Drivers Licenses (90/12/01)
In the United States, drivers licenses are issued by the individual states and laws differ depending on the state. Fortunately for my wife and me, we are able to renew our State of Illinois drivers licenses while living in Japan and thus are able to drive legally whenever we return to the U. S. The licenses sent to us here bear the words: "Valid without photo and signature". We are required to visit a drivers license office soon after our return to Illinois, however, and exchange them for licenses with our photos and signatures. A few months before our trip this past summer, my wife realized she had lost her drivers license, so she sent a letter requesting another one, hoping the replacement would arrive before we left Japan. It did not, however, so when we went to the office to exchange my irregular license for one with my photo and signature, we explained her situation. Checking his computer, the clerk realized that a license had been sent to her which would expire in December of this year and suggested that, instead of a replacement, she get a new license that would be valid for a full three years, which she did. Thus, although she had been disappointed about not receiving her license before leaving Japan, it worked out to her benefit and we recalled the words in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to those who love God. Two days later, she received the license which had been forwarded from Japan after we had left. (3413)
Church Year (90/12/02)
A calendar is a system of reckoning the beginning, divisions and end of a year. Various calendars are in use in the world today. A new year begins at different times according to the Chinese, Islamic, Jewish and Gregorian calendars. Even in Japan, the school year begins in April while the civil year begins in January. According to the Christian Church calendar, this fourth Sunday before Christmas is the beginning of the Church Year, the first Sunday of the Advent Season in which Christians prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth. In the Christian view, the entire Old Testament is a kind of preparation for the coming of the Messiah, or Christ. One Old Testament prophecy Christians believe was fulfilled in the advent of Jesus is found in the 9th chapter of Isaiah which tells of the new light shining upon people who walked in darkness. There it is also stated: "A son is given to us! And he will be our ruler. He will be called, 'Wonderful Counsellor,' 'Mighty God,' 'Eternal Father,' 'Prince of Peace.'" It is the birth of this extraordinary personage whose power is based "on right and justice" and whose "kingdom will always be at peace". Christians celebrate at Christmas and whom they call Lord and Christ, "the Son of the living God". (3414)
Doku o Motte, Doku o Seisu (90/12/03)
Today is Monday, December the 3rd. The English expression, "Set a thief to catch a thief", suggests that a person who has had experience in stealing and thus knows the thinking and ways of a thief is best able to apprehend other thieves. A similar saying, "fight fire with fire", which corresponds to the Japanese proverb, Doku o motte, doku o seisu, teaches that it is effective to use the same means used by an opponent to counter his attack. In a more humorous vein, we may try to confront the smell of garlic on the breath of another with the smell of onions on our own. But all such attitudes are contrary to the exhortation found in the 12th chapter of the New Testament Letter to the Romans, where we are taught that, instead of lowering ourselves to the level of the enemy, we should "Repay no one evil for evil...but overcome evil with good."(3415)
Francisco Franco (90/12/04)
As the prefix of a compound word, "Franco" has the meaning of French. Thus, a Franco-American is an American of French descent, a Francophile is a person who admires France, its people and culture, and a Francophobe is a person who dislikes them. Franco is also the surname of a European leader who ruled his country for over 35 years during the middle of this century. France is also at the root of this man's given name, but the country he ruled was not France, but Spain. Francisco Franco was born 98 years ago today, on December 4, 1892. A general at the age of 32, he became chief of staff of the Spanish army ten years later. Franco joined the Nationalist rebellion against the Spanish republic, became head of the rebel government and, at the conclusion of the Civil War in 1939, began his dictatorial rule which lasted until his death. During his reign as Generalissimo, Spain was declared a monarch with Franco as regent. Juan Carlos, grandson of the former Spanish king, was named his successor and he became king upon Franco's death in 1975. Although dictatorship is the most efficient form of government, the cost in human freedom is too great a price to pay. (3416)
21st Amendment (90/12/05)
