Fresh beauty and bread

Sunday, January 19, 2025

The topic today is raising children to love God and be a blessing in the world. The flowers this morning are striking. Way to go #titikbadudu!

After the Gathering, we enjoy a team meeting and lunch at Maxis. My shoes fall apart - literally. As I'm walking up the hill to the restaurant, I feel something flopping around. The sole of the shoe is loose and drops off completely by the time I get to the table. Ugh. that's a regular occurrence with shoes here. The glue gives up and the shoe and sole are parted.

Shortly after we get home, a friend from W's Saturday study drops by with her family. She brings ginger drink and peanut sauce for vegetables, treats from mid-Java (Jogja) where they vacationed before Christmas. Yum.

I find a perfect 8"/20cm pot for grass heads clipped from the garden.

Monday

On the walk, we spot more bells along the road.

Lunch includes Dr. Farah's peanut sauce. Sundanese typically don't eat a green salad. Their version is to blanche and chop vegetables, then smother them in peanut or soy sauce. Pretty tasty.

"Get int-ah town!" We ride down to get all the broken shoes fixed. This round, we have four pairs. This repair shop has cool custom shoes as well.

We're close to "Fish Street" where saltwater, tropical (freshwater) and gold-fish hang in bags. So do turtles, plants, and wiggling worms = food for bigger fish.

We hop out of the car to admire beautiful marine setups, mostly full of Indonesian fish and fluorescing corals.

I admire the palaudariums, tanks filled half with water, half with land.

Big and small shops line two blocks of a busy city street. It's a hobbyist's paradise - and I love to see what the shops carry. 

I've kept fish since my first goldfish bowl when I was 8 years old. The weekly routine: hand in the bowl to catch the goldfish; hold on while the other hand dumped out the water and refilled it from the sink. Release the fish into the cold Winnipeg tap water, winter or summer. I fed it when I remembered. Yikes! that fish was hardy and lived long.

At the grocer, we buy eggs (limited to 20) and exclaim over the prices of cooking oil, a food staple that has doubled in cost in recent years. As in most other countries, wages haven't kept up with price increases for utilities, rent, or food. That results in more poverty and hardship.

At night, W hangs a 30"/70cm rattan tube in the dining room. Someone gave the cylinder to us a while back; a $2 light fixture makes the dark corner glow.

Tuesday

The fish we bought yesterday are still alive. Betas control mosquito larvae and last a long time. They're 70c each so W bargains for a free one after I choose a handful. We put one in each flowerpot-pond and send one home for PakG's kids.

Most fish are caught or grown locally and cost 50c to $5. With a tropical climate and an ocean nearby, there's no need for heaters and other expensive equipment.

A recent addition to the pet trade is Glo-fish, which are genetically modified to shimmer in various neons. (Their offspring retain their parents' colors.) Apparently it's not health-altering, though they would easily be spotted by predators in the wild. At 15c each, (65c for a bag of 5), they're a colorful experiment.

I refill the 5 gallon vase that occasionally acts as my desktop aquarium. Plants from other fishtanks are popped in. I swap out 20oz of water most days: there's no filter or heater.

Writing takes up most of the afternoon, including fulfilling requests from our partners.

Today's "New Normal" post features the swarms of thousands of caterpillars who strip the avocado trees bare after the fruit is ripe. Ugh. Their hairy tips are poisonous and sting when touched.

Each week, we send friends the "New Normal" weekly photo and paragraph. If you'd like to know what's normal in Indonesia but unusual where you live, PM me or send a comment with your email address. (I'll add you but you may unsubscribe any time. Your info isn't used for anything else.)

In late afternoon, the rain returns with a loud hiss. The dogs head out of the downpour to their favorite shelters.

IbuS added 2 tablespoons of an "Everything but the bagel" mix to the bread today. What a simple and delicious supper.

Read more:

*So, acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Deuteronomy 4:39

*Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

*Our God is merciful and tender. He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death, to guide our steps into the path of peace. Luke 1:78-79

*Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:4–5

*Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5,7

Moravian Prayer: God in heaven, sometimes we forget the vastness of your might and your love. You are always present for us and ready to share our burdens. Let your gentleness be a model for our lives.

