Loving on our daughter and more

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Yummy leftover ramen = breakfast. I go for a walk around Kirsten's Texas neighborhood. The houses are spaced far apart with a big strip of paving between the sides of the street. It feels so empty. And quiet. No carts. No buses. No people streaming across from both curbs.

Some people have beautiful plantings to soften the edges of their homes. 

We take K's dog Mika for a walk after breakfast and then head to a few shops for milk and more picture frames. When we walk into the HEB in a migrant neighborhood, the first display is a stack of lard (animal fat) and hominy (beans). Their end-caps are filled with Hispanic food. I'd definitely shop here for spices, peppers, and other Mexican goodies if we lived here.

Most Mexicans and Central Americans are Catholic so there's a whole section of prayer/vigil candles.

Across the aisle is an endocarp of candies made in Mexico. They remind me of Mackintosh toffee - lots of condensed milk, caramel, and sugar. I google the recipe to make this when we return to Bandung.

K introduces me to D&D discount store, where everything is half-price of the Western-style discounters. These grasses are $3.50 and $3.99 each. Next door at Ross, they're $8 or more.

We get home, relax before lunch, and catch up with messages online. Kirsten makes supper and we sit at her glass table.

We lay at pictures for a gallery wall and choose where we'll place other photos. We'll have W hang them and other things when he returns from Springfield. (He's part of a theology commission meeting there.)

Meanwhile, he's given my books to commission participants for distribution to libraries around the USA.

I'm surprised each time I come by this picture, hanging in K's hallway. W and I took an evening painting class years ago and gave K our pictures. It feels like the start of something, not a finished piece of art.

In the evening, Mika positions his neck, ears, and shoulders against K's toes for a self-massage. It's so funny.

Thursday

W's back. He has to reroute though Atlanta due to thunderstorms in Dallas (flights cancelled). He sleeps in the Springfield airport and is happily back to Austin by noon.

We eat HEB barbecue, just as tasty as any other we've tried. After a nap, W changes air filters, hangs pictures, and does other maintenance chores for K. I write some reviews. I love this prayer poem from Barbara Peacock's book, Spiritual Disciplines for Soul Care.

Friday

We wrap up our time with Kirsten by mounting a photo gallery wall.  

We eat a delicious taco lunch at home before redoing the bedding. When we're done, we hug and start the goodbyes.

K takes us to the airport via a Walmart (W finds a sale on tech). Look at the fragrance aisle. In every Walmart around the world, we can predict the values and culture by the long aisles inside. (For example, in Germany, it was alcohol and baking supplies!)

We have a wonderful supper in the airport lounge (Farmer Fresh salad-in-a-jar) and are bumped to first class for the flight to Seattle.

It's a peaceful, sometimes bumpy ride and we arrive in Seattle early. Our luggage comes about the time we arrive at the baggage carousel. The shuttle to the car park is already on its way when W calls. We're the first passengers dropped off, right at our car. The highways are empty as we drive up to our suburb. We are home by 11:00.

And then the work starts. We unpack and get ready for bed. Except that I have to make edits in my author proof copy of Vol 2 of "What Made Them Think They Could?" W inserts the changes as I flip through my hard copy - and before we know it,

it's 3:45 a.m. on Saturday.

W has page justifications to finish before he hits the hay. It's a busy weekend ahead; there's no other time for this before we head home to Indonesia next week. I have to order corrected book copies to take along.

He's off to coffee with friends while I pack up before a walk in the neighborhood.

It's a long way back down the driveway.

Each year, we look forward to meeting our friends Don and Brenda at Brier Pizza. 

Don's a leader who generously promotes others' accomplishments.

From lunch, we drive south to Chehalis for tomorrow's gatherings. We watch the Gathering in Bandung, with PsAnthony's speaking on God's love for us and our love for others.

Read more:

*He awakens me morning by morning, he awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. Isaiah 50:4 NASB

*Surely it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but you have held back my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. Isaiah 38:17

*Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. Acts 16:14

*By this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:19-20

Moravian Prayer: Omniscient God, who makes no mistakes, open our minds and hearts to your mercy. Teach us to accept your grace without questioning your reasoning. Open our eyes, so that we can see ourselves as you see us.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunities awaiting us to praise your holy name and witness to your divine love. In our every interaction, may we exemplify our devotion to Jesus Christ by earnestly listening to others and responding with compassion. Amen.

