A Rule for the Rest of Us by Jen Pollock Michel

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

An excellent exploration of how God is at work in his people. This was inspirational and encouraging. I like that it was personal and applicable. If you're looking to deepen your walk with Jesus, serve others with more focus and impact, Michel will become a mentor.

Recommended for discipleship groups and discussions among friends who are intent on making wise choices.

Books and art and people

Friday, August 28, 2026
The air is refreshed after a few sprinkles of rain yesterday. There wasn't enough water to do any damage and probably not much good, besides clearing the pollution a bit. A rooster watches us walk by.

The Good Padel Club #goodpadelciumbuleuit hasn't cleared the road outside their property. I message the club to consider being a good neighbor. I find out that the community council is responsible for that. 

When we renovated the Project, months of leaves and garbage had piled up outside the place. The gutters were utterly clogged and there was nowhere for rain to go but inside the yard and the buildings.

We asked who was responsible. "If you want to clean it, sure. Please do," we were told. So we did.

I cook too much porridge for breakfast. What can we make with leftovers? Some friends use CHATGPT for recipes at such times, so I give it a try - and get instructions for breakfast bars. Ok! Quickly baked, that's breakfast tomorrow.

The carnation buds, tightly closed when I went into hospital on Wednesday, have opened. It's a cheery welcome this morning.

We're out of homemade peanut butter. Why not use the Champion Juicer that Christine left behind? I grind raw almonds, raw peanuts, and a few roasted Balinese spicy peanuts, pouring the mixture into the last dregs of a jar of nuts and chocolate that Lisa gifted us from New Zealand. No added salt or oil is needed.

We spot a trellis lying beside the street across from the garbage dump. "Wouldn't that be perfect for supporting the grapevines on the back scaffolding?" I asked W. He waved me off. 

I tease W: "If I paid attention every time you said, 'No need!' how would we have furnished the Project?" I leave the latticework there but I'm still thinking about it. We may have to send PakG for it, along with $3 for the workers. It really is the right size and shape ... haha. (It's gone when we go by again.)

Training the eye and mind for design is like training the body for sport. I read that the best designers learn by focusing on exceptional architecture, design, and decor. They shun cheap resources like Good Housekeeping or Better Homes & Gardens. With high-end possibilities in mind, they consistently recognize good design, even when it doesn't cost a lot.

I "went to design school" as we raised our young children. How?  In the 1990s, Architectural Digest ran a February series called Before & After. I looked forward to that issue. The before photo captured an empty shell or an outdated existing design. Blocking the after photo, I would anticipate what a top designer would do.

When I uncovered the after photo, I was often stunned. From ceiling to floor, the imagination and limitless resources (due to wealthy clients) were beyond what I dreamed up. Those issues of AD taught me about unrealized potential. I love to rejuvenate an existing room or house, whether it's an empty ruin like the Project or a dated space. Whatever is on hand - architecture, furniture, accessories - can be transformed into beautiful and useful spaces.

Most of what we used at the Project is second- or third-hand. We'd rather spend funds on people than places but that doesn't mean it has to look cheap. There's no need for fancy new stuff if repurposing will do. I lsit in the entry with a cup of tea to soothe my soul and quiet my mind.

Danny's painting, Kim's quilt, traditional Indonesian weavings, and a throwaway orange rug from a kindergarten class anchor this tranquil setting. The 2 benches were repurposed from an office. The airy white curtains throughout the Project are flat sheets. 

We train our eyes by what we look at and our hearts by what we value. One of the good things about my hand-me-down phone is how easy it is to change the opening screen. I run across this beautiful entry and think, "Ah, that would feel like a homecoming each time I open my phone." Isn't it a pretty view? 

The sun shines on the Project garden as I call our daughter.

The book group meets in the afternoon. We added three members this year, so 10 of us gather around a cafe table. Before heading home, Dolly gifts me one of her watercolors - she's a talented artist. Her husband was one of Indonesia's first PhD's in Geology in his studies in the Netherlands.

Saturday
During an early walk, I notice that I'm hardly puffing, going uphill. The air seems cleaner than usual. W checks the index; yes indeed @71. It's easier to ascend when the air quality is under 130 AQI. (It's 135 by evening.)

W is due for a follow-up at the hospital. He did his blood test yesterday while waiting for me to check out. We leave at 8AM and don't get home until 1PM, going to and from the administration desks 3X between his EKG, the doctor, and the cashier. The EKG costs Rp.200.000 ($12 US).

