Sometimes less is more

One of my friends wrote a "Big Picture Planner" that's been utterly useful in keeping track of work and life. I put all the calls and callbacks into it, day by day. That helps me see that something - and something important - is getting done. It's harder to keep track of appointments and accomplishments when one day blurs into another without a broader perspective. (Cheaper than other planners, too. Get it here.)

The best part of the week are connections spaced between time alone. If I don't get that recovery space, ooh lala, I don't want to see anyone.

We eat some good meals, including a last chance at what used to be our go-to restaurant near the office. During the covid season, neither the food nor the service has been inspiring - and they have tough competition in this neighborhood. There are many new restaurants looking for our business. Mostly, we eat at home. These ribs are tasty and the broccoli cooked just right #MissBeeProvidore.

This is a typical Indonesian meal: a cone of rice surrounded by side dishes.

In the office, things have almost wrapped up: The tank is coming back to life after an algae bloom while we traveled. No matter what we tell people, they feed too much. Then I have to take everything apart and restart the tank.

W came into the office and painted the doors white inside. Once in a while he likes to do the work of his father (a professional house-painter) though I'd leave it for the handyman.

We go from this 

to this. Once the eye doesn't stop at a contrast, that's good. It's also brightened the corner a lot.

Thursday and Friday we have business in Jakarta, culminating in a wonderful lunch with friends.

IKEA doesn't let us in - we were hoping to drop by to see if what I need is available. The woman takes one look at W's white hair and asks for ID. "Too old," she says after a glance at his passport. "Can't go in." They don't ask if we've been vaccinated. They don't ask if we are healthy. Go away. We do.

A friend suggests I shop IKEA online and have it shipped to a pickup point near their house. Nope. IKEA is not getting my money this trip. Besides, the best fun (besides what we need) is browsing the "as-is" section.

W decides to hit the foreign grocer first and then go to the hotel. That's a mistake for me. Instead of wanting to head out to explore, the fatty lunch catches up and I take a quick nap. The hotel is very comfy - I love the peaceful blues on the floor.

We head into the mall at my lowest time of day. W walks me through every floor on two connected malls, but it's just a runaround. I don't even window-shop with company. A quick floor to floor exploration in an hour - and 6000 steps ... and it's better to go in the morning when I'm alone.

Supper is a dim sum place that's not as good here as its franchise in Singapore (fabulous) and in Seattle (pretty good).

I'm initially tempted by the take-home freezer but afterwards am no longer hunger so we skip it. I can't shop for food when I'm not hungry.

Our view from the table is strange - Greek statues on pedestals and golden lions spaced around a blue-painted sky dome. 

Inside the mall, the enormous red dragon from Chinese New Year still hovers. OH! it's my one chance to get into a good Asian mall - it's been a while. (Did I even get to a decent mall this past year?)

We sleep well on a comfy mattress. And when I'm ready to go, the mall doesn't open until 10:00. Someone calls at 10, I have 20 minutes of browsing - long enough to dash into one fitting room in the mall. Then I have a wonderful tea with a dear young friend.  We have a final luncheon before heading home to Bandung. So that didn't work. Next time, I block off time alone in a mall ... "pick me up in 2 or 3 hours."

The "bucking bronco" highway is a little disconcerting as the fastest way in and out of Jakarta. W thinks perhaps planners chose a non-even surface to prevent racing on the elevated freeway. I'm sure it works.

What my frustration at not finding the things I hoped to shop for produces is a "next idea." I'm going to start exploring the sections of our own city without errands or agendas. I'm sure I can find some of the things I'm looking for here - somewhere. With most expats gone, the shops with non-Indonesians goods have mostly closed. (Jakarta has more foreigners and more international selections. But we don't get there more than a few times a year, usually on a run-through.)

Not driving the car ourselves is a benefit. It's easier to have a local driver handle negotiations if we're hit by someone and we are less likely that we'll be stopped for any reason. It gives us time to talk or work in the car in bad traffic. And the salary benefits a local person's family.

W plans our excursions to town around things we are looking or chores. I still don't know where I am after years in this city. "Look at the maps I'm using," he says to me - but since I have no idea of our destination, the journey is meaningless. Round and round we go.

