009)

A few years ago, soon after my wife and I entered this retirement community, I was asked to become a proofreader for the community’s monthly newsletter which includes statements from community officials, announcements of activities, social events, information regarding many different areas of interest as well as personal opinions of residents.  In this case, “proof” does not denote “evidence establishing the validity of a given assertion,” but “a trial sheet of printed material.”  And, according to my dictionary, to “proofread” means “to correct a printer’s proof while reading against the original manuscript.”  Now, my designation has been changed to a “copy editor,” and my dictionary defines “copy-edit” as follows: “to correct and prepare (a manuscript, for example) for typesetting and printing.”  Since I tend to be very meticulous in matters related to grammar and punctuation as well as spelling, I often make corrections with my red pen related to the placement of commas, periods and hyphens as well as word usage.  At the present time, I am one of seven copy editors and the only man on the entire 13-member editorial staff.  I presume my reputation related to picayunish matters is related to my experience in Japan, where I found it difficult to translate words, ideas, concepts into a completely different language and culture.  I have concluded that it is impossible to make a perfect literal translation from one language to another for not only the literal meanings of certain words have very different implications in a different culture, but also some basic concepts are completely absent.  This is one of the reasons for the perennial problem of international understanding.

07/01/26  Kansas  (Timely Words 1010)

In approximately the middle of the 48 contiguous United States of America is the state of Kansas; January 29th is celebrated as “Kansas Day” in that state.  As is the case for over half of the states, the name of this state comes from a Native American word.  In the Sioux language, the name means “south wind people.”  The State of Kansas entered the Union as the 34th state 146 years ago on January 29, 1861, following serious confrontations regarding whether or not slavery should be permitted in that new state, foreshadowing the Civil War, which began later that year.  Most of what is now the territory of the present state of Kansas was included in the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the area of the United States in 1803, but parts of what is now Kansas were also claimed by Spain, Mexico and Texas, and a part of it was designated Indian territory until Kansas was recognized as a state.  The nickname of the state of Florida, where my wife and I reside, is the “Sunshine State,” and the nickname of Kansas is the “Sunflower State.”  Sunflowers are also considered a state symbol, but along with sunflowers, the state also produces wheat, corn, oats, barley, soybeans and potatoes.  Problems relating to social issues, such as slavery, territorial disputes, political and military quarrels have characterized this nation’s history from the beginning and continue today, but the “ideal American way” of solving such disputes is to recognize the viewpoints or emphases of those with whom we may disagree and, in compliance with the Constitution, to permit the majority of citizens to determine the outcome by a fair election which the elected representatives agree to respect.

07/01/30  Scotch  (Timely Words 1011)

When I was a child, I sometimes played a game with other children called “hopscotch.”  On the wide sidewalk along the street in front of our house, we drew lines to create ten connected rectangles and wrote a number on each one.  Then, one of us threw a stone onto one of the rectangles and hopped on one foot from one rectangle to another in numerical order, except for the one the stone was in, picked up the stone and hopped back to the starting line.  The one who could do this without falling down or hopping on a line was one of the winners.  I did not realize until I began to compose this message, over seventy years later, that, according to a dictionary, one meaning of the word “scotch” is “a line drawn on the ground, such as one used in playing hopscotch.”  When written with a capital S, the word may denote a native or inhabitant of Scotland, but at the present time, Scottish men and women prefer the term “Scot.”  As an adjective, “Scotch” means “tight with one’s money; frugal.”  It may also designate a certain kind of whiskey that is distilled in Scotland from malted barley.  There is also a certain kind of dog having a heavy-set body, short legs and a blunt muzzle which originated in Scotland, called a Scottish terrier.  All of us have certain characteristics, whether we are Scottish, Japanese, American or of another nation and culture, which we have had since we were born, which have been enhanced or subdued by our experiences, which we should utilize to create a happier, more meaningful, more just and peaceful world.

07/02/03  Continuing Education  (Timely Words 1012)

It is generally recognized that regular exercise is necessary to maintain a healthy body.  Even after reaching retirement age and withdrawing from a daily routine that included physical activity, it is important to continue exercising to keep the body in good condition.  The same rule holds true for the mind.  To maintain a healthy mind, mental exercise is important.  My wife and I are happy that in the Penney Retirement Community in which we have been living for the past eight years, there are many opportunities to exercise both our bodies and our minds.  Along with exercise classes, both on the ground and in the swimming pool, there is a Fitness Center, which includes a number of machines that can be used to strengthen the muscles of arms and legs; residents are also involved in a variety of volunteer activities that include physical exercise.  A golf course, tennis and shuffleboard courts are also available.  To continue the stimulation and further development of our mental ability, there are a number of groups that meet regularly, including the Symposium, which meets twice a month and one of the members reads the paper he/she prepared as a result of research on a certain subject, the Literary Club, at which a book report is given, the Penney Writers, who share their writings with one another, the Drama Club, which presents dramas periodically for the entire community.  For those with musical talent, there are a number of choirs and a band.  At certain times, “Continuing Education Classes” are offered and I am now attending four different classes on the following subjects for an 8-week session led by recognized scholars who have retired in this community: “Genesis—Foundation for Biblical Faith,” “Women in Christian History to 1500,” “Books Left Out of the New Testament,” and “Islam and Christianity in North Africa and France.”

07/02/06  Lame Duck Amendment  (Timely Words 1013)

Next to the nursing home in this retirement community, there is a pond with a fountain in the middle.  Residents in the community as well as patients in the nursing home enjoy walking or being pushed around the pond in a wheelchair.  During the day, we often see a flock of ducks swimming in the pond or gathered together along the shore.  Some people throw pieces of bread to the ducks.  A “duck” is an aquatic bird having a broad flat bill, short legs and webbed feet.  Literally, a “lame duck” denotes a duck that is disabled because of a damaged leg.  I have never seen a lame duck, but this term is now used for an elected officeholder continuing in office during the period between failure to win an election and the inauguration of a successor.  Until 1933, in the United States of America, a congressman who was not reelected in the November election remained in office until the following March 4.  During that period of nearly 4 months, such congressmen could cause problems if they felt bitter about their rejection by the voters.  The 20th amendment to the Constitution, which designated January 3 as the day when the terms of congressmen end, has been called the “Lame Duck Amendment.”  Evidently, the origin of this expression is related to the old hunter’s maxim: “Never waste powder on a dead duck.”  The representatives who remain in office after an election in which they were not reelected are not yet “dead,” but their political power is limited, so they are called “lame ducks.”  This “lame duck amendment” was proclaimed in effect 74 years ago, on February 6, 1933 after 36 states had ratified it, but eventually, it was ratified by all 48 states.

07/02/10  Saint Valentine’s Day  (Timely Words 1014)

As a common noun, a “valentine” is a card or gift sent or given to one’s sweetheart or lover at this time of year.  As a proper noun, beginning with a capital V, Valentine is a masculine name, derived from a Latin word meaning “to be strong.”  There were three Roman emperors named Valentinian.  In the New Testament letters of the Apostle Paul, the term “saint” (meaning “holy person” denotes all Christian believers, but the Roman Catholic Church limits the term to those who have been canonized by the pope.  Two Christian leaders named Valentine suffered martyrdom near the end of the third century.  Both of them were canonized and the 14th day of February was designated their feast day.  According to a tradition in rural Europe, that was the day when birds began to mate, so the feast of Saint Valentine became associated with romantic gestures.  It was in the 17th century that the custom of sending a greeting or a gift to one’s lover developed.  Nowadays, in the West, it is customary for men and boys to give a valentine to girlfriends or wives, but in Japan, chocolate makers have influenced public opinion so that it is the lady who is expected to give a gift to one or more men—including her superiors, to whom she feels obligated.  Hopefully, some recipients will return the favor by giving some white chocolates to the giver one month later, on “White Day,” March 14th.  Customs related to Saint Valentine’s Day should stimulate us to consider the true meaning of “love.”  In the Bible, I John, chapter 4, and I Corinthians, chapter 13, are the basic passages regarding God’s love and the love we should have for one another.

07/02/14  “Meet and Greet” Reception  (Timely Words 1015)

In this Penney Retirement Community, it is customary for residents to wear a small identification tag with their name on it.  Not only is this helpful when we meet new residents, but since our memories are fading, we sometimes forget the names of people we know, so it is helpful to see their names when we talk to them.  Also, there is a “buddy system” in this community by which the administration links newcomers with residents who have been here for some years and are able to introduce the newcomers to the lifestyle here, answer questions and assist them in making their adjustments.  During the past year, many new residents have entered this community and recently, a “Meet and Greet” Reception was held for them.  A “reception” is a social event to welcome or honor certain people.  It is customary to hold a wedding reception in honor of a newly married couple and a reception may be held for new business or government officials, graduates or others who have attained certain goals.  At the recent “Meet and Greet” Reception, 11 couples and 4 single women and men were welcomed by the other residents.  Their “buddies” were also present to be of assistance if needed.  It was an interesting and enjoyable time.  My wife and I were especially surprised when we spoke to a new couple who had served as a doctor and nurse in a hospital in the Central American country of Panama.  When I asked whether they knew a certain man from Panama who we had met at the university where we first met each other, their reply was that not only did they know him, but they had served in the hospital that bore his name.

07/02/18  Indians  (Timely Words 1016)

The country of India is located on a large peninsula in southern Asia.  People who live in that country may be called “Indians.”  When Christopher Columbus made his historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in 1492, his aim was to sail to Asia.  When he arrived at an island off the coast of North America, he thought it was an island off the coast of India, so he called the inhabitants “Indians.”  From that time on, the native peoples of the American continents have been mistakenly called “Indians,” and the group of islands separating the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean have subsequently been called the “West Indies” to distinguish them from the “East Indies” in Asia.  In recent years, “Native American” has become the preferred and more exact term for those native Americans, who have had a lasting influence on the history of the colonies and countries that developed there.  The names of many states, cities, towns and rivers in the U.S.A. are derived from Native American languages and there is a state called Indiana, whose capital, Indianapolis, ends with the Greek word for “city” (polis).  Considering the present state of Native Americans and their experiences with the European invaders who forced them out of their native areas and made many promises that were never kept, we should be ashamed.  Even as Japan has been criticized for not showing sufficient remorse for its cruel treatment of people in China, Korea and the Philippines during the war and for not including reference to this in history books, so the U.S.A. needs to publicly recognize its failures relating to Native Americans and seek to make amends.

07/02/22  “The Pealing Organ”  (Timely Words 1017)

In a poem of the classical English poet, John Milton, written in 1632, we find these words: “Let the pealing organ blow to the full-voiced quire below.”  In modern English, although the spelling is different, the pronunciation of the word designating a group of singers, now spelled c-h-o-I-r, rather than q-u-i-r-e, is the same.  But what is a “pealing organ”?  In this case, two different words pronounced the same, but spelled differently, have very different meanings.  When spelled p-e-e-l-i-n-g, the word denotes the stripping or cutting away the skin or rind of something.  We peel oranges before we eat them.  When spelled p-e-a-l-i-n-g, however, the word primarily denotes the ringing of a set of bells, but in this case, it signifies the melodious music issuing from an “organ.”  In my English dictionary, there are five different definitions of “organ,” including “a periodical publication issued by a certain group” and “an organization that performs certain specified functions.”  As a biological term, “organ” may denote a particular part of an organism adapted for a specific function.  Our hearts, kidneys and livers are all “organs.”  But the “organ” in Milton’s poem denotes “a musical instrument consisting of a number of pipes that sound tones when supplied with air and a keyboard that operates a mechanism controlling the flow of air to the pipes.”  There are also pump organs and electronic organs that produce similar music.  Joyful music has always been a characteristic of Christianity and most traditional churches have organs that provide the musical accompaniment to hymns sung by the congregation or to the anthems sung by the choir.

07/02/26  Lent  (Timely Words 1018)

The common meaning of “lent” is the past tense of the verb “lend,” which means to give something to someone temporarily, expecting it to be returned.  When used as a noun, however, and beginning with a capital L, the word denotes a special period in the Christian church calendar preceding Easter, the church festival commemorating the resurrection of ChriSt. The date of Easter varies from year to year, but Lent denotes the 40 weekdays before Easter, which are traditionally considered a season of self-denial and penitence.  In the early church, ashes were considered a sign of repentance and the first day of Lent, which was February 21st this year, is called Ash Wednesday.  On that day, in Roman Catholic churches church members are invited to come forward and let the priest make a cross on their foreheads using his thumb which had been dipped into the ashes that remained after the burning of the palms used on Palm Sunday of the previous year.  The number 40 is found in a number of Bible stories, including the following: the Israelites endured 40 years in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:7), Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18), Jonah preached 40 days to the Ninevites (Jonah 3:4) and Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness lasted for 40 days (Luke 4:1-2).  Although the custom of using ashes to symbolize repentance is not followed in most Protestant churches, this season preceding the meaningful celebrations of Good Friday and Easter is considered a time to quietly meditate on the deep meanings of those holy days and some Christians express their self-denial in concrete ways by denying themselves certain favorite foods or pleasures during Lent.

07/03/01  March  (Timely Words 1019)

As a verb, “march” means to walk in a formal military manner, but when used as a noun, beginning with a capital M, it denotes this third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.  It is derived from the Latin word for Mars, the ancient Roman god of war and the name given to one of the planets which circle the sun.  In Japanese, the names of the days of the week are related to the sun, the moon and the planets of Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.  Because Mars was identified with Tiw, the Norse god of war, the third day of the week became Tuesday in English.  Mars was considered the guardian of the Roman state, the second-ranking god after Jupiter, and during the month of March, various festivities were held in his honor.  March was originally the first month in the ten-month Roman calendar.  It was after two additional months were added to the end of the year and then moved to the beginning of the year that March became the third month of the year.  Spring begins this month on the vernal equinox, which is a national holiday in Japan, the middle day of a week in which visits are traditionally made to the graves of departed family members who have crossed the river to the “other shore” (higan).  In English, we have a saying that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” to indicate the change of the weather that often occurs during this month.  Considering the world situation at the present time, let us work and pray that military forces will soon march back home and that any “god of war” who may be acting like a lion now will soon change and become like a lamb.

