February (86/02/01)
Today is the first day of a new month. This second month of the year is spelled F-e-b-r-u-a-r-y. Since I try to speak very distinctly when taping these daily messages, sometimes my pronunciation is a bit different than when I am conversing with my family or friends. When speaking distinctly, I pronounce the middle "r" of February, but in normal conversation I say Feb-yoo-er-e. According to the dictionary, both pronunciations are correct. The month of February is unique in two ways. It is the only month that has less than thirty days and the only month which has an extra day added every four years. The name of this month comes from the Latin word februa which referred to a purification feast held at this time of year in ancient Rome. Many rituals in Japanese Shinto are related to purification and when visiting at a Shinto Shrine, one performs a handwashing ritual. The problem is whether or not the ritual has any deep or lasting effect. More important than external rituals is internal, spiritual purification. In James 4:8, we are told to wash our hands and purify our hearts. Simply washing the hands is not enough. Our hearts require the real purification.
Our faith rewarded (86/02/02)
In the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Luke is a story of Jesus teaching people along the shore of Lake Galilee one morning. He taught them while sitting in a fishing boat close to shore. After finishing his teaching, he told the fisherman to go out into deeper water and let down his nets for a catch. Although the fisherman had fished all night and caught nothing, he did as Jesus said and made a large catch. This was the Bible text for today's Worship Service in our church in Takahama and the sermon title was: "Put Out Into the Deep and Let Down Your Nets". Sometimes, God leads us to venture out in faith and attempt new projects. We should not be discouraged by past disappointments, for when our actions are in obedience to God's command, our faith will be rewarded. The speaker at our Worship Service this morning was Mr. Masaichi Yamashita, General Secretary of the Asian Health Institute in Nisshin Cho, outside of Nagoya. At this Institute, health workers from various Asian countries come for specialized training to enable them to serve their own people more effectively. Our church members made special Christmas offerings last year which we presented to Mr. Yamashita this morning to assist in the important work of that Institute.
Aesop's fable (86/02/03)
Beginning today, I plan to speak at a slower speed during my Monday messages. What do you think of this plan? Is it helpful for you or not? A fable is a short, moral story, often one in which the characters are animals. Aesop is the name of an ancient Greek fabulist, who is said to have lived in the 6th century B.C. The following is one of his fables. "A dog once stole a piece of meat out of a butcher's shop and ran off with it. Before he had gone far, he came to a narrow wooden bridge over a stream. As he was crossing the bridge, he looked down and saw his own image in the water. He thought it was another dog with another piece of meat; and he made up his mind to get hold of that piece also. He snapped at the image, dropped his own piece of meat, and so lost all." (Note: I would like to know your reaction to this innovation of giving a message at a slower speed once a week. Is it helpful to you? Do you think it is helpful to others? Should it be continued or not? Any comment, whether positive or negative, will he appreciated to help me evaluate its effectiveness. Thank you)
Space exploration (86/02/04)
3000 years ago, a poet wrote these words in a prayer found in the Old Testament book of Psalms, chapter 8: "When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places--what is man, that you think of him; mere man, that you care for him?" Looking at the majestic heavens, the smallness and frailty of human beings is deeply felt. Until last week, the American space shuttle program had functioned quite satisfactorily without a loss of human life, but then, in one terrible accident, seven lives were lost as the world watched. What do you think of present developments related to space exploration, space travel and other space related activities? Should they be continued? Would you like to travel in space? Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, considered space flights an escape, "it is easier", he said, "to go to . . . the moon than . . . to penetrate one's own being." "Space" is the sixth and final theme for essays for the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. The other five themes are: Important Events of Last Year or Hopes for the New Year, Poetry, Adults' Day, Soviet Japanese Relationships and Prejudice. Please send your essays to reach me by February 15th. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
A high tower planned (86/02/05)
A number of English words begin with the prefix "cent", from the Latin word for "hundred". A centennial is a hundredth anniversary. Of course, centennials are celebrated only once in a century. The city of Nagoya is planning to celebrate its centennial three years from now. Various projects are under consideration to mark the historic occasion. Among them are new parks in the middle of the 100 meter wide road and along the Horikawa River in the downtown area. This week, a new project was revealed. The city plans to build a 115 meter high tower on the elevated land in the Higashiyama Zoo. At the base of the tower will be buildings and cages housing insects amphibians and small nocturnal animals. Under the dome-shaped top of the tower will be a restaurant and an observatory, about twice as high as that in the TV Tower downtown. The cost of this new landmark will be 3 billion yen. In ancient days, a high tower was considered a place of refuge from one's enemies and Old Testament poetry pictured God as a high tower. In Psalm 18:2, God is called a rock, a fortress, a shield and a high tower. In almighty God, our heavenly Father, we can find lasting security and true salvation.
