Light up my life - or at least the street

Saturday, May 31, 2025

My big mug of tea is refilled multiple times. 

It's a long day of editing but the sun shines, the breeze stirs the wind chimes, the birds chirp, and the house is empty. We clear our heads and hearts in the space between guests. Who knows who (or what) will land next? This tri-color plant catches my eye.

Typically, the dogs sprawl at my feet for a nap. The oldest and youngest have an occasional running feud. The yap of the little white poodle and the deep bark of the big black one punctuate their play.

Sunday

Walk. Pray. Love on the people in a good Gathering. Angie brings two boxes of my favorite tea from Malaysia. Thanks!

Arya confidently spreads his long legs across the stairwell to a narrow ledge as he swipes away a swarm of ants and multiple spider webs. Oh ... the flexibility and balance youth!

We go to #Ethnic for lunch. I can't decide what to eat and opt for my usual: rice and oncom. 

The owner thanks us for the business and offers a tour of their beautiful guesthouse that has just opened.

The driveway may be unassuming but the old house has been beautifully remodeled into rooms and suites.

There are multiple balconies overlooking the area.

The rooms are spacious and clean with ensuites. (They've opened at $25 for a one-bed and $50/night for a two-bed room!)

The grounds are lush.

There's a communal kitchen and a big dining room, but with an excellent restaurant around the corner and a coffee shop next door? Sip your coffee in the beautiful landscaping and skip doing dishes.

At home, W confirms flights and shuttles for the next weeks of travel. Then we enjoy a quiet evening.

Monday

We walk. Every home turns on their street light at night. Homeowners are expected to illuminate the street in front of their house where there's no public lamp. (And there's hardly ever a public streetlight in a neighborhood.)

At the Assistant Governor's house, this group poses for photos - the guard takes a picture with their camera.

W has Anton most of the time and remarks on how tiring it is to have a willful dog. Yeah - we've been through this with our other two big dogs but they're well-behaved now. Old Gypsy is slow and not excited about walking anymore but he goes two miles like the rest.

DrW invites us to breakfast with Pak Hendy and a group of friends. They've known each other for years and do TaiChi together twice a week. Like us hikers, if we are in any danger of calorie deficit, we fill up right after exercising. hehe

My favorite: noodles! W has a study so misses the feast and the good company.

I edit for 4 hours straight and call it a day. There's one 25-page chapter (second round) to go, plus footnotes and titles! Next time I'll work straight from a paper copy: I printed it out after the first round of edits but now most pages have marks for something I could have clarified on the first go. Sigh. I was trying to save our paper and ink $$.

Adi sends over some fresh baking - cheddar and onion bread buns. So good!

Tuesday

After our walk, I talk to Mom and a mentor. After 3 hours, the book edit is finished. Hurrah! I send it off with a request for a published copy since we don't get paid by this press. It's a fascinating look at Asia's potential to shape the world. I'm no perfectionist, but I hope I caught what I needed to, shaped what needed reshaping, and have moderately improved the academic's work. (He's a gifted writer, thank God.)

The team comes over for a meeting, complete with tea and cookies. By special request, we take out a banana bread and enjoy that, too. W and I dash to the grocer to save ourselves a trip tomorrow. Look at the beautiful orchid for sale! I leave it behind.

Supper is simple: an avocado from our tree, homebaked bread, and rujak (fruit in peanut sauce.)

W does one more round with Anton while I wrap up writing. Some nights, you feel especially happy for sundown and rest.

Read more:

*Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name! Psalm 97:12

*Those who love your name may exult in you. Psalm 5:11

*Hanna made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.” 1 Samuel 1:11 

*Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. Luke 1:57-58

*As the apostles left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. Acts 5:41-42

Moravian Prayer: Lord almighty, please look upon us, your servants, in our need and remember us. Shower us with your great mercy and grant us the desires of our hearts. May we, like Hanna and Elizabeth, give back to you all the days of our lives. 

Lord Jesus, your name is exalted above all names. Like your apostles, help us teach and proclaim you as our savior everywhere, especially at home. Faith is the best gift we can offer to our children. Amen.