"Origami"
John
Foxes
Mariners, Marines, Marinas
Intermediaries
Symposium and Communion
Languages in the U. S. A.
Fall
Yankees, Marlins and Cubs
Live Oaks
Science and Conscience
Standard Time
Fast/Fasting
"Origami"
03/10/02
At an Adult Bible Fellowship class this week, I pointed out irregularities in the pronunciation and spelling of English words. The words spelled h-e-i-r and a-i-r are pronounced the same, but if an h is added to a-i-r, it is pronounced "hair." Another word with the same pronunciation is spelled h-a-r-e, but if the h is taken from this word, the remaining word, a-r-e, is pronounced the same as the letter r. One of the problems of the Japanese language is that a number of words with different meanings also have the same pronunciation, even though they are written with different Chinese characters. For example, "kami" is the pronunciation of words meaning "the upper part," "God," "hair" and "paper." When a character meaning "fold" is added to the word meaning "paper," it designates "folding paper," or "origami." Many different objects can be made with "origami," depending on how it is folded. Some things are very complicated and require many kinds of folds in different directions. At a meeting for families during our church's Convocation this week, my wife and the wife of our Japanese pastor taught the children how to make some interesting articles with origami. Using small colorful sheets of "folding paper," they taught the girls how to make pretty tulips on green stems, and using large pages from newspapers, they taught the boys how to make helmets to wear on their heads. In Matthew, chapter 6, verse 29, Jesus directed his listeners' attention to the beautiful flowers of the field to remind them of God's loving care and in Ephesians, chapter 6, verse 17, mention is made of "the helmet of salvation." (641)
John
03/10/04
In a recent "Timely Words" message, I noted that the name of the governor of this state of Florida was Jeb Bush. I had never heard or read the name "Jeb" before and I presumed it was a nickname. To determine the given name of the Governor, I inquired of other residents of this community and called the county office but "Jeb" was the only name that was known and the name written on official documents. Later, checking a reference book in the library, I discovered that the name given to the Governor at his birth was John Ellis Bush, so "Jeb" was a nickname consisting of the three first letters of his full name. I also learned a few new things about the name "John." This name of a couple of important men in the New Testament was derived from a Hebrew name in the Old Testament, meaning "the Lord (Yahweh) has been gracious." "From the 16th century until the 1950s, John was consistently the most commonly-used name for boys in all English-speaking countries." Probably the slang meaning of "john" is a reason for its decreased popularity. The definition in my dictionary for "john" as a slang term is "a toilet." Since some people are reluctant to use that word in public, it has been given various euphemisms, such as "bathroom," even though there is no bath in the room, "rest room," "men's room" or "ladies' room." Other "Johns" listed in my dictionary include "John Bull" (a personification of England), "John Doe" (an unidentifiable person) and "John Hancock" (a person's signature). In the New Testament, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and the Apostle John was one of his closest disciples. (636)
Foxes
03/10/08
A fox is a small mammal of the same family that includes dogs and wolves. It has upright ears, a pointed snout and a long, bushy tail. Unlike dogs and wolves, which run down their prey, foxes usually hunt by stalking and pouncing. Thus, they are considered tricky and a crafty, sly or clever person may be called a "fox." As a verb, "fox" means to act slyly or craftily and the adjective "foxy" is used for a person who is shrewdly clever or conniving. In Great Britain, there is an interesting custom of English gentlemen going fox hunting on horseback. The purpose of this hunt is not to gain food or to capture a valuable animal. It is merely a form of recreation and social activity. One of Aesop's fables is about a fox which tried in vain to get at some grapes, but when it found that they were beyond its reach, it went away saying, "I see they are sour." It is from this fable that the term "sour grapes" has come to be used to signify something that is scorned because it is beyond one's reach and cannot be obtained. A certain kind of ballroom dance composed of a variety of slow and fast steps is called a "fox trot" and so is the music for that dance. Foxes do not usually live in holes in the ground, but the term "foxhole" denotes a shallow pit dug by a soldier in combat for immediate individual refuge against enemy fire. General Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying "There are no atheists in the foxholes of Bataan." In Luke 9:58, in response to the affirmation of a man willing to follow Jesus, he replied: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (640)