To amend something means to improve it. This may be done by removing faults or errors that have become evident. Constitutions usually include articles regarding how to amend them. Since it went into effect in 1789, there have been 26 amendments to the United States Constitution. The 21st Amendment was declared ratified 57 years ago today, on December 5, 1933. What improvement or change for the better do you suppose this amendment effected? Actually, it simply repealed the 18th Amendment. Thirteen years earlier, that amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors within the United States, had been ratified. It soon became evident, however, that this law was being violated on an increasing scale and the government was not able to enforce it, so the prohibition was repealed. Japan's Constitution prohibits the maintenance of war potential, including land, sea and air forces. There is also a rule prohibiting the manufacture, possession or introduction into the country of nuclear weapons. Both of these rules seem to be quite openly violated. I wonder if the time will ever come when the Japanese government will decide either to amend the rules or to honestly enforce them. (3417)
Difference in Income (90/12/06)
A doctoral student at the University of Michigan recently produced some interesting statistics related to the difference in income between married and single men. He studied the incomes of men between the ages of 25 and 64 in nine European countries plus the United States, Canada and Australia. In all of the countries included in the study, incomes of married men consistently were higher than those of unmarried men. The highest percentage of difference was in the United States with over 30 percent and in Norway, Sweden and Switzerland with about 26 percent each. Three possible explanations for this difference were suggested: 1) Employers are more likely to hire and promote married men because they consider them more stable and community oriented; 2) Women are more likely to marry financially successful men; and 3) Married men feel responsible for a wife and family and become more productive. The news article began with this advice: "Single men looking for a raise or promotion should consider a serious option: Get married." I wonder if the results of a similar study of women's incomes might not show an opposite tendency, showing single ladies with a higher income than those married. In that case, what advice would be given to the married women? Thomas Fuller has written that "A man's best fortune, or his worst, is his wife." (3418)
William Pitt (90/12/07)
Do you know what a pit is? One kind of pit is a hole in the ground. Another kind is the single seed in the center of certain fruits such as a peach or cherry. But when Pitt is spelled with a capital P and two "t's", it becomes the surname of a couple of famous Englishmen. Both of them were named William and today, December 7th, is the birthday of the younger man who was born on this day in 1759. This William Pitt became the youngest prime minister in British history. How old do you think he was? The youngest man to become president of the United States was 42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt and I'm sure the youngest Japanese prime minister must have been older than that, but William Pitt became prime minister at the age of 24. He had entered Parliament just two years before. A liberal Tory and a popular prime minister, Pitt is said to have been an eloquent speaker with a pleasing voice and an excellent choice of words. Such gifts are important for statesmen, but Pitt was also recognized as being completely honest, a quality missing in many politicians today. According to the English poet, Alexander Pope, "An honest man's the noblest work of God", but, as Plato noted, "Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty." (3419)
Los Angeles (90/12/08)
On our way back to Japan from the midwestern United States last summer, we spent a couple of days in the Los Angeles area. At the Los Angeles Airport, waiting to pick up our luggage, I called a car rental agency that handled only Japanese-made cars and ordered one. The agency sent a van to the airport to pick us up and take us to their office where I filled out the application form and then drove to our motel in a new Toyota Tercel which we rented for $19 a day. The following day, which was Sunday, we drove to the famous Crystal Cathedral, where we attended the morning worship service. This unique, 12-story-tall cathedral is longer than a football field, has a powerful 15,000 pipe organ and nearly 3000 seats. Its exterior is made up of 10,000 panes of mirrored glass which reflect the sky and the surrounding scenery. A 100-voice choir sang praises to God and the face of the preacher was projected on a large screen to make him clearly visible to the entire congregation. Incidentally, the screen bore the name of a leading Japanese audio-visual equipment company. In the afternoon, we drove into the San Bernadino mountains. Thus, we enjoyed listening to the Word of God in the morning and viewing God's handiwork in the afternoon. (3420)
Jesus' Advent (90/12/09)