07/03/06  Lafcadio Hearn  (Timely Words 1020)

Many public and private schools in Japan today employ native speakers of English from the West to teach English.  In this way, students are able to learn the correct pronunciation of English words, which many non-native speakers find difficult to imitate.  One of the earliest and certainly the most famous such teacher was an Irish-Greek author and American journalist named Lafcadio Hearn, who came to Japan in 1890 and taught in Japanese schools for 14 years.  He married a Japanese woman and became a Japanese citizen, named Yakumo Koizumi.  Mr. Hearn’s most enduring work, however, was not transmitting Western concepts to Japan but emphasizing and enlivening Japanese legends and folk tales that were in danger of being loSt. He was deeply impressed with the “strangeness and charm” of Japan, considering it a “fairyland” and referred to the Japanese as “the most lovable people in the universe.”  The books he wrote in English contained many stories of local legends regarding Japanese phantoms and other tales that were a part of Japanese tradition.  The city of Matsue in Shimane Prefecture, where he began his teaching in a Middle School, now has a small museum in his memory, displaying old books, photos and manuscripts next to the house in which he lived over a century ago.  The city has become a tourist attraction and holds a national speech contest for high school students to read Mr. Hearn’s stories in English.  Lafcadio Hearn’s example of a man whose influence developed in unexpected ways and has continued long after his death should stimulate all teachers to think about the impact of our attitude and activities on the lives of those around us.

07/03/10  Saving Daylight  (Timely Words 1021)

One meaning of “save” is to conserve, or to prevent the loss of something.  People may save money by depositing it in a “savings account” in a bank and save time by using a vehicle rather than walking.  In the United States of America and a number of other countries, a certain period during the spring and summer seasons, called “Daylight Saving Time,” is designated to take advantage of the longer daylight hours.  Clocks, watches and other time-related devices are turned ahead one hour in the spring and turned back to “Standard Time” in the fall to “save daylight” for an additional hour.  This custom was first observed during the First World War in order to conserve electrical power.  The practice was again introduced during the Second World War, after which individual states had to decide whether or not to continue the custom and during what period.  In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act which required states that observed Daylight Saving Time to begin and end on dates determined by the federal government.  To solve the confusion regarding whether we turn the clock ahead or back in spring and fall, the saying “Spring ahead, Fall back,” was composed.  Until this year, the officially designated times to change the clocks were 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and the last Sunday of October.  This year, however, a new system is being introduced, which should result in more energy being saved.  The dates for changing our clocks this year are the first Sundays of March and November.  Whether or not we change our clocks to enjoy an extra daylight hour, we should remember the words found in the New Testament book of Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 15-16 and make good use of the limited time given to us.

07/03/14  Warming Up  (Timely Words 1022)

It is common for athletes to “warm up” by exercising or practicing before an official game begins.  On cold days, we feel better if we are able “to warm up” the room by turning up the heat.  At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, the outdoor temperature is “warming up” also, which makes us feel more comfortable.  But at the present time, this “warming up” is not limited to a certain area or to certain people.  Scientists are informing us that the whole world is “warming up” and it is suspected that this global warming is caused by the activities and lifestyle of human beings in industrialized countries.  The widespread use of coal, petroleum and gasoline as power generators has resulted in both a warmer and dirtier atmosphere.  In 1997, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change met in the Japanese city of Kyoto and adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which requires countries to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide by 6-8% below 1990 levels.  Although it is the world’s richest and most powerful country, which should provide a good example for the rest of the world, the United States of America has not signed that Protocol.  If this global warming is not stopped, it is predicted that, by 2100, seawater levels will rise between 8 and 88 centimeters, which would change the coastline of many countries, forcing the removal of many houses and causing many other changes.  A warmer atmosphere caused by polluted air and water may promote the growth of diseases and the insects that carry themespecially in underdeveloped countries.  Warming up our bodies and our homes may be justified, but warming up the whole world should not be done without careful, prayerful consideration.

07/03/17  Niagara Falls  (Timely Words 1023)

Two of the three largest countries in the world are located on the continent of North America.  They are Canada and the United States of America.  The international boundary in the eastern section of these adjacent countries is formed by four connected lakes and their connecting rivers.  These lakes, along with Lake Michigan, which lies entirely within the United States, are a part of the Great Lakes, which form the largest area of fresh water in the world, with a combined surface area of 95,000 square miles (246,050 square meters).  The names of these four lakes are: Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.  The river which connects Lake Erie with Lake Ontario is called Niagara River, from a Native American word meaning “neck” (of land).  This river flows over a huge escarpment, which has become one of the most spectacular spectacles in North America, attracting tourists from around the world.  These Niagara Falls, which are divided into American Falls and Canadian Falls, can be viewed from either country on the opposite sides of the river, and there are cities in both the state of New York and the province of Ontario, named Niagara Falls.  The American Falls are 167 feet (51 meters) high and 1060 feet (323 meters) wide and the Canadian Falls are 158 feet (48 meters) high and 2600 feet (792 meters) wide.  After flowing over the Niagara Falls, the water continues its journey to the Atlantic Ocean by means of the St. Lawrence River.  The areas on both sides of the river near the Niagara Falls have been developed as national parks and the falls are used to produce hydroelectric power.  So it is that natural wonders may be utilized as well as enjoyed.

07/03/22  “Great Decisions”  (Timely Words 1024)

One of the “Continuing Education” classes my wife and I are now attending once a week is called “Great Decisions.”  In that class, a guide prepared by the Foreign Policy Association to gain a better understanding of significant world issues is used.  Each class includes a talk by a member who has had personal experience and engaged in research related to the subject, a relevant videotape and free discussion among those in attendance.  Thus far, we have covered the following topics: “The U.S. in the Middle East,” “Climate Change and Global Warming,” “Mexico: Neighbor in Turmoil.”  The next topic is: “International Migration in a Global Economy.”  Problems related to the large number of illegal immigrants in this country are the subject of current articles in newspapers and magazines, discussions on television and the focus of attention of both congressional committees and the administration.  Three different words may be used to denote the movement from one country or region to another: “migrate” is the more general term; “emigrate” emphasizes the leaving of one country to settle in another, while the emphasis of “immigrate” is on the country entered and implies a more permanent settlement in the new area.  Many factors are involved in the present development of immigration related to the economic and political situation.  The global flowing of goods, capital and information is accompanied by a rising volume of immigration and developed nations seek to apply restrictive measures to limit international migration.  “Great decisions” are required to stop illegal border crossings and to appropriately deal with those living and working here illegally.

07/03/26  Women and Men  (Timely Words 1025)

There are many different ways to divide human beings.  They may be separated according to country, race, education, financial status or religion.  Unfortunately, in the history of all cultures, certain groups of people have been given special privileges while others have been rejected or downgraded.  Prejudice and discrimination have been characteristic of all peoples.  Probably the most obvious division among human beings is related to gender or sex.  Today, the place of women in society and in religion has become a controversial topic.  A woman is seeking to become a viable candidate for president of the United States of America and the place of women in the traditions of both Islam and Christianity is being questioned.  Must women dress in a certain manner, wear headscarves and be completely subservient to men?  Can they be given responsible positions in companies and governments?  Should they be permitted to receive higher education?  Can they be officially ordained as pastors, priests or bishops?  When quotations from the Bible are used to support or question a particular position, the situation and purpose of the passage when it was written must be taken into consideration, but the words of Galatians 3:28 indicate that, among Christians, there should be no divisions based on race, social status or gender.  Having lived in Japan for over half of my adult life, I am well aware of the traditional and current differences in the social and religious perspectives of Japan and the U.S.A.  But I found a recent report on other differences between women and men in the U.S.A. of intereSt. It indicated that men die younger than women, that more men develop cancer and die from it than women, but more women develop heart disease and die from it than men.

07/03/30  Palm Sunday  (Timely Words 1026)

Some calendars include the names of special days or holidays along with the numbers that indicate the days and months.  Of course, the particular special days and holidays noted vary, depending on the country and the preference or plan of the printer.  Often, holidays are printed in a distinguishing color, which has generated the term “red-letter days.”  In church calendars, “Good Friday,” commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion, and “Easter,” commemorating his resurrection, are the most important days of the year.  In my pocket calendar for this year of 2007, April 8 is marked “Easter,” the preceding Friday is “Good Friday” and April 1 is not “April Fools Day,” but “Palm Sunday.”  “Palm Sunday” is the Sunday before Easter, the beginning of what is called “Holy Week,” when Christians are reminded of the final week of Jesus’ life, as recorded in the first four books in the New Testament.  For some reason, from ancient times, the large leaves of palm trees have been used as emblems of victory, success or joy.  In the 1st century B.C., the Latin poet, Horace, wrote of the “victor’s palm” and the expression “bear the palm” means to win the prize in a conteSt. In all four Gospels, the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem, riding not on a horse but on a donkey, symbolizing peace, and accompanied by a crowd of cheering people who took branches from trees and laid them in the road before him, is recorded.  According to John 12:13, it was palm branches they took when they greeted Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna!”  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  And it is in commemoration of that joyful event that the Sunday before Easter is called “Palm Sunday.

07/04/03  Holy Week  (Timely Words 1027)

Something that is set apart for a sacred purpose may be called “holy.”  For religious people, a shrine, temple, church or mosque is considered a “holy place.”  Certain religions have a “holy book,” through which divine truth is believed to be communicated.  In Judaism, it is the “Torah.”  In Islam, it is the “Qur’an,” and for Christians, it is the “Bible.”  In the traditional Church Calendar, this week preceding Easter Sunday is called “Holy Week.”  In it, meaningful events in the final week of Jesus’ life are commemorated.  As noted in the previous message, on “Palm Sunday,” Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, surrounded by cheering crowds waving palm branches.  On Thursday, he ate his “Last Supper” with his twelve disciples.  During that Jewish Passover meal, the Lord assumed the role of a slave and, as an example of humility, washed his disciples’ feet (John 13:3-15).  He also gave them a new commandment “to love one another” (John 13:34-35).  The song sung during an ancient footwashing ritual began with the Latin word for “commandment” and, influenced by that word, this “Holy Thursday” is also called “Maundy Thursday.”  It was at that meal that Jesus used bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood, which he was to offer up the next day.  Christians continue to make use of these symbolic elements in holy rituals, called the “Lord’s Supper,” “Communion” or the “Eucharist.”  The Friday of Holy Week is called “Good Friday,” commemorating Jesus’ death on the cross.  It may be that this is a corruption of an earlier term, “God’s Friday,” but from the Christian perspective, Jesus’ sacrificial love manifested in his self-denying death on the cross was truly a good deed which continues to produce a good effect even today.

07/04/07  Easter  (Timely Words 1028)

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the ChriSt. The date changes from year to year in order to keep it synchronized with the Jewish feast of Passover, which is determined according to a lunar calendar.  Now, most churches observe it on the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.  This year, that day is April 8.  “Easter,” is derived from the name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, whose symbol was the hare and whose festival was held at this time of year in Europe before the advent of Christianity.  Spring is the time of new life in nature.  From ancient days, eggs have been used to symbolize new life and hard-boiled, brightly colored Easter eggs are often prepared and eaten at this time of year.  Since rabbits are well known for their fertility, Easter bunnies are often associated with Easter eggs.  According to the Gospel accounts, when Jesus’ friends visited his tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week following his death, they looked inside the tomb and saw no body and nobody.  Then they were informed that he had risen and, later, Jesus himself appeared and spoke and ate with his disciples.  Christians consider Christ’s resurrection to be a basic element in their faith, signifying the power of God and the final victory of life over death.  One of the great mysteries we encounter in the Bible is how Jesus’ disciples, who had been so disheartened, became so courageous.  How was it that these same men, who had “deserted him and ran away” when Jesus was arrested, afterward “went out and preached everywhere?”  How were these men able to hold on to their faith despite all manner of persecution and even death?  The answer of the New Testament and of the Church throughout the ages has been that Christ appeared to the disciples following his death and empowered them to be his witnesses.  And it is that new, spiritual life that is being celebrated on Easter Sunday.

07/04/11  “Colored Races”  (Timely Words 1029)

One meaning of “race” is a competition of speed in which contestants try to run or ride very faSt. Another word, spelled and pronounced the same, denotes a particular group of human beings having certain common physical characteristics.  Often the various “races” are distinguished by color words such as “white,” “black,” or “yellow.”  When I was in Japan, I was considered a “white man,” but I often urged people to stop using such colorful words to refer to people because such words are not accurate and have certain implications.  In the minds of many people, “white” has the implication of purity; “black” connotes something dirty or impure, and “yellow” is used for cowardly actions.  In Japan and in talks about Japan in this country, I have often declared that “I am not a ‘white man.’”  And to confirm this declaration, I take a sheet of white paper and hold it next to my hand to illustrate the fact that the color of my skin is not white.  I am just as “colored” as any Negro or Japanese.  In fact, the skin color of some Japanese is whiter than mine, and I have been asked by people both in Japan and in the U. S. A. whether I had some Japanese in my lineage, but both of my parents were of German extraction.  All human beings are people of color and there are many different shades of white, black and yellow.  Discrimination based on skin color or race has been a vice in the histories of most nations, but rather than emphasizing differences based on race or skin color, we should recognize that we all belong to the same human family regardless of the particular shade of color of our skin, which also may change depending on our life style.

07/04/15  Forrest High School  (Timely Words 1030)

There are many different kinds of schools in the United States of America.  Not only are there public schools in every area of the country, there are also many private schools.  There are elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools and colleges; and every school has a name.  Names of many schools are related to the place where the school is located, but some have been named after famous persons who had some relationship with that school or the area in which it was established.  Looking at our telephone directory, I find that the names of most public schools in this area are related to the place where they are located, but one high school in particular has been in the news recently because it is being pressured to change its name.  When the school opened in 1959, it was named Forrest High School, in honor of Nathan Bedford Forrest, who rose from the lowly rank of private to the high rank of lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  This war was the result of different views related to slavery.  The Confederate states of the South sought to separate from the Union states of the North and to continue to own and control “black” slaves from Africa and their descendants.  After the war, Forrest became a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society that used terroristic methods to assert “white” supremacy.  A school advisory committee has recommended that the school’s name be changed because of the poor example Forrest left, which embarrasses its numerous Afro-American students.  A suggested new name is Firestone High School because it is located on Firestone Road.  Not only do the meaning or implications of words change over the years, but the actions of people are also interpreted differently, depending upon the time and one’s viewpoint.

07/04/19  “God Speaks” Billboards  (Timely Words 1031)

As we drive along a highway, whether in an urban area or in the countryside, there are many roadside signs that attract our attention.  Some of them are related to rules to be obeyed, including speed limits, cautions regarding road repairs or construction, directions to certain places or warnings about dangerous conditions.  A billboard is a special kind of roadside sign that attracts special attention because it is so large and may be visible even after dark because of its illumination.  The main use of such billboards is for advertisements, but a recent newspaper article noted a peculiar billboard that is now attracting attention along interstate highways in certain cities in four states.  On each of these billboards, there is a short statement in white letters on a dark blue surface ending with the word “God,” as though God was the writer.  It was reported that an unnamed man has spent $400,000 to create these billboards, hoping to stimulate thoughtful consideration on such “words from God” as: “Feeling lost?  My Book is your map.”  “We need to talk.”  “Will the road you’re on get you to My place?”  “Do you have any idea where you’re going?”  “Life is short.  Eternity isn’t.”  “My way is the highway.”  On the lower left side of these billboards is an Internet address: “GodSpeaks.com”.  Although at the present time we do not know what effect seeing these billboards has on the drivers, passengers or pedestrians who read them, they may stimulate both smiles and frowns as well as deeper thoughts about important subjects.