Mariners, Marines, Marinas
03/10/10
There are two major leagues in American professional baseball: the National League and the American League. In both leagues, the teams are divided into three divisions, related to their location: Central, East and West. The National League has a total of 16 teams and the American League has a total of 14 teams. One of the American League teams in the West division is the Seattle Mariners which is well-known in Japan because one of its outstanding players is Japanese. The literal meaning of "mariner" is a person who navigates a ship. Other words derived from the same Latin root, related to the sea, are "marine" and "marina." As an adjective, "marine" denotes something related to the sea, but as a noun, it may refer to a member of one of the military units of the United States of America, the Marine Corps, which crosses seas to accomplish its military aims. And a "marina" is a dock providing secure moorings for pleasure boats. During our recent visit to my hometown in northern Illinois, we enjoyed showing our Japanese pastor and his wife some of the sights in that area on the western shore of Lake Michigan, one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. On our trip to Chicago, we passed by one marina and later visited the largest marina north of Chicago, in Winthrop Harbor, where 1500 boats can be moored. There we saw boats of many different sizes and shapes. Most of them had a tall mast to which a sail is attached to catch the wind to push the boat, but others, powered by motors did not need a mast. People also may be driven by the winds of public opinion or by a different kind of power. (641)
Intermediaries
03/10/12
A person that acts as a messenger or a go-between between persons may be called an "intermediary." During our recent visit to my hometown, my wife and I served as intermediaries for our Japanese pastor and his wife who were making their first visit to this country and were unable to communicate easily in spoken English. Not only was the language different. There were many American customs which were new to them and required an explanation. In Japan, when people are introduced, it is customary for them to bow to each other. In this country, the traditional custom is to shake hands, but nowadays, many people exchange hugs, which may be a bit embarrassing to foreigners. When ordering meals at restaurants, we spoke in Japanese with the pastor and his wife to find out what they wanted to order and when the waitress came to take the order, we sometimes spoke to her in Japanese also, causing both confusion and embarrassment. In meetings at the church, they were able to give simple greetings or to read a prepared speech in English, but extemporaneous conversation was difficult, so we were happy to serve as their intermediaries. Mediators are needed not only between people of different cultures. Even people within the same culture may find it difficult to understand one another because of their different specialties and may require a mediator to clarify matters or to bring two opposing sides together. According to the Bible, a mediator is also needed between God and men. In I Timothy 2:8. it is written: "there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (643)
Symposium and Communion
03/10/15
There are many activities, meetings and opportunities for service for the residents of this retirement community. In fact, there are so many things to do that some of us question whether or not we are really "retired." This week, along with my regular activities, there are two special meetings at which I am scheduled to speak. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday afternoons of the month there is a meeting of The Symposium, at which one of the residents reads a scholarly paper he or she has prepared, after which questions or comments are made by those in attendance. "Symposium" is derived from Greek words meaning "with" and "drink". Among the ancient Greeks, a "symposium" was a drinking party, which included drinking, music and intellectual stimulation. The subject of my paper on October 14th is "Inter-religious Dialogue." During my years in Japan, I began an inter-religious dialogue group that continues to meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month even today. Every week on Wednesday morning, a Communion Service is held in one of the assisted living units in our community and I will be leading the service there on October 15th, assisted by my wife who will distribute the bread and wine after I give a homily related to "saints." In the New Testament, "saints" refers to all believers. Both "communion" and "community" are derived from a Latin word meaning "common" and denote a sense of unity in fellowship. In the Communion Service, when the bread and wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus Christ, are received, we experience a sense of union with Christ and with one another. (646)
Languages in the U. S. A.
