Wind er down. Or wind er up.

Storytime

Saturday, June 25.2016
The two kidlets (2, 4) moan and groan during their dreams. Their parents are out late so the grandkids might as well sleep across the room. I get up a few times to check that they are ok when they shriek out ... before they become fully awake. They pop right back to dreamland. Whereas Grandma ... well, it's not that simple for me. They sleep a solid 10 hours; my night is about 6 1/2. Not bad, actually.

For breakfast, I cut up a banana and a few Trader Joes 5-Grain Almond Bars. Almost health food. I water down their OJ the way they're accustomed.

They tell me stories while I pop forksful into their mouths. Soon they've had their 200+ calories. Plates are empty. Everyone is happy. They find their monkey blanket, truck blanket, and pillows and toddle home - upstairs - after 7am. (It doesn't get better than that, having them nearby when we're here.)

And then there are those experiments that don't quite turn out the way you'd expect.

My hair dyes redder and darker than planned. I tried the same old color number, but am using a new brand ($3.99 at Grocery Outlet - who can resist?) Colouring roughs up my fine hair for a bit of texture.

During my visit to Martha's this week, I liked the layers her daughter Hannah had cut into her hair. Aha, so that's what is missing in the trim I gave myself on Monday? I need an upper layer.

After rinsing out the colour, I pull up the top layer and chop away. It can't be too short: I need as much volume on top as possible. The best thing about cutting your own hair is that it's quick. And you can keep working on it until you like it. I don't miss those long trips to the salon for an unmanageable mystery cut. Let's admit it - whether at the stylist or at home, some cuts are better than others! haha

But the color. Ugh. Good thing hair is a renewable resource. In the Bandung sun, this pinkish tinge too shall fade.

Today is packing day. By evening, my suitcases are weighed and sorted. I'll repack of course. I need to take out some weight to bring a friend's request. However, a gal who commutes to Bandung has promised to bring my overflow later. (Amazing, right? Who commutes from Seattle to Bandung every month or two? What a long way. My flights take 24-31 hours from Seattle to Jakarta ... before the 3-5 hour car ride to Bandung. Mind you, with that many air miles, she's fast asleep in first class, not sitting in coach. On two flights not three. Still. Wow.)

At night, I am restless. The flights, luggage weights, and to-do lists are swirling through my dreams. And I haven't found my Canadian passport, despite combing the shelves and emptying out purses. At least everything is tidy again. "God, you know where that thing is," I pray.

Sunday
At 1, the family comes for lunch. We squish around our glass table: two of our four kids, their wives, and three grandkids - plus Dad and Mom from Chilliwack. Dad once again drives the 2 1/2 hours+ there and back; Mom reads the Bible on the way. Our nephew Lem snags a ride from the university with Jer and Rebekah. He's almost done with summer coursework. Soon he'll be off to Europe where his dad (my brother) lives.

I cook and combine goodies from the fridge and freezer. Marinated flank steak, romaine lettuce, dried cherries, and pretzel pieces? (Steak salad) Butter chicken mix, chicken breast, frozen vegetables, and pie crusts? (Butter chicken pie) Mom peels the yellow potatoes and we roast them with olive oil and spices. Blueberries, mangos, and fresh apples? (Fruit salad) Brussel sprouts. And more. Mom has brought red cabbage, German style. She baked a cranberry coconut cake. Delicious.

It's hearty and mostly healthy. Everyone pitches in: Timo and Melissa bring paperware and put the kids to bed before rejoining us. Mom and I make most of the meal but Jer and Rebekah clean up after so I can visit with my folks.

Kinsey masters the art of selfies, taking our family pictures.

"We have an extraordinary family," Dad says as he leaves. It's true. We all get along, even when we disagree. He and Mom created a culture of acceptance, encouragement (occasionally a "push"), and spiritual life that propelled each of us into the world. I still count on my parents and brothers to temper and balance what others tell us and how other people live.

