Class Christmas Tree 2014

Right after the Thanksgiving unit was done, I started to think about the Christmas lessons and activities that the classes will have this year.

I decided to make it simple , with less hassle or stress as much as possible.  Less muscle pain and less pocket drain  is my Christmas Unit aim for 2014. 

I thank the Lord for guiding me and leading me to many websites for this.

I started planning for the classroom decorations first. Should I put up a tree for them?  Christmas is definitely not Christmas to the kids without a tree. I wanted something made by the kids themselves or something recycled.  Definitely, buying a plastic tree is out of the question.  

Thankfully I found the site that showed photos of Kids Handprints Christmas Tree.  So I got the kids buzzing happily in pairs last week while tracing their hands on green cartolinas.

 

and this was how their handprints Christmas tree looked like.....

These are the handprints of all the Kids Classes.  Well, I added mine to the pile...for the trunk or base of the Christmas tree! 

The star on top of the tree is a recycled snowflake ornament made of felt.  The paper strips for the garland were sold in packets at the local 100yen store.   

I printed out a coloring page for kids that has a big picture of a gift on it.  While coloring this picture, I remembered a well-loved Christmas storybook that I had decades ago that had strips or flaps on a page .  You open that flap and you can see a small picture or drawing of a thing that is in the story.

And that's how I got the idea of making a flap to this picture.  They "open"  the gift and they see what' s  inside...the most precious gift everyone will ever have! 

Poinsettia Varieties

You know, it's nearing Christmas here when you see all those poinsettias in almost all of the flower shops.

Poinsettias are green most of the time, except during winter time when the petals start  to turn red .  The common variety is the deep red ones.  These are what we often see in gardens, windows or table tops around Christmas time.

One lovely day in November, I took a long stroll down south towards Route 2 and headed for the COOP Livin.  This is one of my favorite shops in that area because of their affordable yet lovely household items.  I often buy my pillowcases from this store.

The entrance to this store is my favorite spot - where they display the plants and garden things.  This was what greeted me there that day.

I went closer to get a better look at these beautiful varieties of poinsettias .  It was a feast for my eyes as I didn't know before that some of these plants come in pink and pale yellow!

I wonder what they did to these plants to make a "design" on these blooms! 

Of all the varieties displayed there , this is my favorite.  It has layers of petals in different shades of pink.  I've never seen this lovely variety before. 

I think  my Mama and Lolo  who had the green thumbs in the family would have been very elated to see these kinds of poinsettias.  

But then, I believe all the beauty they're seeing now in Heaven is incomparable to all the magnificent flowers in the whole world!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving 2014

If there's one Western holiday that most Japanese are not familiar with , it's Thanksgiving.

I get blank stares from my students whenever  I mention that one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving.  They say, "What's that?!  How is that celebrated?"

Well, blame it perhaps on the Americans here in Japan who didn't quite share this one holiday with the Japanese.  That's why I am so glad that the American missionaries who came to the Philippines hundreds of years ago introduced this holiday to the Filipinos.  No, we didn't have turkeys and all the trappings, nor did we go home for that Thanksgiving dinner in the Philippines.  It's not really an official holiday in my country but most Christians picked it up and tweaked it a bit to become the Thanksgiving Sunday at churches .  Oh, how I miss those special service and the potluck lunch afterwards!

Back to my Thanksgiving celebration here... I decided to do one Culture Lesson with all my classes during Thanksgiving week.  The aim is to let  them know that there is such a holiday in the USA and Canada, to let them know when and how it is celebrated and of course, why it is celebrated.  So after the usual vocabs unlocking and tracing the history of the holiday (by PowerPoint), the students did the activities like word searches, puzzles, games, art crafts, etc.  I asked them what would they thank God for this year.  Some of them drew what they're most thankful for this year and posted these on the wall.

The fun time was capped with a simple snack - pumpkin pies, baked by Maya Hayashi.  Most kids do not like pumpkin, but surprisingly some of them asked for seconds because we gave them just tiny slices this time. Because we decided to bake just enough for all the classes , sadly,  seconds could not be given.