I recognize some landmarks but have little idea of how to get there on my own. The streets wind around hills and neighborhood with arbitrary and ever-shifting one-ways and blocked streets. Ok girl, it's time to explore, to do some planning on my own map. Knowing where we're headed, even if it's just a section of the city, it won't take me long to get a handle on it. Brain-chaos for me is that "just one stop" for an errand that takes us on a windy detour.

This week, I make several dozen video calls and listen to some podcasts. It's a productive few days though not easy. And how did we get to the weekend again?

My faithful little "lamb" snoozes patiently in the sunshine at my feet or sits on my lap. He's totally curly after a few trips to the yard in the rain. After only 2 weeks, B is part of my life. He loves the morning walks and hangs out nearby all day long. Good doggie.

Read more:

*Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8 NIV

Perhaps a Lockdown? and relief

 The driver gets a mandatory COVID test because his neighbors have tested positive. He tests positive as well, though symptoms don't appear until days later. That shuts down the house. W and our guests were in the car with him yesterday, masked of course. We send the bad news around to everyone but we all test negative. 

Everyone is suffering, including some friends of friends, who are stuck with 15 containers of rattan furniture for an American company that's gone bankrupt. That affects the weavers and their families, the suppliers, and the shippers ... know anyone who could use a container of beautiful rattan chairs? (I'll pass your contact along.) Or maybe you want to redo a hall or large lobby? Here it is!

Near the end of rainy season, the leaves and flowers are stunning. On the left (below) is a mosquito-repellent plant. Sometimes I pluck stems and put them throughout the house. W gives in and sprays the water-wells in the bromeliads against mosquitoes this week, too.

We also have to paint the porch tables after 6 years. W puts the 2 porch fishbowls on one table while he gets to work. Don't you love the Bali-glasswork. It's made by glassblowers who use driftwood and roots to mold the bottoms of the glass bowls.

On a walk, I admire the tall trees with their bright orange blossoms. On the street, they fall in heaps, swept away with garbage and dead leaves. Such beauty and abundance, lavished around the world by our Heavenly Father, if we just pause long enough to look around.

Dropping to the pavement:

Details of each 5" blossom: the yellow lace edging gets me every time. 

Thursday, March 18, 2021

The helpers get tested and at this point, they are negative. We'll pay for a second test next week. We cut back their work-days while paying them full-time. It's not their fault that the virus is starting to hit villages all along the ridge. And everyone is suffering financially and needs the income.

No mountain walk for us, sadly. I clip on the leash as usual but when I walk around the yard with the dogs, they look at me as though I've lost my mind. They drag behind on the leash. No matter - I do about 1/2 mile of loops and unclip them. They are not impressed. W and I stay in all day. This is the start of 14 days of quarantine. Maybe. We've already had COVID but will get tested at the beginning of next week, when exposure should show up.

Friday and Saturday

We walk before 6am so that we pass few people. There's no way the big dogs will be okay with staying in the yard and we're feeling restless, too. Our bodies are used to 4-5 miles of walking every day. We head straight back into our gate. The mornings are clear and cool at 5:30 as the skies start to lighten. 67oF (20oC). We wear long sleeves and shiver as we start out.

 I cook whatever strikes my fancy. W usually does dishes. I clear out the fridge freezer in a few hours, making a stew for the dogs from freezer-burned meats, rice, and pumpkin. My little white poodle shadow is my taster. He sleeps near my feet and dogs my footsteps otherwise. I love it - and he likes the green shag rug from IKEA under the porch tables.

I freeze the dogfood in ice-cube trays. That makes it easy to defrost and pour over their kibble. I also make a chili soup for ourselves. With various cook in our kitchens, I never know what's frozen or what's been used up. After this deep clean, I not only know what we have but where it is.

My energy is low, having to stay in. I read, write, study, and have tea on the porch. I never get tired of the colors of the garden. We send half a lime pie to the neighbors. Otherwise we'll end up eating the whole thing ourselves. It's delicious, a creation from Ibu A.

There are so many limes in the garden - I put a few more on the plate after the last dozen are eaten or given away.

