2012 New Year Greeting

Happy New Year!

It is 11:30 at Chicago time now.

Thank you for visiting the House of the Rock. How did you spend the year 2011? It is good to reflect on the past year, and to look forward with refreshing new ideas.

I’m stop grumbling my old age and physical pain, instead of that I’m looking for what I can do for my Lord. It was very hard work but with God’s help I’m going to direct 2012 VBS again.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2012.


By the Japanese calendar, it is a year of “Dragon, Heisei 24

Isn’t it superb dragon picture? Hiroko found and borrowed from internet. There is many interesting story for the ball (jewel) dragon carried.


Japanese buckwheat noodle dish for long life (Toshikoshi Soba)

Japanese people have to eat this dish at the last day of the year. This is Hiroko’s Toshikoshi Soba.
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This Bible Verses were read at New Year Worship Service this morning:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 A Time for Everything
1There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9What do workers gain from their toil? 10I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Bible said “There is a time for everything” and the first one of the list, this author mention “a time to be born and a time to die.” God is control our life and death.

It is no use to eat the “Toshikoshi Soba” for long life, ha-ha-ha-ha, but the soba is very healthy and good customs for Japanese. Hiroko likes to keep these Japanese customs, especially, the big cleaning day at the last day of the year. Hiroko didn’t do it.

Christmas Window Decorations

On Thursday, December 8, Hiroko went to see the opera “Magic Flute.” It was very appropriate opera for this busy Holiday seasons, because of very magical, fantastical, comical, and happy ending opera. Hiroko was very much enjoying it.

Before the opera, Hiroko went to see the Macy’s Christmas windows. It was very disappointing the window decorations, because it was not fantastical, magical Christmas story telling windows which were made by the rich and famous people in Chicago. It can be called “the Fantasy of Christmas Ornaments”. Please see my photo and judged by you.






What do you think?

Those Christmas window used to use the theme of the famous Christmas stories such as “Christmas Carol”, “White Christmas,” “Nuts Cracker,” etc. which was much more beautiful and fantastic.

Tallest Tree in the store

It was also very disappointing sight, because there was no train or railroad track. The beautiful train used to run all around the tree. Hiroko used to eat lunch here sitting down by the train.
 
After the department store, Hiroko went to the city hall square where she visited last year. It is called Christkindlmarket Chicago

This year again the ceramic shoe mugs are sold, but these cups are in blue. I’m glad to get red mug. Don’t you think the red mug is better? I’m glad I bought it last year.


There is beautiful Nativity scene. Hiroko dong’t remember seeing the Nativity scene last year. Nativity scene might not have been here last year because the figure of the baby Jesus was stolen.

Hiroko took three pictures because this whole scene did not fit into one photo. It is very difficult to make three photos into one photo.
Three Wiseman were stolen from the private house decoration somewhere in Chicago suburb. Isn’t it a shame to steal something like these figures.

These Chicago’s “dead trees” called by a 5 years old Hawaiian boy, are decorated by the light beautifully.
Now, they are live with small light flowers

Day time and night time view of those trees

Hiroko took these photos while walking. The lights were making interesting shade.
 
The Light is very important symbol for the Chrstians. Jesus is called the “Light of the World.” All Christian should be a beam of light mentioned in Bible.
Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light
13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

What does the light do? The light gives the bright light to the darkness. People would be lost or stumble down in the darkness. Christian nature should be as the light, and then what and how should Christian be living in this dark world? Please leave your comments and let’s talk and learn about it.

Christmas Greeting

Let us rejoice in the birth of our Savior, at Christmas and always.

Thank you for coming to the House of the Rock.

Christmas falls on this coming Sunday. Please go to any church to celebrate Christmas.


　
　
　
Christmas is celebrate Jesus’ Birthday. But for many people it can’t be Christmas without Santa Clause, Christmas trees, etc. Hiroko made the picture of Santa, reindeers, Christmas tree, etc on the tablecloth and runner.

Please have a wonderful, peaceful, and joyful Christmas. Hiroko

2011 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dinners have been held at the home of Lisa and Dave for the last 10 years. The dinner menu has been same: Main Dish - over 20 pound turkey (23 pound for this year) and stuffings by Dave, and ham by Hiroko. Appetizer – 4 different kinds of dips and cheeses, salami with veg. and crackers, shrimp cocktail, and fried won ton. After enjoying the appetizers for 3 or 4 hours, here comes dinner. This has been same dishes for the last 10 years, too. Green salad with lots of cheese, green beans with bacon, mashed potato with lots of butter, and risotto with lots of butter. Every one of these dishes is very tasty any time. Everybody enjoy them. The desserts: Pumpkin pie, homemade special apple pie, and rice crispy by the dessert lady, Dave’s sister-in-law.

Hiroko was anxious to go to this year’s dinner because she wanted to see how the handmade tablecloth and runners are fitted on the Lisa’s table.

These are the photo of tablecloth and runners. Aren’t they fitted well? No one noticed these things. Hiroko was still happy to see them on the tables.


This liquor is called “Cake.” It smells like a cake but 75% proof vodka. It was very tasty and strong. Someone put whipped cream and candle on the liquor and everybody sang “Happy Birthday” for him.
There were of course some other drinks: red or white dry wine, sparking wine, beer, soda and water.
 


All were talking and exchanging their life and family news.
There were no Dave Choi, Steven/Amanda, and the Shearin family this year, but the dessert lady’s sister family from Ohio, and cousin joined the dinner (total 23 people). It was fun to meet all these new people. There was lot of leftover which was enough for two days of Hiroko’s family dinner.