"Your blood and brain tests say you are healthy and the medicines are working!" crows the doctor. He is so pleased, as are we. He clears W to fly long distance if all continues to be clear. Hurrah!

As we eat lunch, we notice the star fruit tree in the yard is starting to shed its bounty. These fruits are not sweet but used in local "salads" with a dressing of soy sauce and ground peanuts.

I never feel guilty for resting between exertions. I spend 2 hours after lunch flat on my back, reading a novel and a devotional book. The tall mug of tea goes down easy.

We spray-paint a chrome finish on an old peeling mirror found in the yard, propping it against the woodpile to dry, far from the house. Those fumes! All the edges are chipped so I'll have it framed for one of the guest rooms. It's about 80X80cm (32"square) and has cost $2.50 in paint so far.

I make fried rice for supper. Neither of us is enthused about it but the ingredients were on hand. Outside, it's party day in the city. Bands, dancing, sports, and other neighborhood celebrations continue until midnight.

Sunday

At dawn, there's a lovely hymn/poem in the Night Office by Phyllis Tickle. I write music for it and sing it a few times:

Bread of the world in mercy broken,

wine of the soul in mercy shed,

by whom the words of life were spoken,

and in whose death our sins are dead:

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,

look on the tears by sinners shed;

and be your feast to us the token

that by your grace our souls are fed.

After a walk and making breakfast, I head for the Gathering. It's nice to be with Family. 

After, there's a baby shower for Angie, who is expecting her third child within a month or two. 

Rocky and Lussi come by with a pineapple and kale grown on their rooftop. She's a good gardener! They are dear to us.

Ofly, Angie, and kids drop in to pick up a portable portrait light diffuser - he's a good photographer.

I remove the portable EKG monitor I've worn for 3 days. Tomorrow someone will come by to collect it.

Sayaka does a myofunction therapy session with Waldemar and teaches him to say his name clearly. Hurrah! Meanwhile I rest. I've had enough this morning. As I shower, I find someone else's nametag stuck to my arm. There were many hugs this morning. I peel it off and scrub it away.

As we walk down the hill in the early evening, the extravagance of God shows in the trees. They have masses of blooms.

The ground is littered with bright yellow flowers that fall like rain.

W and I walk down to see Veronica and Kiki, who have returned from abroad after 3 months away. We have all missed them; V spent time with her mom, who suffered with cancer. Now she is at peace.

At #Homeground on the way up the hill, we stop for supper. W puts aside the peppers from one serving of Mala Chicken.

We walk in the door and call it a day, my cup of peppermint tea in hand. It's been a good day.

Read more:
* My people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:14

* I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:26-28

* I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. John 17:15

* And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Moravian Prayer: Lord, this world is a scary place. It can be dangerous business going out our doors. May our faith that your care and support will never leave us, help keep our feet under us as we follow where you lead.

God of abundance, thank you for claiming us as your own and for providing all we need. Grant us your generous and accepting spirit so that all our needs may be met in you, and none of your children go without. Amen.

Beauty and a short brain freeze

Monday, August 24, 2026
We have a late-afternoon walk, admiring the flowers.

Bougainvilleas come in many colors.

There are multi-colored shrubs.

And hot colors.

This one reminds me of a lit-up Christmas tree and often blooms in December.

Tucked in a dead end is a stairwell. What you can't see from here is that it's 10 flights? or more that start between 2 houses. 

It goes down and around other houses to a village on the river.

Overhead is a magnificent (9-10"/ 25cm) spider.

Our neighbor has a magnificent bonsai in bloom on her fencepost.

Another neighbor is building a small castle where an ordinary house used to stand.

There's too much pattern in the guestroom so I move the quilt to our bedroom and put the plain white one in the guestroom. 

Tuesday: another red-letter day (public holiday #23 in 2026)
Waking at the Project feels like a dream in the early morning light.

We start with a walk and breakfast. The fallen leaves in front of the #GoodPadelBandung are dry and slippery. It's a hazard for the older people who make this a regular walk to the market. The well-maintained club is where many people play.

Someone is sweeping leaves inside so I go in to ask if they can tidy up their side of the street. In our area, the property owner is responsible for keeping their area lit and clean. 

"That's not my job. That's the city's responsibility," says the young sweeper. He's obviously clueless, not from around here.