Sunday

We're celebrating Sunday with BICOnline - after an early walk and a big breakfast.

I toss raw oatmeal, pineapple, seeds, and nuts into a bowl of blueberry yogurt. Mix it together, and it's uglier than you can imagine. But it's also tastier than expected. The tang of yogurt and fresh pineapple mesh well with dried plums, blueberries, and apricots. Add in the crunch of hemp and pumpkin seeds, almonds and walnuts, and the creaminess of cashews ... and you have a perfect breakfast bowl.

The hardest thing I do all day - and I've been agonizing over this for 6 weeks - is pull the plug on an in-person gathering for Easter. I just haven't heard "go" or "stay" from God. 

Because we are preaching through the Bible - and we're at the beginning, so W and I have been reading Genesis 11-50 over and over. It's the story of Abraham and his descendants and relatives.

Though Abraham was a man of faith, he and his wife took matter into their own hands, pre-empting the promise of God to bless all nations. Abraham loved and prayed over both sons. That resulted in blessings on both sons Ishmael and Isaac, but there has been conflict between two boys ever since. They began competing as children so many thousands of years ago. Their quarrels continue through their progeny even today.

Warned by that, I'm not willing to go without God's leading. So we pull the plug. We will come back in person in God's time.

But here's the challenge we're sending to everyone in our circles: during Passion Week (this year from March 28-April 3), call 2-3 people. Tell them you love them and miss them. Remind them that Jesus died and rose to bring them close to God - and that will always be Good News, whatever the pandemic restrictions may be. 

This black flower blooms on a shrub beside our teras. It reminds me that even darkness can be precious to God and beautiful to others.

Monday

I sit on the office porch, enjoying the breezes as I work and make Monday calls. The "zoom quilt" is coming along nicely, call by call. The needle goes in and out, pulling thread through the layers.

We get a rapid test - we and Melvina, all negative. By now, the virus should have shown up if we were getting it, so that's a relief.

We head out to lunch at Maxi's - it's completely empty on the porch. A tropical paradise nonetheless.

Tuesday

This is the day we record our Sunday talk (past ones here). We're "late." W planned for 6 but we start at 7am instead. "Late is as late does," as we say.

We're late because I start the washing machine for my semi-annual laundering of our bedspread. I look over, "What's that, crammed into the second washer?" (Thank God for 2 machines, this one a gift from an expat returning home - used for bedding and guest laundry.) Whew, there's SO much soap, plus 4 pillowcases, a couple of sheets, and who knows what else in there. I scoop out half the items and half the soap - and it's still foamy. Oh well, I guess the helper will get a refresher on laundry tomorrow.

Why on earth start laundry before 6am? It's because draining the water storage tanks later in the morning means no more water for the day. Limited city water comes in about 7-10am. There is a well further on the property, but people took the pump and other gear before we knew it was there.

We do as much with water early so that the storage tanks have time to refill and we have water for the evening. However, often city water is cut off before the tanks even fill. Yup, we live in nice old house with a terrible water supply and not-grounded electricity (wear your flip-flops or rubber soles, otherwise you get a shock when you touch a live electric cord.)

Anyway, W starts the next round of filtered water in the back kitchen, too. That's used for aquariums as well as drinking. We're low on water because I just cleaned the fishbowl. When he's done, we hop in the car with a few bottles of filtered drinking water and the gear for recording at the office. Feels utterly decadent to drive 1/2 mile! since we don't do that very often.

The driveway needs sweeping each morning: it is full of leaves again - and there's a bag of clippings propped up on the post. Will have to take care of that today.

Breakfast is from the bag of seeds and nuts I keep refilled in the office. Oh wait - there's also old banana bread in the fridge. I'll have a little slice of that, too. Perfect for such a morning. 

It's wonderful to meet with 2 reciprocal mentors. Then it's back to work on FocusMate, with partners from New Jersey and Oregon.

Read more:

*This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble. Psalm 34:6

For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:10

*For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV

Moravian Prayer; Compassionate Lord, every time we cry out to you, you are there to save us from trouble. Every time we knock, you open the door to us. Thank you for always being there for us. Amen.

