The other day, I tried making mizu manju, a cool Japanese sweet filled with red bean paste.
Put the ingredients listed below in a saucepan and stir over low heat, being careful not to let the mixture burn. Once it starts to thicken, spoon some of the mixture into small molds, add some red bean paste, and cover with the remaining mixture. Then chill them in the refrigerator until set.
By the way, I bought a pack of Yukimi Daifuku just so I could use the plastic tray as molds. 😅
I also used some other small containers I had at home, but if you use molds about the size of Yukimi Daifuku, this recipe should make about six.
<Ingredients>
Potato starch — 40 g
Sugar — 30 g
Water — 400 ml
Red bean paste — as needed
You can also make milk mochi by changing the proportions and using milk instead of water: 35 g potato starch, 20 g sugar, and 250 ml milk. It’s delicious served with kinako (roasted soybean flour) sprinkled on top.
If you eat it with red bean paste, you can leave out the sugar.
当時はカセットテープで、その後CDを購入しました。落ちたと思っていた会社も採用されて、嬉しかったという忘れられない思い出です。下記は彼女が歌っている歌詞で、これはKing James Versionそのままです。何度も聴いているうちに、英語の「主の祈り」をいつの間にか覚えました。
･･･Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
かなり久しぶりになりますが、「主の祈り」の原書を調べてみました。古典ギリシャ語の原書（聖書アプリのTHGNT）は下記テキストに書いた通りです。word by wordの直訳は「Bible Hub」を使いました。下枠のNKJVはNew King James Versionで、私が個人的に原書に近いと思っている英語の聖書です。
黄緑色のフォントは動詞、オレンジ色は名詞になります。なお、文法的な詳細は、「Blue Letter Bible」をご参照下さい。（Blue Letter Bibleの英訳はNASB95ですが、対訳にブランクが多いので、NASB95は使っていません。）
I went out shopping late one evening two weeks ago. I found myself craving a Saizeriya Margherita pizza and thought it would be nice to eat out for a change, so I decided to visit the restaurant for the first time in a while.
Two years ago, I was surprised by their very "analog" ordering method: you had to write the item number on a slip and hand it to a staff member. 😅 Looking back, perhaps they had adopted that system as a measure against COVID-19.
However, I was surprised all over again to find that the system had switched to ordering via smartphone. It felt as if things had suddenly leaped forward in time. 😅 You scan a QR code on the table with your smartphone, place your order on the screen, and pay.
I wondered if people who still use flip phones or don't own a smartphone were unable to use the service. It seemed like they were targeting younger customers. Later, though, I learned that there was a call button on the table and that you could also place an order verbally with a staff member.
Speaking of Saizeriya, it reminds me of the Italian classes I took at music college seven years ago. Italian was a mandatory subject for vocal majors in the first year and an elective in the second. Since I believed Italian was crucial for studying opera, I took the course during both the first and second semesters of my second year.
By the second semester of the second year, the class size had dropped to five students, so the teacher switched to a small-group format. One time, our Italian professor gave us a lengthy lecture on Italian cheeses, showing us photos from a book. After hearing all that talk about delicious food, my four younger classmates headed to Saizeriya, while I stopped by a different Italian restaurant on my way home. 😅
These days, I live more frugally than I used to, so I rarely eat out. I’m a creature of habit, though; whenever I go to Saizeriya, I always order the same things: Margherita pizza, chicken salad, and the drink bar. I'm really grateful that all of this costs just 950 yen. 😊
Since I find most recent TV programs rather boring, I've been watching Korean dramas on SKY PerfecTV!. The other day, I happened to watch The Sound of Music again for the first time in quite a while.
It stars Julie Andrews, one of my favorite actresses, and was filmed in Salzburg. I even own the DVD and have watched it countless times over the years.
These days, you can even watch movies on YouTube. Since the movie cannot be embedded directly here, I’ll post the URL below.
The video below features the song "Climb Every Mountain" sung in the movie. In this scene, the Mother Abbess sings to Maria after she returns to the abbey, confused about her future. Maria is torn between becoming a nun and returning to the von Trapp family.
The subtitles display both the lyrics and their translation. Here are some of the lyrics:
Climb every mountain
Search high and low
Follow every byway
Every path you know
Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
‘Till you find your dream
It is a song of encouragement urging her not to simply hide in the abbey, but to discover the true mission God has given her. Here, the word "dream" means much more than simply a wish or personal ambition; it signifies the life calling or mission bestowed upon her by God.
