Christmas Days 3-4

Sunday, December 27
The days spin by. We are tired from our travels and got in late last night. W adds a second morning service to the regular one: that means a trip toward town via angkot (mini-van for passengers). We are speaking at both in January.

Cookies baked by neighbors in language school

It takes me all afternoon to unpack a small carry-on luggage. That's the last time I leave it for the next day. Somehow, done immediately upon return, putting things away and into the laundry hamper is efficient and thorough. Today it feels like I'm puttering here and distracted there before the suitcase is empty.

One meal at our place

Monday
We're writing an invitation to the neighbors for a New Years Eve gathering at our house. K and I set off to buy groceries while W takes our first draft of an invitation to the Pak R.T.'s house. (He's the man voted in to keep harmony in the neighborhood.) Properly, we should have the council secretary's stamp on the invitation before giving it to others.

A strangely heart-shaped schnitzel

These families have lived here for 30-45 years: someone like us from outside has no idea about correct procedure. W gets help from the women of the house. They rewrite the invitation (what we had was not considered an invitation.) W upgrades our effort to reflect theirs.

Discovering a baker in town

"They were very specific on what was proper," W says. Which we appreciate. We'd originally thought of making a light supper and guests bringing something to share. That's not good, we find out. We're now providing a dinner and no one else brings food. We wonder what an Indonesian would write - and who would deliver such an invitation - to ask neighbors over in Canada or the USA.

Homemade baking

This event is not as simple as one might think! We do lots of informal gatherings that we don't ask about - but this is different .. It immediately becomes more formal than our original idea to "have the neighbors in."

• Should we personally take the invitations over? Or can our helper give them out? 
• Who gets invited? Who gets left off the list? 
• Do we invite all close neighbors or ? (There are over 60 houses in the neighborhood where we reside.) I don't even know where all the women of the arisan (women's group) live.
• Will we know how many are coming? Will they RSVP or not?

We wander back to the RT's house with the corrections. Neither he nor his wife are in but we leave some homemade cookies. We'll have to go back in late afternoon. I'm so sleepy that I nap in the afternoon.

Then we go back once again. Pak RT is not there but his wife comes from cooking dinner. She has W sign all the invitations and promises to deliver them to our neighbors. So the event is out of our hands. It's so different from what we would expect. Life here is full of surprises.

Hope you enjoyed the food pictures - much of life here happens around the table.

Read more: (ESV)
*The Lord said to Moses, “Who gives speech to mortals? Is it not I, the Lord?” Exodus 4:11

*The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey. Joshua 24:24

*Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

*And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

*You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit. John 15:16

**Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Moravian Prayer: Who, us, Lord? You chose us? But we are too small, too old, too young, too poor, too busy to heed your call. Forgive our excuses and fill us, instead, with your Spirit of unselfish commitment and action so that we bear fruit for your kingdom

Tireless Creator, often we succumb to post-celebration doldrums. We lose our enthusiasm for service and witness. Help us remember that even in the dullness of daily routine we can share your grace. Rekindle the coals of our hearts with the fire of your love. Amen.