Friends in calling and heart

Monday, March 15, 2021

What did we do before Zoom, WA video, and FaceTime? This morning, I have 3 hours of calls, all of them life-giving and helpful. For the first one, we are doing handwork - quilting and knitting together. Frees the mind to think deeply. I roll up the quilt on the table.

We're waiting for dinner guests this afternoon. 2 plan to sleep over. The others will be at a nearby hotel reputed for its great service and beautiful valley views.

"We'll be there about 4pm," they text. Except that they' leave the last place at 3 ... and miss the turnoff to the express highway. It takes an hour to fight their way back onto an entry ramp. Still, it's less stress than churning through traffic leaving the big city. (Jakarta has 28 million people and still counting. Yup - it's that big. Most Canadians could fit into its metro area.)

Before 7pm, I decide to tuck their Mexican-style supper fixings into the fridge. They can make lunch tomorrow: W and I can't eat a big meal at 8 or 9pm. 

What do I have on hand? They're 1/2 hr away. We'd planned beef burger sliders for lunch tomorrow. How about that? The bread's not baked yet but the meatballs are rolled and waiting in the refrigerator.

I pull together taco rice (already warming in the rice cooker), make gravy for the meatballs, steam vegetables with added flavor and butter, and find a bowl of acar (pickled cucumbers). It's on the table when they pull in the gate at 7:20.

It's always relaxing to sit on the porch with company. The mountain air pushes the virus and other griefs away. We love these friends - and are delighted to see their little boys growing up. Total cuteness.

Tuesday

W and I walk to the office to record Sunday's talk. By 6:30am, the sun is starting to stream into the windows. It used to take a lot of effort to capture what we want to say, but we've been online for a year. Now it's easier. And faster.

I walk home to cook French Toast for breakfast with our two houseguests. Melvina's up so she joins us - great fun to be together. Three of us walk up to the office to see where W and I spend much of our time.

W goes shopping with the two houseguests while I take two online calls. Then I'm hungry. One call is a study with a Malaysian friend and the other is to a co-mentor in Washington State. Meanwhile,  the helpers have baked bread-buns. They are hot, soft, and salty.

Lunch isn't going to happen at lunchtime. One of the other guests pulls in before noon. I've just taken yesterday's "supper-fixings" out of the fridge so the meat can return to room temperature. He wants to film an interview with us before we eat. It's off-the-cuff; we have no prep or idea what he's going to ask. This could take a while. Hot bread buns it is ... we grab one each at noon to tide us over.

I end up chopping and prepping with Ibu Sumi, while M grills the meat and Katie warms the tortillas. The steak and avocado mousse, inside the warmed tortillas, is so good that I forget to take a picture. 

Can you make Lemon Meringue Pie (with our limes), I ask Ibu A? And forget to give her the recipe. She finds a bilingual cookbook and combines the egg whites into the lemon pie, baking it to a custardy texture. It doesn't look like lemon meringue pie, which most people love. That's ok. "This would see out in the mall in a heartbeat," say our Jakarta guests. "Indonesians would love the texture and the sweet-sour taste."

We've picked over 50 limes from our 5' tree. it's still blooming. Still bearing. We have enough for another attempt on Thursday. "Let's separate the egg whites and make a meringue next time, shall we?"  

We eat the carnitas and talk and laugh on the porch until late afternoon.

Full. That's the only way to describe how we feel. Laughter, another memory together, and lots of food.

We decide to stay in during the evening while the guests venture around the city a bit. We hand them a key and say, "Have fun!" By the time they head out at 7:30pm, everything will be closed. Sure enough, none of the street food venders are around; there's little to explore or see. They do enjoy the food at Nara, nearby. We're sleeping by the time they come back.

Wednesday

I wake early (4-ish?) Before our walk, the pizza toppings are chopped for lunch and the breakfast crepes are mixed. I remember that we got frozen peaches from our last trip to the Adventist grocer. They always have good fruit, seeds, and grains. How about that with fresh crepes?

W and I head out the door with the 3 dogs, Katie joining us around the neighborhood. Nice to have a fast walker - and she likes walking our dogs because they're well-behaved.