Gee-to-bō-ru (86/02/06)
The kind of needlework produced by looping thread using a hooked needle is called crochet. It comes from the French word for "hook". Another English word from that same root is croquet. When I was a child, I played croquet on the lawn next to my house with relatives or friends. In the game of croquet, wooden balls are driven through a series of wire wickets with a wooden mallet. We never considered croquet an old folks' game, but in recent years, the Japanese version of croquet, called gee-to-bō-ru, has become very popular as a form of recreation for senior citizens. Last year, the Japan Gateball Association was organized and now, gateball has become international. In Tokyo, the Japan Foreign Gateball Club has been organized among embassy personnel and their families from 16 different countries, and a "World Cup Tokyo" tournament is scheduled for September. Although the game looks similar, the rules of gateball are different than those of croquet. Before we enter any kind of competition, we need to know the rules. In II Timothy 2:5, it is written, "An athlete who runs in a race cannot win the prize unless he obeys the rules". This is true for business, education and life in general as well as for sports.
Charles Dickens (86/02/07)
Have you ever heard the expression, "What the dickens"? It's not a new phrase, for it is found in one of Shakespeare's plays. It is an emphatic expression with a meaning similar to ittai or ittai-zentai in Japanese. An active, mischievous child may also be called a "dickens". "Dickens", in these expressions, is a euphemism, meaning a more polite term, for "devil" and has nothing to do with the English writer, Charles Dickens, who was born 174 years ago today, on February 7,1812. When Dickens was twelve years old, his father was imprisoned for failing to pay his debts and Charles was forced to work for a while in a blacking warehouse. He never forgot this humiliating experience and his sentimental, picturesque novels reflected the injustices of his day and were instrumental in bringing about reforms in prisons, workhouses and schools. David Copperfield is probably his greatest novel, but at Christmas time, A Christmas Carol is also very popular. One of the sayings of Charles Dickens which is worth remembering is the following: "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many: not on your past mistakes, of which all men have some."
Tofutti (86/02/08)
Considering the meaning of the two Chinese characters in the typical Japanese food called tofu, it does not appear very appetizing, for they literally mean "bean rot". I enjoy small pieces of tofu in soup or in sukiyaki, but my wife sometimes eats a large block of tofu for her lunch. Tofu is one of the exotic Japanese foods that was exported to the United States. Now it has come back to Japan in a somewhat different form. Tofutti, a frozen dessert similar to ice cream, but made from tofu, went on sale last week in Tokyo. Soon, Daiei and Dipper Dan stores will be selling 13 different flavors of tofutti throughout Japan. This new refreshment was created six years ago in New York and is now being sold across the United States. Because it contains no cholesterol or butter fat, tofutti has attracted dieters and health food fanciers. In English, tofu is called "bean-curds". Curds are the congealed part of milk which is used to make cheese. In the Old Testament book of Job, chapter 10, verse 10, Job used an interesting expression of how he was formed in his mother's womb when he indicated that God poured him out like milk and curdled him like cheese.
Love your neighbour (86/02/09)
At the heart of the Old Testament is the Jewish law which regulated many facets of religious and social life. Some Jews thought they could earn their salvation by obeying the law in every detail, but the prophets taught that the inner attitudes expressed in daily life are of greater importance than ceremonial forms. Jesus also taught that spiritual motivation is more important than rituals. My sermon title today, "The Law of Christ," comes from Galatians 6:2, where it is written: "Help to carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ". The "law of Christ" does not refer to such formal rules as becoming baptized, going to church or giving an offering. Rather, it has an inner, spiritual implication. By helping another carry a burden, we are obeying Christ's law. Spiritual burdens are often heavier than physical ones, and many people around us are struggling with spiritual burdens we should help them bear. In Galatians 5:14, it is written: "the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself.'" This, in fact, is the "law of Christ", and by helping to carry another's burden, we are obeying that law. The world today needs more "law-abiding" Christians.