The word "advent" means "coming" and during this season in the Church calendar called Advent, Christians prepare their hearts and homes for Christmas when Jesus' birth is celebrated. If we ask the purpose of Jesus' advent, various replies may be given. One answer is found in the words of Jesus himself when he spoke in the Jewish synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. According to the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, this event occurred at the beginning of his public ministry. When he was given the book of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, he unrolled the scroll and read these words: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people." After reading these words, Jesus indicated that his coming was to fulfil this prophecy. The word "gospel" means "good news", and we may say that the purpose of Jesus' coming was to proclaim the Gospel of liberation to those who are in either physical or spiritual bondage. Jesus came to set people free and Christians believe that true freedom is found through faith in the words and work of Jesus, the Christ. (3421)
Human Rights (90/12/10)
Today, December 10th, is Human Rights Day, commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly on this day in 1948. This Declaration begins with the words: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." This statement is in keeping with the Japanese proverb Umare-nagara no chōrō nashi, which is similar in meaning to the Latin proverb, Nemo nascitun sapiens, "No one is born wise." Although nations, organizations and individuals may make this noble proclamation, their concrete actions often show a difference between tatemae and honne. Respect for all human beings, regardless of their race, sex, nationality, education, economic status, social position or physical condition should be taught to children and manifested by adults--by political and business leaders in particular. (3422)
Seibo Season (90/12/11)
In the old Japanese calendar, this last month of the year was known as the month of "running teachers", or shiwasu. In present-day Japan, not only teachers but many other people seem to be in a hurry as the year draws to a close. During this seibo season, some people are busy buying or distributing gifts that are also called seibo, but people in influential positions must make a clear distinction between gifts that are genuine expressions of gratitude and those that constitute a bribe. The former may be politely received but the latter should be sternly refused. Since listeners to these telephone messages are also busy with many activities as the year draws to a close, the "Daily Word" Listeners Meeting which usually meets on the fifth Sunday afternoon of a month has been rescheduled. Instead of December 30th, we will meet on Sunday afternoon, January 20th, at the YWCA building near Sakae in downtown Nagoya. Note it on your calendar and plan to attend if you are able. Listeners who wish to receive written copies of these telephone messages before they are spoken should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope plus ¥60 in stamps for each week of messages desired to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. (3423)
The Number Twelve (90/12/12)
Today is the 12th day of the 12th month, so let us think about the number 12. This number has had an important place in Western thought. In English, it is the only number that has an alternate name for itself, namely "dozen". As you know, the year is divided into 12 months and a day is divided into 12 hours. There are also 12 constellations in the Zodiac, each with its representative sign. The legal system in the West is rooted in the so-called Twelve Tables, the earliest code of Roman civil, criminal and religious law, written in the 5th century B.C. In England, a jury is made up of 12 men and according to English and American measurements still used today, a foot is divided into 12 inches, each of which is equal to 2.54 centimeters. Some articles in English and American stores, including eggs, are sold by the dozen. In the Bible, there are 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 apostles of Jesus in the New, who are also known as "the Twelve". There are 12 days in the Christmas season, beginning December 25th, so January 5th is also called Twelfth Night, which is the name of a Shakespearean drama. I hope tonight will be an enjoyable "twelfth night" for you. (3424)
New Zealand (90/12/13)
There are many cities and towns and even states in the U. S. A. that have compound names beginning with "New". How many can you name? There is only one country in the world, however, that has a name beginning with "New". Do you know where it is located? A large part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands lies below sea level, protected by dikes to keep the sea from flooding the lowlands. A Dutch province which includes land reclaimed from the sea is called Zeeland, the English spelling of which is Z-e-e-l-a-n-d. Three-hundred-forty-eight years ago today, on December 13, 1642, a Dutch navigator became the first European to visit a particular island in the South Pacific, which he named New Zealand. But, for some reason, the English spelling of this country is Z-e-a-l-a-n-d. In honor of that navigator, whose name was Abel Janszoon Tasman, the island state in the Commonwealth of Australia is called Tasmania and the part of the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and Australia is called the Tasman Sea. Discoverers may give new names to places but, according to Revelation 2:17, God will give a new name to those who win the victory in the the battle of life. (3425)