03/10/17
In the United States of America, an official census is conducted every ten years. The census conducted in the year 2000 was very detailed. It included many elements beside the population, required the help of some 860,000 temporary workers and cost six billion dollars. One result of the census was the indication that nearly one in five Americans speaks a language other than English. Of the total population of almost 285 million, about 47 million, 5 years of age and older, used a language other than English. These residents were considered "linguistically isolated" because of their limited English ability and are unable to assimilate fully into American society. The most common language other than English is Spanish, spoken by over 28 million residents. This is followed by about 2 million who speak Chinese, 1.6 million who speak French, 1.4 million who speak German and 1.2 million who speak Tagalog, the language of the Philippines. Many school districts are trying to find bilingual instructors to teach their students. Recently, when my wife and I served as interpreters for our Japanese pastor and his wife during the Annual Convocation of our church in northern Illinois, we were reminded of the problems we experienced over fifty years ago when we first went to Japan and did not know the language. The Bible has been translated into all languages so readers can understand its message, but, from the Christian perspective, the most clear revelation of God, is found in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, who, according to John 1:1-14, was the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. (644)
Fall
03/10/19
A common subject of conversation between people living in places where there are seasonal changes is the weather. Charles Dudley Warner, an American editor and author, wrote that "Everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it." Although scientists have tried to effect changes in the weather, seasonal changes continue as in the past. This autumn season is also called "fall" for it is the time when the leaves of trees fall to the ground. Many people would agree with the American poet and editor, William Cullen Bryant, who referred to autumn as "melancholy days, the saddest of the year." But that is not the only way to view this season. A French author, Marquise de Sevigne, has written: "I have come hither to enjoy the fine weather and to bid farewell to the leaves. They are still on the trees, they have only changed colour: instead of being green, they are the colour of the dawn, and such a variety of colours that it composes a brocade of gold, rich and magnificent, which we would find more beautiful than green, were it not the signal for a change of seasons." And an American clergyman, Tryon Edwards, has written: "The leaves in autumn do not change color from the blighting touch of frost, but from the process of natural decay. They fall when the fruit is ripened, and their work is done. And their splendid coloring is but their graceful and beautiful surrender of life when they have finished their summer offering of service to God and man. And one of the great lessons the fall of the leaf teaches is this: Do your work well and then be ready to depart when God shall call." (645)
Yankees, Marlins and Cubs
03/10/21
The series of professional baseball games played each fall between championship teams of the American League and the National League in the United States of America is called the World Series. That series is now being held in the cities of New York and Miami between the New York Yankees, and the Miami Marlins. This is the 39th time for the Yankees to play in the World Series, which is by far the highest number for any team, but it is only the 2nd time for the Marlins, which became a professional baseball team in 1993. The term "Yankee" originally denoted a native of New England, the name applied to the six northeastern states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. During the Civil war, its meaning was broadened to include residents of all of the Northern States and nowadays it may refer to any citizen of the United States of America. A "marlin" is a long, slender deep-sea fish, also called a "spearfish." It was given that name because the pointed nose of its snout resembled a marlinespike, a pointed metal spike used to separate strands of rope in splicing. A "cub" is a young bear, wolf or lion and another National League team is called the Chicago Cubs. Because I have been a fan of the Cubs since my youth, I was very disappointed to see the Marlins defeat the Cubs in the 7th game of the National League play-off after the Cubs had won 3 games and were hoping to play in their first World Series since 1945. Whether Yankees, Marlins or Cubs, however, victory will not be gained unless they compete "according to the rules." (II Timothy 2:5). (648)
Live Oaks
03/10/23
