Halloween
Percussion Triangle
Election Day
Constitutional Amendments
Armistice/Veterans Day
Diamond Anniversary
Abacus/Soroban
Tent/Tabernacle
Short Wave Radio
Japanese Radio Broadcasts
Thanksgiving Days
Home Languages
Mauritania
Halloween
02/11/02
Around this time of year in this area, we see pumpkins for sale and jack-o-lanterns on display in various places. A "pumpkin" is "a large, round, orange-yellow gourdlike fruit" and a "jack-o-lantern" is "a lantern made from a hollowed pumpkin with a carved face," but we must be careful to distinguish between what is "hollowed" and what is "hallowed." "Hollow" denotes an empty space, while "hallow" means to make holy. For most Americans, the only time we use the word "hallowed" is in the traditional form of the "Lord's Prayer" found in Matthew 6:9-13, which is repeated in many Christian churches regularly and which contains the phrase "hallowed be thy name." In the Roman Catholic Church, November 1st is celebrated as "All Saints' Day," also called "All Hallows' Day." The evening before that day, also known as "All Hallows' Eve," has become the "Halloween" of today. Halloween has become a time of following traditions rooted in pre-Christian customs of the Celts of Ireland and Scotland. Witches, goblins, ghosts, spirits of the dead, skeletons and black cats are all included in decorations and activities related to this day which are not in harmony with Christian thought. The "trick or treat" custom of children going from house to house in costumes, asking for a "treat" of some kind to avoid a possible retaliatory "trick," seems to have ancient roots which are also not in keeping with Christian teaching. There are many people who repeat the words "hallowed be thy name" in churches on Sunday but whose lives during the rest of the week do not reflect that aim. (494)
Percussion Triangle
02/11/03
Recently, my wife and I attended another symphony orchestra concert in the city of Jacksonville, about an hour's drive away from our retirement community. At that concert, the beautiful music was derived from operas composed by Italian, German, French and Russian musicians. There were over fifty players in the orchestra, the majority of which played stringed instruments--violins, violas, cellos and basses. Of course, there were woodwinds (clarinets, bassoons, flutes and piccolos) and brass instruments (trumpets, trombones, horns and a tuba) as well. In the back row were the percussion instruments, which produce sound when struck, including drums, cymbals, chimes and xylophones. The orchestra member that attracted my special attention was a large man at one end of the back row. He appeared to be the largest person in the whole orchestra and most of the time, he just sat on a chair. At certain times, however, he stood up and held up a small elongated piece of metal in the shape of a triangle which was open at one angle. Then, while the entire orchestra was playing, he would tap that triangle with a short metal rod. I presume that produced a musical sound, but it was not audible by those of us sitting in the hall. And I thought of the hours of practice that big man must have spent to strike that tiny triangle at the right time to make a contribution to the musical rendition of the entire orchestra, even though it could not be distinctly heard. And so it is that small efforts which are often overlooked by others may be important to bring about a desired result. (498)
Election Day
02/11/06
During the early years of the United States of America, election days varied from state to state, but in 1845, Congress established the Tuesday after the first Monday of November as the day for selecting presidential and vice presidential electors. Later, that became the day for electing members of Congress also. This year, November 5th is Election Day and all citizens are urged to go to polling places and cast their votes. Each state has the right to establish qualifications for voting and some states restricted the right to vote to those who met certain conditions. Constitutional amendments have eliminated such restrictions in federal elections, granting the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race, color or gender and prohibiting literacy tests or payment of a poll tax as requirements for voting. Now, all citizens 18 years and older have the right to vote and the use of voting machines has simplified voting procedures and the tabulation of results. However, as was evident in the presidential election two years ago in the state of Florida, confusion related to the voting machines and the ballots used raised many questions about the results. In this election, Floridians will vote for congressional representatives, a governor, a state senator, state representatives and state judges. There are also ten amendments to the State Constitution that will be approved or rejected. In our county, voters must connect the head and tail of arrows printed on the ballots to show their preferences. Hopefully, voters will understand, machines will work right and results will be beneficial to the state, the nation and the world. (499)
Constitutional Amendments
02/11/08