Guiding Star, you are the one Lord, forevermore. Your light has been made known to the world so that all may follow you. In this season of Epiphany, give us peace and rest so that we may share your love with the world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Hazy mornings and swinging afternoons

Friday, April 5, 2024

Our kids have been married 16 years today. Congratulations, T and M! We're cheering you on. W and I had been married 30 when they got started. I'm in a meeting for an hour before sunrise at 6:00. It's a hazy morning in the mountains. 

W and I walk around the block and spot this critter on the street. Its buggy eyes wave around watching as our camera comes closer.

This beetle is impressive whether buzzing around in flight (taking off above) or googling its big eyes at us (below - 1.5" - 3+cm lines). I am curious: what are the brown sacks under their wings? I look it up. Oh, those are the "real" soft wings for flight, protected by hard-shelled wings above them. How cool is God's engineering ... even for bugs.

We have breakfast at #WaorungEthnic, running into friends who are eating together. It's a favorite place for good rice and beef rendang (spicy stew.) The beef is cooked repeatedly in coconut milk and spices until it is almost dry but flavorful. It's one of my favorite Indonesian feast dishes. 

A few strands shaved off the beef can flavor a heaping spoonful of rice. Rendang is not eaten by the chunk but by the sliver. It looked like stew so I took an American-sized cube in my mouth the first time - and I had to chew it a long long time before it was  malleable enough to swallow. How embarrassing: later I realized that my forkful was an entire person's portion

Saturday

It's another hazy morning. The streets are empty though the playground rings with laughter and shouts. The preteen and teen boys kick a soccer ball in an oddly-shaped triangle between streets. The kids are wearing flip-flops on the uneven pavers. 

Someone sends the ball out of bounds and another boy races toward the 4' wall and the drop-off to the street. The ground under the tree where the ball catches is topped with slippery leaves, and he's going at full speed. He skids toward the ball, hooks it with his toes, kicks it back into the center, and the game continues as he runs back toward his fiends. All in flip-flops. We watch in wonder.

Many houses have a garbage bin that open in the yard for disposal with another opening on the others side for pickup.

This house is being built around the former house's walls. So interesting to watch how people think about building here. I'm wondering when they'll redo the roof. For now, the workers sleep inside.

At home, I make the Sunday flower arrangement, grazing in the garden for berries, ferns, and flowers. There are a few still-green leaves and the lilies from Easter have just begun to open.

On the Porch, I watch a new-to-us betta (65c on fish street) cruise around. This fish becomes aggressive when swordtails or platys come near. Settle down: you're the new guy in town. (Maybe he's had his fins nipped before?)

I fill a 5-gallon cylinder and set it on my desk, adding a betta with 4 swordtail fry and plants from the garden ponds. As I work, they swim circles and pick at the greens.

W and I restructure the IES Bandung talk because it's Family Sunday with kids in the hall. How does the story relate to them?

I download and review 10 books that are coming to publication in the next months. What a mix: business, art, leadership, and fiction. I only thoroughly read those with content that teaches me something. On the side, I'm enjoying some "clean" family fiction by Karen Kingsbury.

Sauerkraut for lunch? Why not. The jar sitting on the counter is ready to expire. I rinse the cabbage, chop an apple and a sausage, season it with black pepper, and add cloves from our garden. It goes into the oven for a few hours with small whole potatoes on top. We eat it with radish sprouts and ricotta cheese because we don't have sour cream on hand. 

The dogs get groomed - old Mr Bailey looks pretty smart for his age! Good boy. The dogs love to be at their "spa" - the groomers come to the house to take care of nails, ears, and hair (everywhere on a poodle.)

Sunday

One of the wonderful parts of leading is the privilege of adding to the DNA. One of our core values is inclusion, and this works itself out in many ways. A diversity of ages, heritages, and gifting ... everyone belongs and can contribute. Today we have a young reader for one of the scripture passages. He dances with excitement when he's done.

After, we have lunch at #Narapark. The table settings are simple and elegant.

