Chicago's Crazy Weather in 2012 March

Chicago’s Crazy Weather in March

Those who are living in the warm weather place don’t understand why Hiroko has been exciting. She has been seeing many, many flowers and Robins, Cardinals and many other birds that usually come in May. Hiroko wants to post about this crazy weather in her blog.

It is averagely 30 to 40 degree and snowy street in Chicago’s March weather. However, 2012 Chicago’s March weathers make Meteorologist surprised and said that it is the historical record by meteorologically.

This is March 18 (Sunday) weather report for the following weeks. The previous week, 7 days (March 12 to 18) were over 80 degree. 80 degree is over 25 degree by Celsius.

This is March 21 weather report. Chicago is warmer than Florida and southern California. WOW!

Please see the unnatural nature in Chicago’s March.

Many, many flowers.
These flowers usually bloom in April.

The date of photos taken:
On March 9 – Crocuses
On March 14 - Daffodils and Freesias

 

White Magnolia

Purple Magnolia

On March 18 - Forsythias, Freesias, Tulips, greens, and many other flowers which Hiroko does not know the names

It is very difficult to take a picture of birds.

Hiroko finally took this picture of a cardinal. This cardinal came to sit on the wire every morning. Hopefully the red on the chest of cardinal catch your eyes. No bird can be seen in these small photos – Regretting! Regretting!
The Cardinals, the Robins, other birds usually seen in May came to Chicago in March.

It is very much appreciated for this warm/hot weather, and seeing many beautiful flowers and birds in March.

It is saying that this warm/hot weather in March contributed for the Chicago’s economy, because many people are coming out for shopping.

Well, Hroko didn’t want to say negative things for this wonderful weather, but all those flowers are not as usual. Crocus and Daffodils are definitely not tall and big as usual. The colors of the flowers are not deep and colorful, Hiroko thinks. Hiroko wonders why the Tulips are not blooming, yet.

Going through the colder and harder weather, any flowers would be blooming much beautiful and colorful

This truth applies for the mental and spiritual growth of a human being. Japanese sayings said: “It is better to buy any hardship at your youth” and “Any suffering makes you a gem.”

The Bible talks about this truth in Roman 5:3-5.
“3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Hope gives us Joy and Peace in our heart.

Dan-san and Hiroko are hoping the year of 2012 to go to Japan and meeting our friends and relatives. This hopeful thought gives us joy and happy feeling.

Further than the things in this world, Christians have hope in our future. One verse before the verses mentioned says in verse 3b “we also glory in our sufferings.” Thinking about our hope to see Jesus face to face in the Heaven our heart is jumping with joy and filling with peace in the midst of hardship.

Sorry for Those Buds, Chicago

It has been warm 2011 - 2012 winter in Chicago. During November and December days were like late autumn. Only for the two days of January 21 and 22, we had snow fall 5 to 6 inches, and the temperature was cold like 20 to 25degree. In February there were couple of cold days but overall most days have been unusually warm like early spring in Chicago.

Can you tell what all this photo shows you? Yes, there are buds, buds, buds, and buds. Hiroko noticed and took these buds photos from the beginning of February. In those photos the trees put forth the buds are White Birch trees, Magnolia trees on the warm Foster Street, and other trees, Hiroko couldn’t identify the name.

Daffodil buds have sprung out.

Magnolia put forth the buds

In January and February months, there have been continued 40 to 50 degree temperature days. It causes many natures showing strange phenomenon.

TV News announced that these migrating birds were moving to north because those birds might have been confused that Chicago is getting warm.

The another News is that the Eagles came to Chicago. Eagles are usually staying in warm place like Texas,

One day in February, the snow fell less than 1 inch, and the temperature was 25 degree. However, those States north of Chicago were very cold under 0 degrees. Those birds that flew to north must have been very surprised. Hiroko fell so sorry for them.

One snowy and cold day in February

Hopefully those buds would not be damaged.

Ice and snow was on the buds.
The natures are getting destructed by the hands of human being. God made human being as the image of God, and let them manage the whole nature. The human being couldn’t manage the nature, because of our endless desire to live for our daily lives comfortably and gorgeously. What do you think of these progressed technologies to make us live comfortably? The technologies are not bad.

Hiroko had a conversation with her daughter who is working law firm.

“I’m not happy to change my work place, but soon I have to. At a new place I have to start all over again to learn how to use telephone, copy machine, etc.”
“Mom changed many jobs in my youth, but I didn’t have such problems.”
“Why?”
“There weren’t any other machines but typewriter. 50 or 60 years ago, all the telephone was same. There was no different from home use or office use.”
“You were in Japan at the time.”
“Well, it wasn’t so. I heard at Baker & McKenzie Law Firm, many old secretaries told me they had to type the entire pages of Agreement if some addition or change occurred in the first page. The Agreement couldn’t use any eraser, or type twice.”
“Well, use a white out to change and copy them, no one can tell it’s original or copy.”
“There wasn’t any white out or a copy machine.”
“Without any white out, how could you erase any mistakes?”
“I remember that the erasers of pencil were used with licking it, and later a hard eraser was invented as typewriter eraser.”
“Without copy machine, how can you make many copies?”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…! You don’t know the carbon paper.”
“What is that?”
“It was black thin paper, and put the carbon paper between each paper. Well, I could make 10 copies by onion skin paper with carbon paper between.”
“What are you talking about? Are you speaking Japanese or English, or any other languages? I don’t understand at all… Well, one of the old-timers Partner in the firm called me and said that this machine (computer) was broken, so I checked it. It wasn’t broken, he had not started the computer, yet. I couldn’t laugh, and felt sorry for the Partner. It is a true story”
“I understand. It is very scary to see these progressed technologies.”