At 10, a group of ladies arrives to learn and pray for each other on the Porch. It's wonderful to catch up!

As they're leaving, Sayaka and Martin arrive. Sayaka is pleased with W's progress and gives him a third myo-functional therapy session. I make myself lunch. W didn't made his while I was tied up this morning, so he's hungry. He refuses a quick snack.

After I eat, I make his lunch: potatoes, cucumber salad, and chickpea cutlets. He eats while the rest of us enjoy tea on the Porch.

For supper, we join friends at an eatery across the street.

Wednesday
My body catches up to the goings-on of the past month. We walk, but W notices that I have checked out. I'm not responding as usual. I loop a comment and don't remember why he's talking with a slur. He makes breakfast and then takes me to the hospital. I have enough sense to make a thermos of tea to take along. 

Friends (including a super-doc) show up to translate and comfort. Frances keeps me entertained while Dolly buys good ayam lemper (chicken wrapped in rice, cooked in banana leaves) for us all. Yummy! (W purchases the same for breakfast Thursday.)

I'm sent from Emergency to a ward. Test after test show up normal: MRI, EKG, blood tests, and x-rays. As suspected, I'm wired in a "Daher" (Dad's family) reintegration of parts of our beings. My dad had a few similar episodes in his 70s and 80s. That's how his body processed emotions and thoughts he had held. We reboot.

In times of crisis, you want someone like us to walk you through. We're steady, rational, and get the help you need. After a few weeks, a body/mind disengagement takes all the stress off. It's scary for onlookers, and we never regain the time lost, but when it's over, it's over. I remember everything before and since. I talk to the neurologist about my experience, in case other patients have the same thing happen but can't articulate it.

The room feels more like a hotel than a hospital. We are treated with kindness, prayer, music, and care.

The cardiologist says everything looks normal and orders an EKG for tomorrow. "You are now taking blood thinners." 

I ask why - it's standard procedure. He's Seventh Day Adventist and they know natural solutions. "What can I ingest instead of drugs?"

"Chia seeds, daily," he says. And upon request, tells me that 1 tablespoon is the equivalent. Or I can eat grape seeds. I look up his recommendation: chia, grape, and ground flax seeds also provide fiber that regulates blood sugar. Their other ingredients lower blood pressure and thin the blood naturally. Glad I asked! I'll add that to our daily menu. No meds needed.

Supper is bland but I chuckle when the rice comes shaped like a heart. Now that's service! I joke, "Where's the sambal (hot sauce)?" Ah, bland stuff only for patients.

Thursday
At breakfast, I eat the apple W brought and pick out the fried bread in the bubur ayam (chicken porridge). I keep the onions and chicken that prevent the long-cooked rice from being totally tasteless.

Doctor visits, nurse checkups, and two tests are done before 9AM. "I plan to go home today," I tell the morning doc. "Is that possible?" Based on yesterday's conversation with the head doctor, I wave off the prescription. This doc warns, "You'll have to sign off on that, since we follow Western medical protocol." No problem.

The morning's EKG is utterly boring and normal. The young cardiologist is completing her PhD on a fascinating subject. She's comparing the cardiology of pregnant Indonesians with Dutch moms-to-be. What a worthy topic. I tell her to persevere and offer advice to ease her doctoral defense. We pray together that she will do well.

I answer emails, walk around the halls since sitting in bed all day can't be good for you, and agree to a 3-day heart monitor at home. ("Why not?" says W). I'd rather be at a relaxing spa, but they do treat us well. W and I split the morning snack:

... plus a green juice that looks like algae. Luckily it tastes better than that.

We wait until after lunch for the monitors to be attached. Apparently yesterday's meds still have an effect: drowsiness. I nap and miss Dr. Gati, who drops off some pastries. There's one final doctor consultation. ("You're fit and healthy. The monitor sends us the info so we'll see you in a week.") Then W pays the bill before we happily gather our things and hop in the car.

It's nice to come home, whether from far or near, isn't it? My office stinks of the rat/s that have died and disappeared in the ceiling. We air out the room as best we can.

W and I walk up the block and back to stretch our legs. It drizzles some rain and looks menacing but there's no proper downpour. Yesterday the firetrucks were in the neighborhood beside us, putting out a bamboo brushfire. Careless smokers, tossing their cigarettes into the bush, create a hazard.

Sayaka sends a note that her husband Martin has dropped off gado-gado, the beloved Indonesian salad, complete with homemade peanut sauce. I heat some wraps, which we mound with the salad. How wonderful not to have to think of making a meal! Thanks so much.