Work and Family Life (90/12/14)
Last July, a survey was conducted by the Leisure Development Center among 200 married couples in their 30's, 40's and 50's living in Tokyo and Osaka. The aim of the survey was to discover the attitudes of these couples toward work and family life and the degree to which husbands are involved in family chores. In regard to whether they consider time spent with the family more important than work, over 60 percent of the men in their 30's, 50 percent of those in their 40's and just 31.4 percent of those in their 50's responded affirmatively. Compared to the 80 percent of the men in their 30's and 40's who replied that they go out on leisure trips with their families, 50 percent of those in their 50's replied that they do so, but unwillingly. Overall, the survey showed that over 54 percent of the men vacuum the house sometimes and over 48 percent can cook three or more dishes without consulting a cookbook. Some 30 percent said they use the washing machine on occasions and 45 percent claimed to know the names of more than three friends of their children. The survey indicated that more and more younger workers are giving their families precedence over their companies. Over 31 percent of those in their 30's replied that they never want to be transferred to another area by their companies. Sometimes the choice must be made between a higher salary and a happier family. (3426)
Spruce Goose (90/12/15)
Spruce is the wood of a certain kind of tree and a goose is a certain kind of water bird. A silly person may also be called a goose. Along the seacoast south of Los Angeles, a somewhat silly-looking wooden airplane is housed in a huge aluminum dome. It is called the "Spruce Goose". Created by American billionaire, Howard Hughes, its 97-meter wing span is the longest of any airplane. It was built in 1947 and made only one flight, of about 900 meters, piloted by its creator. Since it was moved to its present location in 1980, it has become a walk-through museum. Next to it, the Queen Mary luxury liner, which carried passengers across the Atlantic Ocean until 1967, is anchored. Last summer, in the morning of the day we returned to Japan, my wife and I drove to Long Beach to stroll through the Spruce Goose and the Queen Mary, reminiscing of years gone by. We also drove to the home of a missionary couple we knew in Japan long ago only to find that they had moved out four months previously, but we did call them from the airport and left a message on their answering machine. When we returned our rented car, it registered 286 miles, 14 miles less than the limit we were permitted to drive without an extra charge. (3427)
Immanuel (90/12/16)
There are many kinds of signs in the world. Some signs we see along the streets are advertisements. Others give instructions, directions or information. Our signature on a document is a sign of our approval, but another kind of sign is an event having momentous significance. In the 7th chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, that prophet told the king of a sign that God would give. According to this divine sign, a young woman would give birth to a son who would be called Immanuel. The significance of this sign is made clear when it is quoted in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 1, verse 23, where the meaning of that name is given. It means: "God is with us". Christians believe that the prophetic sign was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, which is celebrated at Christmas. According to the story of Jesus' birth given in this chapter, Jesus was not simply the human son of a young Jewish mother, he was the divine Son of God. A basic teaching of the Christian Church throughout the ages is that the person of the man, Jesus, in his teaching and ministry, in his suffering, death and resurrection, we perceive the invisible God and understand his character and purpose. It is because of this faith that, in the birth of Jesus, God has come to us to save us and lead us to higher kind of life that Christmas has become such a joyful occasion. (3428)
When in Rome (90/12/17)
In Japanese society,wa, or harmony, is very important, so living and acting in conformity with traditional customs is emphasized and when visiting another area, the proverb, gō ni itte wa gō ni shitagae, is kept in mind. The English proverb with the same meaning speaks of Rome instead of a village. We say, "When in Rome do as the Romans do." When going abroad, we should try to adapt ourselves to the customs of that place rather than expecting people there to conform to our ways of thinking and acting. Nevertheless, although adaptation in the area of etiquette and social behavior is advisable, there are limits to the extent a conscientious person can conform and still remain true to his or her own convictions. In the book of Romans, chapter 12, Christians are advised not to conform to the standards of this world but to manifest a different attitude. (3429)
Charles Wesley (90/12/18)