The Crow and the Pitcher (86/02/10)
For my slow-speaking message this Monday, I will relate another one of Aesop's Fables. This one is about "The Crow and the Pitcher". A thirsty crow was looking everywhere for water, but no water was to be found. In the hayfield under a tree she saw a pitcher. She flew to it and looked in. There was a little water in the pitcher, but she could not reach it [for the pitcher had a long, narrow neck]. "I must have that water," thought the crow. "How can I get it?" She looked all about. In the dry brook near by, there were stones and pebbles. "Caw, caw, caw," said the crow. "Now I know what to do." Away she flew to the dry brookbed. Then she brought small stones and pebbles, and dropped them, one by one, into the pitcher. The water rose higher and higher. At last it came to the top where she could reach it with her bill. This story teaches that "where there's a will, there's a way." Is this slow speaking message helpful to you? Note: Should this slow-speed message be continued or not? Any comments you have regarding the daily messages are welcome.
Kenkoku-kinen-no-hi (86/02/11)
Today is kenkoku-kinen-no-hi in Japan. Literally, that refers to the memorial day of the founding of a country. However, in a country such as Japan with a long history, it is difficult to choose a particular day to celebrate its foundation. For countries that gained their independence on a particular day or as the result of a war, the day of independence or national foundation is much clearer. The 11th day of the 2nd month in the year 660 B.C. is the day given for the enthronement of Japan's first emperor, Jinmu, according to the mythological records. However, there is reason to doubt the historical accuracy of those records, and the pre-war atmosphere associated with this day, previously called kigen-setsu, raises questions about its suitability as the National Foundation Day. Personally, I think a more appropriate day might be found to celebrate--if, indeed, such a day is necessary in Japan, where there are already holidays for the Emperor's Birthday, Constitution Day and Culture Day. Speaking of foundations, in the 7th chapter of Matthew, Jesus compared the one who heard his words and obeyed them to a man who built his house on a solid rock foundation. The house of such a man will stand during all the storms of life.
Ash Wednesday (86/02/12)
In the Church calendar, today is known as Ash Wednesday. It is the first day of a forty-day season called Lent. Lent is an old English word for spring, related to the word "lengthen", for that's what the days do in spring. During Lent, Christians prepare their hearts to commemorate the holiest days in the Church Year: Good Friday and Easter. In order to coincide with the Jewish feast of Passover, which is determined by the lunar calendar, the dates of these special days change every year. This year, Easter falls on the 30th of March. The second day before Easter is Good Friday, and the fortieth day before Easter, not counting Sundays, is Ash Wednesday. In the Old Testament, ashes were sometimes smeared on the face during times of sadness or when fasting. They were considered a sign of mourning or of penitence. In the 9th chapter of Daniel, we read that Daniel's prayer of confession was accompanied by fasting and ashes. In Roman Catholic churches, priests mark the sign of the cross on believers' foreheads on Ash Wednesday as they begin this season of self-examination and penitence. Most of us are quite busy everyday, but it is good to spend some time in quietness, to reflect on our lives--how they are and how they ought to be.
An old pen pal in Germany (86/02/13)
Hirofumi Yamazaki lives in the town of Minowa in Nagano Prefecture. He is the 42-year-old assistant stationmaster of Komagane Station on the Iida Line of the Japan National Railways. 25 years ago, when he was a high school student in Okaya City, he corresponded in English with a German pen pal for a couple of years, but after that, they lost contact with each other. Last week, his former pen pal, 39-year-old Birgit Pfitzner, came to Nagoya with the Hamburg Ballet, which performed here. She is now the secretary of the ballet director. Hoping to meet her old pen pal, Birgit wrote him a letter, and although his address had changed, the letter finally reached him. He brought his wife and two daughters to Nagoya to meet his old pen pal and to watch the ballet performance. It was their first face-to-face meeting, but they felt as though they were old friends. Now Yamazaki's 14-year-old daughter is planning to succeed her father as Birgit's pen pal. When writing or speaking to a friend in a foreign language, a meaningful expression of feeling is more important than correct grammar. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
St. Valentine's Day (86/02/14)
The 14th day of February is the day designated long ago to remember a priest who was martyred in the 3rd century. He is called St. Valentine. Very little is known about him, but that doesn't make any difference to people who enjoy celebrating his feast day in their own way. There are various theories regarding how St. Valentine's Day became associated with lovers sending tokens of their affection to one another, but they also are of little interest to those who celebrate this day. In adopting and adapting this western tradition, Japan has added its own peculiar twist. Although the Japanese-style celebration of St. Valentine's Day is still quite new, two traditions have become established. First, it is the girl who expresses her feeling to the boy whereas in western countries it is more often the other way around. Second, the standard token of love on this day is chocolates which are merely one of many possibilities in the West. It seems clear that the candy makers of Japan have promoted the celebration of this day in such a manner. The English word "love" has a broad range of meaning, from a zero score in tennis to the basic character of God. The love of God is not expressed in giving chocolates but in sacrificially giving oneself for the loved one.
