Tuesday, March 24, 2024 - Happy birthday, Jonathan!
We're cheering our son on his birthday, as he celebrates with friends in a cabin up north. Brrr. Sounds cold. W and I pray for him together.
We walk 2 loops with the dogs, who are well-behaved this morning. They get dog-popsicles when we get back = broth frozen around little pieces of baked yams and kibble. Those take a while to eat, though the tropical heat melts them quickly. It's enough of an effort that the dogs rest rather than running wild around the yard.
We've had sunshine most days last week so the flowers are out.
On a tall shrub by the Padma Hotel, pinecone-sized bulbs are erupting into bloom, a few ruffly petals opening each day.
For breakfast, I was going to scramble some eggs. Seeing the eggs on the counter, I decide on crepes. I reach for flour and other ingredients that are close at hand, totally skipping the melted butter. No worries - there's still the butter/oil combo in the fridge to grease the pan, from making crepes last week. With a few small saucepans on the stove burners, it's a quick process.
We sit on the porch. They taste good rolled up with various stuffings, savory or sweet.
The
rendang (spicy coconut beef - vegan style) pairs especially well with the egg-y pancakes.
The dictionary article gets a final edit and goes off! at last. The music is loud outside today; there's a celebration at the assistant governor's place. While they party, we keep working on the Project. W is assembling beds - and I have to decide where they go in the room. A trusty paper grid clarifies the fit. The little piece is the ladder of the IKEA Tuffinge loft bed we picked up last year from an exiting expat. We'll put a desk, chairs, and lamp under it.
We're settle back on the Porch, the wind kicking up and rustling the leaves of the + 60'/20-meter trees in the backyard. After a lunch of hot cross buns and sausage, I munch on kale chips. It was my first attempt at making them in the air fryer - easy and tasty for when I crave salt. I made 7 chocolate-and-sweet potato mousse servings the other day, so we have half of one as well.
Today gives us a taste of what is to come since there's no team meeting. We moved the final team dinner to another day. Suddenly, we have an extra afternoon to work on the checklist. I'm mostly ready for the weekend and the coming week. What is relaxing for me? I set aside some novels and a few non-fiction books for our break.
After lunch the grid turns to reality.
We hang pictures (more art!) and put tables and chairs out on the balcony. The 24"/60cm treefrog photos look cheery and fun with nature art between the triptych. (Directly beside each other, the red bug-eyes felt menacing rather than humorous.) The busy wallpaper helps blend them in, too.
The chairs get tucked under the tables to minimize rain and sun damage. The tables are IKEA wood with a 24"/60cm floor tile on top. One task at a time, the Project is getting done.
Wednesday
It's a big undertaking to host a big group. Because many young people are away from their families, we create space for them to hang out with friends, family-style: it's many people from everywhere. A few live in the city - the others study or work here, far from home. W and I start the day with a walk, enjoying the blooms emerging at the end of rainy season.
W puts up some hangers that have sat under the steps for 3 months. (Our daughter suggests coloring the squares to make it less boring.) We set out chairs and tables, make sure the buffet supplies are ready, and relax for a few hours.
Today, Della cooks for the Games Night. Everyone loves her food. I set out banana bread and cookies. A few people bring snacks to share.
Our movie tech is not yet ready, but about 50 people start arriving at 5pm. We eat and hang out.
Most games were left behind by previous guests.
There are board games, puzzle games, and card games.
I get a Chinese calligraphy lesson from Mikey. "Top to bottom, left to right," he instructs, holding the wet brush tip down.
There's room at the Project, outside on the porches and inside in the dining and living areas. Groups form and reform.
Near the end, Della does most of the cleanup. The guests take home a bunch of DVDs from a boxful. "Take more," we beg them, but they leave us a dozen.
I finish the dishes but the dish sanitizer is not heating. I stack cups and trays and dry a bunch of bowls by hand.
Thursday
After a walk, W takes the dish-dryer apart. He pulls 4 cicaks (lizards) from the heating element and suddenly it works again. He puts them on the side porch - I want to take them along to let the grandkids admire them. Nope - the dogs have eaten them by the time I finish cleaning.
Our team lunch offers time to share what we have seen and appreciated about each member. Della orders fish soup and spots a green worm on her fresh parsley. It falls to bottom of the bowl before she captures it. She fishes around with a spoon and chopsticks but can't find it. She checks every spoonful as she lifts it to her mouth, to make she's not eating the caterpillar. Whaaaat?! (We would send it back but she assures us that most Indonesians will just put it aside.)
After dessert (banana bread, chocolate mousse, and Keelee's birthday cookies), we go around the circle to speak aloud what we have learned. I write down the comments for each person: in the heat of the moment, it is easy to forget or overlook what someone cherishes about you. I'll send the affirmations from the group to each person.
These leaders have grown in every way - spiritually, theologically, mentally, in leadership, and as a family of brothers and sisters.
Hanny is sister to everyone. After Herbert eats a hot pepper, she leans over and scrapes away all the pepper from his plate. "Just eat the meat," she tells him. Makes me laugh.
We pray together at the end. Finally, we take a team photo before we wave goodbye. W and I walk up the hill to home while the others wait for their rides.
One more walk with Juno and Anton, before we call it a day. This bush has several colors of blooms. So pretty.
Read more:
* “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-14
* You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Psalm 40:5
* And [the lame man] stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
Moravian Prayer: Loving Savior, when doubts arise, remind us of your mighty works and unfailing promises. Like John the Baptist, we seek assurance in times of uncertainty— help us to trust that you are the one who brings healing, restoration, and salvation. Open our hearts to recognize your presence and follow your ways. May we live as messengers of your truth, preparing the way for others to know you. Amen.
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