Thankful for every day

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

On the tree next to the porch, nature has overtaken the orchid base. It's pretty enough to be a table centerpiece.

We walk to the hall to check on supplies the volunteers will use to decorate for Christmas. This stag horn beetle is dead - but beautiful. If someone had brought me something like this as a child, it would have fascinated me to no end. Our Seattle grands are less enthusiastic about the treasures Oma brings from Indonesia.

Ready to go? Almost. The initial chaos is part of the process.

On another note,  the huge capiz shell chandelier in our first rental is unforgettable, even after 7.5 years. I keep looking for something similar but they cost hundreds of dollars, if you can find them. Nope.

W orders 1000 shells online for $15. The guy advertises them all with 2 holes but texts that he only has 450. So he promises to throw in an extra 100 if we'll take some without holes. Ok.

When the package arrive in four bags, there are 50 extra shells. Promises promises. 

But hey, we have nothing else to do but drill holes, right? It can take the place of knitting when I have to wait or feel bored. ha ha. (No, I don't knit, though Mom taught me how.)

I unwrap the upstairs tree and pull the netting into a tree skirt. Bailey is always at my heels. A poodle makes every picture better. 

I make sure the upstairs living room is ready for whoever spends the season with us. We never know who needs the respite. I like the shot-up target we found along the street - reminds me to stay on course. Plus it looks great on the wall!

We run Angie's options for the new logo past several teams and friends. This is what we decide on.

Thursday

It's American Thanksgiving. I walk into the living room with a thankful heart. I'm glad for yesterday's work and the privilege of stewarding a space like this.

The dogs are freshly groomed and look fit for the holiday season. That won't last long. One rainfall or one romp in the garden and they're back to regular dogs.

The vines are in full flame above the entry arch to Nara Park. We decide to have breakfast there after our walk.

First comes a tranquil cup of tea in the courtyard. I never get tired of eating outside with no temperature control needed.

I'm craving my usual: mie Rica (spicy noodles served with a side of broth.) Their popcorn shrimp/chicken reminds me of what I've missed in the past weeks when we've skipped dates.

Bromeliads and other greens, nursed as exotics in cooler climates, thrive here. They're rudely chopped back and will regrow over their boundaries in no time.

We miss the walk in the mountains, which is ok. The walkers are going through monkey territory and it's hard to keep tabs on Gypsy when he hears them. So the dogs have the day off, too.

We're at our computers most of the day until 3:00 and time to drive to the next city. We make a quick stop at the As-Is in IKEA near our hosts' home. What do these stuffed animals remind you of?

They have lights for 75% off in perfect timing for our Jesus the Light of the World Advent theme at IES Bandung.

Our Thanksgiving hosts have a beautiful overlook of the lake. The cooling breezes come up through the valley so they don't need A/C. Joy sets out the abundance of food everyone has brought.

Below is my plate of restraint. Really. There's so much food that I take a sample of most of it, before heaping a green salad on top. The home-brined meats include baked and then grilled chicken breasts. There are yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. The salad is crisp and fresh.

The conversation is easy, whether in the house or on the deck. Desserts include pies, whipping cream, and cookies.

W introduces a new game that is raucous and fun. The kids join in. They have found each other as they came in. Looking around the tables, we come from 6 nations.

It's after 8:00 when our car heads home, dropping off Alice and DrH at their house and bringing Melvi to ours. We have a plateful of leftovers for lunch tomorrow, too.

Friday

I'm on calls much of the morning. A plate of Thanksgiving food gets sent to Laurel, who missed the Thanksgiving party due to the flu. What a hard start to Indonesia. Thanksgiving is a big deal for Americans and missing time with new friends by being sick? Awful. We are thankful that she's here.

PakG hauls the IKEA lights, W's toolbox, and other odds and ends to the hall. W runs errands while I write and tidy up. We're getting close to the weekend. I feel the joy of Advent coming our way.

Read more:

*Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17

A whole lot of shakin' going on

Monday, November 21, 2022

Minutes before we land in Bandung, there's a 5.4 earthquake 40 miles (60 km) away. Buildings on Java are constructed of soft brick and mud mortar. They're plastered to look solid. When the ground shakes, walls and roofs come tumbling down. Hundreds are killed or missing, more are injured, and thousands are left homeless.

The city of Bandung is not harmed. PakG reports dizziness due to the heaving ground as he waits for us at the airport. We're happy the runway is still and level when our wheels touch down. Everyone knows someone in that area - whether family or friends. Please pray for Indonesia and for those affected as the recovery efforts begin.