Today the crepes don't stick to the little saucepans - I pour batter and swirl two side-by-side pans to make the prep go faster. Hmmm. Those peaches are a bit sour but delicious with whipped cream on top of the crepes. As usual, everything is in the fridge - I just have to pull out ingredients. 

W takes several guests up to the tea fields where they want to take pictures with their drone. Hope they know how to fly it: would be easy to lose in the acres of lines of tea shrubbery.

Read more:

*Please, show me your glory. Exodus 33:18 NKJV

*Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:8-9

*Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave 

you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Moravian Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is through Christ that we can come to you. We thank you for sending Christ to give his life for us, reconciling us to you. We respond in faith and obedience. Amen.

#2 WAIT is over. Mostly a dog post, for those of you who like dogs.

There were 2 hard-for-me "waits" realized this week: I'm the one who never prays for patience because I get enough occasions to practise it. Those cause 2 slight shifts in the rhythms of life.

First, the inaccessible utility ledge outside the office becomes a finished teras, thanks to JP and his good management at the facility. Now W and I work outside and meet people on the porch instead of inside. Second, we have added a wee canine retiree to our household. That means I have a small poodle shadow everywhere I go. I forgot how much I missed that until Bertie arrives on Friday.

Two waits fulfilled. I'm always relieved when a wait is over.

What's the pop of color in the middle of the back wall?. I tear off branches of the Brazilian Red Crown shrub and throw them into a huge glass bowl. They hang over the sides in a glorious 3' display. Perfect for the porch.

Mike Roberts, a composer, performer, and music professor in the UK, asks his friends to send a video with words telling what we learned from our mothers. With cellist Nick Ingles, they have formed a new duo: Two Lads and a Laptop. Their video series includes a new one for Mothers Day. Check it out here.

Friday, March 12, 2021

It's a working morning with 3 hours of online meetings. How wonderful to talk to friends and global co-mentors. I also have a first counseling appointment with a psychologist recommended by a trusted counselor. I give him permission to ask me any questions that confirm that I'm on track or need to work through an issue. 

"Is there something wrong? Is there a specific reason for this appointment?" Paul asks. Nope. Several top leaders in our organization advise routines of self-care that include a trained counselor. I'm acting on their recommendation.

It's a mental health check-in. I'll always prefer preemptive help and pursuing wellness more than medication or remedial help, whether that's daily walks and weekly hikes for physical health, a spiritual advisor, vocational mentors ... or now, a counselor.

I get a WA just before lunch from the pet taxi: "I'm 5-10 minutes away." Oops - we asked for a bit more warning than that. I pack up in the office, lock the doors, and head home at my best clip.

In our neighborhood, a white van stops beside me. "You Ibu Rosemarie?" the driver asks.

Yes I am. Francesco and his pet taxi are lost. He can't figure out our house number (is that a typed B or a 9?). He is driving around trying to figure it out. He hasn't used the Google Map pinpoint so he's glad to see me and follows me home.

Oh Bertie is a cutie! W has put the other dogs in their crate for his arrival. We are warned by Francesco, "He's a good dog but won't do his thing in the yard. Then you bring him in and he poops and pees in the room 5 minutes later."

Oh oh, that's not going to happen if I can help it! I walk him to where our dogs go and he does his business. Whew.

And how does an alpha dog adjust to a new home? We want to avoid aggression from the start. First, we take the old dogs out of the yard, letting the new one wander around and potty in the right place. Then the newcomer comes inside while the old dogs return to the yard to explore who's been on their turf. We do this off and on for a day = tradesies.

On the second day, we go for a walk. The regulars are out the gate before the new dog appears from the house. He's last on the walk, on a separate leash. Within a block, they're walking across the street from each other. The handlers have to stay calm; we're not talking except for the cheery, 'good dog' as they walk beside us. The dogs can sort out their pecking order later, but you don't want to rile up an old-timer by making the new guy their competition.

That's what we do with Bertie, "a wonderful boy but remember that he's been the alpha at our house," according to Elizabeth Love of #BaliPoodleDoodle. 

Bertie has no problems at all fitting in. Mind you, he's been well-socialized by Elizabeth, who's had him since he was 10 weeks old. And he's been a pack dog all his life.