A joyful song may be called a carol and at Christmas time it is customary to sing Christmas carols. One of the best-known Christmas carols was written by Charles Wesley, who was born 283 years ago today, on December 18, 1707. As a student at Oxford, he devoted himself to systematic study and to the regular practice of religious duties. As a result, he and others he had persuaded to do the same were mockingly called Methodists. Charles' elder brother, John, became the leader of this group of earnest students and both Wesleys later became involved in evangelistic activities as clergymen in the Church of England. Their efforts to spark new life, or revival, in the church met with a warm response on the part of many common folk, resulting in the establishment of a separate Christian denomination, known as Methodists. The preaching and organizing ability of the elder brother was fervently encouraged by the singing of hymns written by the younger. Charles Wesley, one of the greatest hymn writers in the history of the church, produced about 6500 hymns, many of which are still sung in Protestant churches today. Each stanza of the famous Christmas carol he wrote ends with the same words with which it begins: "Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born King'". (3430)
Family Farm (90/12/19)
New York City, one of the major metropolitan centers in the world, is divided into five administrative units called boroughs, the largest of which is Queens. In New York City, streets run east and west while avenues run north and south. At the intersection of 195th Street and 73rd Avenue in Queens is a farm stand selling fresh produce grown on the farm of John Klein. This last family farm in New York city is surrounded by brick apartment houses, an elementary school, a paved basketball court and a broad street with noisy traffic. Klein's great-grandfather began farming there in the 1890s. At one time, the farm included 40 hectares, but the land was sold, piece by piece, over the years until only 0.8 hectares are left. On this plot of ground, the Kleins grow vegetables that do not need much room, such as beets, carrots, radishes, scallions, basil, dill, parsley, cucumbers and squash. On a larger plot, some miles away, they grow corn, melons and other produce that require more space and haul it by truck to the farm stand every day. Open daily from July to November, the stand does a brisk business. People in the neighborhood are happy to find this fresh produce so near at hand. (3431)
Bury the Hatchet (90/12/20)
Many Japanese students of English have difficulty distinguishing between the pronunciation of "b" and "v". Instead of "very good", they say "berry good". There are various English words pronounced beri, but all of them begin with a "b". There are three different men's names with this pronunciation, spelled B-a-r-r-i-e, B-a-r-r-y, or B-e-r-r-y. The edible fruit of certain plants is also called a "berry", so we have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and even gooseberries. But another word pronounced beri is spelled b-u-r-y and means to conceal something under the ground. There are two common English sayings that include this word. The one, "bury one's head in the sand", originated in the false idea that ostriches bury their heads in the sand when in danger. It denotes an obstinate refusal to accept or face unpleasant facts. The other, "bury the hatchet" comes from the American Indian custom of ceremonially burying their war-hatchets after making peace with an enemy and signifies the end of a quarrel. The many soldiers who are now stationed in the Arabian desert dare not bury their heads in the sand, but I hope the time soon comes when they will bury their hatchets. (3432)
Forefathers' Day (90/12/21)
There are three different English words pronounced for. The one spelled f-o-r is a preposition. The number that comes between three and five is spelled f-o-u-r. A third for, spelled f-o-r-e, may be used as a noun, an adjective, an adverb, a preposition or an interjection. It is also used as a prefix with the meaning of before or earlier. Thus, a forefather is an earlier father, in other words, an ancestor. In the city of Plymouth, Massachusetts, today is observed as Forefathers' Day. On December 21, 1620, 370 years ago, a scouting party from the Mayflower, which had left Plymouth, England three months earlier, stepped ashore there. Following their report to the other passengers, it was decided that this would be the place to establish a settlement. They named the colony after the English town from which they began their voyage and the huge boulder upon which they first set foot, now called Plymouth rock, is a famous American monument. The forefathers who established this Plymouth colony were pilgrims seeking freedom to worship God according to their particular beliefs. Today in Plymouth, these forefathers are remembered in various celebrations. In II Timothy 1:3, the Apostle Paul writes that he worships God with a clear conscience like his forefathers did. (3433)
Christmas Vacations (90/12/22)
