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Olympic Lessons
Hurricane Frances
Storm Stories
Terrorism
Family Tree
"Acts of God"
Telephones
Yom Kippur

Recently, many people around the world, including my wife and me, spent time watching the Olympic contests. We viewed some games and other competitions that we had never seen before and we were amazed at the skill of the contestants. From these Olympic games, various lessons can be learned. First, it is significant that even though the participants come from many different countries with their varied political, racial and religious backgrounds, they are all treated equally. Unfortunately, at certain times and places, one's nationality, skin color, religious beliefs or political preferences result in discrimination, but in the Olympic games, all are recognized as members of the same human family. This recognition should be granted in all areas of life. Secondly, we clearly see the value of strenuous effort and perseverance to attain one's goals. Certainly, individual ability makes a difference, but without strenuous effort and perseverance the desired result cannot be attained. This is also true in other areas of life as well. Thirdly, despite all the differences between the contestants, they are judged according to the same rules, which must be obeyed to gain a medal. There are a number of references to sports events (probably the Olympic games) in the New Testament letters. One found in II Timothy 2:5 notes the need to follow the rules. There it is written: "if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." Life itself may be compared to a race which is being run under the supervision of our Creator and final victory is only attained by following the rules. (781)

Hurricane Frances
04/09/08

A violent, rotating windstorm may be called a "cyclone." A cyclone that originates in the western Pacific Ocean is called a "typhoon," while a cyclone that originates in the Atlantic Ocean is called a "hurricane." Typhoons are designated by a number, but hurricanes are given names. The names, chosen by the international committee of the World Meteorological Organization, change from year to year but are arranged in alphabetical order and alternate between male and female names. Residents in the state of Florida, where my wife and I reside, have just endured the second serious cyclone of this hurricane season. While many residents were still seeking to recover from Hurricane Charley, they were hit by Hurricane Frances as Typhoon #18 was approaching Japan. Fortunately, the community in which we live did not receive much damage, although the wind and rain caused branches of trees to fall and there was some flooding and power outages. As the hurricanes approached, my wife and I made various preparations, both outside and inside our house, but the most troublesome effect was a temporary power outage and the cancellation of the church's worship service. The name, Francis, when spelled with an "i" is a male name, but when spelled with an "e," is a female name. It is derived from the Latin term for a Frenchman and became popular because of the association with St. Francis of Assisi, who founded the Roman Catholic Church's Order of Franciscans and is also memorialized in the name of the California city of San Francisco. (782)

Storm Stories
04/09/11

The retirement community in which my wife and I reside, founded in 1926, now consists of some 77 hectares. About 500 residents live here in individual homes, residential "cottages" (with 3 to 5 apartments per cottage), an apartment building or in assisted living facilities. Our "cottage" is near the center of the community and we usually walk the short distance to the Dining Hall for our noon meal. In the Dining Hall, there are tables for four, six or eight diners to eat together and we enjoy eating and talking with different residents, all of whom have interesting stories to tell of experiences in different parts of this country and different countries in the world. Recently, many stories have been related to recent storms and their effect in our community and elsewhere. Fortunately, the hurricanes did not cause great physical damage in this community, but some homes have continued to be without electric power for five days. We experienced one day of power outage and realized how different life is without electric lights, a refrigerator, an electric stove, television and other conveniences. Yesterday, instead of playing tennis, I got my exercise by raking up the leaves and branches that fell from the tall pine and oak trees that are nearby. While doing that, my hands were bitten by tiny fire ants that caused them to swell. As I result, I took off the wedding ring I had worn for the past 55 years and wondered why wedding rings are always worn on the third finger of the left hand. I found out that it was because Greek physicians, in the third century B. C. believed that this finger contained a "vein of love" that ran directly to the heart. (783)

Terrorism
04/09/13

In the U. S. A., the telephone number to call in an emergency, whether for an ambulance, for police or firefighters is 9-1-1. For the past three years, those numbers have had another significance as we recall the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on 9/11/2001. On 9/11 this year, relatives and friends of the 2,749 victims who lost their lives in that attack were joined by others who gathered at the site of the attack and heard or recited the names of the victims. Although the words used to describe such activities differ, depending on the cultural tradition, such remembrances are common to many different traditions. The primary meaning of "terror" is an intense, overpowering fear, but it may also denote violence promoted by a group to attain or maintain a certain objective. The period in the French Revolution from 1793 to 1794 is known as the "Reign of Terror," and during this "war dictatorship," thousands of people were put to death to preserve the reforms of the Revolution. The suffix, "ism," is added to certain words to indicate a continued action or a distinctive trait. We find this suffix on certain words relating to religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism and Judaism. In years gone by, Islam was also called Mohammedanism and among Christians, there is a division between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Regardless of the objective, however, terrorism is opposed by all conscientious human beings. It is especially despicable when it is supposedly being used for a so-called religious purpose. (784)