Rotary Club (86/02/15)
The service club called Rotary International was founded by a Chicago lawyer and three of his businessmen clients 81 years ago. This club, which promotes comradeship between its members, social-welfare activities and international friendship, now has nearly a million members. Every three years the Club's International Council on Legislation meets and makes decisions on club policies. Last week, 433 delegates from 54 countries met in Chicago and, for the fifth time, considered the question of admitting women into the organization. A number of clubs in certain countries are in favor of permitting women to join, but other clubs are strongly opposed to changing the rules. At last week's meeting, following speeches by delegates on both sides of the question, the proposal was again rejected, so Rotary International will continue to be a men's organization for at least the next three years. The word, "rotary", refers to something turning in a circle, or rotating. Originally, club meetings were held in rotation at the members' places of business, so it was called the Rotary Club. According to Luke, chapter 8, when Jesus rotated through the towns and villages of his day, he was accompanied by a group which included both men and women.
Misfortunes (86/02/16)
Do you ever feel "down in the dumps"? This expression refers to feeling sad or discouraged. I'm sure that all normal people experience such a feeling at times. In fact, it may be healthy to experience a change of mood even as nature has a change of seasons. There is an Arab proverb that "All sunshine makes the desert". Too much of anything, even something good, can be unhealthy. The 42nd Psalm is the text for my sermon today. In it, the poet is talking to himself and to God, bemoaning his unfortunate situation and feeling overwhelmed by his troubles, which seemed to pile up one after another. A Latin proverb says that "Misfortunes never come singly" and a Japanese proverb speaks of "bees on a weeper's face" (Naki-tsura ni hachi). In this psalm, the writer swings between moods of faith and despair, which is also the experience of many people, but he ends on a final note of hope. His faith shed light into his gloom and gave him victory over his despondency. This is the last verse of the psalm, which I pray will also be meaningful to you: "Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God and once again I will praise him, my saviour and my God".
Fable of the Cat and the Mouse (86/02/17)
An Aesop fable: The Mouse, the Cat and the Cock. A young mouse came home one day and said, "Oh mother! I have had such a fright! I saw a creature strutting about on two legs. On his head was a red cap. His eyes were fierce and stared at me, and he had a sharp mouth. All at once, he stretched his long neck, opened his mouth so wide and roared so loud, that I thought he was going to eat me up, and I ran home as fast as I could. I had just seen a lovely animal and would have made friends with her. She had soft fur like ours. Her eyes were mild, and she looked at me very gently, and waved her long tail from side to side. I would have gone near her, but that dreadful thing began to roar, and I ran away." "My dear child," said the mother, "the fierce thing you speak of would have done you no harm. It was a harmless cock. But that soft, pretty thing was the cat, and she would have eaten you up in a minute, for she is the worst enemy you have in the whole world."
Unusual apology (86/02/18)
The Greek word, logos, is translated "word" in English. There are many English words that have a form of logos in them including the word "logic" and such fields of study as geology, biology, psychology, anthropology and theology. The word "apology" comes from two Greek words referring to a verbal defense, but in present-day English, an apology is an expression of regret for having insulted or wronged another. Usually, an apology is given verbally, but a couple of weeks ago, an 11-year-old boy in the 6th grade of elementary school in Chiba Prefecture apologized by jumping from the 4th floor of the school building. Earlier, he had quarreled with a friend and struck him in the face. Later, he apologized and asked to be forgiven, but the friend did not forgive him. In order to show his deep feeling of regret, he jumped from the veranda of the 4th floor and was seriously injured. Some people may consider his act a noble expression of genuine remorse, and the psychological reason for such an act is similar to that for harakiri, but from the Biblical perspective, true repentance is seen, not in hurting or killing oneself, but in showing one's change of heart through loving service to God and to people.