Read more:
* The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 

All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13-8

* From this time forward I tell you new things, hidden things that you have not known.  Isaiah 48:6

* When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” Acts 17:32

Moravian Prayer: God of new things, remove the blinders of familiarity from our eyes so that we may see the wonderous works you are doing. May our joy in new things and new life have no end. Amen.

I smell a rat (or two?)

Saturday, August 22, 2026
We walk the dogs and have breakfast at #NaraPark. One shrub has delicate pink flowers.

I order my usual: noodles and chicken pieces. There are 3 kinds of hot sauce (sambal) and lots of chicken left over since W is off fried foods.

He builds a KALLAX Ikea shelf before Marjie and Dolly come for tea. They're lovely friends from the Bandung Book Group. We meet monthly, discussing a book one member or another has found interesting.

After lunch, Daniel and Della arrive for conversation and snacks. This round, we have new cookies (banana peanut, chocolate coffee, and some seed/nut crackers). They're at home here. I write some letters of recommendation for Daniel's next steps of education, based on what the college needs. Every school has their own requirements, and his are easy to fulfill.

In my office, the smell of dead animal is strong. Hopefully the rat (or whatever died up in the ceiling) dries up soon. I wonder if we will have a swarm of ants taking care of it - and then end up with a ceiling-full of dead ants.

Sunday
The guard hoists himself from a ladder into the gap between ceiling and roof. There's not much up there. 

The clay roof tiles rest on wood rafters strung across cinderblock walls. The light comes through, as does anything else that ants to squeeze between the tiles.

While the guys are looking for the rat, I soothe myself with some little pieces of coffee cake, brought from #QuietWatersBakery and baked by our dear friend Keelee.

PakT has no success. We lose him for 10 minutes, so I go through the Project, calling for him through the ceiling. Has he fallen? Is he ok, W wonders. He answers on the top tip of the L: no luck in finding a rat, though it continues to stink.

W and I walk a mile and he's worn out. I attend IES Bandung for the first time since March, feeling so at home even though I'm alone. My heart responds to the live worship and message encouraging us to share Good News. Ibu Titik has made a stunning arrangement, which she and Pak Chandra deliver after the Gathering.

I put the arrangement on a small wooden stand to let the greens breathe. I love her flowers but there's no obligation for her to send them our way. I consider it a gift each time she shares them, and our company at the Project appreciates the touch of beauty.

Up close, the unusual flowers are even prettier.

W and I walk to lunch at Balarasa across the street. Their menu has changed. The items are smaller, fewer, and more expensive. I order as close to my favorite dish as I can get. W can't find his option so we probably won't go back very much. 

The pattern for opening a shop or restaurant here rarely varies. First, a soft launch that features amazing offerings at an excellent price. Once the store is launched, the menu changes to more expensive and less appealing options.

The fragrant rice and chicken leg I order gets peeled apart and eaten by hand. "Tastes better if you eat with your hands," locals assure us. Look how small the drumstick and thigh are! It's maybe half the size it used to be.

W orders rice porridge. The flavor normally comes on top of the porridge, but he asks for it on the side. His stomach has been churning for 2 days so he's sticking to plain food. We gather the sides (shredded chicken, vegetables, seasonings, and shrimp crackers) into one takeaway container and give it away to the guard at the Project gate.

My restless self makes some changes to the over-patterned guest room. When I unrolled the Navaho-style rug, it was too much. I haul that up to the library and swap out the jute rug from there.

Better. I also put our white quilted cover on the bed. The colored quilt goes on our own bed. i'm still figuring out where the shelves will hang.

We've been rehoming items, tools, building leftovers, and never-used items that were stored on the floor. There's random stuff, like Brita filters, a pitcher, and a sink attachment. I post it all @$9 in the Yard Sale WA group - ping, they're gone. 

The buyer sends a photo of her bank transaction. Yes, everyone knows your bank number because that's how business is done. A motorcycle courier shows up at the gate and takes it away.

Another find is the Filipino water heater we used at the old kitchen for dishes. Would it heat the bathtub water? Once W cleans it and plugs it in, the water is only tepid after a half hour. I wait another half hour. The vibrations from the heater have settled dirt of city water in a neat grid on the bottom of the tub. I'm not getting into that! I pull the plug, empty the tub, and wash it out.