Climb every mountain
Mountains symbolize life's difficulties and trials. The message is that you shouldn't give up just because things are hard; rather, you should climb the mountain if necessary.
Ford every stream
Ford is used here as a verb meaning to cross a river by walking through shallow water. It doesn't imply a safe path with a bridge. The image here is to keep moving forward, even if you get wet.
Search high and low
This means searching everywhere—both high and low.
Follow every byway
A byway is a side road or a less-traveled path. In life, we often take unexpected detours, but the song suggests that those detours are not wasted.
Every path you know
This seems to suggest that you should explore every path you know and gain experience along the way.
Follow every rainbow
It is a poetic way of encouraging us to move forward without losing hope. I think this song symbolizes the overall theme of "The Sound of Music".It is also heard again near the end of the movie, giving the audience a sense of hope and a bright future.
I've visited Salzburg four times over the years because I love both Mozart and The Sound of Music. Each visit brought back wonderful memories of this timeless film.
<Photos of the film's shooting locations>
These are quite old photos... While there, I spontaneously signed up for the "Original Sound of Music Tour" (an English-language bus tour) to visit the actual filming locations.
If I remember correctly, this is the tree-lined path where the children climbed the trees in the movie.
The von Trapp family home was actually created using two different locations: Leopoldskron Palace and Hellbrunn Palace. The photo below shows Leopoldskron Castle.
Below is another location: Hellbrunn Palace.
The scene where the eldest daughter, Liesl, and Rolf confess their feelings was particularly beautiful and romantic. They caught in a sudden thunderstorm and dashed inside, where they sang and danced to "You are sixteen, going on seventeen....♪”
I didn't learn until much later that when the movie was filmed, this gazebo was originally located on the grounds of Leopoldskron Castle. It was reportedly moved to Hellbrunn Palace to make it easier for tourists to visit and see.
This is St. Michael's Church, where the wedding scene between Maria and Captain von Trapp was filmed. It was a pastel-yellow building, similar in style to Mozart's Birthplace.
These are the "Do-Re-Mi Steps" in Mirabell Gardens. The bus tour concluded here.
Working in international trade often meant dealing with situations beyond human control. Weather and other natural events could easily delay shipments, and there was nothing we could do except entrust everything to God.
As in my previous trading job, my work in international trade at my third company was filled with anxious moments. Whenever I was responsible for overseas shipments, I constantly worried about delivery schedules. Even a simple rainstorm could delay a ship's arrival or departure, affecting delivery deadlines.
Import procedures were just as tense because any delay in customs clearance could postpone delivery to our customers. Sometimes I was so concerned about work that I even dreamed about it. Looking back, I realize how completely devoted I was to my job.
The most unforgettable experience happened when our company was preparing for a large international trade show in the United States.
Because production had fallen behind schedule, several large demonstration units could not be shipped by sea as originally planned. Instead, we had to send everything by air at the last minute. After a hectic rush, we finally managed to load the cargo onto the aircraft, and I felt greatly relieved.
Then something completely unexpected happened. A volcano near Anchorage suddenly erupted, and volcanic ash forced aircraft operations to stop. Our cargo was stranded at the airport.
Naturally, my supervisors and I were deeply concerned. We had reserved a large exhibition space, and without our equipment, it would remain almost empty. We repeatedly contacted the airline, but since this was a natural disaster, no one could tell us when flights would resume.
There was absolutely nothing I could do.
So I prayed earnestly.
"Lord, what should I do? If our exhibition booth is left empty, it will be a serious problem. Please stop the eruption, allow the flights to resume, and let our shipment arrive in time for the trade show."
Although I no longer remember the exact number of hours, the flights resumed after only several hours, and our shipment arrived just in time for the exhibition.
I thanked God with all my heart.
My work often felt like walking a tightrope, but through experiences like this, the Lord taught me to rely on Him when situations were completely beyond my control. Once again, He revealed His faithfulness and His glory.
------ to be continued -----
p.s.
These testimonies are written in chronological order. Testimonies ①–④ tell how I came to faith in Christ, and the testimonies that follow describe my walk with Him. Please see the link below.
For the first time in two months, I had the opportunity to sing a solo during our Sunday service. I sang the first and third verses of Hymn No. 398, "Ikuru Kai mo Nashi to," transposed up one whole step from the original key. Even so, the first half of each verse was still rather low and difficult for me to sing.