The Lembang Fault lies just north of Bandung, cutting through the forests and fields we walk each week. It shifts 3mm/year so geologists are expecting a catastrophic earthquake. It won't be pretty in this city of millions.

Tuesday

A walk and an online meetup with the team defines the morning. Lunch is good: leftover rendang (spicy beef stew) and Paulina's green-mango salad.

We haul Christmas things to the IES hall, the two helpers bake cookies, and W and I start to catch up on work.

Rebekah gifted me with a RocketBook (digital notebook) last month. I finally open it today - and I love it! It's easy to understand, quick to use, and ... it works!

I make rough sketches of where the Christmas decor will go. Then I scan the pages to my computer and print them out. We'll pin copies around the IES hall this weekend, for volunteers to interpret and bring to life.

Wednesday

On our walk, we notice how the volcanic tropical soil brings sticks to life. At the end of last year, someone rammed some dracaena branches into the ground close to the street, outside their hedge. This is what the "sticks" looked like by February.

Now they're thriving and leafing out. That will make the already-narrow 1.5-lane road almost impassable in the chaos of weekend traffic. But it keeps tourists from parking on the public strip in front of that person's house!

Workers are digging a 10' (3 meter) deep trench nearby by hand. The homeowners are erecting a wall to keep others away. 2 weeks ago, the guys augured out holes, poured in cement and fixed wire cages, though they're hardly level. Once the workers have dug out around the footings of the cages, they pack in big rocks and pour cement between the rocks. It's a foundation for a whale of a wall!

Today is a day of small pieces and long prayers. I'm awestruck and appreciative that God listens to us, speaks to us, loves us, and patiently waits for our attention to return to him.

He is greater, more beautiful, and more wonderful than we finite creatures can grasp. Yet he reaches out to us day by day - in nature, through other people, and by his holy Word and prayer. We can't be more privileged that that as his children!

I wrestle the contents of holiday boxes into their places. The Christmas tree and ornaments were brought down last week and are waiting for us. I like to unpack the day I get home, so the stack of holiday "stuff" meant visual blocking and more blocking. Much of it went to the hall yesterday so it's a reduced chore to decorate with the rest.

I start to putter as I think about the room. I'm mostly done by mid-afternoon. IbuS carries the packing material, empties, and unneeded boxes back upstairs.

One of the tree traditions is that every Christmas card received in Indonesia gets tucked close to the trunk. This picture of our grandkids is dear to our hearts.

The new Nativity set was found online after Christmas last year. I unpack it for a first look - I was taking my chances and am pleased with it. 2 new mirrors - purchased to be stuck onto the big old pitted one in our bathroom - have fallen off this year. I've kept the biggest pieces for occasional decor. They give a bit of shine all around the room.

Read more:

*Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:1-6

Prayer: God, you who loves us and watches over us all, you gave us your scriptures so we could know you. You designed us so that following your Word will make us content and happy. We ask that you give us obedient hearts that seek your ways. Give us the peace that passes all understanding. Thank you for each day of favor and grace. 

We also pray for those who are suffering. Come near to them and help them to draw near to you. And show us how we can be your hands and feet in the world. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

These islands ... (Penang and Bali, then back to Java)

The ParkRoyal Hotel was reserved for a regional meeting 3 years ago (pre-pandemic). The organization decides to use up the non-refundable deposit on a women's conference. Good thing. It's a lovely spot, with views from the elevator to rival the most expensive apartments.

I asked for a change from a second floor to higher floor and lost both my balcony and the view of a glass rooftop. It's brighter up high and I could open the doors to the outdoor grate if I wanted. But I'm so tired I don't bother. I've peeked out at the pool as I walk by in the lobby. But there's no energy to sit beside it or to swim.

We have high tea as part of the conference schedule. It's a restful backdrop - with beautiful plants and flowers arranged in the halls.

I want to remember these for my own place.

One of the young women is craving Taco Bell. We have lunch there. It's hard to choose from the menu. It's basic without many options.

We decide to skip the two optional activities and head straight for the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, the sister to Raffles in Singapore. The hallway where we wait is lined with antique prints.

 I stroll through the gallery as we wait to everyone to arrive.

There are antique furniture and accessories. One pot is from the 1600s.

The Japanese saddle dates to the same century.

A Christmas tree in another hallway, made of sticks and paper, is a good idea and easy to store.

The tearoom overlooks the ocean. The balcony is lovely.

From sandwiches, quiches, and other savory finger foods to sweets like cakes, puddings, and pastries, the buffet is excellent. It's both beautiful and flavorful.

I put exquisite samples on my plate, enjoying them with a pot of Assam tea. Each woman gets to choose her tea. But there are only 2 strainers on the table for 4 women. That colors the flavor between pots.