Best of all, I would say, is the Thanksgiving Prayer that we (chaplains and I) decided we would do  before they had the pumpkin pie snack.  For most of them, that was their first time to hear this kind of prayer, their first time to be prayed for or prayed over.   Of course, the prayer by the class chaplain was in Japanese so the students could understand every word of it.  It was such a heartwarming moment to see them, especially the younger ones , express their thanks to God with closed eyes, clasped hands and grateful faces. 

I'm looking forward to another Thanksgiving fun with the classes again next year, God willing !

Happy Halloween???

Halloween is big here in Japan.  Shop windows and posters display the weirdest and scariest Halloween figures. It seems like the Japanese , especially the young ones, are definitely not easy to scare.  The more horrifying , the better.  Japan is known all over the world for its J-horror films.

When Halloween time is near, posters of events in our town are put up along the main streets.  There's usually a local "Trick or Treat" thing - no, the kids do not go house to house for that, but they go to certain shops in the area for those treats, usually in cute Halloween costumes.  The girls as fairies, witches or Disney characters while the boys go around the blocks as Draculas or zombies.  Halloween parties for kids and youngsters are also common here.

In our classes, I block off one week of special Culture Lesson for Halloween.  The students learn new words and phrases and we play games to master those vocabulary.  They answer worksheets, do word searches and puzzles.

My real aim for this lesson was to let the students know the evil foundations of Halloween.  So as a supplement to their Bible time in class, the chaplains and I made sure that each student understands that God is not happy with this tradition, He is not happy when His children are scared or when people do scary, evil tricks to one another.

For a fun snack time , this year we made Apple Lips.  I didn't want them to have something scary and evil-looking so I Googled for some new ideas.  I found this one on Martha Stewart's website called Apple Lips -  easy yet interesting activity for kids.

We had to get  slices of apples, peanut butter and mini marshmallows for this activity.  And needless to say, we had so much fun. This was one happy Halloween time :)

Kobe City

Today as I was browsing my old photo albums on my Facebook account, I chanced upon these photos of Kobe places that I took in 2005.

This is the famous Kobe Harborland wheel.  It's a colorful, giant wheel that one rides to get a good view of the harbor and the hills of Kobe.  Sadly, I see only a few people taking this ride. One day, I'll try this with friends.   This wheel is lit up at night and changes colors every few seconds or so.  Spectacular sight at night, I say.

Across from the Harborland wheel is another famous landmark - the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel.  Does this look like a ship?  I've been to this place many times, no, not for a night's stay but to have lunch with a lady friend from church.  She often takes me here whenever we have time to sample its gorgeous buffet lunch spread. 

See the cross ? This looks like a church, right?  Sorry, it isn't.  It's a wedding chapel in Kobe Harborland.  It's practically empty when there are no wedding events.  Many Japanese like to have a taste of Christian weddings.  Not so much because they want their married lives blessed by the God of Christians but more because it's the "in" thing to do.  They get "a pastor" to officiate their weddings in English - just about any blonde-haired, blue-eyed dude will do (a lucrative  sideline for male foreigners here , I heard).

Now, this is the real deal.  A Protestant church in the middle of the city. Been here once to attend a concert.  This has a bellfry , brick tiles and wooden pews inside. 

Kobe Port Tower.  You need to take a photo of it to show that you've been to Kobe.  Went up to its top with a lady student of mine many years back. We went up by elevator.  It has a revolving restaurant where diners will have a good view of the city while enjoying their food.  It also has a mini display of mounted photos of all towers in Japan.  (The Japanese have this thing about towers and tall buildings.)  

Next to the Tower is a skyscraper with offices, hotels and residences.  That's a small, prettily-decked  bay cruise boat for tourists that you see in the foreground. 

Here's  the Kobe Port Tower at dusk.

Before the Leaves Fall

Autumn is a favorite season of mine, next to spring.   Just like the sakura (cherry blossoms), the changing of colors of the leaves on some trees here depends on the weather.  So people always check the Autumn Leaves forecast of the Year if they want to go to some famous places just to see the awesome hues.

A couple of years ago, friends and I went to Rokko Mountain here in Kobe for the autumn leaves.  We went by car through the winding road up the mountain.  The view was breathtaking.

