Happy Oxi Day! 

Tomorrow Greece celebrates a  holiday few Americans recognize.  It is Oxi Day, pronounced  "O-hee," with a guttural h-sound.” 1

This holiday does not represents a military victory, but rather a moral one. It celebrates the determination of the Greek people. Those Greek patriots who trod a difficult path, remind us to be strong and not to give up when times start getting tough. When the course is right, we must be determined to stay the course, regardless of the consequences.

By  September 1940, Czechoslovakia, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, and Romania, like dominoes in a line, fell to Germany. Hitler decided Italy, Germany’s ally, should conquer Greece and planned for them to do so in two weeks. On October 28, 1940, at 3:00 a.m., the Italian ambassador arrived at the residence of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas delivering an ultimatum. The demand stated the Italian army be allowed to occupy Greek territory. Germany, through Italy, her ally was demanding control of Greece without a fight.2

The Greek prime minister, though not a saint himself, would not surrender his country. The  Prime Minister replied, in French, the diplomatic language of the day, “Alors, c’est la guerre”(Then it is war.)3 But like people do today, the Greek people shortened the answer to “Oxi!” ( No!) Thus began the battle for Greece. The Italians invaded through Bulgaria.  They chose to advance in winter, and through the Pindos Mountains. Both sides had difficulties being supplied,  but the Greeks were supplied by civilian men and who women carried supplies on their backs up the treacherous paths. This battle went on for six months with Mussolini himself leading the battle at one point, but the Greeks held fast. Until this prolonged fight, little good news had been reported that showed any hope for the free world. Winston Churchill lauded the Greeks by saying, ”Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but heroes fight like Greeks.”4 Finally, Hitler, embarrassed, had to divert German forces headed elsewhere to conquer the Greeks, and he did, but not before many Germans died trying to take something that was not theirs to take in the first place. Stalin credited the Greeks for stalling the German war machine long enough for the Russians have time to build up their defenses.5  Through the Greek's struggle,the free world began to realize Hitler’s machine could have a monkey wrench thrown into it. 

Every October 28, Greeks celebrate Oxi Day, the day when might did not make right and when giving in to wrong did not happen. It is the day when the Greek people screamed in one voice, “No! No! No!’

The Washington Oxi Day Foundation celebrates Oxi Day.  It awards a person for David courage in the fight to preserve freedom and democracy against Goliath forces  in his or her own country. This year’s recipient will James Foley, (posthumously) American journalist, beheaded in Syria.6

We will not always win over might and wrong in this world, but as St. Paul said, we must “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:13) He also said, “….let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9).We are to keep doing what we were called to do—be a light in a dark world.

To learn more about Oxi Day follow these links:

1. Map.http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/greece.html

2.  Ochi Day. The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved October 25, 2014 from http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Ochi+Day

3.Washington Oxi Day Foundation. Retrieved October 27, 2014 from oxidayfoundation.org/the-story-of-oxi-day/video-the-oxi-day-story/

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. ( 2014. October 27). Beheaded Journalist James Foley’s Last Days. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11348778

       Handling Hurricanes

Hurricane Ana passed by Hawaii this past weekend. It brought back memories. In August, my husband and I were headed home from Hawaii, the same weekend Hurricane Isele barreled toward the island of Oahu. Thursday, the city of Honolulu began closing its offices at noon in preparation for the storm due to hit Friday. I think government officials thought if they closed those offices; it would provide less of a temptation for people to be out. You know how it is with government offices. In good weather, you need a tent, a blanket and be able to take off a day of work to be serviced. Perhaps, government officials strategically thought if their employees had to take care of people with a hurricane coming, the wait could be even longer. The nervous employees might keep looking out the windows and wondering whom they could get to secure their surfboards, lawn chairs and grills before the hurricane made landfall.

For your information, government wait time does not improve once you get to the tropics. The weather does, but government waits do not. If someone told you that, he or she must have an apartment near the Ala Wai Canal in Honolulu that needs renting. The wait may seem shorter, because you are near a beach. The rule, supposedly, states the closer the beach, the less stress for waits. Do not get upset, because there is no beach near your government office. I do not make the rules. I just try to live by them, but I have my doubts. I have already tried the rule. It does not work here in Illinois. Two factors may have to be considered. The beach nearest me is an hour away, and it is fresh water. I am not sure if man-made beaches count, for they do not have the same wave appeal. 
   

Meanwhile, let us return to hurricanes and tidbits unmoved by the storm. In 1982, the Islands sat at this same crossroads as this past weekend with Hurricane 'Iwa bearing down on them. Most people, already buying for Thanksgiving, bought a little extra. Tuesday, just two days before Thanksgiving, November 23, Hurricane 'Iwa hit the Hawaii Islands with a knock-out punch. Obviously, the surf is highly dangerous at a time like this, but some disregarded the danger. A whaling ship turned museum, the Falls of Clyde, seemed about to be strangled by the storm. When some folks thought it was going to break free from its moorings, several men went to the pier and held the ropes in that lashing storm. Can you imagine the conversation?

