We come back from our conference in Bali refreshed and energized. I can understand why God mandated rest for his people. Why don't we take him up on that more often?
Today's post is random. A bit of this and that. The beautiful flowers from last week begin to fade within days. I sympathize.
They are silvery and still pretty though.
Since I'm rested, I'm experimenting and having fun. I try out the eyebrow tattoos K picked up online. (She loves to shop and gets experimental stuff.) They don't sit tight on my eyebrows so they're already kinda peeling the first day. Makes me laugh - which is refreshing to the soul, right?
With all the noise coming our way on social media, it's been nice not to look at my phone until I've finished morning routines. I listen to scripture as I wake, pray, lift a few weights, write morning pages (journal), and take a walk (minimum 4500 steps or 2 miles = 2 laps around the neighborhood.) Then I head to the office, usually before 7am. By noon, I'm ready for a pause.
We have company on the weekend. Sarah and her friends liven our day.
Sarah has graduated and brings a wonderful cake to celebrate. Totally yummy.
Our friends Daniel and Della (shown with son Rafael) are creatives. Della and her cousin have opened a café just down Ciumbuleuit Street, across from UNPAR, the closest university. Daniel's outfitted it with shelving and art.
We go down to check it out around supper time. Good timing because the "snacks" are delicious AND filling: bitterbalen (deep-fried veges, chicken, and beef balls dipped into sweet mustard) and rissoles - among my favorite Indonesian foods.
For a sweet treat, there are little donut balls called poffertjes. Recognize the Dutch heritage in the names?
I resist the home-baked cookies on the counter but they look good.
Next week, we'll assemble another 50 packages of
sembako (food for the needy). A van-load of ramen arrives. We'll put 5 kg rice, sugar, oil, coconut cream, ramen, peanuts, and mung beans in this time. (If you want to donate to the feeding program,
let me know. It's greatly needed as people suffer during the COVID shutdowns.
We're wrapping up time with our daughter, who heads back to the USA soon. We visit places we haven't been for a while. One is a Papua New Guinea-style restaurant.
We eat "slime" made from the saga palm - you have to stab chopsticks into the bowl, then pull up, and wrap wrap wrap the chopsticks around the gel until it breaks from the bowl.
Wind faster!
If you try to grab some with a spoon, it slides right off and back into the goo. Tip the chopstick-wrapped stuff into the soup bowl surround it with lemon fish soup and bitter greens, and enjoy.
Or you can order a hot-stone meat and vegetable casserole. The little beef strips are seared on hot stones inside an iron skillet,. On top are sweet potatoes, corn, and greens. Both dishes are delicious.
It's served with various sauces made with ginger, sweet soy, or spicy peppers.
Down below, the courtyard, overlooked by high-rises, has little Papuan hut-covers over the tables. That helps when we get a rainy downpour.
Talking about water - I've come back from our week away to find the paludarium almost empty of water, which has splashed onto a rubber-lined mat (thank goodness not onto the floor). While I was gone, the drip irrigation was moved and is nicely splashing droplets onto the surface of the water and around.
As we go into the holiday season (Advent is 2 weeks away!), we begin to look forward to celebrations and feasts with those we love. 2020 is going to be very different. Thinking forward - what does God have in store for us as the year-end approaches?
A bit of history: someone sends an old picture of my beautiful mama and me in my young teens. Wow - we look so German, don't you think? Guess that's to be expected. Those were the days of real eyebrows and no makeup.
*Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest.
But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down towards your holy temple. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies – make your way straight before me. Psalm 5:1-8 NIV
*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
*I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. Isaiah 65:1
*For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Romans 3:28
Moravian Prayer: God, there is so much we do not know, even if we think we do. Help us to accept the mysteries of our faith. We pray this in deep humility. Amen.
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