Christmas week! 2024 - thanks be to God

Sunday, December 22, 2024 - 4th Sunday of Advent

We enjoy time with the IES Bandung family. Though many are away, other travelers join us. We sing Christmas carols and talk about the peace of Christ that the angels proclaimed.

Titik has worked her magic with flowers.

The eldest person lights the candle of "peace" for the fourth Advent Sunday.

What a joy to be together.

Roadside, there's a star-shaped flower on a tall weed.

These little stars fall from the trees and punctuate the street.

W takes a closeup photo of one.

And pink bulbs have burst into bloom along the street.

Monday

Jane and I enjoy the morning on the Porch with tea and baked goods. Some friends have sent cakes and pastries. Jane takes along a few books for her kids to read.

We start preparing the house for Christmas Day, cleaning and paring away. We're cleaning, baking bread, and doing final shopping. We drop off our favorite curry cubes for Alice, who is cooking for her family. Breakfast sausages and curry cream are a favorite at movie nights and other events.

Our simple 4-ingredient curry recipe+water: 

1. Heat 1-2 T of oil in a medium-hot saucepan or pot. 

2. Stir-fry 1/2 chopped onion for 3 min. until it loses its color. 

3. Add a block of curry*, gradually adding a liter (4 c) of coconut cream. 

The point is to have the curry absorb the cream and onion flavors. The sauce should thicken each time.

4. Stir and sauté the curry slurry for 5 min between each addition of cream. It will be thick.

5. Once all the cream is added (about 1/2 hour?), gradually add hot water (up to 2/3 the amount of cream.) Simmer uncovered for 10-20 minutes. Should be creamy and fragrant. 

That's it. If you hate onions, go straight for 'sauté curry in coconut cream'. The sauce bubbles as soon as water is added so I sometimes make it in a soup pot.

* Hint: we make a huge batch so we combine a block of mild and a block of medium curry. It freezes well. Whisk it as you heat it up and it's like freshly-made.

There's even a Christmas aisle at Toko Setiabudi.

The garden is in fine color.

Tuesday - Christmas Eve

One last batch of cookies: these are star shapes. They make 7 batches. They're still cooling when they go home.

We're at the hall at 4:30 for carols rehearsal. I can't believe how relaxing it is to play with a band. We have a good drummer, bass, and guitar - plus Eki brings his violin. My hands do their own thing by reflex. "We didn't know you played," say many of our regulars. What? (I prefer to let others learn to play keyboard in process, so rarely play myself.) 

We go through all 11 carols before  the Candlelight service at 6:00.

It's a wonderful time of community. We read a portion of the Story from scripture, then sing a carol. 

At the end, W lights his candle from the Advent candles at the front of the hall. We pass the light around and sing Silent Night.

Alice and her crew have hot chocolate and cookies ready. People stand around and greet each other, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Wednesday - Christmas Day

W's got the water boiling in the big stockpot before I get to work at 5 AM. We never know how many people to expect (80 come, the same as last year). The sauces are done but I cook spaghetti, and bake sausages and meatballs. The women come at 9 AM to cut salad, wash dishes, and cook rice.

We decide on savories inside (kitchen) and desserts outside. The tablecloths are on, anti-fly fans are whirring, and the food gets piled on the tables. We use rattan plates with paper liners and recycle cutlery and cups.

At 11 AM, guests of every age start arriving. They're from every continent. 

The best surprise is when Herbert, our Tanzanian former team member, shows up. We didn't even know he'd returned to Indonesia! I tear up, seeing him.

How close these young people grow to us. We don't have birth family nearby, but these are children and grandkids of the heart.

As always, it's a joy to read the Story together, eat, and open gifts. I package about 30 extras for those who forget to bring a gift for the exchange. After, we put the extras away for next year.

It gets noisier and noisier! as gifts are swapped, stolen, and opened.

Every corner of the yard is full of conversation. Those who come as strangers make at least a few new friends.

After the last guests leave, W and I clean up a bit, give the helpers their Christmas bonus, and relax. Nara has sent over a feast (Beef Wellington) that makes an amazing supper. Thank you, Paulina and staff!

Thanks be to God for the wonderful gift of his Son, Jesus. This has been a month of Advent (expectancy) and celebration.

Read more: (The birth of Jesus)

*In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her  firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you 

good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2)

*I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Exodus 6:7

*And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

*See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1

Moravian Prayer: Wonderful God, we rejoice that you have called us to be your people, and we see the responsibility that calling brings. Strengthen us for the task at hand and make us worthy of this task. Amen.

"What, there's another one?" (How many trees are enough?)

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Mid week. Already. We set two little trees near the sliding doors. One starts as a mess of tangled lights in crushed branches, with few ornaments and a missing stand. Save or toss?

I think we can save it. W rigs up a stand and wedges the base into it. I strip it and start to fluff out the needles.

When the bells, ornaments, and lights are replaced, it gets a final straightening and a length of batik over the base. Looks good. Once upon a time, it was an expensive tree.

A still smaller tree on the table gets wrapped with silver tinsel garland, a few birds, and two stems of white berries. Random leftovers, in other words. This was last year's discard - maybe a tree topper? - until W drilled a hole in a block of wood and shoved the wire stem into it.

Then I putter, thinking through Sunday's talk and fielding calls. We letter Christmas ornaments for the "We Care!" giveaway.

"There's another big box in storage upstairs," says IbuS. There's more? Of what?

PakG hauls it down and the two of them set up the old-fashioned, big-needled pine inside. It's like the trees we had as kids. It has holes in a central 6' wooden pole. The branches have twisted wire ends that fit into the holes. The tree stand has 3 screws to hold the trunk in place, plus a red cup held by 3 green feet. Remember those? Over the weekend, we find missing branches here and there, including in a box in a storage basement at the hall.