07/04/23  Arbor Day  (Timely Words 1032)

In the United States of America, legal holidays are determined by the individual states rather than by the federal government, which decides the holidays for federal employees.  Individual states usually choose to have the same holidays as the federal employees, but they may have holidays on other days as well.  Thus, all calendars do not have holidays on the same days.  On a couple of calendars in our house, April 22nd is listed as a holiday, called “Arbor Day.”  The word “arbor” signifies a shady garden shelter, often made of latticework on which vines, roses or other climbing plants are grown.  In the backyard of my parents’ home was the arbor under which they were married in an outdoor wedding ceremony.  The word is derived from an old English word meaning “garden.”  In many states, Arbor Day is considered tree-planting day when trees are planted in open places on the grounds of state capitols, school grounds and along highways.  The planting of trees will not only make the landscape more beautiful; they provide food and lumber, serve as windbreaks and hold moisture in the soil as well as providing shade.  The State of Nebraska first observed April 22 as Arbor Day in 1872 to commemorate the birthday of one of the earliest conservationists, Julius Sterling Morton, who served as secretary of agriculture under President Grover Cleveland from 1893 to 1897.  In the 16 years after that first Arbor Day in Nebraska, about 350 million trees were planted in that state and today the state has a national forest planted by Nebraskans that covers more than 200,000 acres (approximately 81,000 hectares), from which seedlings are provided to other countries that have seriously depleted forests.  Other states observe Arbor Day on other dates, including the last Friday in April.

07/04/27  Genes/Jeans  (Timely Words 1033)

Many residents in this Penney Retirement Community have not “retired” from physical or mental activity.  Residents who are interested in tracing their lineage and understanding their genealogy may join the Penney Gene Society to investigate their family’s history.  Recently, I attended one of their meetings and received helpful instruction about how to make use of the Internet on my computer to download information regarding my German ancestors before they came to this country.  “Genes,” spelled g-e-n-e-s, are hereditary elements that are passed on from parents to children.  The personality, character, abilities, talents, strengths and weaknesses of an individual may be influenced by the genes received from his/her parents.  English dictionaries include another word pronounced the same as “genes” spelled j-e-a-n-s.  It denotes blue pants made of heavy, strong, twilled cotton, which are very popular among young people today but are also worn by men as work clothes.  Both “Gene” and “Jean” are also used as names in the United States of America.  Checking the Directory of Penney Retirement Community, which has about 530 residents, I find that there is one man whose name is “Gene,” eight women whose names are “Jean,” and two women whose name is pronounced the same, but spelled J-e-a-n-n-e.  In English-speaking countries, the meaning of names is not so clear as in Japan; some names are especially attractive to some people, but what is considered “attractive” may be due to our genes rather than a conscious choice.

07/05/01  Winning A Bet  (Timely Words 1034)

According to a recent newspaper article, “in Britain, people bet on just about everything,” not only on the winners of sporting events or elections.  “Those who want to wager on a novel matter submit the idea in writing to bookmakers,” who do some research and calculate the odds.  Ten years ago, a 90-year-old man, who felt very healthy, went to a bookmaker and made a bet of 100 British pounds (about $200 dollars today) that he would live to be 100.  The bookmaker looked at him and thought it unlikely that he would live that long and gave him 250-to-1 odds.  The man recently celebrated his 100th birthday and received $50,000 from the bookmaker.  The man attributed his long life to “not worrying too much and taking lots of holidays.”  Reading this article, I was reminded of a “Daily Word” telephone message I had composed 24 years ago about the oldest man in Japan, who had just celebrated his 118th birthday and whose prescription for a long life was “Don’t worry nor let little things bother you and eat lots of vegetables.”  His name was Shigechiyo Izumi.  But when I read about him in the Japanese newspaper, I thought he was a woman for I knew a lady named Chiyo and, in Japanese, words such as “he/she,” “him/her,” are not used, so the gender of the person was not evident, even after I spoke to a newspaper reporter about the pronunciation of the person’s name.  The next day, when a picture of the man with his white beard appeared in the newspaper, I hastily revised my spoken message on the tape recording and was reminded of the problems related to making accurate translations of languages of different cultures.

07/05/05  May  (Timely Words 1035)

This fifth month in the Gregorian calendar is called May.  As I was considering an appropriate message related to that name, including women named May or Mae, I again realized the irregularities of the spelling and pronunciation of English words.  Can you understand the meanings of the following sentences?  The maid made the meal.  The male who delivers the mail is hale and hailed a taxi as it began to hail.  Then he saw a knave enter a church and walk down the nave.  In that church, after the pastor prays, the congregation sings hymns of praise while a spider preys on flies and other insects.  In the choir, there was a man who sings bass on Sundays and plays first base on a baseball team during the week.  On some days, he feels like he is in a daze.  One day, he rode a horse with a black mane on a main road in the state of Maine.  He held on to the rein even as it began to rain during the reign of the present monarch.  As the horse swung his tail, he told a tale about a man who was concerned about the size of his waist and the waste of food along the road.  He was willing to wait to eat if that would decrease his weight, but he preferred eating a steak to pounding a stake.  The horse trotted at a normal gait until they arrived at the gate, where the rider waved to the security guard who waived the rules and permitted them to enter.  Although there is no brake on a horse, the rider decided to break the ride and stop to see an interesting house with a large chimney above a great grate.  He felt a little pain as he looked through the window pane and became pale when he found a pail, but he did not wail when he saw a whale.

07/05/09  Reasons for Suing  (Timely Words 1036)

In the English language newspapers and magazines that I read these days, there are many stories of people suing other people, organizations or companies, seeking to obtain money for the words or actions that caused some kind of failure or hardship because they were mistaken or incorrect.  Such a legal proceeding, which is settled in a court by a judge or a jury, may be called a “suit,” which does not refer to men’s clothes.  The kind of suits worn by those involved in the suit should not influence the outcome.  According to a recent news article, a British man is seeking compensation for a mistaken diagnosis by doctors at a certain hospital.  The 62-year-old man asserted that he spent his life savings after being told he had only months to live.  He said, “My life has been turned upside down by this.  I was told I had limited time to live.  I got rid of everything—my car, my clothes, everything.” Since the diagnosis was wrong and he is still living, he thinks the hospital should recognize the loss he suffered from the mistaken diagnosis and compensate him, but the hospital replies that there “was ‘no clear evidence of negligence’ on its part.” Another article noted that a Brazilian court ordered a brewer to pay $49,000 to an alcoholic beer taster who said he drank more than 3 pints of beer a day and the company did not provide the health measures needed to keep him from developing alcoholism.  For a judge to make a correct, fair and appropriate decision in many such suits is very difficult, unless inner motives are clearly understood.  So it is that the Apostle Paul, in I Corinthians 4:1-5, affirms that the Lord is his judge.

07/05/13  Plagiarism  (Timely Words 1037)

Every morning, before we get up, a daily newspaper is delivered to our back door and my wife and I take turns reading it during and after our simple breakfaSt. Recently, I tend to become disheartened as I read the news.  It is not only because of natural disasters such as typhoons, hurricanes, tsunami and forest fires, and not only because of the outrageous war in Iraq, corrupt governments and the suffering of innocent people who must struggle to stay alive.  I am saddened to read of the immoral, unethical activities that have become so common in our country, including lying, killing, discrimination against people of different cultural or religious traditions, etc.  Even respected religious leaders have been engaged in illegal, immoral activities.  Some have been found guilty of financial scandals or sexual crimes and a recent article noted that some preachers were guilty of “plagiarism.”  “Plagiary” denotes the stealing of the words/writings of another person and presenting them as one’s own.  Students in college classes sometimes quote passages from the writings of others without using quotation marks.  Now that there is so much material available on the Internet, using the words of others has become much easier and the sermons of some preachers have been found to come from another source.  All preachers and writers, however, have learned from others and may imitate them.  The American poet and author, Oliver Wendell Holmes, has written: “Honest thinkers are always stealing unconsciously from each other.  Innocent plagiarism turns up everywhere.”  Incidentally, readers may make use of quotations from these messages without permission, but I would appreciate your informing others about this webpage.

07/05/17  “Retirement”  (Timely Words 1038)

Eight years ago, my wife and I “retired” from our work in Japan and became residents in the Penney Retirement Community in the northeast area of the state of Florida (http://www.penneyretirementcommunity.org).  This retirement community was established in 1926 by J.  C.  Penney primarily for retired ministers, missionaries and others involved in church-related activities.  Since the residents had all been involved in various kinds of Christian service, an emphasis on volunteerism has been a characteristic of the community from the beginning, which reduces the need for employing workers from outside.  Along with the numerous volunteer activities, there are opportunities to become involved in many different areas of interest, including woodworking, weaving, painting, music, sports, literature, drama, writing, theology, philosophy, religions, etc.  In fact, we have become so busy in various activities that we are thinking of a different meaning of “retire.”  When the prefix “re” is added to a verb, it means “again,” and since we have become tired again, we feel “retired” in that sense also.  This week, an annual celebration honoring the residents who have celebrated their 90th birthday was held.  Of the approximately 520 residents, about 70 of them are in their nineties and three have celebrated their hundredth birthdays.  Last week, a simple wedding ceremony was held here in which the oldest resident, a 101-year-old man was married to a longtime acquaintance of his who is also a resident here.  Because of the news of devastating wildfires in this part of the country, many people have inquired about our condition, but as of this time, we have had no problem except for a smoky atmosphere at times.

07/05/21  Fires  (Timely Words 1039)

How would you define the word “fire?”  According to my dictionary, it is “a rapid, persistent chemical reaction that releases heat and light.”  Truly, it is somewhat mysterious and the English author, Leigh Hunt, has called it “the most tangible of all mysteries.”  In certain areas in the U. S. A. (including the state of Florida), recently, there have been many huge wildfires, or forest fires, that have not only destroyed large portions of forests but the homes of residents as well.  A lack of rain and strong winds has complicated the efforts of firefighters to contain, control or extinguish the fires.  In our area, some highways have been closed at times due to smoke which limits the vision of drivers and some residents have been advised to evacuate.  While composing this message, I was surprised at the large number of words listed in the dictionary that begin with “fire,” from “fire alarm” to “fireworks.”  “Fire” may also denote “enthusiasm” or, as a verb, it may be used in an informal sense to mean “discharge from a position; dismiss.”  The fire of President Bush’s supporters has dwindled further after the president of the World Bank, who he had appointed, was fired.  The phrase “no smoke without a fire” implies that there is some foundation for every scandal, of which there are too many these days, and “to play with fire,” means to meddle with that which is perpetually dangerous or harmful.  It is better for politicians, military leaders and common people not to “play with fire.”  In the first part of chapter 3 of the New Testament Letter of James, it is written that “the tongue also is a fire” and a small spark may set a great forest on fire, so we should all be careful what we say.

07/05/25  Observing Traditions  (Timely Words 1040)

One of the signs of getting old is the fading of memory.  Because my memory is not as sharp as it used to be, I always carry a pocket calendar with me so that I can be reminded of my schedule for the day and for days ahead.  Some people may be confused when they read the words on certain dates of that calendar—not because of what I scribbled in but because of what is written on the calendar itself.  For example, on Monday, May 28, is written: “Memorial Day (Observed).”  Two days later, on May 30, is written: “Memorial Day (Traditional).”  So what is to be “observed” on Monday?  In this case, the 6th definition of “observe” given in my dictionary is applicable: “to keep or celebrate (a holiday, for example).” Since the end of the Civil War, in 1865, the graves of soldiers who died during that war were visited and decorated by their families and friends so the day on which that was done became known as “Decoration Day” or “Memorial Day.”  The traditional day to visit the graves of loved ones who had died in battle was May 30, until 1968 when the United States Congress changed the date to the fourth Monday of May.  At first, the visitation was to the graves of soldiers killed in the Civil War.  Then, those who died in other wars were also included and now, observances include all deceased persons, civilian as well as military.  This year, Memorial Day will have a special meaning for many families who have lost loved ones in the present wars.  As a result of the Civil War, the United States of America remained united and we are thankful for the good result of that war.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to believe that we will have a similar feeling following the conclusion of the present wars, which are very different.

07/05/28  Names of Months  (Timely Words 1041)

The names of the 12 months of the year are very easy to remember in Japanese because they are composed simply of the number plus the term for “month,” or “moon.”  In English, however, every month has a separate name, which must be remembered.  Perceptive minds will recognize that the English names of the last 4 months of the year have prefixes that are related to other numbers.  The names of these months were originally given when a year was divided into 10 months and the names remained even after 2 additional months were inserted at the beginning of the year.  Thus, “Sept” at the beginning of the 9th month in the present calendar is related to the Latin word for 7.  A “septennial” occurs every 7 years and a “septet” is a musical group of 7 singers or instrumentalists.  “Oct,” from the Latin word for 8, is also found in “octet,” a group of 8 singers or musicians, and an “octagon” is a polygon with 8 sides and 8 angles.  “Nov” is rooted in the Latin word for 9.  In the Roman Catholic Church, a “novena” consists of prayers and devotions for a special purpose repeated for 9 consecutive days.  A period of 10 years is called a “decade” and a “decimal” is a number based on 10.  The names of the months preceding September also were originally related to the Latin words for 5 and 6, but they were later changed to honor a couple of outstanding Roman leaders.  When the name of the 5th month was changed to “July” in honor of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.E., an additional day was added, so that month now has 31 days.  About two decades later, the name of the 6th month was changed to August in honor of the first Roman emperor, Augustus.

07/06/01  June  (Timely Words 1042)

This sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar is called “June.”  There are different theories to explain the meaning of and reason for that name and for the name of the previous month of “May.” According to one theory, “May,” derived from the Latin word for “elders,” was the month in which the senior members of the population were honored, and “June,” derived from the Latin word for “juniors” was the month dedicated to the young.  According to another theory, the names of these two months are derived from the names of two goddesses in Greek and Roman mythology.  Juno, the wife of Jupiter, the chief of the gods, was regarded as the guardian of women, who played an important role in furthering and protecting marriages.  From ancient times, Roman women considered June the most favorable month for marrying.  In contrast, May marriages were thought to be unlucky.  In many Western countries even today, June is a popular month for marriages and my wife also was a “June bride.”  In Japan, the “rainy season” usually begins in June, but Anglo-Saxons called this month the “dry month.”  As is the case with April and May, June is also a feminine name.  Checking the directory of this retirement community, I was surprised to find the large number of women residents that had short names beginning with J.  Of the approximately 350 women whose names appear in that directory, there are 3 named June, 8 named Jean (plus 2 named Jeanne), 6 named Jane, 5 named Joan, (plus 1 Joann and 1 Jo Ann), 2 named Jan and 1 named Jo.  Except for June, these names are derived from the masculine name “John,” which is rooted in the Hebrew expression “the Lord (Jehovah/Yahweh) is gracious.”

