Goodbye, hello, and catching up

Saturday, May 24, 2025

After the dawn walk, I'm hungry for pancakes. But when I start cooking, I decide on crepes. All the batter needs is more milk. I heat 3 little frying pans and before long, dozens of crepes are heaped on the serving dish.

Jenn and Adam L have been here for the past week-and-a-half. I invite them down but they had a big supper last night and decline ... until they smell the crepes. We have a nice breakfast together. Then we wander over to a nearby house to pray for God's favor. The dogs romp through the yard while we imagine what the future may hold.

The flowers for Round Table Sunday are bright and cheery. The garden is fluttering with yellow and purple blooms but I am in a red mood when I roam the flowerbeds. I ram the few flowers I find between maidenhead fern fronds. PakG takes 12 bud vases to the hall and helps Alice's team with tomorrow's setup.

And just like that, before noon our friends wave goodbye. It's been a pleasure having them with us - a time of healing and joy. They take the shuttle to the Jakarta airport, heading to a vacation in the islands tomorrow.

All the dogs get groomed by 2 guys who arrive on their motorcycle, complete with their gear. We probably couldn't afford to have poodles in the States. The duo charges 1/10 the USA price (1/20 for Anton) to clean and clip the dogs. A bonus is that we don't have to go to the groomers; they come to us.

Bailey gets a weird "helmet head" cut so I take him into my office and cut a round cap with a Teflon scrapbooking scissor.

Better. While I'm in the mood, I cut 1-3" off my own hair to neaten it up. (But I use salon scissors on my own head.)

Talman drops by in late afternoon. He was a faithful movie night "son-of-the-heart" before he moved to live and work in Turkey. He's back for a short visit. We're delighted when he makes time for us.

Jenn and Adam arrive safely at the Jakarta airport and check out the new Grand Anara Hotel. It looks good. Thank you, God, for traveling mercies.

Sunday

Mom and I talk at 4:30 a.m. and my rib is still aching from Friday's wipeout. W takes Anton and Juno for the early morning walk. It's the first walk I've missed since A arrived a month ago.

Anton is a happy boy with his new haircut. He loves the fenced yard and probably knows every inch by now. He plays endless games of "fetch" and plows down plants and pots to find the ball, no matter how long it takes. Oh oh - our garden is becoming a wreck; I'm an indifferent thrower and the ball often rolls into the flower beds.

There's a good team serving together today at IES Bandung.

My heart is immersed in the generosity of God and his love for his creation. How good he is to all of us. He invites each person out of the kingdom of darkness into his glorious kingdom of light. I am sometimes overcome by wonder at his goodness and patience.

W orders Mike Pizza for lunch. I sit outside and admire the green garden; it's nature's reward for the past few weeks of overcast skies and rain. It's unusual to have such a long stretch without sunshine most of the day, less like Bandung and more like Chilliwack where we grew up.

We put away our Sunday gear and change out of our Sunday clothes. Then we unpack the dozen bud vases from the hall and spread the flowers around the room. Something in them smells wonderful.

Last week's bouquet is still going strong in the entry.

I love reading on the Porch when there's time to rest. The serene setting soothes the busy mind. An endless "fetch" game keeps the energetic youngster occupied. We're debating whether the nickname acquired by chewing flip-flops will stick: Monster. He's big and active enough to pull it off.

I come inside when I'm in danger of being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Their larvae thrive in the wet pockets of the garden bromeliads and ferns. We sign an agreement for the future of our work. It is the result of 4 years of questions and negotiations.

Monday

The newsletter for next month takes shape in the early morning hours.  Might as well write while things are quiet. This week we need to finish several major projects, in addition to our normal schedule. 

W checks if he has a meeting this morning. While I wait for him, I color my hair with a DIY kit from the USA. We can't buy "blond" color here most of the time. (Not doing a color change, just roughing its texture for more body.)

There are many ways to survive if you're creative. One popular option is to rent a costume and ask for money along the streets. This guy is on the bandwagon.

Tract housing is the most common building style in the neighboring city of KBP, where we're headed. We have a few bedding options to check out and W picks up some storage baskets. 

It's wonderful to hug Claudia's neck - and have lunch with Josh. Catching up on what our friends are doing provides direction for prayer and connects the hearts.

IKEA has nothing for us in the AS-IS section, which is our first go-to when we get in the door.

Back home, the fridge is full. W's baskets corral some odd-shaped bags of food.

IbuS has changed the linens in the guest room and set up for the next arrivals, whoever that will be. We have food packages left from a previous order so there's no cooking today.

Tuesday

After a 3-mile walk, we make some calls and get to work. Today the helpers have a marathon of baking. First comes 7 loaves o fbanana bread - thanks for the sweet bananas, Veronica! They bake 5 pumpkin pies with the little pumpkins we got last week at the fruit stand. They send lunch to a friend along with some loaves ... the whole yard and the house smell of fresh-baked goods.

We need eggs, butter, and vegetables so it's off to the store. Two American young adults must be "fresh off the boat." Standing on the store steps, they look only at their peers, chatter and laugh loudly! and seem unaware of anything but themselves. Passersby avoid eye contact, though a smile and "good morning" are a normal greeting.

We send lunch downhill to our friends. V sent up bananas; we return the favor with banana bread. The team comes over to discuss our work over tea, fresh pumpkin pie, and banana bread. What would we do without IbuS and IbuA?! They leave mid-afternoon but I freeze a counter-ful of baking after it cools down.

Wednesday

Walk. Call the son with a birthday? He's a wonderful man with a good family. He'll be busy with them when his birthday rolls around on his side of the world. 

Our prayers for blessing are that our kids - including Timothy - are blessed = so they can bless others with streams of the Living Water that Jesus promised his followers.

Anton's in a mood! He prances, dances, and riles up Juno, a true feat of energy.

Back home, I heat up yesterday's leftover tea and hit the desk for more editing. This book is a slog: the topic is generally covered in the introduction so the rest is details and case studies. My mind slides around the words and ideas. I remove repetitions and clarify a few things but they could have published it without my help. (Yes, it will be better with help.) The hoya flowers smell heavenly on the Porch.

W and I read through Sunday's talk (his writing this week) and head out the door for lunch. We skipped our date breakfast today to talk to our moms and get to work. We both need a break by midday. Look at this unassuming little bloom. I love finding things like this when we walk.

The yardman had typhoid fever for the past weeks but he's back on the job. The lawn-ish plants have grown in his absence. The weed-whacker drones on and on; we go inside and close the doors to focus on work. Outdoor maintenance is a must-do chore if you don't want snakes and other critters migrating into the house.

Read more:

*Only you know the human heart. 1 Kings 8:39

*Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart

    —they do no wrong but follow his ways.

You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.

Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!

Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. Psalm 119:1-8

*When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” John 1:47-48

Moravian Prayer: Omniscient Lord, God, and Spiritus, creator of each of us, we are yours by your will if not our own. Give increase to our leanings to find you and to be found by you. May we be kind. Amen.

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.