Merry Christmas from Indonesia

Saturday, December 23, 2023

It feels like we're on track. Except the weather forecast says "100% rain" on Christmas Day. We appeal to the God of rain and sky to give us a dry window during Monday's Christmas potluck.

The Turkish tea kettle is hissing. In the top pot are tea leaves and a strong brew. The lower kettle holds hot water to dilute what's on top. Somehow, the tea doesn't turn bitter. I drink one 16 oz mug after another.

Teeny sugar ants crawl over the computer screen and up my arms while I'm writing at the dining table. Squish. Squish. A dozen down, many more to go. You can't see them until they move; they're a neutral light brown.

A few nights ago, our bed was crawling with those ants at bedtime. I killed 40 or 50 on my side of the blanket and a dozen or two on W's side. We hate to spray ant poison inside but I followed their trail up into the ceiling, sprayed, and turned on fans to air out the room. I also sprinkled diatomaceous earth around the feet of our bed. Supposedly that dries them up into little carcasses. We don't go barefoot inside; we get dust on our indoor sandals. (I'll try anything once.) Hati-hati! It's slippery on the stone tiles.

Outside, the guys have scrubbed the rabbit hutch. It is our "big weird" White Elephant gift this year. 

Someone will choose a pretty box from under the tree, with a card and picture of the hutch inside. Then W will bring it to the recipient from the back hallway. I'm hoping for laughs and fierce trading rather than stunned silence! But you never know. That's the fun of the White Elephant Exchange.

One of the enjoyable parts of the end of the year is the evaluation: a look back and a look ahead. I've mostly forgotten the past and the future is out of my control. I review my journals and blog posts to see what was accomplished. Failures are lessons for what to do better or avoid. The coming days rest in God's hands but there's no need to plunge into foolishness that can be avoided.

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FOR YOU DEAR READER, here are 2 tools I recommend that you check out before you evaluate your year. They'll give you an understanding of "why" for "what happened" to you. 

1. The Enneagram explores how you're hard-wired to follow or lead. (Free test online.) I'm an 8 and have always been called bossy or "too much." I immediately click to vision and solutions, whether walking into a group of people or a room full of furniture. My best trick is keeping my mouth shut and letting others figure it out unless I'm asked to lead or fix something.

The second tool is a book: 7 Primal Questions by Mike Foster. My friend Kim (one of the smartest people I know) first told me about this approach to our responses to situations and people. Kim is a conflict resolutions coach who works with the PQ methods and emphasis on strengths. So if you've been struggling in life or work in 2023, I highly recommend a session or two with her.

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As night falls, Nara Park sends over a Christmas dinner - chicken and all the fixings. Wow!

W enjoys some but we save most for tomorrow.

Sunday, Christmas Eve

It's a quiet morning - W and I walk to the hall in case someone has missed the notice that we don't have a Gathering in person. I walk home but W's there when one person shows up.

Laurel and I moderate the online service and chat. We get the giggles at some of the auto-generated subtitles.

About 10:30, Josh brings Eki, Diana, and Lyong from their house. They'll stay over a few nights.

Clau sends along treats from Ambrosia bakery. Better than excellent.

Our dogs adore Lyong.

I prepare Christmas lunch but our guests are fast asleep upstairs. So W and I eat, prepare for the evening's Lessons & Carols, and head for the hall in mid-afternoon.

Titik has done an amazing job with the flowers. There are lights on the palm trees outside. Lanterns and candles are glowing. The hall is beautiful - Daniel's tree, the wreaths, and garlands are lit. I love how everyone's creativity makes the world a more beautiful place.

This is the strangest year: we have one day (today) in the fourth week of Advent. We light the 4th Advent candle and the Christ candle in the center. After singing carols and listening to the beautiful Story of God's love for us, we pass around the light from person to person. God with us. 

What a mystery. What kindness and mercy.

Monday, Christmas Day

Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm up at 4:30. W's already started the water boiling for spaghetti. By 8:00, hundreds of sausages and meatballs, 4.5 kg of creamed spinach, and sauces are done.

Meanwhile W checks things off the list for the yard. Eki helps him take furniture to the back and covered carport. The women and I sit for a few minutes between dinging of the timer as things roast in the air fryer W makes a second run to the hall for food in the fridge left from last night while I tuck poinsettias from the hall around the garden.

The checklist is done. We light the candles and enjoy the still spaces that will soon teem with people.

Christmas Day, with the White Elephant gift exchange is our noisiest event of the year.

The helpers come at 8 to cut salad and clean up. I've washed 3 sets of pots and bowls already. Our huge commercial pots get used for multiple dishes. IbuS focuses on making mayo eggs while IbuA ices the cookies she baked last week. I assemble her 5 recipes into 3 cookie trees and sprinkle other cookies between. The food is plated. I think we're ready.

At 10, the first guests arrive. I disappear for 15 minutes, eat a Calm chocolate (Good Day company), and change into Christmas clothes. Then people start to line their shoes on the porch steps ... and c'mon in!

We are thrilled to meet little Eleanor, daughter of Bella and Sigit. 

Every corner, from gate terrace to the back yard, is full of friends.

We open the sliders for air flow.

Guests bring food and a gift to share.

The line stretches out the door.

We read the Story from scripture. Then it's time for the gift exchange. 

3 guys from Indonesia, Tanzania, and Germany don "elf" hats, pass out numbers, and keep us in stitches with their comments. They keep the flow going by cutting open the gift wrap and even opening gifts for slower responders. It's hilarious - 

It's a fun and noisy part of the day. And out goes the rabbit hutch!

At 5:00, the house is empty and the dogs are unleashed. Eleanor gets her first "horsy-ride" on Gypsy. He's a patient dog! We'll clean tomorrow but tonight things are tidied and most is put away. Sigit, Bella, and Eleanor join the 3 others upstairs for a sleepover.

W brings the box with homemade carrot cake from the back room, which we saved to eat tonight. I've hardly eaten in all the excitement. It's DELICIOUS. But what's that moving at the foot of the bed? Hundreds of ants have invaded the box. I kill them and W puts the cake in the freezer to get rid of the rest. We'll have more cake in the morning. Seriously - enak seklali.

I wake at 10:30 p.m. when W gets up to read scripture. I listen to the prophet Isaiah for an hour. No luck sleeping, so I turn on the light and write until early morning. There are still many hours before Boxing Day, right?

Wishing each one of you a Merry Christmas, with a special thanks to those who prayed with us that it wouldn't rain. On Christmas Eve, there was a downpour while we were in the hall: it was dry before and after. For Christmas, it poured buckets while we were unwrapping gifts - and then cleared up for guests to depart. We are grateful to the God of weather for his timing.

And I reflect again on this - God with us. I'm never going to understand that kind of love for creatures who are mostly ungrateful and unaware of his goodness. I'm glad salvation doesn't depend on us or our good works. "He has done it!"

Read more:

*Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

*[Mary said,] The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:49

*And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Luke 2:1-20

Moravian Prayer: With excitement, great God, we, like the shepherds, look for your glory to be revealed in the birth of Jesus. May our proclamation be filled with joy and promise. Come Lord Jesus, come.

Today, we celebrate in our homes and churches; we rejoice in the Savior’s birth. Let our focus today be on the word that was made flesh, our Lord, Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God for this most wonderful gift today. Amen.