07/06/05  Twin Cities Connection  (Timely Words 1043)

Literally, a “twin” is one of two offspring born at the same time.  Often such twins are identical and difficult to distinguish from each other.  This word is also used to designate a couple of other things that resemble each other, such as  “twin beds,” or that are closely coupled together, such as “twin cities.”  Of the various “twin cities” in the United States of America, the most well-known are Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota.  There are various “connections” between these two cities, but this year a new “connection” was made, for it was in Minneapolis that the biennial meeting of the Japan Mission Connection 2007 was held from May 31 to June 3 on the beautiful campus of Northwestern College.  For more than a decade, men and women who served in churches and schools in Japan over the years have gathered together to reminisce, renew acquaintances, share recent experiences and consider topics of common intereSt. This was the 4th such gathering in the 4th different state that my wife and I have attended since we retired from Japan in 1999.  There were about 100 present and we enjoyed meeting old friends listening to lectures on Celtic spirituality, the Iona Community and practical action for justice and peace by a man who helped found the World Parliament of the World’s Religions and on Theology and Violence by a Japanese professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York.  Speaking of “twins,” the birth of twins, named Esau and Jacob, is recorded in the last half of the 25th chapter of Genesis and stories of the mutual antagonism and final reconciliation of these twins are related in chapters 27 to 33.

07/06/10  Mosquitoes  (Timely Words 1044)

This year, the state of Florida has had very little rain.  As a result, lakes and ponds are becoming smaller and there have been many forest fires.  Recently, a newspaper article warned that another unfavorable result might be an increase in the number of mosquitoes looking for “food” this year.  It was reported that millions of mosquito eggs have been deposited in wooded areas from which mosquitoes will emerge when they become damp.  And for what kind of “food” will the mosquitoes be searching? Male and female mosquitoes consume different types of “food.”  It is the female mosquito, which sucks blood from mammals through its long “proboscis” (which the dictionary defines as: “1.  A long, flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant.  2.  The slender, tubular feeding and sucking structure of some insects”).  “The males may have beaks, or probosces, but cannot pierce, and they feed upon fruit and plant juices.”  Some mosquitoes carry the parasites that cause malaria.  According to another reference book, “Research indicates that mosquitoes do indeed tend to bite somebody who has recently eaten a banana.”  On the contrary, some scholars contend, “people who eat a lot of garlic aren’t bitten by mosquitoes much, if at all.”  Whether or not mosquitoes are attracted to you may be related to what you eat.  I recall a short conversation I had with a Buddhist priest in Japan regarding mosquitoes.  According to Buddhism, all life is related and killing of any living thing is wrong and should not be done.  I asked the priest if he has any hesitation about killing a mosquito and his reply was that he does kill them but offers a short prayer for them at the time.

07/06/14  Flag Day  (Timely Words 1045)

There are many different kinds of national flags, which symbolize certain facts or fancies about a country.  Japan’s flag, Hi-no-Moto, consisting of a red ball on a white surface, represents the “Land of the Rising Sun.”  The American flag, called “Stars and Stripes,” consists of thirteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes, representing the 13 original colonies which declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776 and fifty five-pointed white stars on a blue canton representing the fifty states which are now included in the United States of America.  At the time of the Revolutionary War, the colonies were not yet united and different flags were raised during the battles.  The first “Grand Union” flag had 13 red and white stripes with the British Union ensign in the canton, but on June 14, 1777, the former British provinces adopted a national flag with 13 stripes and 13 stars in a circle on the canton.  In 1794, after two more states were admitted to the Union, two more stripes and two more stars were added.  It was that flag with 15 stripes that inspired the poem, written by Francis Scott Key when he awakened after a battle between British and American forces during the War of 1812 and saw the American flag still flying, beginning with the words, “O say, can you see.”  In 1931, Congress officially adopted that poem, called the “Star-Spangled Banner,” as the national anthem and in 1941, it officially designated June 14 as Flag Day, when national flags are supposed to be displayed.  In the retirement community where my wife and I live, a Christian flag is displayed on the side of a large outdoor bulletin board to signify the death of one of the residents, whose name, time of death and time of the memorial service is written on the bulletin board.

07/06/18  Sisters Visit  (Timely Words 1046)

In English, nouns related to family relationships are sometimes given a different meaning when used in a religious context.  Thus, “father” may refer to a Roman Catholic priest, “brother” may mean a member of a religious order of men and a “sister” may be a member of a religious order of women, a “nun.”  The three sisters who visited my wife and me for four days last week, however, were not nuns.  They were daughters of my physical father and mother; we were all born and raised in the same home.  There were four girls and two boys in our family.  At our family reunion last summer in our hometown in northern Illinois, all six siblings, along with their spouses, children and grandchildren (55 in all) were present.  These sisters, however, did not think they had had enough  time to talk among themselves about many things, so we invited them to visit us and, fortunately, they were able to do so.  They flew into Jacksonville from three different states.  My wife and I met them at the airport and brought them to our home.  Although my mother and father both died when they were 70 years old, now all six of their children are older than that.  While my sisters were here, we spent much time reminiscing, talking about our parents and our early years at home, looking at old pictures and news articles.  We showed them around our retirement community and took them with us to community meetings.  We also took them to St. Augustine, the oldest continually occupied European settlement (since 1565) in North America, where we visited old historic places.  We enjoyed reviewing our own family’s history and the history of our country.  Such a review of the past stimulates feelings of both gratitude and contrition.

07/06/22  Summer  (Timely Words 1047)

Those of us living in the northern hemispheres are now enjoying the warmest season of the year which comes between spring and fall.  Actually, this three-month period starts when the sun reaches the summer “solstice,” when it seems to “stand still.” This natural event occurs every year on either June 21 or 22, halfway between the vernal “equinox” and the autumnal “equinox,” when day and “night” are “equal.”  Because of the extended days of sunshine and the resulting period of high temperatures, summer is the prime growing season for plant life.  The celebration of “Midsummer” has existed throughout Europe from pre-Christian times and Christian and pagan customs long ago became curiously mixed.  Traditional bonfires on Midsummer Night are remnants of sun-worship and the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, whom Jesus called “a burning and a shining light,” came to be celebrated on Midsummer Day.  Actually, “midsummer” is a misnomer, for Midsummer Day does not occur in the middle of summer.  Rather, it is near the time of the summer solstice.  Midsummer is celebrated, with local variations, in Europe and many Latin American countries.  It has special significance in the northern areas of Scandinavia, where the inhabitants of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark have experienced dark, sunless days during the winter.  This season of the year is noted in the concluding affirmation of the natural changes which are ordered and maintained by God, following the story of the flood and the salvation of Noah and his family.  In Genesis 8:22, we read: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.

07/06/26  Red Hat Society  (Timely Words 1048)

Thirty years ago, the Senior Thesis required for her graduation from Earlham College written by our daughter was entitled: “A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Color Terms: ‘White,’ ‘Black,’ and ‘Red’ in English, Greek, and Japanese.”  Glancing through that thesis, I recognize that “red” has different implications, depending on the language and culture in which it is used.  In my English dictionary, I find the following words included that begin with “red:” “red-blooded,” “red carpet,” “red-hot,” “red ink,” “red light,” “redneck,” “red tape,” and many others.  The definition of a “redcap” in that dictionary is: “A porter, usually in a railroad station,” but now, the term “red hat” has a new significance.  A few years ago, my wife saw a group of ladies wearing red hats that were attending a concert of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and inquired about them.  Later, a Red Hat Society was organized in our retirement community and my wife is one of its faithful members.  The name of the society is derived from the first lines of a poem written by an English lady in 1961: “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn’t suit me.”  Red Hat Societies are composed of middle-aged or elderly women who enjoy meeting together to eat and to stimulate happy feelings.  It is the custom for those who attend such meetings to wear red hats and purple dresses.  The local Red Hat Society has a meeting at a different restaurant every month.  In Japan, because of its connection with fire and the sun, red may be considered a sacred color, but in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 18, it is written: “’Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord.  ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’”

07/06/30  English Irregularities  (Timely Words 1049)

While composing the previous message related to “red hats,” I was again impressed with the strange irregularities in the spelling and pronunciation of English words.  “Red,” spelled r-e-d, signifies a color, but another word having the same pronunciation, is spelled r-e-a-d and is the past tense of a verb meaning to get the meaning of written letters.  The present tense of that verb, which is spelled the same, has a different pronunciation, identical to the word spelled r-e-e-d, which signifies a stalk of tall grass.  As you “read” today’s message, you may recall the message you “read” yesterday.  Japanese students of English often find it difficult to distinguish between the “r” sound and the “l” sound.  Every word in the previous sentence that begins with an “r” has an alternative that begins with an “l.”  However, when “lead” is pronounced like “reed,” it is a verb meaning to guide or direct, but another word, spelled the same but pronounced like “red,” signifies a kind of metal.  The guide who “led” you around the battlefield yesterday may not “lead” you tomorrow because of the “lead” bullets he found along the way.  The past tense of the verb “say,” meaning to speak, is pronounced similar to “red” and “led,” but is spelled s-a-i-d.  Not only are there irregularities in the spelling and pronunciation of English words, there is also a problem in understanding their particular meanings, depending on the context.  Do you understand the meaning of the following statement I sometimes make to residents here in the U. S. A.?  “In Japan, the right side is the wrong side and the left side is the right side.”

07/07/02  Bald Eagles  (Timely Words 1050)

It was 231 years ago, on July 4, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, that the Continental Congress, representing the 13 British colonies on the eastern coast of North America, adopted the Declaration of Independence.  On that same day, the Congress appointed a committee to suggest a pattern for a seal of the United States of America.  After many delays, the seal was finally adopted in 1872.  It shows an American bald eagle with a ribbon in its mouth on which is written the Latin words “E pluribus unum,” which mean “One out of many.”  Actually, the bald eagle is not bald, but the white feathers on its head over its dark body gives that impression.  In one talon, the eagle holds arrows representing war, but in the other talon is an olive branch of peace.  Although bald eagles have been considered scavengers and dangerous predators, they were hunted for their feathers and there was concern that they would not survive in the country that chose them as its symbol.  In 1940, Congress passed a law that made killing a bald eagle illegal.  After DDT, the insecticide used to control mosquitoes was banned in 1972, however, the eagle population increased and is now back to normal.  Government biologists have counted nearly 10,000 mating pairs of bald eagles, including at least one pair in each of the 48 contiguous states.  Eagles are also considered symbols of strength and in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31, it is written: “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

07/07/07  Seven  (Timely Words 1051)

On this 7th day of the 7th month of the 7th year of this century, I am reminded of the special significance this odd number has in Western thought.  I am also reminded of the talk I gave as the representative of the group of new residents of this retirement community that entered in 1999.  The welcome celebration was held on November 19 of that year and this is a quotation from my talk.  “From one perspective, today is a special, unique, auspicious day.  In English, ‘odd’ means ‘strange.’  Most people are not happy to be called ‘odd,’ but in the Orient, ‘odd numbers’ are lucky numbers.  Festival days in Japan are held on 1/1, 3/3, 5/5.  7/7, 9/9, and a 7-5-3 celebration is held on 11/15.  Today, November 19th, is the only date in this century, in this millennium, and, possibly, in world history that consists only of the first and last odd digits in 8 places (4 of each) in the date: 11/19/1999.”  According to the creation story in the beginning of the Old Testament, the world was created in 7 days and, consequently, there are 7 days in a week in the calendar used in most of the Western world.  The names of the days of the week in many languages are derived from what were considered the 7 planets.  All the oceans of the world are included in the 7 seas and the 7th heaven is considered the highest point in the universe, a state of great joy and satisfaction.  From ancient times, attention has been attracted to the 7 hills of Rome and the 7 wonders of the world.  In the Bible, 7 is a special number and in its final book, the apocalyptic book of Revelation, we find 7 candlesticks, 7 stars, 7 churches of Asia, 7 trumpets, 7 spirits, 7 horns, 7 vials, 7 plagues, a 7-headed monster and a lamb with 7 eyes.

07/07/11  July/Julius Caesar  (Timely Words 1052)

This seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar is called “July.”  Do you know why?  In the ancient Roman calendar, it was originally the fifth month, named “Quintilis,” derived from the Latin word for five, but when two extra months were added at the beginning of the year, it became the seventh month.  In 44 B.C., the year that the Roman statesman, military leader and writer, Julius Caesar, died, the name of that month in which he had been born, was changed to “July” by the Roman senate to honor him;  an extra day was added to that month so it would not have fewer days than other months.  Seventeen years later, in 27 B.C., the name of the following month was changed to August, in honor of Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire.  The term “Caesarean section,” signifying “a surgical incision through abdominal wall and uterus, performed to extract a fetus” is rooted in “the belief that Julius Caesar was delivered by this operation.” Although he never officially became “emperor,” he became a powerful dictator and was responsible for the “Julian calendar,” introduced in Rome in 46 B.C., which was eventually replaced by the Gregorian calendar.  In English, the first syllable in “Caesar” is pronounced “see,” but in Japanese and German, it is pronounced “kai,” the root of “kaiser” and “czar.”  At the beginning of chapter 2 in the Gospel according to Luke, we read that Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus and in the middle of chapter 19, when Jesus was asked whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar, he pointed to a coin which could be used for that purpose, on which was the portrait of Caesar.  His answer was “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  The Bible teaches that human beings were made in the image of God, and should give themselves to their Creator and heavenly Father.

07/07/15  Florida Ceded to the U. S. A.  (Timely Words 1053)

The English words spelled s-e-e-d and c-e-d-e are both pronounced the same, which means they are “homonyms.”  “Seed” may be either a noun, signifying the small beginning of a large plant, or a verb, denoting the sowing of seeds.  In the 13th chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, are a number of parables of Jesus related to seeds and the importance of the soil in which they are sown.  “Cede” is a verb, signifying the official surrender of a possession.  The state of Florida, where my wife and I are now living, is a peninsula in the southeastern area of the United States of America.  Its name, derived from the Spanish word for “flowers,” was chosen by the Spanish adventurer and explorer, Juan Ponce de Leon.  It is also known as the “Sunshine State” and we do have many sunny days during the year, but this year many hurricanes are also predicted.  After Ponce de Leon’s arrival in 1513, Frenchmen also came and established settlements.  Eventually, certain areas of the territory now known as Florida, including the long western area called the “Panhandle,” was claimed by Spain, France, Britain and the United States.  In 1819, Spain abandoned its claim to West Florida and ceded East Florida to the United States in return for $5 million, which the United States agreed to pay.  A treaty approved by the Spanish government and the U. S. Senate was finally formalized 186 years ago this week, on July 17, 1821.  The following year, when Florida was organized as a territory with its present boundaries, General Andrew Jackson became its first governor.  In 1829, Andrew Jackson was elected as the 7th president of the United States and in 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the U. S. A.