The fundamental rules of a government are written in a constitution and changes in the constitution may be effected by constitutional amendments. In the case of the United States of America, 27 amendments have been made since its constitution came into effect in 1791, but each of the states has a constitution which also may be amended. I do not know how many amendments have been made to the State Constitution of Florida, but in the recent election, ten amendments were presented to voters for their approval or disapproval and citizens of other states or countries may be interested to know what some of them were. One affirmed the application of the death penalty. Another prohibited tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces, including restaurants. Another provided a high quality pre-kindergarten learning opportunity for every four-year-old child in the state. And another required the State Legislature to provide funding for sufficient classrooms so that there be a maximum number of students in public school classes for various grade levels. But to me, the most interesting one was related to the "inhumane treatment of animals" and stated that "no person shall confine a pig during pregnancy in a cage, crate or other enclosure, or tether a pregnant pig, on a farm so that the pig is prevented from turning around freely . . . ." On the day after Election Day, it was reported that there were no major problems at the polling places and that all of the above amendments were approved. As times change, some rules also need changing, or amending--and so do some of our perspectives. (500)
Armistice/Veterans Day
02/11/10
From 1914 to 1918, European countries were engaged in a disastrous war, now known as the First World War. In 1917, the United States of America entered that war, which officially ended with the signing of an armistice in 1918 on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 o'clock in the morning. In the following years, observances were held in Europe and America on that day to commemorate that event. In the U. S. A., it was called Armistice Day. ("Armistice," derived from Latin words meaning "arms stopping," denotes the cessation of hostilities by mutual consent.) On that day, ceremonies were held in the National Cemetery in memory of those servicemen who lost their lives during that war. That cemetery included the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where remains of an unknown American soldier which had been shipped from France are buried. In 1958, the bodies of two other unknown servicemen, killed in World War II and the Korean War, were added to that tomb, which became the Tomb of the Unknowns. Since 1956, November 11th has been called Veterans Day. ("Veteran," rooted in the Latin word for "old," denotes one who has a long record of service in a given activity or capacity in general or who has been a member of the armed forces in particular.) On Veterans Day, a legal holiday in all fifty states, men and women who died in the service of their country are remembered and honored. Though the term "worship" is not used, the inward feeling of those who participate in such ceremonies is similar to those in Japan who honor their departed ancestors and others, which is called "worship" in English. (503)
Diamond Anniversary
02/11/13
Precious metals or gems are associated with certain anniversaries: silver for the 25th, gold for the 50th and diamonds for the 75th. The town of Penney Farms, Florida was founded in 1925 by department store magnate, J. C. Penney, and this past weekend (November 9-10), it celebrated its diamond anniversary. The 465 residents of Penney Retirement Community make up about three-fourths of the town's population. Throughout the year, residents of this community are involved in many kinds of creative activities--including painting, woodworking, ceramics, stained glass, pottery, photography, sewing, knitting, etc. and their artistic works were on sale during that time along with homemade cookies and other baked goods. A parade that included bands and decorated vehicles marched, or rolled, through the town's streets. My wife was one of the clowns that walked between an antique car and a golf cart. Concerts were presented by both the Sunshine Band, composed of residents, and a top-quality band from outside the community. On Sunday, a community worship service was held in Penney Memorial Church during which the town's former mayors were honored. It was a busy, but enjoyable time and many visitors from the surrounding area also attended. My wife and I were especially pleased at the unexpected visit of one of my younger sisters and her husband, my childhood friend who later became mayor of our hometown in northern Illinois. It was their first visit to this community and they helped to make the anniversary yet more precious as we recalled more personal memories with them. (506)
Abacus/Soroban
02/11/16