To continue improving, I had my performance recorded and sent the video to my vocal teacher for feedback.
She replied:
"As you mentioned, I think the second half is definitely more stable. ♪ Your voice really carries well in the second half—it sounds beautiful! Singing is a lifelong journey, so let's keep studying and improving together. I'm sure everyone looks forward to hearing you sing."
My teacher is not the type to be overly critical. 😅
***************
Assolo durante il culto: Inno n. 398 "Ikuru Kai mo Nashi to"
(Video)
Dopo due mesi, ho cantato di nuovo un assolo durante il culto.
Ho cantato la prima e la terza strofa dell'inno n. 398, "Ikuru Kai mo Nashi to." Ho cantato un po' più alto dell'originale. Ma la prima parte del canto era ancora difficile per me.
Per migliorare, ho fatto registrare un video e l'ho mandato alla mia insegnante di canto.
Lei mi ha detto:
"La seconda parte è più stabile. ♪ La tua voce è bella e si sente molto bene. Continua a studiare e a cantare. Tutti aspettano con piacere di sentirti."
Recently, I watched Anne of Green Gables Full Story | Adventures of a Spirited Young Orphan on the Little Fox YouTube channel.
The complete animated story is about two hours long and consists of sixteen episodes. Each episode is fairly short, so learners do not have to watch the whole story at once. You can watch one episode a day or repeat the same episode several times.
Why I Recommend It for Listening Practice
Listening has always been more difficult for me than reading. However, I did not find the English in this series too difficult.
The story seems to have been made mainly for children, so the narration and dialogue are relatively clear. The characters do not speak as quickly as people often do in films or television dramas for adults.
Another advantage is that many people already know the story of Anne of Green Gables. Even when you cannot understand every word, you may be able to guess what is happening from the pictures and from your knowledge of the story.
Reading the Original Novel
The original novel by L. M. Montgomery can also be read free of charge on Project Gutenberg. It is available to read online and can also be downloaded in several formats.
Of course, the English in the original novel is more difficult than the English used in the animation. However, advanced learners may enjoy reading a chapter after watching the corresponding part of the story.
The animation can help learners understand the characters and events before they begin reading the original text.
Children’s Stories Are Not Only for Children
Some adult learners may hesitate to use material created for children. However, children’s stories can be very useful for language learning.
The English is often clearer, the story is easy to follow, and the episodes are not too long. Most importantly, an enjoyable story makes it easier to continue studying.
I watched all sixteen episodes and enjoyed returning to the world of Anne Shirley. I think this animated series can be both entertaining and useful for English learners, especially those who find listening difficult.
Listening has always been one of my weaker skills. Even so, I was able to enjoy all sixteen episodes without feeling overwhelmed. Everyone has a different way of studying English, but I hope some of you will enjoy this series as much as I did.
(God heard the cry of my colleague's wife and led their whole family to our church.)
God hears every cry of the heart and every prayer. He remembers each one and faithfully prepares the path that is best for us.
As I write this testimony on December 23, 1997, Christmas always reminds me of my former colleague, S.Y., and his family.
Every Christmas Eve, I used to join our church's Christmas caroling outreach. But one particular year, for some reason, I simply didn't feel like going. Perhaps I just wanted to stay home because it was so cold. So I prayed and surrendered the matter to the Lord, deciding to follow whatever He led me to do.
On the evening of December 23, something completely unexpected happened. S.Y. called me, saying he wanted my address so he could send me a New Year's card. As we continued talking, he invited me to a Christmas party at his home the following evening. At that moment, I felt certain that this was the Lord's leading, so I accepted his invitation.
It was the first time I had met his wife, who was from Egypt. Since I didn't know that she spoke fluent Japanese, I spoke with her entirely in English. I eagerly shared how I had become a Christian, told her about Jesus, and explained the gift of praying in tongues.
To my surprise, she was the daughter of a pastor and belonged to a church where people also prayed in tongues. When she showed me a photograph of her father, I somehow felt reminded of our founding pastor.
The couple had been married in a church in Chiba, but because it was so far away, they found it difficult to attend worship services regularly. They also mentioned that they had once seen a poster advertising a Thanksgiving service at a church but had missed the opportunity to go. As we talked, we realized that the poster they had seen was from my church.
I couldn't help but feel that God had arranged this meeting.