Good food and family in Austin TX

Saturday, October 21, 2023

W heads off for coffee with friends before we leave Seattle to spend the week with our daughter in Austin, Texas. Driving out of our neighborhood feels like we're in the backwoods of the world, compared to the traffic in Bandung.

We meet Jessa and Lucian for lunch on the way. The restaurant is a Filipino favorite with fried chicken. The food is okay. The company is warm and loving.

This mural at the airport gate is by Maurice Sendak. It reminds me of his illustrations for "Where the Wild Things Are," a book we read to our children.

An airport vending machine dispenses sim cards, charging cables, and other gear. Of course. Seattle is a techie haven, so I don't expect chocolate bars or soda, do I?

Sunday

We arrive at 1:30 a.m. K takes us to a late-morning gathering at Red Rocks church. It is vibrant, full of young adults, and keeps our attention with solid preaching. If your life is full of challenges and chaos, listen in here. I'll be clicking that link again myself.

Kirsten is the queen of food trucks. She researches ratings, locations, and tastes to create our food adventures each time we visit. Lunch is North Carolina-style barbecue. The brisket, sausage, and ribs are vinegary and tender. By the time I think of taking a picture, I've consumed most of what's on my plate.

Typically for a poodle, Mika adores his mistress.

Monday

W gets a start on his Dad-list of DIYs. He plants trees, checks the irrigation, and cleans the air filters. He adjusts a creaking door and talks tech with K. I cut her hair. She has perfect waves.

We head out to Home Depot. They drop me at HEB, the best grocer I've been in. Prices are competitive, manufacturer's coupons are hung near the products, and there's an overwhelming selection. We eat lunch at a ramen place - oh I love my noodles!

And W enjoys his bento box.

Kirsten is gifted in combining flavors and textures.

Her supper tacos are outstanding, made with raw tortilla shells she's sourced from a Mexican supplier.

The triple-chocolate ice cream doesn't disappoint. We swoon as requested on the package.

Tuesday

W's in Springfield, MO, working with a theology commission. Kirsten takes me to a few shops for household goods and skincare products. She knows the best deals in town. She poses with the perfect "work-from-home" trousers. If you filled the +20 pockets with supplies and snacks or thumb drives and cables, you'd never have to get out of your chair in your home office. (Or more realistically, you'd never have to move off the sofa. hehe)

Kirsten finds frames for her many photos.

We talk to my mom, her Grandma. I'm blessed to be born between two generations of outstanding and smart women. They love God and love others, as Jesus defined the commandments of God.

K's house has polished concrete floors, perfect for a robot vacuum. The Bagotte sweeps the house many times before we exchange the sweeper for the wet mopping attachment. Then it does washes the concrete with five or ten passes through all the rooms. The floors glow.

Kirsten makes a supper of General Tso's cauliflower, ginger beans, and basmati rice. So good!

We relax and I make it an early night at 9:30 p.m.

Read more:

*You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us; none can compare with you. Psalm 40:5

*In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:3

Moravian Prayer: Author of creation, we marvel at the infinite manifestations of your grace, which surround us and fill our lives to overflowing. We thank you, especially, for the gift of your holy word. May we read and study the Bible more each day as we seek to grow deeper in relationship with you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Spiritual Practices for Soul Care: 40 Ways to Deepen Your Faith by Barbara L. Peacock

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
Soul care is an emerging trend in modern Western Christianity. Its ancient roots and disciplines originate in the early Church and practices of discipling in the Middle East and Europe as the Church emerged beyond its Jewish foundations. Peacock presents another layer of observation and practise that include her African American traditions and solid academic career.

The 40 units or chapters can be approached by topic, personal need, or by categories such as Soul Care living, directing, discipling, restoring, etc. "Whether you are committed to practicing four or all forty spiritual disciplines on a regular basis, you must be mindful that the process of God-centered transformation is designed for those who year to live their best authentic life." (Peacock)

Theological reflections are fleshed out with stories from her life, observations, and heritage. Using scriptures, poetry, and questions for active worship, the author invites the reader into a deep life of spiritual hunger and satisfaction.