Tenrikyo (86/02/19)
When I moved to this prefecture over thirty years ago, a small town east of Nagoya was called Koromo. When that town became a city, its name was changed to Toyota in honor of the main company of the city which provides its economic base. A similar change of name took place a few years earlier when a town in Nara Prefecture became a city. That city, now called Tenri, is the headquarters of the Tenrikyo religion. For the past month, special activities have been carried on at the Tenrikyo headquarters, commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the death of its foundress, Miki Nakayama. On Monday, I visited Tenri City and viewed a series of 3-dimensional scenes and large pictures in a pavilion which depicted important events in Mrs. Nakayama's life. It reminded me of a similar display at the headquarters of the Mormon religion in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the life of its founder, Joseph Smith, is similarly illustrated. Both Tenrikyo and Mormonism arose about 150 years ago as expressions of the continuing human search for a satisfying faith. The Bible teaches that the way to a truly wholesome life is through faith in Jesus Christ, who, in John 14:6, referred to himself as "the way, the truth and the life".
Dummy policemen in East-West Germany border (86/02/20)
The basic meaning of the English word "dumb" is lacking the ability to speak. However, informally, "dumb" may refer to an ignorant or stupid person, who may also be called a "dummy". Literally, a dummy is an imitation of a real object which is used as a substitute. There are many dummies, or mannequins, in stores on which clothes are displayed. Sometimes, the dummies look so real, we may mistake them for living people. I once apologized to a department store dummy that I gazed at as I hurriedly passed down an aisle. We also see dummy policemen along the highway to remind us to drive carefully. Along the border between East and West Germany, fences have been erected to keep East German citizens from escaping to the west. There are more than 700 watchtowers along that border. Due to a shortage of troops, many of these watchtowers now have dummy watchmen in the towers to fool people trying to escape. From the Biblical point of view, the images or idols that people worship are also dummies, and in the 44th chapter of Isaiah, the people who make and worship such idols are considered dummies too. True worship should be directed to the true God, who is spirit.
Glutton (86/02/21)
The word "glutton" refers to a person who eats too much. There's an English proverb that "The glutton digs his grave with his teeth." Last week, a couple of peculiar contests were held for gluttons. In Kyoto, a Tofu Eating Contest was held. Because 102 can also be read tofu, 51 men and 51 women were selected from over 800 applicants to compete in Round One. 42 of them finished their four blocks of tofu and went on to Round Two, where they had to eat another four blocks within ten minutes. Only six survived for Round Three and a 43-year-old tatami maker became the winner after downing 10 7/8 blocks, or about 4 kilograms, of the bean curds. Two days later, a Japanese university student won a hot dog-eating contest in New York City. 21-year-old Hiroaki Tominaga defeated the reigning champion by wolfing down 10 1/2 frankfurters and buns in ten minutes. Then, the 120-kilogram student went out to eat sushi. In the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter 23, the following advice is given to a young man: "Don't associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food. Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty."
Washington-Lincoln Day (86/02/22)
When I was a child, this 22nd day of February was a state holiday in honor of America's first president, George Washington, who was born 254 years ago today. However, since 1971, when some of the holidays for federal employees were changed to Mondays, Washington's birthday has been observed on the 3rd Monday of February. President Lincoln's birthday is also in February--on February 12th. Many states also observe Lincoln's birthday as a state holiday, while some states call the 3rd Monday of February "Presidents' Day" or " Washington-Lincoln Day" to honor both presidents together. 101 years ago yesterday, the tall, slim tower in the nation's capital was dedicated. This Washington Monument is 555 feet (or approximately 170 meters) in height. To the west of the Monument is the Lincoln Memorial, in which is a large seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, and the domed Capitol building is on the east. George Washington, called the "father of his country", was also said to be "First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen," but Washington himself declared that "the most enviable of all titles" was an "Honest Man". I wonder what President Marcos and other present-day politicians think of such a title.
