Roses, shoes, and books galore

This stunning bouquet greets me as I head outside to work and edit. It was brought to the GG hall after Friday's 70th birthday party for Chandra's sister. 3 colors of roses ...

Friday, June 7, 2024

When the high school library remodels and sells solid wood shelves for $7-10, you say, "Sure. Send some our way." Mr. RM writes me: "This is your stack so far." (The tallest are 6'/2m high.) He'll have more for us next week.

Once we have an answer to last week's proposal, we'll know which shelves stay with us and which belong elsewhere. IES Bandung got two ($20 for both) for a new village library, too. It's fun to participate in God's blessings, isn't it?

The truck with our shelves, a desk, and two huge rugs hits a downpour a mile (15 minutes) from our house. The movers pull over, jump out, and drape everything with a tarp. At our place, they sit with a cup of tea and some cookies until the deluge subsides.

I map our shelves, sizes, and where they should be placed. They're heavy wood, so we don't want to be moving them unless we have to. IbuS helps me shift the dining table and the nook furniture so that the shelves will fit. The movers place everything according to the instructions.

I gather books from around the main room and call it a day.

We put the dogs to bed and turn in for an early night - but it takes me a while to fall asleep.

Saturday

My big morning job after the walk is looking through the +90 bags of books that arrived with the shelves. "At the school, the students helped us take them from the hall to the car," says PakG. "It went really quickly with many hands."

Today, I'm on my own. I cut open and sift through every bag, placing them further along the wall of the house to keep them sorted. I find a few things that people are looking for. Most of the haul stays in the bags. 3 teachers from another city are coming to get the books tonight and sleeping over. They can have as much as fits into their car.

The other thing on my list is making a bouquet for Sunday. This is the wreckage left when I'm through with last week's beautiful arrangement.

It's not that interesting. So I'm relieved when Titik writes that she has lots of flowers to grace the hall tomorrow. (That's the gorgeous bouquet above.) Mine stays at home.

The book group meets on the other hill mid-morning. We read and discussed Lincoln Highway by Amos Towles together - and PakG and I return home to get Waldemar. This tree's root system is spotted along the street.

W and I are off to Boromeus Hospital to get the 2.5-week-old stitches removed. "You're healthy and all is well," according to the doc. We had some skin flaps removed and checked - they're benign. Apparently I'm allergic to the bandages - so that's what was so itchy! My neck and back are inflamed.

"Take your bandages off tomorrow." The doc wants us to apply cream morning and evening for 3 months to prevent scars. We couldn't remember to take the antibiotics. Hopefully we're better with the salve. But why bother?

"Who cares about scars at our age?" I ask her. She insists that the scars can become itchy and hard. They'll be difficult to remove later. Whatever. W asks for the prescription and orders online for 1/10 of the cost at the hospital pharmacy.

I gather books from around the house for the library nook to fill up the shelves. I leave 2 long shelves of Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/Tom Swift and the Readers Digest Condensed Books upstairs for now.

Eki and friends arrive at 6:00 p.m. as the sun is setting. W orders in a meal. The guys will sort and pack the bags of books between now and when they leave tomorrow. What a chore - and what a reward for their school.

Sunday

Eki likes oatmeal. I usually make it for breakfast when he's staying over but his friends are less impressed.  The three strong young-uns hoist the heavy rugs up to the second floor to storage. I have to remember to check that these old Tupperware containers are completely closed; the ants find any crevice into food supplies.

We're out the door at 7:00 a.m. and the van full of books are on their way to Tasik at 8:00. Three small piles are left but Frances mentions she's teaching English to kids from her kampung. Aha. That's where they'll go! At IES, we set up a table and invite people to take books as well.

Under my chair in the prayer room is this marvel: first I think it's a Christmas tree light. But ... it's the shed carcass of a bug - neon green with a red tip, empty and clean. I tuck it into my purse to show our American grandkids.

This morning we are praying for the sick and asking God to provide for other needs. We celebrate a baptism and  eat pho for lunch with Eki.

In mid-afternoon, I realize that the back of this shelf is perfect for the macrame displaced in the nook by another shelf.

The front? I dig around every box and rack to consolidate 10 years of shoes. Streets and sidewalks here are brutal to shoes: they're wet, uneven, and coarsely paved. Much of the footwear is almost but not yet ready for the bin. Since soles wear out quickly, we bring 4 or 5 pairs back every October from sale racks in the USA. Looking at this group, I don't need another pair! I can wear these out in the coming year and shop shoe sales in 2025. hehe

We meet Gerhard and Hela for supper and conversation at Bumi Sangkuriang. We pray together at the table before walking home after sunset. The air is warm and clear and the streets are damp; it rained lightly while we ate.

Monday

A few hours of calls, a check of a student's exceptional dissertation proposal, and a some chores get wedged between our walk. The cool night gives way a clear skies and the hot sun warm the air. 

It looks like a morning of scheduling and catch-up. Eki's had breakfast and heads out with a high school friend of long ago. I eat a slice of banana bread and an egg casserole. I'm not in the mood for leftover oatmeal. Maybe for supper?

Read more: (scripture and a prayer)

*O Lord, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 2 Kings 19:15

*Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Psalm 23:6

*I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8

*Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. Acts 2:46-47

*There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. Romans 10:12

Moravian Prayer: Loving Shepherd, we thank you for your tender care and the promise of future joy with you. We also thank you for the flock into which you have called us. It is good not to be alone, but to live in fellowship with other Christians with whom we can share our joys and sorrows, and experience a foretaste of the joy which will be ours in your presence. May we be sources of love and care for those around us.

Divine Creator, the universe proclaims your power and glory from the wonder of unnumbered galaxies to the most fragile of lifeforms. Despite your position above and beyond all things, you chose to enter into your creation, in Jesus Christ, to reveal yourself to humankind as one who loves us and longs to receive our love in return. We praise you for your reconciling love and yield ourselves to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.