Healthier on the inside than out

Thursday, January 20, 2019
EvaMarie comes in the morning, fresh off the plane from Poland. She naps in the afternoon while I write and comes to the study with us in the evening. Both of us are tired by the time night comes. I'm thinking of this weekend's theme - new beginnings. (This is what a few attendees will make on Saturday with paper, string, glue, and flowers...)

Friday
In the morning, I'm in the office. After lunch, it's time for book club. This month we are reading Little Fires Everywhere, a book about family, artists, and society's expectations. We have a great discussion. One of the strengths of the group is that we have many backgrounds - Western, Thai, Indonesian, Indian ... and each woman brings her perspective to the reading. We celebrate birthdays as well.

In the evening, Eva and I have a working supper, going through the schedule for the week. The night is balmy.

I'm sorry to miss a friend's birthday; sometimes I want a body double.

Saturday
W comes home from 2 weeks in Singapore. He had a blast teaching but we are always happy to be home together.

We have Community Dinner in the evening - hurrah! As always, we enjoy the company, the Presence, and the activities.

Eva introduces herself and tells a bit about what she's doing on her world trip. Many attendees are also global citizens - or will be in the future.

 The food - beef rendang - is delicious. (Thanks, Della.)

I hug a few people with the flu and feel it - yup, it's coming.

Sunday
W speaks at the international church in the morning. Afterward, we are affirmed by attendees as their longterm pastors. The surprises of God are - well, surprises. Last year, we could not have guessed this. (We were still enjoying Terry and Sandy's leadership. They're back in Canada, working away nearer their families and on their own ongoing adventures with Jesus.)

For lunch, about 30 people hang out at our place. We order pizza in, but I make salad and have dessert ready. Of course, setting the kitchen up is part of it all. As I work, I can feel a tickle in my throat and my head is starting to ache.

Monday
We have a study, a meeting, and then it's late afternoon. I don't have much appetite for supper - the flu - complete with headache and aching gums - starts to take over, so I read and try to sleep.

Tuesday
Full flu mode. I stay in bed. No sense in prolonging this. I send the IC newsletter and do correspondence - but that's about all I can manage. W does the food shopping from my list. (My hero) When he asks if we should cancel, it's a firm no. Let's do this - the group hasn't been together since early December ... it's time for them to hang out together.

Wednesday
Movie night! Hurrah! I haven't been asleep since 11:30 last night, so at 5:30am I stop pretending its going to happen. I get to work. When I send a "help, please pray" to some friends, they promise they will. That helps.

I cook a bare minimum: 3 meats (chicken, sausage, meatballs) and three egg-cheese-bread-sausage casseroles. I strike pasta and complicated or long-cooking dishes off the menu.

We're in the office for a morning meeting - but by then most of the cooking is done. We come home for lunch and the food is cooking along. I write out a to-do list for the helpers, who arrive at 3pm.

• salad daun (leaf salad)
• nasi merah (red rice)
• nasi putih (white rice)
• sayuran dengan tahu (Tofu and veges)
• tempeh ++ (do whatever you want with tempeh - they make it spicy and garlicky)
• buah dan yogurt (fruit - with a little picture of how it should be cut)
• memotong kue (cut the cake)

Hardworking awesomeness: Ibus Sumi and Apong, jumping in front of the food line for a requested photo.

Hopefully that list helps! Gradually (in a culture of hearing instructions instead of reading them), the helpers are using the fridge checklist, so I don't have to keep reminding them what is on the menu.

 About 70 show up tonight - a lively group. I refuse the traditional cheek-to-cheek greetings and hugs.

 "I'm a good mother - I only give you good things. The flu is not good. So no hugs tonight." The guests back away with a smile.

 The helpers and I clear the meal and set up the birthday dessert (for Josh and four or five others) for intermission. Kat, Josh's daughter, decorates his birthday cake with her mom.

Before intermission, I glance around one more time. I go to bed and leave them to having fun.

I should have warned the satpams to be on duty and dole out 3 desserts, as the sign requests. (Satpam = sentry or guard - we joke about that with the helpers, who sometimes have to do portion control.) W tells me later that some kids heaped their plates with 7 or more pieces of cake and the last ones had none. Oh dear. (Not the ones below - hehe)

We have 4 boxes of homebaked cookies in the fridge - I could have pulled them out and everyone would have had plenty of sweets. W and the helper (who typically uses 2-4 lbs of butter plus who-knows-how-much sugar and flour a week) don't think of that ... we're always learning and improving our serve together.

It's a noisy and happy bunch today. The young people stay and talk until after 10:30pm. W shushes them outside the gate - they're having so much fun as they wait for their Gojek and Grab taxis, but it can disturb the older neighbors who have long since fallen asleep and will be awake by 4:30am.

Thursday
We shoot some videos, Eva edits media for a few charities, and I rest. I felt way better until I got up ... hehe. Typical flu bug. At least it's predictable. "Stay away!" I think when people come near.

Friday
K and I have a long and happy call in the morning. My voice is coming back - and my throat is less sore. We visit a bit with Eva and DrH on the porch - with gorgeous sunshine and birdsong. It's a perfect morning. When Eva leaves, I have to cancel lunch and head back to bed to rest.

W mentions his throat feels scratchy and lies down on the chaise on the porch. Oh oh!

Read more:
*Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. Job 11:7-9 NIV

*The Lord has been mindful of us; he will bless us. Psalm 115:12

*Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:20

[so be aware that ...] *Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18 

*Look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. James 3:4-5

Moravian Prayer: Lord, bless us as we live everyday to do the deeds you have set before us—for heaven has our names and is waiting for us.

Loving Teacher, help us also to pray before we speak harsh words that we cannot take back, ever-reminding us that words hurt, and we are sometimes slow to heal. Give us strength to forgive those whose words are like swords to our hearts. We look to you for your continuous love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.