An "abacus" is a manual computing device composed of beads on rods fixed in a frame. In a Japanese abacus, or "soroban," there are four beads in the lower division and one in the upper one. Soroban classes are conducted outside of school for children to be proficient in its use. My first encounter with a soroban occurred within an hour after I entered Japan over fifty years ago. After two weeks on the freighter that brought us there, my wife and I were expecting a friend I knew in seminary, who had arrived in Japan a few months earlier, to meet us at the Port of Yokohama. He was not there, so I went into an office at the port to call him on the telephone. While making the call, the telephone wire jiggled the soroban of the man working at the desk, upsetting his calculations. He said nothing, but he looked disgusted. I was reminded of that incident by a recent newspaper article telling of the amazing use being made of an abacus by a blind man here in Florida. This 32-year-old bank employee, who lost his vision in 1980 at the age of 10, uses fingers of one hand to punch in digits on a computer keyboard and manipulates the beads on his abacus with the other hand. Using special software, he listens to his talking computer through earphones and talks back through his hands. As a substitute for paper and pen, the abacus enables him to add, subtract, multiply, divide and use fractions. He takes an abacus nearly everywhere, jotting down a phone number to be entered into his computer or keeping a running total on his spending at the supermarket. Truly, skill and perseverance may bring about amazing results. (504)
Tent/Tabernacle
02/11/18
Residents in this retirement community live in individual houses, called "cottages," apartment buildings, called "Quadrangles," assisted living units ("Beyer House," "Penmor Place"), the nursing home ("Pavilion"), or the "Hagan Care Center" (for Alzheimer patients). However, there is a large, vacant lot in the center of the community on which a large tent is sometimes erected for special activities. It was in a large tent on that lot that the First Coast Wind Ensemble, a 45-member band, played during the recent Diamond Anniversary celebration. Afterward, as I saw the tent being taken down, I thought about the tent used by Israelites during their wandering in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land (present-day Palestine or Israel). This was called a "tabernacle" in the classical version of the Old Testament. There are two Hebrew words translated "tabernacle" in English. One means "tent" and the other denotes a "dwelling place." In the Old Testament book of Exodus, chapters 25-27, there are detailed instructions regarding the tabernacle and its furnishings. It was considered the dwelling place of Israel's God which could be easily collapsed and transported as the children of Israel moved from place to place. Later, a more permanent sanctuary, called a "temple," was built by King Solomon in the city of Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul, however, made clear in his sermon in Athens that "the God who made the world . . . does not live in temples built by hands" (Acts 17:24). But God did reveal himself through Jesus Christ, his "Word" that "became flesh" and "tabernacled among us" (John 1:14). (507)
Short Wave Radio
02/11/19
There are many things related to electricity that I do not understand, but I make use of many electrical appliances, including the light which brightens this room and the computer on which I am composing this message. Another electrical appliance is on a shelf near my chair at our dining room table. It is a radio from which I can listen to both domestic and international broadcasts. This radio was a gift from a Japanese church before I left Japan on a year's furlough about 25 years ago. Thus, while in the United States of America, I was able to listen to short wave broadcasts from Japan and other countries. I also made use of it to listen to a number of countries while living in Japan. Nowadays, I try to listen to the regular live morning broadcast from Tokyo in Japanese on the afternoon of the previous day here in Florida. Recently, when I tried to tune in to that program as usual, I could not find it and then realized that we had changed from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time so I would have to tune in an hour earlier than before. I enjoy listening to news reports from Japan and comparing them with the news reports in this country. Each country, of course, has its special interests and concerns. When I heard the report from Japan about the attack in a Moscow theater, I immediately turned on the television to see what was being reported in this country and saw a World Series baseball game. In order to receive a short wave radio broadcast, one must be tuned in to the right waveband. And for effective communication between nations or individuals also, it is necessary to be on the same "wavelength." (501)
Japanese Radio Broadcasts
02/11/22
Since I have spent many years in Japan, I am generally able to understand both spoken and written Japanese, but some short wave news reports in Japanese I find difficult to understand. There are various reasons for this: sometimes, the reporter speaks too rapidly; the pronunciation of certain speakers is not so clear; at other times, I am not familiar with the subject being discussed and do not recognize the specialized words being used. In Japanese, words used in formal reports or articles may be different than those used in ordinary conversation. On one hand, the use of so many different Chinese characters in Japanese makes the written language very complicated. On the other hand, seeing the written characters may convey the meaning even when their pronunciation is unclear. Thus I sometimes feel that if I could read the report being broadcast, I would understand more clearly than hearing it. Obviously, news reports emphasize events that are of special interest to the majority of listeners. In recent weeks, there have been many reports related to the Japanese citizens who had been abducted into North Korea years ago and were now permitted, under certain conditions, to visit their families in Japan, but I did not hear such reports on American news broadcasts. Comparatively speaking, however, Japanese broadcasts include more news of events related to America and Europe than vice versa. The ideal of a universal language has not yet been realized. Some years ago, before returning to the U. S. A. through Europe, I studied Esperanto for a while in the hope that it would be helpful, but I did not find it so. (502)