After walking 2 miles around the neighborhood, we take the dogs to a big fenced schoolyard. We let them off leash and hold our breaths. They sniff each other and walk around the yard. No drama. Then we walk them home together ...  and let them off the leash when we get into our yard. That's it. No fuss at all. 

When I whistle, the big dogs run over and sit near me. Treat time! Bertie watches and it's not long before he catches on and gets his treat, too. (I use that high whistle to call them if they get out of sight on our Thursday walks - though sometimes Gypsy decides whether to come or not.)

"Is this your new grandchild?" one lady giggles as she walks by. Nope. But they've never seen us with our grandchildren, just with our dogs.We have 4 wonderful grands and we miss them! Dogs are special on a different level entirely.

I do some trimming in the garden, my new little white shadow right beside me. I'd forgotten the pure pleasure of a small poodle: they are wired to adore their people. Doesn't hurt anyone to have a little adoration, right?

When I come up on the teras, Bertie is still running around. He finds a patch of mud in the grass and rolls around to his heart's content. And the white hair turns black. He is covered in wet dirt from ear to tail to paws. What a happy boy.

... Until I wash him off. The perfection of his blowout disappears in a mass of poodle curls. Sorry #1BaliGroomer Pak Agung. Less than 24 hours here and Bertie already looks more like a dog than a model. Sigh. Good doggie anyway. He stands like a champion, head and tail held high.

The whole day long, the dogs wander around - they get 2 more walks from our driver, who says there's no trouble at all. They pad along together like they've always been a pack. 

"Do we need a 3-way coupler?" asks Waldemar. I've never seen one. But we do prefer having the big dogs on one leash.

Saturday

We take a long walk in the morning, work for a few hours, and then prep toppings for pizza night. This one is supposed to start at 3:30, which means I have 15 minutes to grab a book, lay down, and pretend I napped. They don't come until 4. But I'm already up.

It's always a highlight of our week to have pizza night. We are gradually meeting with all the families in our community of friends, one group at a time.

W mixes the pizza dough on Tuesday.n This week he's got a second evening (next Tuesday night) to prepare for, so he makes 2 batches. After a 4-5 day cold rise in the fridge, he'll warm them to room temperature, roll them out, and pre-bake the crusts before our friends arrive.

It's the oddest thing: I'm trying to hunt down a blue-and-white Dutch-style floor tile. We're using one on the porch, there are 2 in the kitchen, and the 4th has ... disappeared.

Sunday

W sets his alarm every Saturday night for a coffee group from Seattle that meets at 11pm our time. Today I get up as he's coming to bed. There's a 3-hour women's conference from 12-3am. I set my alarm, catch a few hours of sleep, and throw a batik scarf over my PJs. It's wonderful to see the faces of leaders. So it's worth showing up. However, I am tired when it's over.

I put in earplugs against the roosters, chants, and traffic of the pre-dawn hours. I pull eye shades on and don't wake until full light at 6am. W and I get the dogs out the gate by 6:30 for a long walk. 

On the way home, we stop in at the schoolyard again while I feed the fish in the office. Today, Bertie meets Casey, the wee alpha dog who rules the place. They check each other out. Then Casey amuses herself by chasing our biggest dog (Gypsy) around the yard. Yup, she's the boss.

BICOnline gathers at 9. W hosts the pastor-chat at 10:30. And I show up for a meeting at 11.

It's hot out at noon, mostly overcast but the sun bores through the cloud cover occasionally. W's wanted to walk down to a new-to-us restaurant #BICorner. Something comes up every time, so today we finally pull on hats, walking shoes, and test it out. 

Isn't the restaurant courtyard gorgeous? On a call this week, my mom reminds me that I've always loved plants. When I was a toddler, they had to watch me when we went to visit because I'd dig through our hosts' flowerpots and have potting soil everywhere.

Two of us siblings like pets. Two others have no interest in them at all. I remember catching the spiders who lived in the bricks of our childhood porch, worms dug from the garden, and bees caught in mason jars from the honeysuckle hedge. I had guinea pigs, fish, and birds, too. Dad wouldn't let us get a dog.