Paying back evil with good (86/02/23)
In a society that emphasizes conformity, the person who does not follow tradition is often considered egotistical or a troublemaker. However, it is often the nonconformist who stimulates progress and the changes needed to bring about a better society. Jesus was a non-conformist. He advocated a change in the traditional thinking of the people of his day. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verses 38-42, he rejected the traditional teaching of revenge or retaliation, symbolized in the saying, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." He taught that we should not take revenge, but show kindness even to those who wrong us. This goes against our natural inclination, but if we respond to evil with evil, we are merely lowering ourselves to the same level as the evil one rather than trying to lift that person up to a higher level of morality. Some people who call for "justice" when they have been wronged are simply seeking vengeance and are not concerned with the injustices in society that do not directly affect themselves. If we wish to create a better society, we must break the evil cycle of returning evil for evil with a new spirit of paying back evil with good.
A man who built his house on rock (86/02/24)
Yesterday's message was about a teaching of Jesus found in his Sermon on the Mount. That sermon ends with this parable, found at the end of the 7th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. "Anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers overflowed, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain poured down, the rivers overflowed, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!" This parable should cause us to consider the kind of foundation our lives are built upon.
Relocation camps during World War II (86/02/25)
A shameful event in American history was the forced removal of 110,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry to relocation camps during World War II. These people, including many families, were taken from their homes on the West Coast and interned in cheap, temporary housing hundreds of miles away. The stated reason for this violation of these citizens' rights was the fear of their being disloyal and giving aid to Japan, the enemy country. One Japanese-American, Gordon Hirabayashi, refused to relocate and was arrested, tried and found guilty of disobeying government orders. In 1942, Hirabayashi brought suit against the government and has continued his legal battle for the past 44 years. A District Judge in Los Angeles has now ruled that the government was guilty of misconduct in withholding evidence regarding the military necessity of removing these Americans of Japanese lineage. This federal judge has indicated that the wartime government acted illegally in this matter. Sometimes, it takes a long time to establish the truth of a complex situation, but those who believe in the fairness of the judicial system and in the final justice of God have faith that, in the end, justice will prevail.
Opposition in the Philippines (86/02/26)
During the past few days, the eyes of the world have been focussed on the Philippines. There, a confrontation has developed between an autocratic government and a popular opposition which has grown bolder following the recent election. It seems that a change of government is about to take place and we can only pray that it will be a peaceful change. As we view the present situation in Manila, we may recall the events that took place fifty years ago today in Tokyo. On February 26,1936, a group of military officers went to the homes of several leading statesmen and killed them. This also occurred following an election, whose results were disappointing to these extreme nationalists. Although the attempted coup d'etat failed, it did influence the course of events. The situation in the Philippines today, is just the reverse, with more liberal activists seeking to oust the long-entrenched conservative regime. All oppressed people long for freedom. Too often, however, when they gain it, they, then, begin to oppress others. We must seek justice for all as well as freedom. An ideal society will not come simply through political revolution. It requires a change of heart to fulfil the divine requirements found in Micah 6:8: justice, love and humility.
Our faith rewarded (86/02/02)
Aesop's fable (86/02/03)
Space exploration (86/02/04)
A high tower planned (86/02/05)
Gee-to-bō-ru (86/02/06)
Charles Dickens (86/02/07)
Tofutti (86/02/08)
Love your neighbour (86/02/09)
The Crow and the Pitcher (86/02/10)
Kenkoku-kinen-no-hi (86/02/11)
Ash Wednesday (86/02/12)
An old pen pal in Germany (86/02/13)
St. Valentine's Day (86/02/14)
Rotary Club (86/02/15)
Misfortunes (86/02/16)
Fable of the Cat and the Mouse (86/02/17)
Unusual apology (86/02/18)
Tenrikyo (86/02/19)
Dummy policemen in East-West Germany border (86/02/20)
Glutton (86/02/21)
Washington-Lincoln Day (86/02/22)
Paying back evil with good (86/02/23)
A man who built his house on rock (86/02/24)
Relocation camps during World War II (86/02/25)
Opposition in the Philippines (86/02/26)
Earthquakes and catfish (86/02/27)
Arrangement over this telephone service (86/02/28)
February (86/02/01)