That evening ended, and I returned home. Then, on the morning of our New Year's worship service, S.Y. suddenly called me again. He said that he and his family were planning to visit my church and asked if I could explain how to get there.
Although I didn't know the driving directions very well, God faithfully guided their family safely to our church.
That very day, both S.Y. and his wife received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They continued worshipping at our church for several years until they eventually moved away.
Later, his wife told me something that deeply touched my heart. Although she spoke Japanese fluently, she had become exhausted by her husband's work-centered lifestyle. She had even prayed that God would allow her to separate from him and return to her home country.
It was at that very time that God led her to our church.
I had never once prayed specifically for S.Y. or his family. Yet God heard the prayer of his wife and, in His sovereign plan, chose to use someone she had never even met—me.
He simply reached down, picked me up, and used me to accomplish His purpose.
For that, I am truly grateful.
A Little Side Story
Incidentally, S.Y. was the very first person to call me "Heidi."
One day, out of the blue, I said to him, "From today on, please call me Heidi." 🤣
At the time, I had an amateur radio license and was planning to use the handle "Hidy" when making international radio contacts. Later, after I became interested in German, I changed the spelling to the German form, Heidi. 😊
------ to be continued -----
p.s.
These testimonies are written in chronological order. Testimonies ①–④ tell how I came to faith in Christ, and the testimonies that follow describe my walk with Him. Please see the link below.
The other day, for the first time in quite a while, I went to a solo concert by the Korean idol Kogun. He is a former member of NIK, a group produced by Yoonhak of Supernova(超新星), and after NIK disbanded, he joined the "Play Back 7 Project." He was scheduled to leave the project at the end of the month.
A friend of mine, T-san—a fellow fan I've known for more than ten years through our shared love of Supernova, CNBLUE, and FTISLAND—had purchased the tickets and kindly shared one with me. Although I left the official fan club during the pandemic, she still invites me to concerts and events from time to time.
I'm usually a very careful person, but what happened that day was something I never imagined would happen to me. 😅
Perhaps because of the heavy rain, I accidentally left my smartphone at home. It was the first time I had ever done that—and of all days, it had to happen on the very day I needed an e-ticket! Disappointed with myself, I quietly prayed and placed everything into God's hands. 😿
When we arrived at the venue, I tried to display my QR code using T-san's phone. However, because it was being accessed from another device, the system required an authentication code, which had been sent to the phone I had left at home. 😅 I panicked for a moment, but my name and seat number were visible on her screen, so I quickly showed my ID instead. The staff kindly said, "Please be more careful next time," and allowed me to enter without the QR code. Thank You, God!
Watching Kogun—who could hardly speak Japanese five years ago—sing, dance, and introduce each song in Japanese with such sincerity, I was deeply moved by how much effort he must have put into learning the language.
Then came another unexpected surprise. Since I usually don't take two-shot photos with the artist, I was leaving the venue by myself. The moment I opened the exit door, I literally bumped into Kogun. Completely caught off guard, all I could do was give him a small bow with a surprised look on my face. It's funny how no words come out when you're totally taken by surprise! 😅
To make things even more challenging, we had taken a taxi from Shibuya—where we had lunch—to a point near the venue in Omotesando. That meant I now had to find my way alone to either Omotesando or Shibuya Station. I have such a terrible sense of direction that I can't even retrace my own route, so I wondered how on earth I would get back without my phone. 😅
Normally, all the information I need is on my phone. Fortunately, I had looked at a map the day before and vaguely remembered that I needed to follow a street called "Lohas-dori" near Omotesando Station. As I carefully retraced my steps, I spotted a street sign for Lohas-dori on a utility pole and followed it.
Before long, the familiar streets of Omotesando came into view. Although I rarely visit the area, I had walked there several times on my way to concerts in the past. I remembered that if I turned left and kept walking straight, I would eventually reach Meiji-jingumae Station. Walking through Omotesando in the rain felt almost like strolling through a city overseas, and before I knew it, I had reached the station and even managed to catch an express train home without any problems. Not bad for someone with such a poor sense of direction, right? 🤣
Ironically, because I had left my smartphone at home, I spent the train ride completely absorbed in a book I had bought the day before: How I Passed the Eiken Grade 1 Exam at the Age of 72 through Self-Study. It also gave me a few new insights.
Looking back, what began as an embarrassing mistake turned into an unexpectedly memorable day.