MORE REVIEWS ARE POSTED AT https://3booksfull.blogspot.com 

Paint the town - or the flat

Sunday, October 15, 2023

We're on the road to Sumner by 8:30 a.m. with some of Kim's scones from yesterday tucked away in our stomachs. Nice not to have to cook. When dishes are washed, W hauls Indonesian items to the car for the display table, and I tidy up. I like to leave the house clean so there's no work when we get back.

Autumn is a favored season for many. I'm happy that the planters and flower beds are filled with grasses and fall flowers to extend the growing season. Most things die off in winter. The 3-tier plantings that are normal here are becoming more common in Indonesia as well: ground cover, mid-height, and a shrub or tree.

We speak at a church an hour south, pastored by one of W's former students. Mike and his wife Kim remember his classes - that's affirming since it's been 10 years since W left the university. Other people who studied at NU in the 90s come up and say hi.

After service, a lady hands us a big bag of Washington apples. Her husband is a trucker who has befriended an apple farmer. He is given 2 crates of apples each trip; he shares one crate at work and one at church. Nice guy! These apples are a perfect blend of crisp and sweet.

The Sumner connection is a couple dear to us for over 30 years: Harry and Thora Jean Bulger. Harry worked in the NU Maintenance department and prays for our daughter every day. Thora Jean started the alumni department that I inherited (with 2 staffers between our terms). She continues to network and make people feel welcome, even in retirement. What an amazing pair.

They invite us and 7 others for lunch, making a full table of 11. We hear heartwarming stories of their life together. TJ says the china dishes we are using were purchased on their honeymoon! They've been married over 60 years.

Around the table, each one shares what stirs our hearts. I am endlessly curious about how and where God is at work. A few guests leave before the rest take a quick picture. Hugs and prayers end the visit.

On the way back to Kenmore, W picks up his new teaching computer and cables. Then he's hungry for a Dick's burger. "Might be our only chance," he muses.

This classic drive-in is a holdover from a half-century ago. You park the car, walk to the window to order and pick up your food, and eat it in the car. The taste is the same. We share fries and he finishes off my burger when he's done with his. We take the chocolate milkshake home: too full.

It's late night when we get home, weary but happy.

Monday

We wake early, scheduling the week ahead. Breakfast? The last pumpkin and orange-cranberry scones. I steam-mop the floors, clean kitchen canisters and counters, walls, and windows - the nice thing about having white from floors to ceilings is that you can see when  it's clean. I lift a swarm of black ants off the kitchen counter and drown them in hot water.

Meanwhile, W paints the bathroom. Our friend LeRoy painted the basement for us 10 years ago. The flat paint isn't scrubbable and it's time for a refresh. I thought of doing it but W wisely keeps the paint and brushes away from me and does it himself. His dad was a professional house painter so he knows what to do.

Today is kids' sleepover day. Their parents head out on a date while the kids join us for some grandparent-ing fun. 

They head outside with new nature journals to find leaves and sticks for a scavenger hunt.

The kids like to read the familiar books on our shelves and reacquaint themselves with the toys that have accumulated in kid-baskets. They read stories from a new BLUE kids Bible storybook, and pull out a new version of UNO to keep them hopping between rounds of Skipbo.

Levi chooses the readings for later in the day.

Tea is a standard treat but none of us is impressed with the Kowalski version of Turkish tea. We try halvah, and Turkish delight. We sip tea in curvy teacups and saucers and we agree that the next teatime will be the usual German-British tea with their favorite teapot and teacups.

Melissa, who gleans nearby, has thoughtfully provided the basics for a supper she knows they like. Whew - you never know when the Indonesia/Canada/USA tastes of grandparents will clash with the preferences of 4 grands.

Before we know it, it's bedtime. This year the grandkids are too big physically to share their usual sofa bed. The boys stretch out on one bed in the main room, with girls on the other. W and I disappear into the next-room office to sleep on still another Beddinge sofa bed.