Timothy cleans the car our friends have loaned us. (What a blessing, Dale and Phyllis!) Kinsey "helps" while wearing sound-deadening headphones. The shopvac is noisy.

Brandy and I make our Sunday night call, checking in, bouncing ideas, and clarifying direction. I have come to love this young woman - a sister of the heart. She pours out herself with a passion for Jesus, love for people, and an artistic temperament. As usual, I come away with a smile and counsel for the future.

Timothy combs through our famiy documents after I have a quick look. Nothing. Timo finds the passport I'd put away - in an envelope with other things. It's right there. "Here you go, Mom."

Thanks, son!

Monday
After replying to emails, I drive to the Social Security office to update my status.

"Excuse me, I need to check your bag, ma'am." A young man in a uniform takes a quick look inside my tote. "That way for a number. Then wait until you are called to a window."

I'm barely into a Dick Francis novel when my number comes up. "Looks like you have all your documents ready."

"May I read? I don't think I'll finish this book otherwise."

The lady smiles and says, "Read if you must. This is an interview. You will be recorded." I smile back and read until she asks a question or two.

I'm done in 5 minutes and back out the door. That wasn't so bad. I've put this off because friends said they've waited for hours. I'm in and out in 20 minutes.

"Good day," says the polite security guard. Standing behind the office table, he looks bored but available for action.

I gas up the car and drop off library books, the Dick Francis unfinished. Oh well. One more quick stop - Grocery Outlet for the smoked salmon that our Indonesian friends love plus a few snacks for the flights ahead. I'll have to leave some of the salmon behind: I'm at luggage capacity.

Then it's time to put the documents away and repack. My lunch is a weird mix of battered fish, fake chicken, cold Brussel sprouts from yesterday, and a mango popsicle. Tastes good though! (Guess "you have to be there" to enjoy it.)

Read more:
*Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. Genesis 26:24

*Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

"--so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55: 6-11

*When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. Acts 4:13

Moravian Prayer: Lord our God, thank you for providing us with all that we need, for the many gifts that you have entrusted to us, and for your protection and presence throughout our lives. Guide our futures so that we may faithfully serve you. Amen.

A final week in Washington

Wildflowers in seed

Wrapping up paperwork, I'm preparing to fly out next Tuesday. The hum and click of the printer tells me the chores are wrapping up, the last signatures almost ready on paper. I have one more office visit: hopefully, the government is well-staffed on Monday. Then there's laundry, packing, and cleaning in the flat.

On the other side of the Pacific, home and husband await. Hurrah.

Tuesday, June 22.2016
Kim and I are tired but we still show up. I'll miss this friend! By 7, we're chatting, saying goodbye, and sharing prayer requests.

I zip home to rewrite a 13-year-old letter from Cambridge into a more readable form. I print it and dash back out to a writers group I attend when I'm in town.

Go Leona!

Leona is publishing The Third Season, a book about calling and legacy as a Boomer (+55). How do we choose purposeful activities and contribute with all the strengths and wisdom of post-work life? Cowritten with her husband, the book comes out next month: it's HIGHLY recommended, especially if you're asking, "what now?" before or after retirement. (I'll post a review in the next weeks at 3 Books Full.)

I read aloud the revised letter of Cambridge Week 2. "Is this material for a book?" I ask them.

No. Turns out, it's still just an old 24-letter collection. There's too much detail and not enough personal memory left to fool around with this project. I can read the letters whenever I want. No need to spend more time.

Jen and I have lunch. The final visit is always sad. I miss her when we're an ocean apart. Both of us dislike phoning, so our personal times are golden.

We sit by a window but it's dark dark dark. I crave the tropical sunshine.

Wednesday
Before noon, I'm on the road to Spokane.

Where is everybody?
Eastern Washington on a rare cloudy day:
the only thing on the horizon is a semi-trailer truck,
4 lanes over.