07/07/19  Drivers’ Licenses/Tall People  (Timely Words 1054)

Although my Japanese Driver’s License has now expired, I still have it in my desk drawer.  Looking at it and comparing it with my Florida Driver’s License, I find that the Florida license has two items that are not included in the Japanese license.  One is “SEX” and the other is “HGT” (the abbreviation of “height”).  In a future message, I will explain the problem my wife had when she renewed her Florida State License last year related to the first item, but in this message, I will focus on the second item.  I presume it is included in American licenses to help identify the driver.  The “5-11” which follows the “HGT:” on my license signifies that my height is 5 feet 11 inches (about 180 centimeters).  According to Aristotle, the Greek philosopher in the 4th century B.C., “Personal beauty requires that one should be tall; little people may have charm and elegance,” but not beauty.  In the West, there may be a preference for tall people (not only for basketball players), but a recent newspaper article stated “Americans are no longer Earth’s tallest people; Europeans outgrew us.”  Holland is now “considered the tallest country in the world, in which the typical man measures 6 feet, a good 2 inches more than his average American counterpart.” I recall that in crowded trains in Japan, I was usually able to look over the heads of the others, but this article stated, “young adults in Japan and other prosperous Asian countries now stand nearly as tall as Americans do.” It was also noted that “the same things that make you tall—a nutritious diet, good prenatal care and a healthy childhood—also benefit you in other ways.”  However, our inner, spiritual health and strength is more important for a meaningful life than our outward, physical appearance.

07/07/24  St. James the Greater  (Timely Words 1055)

In the New Testament, the word “saint” is used for all Christian believers (Acts 9:13, 32; Romans 1:7; 15:25, 26, 31; 16:15, etc.).  Now, as a general term, it may be used to denote any extremely virtuous person, but in a more specific sense it denotes a person who has been officially recognized and canonized by the Papacy in the Roman Catholic Church, which also decides on a special feast day on which the saint is to be remembered.  July 25 is the feast day of St. James the Greater.  In the first five books in the New Testament (4 Gospels and the Acts), there are three different men named James, which is derived from the name Jacob.  That was the name of one of Jesus’ brothers (Mark 6:3) and of two of his apostles (Mark 3:13-19).  James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was a fisherman and one of the first disciples called by Jesus (Mark 1:19-20).  He became one of the three most favored ones (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33) and the first one to be killed for his faith (Acts 12:2).  He has been called James the Greater to distinguish him from the other apostle named James (the son of Alphaeus), who is called James the Minor.  The head of the Church in Jerusalem in the apostolic age was probably James, the brother of Jesus, who is considered the writer of the New Testament Letter of James, even though it begins with these words: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” St. James the Greater has become the patron saint of Spain.  According to Spanish tradition, James traveled and preached in Spain before he was martyred in Jerusalem.

07/07/27  Transatlantic Cable  (Timely Words 1056)

In 1492, when Christopher Columbus sailed west from Europe, hoping to arrive in Asia, it took about six weeks for him to reach the “new world” of the American continent.  Names given to cities, states or areas reflect the sense of “newness” that colonists from European countries experienced when they settled there.  The northeastern area of the United States of America, called New England, includes the states of New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire and the cities of New City and New London.  The easternmost provinces of Canada also are Nova Scotia (the Latin term for “New Scotland”) and Newfoundland, which has a different pronunciation than the three words it includes.  Newfoundland is the easternmost point of North America, so when the dream of connecting Europe and North America by an underwater cable through which telegraphic messages  could be sent instantaneously was pursued, it was only natural that Newfoundland was chosen as the western limit of the cable.  Ships carrying the cable were sent from Valentia, Ireland and Newfoundland.  Because the cable broke, pulled apart or was not properly insulated, the first four attempts to lay a cable on the ocean floor were not successful, but 141 years ago this week, on July 27, 1866, Cyrus Field, the 47-year-old practical idealist who had been the stimulant of the project over the years, was able to hook up the cable lines in Newfoundland and messages were received from Ireland.  A new method of communication across the Atlantic Ocean was achieved and the world seemed to get smaller as instantaneous communication, both horizontal (between places on earth) and vertical (between earth and heaven) became possible.

07/07/31  Drivers Licenses  (Timely Words 1057)

In a recent message, I noted the difference in the drivers’ licenses issued by the state of Florida and the country of Japan.  On the Florida license, there are two items not included on the Japanese license—one related to the sex and the other related to the height of the driver.  Today’s message is related to an experience my wife had when she renewed her Florida “Driver License.”  In the letter she received from the state office informing her that it was time to renew her license, she was surprised to read what seemed to her to be an inducement to join the armed forces.  As she read it, she wondered if they knew how old she was.  Looking carefully at her “Driver License,” she was surprised to discover that the license she had been using for the past six years and which she often presented for her identification had an “M” for “Male” under the term “Sex,” rather than an “F” for “Female.”  The color photograph of her face on the license is clearly that of a pretty lady and neither she nor anyone else who had looked at the license over the past six years noticed that she was listed as a male.  When she went to have her license renewed, she informed the clerk of the mistake and was told that about an hour earlier an angry man had complained about being listed as a female on his license.  As her new license was being prepared, she was talking to the photographer, when suddenly he stopped talking, for he suddenly realized that he had not changed the letter on the new license, so another photograph had to be taken.  Although it is customary to destroy expired licenses, I requested that I be given her old license to provide evidence of the validity of the story I would tell people.  In response, her old license was cut in half and the relevant half was given to me.  In a subsequent message, I will tell of the experience our daughter had in getting her driver’s license in Japan.

07/08/04  Smiles  (Timely Words 1058)

A “smile” is a facial expression characterized by an upward curving of the corners of the mouth, usually indicating pleasure or amusement; but smiles may also be misleading.  It is necessary to know how to interpret a smile.  Many years ago, my wife and I had an interesting experience after attending our first wedding ceremony in Japan.  Following the ceremony, those who attended gathered together to have a picture taken with the bride and groom and their parents.  Of course, when the picture was taken, we were looking at the photographer and his camera so we could not see the faces of the others, but we were very surprised when we saw the photograph.  In it, my wife and I were not only the only foreigners in the picture; we were also the only ones smiling at that happy time.  All the others looked very serious, which we later understood to be the proper expression for such an occasion.  Many years later, our daughter, who was born and raised in Japan, returned to the land of her birth to teach at a Japanese university.  When she went to get a Japanese Drivers License, she presented the required documents including her passport, American Drivers License, Alien Registration Certificate and a recent snapshot.  She was informed that her snapshot was not acceptable because she was smiling and a smiling face was not appropriate for the permanent file into which it was to be entered.  She had to go back to a nearby shop to have another non-smiling snapshot taken in order to obtain her license.  Even when a foreign language is not understood, a smile may be a means of communication and in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter 15, verse 13, it is written: “A merry heart makes a cheerful face.”

07/08/08  Spanish  (Timely Words 1059)

Many American English words have been derived from Spanish.  Not only were there a number of early explorers from Spain whose influence on American life and language continues today, many immigrants from Mexico who now live in this country reside in communities where Spanish is the preferred language.  In some areas, it is the only language people understand.  American English has borrowed more words from Spanish than from any other language, including such common words as adobe, alfalfa, alligator, breeze, buffalo, cafeteria, mosquito and tornado.  The names of six states, of over 2,000 cities and towns plus countless names of rivers, mountains, valleys, etc., come from Spanish.  “Mosquito,” the diminutive of “mosca,” the Spanish word for “fly,” signifies “a small fly.” It was first recorded in this land in the writings of William Bradford, governor of the Plymouth Colony, in 1656.  Mosquitoes plagued early Americans all along the Atlantic CoaSt. They are usually very bothersome in the state of Florida at this time of year, but so far this year, they have not bothered us.  In a number of large trees in this retirement community, we see the gray, threadlike stems of “Spanish moss” drooping in long clusters, but we have not seen any of the bright green blister beetles known as “Spanish flies.”  This reminds me of the following limerick, which I recently read and which also exemplifies the complexity of the English language.

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were caught, so what could they do?
Said the fly, “Let us flee.”
“Let us fly,” said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

07/08/13  French  (Timely Words 1060)

In the previous message, the influence of Spanish upon American English was noted, but other languages and cultures have also been very influential.  This message is focused on French and the influence of French words and customs on English words and expressions.  Certain words (including “depot” and “detente”) are clearly recognized as having French origin and a French-like pronunciation.  Others (including “curtain,” “pantry” and “music”) are not so obvious, but it is in the dining room or restaurant that we find a number of items that include the word “French.”  There, we may enjoy French-fried potatoes, French toast and French dressing.  “French toast” is “sliced bread soaked in a milk and egg batter and lightly fried.”  “French dressing” is “a seasoned oil and vinegar salad dressing.”  But the term “French-fried potatoes” is not related to a country, but to a method of preparing meat and vegetables before cooking them.  As a verb, “French” means “to cut into strips before cooking.”  A lamb chop is “Frenched,” for example, when it is cut close to the bone so that the narrow strip of bone may be more easily handled.  Some vegetables, such as string beans, are “Frenched” (cut into narrow strips) before cooking.  So it was from the procedure followed in preparing these potato strips that the name was given.  Moving from the restaurant to the concert hall, we find that 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.”  Every culture has its characteristic food and musical instruments which should be recognized and appreciated by others as well.

07/08/17  German/Russian  (Timely Words 1061)

In previous “Timely Words” messages, attention has been called to English words beginning with the names of various European countries and their languages, including “French,” “Spanish,” “Dutch,” “Scotch” and “Irish.”  Today's message is related to terms beginning with “German” and “Russian.”  A “German shepherd” is a large dog of a breed developed in Germany, having a brownish or black coat, and often trained to assist the police and the blind.  “Measles” is a contagious virus disease which produces red spots.  The Japanese word for this illness is “hashika.”  In the middle of the 19th century, it is thought that German immigrants brought a disease, also called “rubella,” with them to the U.S.A.  As a result, this illness is called “German measles” in American English (“fuushin” in Japanese).  “Russian dressing” is a salad dressing, as mayonnaise, having chili sauce, chopped pickles and pimientos, and “Russian thistle” is a red-stemmed, prickly plant.  But “Russian roulette” is a fearful adventure in a very different setting.  “Roulette” is a gambling game in which the players bet on which slot of a rotating disk a small ball will come to rest in.  It is because of a certain similarity to that gambling game that the following dangerous stunt is called a “roulette,” but it is not certain why it is called “Russian roulette.”  In this “roulette,” a person, usually in response to a dare, inserts one bullet into a 6-cylinder revolver, spins the cylinder, places the muzzle against his head and fires.  As a result, either that person is killed or is very thankful that the bullet was not in the part of the cylinder that was fired.

07/08/21  St. Louis  (Timely Words 1062)

In my hometown, there were two unrelated families which had the same surname: Robinson.  In both families, there were boys my age, whose names were pronounced the same but were spelled differently.  One was spelled L-e-w-i-s and the other was spelled L-o-u-i-s.  This often caused confusion, both in classrooms and elsewhere.  One of the well-known cities in the central area of the United States of America is St. Louis in the state of Missouri.  Louis was the name of many French kings and although, in French, the name is pronounced without the “s” sound, I do not recall hearing the name of that city in Missouri pronounced that way.  That city, founded in 1764 by a couple of Frenchmen, was named after King Louis XV and his patron saint Louis IX.  Louis IX, one of France’s greatest and best-loved monarchs, inherited the throne in 1214 when he was only 12 years old.  His mother was made regent and ruled until he became 20.  “Renowned for his justice and charity, Louis came to be regarded as an ideal king.  He respected the rights of his subjects, whether peasants or nobles.  He fed beggars from his table, washed their feet and ministered to lepers.” During his reign, “France enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity.”  He was also involved in the Crusades, which sought to recover the Holy Land from Muslim control.  Leading both the Seventh and Eighth Crusades, it was his death, resulting from the plague in 1270, that caused the end of the Eighth Crusade.  Twenty-seven years later, when he was proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict VIII, August 25th, the day of his death, was set as his feast day.

07/08/26  Are All Men Equal?  (Timely Words 1063)

As a result of my living in Japan for most of my life, during which I was often involved in translation problems, both from English to Japanese and from Japanese to English, I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to make a perfect translation from one language to another.  The meanings and implications of words are different, depending on culture, tradition, time and context.  In fact, it is not unusual for the exact meaning of certain words to be questionable even within the same culture.  It is for this reason that lawyers are needed to clarify the exact meaning of terms in legal documents.  Even the basis of the famous Declaration of Independence of the United States of America may be questionable, for it states that one of the “self-evident” truths on which the Declaration is based is that “all men are created equal.”  In this phrase, what is the meaning of “men”?  According to my dictionary, the first two definitions of “man” are: “1.  An adult male human being.  2.  A human being, regardless of sex or age.”  Although I prefer to consider the original meaning of “all men” to be “all human beings,” it was not until after the Civil War, over one hundred years later, that the rights of all citizens, regardless of race or color, were officially recognized in the 15th Amendment to the Constitution.  And it took another fifty years for the 19th Amendment, which recognized the rights of women, to be ratified, on August 18, 1920.  An objective appraisal of present American society will recognize that prejudice still is manifested toward people of “color” and women.  To gain a correct interpretation of Bible passages also, the time and place in which they were written must be considered.

07/08/30  World War II  (Timely Words 1064)

On June 28, 1914, Serbian nationalists assassinated an Austro-Hungarian archduke and his wife in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina.  This incident became the provocation of the First World War, which continued for five years and eventually involved 28 nations on five continents.  The Second World War began in Europe when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939.  Unfortunately, the League of Nations, which was established following the end of the First World War, was not effective in its attempts to eliminate such aggressive acts.  Two years later, Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, pushed the United States of America into the war.  Germany and its military ally, Italy, had forcefully gained control of a number of nations in Europe and Africa.  Germany sought to exterminate all the Jews in the territories under its control.  The European part of this war ended with Germany’s official surrender on May 7, 1945, but it was following the dropping of the atomic bomb on the Japanese City of Hiroshima on August 5 of that year, that Japan surrendered.  The war that began on September 1, 1939, officially came to an end exactly six years later with the signing of surrender documents by Japanese representatives on an American battleship in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.  Included in Jesus’ description of events that will be a “sign” of his return and “the end of the age” related in the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, are: wars, rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, famines and earthquakes.  According to some interpretations, these predictions are now being fulfilled, so the end is near, but actually, they may be applied to many eras of world history.