Family Tree
04/09/17

Among the many different kinds of trees on lawns or along streets in this retirement community are tall pines, huge live oaks, palms with fronds and magnolias which bear pretty flowers. Within the homes of residents a different kind of "tree" may be found. Called a "family tree," it is the genealogical diagram of a family. Some residents are very proud of their ancestral lineage with roots in this land or across the sea. In Japan also, family trees are important and ancestors are regularly and respectfully remembered. In case there is no male descendant to carry on the family name, a boy from another family may be legally adopted for that purpose. All six of the siblings in my family married, but in order to carry on the family name, it was necessary for my brother or me to have a grandson. My brother has three sons and I have two, but they had only produced daughters until six years ago, one of those five Offner boys, our younger son, generated a son, so my family tree will continue. We have recently been informed that one of my brother's sons, after twenty years of marriage is expecting his first child on his 49th birthday next March, so it is possible that another branch of the Offner family tree may continue also. In the Bible, the many genealogical lists indicate the importance of family trees and if a man died without having children, his brother was required to marry his widow and have a child for him (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). In Matthew, chapter 22, Jesus was asked if a widow remained childless after marrying seven brothers, whose wife would she be "at the resurrection." His answer is found in verses 29-32. (785)

"Acts of God"
04/09/19

The deeds or actions that people perform may be called "acts." The acts of some people are honorable and praiseworthy; others are despicable and should be denounced or punished. Not only individuals, but groups should be honored or despised because of their acts and the daily news reports include many examples of both kinds of acts by individuals, groups, nations and religions. "The Acts of the Apostles" is the title of the New Testament book in which is recorded the beginning of the Christian Church, but there is a very different meaning of the term "acts of God." "Act of God" is used in legal documents to designate an accident due to natural causes for which no individual or group can be held accountable, a happening for which no one is liable, because no one could foresee or prevent it. In the past month, there have been numerous such "acts of God" both in this southeastern area of the United States of America and in Japan. Hurricanes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes all are included in this term and many people are wondering whether these recent "acts of God" should be interpreted as indications of divine displeasure or punishment for the sinful acts of the victims of these disasters. The answer to such questions depends on one's viewpoint, faith or interpretation. Personally, I do not view such catastrophes as God's judgment on the particular people who suffered. Actually, I prefer to use the term "act of God" to denote an unexpected joyful, inspiring event. Such events also regularly occur but they are often overlooked. (786)

Telephones
04/09/22

This message was stimulated by a news item that stated, "Pay telephones are disappearing off the streets as Americans opt for private cell phones. There are currently 1.5 million pay phones in the country, down from 2.6 million in 1998." However, it was my personal experience today that indicated how important telephones (whether public pay phones or private cell phones) have become in modern life. My wife and I were expecting our granddaughter from Nagoya, Japan to arrive at the Jacksonville, Florida Airport at 5:18 this afternoon. Then, a telephone call from our son in Nagoya informed us that his daughter had telephoned to inform him that the airplane had mechanical trouble and was diverted to Tokyo, where she would have to wait for three hours. This meant that she would be unable to make her scheduled flight from Detroit, Michigan and would arrive here later than planned. Hours later, we received a phone call from the granddaughter herself, from Detroit, informing us that she would be taking a later flight which would arrive at 9:37. A couple of hours later, she called again to tell us that that plane was also delayed and would not arrive until 10:44. I repeatedly called the airline and pushed the proper buttons to obtain the latest information regarding the time of arrival. Fortunately, I was informed before leaving home that the arrival would be yet further delayed. Finally, we met her at the airport at 11:45, after which it took less than one hour to drive home because of the decreased traffic at that time of night. (787)

Yom Kippur
04/09/26

The word "fast" has a number of different meanings, some of which seem opposed to one another. On the one hand, to say that something is "fast" may mean that it is firm, not easily moved. On the other hand, something that moves very rapidly may also be said to be "fast." Similarly, a person who has loose morals and lives in a reckless, dissipated way may be called "fast," but in another sense, it is the sincere, religious people who "fast" on certain days. In this case, "fast" means to refrain from eating in observance of a holy day. In the different traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, there are certain days when it is customary to fast. In the Jewish calendar, the 10th day of the lunar month of Tishri, which falls on September the 25th in the Gregorian calendar this year, is considered the holiest day of the year, a day of prayer and fasting. On that "Day of Atonement," animal sacrifices were made to seek forgiveness or atonement for the sins of the people. Yom Kippur is the last of the 10 Penitential Days which mark the beginning of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah). The Biblical source of the traditional customs related to this day is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, chapter 16. On that day, a goat was sacrificed to God as an atonement, but another goat was led into the desert to figuratively carry away the sins of the people. This goat was called a "scapegoat," which is now used for a person who bears the blame for the mistakes or crimes of others. In the daily news reports these days, scapegoats related to the military and social situation in Iraq or the political situation in the United States of America are often mentioned. (788)