Dave and the cousin of the dessert lady.
These two big guys were making mash potato and gravy. Can you see the big (23 lbs.) turkey between these two big guys? Hiroko has been carving the turkey for the last 3 or 4 years, so she would be carving the turkey soon.
Hiroko has always remembered what Taro-kun said, “Scared!” to see the whole turkey. However, not only Taro-kun, but also Dave’s family except Dave say “scare!” so they didn’t come to the kitchen while Hiroko was carving the turkey.


This is the mother who is very beautiful and elegant looking lady of the family from Ohio.
This family and many others were at the front room doing a bingo game, and interesting TV dancing game.
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Let me share with you the main idea of the message from Devon church Thanksgiving Service.

The message was based on the children’s book called “Charlie Brown and Thanksgiving,” and the Bible verse Luke 17:11-19. Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy 11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”


Various things happened to Charlie Brown, but finally Peppermint Pattie and her friends come to the house of Charlie Brown for Thanksgiving dinner. Peppermint Pattie asked Charlie Brown to give thanksgiving prayer for the dinner. Charlie Brown didn’t to know how and to what giving thanks.

Pastor continues from this story about 10 leppers who forgot to give thanks to the Lord Jesus who healed them. Many people in our daily life, asking the Lord to do something, then, forget to give thanks after the prayer was heard. Or many are saying that we don’t know why and for what to give thanks because we worked so hard and we got all these things we have by ourselves.

All the Christians have one thing to give thanks to the Lord, that is the love of the Lord God. The Lord Jesus gave his life to deliver us from the slave of sin and to give us freedom in Christ. In our side we don’t have to do anything, but trust the Lord and accept His love.

All the Christian can NOT say we have nothing to give thanks or forget to give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

11-11-11, Journal

It is November 11, 2011, at 11:00 PM right now.

Did you do something special? Did you get merried? Did you have a baby? Did you go to the Navy Pier to look for some bargain?

I wanted to do something special, I thought. I tried to read Psalm 11:11 or 111:11, but there is no verse 11 for the both chapters. I read Chapter 11 Verse 11 of the New Testaments Books.

Here are the lists of those verses

Matthew 11:11
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Mark 11:11
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Luke 11:11
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

John 11:11
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.

Acts 11:11
Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying.

Romans 11:11
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

Hebrews 11:11
And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise.

Revelations 11:11
But after the three and a half days the breath[b] of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.

Which verse do you like the best? It is said “All Scripture is God breathed, and is useful for teaching…” so every word in the Scripture is very important for us. But I’d like to choose Roman 11:11. It is very interesting verse.

Israelites have been persecuted with the jealousy of many counties and people, because they were chosen by God and special nation. There are many persecution stories in the Bible. The great Jewish persecution by Hitler in Germany in recent years we cannot forget.

In accordance with the Roman 11:11 because of the Israelites” suffering, salvation has come to me and the Gentiles. All Israelites would have believed Jesus as Messiah if He was born in the Palace as the Ruler of Jews. Then, what would have happened for us, Gentile people? Jesus would be the Lord for Israelities God but not for Gentile. God knows all these things from the beginning of the world. So God’s plan is perfect. I’d give “Thanks” to Israelite and pray for their salvation.

The Lord God of Christian is omnipotent and omnipresent. The Lord God of Christians is not only for Israelites but also for the whole nation. He is the Creator of the whole universe. Pray for the salvation of the whole nation.

This is Hiroko’s special things on 11-11-11.

Hiroko has been busy since the beginning of October, because Hiroko has been making Thanksgiving and Christmas tablecloth for her daughter as a birthday present.



This is a part of the table cloth. It takes lots of time to make these runners.

Porch Garden 6

Making the decision to collect the seeds of cucumber and shishito (Japanese pepper) this year, Hiroko found the big and long cucumber. It could be the seed cucumber, but Hiroko should wait to pick until the seed cucumber to be yellow and soft.

Day by day, the seed cucumber is getting bigger and longer, and seems to fall.

This is the seed cucumer grown at the outside porch rail.
It was swinging left and right with the wind. Dan-san and neighbors were worried that it might fall. The weather forcast announced it would be strong wind that night, so Hiroko finally said, that it would be better to pick the cucumber. Dan-san started to clean the porch garden, right after Hiroko commented to pick the cucumber.

All those dead leaves were cleaned, and picked the big and long seed cucumer.

This is the seed cucumber. Isn’t it big? However, it is still firm. Hiroko Hoped the healthy good seeds can be collected from this cucumber. Well, Hiroko has to wait for the cucumber to be soft for collecting the seeds.
 
Sishito Tree

It still has flowers and very green, so let’s keep it as it is for a little while. Hopefully the weather gets a little bit warmer. To collect the seeds from shishito, Hiroko have to wait for the shishito pepper to be red.

No dead leaves in the porch garden.

Dan-san cleaned those dead leaves, and found another fat and funny shape yellow cucumber. It can wait to be pick until it’s get soft. Do you think good seeds can be colleted from this fat and funny shaped cucumber? All those plants do not need as much water as cucumber. Kibochan watered the plants twice a day.
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As the plants need water and sun to bear the fruits, the Christian have to read and study the word of God (Bible) and communicate with the Lord God through the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit in the Christian life.

In Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of Spirit is mentioned; that is one fruit, “Love, Joy, Peace, Patient, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meakness, Self-Control.”
For the completion of the Christian life, all Chritians need to live with this fruit.

No one can live with this fruit, but with the help from the Lord Jesus, everyone can live with this fruit.