We order a Ramadan special: rendang lasagne. Very spicy!

W and I spend an hour on the swinging chairs in the backyard, watching the turtle climb up to sun itself and slide back into the water when we move. The dog sprawl nearby. The solar fountains bubble up to aerate the bathtub ponds.

Oh oh. A strip of wood paneling has fallen from the Porch ceiling. The weight of the bird cages is not the best thing for the paneling but that's not the only factor - age, termites, and 40 years of animals in the ceiling are hard on the house. W rehangs the cage into a rafter, a handy man to have around.

Read more:

*I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create woe; I the Lord do all these things. Isaiah 45:6-7

*But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26

*[Jesus declares,] I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. Revelation 1:18

Moravian Prayer: Creator of all things, we see you in everything. Your presence is felt in times of joy and sorrow. We praise you for breaking the bonds of death and for raising us to new life in you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Lent Day 32-33: Life in the fish bowl

The diversity in our three aquariums fascinates me because it mirrors much of life. Two are saltwater, and one is fresh. The first (tucked in a guest room as a "spare" in case the main one "tanks," if you know what I mean) is no trouble at all. I top it off with salt or fresh water, change the bulbs and filter medium every half year or so... and that's it. The fish eat every two days and swim with vigor. Crabs, shrimp, and snails keep the algae at bay. Red coraline algae grows and keeps the water clean. Once in a while something dies and I fish it out. No problems.

The other salt aquarium requires constant maintanance. It has the best live rock, great lighting and filtration, good livestock, but only one fish - who has lived through algae blooms, hermit crabs gone mad and eating every snail within reach, and cyanobacteria spikes. I'm constantly fighting green fronds growing over the live rock, sheets of it sluicing down the walls, and clumps spreading on the sand.

And finally, a freshwater tank sits on my desk. I brought 10 tetras and a few free guppies home after I'd arranged rocks and live plants, filter and lights. Voila, "It was very good."

Except that two nights later, the glass cracked and leaked 5 gallons of water down an irreplaceable library card cabinet onto the rug. I scrambled to get a cheap tank to put in the fish. Overnight in the stocking pail, several fish up-ended. I was left with about a third of the original occupants.

It's not pretty. The light cords hang over the front of the glass and the filter hangs off the visible edge, the only places they're accessible for maintenance. My eyes have become accustomed to "not seeing" the ugliness, blocking out the systems to see the beauty behind them. Most of the time it is calming and soothing to see the plants waving in the current, fish darting or fluttering their fins between them.

A few weeks after our deluge, I found a replacement tank to fit the original lighting and filtration. But I have to wait for new flooring (bamboo to match the rest of the upstairs) before I unsettle the fish again.

Meanwhile, the fish are unaware. They flourish in the temporary set-up, eating every two days, snails multiplying and plants growing around them. I thin the plants, feed fairly regularly, and rinse the filter every month or so. Low maintenance, and so relaxing!

Like my fish tanks, life is contained in our surroundings. Whether or not the environment is hostile or friendly, some people seem to thrive while some languish or give up altogether.

During Lent, I remember Jesus, who had initial hurrahs and "You're the man!" until people got tired of him and his message. They turned away in hostility and dismay when he disrupted their lives. He broke the rules and showed God's expectation of obedience to his law. He pointed out the hypocrisy and self-aggrandizement of "important people." He sent a herd of pigs over a cliff after exorcising a person's demons (ooh, not politically correct today either). And he refused to be drawn into circles of power and politics so he seemed irrelevant and impotent to those who valued human esteem.

My coach Jodi reminded me this week that Jesus rarely told anyone, "Hey, pay attention. I'm God's Son." Sometimes, if people figured it out, he even said, "Hush, don't spread that around!" We don't always have to be "preaching" and "proclaiming." Also, it's actually obnoxious to God when we hoard power or put others "in their place" because of our position in a company or organization.

Our role is to live where God has put us with love and integrity, in places fair and foul. Around the world, many Christians suffer and die each day. In other places, we enjoy peace and prosperity. God takes pleasure in watching over and caring for us, no matter what or where our fish bowl. I for one am very grateful for that today.