I have a few things to accomplish - but the most important is a visit with dear family and advisors, Mel and Martha. Their hospitality refreshes, spoils, and relaxes me.

Mel offers good counsel on church planting, creating teams, and working within a skillset. I take notes - a conversation with him is like drinking from a firehose. I'll wonder what I missed if I don't write it down. I like to reflect on what he says and I hear. Sometimes things come to mind months later, just at the right time. Thanks, friend.

Martha's a heart-friend. We stroll through the Manito gardens after dropping in on Hannah (their daughter). Hannah's kids are charming, polite, and all smiles (made a good impression, I must say, Hannah!)

The rose garden is a particular favorite. The skies spit a bit but the rain holds off. Happy, Martha's Havanese, loves the walk, too.

After our walk, we get good news of an illness in remission. How we thank God.

And another friend sends a note: her husband is very ill. Tests are underway. Life is wonderful and awful, isn't it? We are grateful for God's tender presence through it all.

I take a bath to finish reading a book I've had on my list for months. By midnight, the last page is turned and I'm sleepy.

Happy boy, an adorable Havanese

Friday
Fresh banana muffins for breakfast! Thanks, Martha. It's a pleasure to catch up, but more than that, to sit together. To walk through the rooms, praying over the house. To relax on the deck overlooking fields of grass, wildflowers, and pines.

I'm at the gas station by 10:30. It's complicated. Why? Between lines, try to pay cash, and checkers who swap machines, etc. I don't leave the station until after 11.

The wide-open vistas of sprawling ranches and swaying fields of grain enlarge the heart. What a big empty space!

There's a lot of construction on I-90, which means slow-downs, narrow necks of creeping traffic, and impatient speeders. I set cruise control when I can, watching the road. My Contigo mug of black tea drains slowly to empty.

By 4, I'm nearing home. I pull off the freeway to stop at Northwest U, where W and I used to work. When I quit (as my dissertation called), I left some artwork on loan.

Finally, halfway across the mountain pass, I remembered those pieces. (Yay, I'm thinking about them at an hour the university is open!) I pick up 4 of our 6 framed Harvey prints. Hopefully the others will show up sometime. I can't find the last 2 though I peer in offices and wander the library, Davis building, and visit with President Castleberry in the Barton building.

It's fun to stroll the campus after a few years, howdying with staff and faculty. I spot a forgotten modern picture, hanging in someone's office. Bill graciously lifts it off the wall; then the car is full. Home sweet home at 5:30, just in time to babysit the grandkids while their parents attend a fundraiser.

Miss K, Levi, and I play games until supper is eaten = Oma tricks of the trade. Isaac, the youngest, cries bitterly until he gets distracted by the shenanigans of his older siblings. He goes right to sleep when his head hits the pillow. Whew!

The older two come downstairs to sleep at Oma's. After storytime, prayers, and the Bible tape runs twice, I put on Christian worship radio. That's what the kids are used to, so in a few minutes, they pass out on the fluffy white blanket, clutching their little security blankets - monkey and trucks.

Finally, I get to my own supper. Yum - those shu mai dumplings from Trader Joes are excellent. A cup of tea, unpacking, sorting, thinking. By 10, I'm ready to turn off the day. In 4 sleeps I'm on a plane again.

Read more:
*Then Hannah prayed: "My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:1-2  NLT

*You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me. Psalm 18:35 ESV

*O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3 ESV

*There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. John 1:6–7 ESV

*'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

'And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:17-21 ESV

*The kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 NASB

Moravian Prayer: Guide our nation and world leaders, grant them wisdom, conviction, courage, and compassion. We pray for an end to hatred and war, for a world united in love and peace. We pray for the ecological healing of our world, that we may be conscious of our impact on your creation. Help us to be better stewards of the world we live in and all those who inhabit it. 

God, thank you for our church families where we share and strengthen our faith. Empower and inspire us to live your love in the world each and every day. Amen.