Doesn't this look like a painting?  Who would have thought that in the midst of those trees there one can find a scene as awesome as this one?

                                  Here's another angle of the same spot.  Isn't that gorgeous?

                                                    This reminds me of a Monet painting.

Isn't it truly nice of our God, the Creator of this beautiful world , to paint awesome hues to nature before He lets the leaves fall so the trees can  rest during the winter?

20 Things About the Real Me

1. I am unique. Out of billions on this planet, there's only one me. God made and designed me, so everything about me is not a mistake. 
2. I have 'royal blood'. I am the daughter of the King of Kings and Lord ofLords.
3. My name is listed in God's Book of Life, and it will never be erased. It's been there since I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord, one day in Oct 1973, during a chapel time in high school.
4. I was on 'death row' once, but Someone loved me very much, He took my place and died instead of me. I am forever grateful to Him. His name is Jesus.
5. I have a beautiful mansion in Heaven waiting for me.
6.I am in the safest place on earth - in the arms of Jesus.
7. I have the best manual for living in this messed-up, chaotic world of ours. It's actually a library of books. It's called the Bible.
8. I have the best security force in the world - God and His angels. They're way, way better than Obama's Secret Service, or Israeli's Mossad, or UK's James Bond agents. 
9. I have the best Caregiver, health provider and future planner in the world - GOD.
10. I have many acquaintances, few close friends but only one BFF - who will never leave me nor forsake me. His name is Jesus.
11. I love my 'stalker' ---God is everywhere .
12. Someone knows the number of hairs on my head right now...and He knows that in these couple of years, those hair numbers have been dwindling fast. I wonder, how many do I have now, God?
13. I may be single by choice...but I don't worry. God delights in me. I am the apple of His eye. I am His joy.
14. I am a 'senorita'...because I am connected by a yoke to Jesus who carries my heavy burdens for me. All I have to do is lean on Him and walk in step with Him.
15. I don't need to pay huge amounts for a shrink to listen to my woes. I have Jesus' ears on me 24/7. He restores my soul all the time.
16. I have a direct line to Heaven. I can call anytime, anywhere.
17. I have access to the Heavenly throne. My password ??? J.E.S.U.S
18. I am richer than Bill Gates. My Father owns everything in this world, including those riches claimed by all in the billionaires' list.
19. I am very well connected. I collaborate with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the affairs of this world through prayers. Together with the rest of God's children, we are more effective than all the Secretaries of State and Defense in this earth.
20. I have a mission ....I am tasked to share Jesus to as many people as I can, so that they too can have the same things that I wrote about me here. 

20 Things About Me

Recently, while scrolling the home page of Facebook, I came across a post by an acquaintance .  He accepted a challenge by a friend of his to write 20 things about him and post these on his page.

That got me thinking about myself...if someone will challenge me with that too, what things would  I write about me?

Hence, this blog post today. ...these will be the 20 things I would like to share about me.

1. I was named after my papa's younger sister who died very young.  Their house caught fire one day while my lolo was away at work . My lola lost consciousness while trying to save the younger kids (the older ones were either in school or out of the house playing somewhere).  Their neighbors rescued them and helped put out the fire.  My lola's forearm (right or left... can't remember) was badly burned and her baby that time, named Miriam, died in that tragic incident. When I was born, my grandfather wished that I be named after their dear little one who perished in the fire.  His wish was granted, but my mother suggested that the spelling be changed from MIRIAM to MERIAM.

2. I am the first apo of my paternal grandparents,  thus  a bit spoiled by them while growing up. 

3.  I don't like cooking.  I can cook a few dishes when necessary but time in the kitchen (all those cutting and washing up ) for me is always a waste of my  time - which I'd rather spend sewing, reading or writing.

4.  My nickname is Gingging -   my father's choice. Family and close friends call me that.  High school classmates call me Yammy, and one male good friend who's now in Heaven called me Gingards.