The room buzzes with friendships and conversations. I'm surprised by how many women have never had high tea.

After, there are obligatory pics on the sea wall. We take some normal group pictures before "marching-forward" ones - in three shifts. Hmm. I wonder what that's about.

Something bites my thigh. It swells, itches and hurts, and forms a hard lump. I don't feel the stinger, just the effect. Ouch.

Someone who disliked the food at tea asks if we can stop by McDonalds so she can get supper. We go through the drive-through. McDonalds are interesting: besides basic burgers, they cater to the tastes of the local crowds. In Asia, that means you can order rice instead of fries.

Meanwhile, W's explored the island and done some business. I call him twice for help. One woman needs to check that her computer hasn't been hacked; W resets her system. Another conference attendee had her laptop brazenly stolen at the airport on the way in; he helps her buy a new laptop before she heads home.

He's staying close by in other hotels. That leaves me a quiet space to de-stress at night. It doesn't help that we haven't caught our breath since the whirlwind trip to Canada and the USA in October ...

Saturday

W and I catch a taxi to the airport and avoid the much-feared traffic snarl predicted to W. I'm no longer a "crowds-are-fun" person so the gush of women has been tiring. However, I met a few new people and heard their stories.

We arrive in Bali after sundown for a layover. Instead of rushing back, W suggested pausing for a day and it's a good thing. He decides to find the hotel by walking from the airport. Given the option, I'd vote for a taxi to find the hotel in the dark.

We drag luggage across the main highway from the airport. Cars drive by on all sides, people looking at us curiously from inside. Only clueless tourists would be dragging their suitcases in the middle of the busy road, right?

"Pak, di sini!" a man waves to us from the other side. He and friends are standing on the far sidewalk behind a pedestrian barrier. He lifts our suitcases over the fence and points to a gap where we can squeeze through to get off the street.

We turn right and wander into a parking garage for motorcycles. It's dimly lit and the attendant waves us in. Except that it's a closed garage. There's just a cement wall on the far side. We make the full loop in the dim lighting and squeeze back out the exit, passing the same attendant. (Indonesians have a hard time telling you you're going the wrong way, right?)

We pass the people who hoisted our luggage out of danger and schlep the suitcases down 3 dark alleys - until Google finally agrees to deposit us at the hotel. Thank you, no-friend-of-ours-Google!

Had we known where we were going, it is an easy stroll down the airport walkway, across a crosswalk to the alleys, and to the hotel. The $15/night room is small and mostly clean if you don't mind grey towels, ants, and a bit of hair on the floor. The shower-head is pointed toward the toilet and sink so the whole room gets wet when someone showers (which we do a few times since we get so sweaty from the humid heat.)

But aren't the swan towels cute on the beds?

In the morning, we eat breakfast in the shade near the pool courtyard.

Our balcony view is pretty. The 4-sided apartments ring a courtyard that's basically a pool. Below us, people splash and play.

We watch BIC Online and then walk out again. The malls and minimarts are starting to recover. I like this handicraft stall with pretty lamps. Many stores are empty, though.

The Vietnamese food is colorful but tasteless. Even the mango juice is bland. How is that possible?

We take our time walking back along the sea.

One apartment has a sculpture of metal and clay flowers crawling up its front.

It's muggy most of the day but cools off in the evening, to our relief.

Monday

We go downstairs for breakfast. Then we stretch our feet on the room's balcony railing toward the sun. After a few hours, it's time to head to the airport. We take the shuttle, and snack in the lounge. We're back to Indonesian food. A bit of sambal (hot sauce) gives it a sharper flavor.

Goodbye, Bali. You've provided a welcome respite.

We're home to Bandung with groceries purchased and dogs happy to see us by 3:00. By the time I walk back and forth a few times and unpack, my feet look like this. It's why I never go barefoot inside the house.

The Christmas trees and ornaments are downstairs. I sort them between our house and the hall. Both will be decorated this week. I make a ramen supper and we're ready for an early bedtime. Home sweet home again. Hurrah.

Read more:

*We might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us. Ezra 8:21

*Thus says the Lord God: Repent and turn away from your idols. Ezekiel 14:6

*Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 

*Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

Moravian Prayer: Gracious God, you ask us to turn away from that which would separate us from you. Help us to turn to you, and to be transformed by your love, so we may seek your will for us and your world.

Way-giver, help us in humility to recognize your leadership in our lives. You seek to give us the truth and life. Open us up to your teachings, through Jesus, our Lord, and through the Holy Spirit within us. Amen.