07/09/02  Los Angeles  (Timely Words 1065)

The city of Nagoya, Japan, where my wife and I lived for many years, has established special relationships with three “sister cities” in three different countries: Sidney, in Australia, Mexico City, in Mexico and Los Angeles in the United States of America.  Since the number of Spanish-speaking residents in the U. S. A.  has been rapidly increasing over the past few years, the meaning of “Los Angeles” is now recognized by many citizens.  It simply means “The Angels,” but it is a shortened form of the Spanish name of the town that was officially founded on September 4, 1781, by the Spanish governor of the Mexican province of California.  The full name of that town was “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de Porciuncula” (“The town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula”).  “Porciuncula,” the name of a Franciscan Chapel in Italy, was the name given to a nearby river and fertile valley by Spanish explorers, and “Our Lady the Queen of the Angels” refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus.  In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and in 1846, following the Mexican War, California became part of the United States of America.  Various kinds of birthday celebrations are held in Los Angeles on the 4th day of September to commemorate its founding.  Los Angeles has become the second-largest urban area in this country and one of the nation’s busiest ports.  It may be difficult to find many “angels” in that city these days, but that depends on the meaning given to that word.  Although true holly is not native to the area, some kinds of “angels” may be found in the area of the city called Hollywood, the center of the country’s motion picture industry.

07/09/07  Orderliness  (Timely Words 1066)

The 14th chapter of the New Testament book of I Corinthians ends with these words: “Let all things be done decently and in order.”  It is obvious to anyone who has traveled to other countries that the interpretation of “decently and in order” varies according to the cultural tradition of the particular area.  Take the order of names, for example.  In the United States of America, it is customary for a person’s given name to precede the family name, but in Japan, the order is reversed.  When Americans’ names appear in periodicals or books in Japan, the American name-order is usually maintained, but when Japanese names are included in English articles in the U. S. A., they are usually changed to the American order.  Also, the order in which addresses are written is different.  In Japan, it is customary to write the larger area first and then narrow the area down to the particular place: country-state(province/prefecture)-county-city(town/village)-street-number.  In the U. S. A., the order is reversed.  The order of numbers in dates is also different.  In my tradition, the order is month-day-year, but in Japan, the traditional order is year-month-day.  A recent article in our Florida newspaper noted the birth of a “lucky baby” that was born at 12:34 p.m.  on May 6, 2007.  Why was she considered lucky?  In the first place, her birth date was 5/6/7.  Furthermore, when the time of her birth is added to the beginning of her birth date, the result is 1234567.  She weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces and her mother jokingly noted that if she had weighed 2 more ounces and if her weight were added to the previous number, the result would be 123456789.  In the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, however, he was urging them to be orderly in their worship services.

07/09/11  9-1-1 & 9/11  (Timely Words 1067)

Although the numbers in these two terms are the same and in the same order, how they are pronounced communicates very different meanings.  In the U.S.A., the number “nine-one-one” is a telephone number that is called in an emergency to request the immediate dispatch of police, firefighters or an ambulance.  Before the use of automatic dial phones, emergency calls were made by telephone operators who passed the word on to the appropriate offices.  Even after the introduction of dial phones, operators were called to make the calls when the telephone numbers of police stations, fire departments or hospitals were not immediately available, but the benefit of having a certain number to call in case of an emergency was recognized.  In 1968, the Federal Communications Commission, after consulting with AT&T, chose 9-1-1, the highest and lowest numbers on a telephone dial, as the number to be used nationwide for reporting emergencies.  To promote this universal emergency telephone number, President Reagan proclaimed the 11th day of September in 1987 as 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone Number Day.  On that special day, which was also called “9/11 day,” activities were led by firefighters and the police.  Now, however, “nine-eleven” is commonly used to refer to the terrorist attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.  C.  on September 11, 2001, in which over 3000 people were killed.  Since that time, activities to remind people of the 9-1-1 Telephone Emergency Number were dropped in favor of remembrance of the victims of the attacks, so on this 9/11, I hope you have no need to call 9-1-1.

07/09/15  Mid-September  (Timely Words 1068)

We have reached the middle of the ninth month of the year, according to the Gregorian calendar.  This period has special meanings to people of various cultures and religions.  In Japan, the 3rd Monday of this month is a national holiday called Keirō no Hi, “Respect for the Aged Day.”  On that day, elderly people are wished a long life and are thanked for their contributions to society.  In the United States of America, the first Sunday after Labor Day (which is the first Monday of September) is observed as Grandparents’ Day, established by a presidential proclamation in 1979, but  It is not yet as well known as Mothers’ Day on the second Sunday of May and Fathers’ Day on the third Sunday of June.  On September 17, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was signed in Philadelphia.  Previously called Constitution Day, September 17th is now known as Citizenship Day and is proclaimed as such by the president annually.  This year, for both Jews and Muslims, who make use of lunar calendars, a “new year” begins this week.  According to the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began on September 12, which is the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishri.  It is the first of 10 Penitential Days which end with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  During this period, meditation, self-examination and repentance are emphasized.  For Muslims, a new year began on September 13.  During this holy month of Ramadan, which continues until October 12, pious Muslims will fast from dawn till dusk as they sacrifice food and other pleasures while concentrating on the Quran, faith and family.  Irrespective of our cultural or religious traditions, all of  us have much to be thankful for and should spend time in meditation, self-reflection and considering the needs of others.

07/09/19  Autumnal Equinox  (Timely Words 1069)

“Equinox” is derived from Latin words meaning, “equal night.”  There are two days in the year when day and night are equal in length.  In the Northern Hemisphere, these days, which occur in March and September, mark the climatic beginning of spring and autumn.  The numerous oscillations and wobbling motions that the earth undergoes cause the date of the equinox to vary slightly each year but this is the time when autumn, or fall, begins.  I recently taught a Bible Class in this retirement community centered on chapter 14 of the New Testament book of Acts.  In that passage, we can read an abbreviated form of the Apostle Paul’s message to the people of Lystra, who thought he was a god who appeared in human form.  He told them that he was merely a human being, but he spoke about the living God, who has shown kindness by giving rain from heaven, crops in their seasons, plenty of food and fills people’s hearts with joy.  It is at this time of year when these divine blessings are especially recognized.  In Japan, the equinox is the central day of a 7-day period called higan, meaning “other shore” in contrast to shigan, meaning “this shore.”  During this 7-day period, special services are held at homes and cemeteries to honor deceased relatives who have left “this shore” for the “other shore.” Flowers may be offered at the family grave and vegetables, fruits, noodles and other non-animal kinds of food may be offered at the family altar before which a Buddhist priest recites a sutra.  Although such customs are often called “ancestor worship,” there is a question about the true meaning of “worship,” which the Bible teaches should be offered only to the one true and living God.

07/09/23  Paul at Athens  (Timely Words 1070)

The city of Athens, the present capital of Greece, was founded about 3600 years ago.  This ancient city, which became the artistic, philosophic and religious capital of the world, has many artistic and historic sites that attract many visitors.  When the Apostle Paul visited that city in the middle of the first century of our present era, however, as recorded in the 17th chapter of the New Testament book of Acts, he was most deeply impressed with the many idols he saw there.  After speaking to and reasoning with people in both synagogues and the marketplace, he was invited to deliver a public address at the Areopagus, the natural limestone rock ridge, where the Areopagus, the supreme court of the area, met.  He began with a compliment (or reproach), noting that Athenians were very “religious” (or “superstitious,” the Greek word can have either meaning).  He noted the inscription he had seen on an altar: “To An Unknown God.”  Obviously, the religious or superstitious people did not want to offend any god, even one they did not know, so they dedicated an altar to an “unknown god.”  Paul then explained about the God they did not yet know, whom he had come to introduce.  In his explanation about this spiritual Creator of the world and all that is in it, the “Lord of heaven,” who is the creator and ruler of all nations, who does not need a material temple or any other manmade offerings, he quoted from well-known Greek poets rather than from the Jewish Old Testament.  There is much for people in Japan and those of us in the rest of the world to think about and meditate on as we read this account.

07/09/27  Cats  (Timely Words 1071)

In our retirement community, there are many trees and lawns between houses and along the streets.  Some residents go out for a walk every day and enjoy both the exercise and the beautiful scenery.  Those residents who have pet dogs regularly take it out for a walk also.  In fact, I have seen a lady walking with her cat on a leash, but this is unusual, for cats are not usually on leashes.  A couple of cats may be seen in our yard frequently.  Both of them are black and white.  To some people, black cats may symbolize bad luck and they are associated with witches.  There are a number of words or expressions in English that are related to cats.  A “catfish” is a freshwater fish whose facial features resemble that of a cat, especially its “whiskers.”  A “catbird” is a North American songbird, one of whose calls resembles the mewing of a cat.  A “catnap” is a short nap and a “catcall” is a harsh or shrill call or whistle expressing disapproval or derision.  The proverb that “a cat has nine lives” is an old saying that may be based on the tenacious life of a cat which is careful and hardy and after a fall, generally lands upon its feet without injury, the foot and toes being well-padded.  The expression “let the cat out of the bag,” meaning to disclose what had been a secret, comes from a trick that is said to have been played often on newcomers to country fairs in England.  The trickster tried to sell a bag (or “poke”) in which there was a cat, but in which he said there was a pig (“a pig in a poke”) to a “greenhorn” or “bumpkin.”  If the sack (or poke) was opened, the cat would be “let out of the bag” and the true situation would be recognized.

07/10/01  Golf Terms  (Timely Words 1072)

In the Penney Retirement Community in Penney Farms, Florida, where my wife and I are now living and enjoying our retirement, there are facilities for three different outdoor sports: shuffleboard, tennis and golf.  In Japan, my schedule usually included tennis on Monday mornings and I continued playing tennis after entering this retirement community.  In Japan, where land is precious and golf fees are high, I considered golf a “rich man’s game” that required much less energy than tennis and I never played it, but I have now learned some peculiar golf terms, including “bogey,” “birdie” and “eagle.”  The golf course here has nine holes and the aim of a golfer is to skillfully use golf clubs to hit the small golf ball into each of those holes using as few strokes as possible.  The number of strokes needed to hit the ball into a particular hole is called “par,” and the golfer tries to use fewer strokes than the “par” for each hole.  If the number of strokes is one more than “par,” it is called a “bogey,” and two strokes over “par” is called a “double bogey.”  On the other hand, if the golfer is able to get the ball in the hole in one less number than “par,” that is called a “birdie.”  Two numbers under “par” is an “eagle,” and three strokes under “par” is a “double eagle.”  I am not sure how these terms were coined and would appreciate whatever information readers of this message might be able to provide.  I only know that “bogey” (or “bogy”) may denote “an evil or mischievous spirit, a hobgoblin.”  Although we may see various kinds of “birdies” in our community here, we do not see either eagles or bobgoblins.

07/10/05  Illinois: Zion and Chicago  (Timely Words 1073)

The meaning of the names of Japanese prefectures, cities, towns and villages is very clear to Japanese citizens and to all who know the Japanese language, but the situation in the United States of America is quite different.  There are very few citizens or residents of the U. S. A. who would be able to explain the meaning of the name of the place where they were born or where they live.  I was born and raised in the state of Illinois.  Checking a reference book, I discovered that the name of this state is derived from the French alteration of a Native American word meaning “men” or “warriors.”  The name of my hometown of “Zion,” however, is recognized by all people who are well acquainted with the Bible, for this name is found in many passages in both the Old and New Testaments, denoting the holy city of God, whether in this world or in heaven.  The town in the northeast corner of the state of Illinois was founded in 1900 as a Christian community with the church at the center—both physically and spiritually.  Because of its unique character, it became well known for a number of reasons, but about 70 kilometers south of Zion is a much more famous and much larger city.  Chicago is the third largest city in the country.  This name is derived from the French pronunciation of another Algonquian word meaning “onion place” because of the amount of wild onions and garlic growing in meadows there.  One of the historic events in American history is the Chicago Fire, which occurred on October 8, 1871.  The fire that started in the barn of a Mrs.  O’Leary, whose cow may have kicked over a lamp, continued for over a day, demolishing about 18,000 buildings, killing about 300 people and leaving about 90,000 people homeless.

07/10/09  Christopher Columbus  (Timely Words 1074)

Although I have difficulty remembering dates, I always remember the year that Christopher Columbus made his historic voyage from Spain, across the Atlantic Ocean, to the West Indies because of a short poem I learned in grade school: “In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”  And I knew the specific date when he arrived because that day, October 12, called Columbus Day, was celebrated as a legal holiday.  Since 1968, however, the holiday was changed to the second Monday of October in accordance with the federal policy of creating three-day weekends.  The reason that group of islands between North and South America is called the “West Indies” is because Columbus, thinking he had reached India, gave them that name.  He also misnamed the natives he met on those islands “Indians,” and that mistaken designation has continued to be used for “Native Americans” over the centuries.  Born in Italy, Columbus lived in Portugal for many years and hoped to demonstrate his belief that the earth was round by sailing west from Europe and arriving in Asia.  He was unsuccessful in gaining support from the king of Portugal, but the king and queen of Spain agreed to sponsor his trip.  After stopping at the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, he continued for over a month without seeing land and his companions tried to force him to return, but he continued the voyage until land was reached.  Christopher Columbus is a good example of a person who, despite setbacks and disappointments, continues to progress with a firm conviction until his goal is reached.  In his case, however, Columbus reached a different goal than the one he had anticipated.

07/10/13  October/Godless Month  (Timely Words 1075)

There are a number of English words beginning with o-c-t, derived from the Greek word for “eight.”  An “octagon” is a plane figure with eight angles and eight sides.  An “octave” is a series of eight musical tones.  An “octopus” is a mollusk with eight tentacles.  “October” was the eighth month of the year in the old Roman calendar and the name was retained after two new months were added at the beginning of the year, so it is now the name of the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar.  In the Christian retirement community where I live, there are many retired pastors and missionaries who take turns preaching at the community church, and on October 14th, it was my turn to preach.  In my sermon, I tried to apply Jesus’ teaching regarding “gnats” and “camels” in Matthew 23:23-24 to our day, when important decisions must be made regarding what is of primary importance in religious, political, and economic areas.  It is very easy for us to get so involved in the details of matters of minor importance that we ignore matters of primary importance.  We all must establish our priorities, which are a reflection of our basic faith.  At the beginning of the sermon, I noted a traditional Japanese name for this 10th month.  In Japanese tradition, this was the month when all the “kami” (or “gods”) left their local shrines and territories to gather together at the main shrine in Izumo, so the month was traditionally known as kami-na-zuki, “month without [local] kami (“gods”).  Although we may define the “object” of our faith in various ways, whether we speak of a single God or many gods, the genuine expression of our faith is seen in the way we live and what our priorities are.