A final week in Washington

Wildflowers in seed

Wrapping up paperwork, I'm preparing to fly out next Tuesday. The hum and click of the printer tells me the chores are wrapping up, the last signatures almost ready on paper. I have one more office visit: hopefully, the government is well-staffed on Monday. Then there's laundry, packing, and cleaning in the flat.

On the other side of the Pacific, home and husband await. Hurrah.

Tuesday, June 22.2016
Kim and I are tired but we still show up. I'll miss this friend! By 7, we're chatting, saying goodbye, and sharing prayer requests.

I zip home to rewrite a 13-year-old letter from Cambridge into a more readable form. I print it and dash back out to a writers group I attend when I'm in town.

Go Leona!

Leona is publishing a book The Third Season about calling and legacy as a Boomer (+55). How do we choose purposeful activities and contribute with all the strengths and wisdom of post-work life? Cowritten with her husband, the book comes out next month: it's HIGHLY recommended, especially if you're asking, "what now?" before or after retirement. (I'll post a review in the next weeks at 3 Books Full.)

I read aloud the revised letter of Cambridge Week 2. "Is this material for a book?" I ask them.

No. Turns out, it's still just an old 24-letter collection. There's too much detail and not enough personal memory left to fool around with this project. I can read the letters whenever I want. No need to spend more time.

Jen and I have lunch. The final visit is always sad. I miss her when we're an ocean apart. Both of us dislike phoning, so our personal times are golden.

We sit by a window but it's dark dark dark. I crave the tropical sunshine.

Wednesday
Before noon, I'm on the road to Spokane.

Where is everybody?
Eastern Washington on a rare cloudy day:
the only thing on the horizon is a semi-trailer truck,
4 lanes over.

I have a few things to accomplish - but the most important is a visit with dear family and advisors, Mel and Martha. Their hospitality refreshes, spoils, and relaxes me.

Mel offers good counsel on church planting, creating teams, and working within a skillset. I take notes - a conversation with him is like drinking from a firehose. I'll wonder what I missed if I don't write it down. I like to reflect on what he says and I hear. Sometimes things come to mind months later, just at the right time. Thanks, friend.

Martha's a heart-friend. We stroll through the Manito gardens after dropping in on Hannah (their daughter). Hannah's kids are charming, polite, and all smiles (made a good impression, I must say, Hannah!)

The rose garden is a particular favorite. The skies spit a bit but the rain holds off. Happy, Martha's Havanese, loves the walk, too.

After our walk, we get good news of an illness in remission. How we thank God.

And another friend sends a note: her husband is very ill. Tests are underway. Life is wonderful and awful, isn't it? We are grateful for God's tender presence through it all.

I take a bath to finish reading a book I've had on my list for months. By midnight, the last page is turned and I'm sleepy.

Happy boy, an adorable Havanese

Friday
Fresh banana muffins for breakfast! Thanks, Martha. It's a pleasure to catch up, but more than that, to sit together. To walk through the rooms, praying over the house. To relax on the deck overlooking fields of grass, wildflowers, and pines.

I'm at the gas station by 10:30. It's complicated. Why? Between lines, try to pay cash, and checkers who swap machines, etc. I don't leave the station until after 11.

The wide-open vistas of sprawling ranches and swaying fields of grain enlarge the heart. What a big empty space!

There's a lot of construction on I-90, which means slow-downs, narrow necks of creeping traffic, and impatient speeders. I set cruise control when I can, watching the road. My Contigo mug of black tea drains slowly to empty.

By 4, I'm nearing home. I pull off the freeway to stop at Northwest U, where W and I used to work. When I quit (as my dissertation called), I left some artwork on loan.

Finally, halfway across the mountain pass, I remembered those pieces. (Yay, I'm thinking about them at an hour the university is open!) I pick up 4 of our 6 framed Harvey prints. Hopefully the others will show up sometime. I can't find the last 2 though I peer in offices and wander the library, Davis building, and visit with President Castleberry in the Barton building.