We sure had a lot of those modern IKEA sleepers back in the big house. Was it 7? that we used as sofas in living room and office, as beds in our guest rooms, etc. I acquired over a dozen slipcovers in various colors to make switching moods easy. For a restless decorator, it saved us a lot of money because we never "needed" new furniture for a new look. 

Winter:

Spring (holidays through Valentines):

Summer:

Fall (except when we used the browns and beiges):

Tuesday

We wake, eat a breakfast of potatoes O'Brian, eggs, apples, and sausages. Then it's time for a walk. Oops - that was 3 miles, according to my tracker.

We take pictures of the autumn beauty. This leaf would seem a figment of imagination if painted.

There are seed pods.

The hydrangeas are in their last bloom.

Their reward is a trip to the Dollar Store, an annual tradition of exploring at low expense. "Oma, it should be the dollar-twenty-five store," the kids insist, noting the price of goods. They each choose 2 items which show us what their interests are that year.

We put the bathroom back together. Kinsey exclaims, "Oma it doesn't look like the same room!" when she sees the stark white walls and floor.

Ah, bring in rag rugs, a painting, a mirror, and texture (towels), and it's habitable.

The gleam of glossy white brightens up the windowless space.

The kids decide to make their own lunch, bringing their sandwiches downstairs to eat with us. It's fun to see their development and what they prefer to do for themselves.

We have supper with our youngest son. What a joy to have each child following Jesus. My dad used to say, "We are the richest people on earth because our children love God." That's true for us as well.

Wednesday

After breakfast, we meet Julia at 8:30 in the NU library, snagging a meeting room upstairs. Her English classes were ones our children looked forward to. Some monstrous mushrooms sit along the chapel pond.

We speak twice in short spots during the NU Chapel. A friend and online mentor Angela Craig is speaking. What a delight to run into her and hear her heart for God and the students.

After a lunch of leftovers, I meet Lydia and Terry for a hug and howdy. Lydia Harris has authored several books for grandparents that I can highly recommend.

W is repairing a picture frame and replacing the glass that fell and shattered last year. We stop by McLendon Hardware for parts and information. I'm staggered to see what would be an ordinary palm in Bandung being sold in the parking lot for $150 US.

The sky dazzles as we drive home.

Dinner is with a crew we used to work with at NU. It's great to catch up on where everyone has landed, 13 years later.

Thursday

I pick up an entry rug at TJMaxx and swing back to pick W up. We meet Kim and Joey Costello for lunch. The Tex-Mex meal is delicious! It's one of the tastes we miss in Indonesia. Joey customizes motorcycles that have won acclaim and awards. Look at this Harcati!

Dinner is with Paul and Laura and their kids. They were the first family to stay with us and explored Bandung, 7 or 8 years ago. They're become global travelers who know the world.

When we get home before 10:00, we're ready for sleep!

Friday

W and I finish the leftover Mexican food for breakfast. Then I'm out the door to drive to NU. I left my dad's cap on a chapel bench on Wednesday. The hat is comfy but has greater sentimental value. The roofing contractors let me in to retrieve it.

Back at the flat, we start packing to return to Indonesia. We won't have much time for that after we return from Austin next week. And the Austin suitcase needs sorting. The room is a mess of luggage.

Lunch with longtime friends and workmates, Don and Marilyn, is at Top Gun for dim sum. 

The food is not as good as we remember but the company is warm. 

While he runs errands, W drops me at Peet's Coffee in Redmond to meet Phyllis. We send a picture to our WPPR sisters (our accountability group) and call the gal who lives in Idaho.

I drop by my Persian friend Zahra's house to hug her neck. Since I haven't called ahead, she's not home.

We make it back just in time for supper with our kids and grandkids. Melissa has made Pacific salmon and deluxe accompaniments - what a colorful and delicious feast.

When we call in the evening, Mom tells me she's started reading my books and she's enjoying them. I appreciates that our family celebrates each other's hard work. W and I finish packing and are thankful for a warm bed to retire to.

Read more:

*His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 1 Peter 3:3-9

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for your kind invitation. Thank you for forgiving us, transforming our character, and making us whole. Our response is to praise and worship you, the One True God, who is forever praised in heaven and on earth. Amen.