When I come back, a big lizard is in the tub. I saw it once before, scooting along the edge of the bathtub. It was big and fast enough that I thought it might be a rat. Nope, though it has lost its tail, it is still 7" / 15cm long. It leaps out of the tub while I'm wondering how to catch it. W is already asleep or he'd be the catcher.

The lizard runs around the edge, jumps onto the floor, and hides under the bathroom scale. I leave, turn off the light, and hope it is gone the next time I need the bathroom. Ugh.

Monday
I have early calls so we skip the walk. The therapist comes at 9AM as I'm wrapping up. She's pleased with W's progress. He is doing well enough - and can make enough sounds to call - so he goes back to using his office instead of the living room. After falling asleep in our room, we often wake for post-midnight devotions and readings. He reads in his office sanctuary without waking me.

Since he couldn't call out, we flipped the Beddinge IKEA sofabed down just outside our apartment. Guests walk by on their way to the Porch, which can be uncomfortable for them the past 4 weeks since he got out of the hospital.

Today we fold up the sofa and reclaim the living room. The bedding is washed and put away.

IbuS tries to find the source of the rat stench. We check on top of high shelves, pull out boxes, and check the doorframe. Nope. It's definitely above my office. How did PakT miss it yesterday? The yard man climbs up to see if he can spot it. 

"There's probably more than one dead mouse," W thinks, because the smell comes from another corner today. Indonesians use the same word for "rat" and "mouse," so there's no telling what's up there. Man#2 doesn't find anything either.

We sweep a swallow's nest off the pillars a half-dozen times. The birds are persistent. They've chosen another pillar since we didn't let them finish a nest on the first post. In the firepit, the yard man is burns the jumbles of twigs and leaves from last week's tree removal. Gradually the garden and camping area is returning to order. There's one more dangerous tree to take down, maybe next week.

I try a new recipe for stir-fried veges and rice noodles. As W and I finish eating on the Porch, PakG announces Andi and his sister Pauline. She's never been here, but he remembers us. He attended a Christmas Day fete 7 years ago in the old neighborhood. They were driving by on the way to visit another friend and thought, "Hasn't Waldemar moved to this house? Let's go in and say hi."

They sit with us as W finishes eating. We have some vegetables left over in the pan. I take it into the kitchen and fire up the hob. There's another porthion of noodles on the counter, too. Those take 3 minutes to soak before frying. Why not? In 6 minutes, I'm back out with their lunches.

Without a watch, they knew it was vaguely close to lunch. God provides. Not knowing they were coming, I'd already made enough for them. Strange. Wonderful.

IbuS brings out tea and chocolate cookies. Turns out Pauline loves chocolate. Andi promised her some because he stayed with her 3 weeks. When his kids ate all the chocolate bars, he forgot to bring more. She was chiding him on the way over.

Then God gives her chocolate cookies. I also bring out some homemade chocolate samples. "Looks like God rescued a terrible brother from the wrath of a chocolate-loving sister," we have a good laugh together. Even in this small thing, God reassures them with his care. We send the cookies home with them after we pray together. 

IbuS and I lift the long bed-table into place. "Good, when the pillows fall out of the bed, they won't fall all the way to the floor," Kirsten remarks. It's also a good spot for guests to hide an open suitcase.

After we mount a shelf, the room will done. As I'm considering the goodness of God, someone comes by my perch outside. They're raising funds for children's scholarships. Kids are learning a traditional dance which they'll perform for their village.

"Is it religious?" I ask. No = good, since we only sponsor ceremonies hosted by followers of Jesus. W has just given me money for something else. I hand it over, thanking God that I don't have to think about an amount, provision, or other details. God is in control of those.

Thanks be to God! If you wonder what the "will of God" is for your life, do the next right thing. Don't hold onto what you have. Be the hands and feet of Christ. He wants to provide for you ... and for others through you.

Read more:
* The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward. Isaiah 50:5

* But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God. John 1:12

* John, writing to the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is 

to come, the Almighty.” Revelation [of Jesus Christ] 1:4-8

Moravian Prayer: Lord, there are moments that require stillness and moments that require busyness. May we discern those to which you call us to as we face uncertain times. Author of creativity, thank you for the variety of gifts and means of service by which we follow you.

Creator, how wondrous it is that you, who made all that is, care enough about us to call us your children and choose to dwell among us! Thank you for claiming us and making each of us in your image. Amen.