 “Come on, guys. Do you want to join me for some strength and endurance training? You will not have to shower when we’re finished.”

 That is what I call chutzpah. The Falls of Clyde was damaged by the storm, but later restored. Those slightly crazy stalwarts did some good out there in that horrible hurricane. 

Power was out all over the islands. But not to be deterred, I remember thinking, “With a little ingenuity, I can roast a turkey in my grill, but how am I going to bake pumpkin pies?” I do not know whether Sara Lee lived on the islands back then, or not. If she did, I did not know her. It did not make any difference, because Lilihau baked there. She had a delightful bakery then and still does. If you are ever there, stop by, you will not regret it. http://lilihabakeryhawaii.com/

       Hawaii Electric Company did a wonderful job restoring power to us as they worked 20-hour shifts for which we were truly grateful. We have unforgettable memories from that Thanksgiving. Thankfully, we baked our turkey in our oven. Delicious memories made that week, unlike the roasted turkey, never disappeared.  

Note about Hurricane Names:   

If you are wondering whether  you can have a hurricane named after someone, or after you, probably not. The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida and the World Meteorological Organization control those things. They use the names on a six-year rotation, retiring whichever ones they choose. They also retire the name of a hurricane if it has horrific consequences, so people will not have to relive traumatic memories. 

Other quotes about your name:  

Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you, O Jacob, and formed you, O Israel: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I am with you; Isaiah 43:1-2a. (NET)

Information to prepare for tornadoes or hurricanes at the Ready website

Tornadoes http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes

Hurricane http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

References
Carlson, Doug (2007, November 14).Hurricane 'Iwa — and a tale of lessons lost, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, retrieved October 19, 2014 from http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/15/op/hawaii711150301.html 
Frequently Asked Questions. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 19, 2014 from  http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/faq.shtml

Isaiah 43.1-2. Bible Gateway, The Christianbook Group. Retrieved October 20, 2014 from https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43%3A1-2&version=NET

Photo. Used by permission. NOAA Photo Library. National Weather Service Collection. Retrieved October 20, 2014from http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea00408.htm

Tropical Cyclone Names, National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 19, 2014 from  http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
Dear Readers. 

Please disregard the spacing and color blips this week, as there are gremlins in the system. Thanks for your patience. Frances L. Lewis

Welcome to Hawaii, Holidays and Humorous Musings

     

                          Give me a chance to be on a Hawaiian beach!

Inept at Making a Decision or Just Plain Beached? 

      Blog waters may be frigid as Alaskan streams, or they may be Waikiki warm, so here we go! Let’s jump in every Monday. 
      Many of you have read or heard about the guy near Chicago who received a transfer letter to Hawaii from his employer, the Federal Aviation Administration. He was so upset that he attempted to set the FAA radar center where he worked on fire.Does that not seem a little odd to you? He did not want to leave, but he decided to burn it down. Agreeably, all of us have had bad days at the office when we said we hated the place. Few of us, however, would remodel our floor by fire, or in this fellow’s case, the corner of the basement. You have to feel a teensy bit sorry for him, for while he planned horrible things, thankfully, he was just plain inept at them.   

      First, he did not know a good thing when he saw one. Give me a choice between a basement in Chicago or any beach on any Hawaiian isle in October, and I will be gone so fast, it will make your swimsuit spin. Second, paramedics, searching for him, found at least two places where he tried to destroy wires, possibly with a knife. It seems he didn't remember the childhood rule, “Don’t play with sharp objects," for upon attempting to cut the wires he cut himself.

      The execution of his plan did not improve for his bloody trail led them to a gas can, burned towels and a suitcase. Maybe the suitcase was for making a clean getaway, since he had brought towels to mop up any mess.It seems he was not too good at setting fires, either.  Still, the bloody trail continued. Next, they found a lighter, and two knives. Obviously, he knew better than to play with matches. But he had no sense of fashion whatsoever. They found him without a shirt and trying to slit his throat. OK. I take that back about fashion. Maybe, he just did not want to get blood stains on his clothes. Apparently, he did not know about stain removers. He probably was not a winner at board games, either, because the authorities knew it was him with a knife, no, two knives, and a lighter, with a gas can in the basement. They will probably throw the book at him, as they rightly should, and as inept as he is, it will probably hit him.

      It is easy for us to make fun of this poor schmuck. How many of us, though, are guilty of the all-out evade, pretend we can not hear, or have an all-out hissy fit when God asks us to move. Hmmm…
So here’s three questions for you —has God ever moved you physically or mentally, and did you shout “Yes” or “No?”   How was the situation in six months? 

                         Afraid of the waves you can not see? 
                                           
Eltagouri, Marwa. Walberg, Matthew, “Man Suspected in Chicago Fires Left Note, Tried Suicide, “ The Chicago Tribune. 28 September 2014. Belleville News- Democrat, Belleville, Illinois. A9

Photos by Roger and Frances Lewis