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I have done a couple of funerals at the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple. I have also done a couple of major memorial services for your members. Whenever I read Rennyo's letter "On the White Ashes", I point out that the most important message it has for us is that life is precious.
The more obvious points are that 1. life is short, and 2. it is possible to have all one's dreams fulfilled in the next life as Buddhas in Amida's land in the next life. The urging not to take life for granted comes with the line, "We have never heard of anyone living for 10,000 years." In truth, we often life as if we had forever.
The concluding episode of the first season of the series "Six Feet Under" included a question to the mortuary owner from a bereaved young woman, "Why do we die?" Of course, no one can actually answer that question fully. But the character in the story gave a good answer - "Because it makes life important". If we forget that we don't have 10,000 years, that we will die one day, our life can lose its sense of importance. Of course something can be short and not precious.
I saw the Dana Carvey film "Master of Disguise" on a free ticket last year. It was not terribly long, and just terrible. Probably the worst film I'd seen in the preceeding ten years. Our lives are short and precious. Sometimes it helps to hold special memories in reserve to bring that fact to mind.
I remember a time walking in a shopping mall when my son, Sho, was about a year and a half old. He found an abandoned gum wrapper and held it up to me as if it were the most marvelous of gifts. I accepted the gift and he proceeded to turn his attention to something else. Indeed the relatively clean gum wrapper did a nice job of reflecting light in the gaudy shopping mall. He had given me the most precious of gifts. Not the gum wrapper itself, but the ability to be charmed by life's little moments of beauty was his gift. I hope there is someone in your life who reminds you of the irreplaceable little fulfillments life provides when we are available to them. Sometimes we know and sometimes we forget. The truth is that life is precious.
What a fast two months we had - it was nice not to have to worry about the July issue, but now we have to squeeze everything in one issue. Hope everyone had a nice summer.
For Obon services we were all delighted to have our former minister, Rev. Charles Hasegawa from Stockton, CA as our guest minister. He not only was our guest minister but also our minister for the weekend. We really appreciated sensei for doing "care center and home visitations" during his brief stay. Thanks to everyone who came to the "Potluck Welcome Dinner". There was so much food - no one went home hungry. We wanted Sensei to have some pleasure with his favorite sport of Golf with all his former friends around here so they arranged a "Golf Tournament" in his behalf. I hear many attended and had fun. The Temple appreciated Sensei taking time from his busy schedule.
Japan Obon Festival chairpersons, Marc Suyematsu and Tracy Nakamura did a super job overseeing all the activities. We like to thank everyone who helped to make it a success. All the donated vegetables were appreciated very much. We really appreciated some of our non-members and many grandchildren who came to help. They were our life savers! Hot temperature has been our culprit but we manage to get through. We like to thank George Yanagawa and David Mizuta for painting the fence around the Temple - it gave the fence a new life. They not only did the fence, but also gave the lawn extra grooming - it looked extra special for our Obon Festival.
"Happy Bowl" for the fair came soon after - we would like to thank all those who helped with our Dharma School and Fujinkai project. The temperature was not quite as hot but we did fairly well. Thanks to all those who helped it takes a lot of hands to get the job done. It was nice to see some of the husbands give us a helping hand. Also, thanks to everyone who donated all those zucchinis, carrots, eggplants, green peppers & cucumbers, too. Have to mention we had a huge donation of "Sweet Corn" from the Iida Farms - itwas just wonderfully sweet & tasty! Thanks!
Thanks to Ken Ozawa for taking care of the Temple lawn mowing. We appreciate his time and effort in doing this. Also, thanks to Randy, Brady and his nephew, Brett Hiramatsu, for removing one of the outgrown bushes in front of the temple - it was removed because of security reasons.
Fujinkai meeting is scheduled for September 5th at 1:00 P.M.
Hi kids! I hope that all of you have enjoyed your summer vacation. We will be starting back to Dharma School on September 12th. Service at 10:30 A.M. and classes at 11:00 A.M. The first day back, the teachers will be serving lunch, so plan on staying. Hope to see you there!
The Dharma School outing this summer was to Seattle, Washington. Our trip was July 23 - 26, and as usual, we had a great group. We stopped at the Seattle Betsuin for a short tour, then on to the motel. Many of our group went to the Mariners game that night, others met with relatives. The next morning several others joined our group and a total of 46 took a private tour of Safeco Field. Then our group scattered, some going to the Enchanted Village, others to the zoo, some shopping, but everyone made it back to the motel to go to the White River Obon. It was very hot, but I think we could take the heat better than the people who live there. Sunday, we had a 45 minute boat ride to Blake Island to see the Tillicum Village. We were greeted by teh North American Indians with steaming hot cups of clams in nectar. Then into the longhouse for the traditional alder baked salmon, wild rice, red potatoes, salad, and molasses bread. We were entertained by the Indian dancers telling about their beliefs and tradition. It was a wonderful experience. Monday, it was a day for heading home, but first to Uwajimaya to stock up on all the Japanese items we can't get back home.
The bus ride was long, but the kids always do so good, watching movies, playing games, playing cards, playing bingo, and even having a bubble blowing contest. Thanks kids for being such good travelers.
A big Thank You to Margaret Teramoto, for all the goodies she sent on the bus. She made these yummy Danish pastries, fruit cups, and Sees suckers for everyone on the bus!! Wow, what a treat!
Right after our Seattle trip, it was the Malheur County Fair and our "Happy Bowl" booth. Since Roy and Jamie Hasebe had to step down as chairman, I was the chosen one. Wow, what a job. I take my hat off to both of them, as they did so much. It was a whole new experience for me, to say the least. But because of all your help, we had a successful booth agan this year. We have some streamlining to do, but it will all work out. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for their help. Without you, we couldn't run the booth and the children couldn't go on these wonderful summer trips each year.
Fujinkai meeting is scheduled for September 5th at 1:00 P.M.
Idaho Oregon Buddhist Temple
286 SE 4th Directions
PO Box 397 (mailing address)
Ontario, Oregon 97914
541-889-8562 (office)
541-889-8662 (fax)
10:00 am - IOBT Choir Practice
10:30 am - Adult Study
10:30 am - Dharma School Service
11:00 am - Adult Service
11:00 am - Dharma School Class
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