07/10/16  Crazy English  (Timely Words 1076)

It is much easier to learn a foreign language when a person is very young, before one begins to think logically and questions the reason for the inconsistencies evident in the language.  The irregularities in spelling and pronunciation of certain English words are frequently noted in my messages.  In this message, I will utilize material recently sent to me by a friend who knows of my interest in this subject. 

We’ll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn’t the plural of pan be called pen? If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn’t the plural of booth be called beeth?

07/10/21  Peace Forum  (Timely Words 1077)

The public square or marketplace of an ancient Roman city, the assembly place for various public activities, was called a “forum.”  Now, this word may denote a meeting place for open discussion or an assembly to discuss public matters.  The Peace Forum is one of the active groups in our community.  It schedules monthly meetings and other activities related to peace.  On Saturday, October 20th, the annual Peace Forum Retreat was held at a Peace Farm in a nearby rural community.  There, we divided into smaller groups and formulated challenging questions to be presented to candidates in the presidential election, which wil Nations Day, which commemorates the establishment of the United Nations on October 24, 1945.  At that meeting, a university professor will speak on “The U.S. and the U.N.: What it costs and what the U.S. gets from it.”  Unfortunately, some U.S. citizens consider the U.N. a hindrance to the implementation ofl be held next year.  It was a very stimulating time.  On Wednesday, October 24th, the Peace Forum will lead the special meeting on United  projects beneficial to the U.S., so they oppose U.S. participation in U.N. activities.  To gain lasting peace, however, requires nations or groups with different aims and viewpoints to sincerely discuss their differences until a mutually acceptable conclusion is reached.

07/10/25  Statue of Liberty  (Timely Words 1078)

People who enter the United States of America after crossing the Atlantic Ocean are greeted in New York Harbor by a tall female figure holding a torch in her raised hand.  This 46-meter tall steel-reinforced copper structure, standing on a 45-meter high pedestal, is called the Statue of Liberty.  One hundred and twenty-one years ago, on October 28, 1886, this statue was accepted by President Cleveland as a gift from the people of France.  France had recently adopted a republican form of government and the French people wanted to pay special tribute to the first modern republic on the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1876, so the “Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and, over the next decade, the entire cost of $250,000 was donated by French citizens for its construction.  To provide a base for the 225-ton statue, Americans donated $350,000 for the concrete and granite pedestal upon which it was placed on the 12-acre island now called Liberty Island.  In 1903, this quotation from Emma Lazarus was engraved on a bronze plaque and affixed to the statue:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
  Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
  The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
  I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

07/10/31  October 31  (Timely Words 1079)

In the church of this Christian Retirement Community, worship services are regularly held on Sunday mornings and retired ministers, who are residents of the community, preach the sermons.  On Wednesday mornings, a Communion Service is held in a small chapel in one of the assisted living units.  Here also, retired pastors are asked to lead the service and give a homily.  On October 31 this year, it was my turn to take part and my message included two themes related to that date.  First, the day called “Halloween” is the “evening” preceding “All Hallows [= Saints] Day,” when all “saints” are remembered.  In Roman Catholic tradition, a “saint” is a special person who has been canonized by the pope.  The Apostle Paul, however, in his greetings at the beginning of New Testament letters to churches, uses this word to designate all believers, chosen by God to manifest God’s character.  Therefore, all sincere believers should be recognized as “saints.” Second, the 31st of October was the day in the year 1517 that Martin Luther, a sincere Roman Catholic priest, nailed 95 theses to the door of a church in Germany, questioning certain traditions and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church of that day.  Since the followers of Luther protested certain religious and political regulations, they were called “Protestants” and October 31st is considered “Protestant Reformation Day.” One of Luther’s (and present day Protestant’s) basic emphases is that a person is saved or justified by faith in God and not by good works, keeping a law or making offerings to the church.

07/11/01  Names of States  (Timely Words 1080)

Among the many different definitions of the word “state” are political units.  Japan is a “state” composed of 47 “prefectures.”  The United States of America is a “state” which includes fifty separate “states.”  Ten of those states have two words in their names.  How many of them can you name? Four of them begin with “New;” five begin with a word indicating a direction: “North,” “South” or “West.”  Before reading the names given below, see how many of them you can name.  Names beginning with “New” imply a relation with an “old” place or person in another country.  Those beginning with a direction imply a division within or a separation from a former unit.  Names of states beginning with “New” are: New Jersey (an island off the coast of England), New Hampshire (an English county), New York (in honor of the Duke of York) and New Mexico (just across the river from Mexico).  “Dakota” comes from a Native American word meaning “friend, ally.”  Because residents of the Dakota Territory could not agree on a capital city, it was divided into North and South, which were received into the Union as the 39th and 40th states.  The name “Carolina” is related to the name of King Charles of England and the colony divided into north and south units before the Revolutionary War.  In the case of West Virginia, however, its separation from Virginia (named in honor of the English queen Elizabeth, known as the “Virgin Queen”) was the result of Virginia’s decision to join the Confederate states and withdraw from the Union.  Finally, Rhode Island, named after an island in the Mediterranean Sea, was the last of the 13 original colonies to ratify the Constitution in 1790.

07/11/08  Proverbs  (Timely Words 1081)

Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words, a very fascinating study, which has stimulated the composition of many of these messages.  This message is focused on “proverb,” an English word derived from Latin terms meaning “forth” and “word,” defined as “a short, pithy saying in frequent and widespread use that expresses a well-known truth or fact.”  The famous Spanish novelist, Cervantes, referred to a proverb as “a short sentence based on long experience.”  The Japanese word for “proverb” is kotowaza.  When I first heard this word, I thought it was composed of two Japanese words: koto and waza, but I found out that the single Chinese character for this word is composed of two parts meaning “word” and a classical term for “a fine man.”  Both of these radicals may be pronounced “gen” when used separately, but it seems that the character implies that a kotowaza is the “word of a fine man.”  In the first part of the Bible, called the “Old Testament,” there is a book of “Proverbs,” which begins with the words “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.”  In this case, however, “Proverbs” is translated shingen, literally meaning “instruction” or “admonition word.”  In the book of Proverbs, there are many instructive words that Jews, Christians and others have considered proper to follow.  According to the prologue, these proverbs were written “for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair” (1:2-3).  I believe it would be beneficial for you also to regularly read and meditate upon the proverbs written there.

07/11/11  Capital Punishment  (Timely Words 1082)

The building in which a state legislature assembles may be called a “capitol.”  A homonym, in which the “o” is changed to an “a,” has a number of different meanings.  It may mean the city which is the official seat of government or the material wealth accumulated by a corporation.  It may refer to the large letter in the word at the beginning of a sentence or in a proper noun.  As an adjective, it may denote something very serious, involving death.  “Capital punishment” signifies the death penalty, which is the most severe punishment that can be executed.  Forms of capital punishment have changed over the years and are different, depending on cultural traditions.  “Stoning,” throwing stones at a sinner or criminal, was an ancient form of capital  punishment noted in the Bible.  “Beheading,” or “decapitation,” was another form, which became more acceptable with the development of the “guillotine.”  At times, those convicted of religious crimes in particular were tied to a stake under which a fire was lit and the heretic was “burned at the stake.” “Hanging,” a more common kind of capital punishment, made use of a noose around the neck of the criminal.  Using an “electric chair” to electrocute a convict was a less painful way to terminate his life.  At the present time, the “lethal injection” of certain drugs has become the common form of capital punishment in the United States of America, but the Supreme Court must consider whether this method is permissible or is a “cruel and unusual punishment,” which the Constitution does not permit.  Jesus’ attitude related to capital punishment is seen in his response to the stoning of a woman caught in the act of adultery: Let any person without sin cast the first stone (John 8:1-11).

07/11/16  Oklahoma  (Timely Words 1083)

Exactly one hundred years ago, on November 16, 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation admitting the 46th state into the United States of America.  It was the state of Oklahoma and the quill pen he used had been fashioned from an eagle feather found in the mountains in the southeastern area of the new state.  Since that time, only four other states have been added to the Union: New Mexico and Arizona in 1912 and Alaska and Hawaii in 1959.  Located between Kansas and Texas, Oklahoma is one of three states that have a “panhandle,” which my dictionary defines as “a narrow strip of territory projecting from a larger, broader area to which it belongs in such a way that its borders as drawn on a map appear to outline the handle of a pan.”  The other two states are Texas and Florida.  The name, Oklahoma, is composed of two words of a Native American language, meaning “red people.”  Many of the inhabitants of the new state were Native Americans who had been driven from their home areas further east by the “white” invaders from Europe and the meaning of that name reminds us that not all people fit into the common divisions of skin color as white, black or yellow.  Native Americans are sometimes classified as “red.”  For many years, cotton was the major crop of this area and “black” Afro-American slaves were the harvesters.  During the Civil War, residents in the Oklahoma area sided with the Confederacy.  In more recent years, the state has become rich because of the oil found underground.  The state flower of Oklahoma is the mistletoe, which is well known as a Christmas decoration.

07/11/20  Thanksgiving Day 2007  (Timely Words 1084)

A “Thanksgiving Day” had been observed by European settlers in what became the United States of America since before the legal establishment of this country.  A newly published book, entitled America’s REAL First Thanksgiving, asserts that the first Thanksgiving Day was held in St. Augustine, Florida on September 8, 1565, over fifty years before the generally accepted “first Thanksgiving Day” in Jamestown, Virginia or the Plymouth Colony in New England.  In 1789, the nation’s first president, George Washington, made the following Thanksgiving Proclamation: “[Let us thank God] for his kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation . . . for the great degree of tranquility, union and plenty which we have enjoyed . . . for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness.”  During the Civil War, in October 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made this Thanksgiving proclamation: “It has seemed to me fit and proper that [the gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people.  I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”  Since 1941, the fourth Thursday of November has been officially designated “Thanksgiving Day,” so this year’s celebration, on November 22 is the earliest possible date.

07/11/25  5,280 Feet in a Mile  (Timely Words 1085)

Over 200 years ago, a new system of weights and measures was conceived and developed in France.  Since a “meter” was its basic unit of length, it was called the “metric system” and units in the system are all multiples of 10.  Originally, one meter was intended to be 1/10,000,000 of the distance between the equator and either the North or South Pole, but because of errors in the original survey, a meter was redefined in terms of a certain standard kept in France.  The metric system has now spread around the world and has been adopted by most of the technologically developed countries.  Although legislation for voluntary conversion to the metric system within ten years was passed by the U. S. Congress in 1975, most of the common citizens of the U. S. A. who are not involved in scientific or international work continue to use the old English system in which there are 12 inches in one foot, 3 feet in 1 yard and 5,280 feet in 1 mile.  The reason for this odd number of feet in a mile has been described as follows.  When the Roman Empire ruled Britain (from the 1st to the 5th centuries A.D.), they had a measurement known as milia pasuum (“thousands of paces”), which roughly equaled 5000 feet.  When the Roman Empire fell, the British kept that “mile” but eventually changed its length because they wanted to combine it with the furlong, a land measure of 660 feet and to make 8 furlongs equal one mile, which made the mile 5,280 feet.  The reason they chose the longer mile was because a shorter mile would have meant a smaller measure of land and landowners did not want this to happen, so a mile became 5,280 feet long.

07/11/29  “KO” and “OK”  (Timely Words 1086)

When the two capital letters, K and O, are written together in either order, popular American expressions are created.  “KO,” meaning, “knock out,” is a term used in boxing to signify the knocking down of one’s opponent and winning the bout.  “OK,” with or without periods, is an expression of approval and may also be spelled “okay.”  There are many theories regarding the original meaning and usage of “O. K.”  President Wilson thought it was a Choctaw Indian word and should properly be spelled “Okeh.”  He persuaded a record company of the 1920s to call their product “Okeh Records.”  A more popular theory is that it was an abbreviation for the Old Kinderhook Club, a club of Democratic supporters of the candidate for president in 1840, Michael Van Buren, who was from Kinderhook, New York.  Other theories include (1) the initials of a railroad freight agent, Obadiah Kelly, who initialed bills of lading, (2) an Indian chief, Old Keokuk, who wrote his initials on treaties, (3) the boxes of Orrins-Kendall crackers, which were popular with Union troops during the Civil War, (4) the letters are an abbreviation of “oll korrect,” a misspelling of “all correct,” which was incorrectly attributed to President Andrew Jackson.  In modern English, “O. K.” may be used as a noun, a verb or an interjection, so it is OK to simply say “OK” to express your approval.  Also, all of the fifty states in the United States of America now have postal codes composed of two capital letters that are different from simple abbreviations, and “OK” is the postal code for the state of Oklahoma.

07/12/04  Hanukkah  (Timely Words 1087)

Hanukkah, a Jewish festival also known as the Feast of Dedication and the Festival of Lights, begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which falls on December 5 in the Gregorian calendar this year.  This festival, which continues for 8 days, commemorates the victory of a small group of Jewish nationalists, known as Maccabees, over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E. and the rededication of the Temple at Jerusalem.  The Temple had been desecrated by pagan rulers and its rededication at the end of a three-year war was a most joyful event in Jewish history.  According to Jewish custom, a menorah, or candelabrum, having holders for nine candles is an important element in this celebration, for it is the tradition to light one candle on the first night and one more each successive night during the festival; the ninth candle is used to light the other candles.  This custom is meant to remind celebrants of the miracle that was said to have occurred at the rededication of the Temple.  When the Maccabean leader entered the Temple to rekindle the eternal light that was supposed to burn there continually, he found only one small cruse of consecrated oil that had not been desecrated by the Greek rulers, but that small cruse of oil which was only enough to burn for one day, actually lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared and consecrated.  Thus, every day of this Festival of Lights, as another candle is lit, celebrants are reminded of God’s provision and enlightenment.  How to transliterate words from one language to another is often a problem, but the case of “Hanukkah” is exceptional, for there are 17 different English transliterations of the original Hebrew word, which consists of five letters.

07/12/10  Human Rights  (Timely Words 1088)

Words having the same pronunciation but different meanings are called “homonyms.”  For example, there are three English words that are pronounced the same, but are spelled r-i-t-e, w-r-i-t-e and r-i-g-h-t.  To illustrate the problem foreign students of English face in understanding English sentences, I sometimes humorously explain that when driving a car in Japan, “the right side is the wrong side and the left side is the right side.”  Although this sounds contradictory, there are different meanings of the word “right.”  One kind of “right” is the opposite of “left” and another kind of “right” is the opposite of “wrong.”  The term “human rights” refers to “something that is due to a person by law, tradition or nature.”  Fifty-nine years ago, on December 10,1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Consequently, December 10th is called Human Rights Day and in the United States of America, that day is the beginning of Human Rights Week.  Unfortunately, there is probably no country where the “human rights” of all residents without exception are recognized.  To answer the question of what exactly is included in this term, there are 30 articles in that Universal Declaration, the first three of which include the following statements: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights;” “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion;” “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person.”  During this Human Rights Week, let us consider the actual situation of those in our school, neighborhood or company whose human rights are not fully recognized and seek to remedy that situation.