We had talked about fax machine, E-mail, cel-phone, I-phone, etc. and sighed.

Baby Dedication, Christian Thoughts

A few weeks ago, there was a baby dedication held at Devon Church where Hiroko attends. This is not a baby baptism*. A baby dedication is where the parents offer their baby to God and pledge to raise their baby to be a child of God. The order of a baby dedication performed by the pastor of Devon Church is described in these photos.

The whole family steps up in front of the sanctuary by the pulpit.

The baby's father shared with the church congregation the history of the baby and how the baby gave joy to their family.

The parents gave praise and thanks to their Lord God with their singing.

The pastor asked the baby's family if they will take the responsibility to raise their baby to be a follower of Jesus Christ and they answered "yes." Then, the pastor asked the same question to the congregation. And, of course, the congregation said "yes" with joy.

Then each member of the family, even the 4 and 6 year old children, were anointed by the oil to sanctify them. They are reminded of God's great love and with this love they can raise their baby.

At last the baby was anointed by oil and water. The baby didn't cry at all.

The oil and water used for the anointing.

The baby dedication was finished.

Congratulation!

The family served refreshments to the congregation in the church fellowship room. "Congratulations" was heard throughout the church with joy.

The family extended their happiness to many friends and invited them to their celebration luncheon at a restaurant called "Great Beijing".

This is the food served at the restaurant.

The restaurant menu

The Emily’s Celebration Day’s luncheon menu..
won ton soup
fried pot stickers
sweet sour pork
Mongolian beef
shrimp and lobster sauce
shrimp fried rice
eggplant in garlic sauce
assorted lo mein
lemon chicken
shrimp vegetable supreme

The restaurant's cooking is well suited for the Japanese, so many Japanese use this restaurant to have meetings. However, the taste of the restaurant has changed. Hiroko has to arrange the lunch meeting with our missionary next month at this restaurant. Is it a problem!?!?

The baby and Hiroko.

Part of the baby's family.

It is a big responsibility, but Hiroko will remember this family in her prayer as much as possible.
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*Baby Baptism

Among Christians, there are arguments against infant baptism. The Roman Catholic Church and many others practice infant baptism. On the other hand, the Protestant Churches traditionally reject infant baptism.

According with the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, it explains, "The Roman Catholic Church considers baptism, even for an infant, so important that ‘parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptized within the first few weeks’ and, ‘if the infant is in danger of death, it is to be baptized without any delay.’ It declares: ‘The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole 'households' received baptism, infants may also have been baptized.’ It notes that, ‘when the first direct evidence of infant Baptism appears in the second century, it is never presented as an innovation.’" It is not only the reason but there are many other reasons to practice infant baptism in the Catholic Church.

In the article by the Wikipedia, there are many reasons listed for Protestant Churches to reject infant baptism. Several reasons among the list are...
-Baptism always has the prerequisite of repentance and faith, which are impossible for an infant
-The Lord's Supper and Baptism are both sacraments and are the same sign and seal, since the Lord's Supper may be given to unbelievers neither should baptism (I Cor. 11:28)
-Baptism is for the remission of sins and infants are not capable of repenting

The Catholic may believe that baptism can save people and secure their eternal life. However Hiroko knows that "baptism cannot save people, only by the grace of God. People are saved by believing that Jesus is Lord.

Well, where do infants and children go when they die?

Car Wash, In Chicago

“I’ll wash this car, right now”
“You make the decision before putting the gasoline in.”
“Well, it is true, but my car is very dirty.”
“It will be rain or snow tomorrow.”
“So…..”
This is Dan-san and Hiroko’s conversation at the gasoline stand nearby the Sam’s club in the town called Evanston.

The car is Dan-san’s important joy, so he can’t see the dirty car. Hiroko had a chance to take the photo from inside the car which is washed automatically. Using her cel-phone camera, the photo came out fine, so Hiroko posts these photos on her blog. The suitable Bible verses about car wash come to her mind, too.

Well, here lots photos are posted.

Dan-san paid at the entrance, and then the person in the paying both guided Dan-san to put his car on the rail.

Paying the fee, and putting on his car on the rail, now they were relaxing in the car, and watching to progress the car washing. At first lots of the soap were splashing over his car.

The front window of Dan-san’s car was washing.

The side of his car was washing.

The water was splashing to wash off the soap on his car.

Wiping his car.

This is the final stage of blowing his car with warm air to dry. Well, finally it was finished.

At the exit entrance, around 10 people with the big towel were waiting to wipe the car manually. This fee is not included the price paid at the front entrance.
Dan-san said no thanks and drive thru to the street.

Hiroko wonders whether a automatic car washing system in Japan or not. Someone who knows it please let me know. The car washing fee is $3.50 in Chicago.

The word “car wash” reminds Hiroko that the incident “Washing Feet” happened between Jesus and disciples after the Last Supper.
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John 13:3-15
“3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you. 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.“”

First, these verses teach us “humility.” Adam and Eva ate the forbidden fruit, and committed a sin because their pride, which is opposite of humility, made them to think to be like the Lord God. All the human being after Adam and Eva is born in sin.
Secondly, all the Christians commit sin in their daily life, it is necessary taking all those sins to Jesus to clean and forgive.
2012 Easter Sunday is on April 8. This washing feet ceremony has been held at some of the Catholic Churches on Thursday before the Easter. This ceremony would be very good to remind us to be humble.