BICorner's yard is advertised as "pet-friendly" but the server is scared to death of Bertie. He calmly rests under the seats or trots around the empty courtyard.

I choose lamb chops - the best I've had in Bandung - for $5.00, including vegetables and fries. W has their fish and chips. And he orders a sample platter so we can try a few things ... for $3.50. I will happily come back again.

The rest of the day is quiet. I poke around the yard, dead-head flowers, tear out over-enthusiastic bromeliads, and contact several people. Then I read on the porch for a few hours. A good sabbath rest indeed.

Read more:

*The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. Amos 8:11-12

*Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” Luke 11:28

*By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Moravian Prayer: Living God, as we continue our spiritual journey during Lent, may your word become more precious to us. As we read, study, reflect, and obey the word of God, may we grow closer to you and stronger in our faith. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

"Anyone bored with faith hasn't experienced the terrors of God."

 Monday, March 8, 2021

The IF Gathering is an inspiration. It features top speakers and thinkers within Christian circles. Some of it is "American", so irrelevant in our setting. However, there's a lot of encouragement to worship God with all our hearts, no matter where we are in the world. "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name..." that's what we are encouraged to do.

How are you worshiping God and loving others today? Those are the two commandments that Jesus said wrapped up all the laws God cared about. If you do these two, your life will be well-lived.

The neighbor hands us a ripe papaya from the back garden. We cut it and put lime on it - and that's the most delicious dessert you can imagine.

I find this funny card. So true.

Tuesday

Pak Nugroho sends over bromeliads, which Pak Lili wires into the frangipani tree. That tree's branches have a few leaves with fragrant flowers on the tips. It's the oddest tree - and these bromeliads will be filling in the spaces.

All morning, the white trim is being repainted on the porch. We started on the project last week, cutting a door out of the office to a bare ledge. I had no idea what was out there, beyond the little wall I could see from inside.

Once we sweep away the soil, spray the ants away, and paint some pots, I can bring furnishing from home. The rug is already in a BIC corner; we just have to find it and roll it out. There's an extra pillow on the office sofa, too. Let's put that on the old armchair so it's more comfy.

W's sister asks if I want anything from their mom's condo. His mother has moved into assisted living and is enjoying the meals and care. That means wrapping up the past. There's just one thing I'd like, an amusing teapot set: Reigning Cats and Dogs by Fitz&Floyd. We gifted that to her years ago. I'd use it a lot just because it makes me smile and ... well, I do like tea!

Wednesday

It's date morning. Nothing that I order from the menu is available. Kosong. The cooks don't start until 10, except those at our regular hangout. It's good anyway.

In the supermarket Borma, I spot filter sheets (polyester mats) for aquariums. I tug at the "wool" and it doesn't fray or lose its shape. I buy a bag for $1.50 - let's see if we can use it instead of polyester quilt batting. (Always good to think outside the box. This is low-risk; wonder if it works. In this case, success or failure is a learning experience.)

On the shelf is another wonder. The local "oven" is typically a tin box ($10-30) that sits over the gas burner that is common in most homes. It's 1-3 days wages, so not everyone has one, and it's not that sturdy. You think it's hard to regulate a standard oven? Imagine guessing at the temperature for meat or baking, depending on how strong a stovetop flame is.

There are all kinds of models, all light-weight aluminum with a thin glass for the front door.

Driving by, W spots an aquascaping shop. We pull up and look at the beautiful tanks inside.

Two young men are putting together the wood and stone that make the tanks sparkle.

We also stop at a mid-city nursery. 15' palms, their roots exposed in the bright sunlight, lean against a building.

What is this ugly clump of stumps beside the little brick path? The grower shows me a few frothy stems emerging from a 4" knot - it's some kind of Indonesian fern. Wow.

I have no idea what this 10" fruit is. Weird, right? It hangs 4 feet up in the air on a spindly shrub.

These growers and sellers have been here for years. There are many nurseries north of Bandung in the city of Lembang. But these gardeners offer healthy plants for a good price, right in town.

Some of the mid-size (15"-24") pottery and ceramic pots are stunning. They sell for $15-25. Rp 200.000-300.000 sounds like a lot of money though. I leave them behind for now.