5.  My first solo number (when I was about 8 or 9 y.o.) was during a Christmas event at the small church in the farm of the American missionary to Cebu, Rev. John Dunlop, up there on Naga hills. My lolo (their farm manager after he retired from his government agriculturist job) requested me to sing in their  program.  I sang the song that was popular that time  "White Christmas",  acapella .  They said I did very well. But that was the first and last time I sang solo in a program.  Will surely hyperventilate if I'd ever do it again.

6.  Our family had a puppy born around the same time my mama was pregnant with me.  They named him "Igang".  Thus, Gingging and Igang were inseparable growing up.  My sis and I grew up around  assorted pets - dogs,  cats, birds, pigs, chickens...

7. I was very "matabil" or "tabian" as a child,... talked to anyone willing to listen to my chatter.  Still am...:)...My ma said, "lizard" was my first English big word. (probably because of the small house lizards I saw on the ceiling).

8.  I can dance and love to dance to ballroom tunes - boogie, twist, swing, chacha..etc.  ( I know , I'm that old...) My mother often told  about that time when I was around 2 or 3 y.o...and she took me to the local market one afternoon...the song "Limbo Rock" was playing on the jukebox, and she said  I slid down from her arms because I wanted to dance so badly.  She let me, and needless to say, was able to gather  an appreciative crowd around us.  One older lady chided my mama, "Mabuyagan baya na imong anak, Day!"

9.  ABBA tunes  has always been my favorite exercise music (and background music during cleaning times) .

10.  When I am nervous or stressed about something,  I bite my nails.

11.  I hate mashed avocados...reminds me of something gross.

12.  I can eat an entire pack of ripe strawberries in one sitting.

13.  I LOVE nutty chocolates.

14.  I'm very bad at sports....can't even hit a volleyball or a badminton shuttlecock  thrown towards me.

15.  I love to sing with others....choirs, groups, etc.  Was a member of the Children's Choir at school and  church choirs, and later as an adult  of Eklektone and Faith-in-Action Singers  (both singing groups for evangelism and music ministries) .

16.  My favorite subjects in school were Music (I hated it when I got sick on Music days), Bible  and Reading/Language.    Math and PE were way, way down in my list of fave subjects.

17.  If I would have to splurge on something , it would be on BOOKS.   I love books.  My mother was a very good storyteller.  She'd read to us ( my sis and I) when we were  kids  and encouraged us to read and borrow books from the library often. We were gifted with books rather than with toys, sweets and clothes.

18.  I love oldies music.  This is because we used to wake up to oldies music (Matt Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Engelber Humperdink, the Platters, etc. ) played on my Papa's radio on Saturday mornings.

19.  The happiest and most carefree days of my young life were the two years I studied (Grades 4 and 5)  in Mandaue City Central School.  Except for the two years when we lived in Mandaue ,  I mostly grew up in Cebu City and went to Cebu Christian School ( a private Christian school) for my kindergarten ,elementary (partly)  and high school studies.  
   Those two years in a Mandaue public school were the times I experienced taking  tricycles rides with classmates; hanging out with friends and classmates in their homes and backyards picking and eating caimito;  watching sunsets near the Bantayan sa Hari ;  watching a cock derby at the local "buwangan" for free - courtesy of my classmate's mom who peddled bibingka in the premises;  raking rock salt on dried sea beds with classmates so we would be given free salt by the sea bed owners to take home or eat with sour fruits; watching big ships come into harbor while hanging out with classmates who lived near the  pier area, lining by the streets to watch artistas pass by in motorcades from the airport...ohhhh happy happy memories !

20.  I never wanted to become a teacher.  My dream was to become a journalist or someone who works behind the scenes for tv/radio/stage productions.

Class photos

Some people might be wondering why I rarely post photos of the classes here in church on Facebook.  Well, I used to do that  until a lady friend gently told me that she thinks I needed to ask permission from people before I post their photos online.  I think she's right.  Some Japanese parents might not want their kids' faces plastered online for the world to see. So from then on,  I try  to be careful with what I post here in my blog or on FB.

So this is the reason why these photos that I took of the classes show the students with their backs to the camera , and some people here in the photos are either looking down, or sideways .  Yet, the viewer still gets to know the focal point of the photo- what it tries to convey or send .

The class chaplains tell a Bible story before the English lessons start.

The students tried to figure out this cross puzzle.