For many people in the United States, the Christmas Season is the happiest time of year. Schools and businesses have Christmas vacations. It is a time families gather to enjoy talking, eating and playing together as well as exchanging gifts in commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. As I look back on past Christmas vacations, a couple stand out as special. During one such vacation when I was a university student, a coed I had met at school visited my home. While she was there, I asked her to marry me and she accepted. During another Christmas vacation, our elder son brought his girlfriend with him to meet us when he came back to Japan to spend his vacation here. He had informed us of his plan by telephone previously, so we were looking forward to meeting her. Since they were planning to marry and since our whole family as well as some of Steve's close friends were here, it was decided to perform the ceremony in our living room on Christmas day. The couple went to Kobe to register their marriage at the American Consulate and a ward office. The wedding ceremony was simple and unostentatious, but I believe it was one of the most meaningful ceremonies those present had attended--quite different from most weddings in Japan these days. (3434)
Bethlehem (90/12/23)
In Hebrew, the word "bayith," or "beth" means "house" and in the Bible, there are some twenty different cities, towns or villages whose names begin with "Beth." The one most frequently mentioned is Bethlehem, which literally means "house of bread". In the Old Testament, this town, located about ten kilometers south of Jerusalem, was famous as the birthplace of King David and came to be known as the City of David. In the Old Testament book of Micah, it is written that another great ruler of Israel will come from this town. That prophecy was fulfilled on the first Christmas Day over 1990 years ago. In the 2nd chapter of the Gospel According to Luke is the story of how Jesus came to be born in that town, about 130 kilometers away from the town where his parents lived. They had to go to Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the roman emperor. It was while she was there that Mary "gave birth to her first son ... and laid him in a manger [because] there was no room for them to stay in the inn." A manger is a box in which hay is placed for cattle to eat. In this simple story, we see both the wonderful providence of God and the amazing humility of the Son of God who was born in such a humble place. (3455)
Spirit of Christmas (90/12/24)
Today is December 24th, the day before Christmas, which means that this evening is Christmas Eve. There is an English saying that "Christmas comes but once a year", which has two somewhat different implications. On the one hand, it encourages a tolerant attitude toward people who go to extremes at this time of year, who eat or drink excessively or spend too much money, for example. Their excuse is that "Christmas comes but once a year". On the other hand, it encourages a benevolent attitude toward others. Many charitable organizations make requests for donations at this time of year and we should respond willingly to help those who are poor and needy and who are suffering because "Christmas comes but once a year". It is preferable, however, to manifest the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Christ, or the spirit of love, all year long. -- Clark Offner (3436)
Christmas (90/12/25)
In the United States, legal holidays are decided by the individual states. Christmas is one of six annual holidays that are observed by all 50 states. Of course, Christmas is not only celebrated in the United States. It is a legal holiday in over 140 countries throughout the world. Needless to say, the original meaning of "holiday" was "holy day" and while Christians are happy for non-Christians to join in the festivities, we hope they remember the deep significance of this holy day and bear in mind why it has become such a happy occasion. Although Christmas is the day for celebrating the birth of Jesus, scholars are not sure of the month, day or year of his birth. It was only in the 4th century in Rome that this day was chosen to celebrate his birth because it was the day that Romans celebrated the winter solstice, after which the days begin to grow longer. It was in the 6th century that a new Christian era was established beginning with the year of Jesus' birth. The calculations at that time were mistaken, however, and scholars today think that Jesus was born about 6 B.C. To Christians, the exact date of Jesus' birth is not as important as its meaning, which is expressed in a name applied to him: Immanuel, meaning, "God is with us" [Matthew 1:23]. (3437)
Eton College (90/12/26)
British and American English differ not only in pronunciation but also in the meanings of certain words. The term, "public school", for example, has an almost opposite meaning in England and the United States. In the U.S., a public school is a tax-supported elementary or secondary school which provides free education to the children of a community. In England, a public school is a private boarding school, charging tuition to its students who hope to enter elite universities. The largest and most famous of England's public schools is Eton College, which was founded in 1440. In contrast to the school uniforms worn in Japan, students in this exclusive boys' school, aged 13 to 18, wear long-tailed, black coats. In some ways, the education system at Eton is quite traditional, but a recently-instituted, untraditional element is its class in Japanese, taught by 48-year-old Masaru Tanaka, an English teacher at the Musashi High School in Tokyo. Tanaka began teaching at Eton in September but reports that some of the better students are already speaking some Japanese. Obviously, he is teaching Japanese in a different way that most Japanese teachers teach English in Japanese schools. (3438)
