7-31 Three Kinds of Craft

7-8 Small Crocheted Handbags

Hiroko was asked to make the knitted handbags for the neighbor’s Hakujin lady, and for her daughter.  She said she would pay for that.  Hiroko doesn’t like to make any knitted things for sale.  How much money for a bag would be satisfied for Hiroko’s time and effort.  It would take about 8 to 10 hours to make a bag, so 9 hours  multiplied minimum wages $10.00 equal $90.00 and plus materials.  Wow, Hiroko has never calculated before.  It is too much.  Hearing “thank you!” and “I love to use this” are much satisfying to Hiroko’s heart. 

These are the knitted bags.

7-13 Covenant Nursing Home

Church visitation group planned to visit the Covenant Nursing Home in June for celebrating Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day.  It is nice to take a bouquet to ladies, and something for gentlemen.  One of the members made the origami fish and put two fish together on a stick.  Hiroko made origami irises and put two together with leaves.  Hopefully, giving  those origami fish and flowers would make them happy. 

Two fish on a stick.

Two iris flowers together with leaves.

We couldn't go visiting the nursing home in June, but visited them on July 13, Sunday.

7-20 Puppet Shows

During the summer time, Devon Church Sunday School gave S.S. teacher break, so volunteers take their turn to watch the children down stairs during the Worship Service.  Puppet Group took twice, responsibilities to watch children one Sunday in July and another one in August. 

Puppet Group leader made a decision to play on Sunday, July 20, the story of Daniel’s three friends.  They were put into the King Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace, but they weren’t burnt at all.  King put the three boys but there were four people walking around inside the furnace said in the Bible.  And another one is Jonah in the belly of the big fish.

These two were made for the Puppet shows. 

Left one is four people walking around inside the burning furnace, and other one is one man, named Jonah are inside the belly of a big fish.  It is not patch work; instead Hiroko cut the felt and glued those pieces together.  It is better than paper.  These sceneries can be used so many times.   It is the most primitive craft, but Hiroko drew the pictures and cut up the pieces and put them together with glue.  She needs the special skills.  Is it Okay to call this craft?

This is the puppet show of Jonah inside the big fish.

The children are watching the shows.

The reason for putting those three boys in the furnace is that they didn’t bow down to the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar (BC 650).  Those three boys said that they would not bow down any to statue other than the God who made this Universe.  Quote from the actual words from those three boys said in the Bible, Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

The other one of Jonah in the big fish story is that God told Jonah to go to the town called Nineveh and ask them to repent for saving themselves.  Jonah didn’t want people in Nineveh to be saved, so he ran away.  On the way to the different town than Nineveh by ship, the sea was raged and Jonah knew that this raged sea is because of him, so Jonah told to captain the throw him into the sea.  They did, then the sea calmed down, and Jonah was swallowed by the big fish.  If you are interested to know the end of the story, please read Jonah in the Bible.  It is a very short story, only four short chapters.

2014 Annual Church Picnic

The picnic has always been held on the Independent Day, July 4^th.  The picnic weather for this year was very wonderful, it was not hot and not cool, and sun was shining all day long.  No one wanted to go home.  Hiroko couldn’t remember this fine, fine weather we had for picnic until this year.

These photos were taken around 11:00 o’clock.  Pastor came to this picnic ground around 8:00 am the first one to arrive and to prepare the ground.  He said there wasn’t too much to do, because all the tables were in the right places and clean.  Church has to pay $100.00 to reserve this place, so the City of Chicago Park District must be cleaned all over.  Come to think of it, there weren’t any flies and mosquitoes in the park, too.  Everyone had a very, very wonderful day.  Give thanks to our Lord to keep this picnic so wonderful.

The most of them sat and enjoyed talking with each other is company. 

Young people enjoyed playing bocci-balls,

others were playing baseball, and mother and son were playing Frisbee

Many others were preparing games.  Some had a hard time collecting the water from the bathroom sink for games.  Thanks to all those hard workers for preparing for the picnic to be fun.

Barbecue rack – hot dogs were cooked

“Isn’t it time for eating?”  “The two hard workers are still collecting the water.”  “Let’s wait for them.”

Pastor, please give the grace for food!  Pastor started to give thanks to our ancestors who fought to get the freedom to the United States.  Dear Lord, thanks for further more for the true freedom from God and help us to share God’s freedom to others.  Lord, we ask for us to have a joyful time and safe picnic on the Independent Day.  Jesus Name!  Amen!

As usual, after the prayer Hiroko started to eat.  For Hiroko the foods are more important than taking photos.

These photos are left over after the lunch.

There were so many foods and some came after the lunch, even though they brought their share of the foods.

These are the desserts.

Finishing the lunch, all those prepared games were started.

Picking up the balls

Kicking the balls

Flying the plastic missiles

Don’t drop the balls

Tossing the bean bags and getting the points

Hula-Hoops

 Do you want to do?  Yes!

He had patiently making the water balloons.  Why?  Let us have patient to wait for what game these water balloons are to be used.

He loves to ride, but no one puledl him, so he decided to pull these girls. 

But he became tired to pull the wagon with these two girls, and then, someone gave him a quarter.  That made him so happy that he is starting to pull the wagon again with those two girls in.

Tug of war between girls and boys – who won?  Girls won two times and boys one.

This was the prize table.  All the boys and girls got something.

Now, Suika-wari (Hit the watermelon) on the ground blimd folded

Please imagine how funny the children were, who hit the ground couple of feet away from the watermelon, and enjoy these photos.

Finally, on the 15^th or 16^th turn, a boy hit the watermelon; many were trying to pick up the broken pieces of watermelon.  There were couples of more watermelon which was in the cooler, so everybody enjoyed the cold watermelon.

Now, the water filled balloon tossing game.

Hopefully you can enjoy this water filled balloon tossing game in these photos.  It was interesting to watch.  Please come to see this game next year.

These groups are winning teams.  The boy in the last photo is the partner, son, of the blue shirts father.

Dan-san caught the balloon, but the balloon was broken, so the water in the balloon splashed on him.  He was thinking, “I’m wet all over.”

Pinnata

It was very hard for the small children to break this.  Finally high school girl broke the pinnata, and then all the candies in the Pinnata came down.  None of the small children caught the candies.

Okay!  There is candy picking game.  First, small children under 3 will pick, and 5, and then rest of them.

"No more candies left for us, then!" complaining by the older children.  "Don’t worry there are so many candies."

Give praise and thanks to our Lord God for His presence in the picnic and let’s have a wonderful time.