From the curb to the backs of the shops, green green green in every shape and color is broken up with flowering shrubs or border plants. All the tender houseplants of North America are crammed together for year-round gardening here.

There are orchid specialists, too. 2'-3' plumes wave above the leathery leaves in many colors.

After walking through the nursery streets, I go back to the first strip of little shops. I've spotted two small trees - a gardenia @$3.50 and a 5' cypress tree @$5 - to finish off the office porch. Look at the difference they make in yesterday's photo and today's.

So, with that planting, the outdoor office space, one thing I was waiting on last week, is done. I sit outdoors to talk to someone, use it for an online team meeting, as well as others. Feels good to take my laptop onto the porch.

And the second expectation is on almost realized. This morning, Lizzy is sending two labradoodles to their new homes and she includes the little guy she's rehoming with us. She's had him since he was 10 weeks old! so this is hard on her.

The BIC team decides to go ahead with a Sunrise Service on Easter morning. We can't wait to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Thursday

I don't sleep well. I'm too excited. Apparently Bailey is coming our way as a passenger: he sits on the lap of the driver's daughter instead of starting the trip in his crate. W had a night meeting (USA time was in the afternoon) so he's sleeping in.

I go into the kitchen to try a NYTimes recipe: milk-soaked beans. Sounds and looks uninteresting but the taste - oh the taste! It's delicious! That's what we have for breakfast. Here's how:

• Cut 1 head garlic crosswise and fry on low heat, cut-side down in 1tbsp butter. Toss the skins when the cloves are soft (10 min).
• Add 1 c milk, 1 can white beans (drained, rinsed), 1 can chick peas (with liquid), 1 bay leaf, some nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Simmer (don't boil) for 30 minutes. Stir a few times.
• Pull out the garlic cloves and smoosh them on bread. Mash the beans and spread those over the roasted cloves = ugly beige perfection. 
• Use as a dip or on baked potatoes if you prefer. Store in the fridge.

W and I walk down the hill for lunch at a burger truck. It's approximately the same distance as our shorter mountain walks. The Thursday group isn't hiking today since it's a government holiday. The dogs lap up the chicken-burger crumbs.

On the way home, we loop up to the office so W can glue down the veneer lifting up from the storage room door. In our house and elsewhere, wood veneer doors are standard. After some years, the bottom of the door begins to fray; the veneer breaks, starts to peel off the frame, and chips loose in strips.

When Bailey arrives (ETA 9-10pm), W will take the 2 big dogs out of the yard. We'll let the little one do his "business," stretch his legs, and then crate him for the night. The other 2 can run around and sniff the yard once he's safely inside.

Except that they're still 3 hours away at 10pm, when the transport company texts us. Sigh. We've stayed up - but crash into bed as soon as we know he's not coming today.

Friday

I have a 7 o'clock meeting, another scheduled for 9-11, and decide to do those in the office. W's not up to walking this morning but shows up with the big dogs a few minutes after I get here. They're happy to have come on the short walk from home with him. W's door fix is looking good; he props the door back onto its hinges as my first meeting starts.

When it's over, I get on the stair-stepper and pedal fiercely. Here's my takeaway from the first meeting: "The future is a story that doesn't exist yet. Yet our God is equally in the past, present, and future. He desires to be fully present with us, no matter when."

I'm going to think about that. With so much changing around us, that is very reassuring. We agree: "Anyone bored with faith hasn't experienced the terrors of God." His ways are beyond predicting or finding out.

The batik quilt is spread on the conference table, ready for the second meeting. Hands busy, ears open. And, of course, I'm waiting to hear when Bailey will get here.

Read more:

*Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf. They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground. They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the Lord our God and will be afraid of you.

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:16-19 NIV

*You shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land. Leviticus 26:5

*And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Matthew 14:20

Moravian Prayer: Loving God, it sounds too magnificent to believe. You generously showered the earth with all that we, your children, need. Forgive us for the soil we have depleted, the air we have fouled, and the water we have poisoned and wasted. In the gift of the earth, you have given us all that we need, from generation to generation. Despite your generosity, many of your children never learned to care for their possessions or share with others. Strengthen us to live a new way. Amen.