Kindergarten Teachers (90/12/27)
Since my wife is a kindergarten teacher, it is not surprising that we are interested in news articles about kindergarten teachers. Two such articles recently appeared in our English-language newspaper, both of which are a sad commentary on the state of affairs in our homeland. In San Fernando, California, a 30-year-old mother was sentenced to six months in jail for attacking a 64-year-old kindergarten teacher. Her 5-year-old daughter had complained about being scolded by that teacher so, according to the news report, the mother grabbed the teacher around the neck and slammed her against the wall. According to the other article, a nursery school teacher in Brooklyn, New York noticed the butt of a gun sticking out of the jacket of a 3-year-old child. Upon investigation, it was found that the gun was not a toy but a loaded automatic pistol which the boy had brought to school to show his friends. He had taken the gun from the front seat of the car of a family friend who had brought him to school. The gun's owner was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the life of a child. These articles reminded us of the need for people to control their emotions and for government to control the availability of dangerous weapons. It is too bad that old-fashioned common sense, in this modern age, seems to be getting so uncommon. (3439)
Eki-ben (90/12/28)
The various local dialects found in this country may be called "ben". Some people speak with a "Nagoya ben" and others with a "Kanto ben". "Eki-ben", however, is not related to the peculiar speech of railway station employees. Rather, this shortened form of "ekiuri-bento", denotes the characteristic lunch sold at train stations in Japan. There is a great variety of such lunches, depending upon the locality. Stations in every area have their own specialties which try to capture the flavor of that district. The first "eki-ben" was sold in the Utsunomiya Station of the Japan National Railway 104 years ago today, on December 28, 1886. Consisting of rice balls and pickled radish wrapped in a bamboo leaf, it cost five sen and was made by an inn located in front of the station. A couple of years later, station lunches appeared in the light wooden boxes that are common today. Before the advent of the super-express trains, when trains stopped for a short time at many stations, eating "eki-ben" at many different places was one of the highlights of a trip in Japan. It is a privilege to enjoy a variety of foods, but we should remember the words of Benjamin Franklin: "One should eat to live, not live to eat." (3440)
Missionary Convention (90/12/29)
As I look back upon yearend and New Year's activities of years gone by, I recall a memorable event that took place in the second foreign country I had ever visited. While in university, I joined an international Christian student organization which held regular Bible studies and prayer meetings on the campus. In my second year at the university, following my visit to Mexico the preceding summer, I became chairman of its missionary committee. In the winter of that year, this organization held a missionary convention in the Canadian city of Toronto, so the day after Christmas, a carload of us students from Illinois and Iowa drove to Toronto to attend. For the next few days, along with university students from many parts of the United States and other countries, we attended meetings related to the missionary enterprise. We were also urged to consider our own personal response to the challenge to take the Christian Gospel to foreign lands. While there, I was happy to renew my acquaintance with a Mexican student I had met at the University of Mexico the previous summer. Thus, the first New Year's Day I had ever spent away from home was spent in this foreign land at a missionary conference that proved an influential element in my decision to become a missionary. (3441)
Church Year (90/12/02)
Doku o Motte, Doku o Seisu (90/12/03)
Francisco Franco (90/12/04)
21st Amendment (90/12/05)
Difference in Income (90/12/06)
William Pitt (90/12/07)
Los Angeles (90/12/08)
Jesus' Advent (90/12/09)
Human Rights (90/12/10)
Seibo Season (90/12/11)
The Number Twelve (90/12/12)
New Zealand (90/12/13)
Work and Family Life (90/12/14)
Spruce Goose (90/12/15)
Immanuel (90/12/16)
When in Rome (90/12/17)
Charles Wesley (90/12/18)
Family Farm (90/12/19)
Bury the Hatchet (90/12/20)
Forefathers' Day (90/12/21)
Christmas Vacations (90/12/22)
Bethlehem (90/12/23)
Spirit of Christmas (90/12/24)
Christmas (90/12/25)
Eton College (90/12/26)
Kindergarten Teachers (90/12/27)
Eki-ben (90/12/28)
Missionary Convention (90/12/29)
Hansei (90/12/30)
All's Well (90/12/31)
Drivers Licenses (90/12/01)