One of the characteristics of this Penney Retirement Community is the large number of large trees that beautify the spacious grounds around and between the houses. As I gaze out a window while composing this message, I can see six different kinds of trees, some of which are very tall. Among the tallest and broadest are the live oaks, a kind of evergreen American oak tree. Oak wood is durable, tough and attractively grained. It is used especially in shipbuilding and construction and for flooring, furniture and railroad ties. The live oaks in this community, however, are not considered a source of lumber but objects of beauty. In ancient times, the oak tree was sacred to the god of thunder because it was considered more likely to be struck by lightning than any other tree. A couple of years ago, one of the tall live oaks in our neighborhood was struck by lightning, but it remained tall and appeared healthy until last week when, suddenly, half of it collapsed. Some of the long, sturdy branches of this 80-year-old tree fell on a resident's house, breaking part of the roof. Lumber workers were called to cut up the branches and haul them away or pulverize them as many of us residents gathered to watch. It was evident that the base of the tree was decayed on the inside although it appeared healthy on the outside and we old folks were reminded that a healthy exterior may hide an unhealthy interior. But I also recalled a poem in my father's scrapbook when I was a boy: "Don't worry if your job is small and your rewards are few. Remember that the mighty oak was once a nut like you." (649)
Science and Conscience
03/10/26
"Science," derived from the Latin word, "to know," denotes "systematized knowledge of nature and the physical world." Such knowledge is obtained by acute observation and experimental investigation. We live in a scientific age and modern life is largely dependent upon scientific information. How different our lives would be without the benefits produced by science. However, the proper focus of scientific knowledge is "nature and the physical world" and human existence is not limited to this sphere alone. Human beings have a spiritual element that cannot be completely controlled by scientific data. This is the area of the "supernatural" in which imagination, faith, religion and conscience are relevant. "Conscience" is composed of "science" preceded by "con," meaning "with," for "conscience" is not limited to scientific knowledge. In my dictionary, it is defined as "a knowledge or feeling of right and wrong, with a compulsion to do right." In his youth, George Washington kept a list of a hundred and ten "Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation," which may have originated from the work of 16th century French Jesuits. In it, the last rule listed was: "Labour to keep alive in your Breast that little spark of Celestial fire called Conscience." Although all people are not "religious" in a formal sense of belonging to and following the rituals of a certain religion, from my perspective, all human beings have a "faith" of some kind in regard to matters related to the origin of the universe, of life, its meaning and value and all have a "spark of celestial fire" which they can follow or ignore. (647)
Standard Time
03/10/29
There are various meanings of the word "standard." It may denote a flag or banner related to a certain nation or organization. All countries have national flags. When this national standard is displayed, different emotions are stimulated, depending on the viewer. Citizens of that nation may feel patriotic while citizens of other nations may sense feelings of hostility for one reason or another. Another kind of "standard" is a criterion which is universally recognized. "Standard time" is the time in any of 24 time zones around the world: 12 to the east and 12 to the west of the meridian that passes through an observatory in Greenwich, England. In the continental United States of America which extends some 4000 kilometers from the east coast to the west coast, there are four standard time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific. In each of these time zones, it is customary to set clocks one hour ahead of standard time from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October to provide more daylight at the end of the working day. This is called "daylight-saving time." Residents were reminded to set their clocks and watches back one hour to "standard time" last Saturday night so they would not leave home too early on Sunday. During "daylight-saving time," we do not "save" any daylight but we change the time on our clocks to make it more convenient. Some 2000 years ago, Jesus is quoted as saying: "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." (John 11:9-10) (652)
Fast/Fasting
03/10/31
According to the Islamic calendar, we are now in the ninth month of the year, called Ramadan. The name of this month is rooted in an Arabic word meaning "hot" or "dry," but since the Islamic calendar is lunar, the month of Ramadan falls eleven days earlier each year with respect to the fixed solar calendar, so it is not always a hot or dry season of the year. However, it is always a month of fasting for Muslims, commemorating the experience of Muhammad that month, which resulted in the establishment of Islam and the composition of the holy text known as the Quran. During this month of Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. In this case, "fast," as a noun, means "abstaining from food and drink (and sexual relations)", but when "fast" is used as an adjective or an adverb, it has quite different meanings, some of which are completely opposite to this meaning. "Fast" may mean "moving quickly." In this meaning, "fast" runners or vehicles have an advantage in a race. Another meaning is "fixed firmly in place". In this meaning, "fast" shutters and doors are desirable in stormy weather. But another meaning of "fast" is "disposed to dissipation; wild." In this sense, the person who lives a "fast life" would find it difficult to "fast" during Ramadan or any other holy season. Fasting is also a custom in other religions, but in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 58, the true meaning of the "fast" for sincere Jews is revealed: "to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free . . . to share food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter." (653)