07/12/14  A Busy Season  (Timely Words 1089)

In many countries, this time of year is always very busy.  There are a number of reasons why this is so.  In countries in the Northern Hemisphere, there are fewer hours of daylight around the winter solstice.  Also, the year in the Gregorian calendar is coming to an end and, in some cultures, there are many things that should be completed before the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.  Finally, the commercialization of Christmas as the time to decorate and give gifts has made this pre-Christmas season very busy.  Although Christmas is the time when the birth of Jesus, the Christ, is celebrated, we are not certain of the day or the month or the year of his birth.  It was about 200 years after Jesus was born that December 25 was chosen as the day to commemorate his birth.  The reason for choosing that day is not related to scholarly research.  Rather, it was the result of the church’s attempt to take advantage of the elaborate celebration of the pagan feast of Saturnalia, on the winter equinox, in honor of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture.  Consequently, included in traditional Christmas decorations and activities are some that are rooted in non-Christian traditions. p; Christmas is a major celebration in much of the secular world, but in the liturgical church calendar, this festival, celebrating Jesus’ birth, is superseded by the celebration of his resurrection on Easter and the manifestation of his divine nature on Epiphany, 12 days after Christmas.  The church calendar begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas.  Called “Advent,” meaning “coming,” it is the season to prepare our hearts for Christ’s “coming,” and that’s what we should be doing during this pre-Christmas season.

07/12/18  December Birthdays  (Timely Words 1090)

As noted in the previous message, we are not sure of the date of Jesus’ birth, but it is now celebrated on December 25th, a national holiday in many countries.  In Japan, December 23rd is a national holiday for it is the Emperor’s Birthday; this is the 19th year of his reign.  December 5th is a national holiday in Thailand, celebrating the birthday of its King, the longest reigning monarch in the world.  But that day is not only the birthday of the Thai King, it is also the birthday of my wife, so our daughter, who lives in Thailand has two reasons for celebrating that day.  Finally, December is also the month of the birthday of the composer of these messages.  In fact, I was interested to hear from our daughter that the Thai King as well as her father reached the age of 80 this month.  Fifteen years ago, when I applied for my Social Security benefits, I was surprised to be informed that my birthday was not December 16, according to their records, but December 11.  I was told that I now had two birthdays, but I should always remember that when dealing with Social Security matters, my birthday is December 11.  After checking old documents in my files, I discovered the probable reason for the discrepancy.  Although my official birth certificate is dated December 16, a typewritten “Certificate of Birth” issued by the town office 16 years later had 3 errors in it: the spelling of the birthplaces of both my mother and my father and my date of birth.  I changed all 3 of them with my pen, but I surmise that before the use of typewriters in that town office, someone did not make the small loop on the bottom of the 6 clear and it appeared like a 1.  The highlight of my birthday celebration this year was not only eating with friends at a Japanese restaurant and phone calls from 4 of my siblings from three different states, but the “conference call” from my three children, who live in Japan, Thailand and New Mexico in which all three of them were able to talk with both me and my wife and with each other at the same time.

07/12/23  St. Stephen  (Timely Words 1091)

According to the church calendar followed by most Christian churches that observe feast days for the saints, the day after Christmas is the Feast of St. Stephen; but who was Stephen?  His name means“wreath or crown” in Greek and he became the first Christian martyr.  What we know about him is found in the 6th and 7th chapters of the New Testament book of Acts.  My elder son is named Steven, but his name is spelled with a “v” instead of a “ph.”  The reason is because my wife’s maiden name was Stevens.  According to the story in Acts, the number of Christians became so large that the 12 apostles needed help in caring for them, so 7 helpers were chosen and Stephen, “a man full of God’s grace and power” (6:8) was the outstanding man in this group.  His activities stimulated opposition and he was falsely charged with blasphemy.  In his speech before the Jewish governing body in chapter 7, he noted how Jewish leaders in the past had disobeyed God and were punished.  He ended with the strong accusation that the Jewish leaders of his day were just like their fathers in disobeying God and even killing the Messiah.  His listeners became so angry that they dragged him out of the city and executed him by stoning.  Stephen’s last words clearly reveal that this first Christian martyr had truly received the spirit of his Lord.  His prayer, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (7:59), was very similar to Jesus’ final words from the cross (Luke 23:34).  Those who stoned Stephen “laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul” (7:58) who was deeply impressed and later became the vigorous evangelist known as Paul (22:20).

07/12/27  Gifts and Presents  (Timely Words 1092)

We are now in a “gift-giving season.”  Although customs differ, depending on people and culture, the Christmas season, the end of a year and the beginning of a new year is a time for giving gifts in many countries.  In my American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of “gift” is “something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation.”  In some cases, however, things that are considered “gifts” are not given “voluntarily” but because of social pressure and some “compensation” may also be expected.  A “present” is defined as “something presented; gift.”  Thus, at times, “gift” and “present” are synonymous, but there are other meanings of “present.”  It may denote the “period in time . . . between past and future” or “being at hand.”  When used as a verb, meaning “to introduce” or “to bring before the public,” the accent is changed from the first to the second syllable.  When giving a gift or a present to someone, it is better if the giver is present at the time of the “presentation.”  The reason thoughtful, faithful Christians give gifts at Christmas time is in commemoration of God’s great gift to us, the gift of his Son and the salvation or new life gained through faith in him.  One of the most repeated verses in the Bible is found in the Gospel According to John, chapter 3, verse 16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Even in this present time, when we present presents to one another, we should recognize the presence of God.  According to the New Testament Letter of James, chapter 1, verse 17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

08/01/01  Year of the Rat  (Timely Words 1093)

The remarkable influence of Chinese culture on Japan is evident not only in the thousands of Chinese characters used in the written Japanese language.  It is also seen in many Japanese traditions, including the recognition of lucky and unlucky times and customs.  According to Chinese tradition, which is also recognized in Japan, both years and days are related to twelve lucky/unlucky signs of the zodiac, and this year of 2008, in the Gregorian calendar, is the Year of the Rat.  According to one source, people born in the Year of the Rat may be seductive, energetic, charming, meticulous, sociable, persistent, humorous and generous, but they may also be profiteering, manipulative, suspicious, tiresome, destructive, greedy and petty.  If you ask my wife her thoughts about rats, she will relate the story of our experience in the Japanese house we occupied after leaving Tokyo.  Meetings we held in that country house were frequently interrupted by the noise of rodents running above the wooden ceiling, so she hit the ceiling with a broom handle to quiet them down.  In Japan, at that time, a cage with bait in it was used to catch rodents.  When we caught one, our landlady took the cage out to the road in front of our house, called her cat and opened the cage to let the rodent out, which the cat immediately caught.  In this way, neither the landlady nor we became “killers.”  (Personally, I called those rodents “mice” in English instead of “rats;” the same Chinese character with the same pronunciation is used for both “rats” and “mice.”)  This final word from the British statesman and orator, Edmund Burke, emphasizes the need for perseverance: “By gnawing through a dyke, even a rat may drown a nation.”

08/01/06  Butterflies  (Timely Words 1094)

My wife and I recently visited the Florida city of Gainesville, about an hour’s drive from our residence in the town of Penney Farms.  The reason for the visit was to take our son and granddaughter, who were visiting us, to see the “Butterfly Rainforest,” a unique exhibition in the Florida Museum of Natural History on the campus of the University of Florida.  In this “Butterfly Rainforest,” there are more than 2000 plants representing more than 300 plant species and hundreds of free-flying butterflies of over 50 different species.  The butterflies came from Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Malaysia, the Philippines, Surinam and Florida.  Butterflies in that predator-free exhibit typically live for two to three weeks.  It was a very enjoyable experience to see the great variety of beautiful, colorful wings of different sizes and designs of these remarkable insects as they flew around or landed on us.  Naturally, I wondered why this insect is called a “butterfly.”  My investigation revealed that the reason for this combination of two words is not known, even though the great British literary scholar, Samuel Johnson, wrote that this beautiful insect was “so named because it first appears at the beginning of the season for butter.”  Another theory is that it is rooted in medieval folklore tales that witches and fairies in the form of butterflies stole butter in the dark of the night.  Some presume that it was because their wings were the color of butter, but others assert that it is the color of their excrement that resembles the color of butter.  Finally, it has been suggested that it would be more reasonable to call them “flutterbys” instead of “butterflies.”

08/01/10  Chinese Characters in Japanese  (Timely Words 1095)

While investigating the etymology of the English word “butterfly” in the previous message, I also considered the Japanese term for that beautiful insect and increased my understanding of the Japanese language and the Chinese characters included in it.  I discovered that not only the repeated term, “chou-chou,” but a single “chou” has the same meaning: “butterfly.”  The Chinese character for this “chou” is composed of two parts, one of which is the radical meaning “insect,” which is found in the Japanese names of many insects.  I had not realized that this radical was originally a complicated character composed of three identical characters.  I knew that the Chinese characters with three “mouths” indicated something very popular; three “suns” signified something very bright; three “trees” signified a forest and three “women” meant “noisy,” but I did not know that the original character for “insect” was composed of three identical characters.  Also, I was surprised to learn that there is a Japanese word made up of the Chinese characters meaning “insect” (chou) followed by the character (sama) used for polite reference to a respected person and translated “Mr.” or “Mrs.”  When this character follows the character for “insect,” their pronunciations change to “chuu-you.”  The English translation of that word is “vermiform,” a word I had never seen before.  In my dictionary, I found its meaning: “resembling or having the shape of a worm.”  I apologize for the peculiar character of this message, but it is meant to illustrate how preparing these messages can be very interesting and informative for me, as I continue to mature, and to let my friends in Japan know that I am continuing to make progress in my understanding of Japanese.

08/01/15  Observances/M.L. King Day  (Timely Words 1096)

The basic meaning of “observe” is to “perceive,” “notice,” “watch,” “watch attentively,” but it may also mean to “keep” or “celebrate.”  Just as the weather is very different, depending on the area, so are the “observances,” which are related to the traditions and customs in each area.  A recent message from our daughter, who lives in Thailand, informed us that a time of mourning was being observed there because of the recent death of a princess, the king’s eldest sister.  In Japan, this period at the beginning of a New Year is observed as a very happy time and the second Monday of January is now observed as Seijin no Hi, “Adults Day” or “Coming-of-Age Day.”  On that day, all the “young people” who reached the age of 20 during the past year are officially welcomed into adult society as new members with all the rights and duties of citizens.  In the United States of America, January 15th is observed as the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was the Afro-American minister of a Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.  During the civil rights movement when the nation’s attention was focused on the traditional deep-rooted prejudice of many “white” people against “blacks,” he became the outstanding leader who inspired many people of whatever color, to engage in nonviolent protests against the undemocratic, immoral actions of race-prejudiced citizens and was assassinated.  In 1986, the U. S. Congress declared the third Monday of January as Martin Luther King Day, a time “to reflect on the principles of racial equality and nonviolent social change” that Dr. King had advocated.  Observing American history from an ethical viewpoint, there are two great black marks that are immediately recognized: the treatment of the Native Americans and of the slaves imported from Africa.

08/01/18  DNA  (Timely Words 1097)

Over the past months, there have been numerous articles in newspapers and magazines regarding the use of DNA both to accurately establish the identity of individuals who had committed crimes and to effect the release of those who had been falsely incarcerated.  A recent article noted how DNA is now being used also to connect relatives and to trace ancestors, but what is “DNA”?  To find the answer to that question, I first looked in the “Abbreviations” section of my dictionary, but did not find it there.  I was surprised to find it in the regular section in capital letters.  I was also surprised at the length of the definition—the longest I have seen in that dictionary—and to see so many words in the definition that I not only did not understand, but which I did not know how to pronounce.  Thus, I used the dictionary to find both the meaning and pronunciations of many words.  I will now let you read the definition and see how much you understand.  After reading it, think about how much of that definition you could share with a person who asked you the meaning of “DNA.”  The definition in The American Heritage Dictionary, published in 1985, is: “A polymeric chromosomal constituent of living cell nuclei, consisting of two long chains of alternating phosphate and deoxyribose units twisting into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine, each of which projects toward the axis of the helix from one of the strands where it is bonded in a sequence that determines individual hereditary characteristics.”  “DNA” is derived from the term, “Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid.”

08/01/22  Plurals  (Timely Words 1098)

Many native speakers of English do not recognize the many irregularities in that language until they try to teach it to people of a different language background.  Not only are there many irregularities in the pronunciation of certain letters and the meaning of certain words depending on the particular contexts in which they are used, there are also irregularities in the way some singular words become plural.  Generally speaking, the plural form of a noun is formed by adding an “s” or an “es” to its singular form.  However, plurals of some words are irregular.  For example, although the plural of “house” is “houses” and the plural of “blouse” is “blouses,” the plural of “mouse“ is not “mouses” but “mice,” and the plural of “louse” is not “louses” but “lice.”  “Dice” is also the plural form of a noun, which many native speakers of English do not know.  In this case, “die” is not related to death.  Rather, it signifies the small cubes marked on each side with from one to six dots which are used in various games.  On the other hand, there are some English nouns that do not change from singular to plural, for the same word is used for both.  For example, there are no plural forms for “deer” and “sheep.”  Even though there may be many “stags,” “does” and “fawns” in a herd of deer and many “rams,” “ewes” and “lambs” in a flock of sheep, the words “deer” and “sheep” are used for one or many of them.  In the ancient Jewish poetry that is recorded in the Old Testament book of Psalms, the writer used the figures of both deer and sheep when he expressed his feeling toward God (in Psalms 41 & 23).

08/01/27  Belching Methane  (Timely Words 1099)

Expelling gas from one‘s stomach noisily through the mouth is called a “belch.”  In a sophisticated social setting, belching should be avoided.  For those animals called “ruminants,” however, belching is a natural part of life and occurs whenever they chew cud.  “Ruminants,” which include cows, sheep, goats, deer and giraffes, have stomachs divided into four compartments and they continue to chew the partially digested food regurgitated from their first stomach, called “cud.”  A recent article in the Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, reported the results of research conducted by Japanese scientists, which revealed that an odorless, colorless gas that makes the atmosphere warmer, is emitted by cows when they chew their cuds.  According to that article, this gas, called “methane,” is about 20 times more effective than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere and of the 23.8 million tons of methane emitted in Japan in 2006, 6.78 million tons was apparently produced by cows.  The research also discovered that adding a certain acid to the diet of the cows results in a great reduction of the methane emitted when they belch.  Consequently, if livestock feed manufacturers and dairy farmers work together to change the diet of cows, it can be a definite benefit in the fight against global warming.  In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, many rules are written for God‘s chosen people to follow.  In the first part of chapter 11, one of the conditions for the kind of meat to be eaten is that it be of an animal that chews the cud.