We start with a leadership team breakfast at 7:15. It's positive and encouraging. The team members are such a great group of encouragers, wholeheartedly invested in the good of the community.
The flowers at the Gathering are still pretty from last week. By mid-week, they'll be looking decidedly Mediterranean. We usually take the bouquet home - if someone is in hospital or has a special event, we share them.
We go from this
to this
and finally to this
People wear the colors and costumes of their countries to BIC. It's fun to see those from China, Japan, Indonesia, and Canada dressed in red (and some white). Other colors are beautiful and bright, too. Two guys (Brazil and Uganda) wear soccer shirts with country names. To a white shirt and red jacket, W adds blue shoes to acknowledge his adoption of the USA.
Pak Chandra's new access ramp is a hit - it provides a gently-sloped aisle for those who have trouble with stairs. I'm just delighted to have universal access. It's cooler in the hall with the central doors closed: the wind tunnels through the room with more force than having all doors open. It's an unexpected bonus.
The new electric drums will take some getting used to - today, our teen drummer is ill. A 9-yr-old Brazilian picks up the sticks and keeps the worship group on time. Good job, Leo!
The food is plentiful and tasty - Ibu Teti has arranged everything with a volunteer crew.
Monday
It's Kirsten's birthday! Hurrah - so nice to celebrate with her here. The morning study is over before we know it. And we're on our way to town by 12:30. We eat at Mom's Kitchen (sandwiches, Western-style) and head for one outlet.
We eat supper at Bumi - overlooking the beautiful pool.
When we get home, we mix the broth and leftover chicken with the dog food. Cocoa zealously guards the bowl so Gypsy has to wait until she's eaten her fill. She's a light eater, he's the lucky second to the table.
I should have checked the receipt because the total looked high. When we get back, Kirsten notes that a scarf has been charged at 1 Juta ($70) more than both of us thought. Neither of us spotted it at the shop - she like it and it was already expensive. Before Kirsten checks her receipt late in the day, the driver has gone home. We're tired anyway. Ugh. Let's see if she can get a refund tomorrow!
Tuesday
After the morning team meeting, we go back to Heritage. They refuse to let K return the scarf. They show us the price tag (the only one they removed from her purchases). The Rp 1.--- --- (additional $70) is hidden in light ink in the tag's crease. They make a "special exception" for us, though. If we find some other things we like, we can get them instead. We cruise the whole store. I get the off-center blouse I tried on yesterday.
It's a quiet evening and an early one.
Wednesday
After a 6:30 online meeting and an FaceTime call to my mom, W and I go to Nara (#PinoTerrace). The staff knows our names and anticipates our order.
"Scrambled eggs and tea for breakfast, sir, madam?" Yes please. And they bring rock sugar in a separate cup, as usual.
K joins us at Miss Bee for lunch with Aaron and Caitlyn and the best-behaved baby ever (theirs)! I order a Mushroom Rules pizza but have half leftover to take home for the helpers. K puts her leftovers in the fridge, rests, and packs her suitcases.
Suddenly it's evening and time to head to the airport. A hug, a kiss, a goodbye prayer for safety and a great trip ... and she's gone again. Time flies. When we get home, W heads off to Bumi Sangkuriang with the guys. They listen to "great, ok, and not-so-great" groups at Jazz Night.
I'm glad to stay home. I catch a few educational podcasts and videos (leadership, publishing, and emotional health) before popping a sleeping pill. I HAVE to sleep through tonight. And I do - 10pm to 6am. Perfect. (I seldom take meds, so they work as promoted.)
Thursday
W's off to the mountain walk: my shoulder and hand are not gripping a walking stick yet. I stay home and edit Volume 3 of a book based on my dissertation. I plan to send it to a reader by week's end. Which is almost here.
I cancel my rehab doc appointment - the car is up in the hills with W and the dogs. Mainly, I found that Ibu Siti's massage did more good than the doc. I schedule another rehabilitative massage for the weekend. Hopefully that will take care of it.
The orchid is in full bloom on our porch.
The helpers strip K's linens, sweep and mop the bedroom and bath floors, and put the spaces in order for our next guests. Then they call me to the kitchen.
"Shall we do the fridge today?" It's no small question - we have so much food coming and going from there that food tends to stack and pack. And get lost. I find some treats from 2016. What?! We've cleaned it since then but left the chocolate alone, I guess.
I should have taken a before and after pic. I'm glad when, after an hour, everything's sorted and returned. There's room in the fridge again. The gals get start making lunch as the morning wanes. We have plenty of foods from the fridge: rice, curried sausages, and vegetables that are at peak and need to be eaten.
Earlier this week, I read a blog about putting all the perishables in the fridge door. What a great idea - we move the sauces and seasonings to the crisper, out of sight (and unsightliness).
When we're done, the fridge door contains eggs, vegetables, drinks, butter and peanut butter for baking. We can find them and can grab them through the secondary opening in the door - without reaching into the fridge. Veggies spoil in weeks where we have to eat out a lot. This hopefully puts an end to that.
Atop the crisper is dairy - yogurt, cream, and cheese. Baked cookies and cakes - used at events every week - get their own shelf. Baking supplies like butter, nuts and seeds, and baking chocolate get another. W has his own section for cheese, snacks, herring, and beef jerky from the USA.
They spend the afternoon baking cookies while I read and write. Happy housekeeping, wherever you are. When W gets back from the hike, we make a trip to the import grocer for supplies. About 12 ladies are coming for a late lunch tomorrow.
Read more:
*Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Psalm 37:7-9
*He was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. Isaiah 53:8
*I must bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. Micah 7:9
*Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. Hebrews 12:3
*Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10
Moravian Prayer: Blessed Redeemer, you have chosen us and we have sinned. Thank you for standing by us despite our imperfections. Daily, we will seek to do better by your holy name.
Everlasting Lord, you endured the greatest of suffering so that we would be free! Darkest days were yours to bear so that the sun could be ours. May we spend our whole lives repaying you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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