I have no idea where we got this tree. The trunk is bare and ugly and I'm out of garlands. I root through the boxes we've returned to storage for a few ornaments, which we hang on the branches. Simple tree. It doesn't look too awful at the Porch entry.

I'm worried it will blow over when the wind kicks up. "Should we tie it to the porch railing?" I ask W. He says no, that won't work.

ChaCha and I meet at Ethnic for lunch. She's a follower of Jesus, a dear young friend, and a hard-working entrepreneur.

Thursday

It rained most days this week although today is dry. The hiking group decides not to risk the wet and slippery trails. W and I do a long loop (a few miles) with the dogs and I finish a few dozen more give-away ornaments.

Before lunch while the helpers bake cookies and bread, we run errands in town. W is replacing the hose on the hot water tank and getting the weedwacker repaired and replaced. (The yardman can't mow the lawn without it. He tackles the flowerbeds while he waits for our return.)

While W checks repairs, I browse ACE for something to cover up the bare wood of the 2 meter/6' Porch tree. I find 4 sparkly green garlands for the price of one: 75% off? My kind of deal.

After lunch, I wind the garlands up the trunk and around the bottom branches. I'm back inside when a gust of wind topples the tree. W finds 3 mossy bricks in the garden and puts those on the feet. Looks good and they should keep the tree upright.

For supper, we have "butter" avocados on IbuS's fresh-baked bread. The avocados from the corner fruit stand are finally ripe. W tries the new scoop/masher from the Dollar Store; woohoo, it works.

The windows rattle in the evening as the thunder rolls in. We hear the rain coming closer, hissing on the trees before it splashes onto the roof tiles. We're grateful to be inside and dry. So many are not so privileged in this city. Flash flooding is a hazard downhill as water from Bandung's mountains overflows catch basins and rivers.

Friday

Since I can't sleep, I pull out my computer and work on Sunday's talk. It's rare and frustrating when I have no clarity until the end of the week. But this is the second week of Advent so the topic is faith, which W defines as "trusting obedience." I have to trust that God will give us the message to communicate his love and care clearly. So I write in the middle of the night when that insight comes.

After about an hour's sleep, the sun's up and it's time to walk. W and I read and edit Sunday's talk together. Beside the gate, the vine clipped on a walk is blooming.

The neighborhood used to have modest 1-2 storey homes for elder scholars. The biggest shock is construction at the end of the small lane. Two houses on either side have already added rooms on top. Now this 4-storey apartment is rumored to become a rental for students from down the hill. That would change the neighborhood from residential to commercial. (With students come small food carts, loud motorcycles, and loud parties.)

Saturday

W's usual group is away today so we walk to Nara for breakfast. There's a company family Christmas party, complete with ear-splitting volume on voice and music. The kids play on the carpeted playground. In rainy season, that keeps the kids from getting splatted with mud.

See the managers in a team-building game (left)? Three people hold 3 balls. Two balls get wedged between the 3 people. One ball is held by the leader. The three run across the grass to their team members. Then the leader hand the ball he's holding to the first person in line. That person grabs the ball, drops to the back of the 3-person team with the ball on their stomach, snugging up to the middle person. They run across to do the same transfer on the other end. First group to get through every person in line wins. Too much proximity for me!

Dolly sent me an iris 2 years ago. Today it's blooming in the garden. 

The fish are happily swimming in the ponds. During sun breaks, the floating solar fountains circulate air back into the ponds. I grab handfuls of algae from the smallest pond and its pump kicks into gear.

The flowers from Monday's nursery run have been planted for a pop of color.

The green wall is regaining its plants after being accidentally stripped.

PakG brings down a patio table and chairs from the upper balcony = I have a desk overlooking the tidy garden if I am feeling extroverted. When I need focus, I sit the other way, with a laser-cut screen and plants on the wall. Both views are helpful. I rise to crush big ants carrying egg cases instead of setting an alarm to stand up. We don't need more ants!

My tasks are defining survey questions for my book; plus editing 2 more chapters of someone's dissertation toward their potential book. W heads down the hill to buy olive oil, get a long walk, and replace the light socket that burned out (perhaps during a lightning strike?) Electrical systems aren't grounded, though houses have a lightning rod on their roofs. Next week is our annual Christmas dinner-and-a-movie night so we're prepping that.

The worship team practices with me for two hours. My throat is raw and painful and I have a headache in the evening, usually the sign that I'm getting sick. I just got over the flu a few weeks ago. I pray for healing.

Sunday

It's the second Sunday of Advent.

Alice has spearheaded IES Bandung's fourth Art Sunday. People enjoy making bags and cards.

Some make ornaments. This one uses yarn I brought from my mom's stash in Chilliwack (Canada.)

After a meeting, some of the team eat lunch with us at Maxi's. My headache is worse so we rest in the afternoon.

Titik sends home this geometric arrangement - what art.

Monday

What! One more tree, found in a box. It's a crumpled mess.

Once unfolded and decorated, it's a lovely little thing that fits perfectly on the bookcases.

I take notes from the best books on Blinkest, sitting on the Porch at my new outdoor desk. W is getting his own headache, writing his book about women in ministry in another part of the house.

For supper, it's fresh bread and red pepper spread from a jar snagged last summer at Aldi in Missouri. Time to indulge. It's delicious on the hearty chia/flax seed slice.

Read more:

*Love truth and peace. Zechariah 8:19

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Moravian Prayer: Understanding Savior, you are able to comprehend the message of our hearts, even when words fail us. We rejoice to be seen, heard, and known by you. Amen.