Thanksgiving Days
02/11/25
It is advisable for people who make frequent trips to foreign countries to know at least a few words or expressions in the languages of those countries. Along with the common expressions used in greetings, words of gratitude should also be included. Expressions of thankfulness are not only important for tourists but for the development and maintenance of healthy relationships among all people. In fact, such expressions of gratitude should not be limited to human relationships. Conscientious people who believe in the existence of a divine being will also offer thanks to that being. In all religious traditions, there are times when thanksgiving is emphasized. In Japanese tradition, it was on the 23rd day of the 11th month that the emperor tasted newly harvested rice, supposedly in the presence of the spirits of his ancestors. Consequently, November 23rd became a Japanese holiday called Labor Thanksgiving Day. In the United States of America, Thanksgiving Day is now celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The roots of this holiday go back to the Pilgrims who set apart a day of thanksgiving to God for the abundant harvest in the year 1621 which they joyfully shared with many Native Americans in the area. Though most prayers consist of petitions or requests, prayers of sincere believers will be characterized by thankfulness--not only on special days, but always. The ancient Greek essayist, Plutarch, wrote: "The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart" and in I Thessalonians 5:18, it is written: "give thanks in all circumstances." Today and always, let us be thankful. (508)
Home Languages
02/11/27
Human beings make use of languages to communicate with one another and every language has certain peculiar characteristics related to the nation and culture in which it originated. One characteristic of the Japanese language that is difficult for some foreigners to adjust to is the different levels of politeness which are included in it. Certain words are considered more polite than others although the meanings are the same. Thus the words or language used in speaking on formal occasions or to respected people and to those in superior positions is different than what is spoken in the home to family members or friends. A recent newspaper article noted that in the United States of America also, a different language may be spoken in the home. In this case, however, the difference is not related to politeness but to ethnicity. Since citizens of this country have come from many different parts of the world, a variety of languages may be spoken in homes. According to the article, in only 76 percent of the homes in the state of Florida, only English is spoken, and in the county around the city of Miami, almost 60 percent of the households speak only Spanish at home. Most of these families have come from Cuba. Immigrants from Asian countries have also increased during the past ten years and in a couple of Florida counties, in over 3 percent of the homes, only an Asian language is spoken. Whether at home or elsewhere, however, communication on a deeper level than verbal language is possible, communicated by deeds rather than by words--the language of compassion and love. (505)
Mauritania
02/11/29
Some legal holidays in the United States of America fall on different days of the month each year because they are related to certain days of the week instead of particular days of the month. For example, this year, the 28th day of November is a holiday because it is the fourth Thursday of November which is Thanksgiving Day. In the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, however, November 28th is a legal holiday every year, for it was on that day in 1960 that the country gained its independence from France. This Islamic Republic is located in the northwestern area of Africa, but I must confess that I was confused when I began my research for this message because an ancient district in the same area with the same pronunciation is spelled differently in English--with an "e" in the middle of the name instead of an "i". "Mauretania" was "the land of the Moors," a Caucasian nomadic people, including Arabs, who became fanatic Muslims. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania now lies south of the ancient district of Mauretania. About 30 percent of the population is black, 30 percent is Caucasian and the remaining 40 percent is mixed. Islam is the predominant religion and the 1961 constitution stipulated that the president, who is popularly elected, must be a Muslim. The national flag of Mauritania has a yellow crescent under a yellow star on a green background. The crescent and star, ancient Byzantine symbols adopted by the Ottoman Turks, appear on flags of many Muslim nations. They symbolize light from the night sky and both nations and individuals need light from above to make wise decisions in this dark world. (509)