It's fun to stroll the campus after a few years, howdying with staff and faculty. I spot a forgotten modern picture, hanging in someone's office. Bill graciously lifts it off the wall; then the car is full. Home sweet home at 5:30, just in time to babysit the grandkids while their parents attend a fundraiser.

Miss K, Levi, and I play games until supper is eaten = Oma tricks of the trade. Isaac, the youngest, cries bitterly until he gets distracted by the shenanigans of his older siblings. He goes right to sleep when his head hits the pillow. Whew!

The older two come downstairs to sleep at Oma's. After storytime, prayers, and the Bible tape runs twice, I put on Christian worship radio. That's what the kids are used to, so in a few minutes, they pass out on the fluffy white blanket, clutching their little security blankets - monkey and trucks.

Finally, I get to my own supper. Yum - those shu mai dumplings from Trader Joes are excellent. A cup of tea, unpacking, sorting, thinking. By 10, I'm ready to turn off the day. In 4 sleeps I'm on a plane again.

Read more:
*Then Hannah prayed: "My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:1-2  NLT

*You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me. Psalm 18:35 ESV

*O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3 ESV

*There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. John 1:6–7 ESV

*'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

'And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:17-21 ESV

*The kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 NASB

Moravian Prayer: Guide our nation and world leaders, grant them wisdom, conviction, courage, and compassion. We pray for an end to hatred and war, for a world united in love and peace. We pray for the ecological healing of our world, that we may be conscious of our impact on your creation. Help us to be better stewards of the world we live in and all those who inhabit it. 

God, thank you for our church families where we share and strengthen our faith. Empower and inspire us to live your love in the world each and every day. Amen.

Those we love

Monday, June 20.2016
Father's Day has come and gone with Waldemar on the other side of the ocean from us all. We call a few times, celebrate by going for Persian food (without him, sadly), and miss him.

My wonderful dad

Jake has been youth pastor for 17 years and is starting a church in North Seattle. I get to sit in and hear his call and vision. It's inspiring. But there is no mention made of "she" - only "he" on the launch team. I'm a bit surprised. And worried. God calls and empowers men and women ... Maybe I just missed something.

The two older boys and their families and I eat lunch at a Persian café and line up for photos after - just to send a hi to W from the tribe.

Then I head to Canada to spend the rest of the day with my father and mom. Wonderful!

We walk down the dike beside the river. The flowers and trees are stunning.

Flowers and more flowers

Grapes on the arbor

My brother and his wife come over for a visit late in the evening - lovely to see them and horse around.

Clouds on Cheam: a reminder of
the view, walking to high school years ago

Monday
Dad makes his awful and awfully healthy smoothies. I breathe deeply and gulp it down in one go.

Ghastly smoothies - but healthy

We walk early and again before I leave town at 10. We inhale the oxygen of the trees and the fragrance of the flowers.

A beautiful pathway at 7am

Coleus

A living room filled with family treasures and memories

Mom prepares a meal

Delphinium

Neighborly flowerbeds

Dad's violin shop is full of curiosities, as always.

Check out his online shop: http://myviolinshop.com

And I drive another 3/4 hour for a visit with W's mom. She makes a tasty European lunch - oh that bread and sausage! (and homemade pickled veges). The hours fly by - it's good to connect hearts again. She is a faithful pray-er for us, so far from home.

A very nice mother-in-law and

a good woman indeed

Mid-afternoon, it's time to head home. It takes 2.5 hours and I'm late for my meeting at Molbak's.A friend and I chunk through his book in progress. Good work, Dave! And nice to see you and the cutest grand!, Debbie.

When I get home, Jaron is hanging out out upstairs and I get to say hi. He was a piano student and he and Timo have been friends for years. The kids have a full burst of energy, so it's a short visit.

Just after I get down, Laura texts: Josie's in town. I head out the door for a cup of tea and talk at Laura and Paul's. So grateful for friendships.