Back to teaching

Monday, August 4, 2025

My friend Gail Johnsen and I teach a Singapore class online this week. We've co-taught this doctorate-level course before.

After a short neighborhood walk with the dogs, W accompanies me to the office to check that the Zoom call is ready to go. Nope! It's a good thing he is there; the internet needs rebooting. He tries everything and then connects me to a different router. Whew. In-house tech support. He heads home while I teach 4 hours. These students are attentive, experienced, and interactive.

We eat a quick lunch at Maxis. Our helper volunteers at a preschool this morning and isn't around to cook for the household. We meet PakG backing the car out of the gate to get his lunch, which feels a bit strange. (His son has his motorcycle?) He drops off a banana bread at a friend's and brings more bananas from her.

It pours rain in the afternoon. No working on the Porch for me. Besides pacing out the class hours for tomorrow, I draw up a final lighting plan for the project. W prints an oversized copy for the aging eyes of the electrician and me. 

In my mind's eye, people are already sitting around tables, enjoying each other's company. While parts of the renovation are exciting, much of it only "shows potential" at this stage. Most of the damp and falling-down ceilings have been removed. Some will be replaced with drywall. In other rooms, like this one, the concrete ceiling will be painted and left exposed for additional height.

Tuesday

I'm in the classroom before 7 AM. The Singapore host lets me in and off we go! We have so much to cover that I'm resigned to not finishing 10 days of material in 2 days - but we actually wrap up the last slides with minutes to spare.

Doctoral cohorts may be small but they are interesting. This cohort makes class presentations and handles their Q&As professionally. When we're done, the comments are enthusiastic and the takeaways are on point for the first two days. I send them my PowerPoint and ask them to review it before tomorrow. Dr Gail takes the next two days. Friday is a review day.

During one break, I lean over the third floor balcony to see what's going on next door to the office. The roofs get in the way of the stunning landscaped park on a half-acre. It's complete with a security house and toilet. We've only seen it from the street, through the gate in the 10-12' front wall.

 

During another break, I look on the other side of the office to another neighbor's yard. They were starting to garden during the pandemic when I used the balcony. Now the gardens are lush, with a greenhouse, vegetables, French lavender, and other European herbs. Ah, I was wondering where I'd find lavender for the next garden. Maybe there?

My computer/thermos/books/binder/art supply-bag is heavy. W carried it to the office for me but he's in Jakarta by noon, picking up our passports from the USA embassy. I tote it home myself, bag on one shoulder, purse on the other, and my tall tea mug firmly in hand.

When everything's put away, it's time to eat the delicious nasa goring sapi (fried rice with beef) that IbuA has prepared. While I'm in class, she and IbuS baked 6 banana breads. The whole house smells sweet. I set one aside for them to take home.

After lunch, I smash together walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and black currents for IbuS's home-baked loaf. SO good. I'm ready for a nap, having had a short and restless night with too much to think about (= including wondering how class would get through all the material. Yay, we did it.)

All but one of the team have inescapable obligations during our weekly meeting time. Since this week's reflection is a good one that we'll want to do together,  the meeting is postponed to next week. I set aside one banana bread for the person who showed up = attendee bonus.

The sky clouds over into a soothing backdrop for rest. By the time it rains, I'm inside and working in warm comfort.

Wednesday

I'm up early so call Mom to find out how her 90th birthday party went. She's full of life and memories. "It was a foretaste of heaven. Everyone was in unity and it made me think of how wonderful heaven will be." She talks about her peacemaking calling, "Since I was a child, I didn't want stress between people. I just wanted everyone to get along." She has fostered that, accepting those she meets without judgement. I end the call, happy to have time with her.

 

We drop by the project. We take a few measurements to see if the wooden desk being taken out of one room can be repurposed to fix a cupboard. (Shelves were stolen long ago.)

A chameleon is sunning itself on the ledge.

Thieves have broken in overnight to steal the crew's welder, pump, and cables. That's a financial loss to local workers who will have to replace them. But then, criminals rarely consider those they hurt. Until God changes a heart, no amount of rituals can transform a person.

Two young neighbors hailed W outside the locked gate as we walked by. They asked W if they can be our night guards ... even before we discovered the theft. Obviously, someone saw the thief who broke in last night and has told others.

We have our date breakfast at Nara Park. Cats walk in and out of restaurants here.

We watch the servers set up a picnic theme for a birthday party later today. Hmmm, it's definitely for kids. Partygoers our age might easily get down but not everyone could get up again. hehehe

I have the usual - noodles, "popcorn" dumplings, and 3 kinds of hot sauce.

Back home, the yardman starts digging up shrubs. What?! 

We hadn't planned to transfer the garden until late this month or October when the rains come. I quickly draw a yard map and show the yardman where to plant larger plants that provide the structure. There's a separate planting page for each area. He says he understands the plan. (Now to see where the plants end up!)

I've forgotten to spray myself with DEET and the mosquitoes start to eat me alive. Oh yeah! run inside to slather my skin.

Read more:

*Is it not you, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you. Jeremiah 14:22

*Do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. Zechariah 7:10

*God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his son. 1 John 5:11

*Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 1 Peter 3:8

Moravian Prayer: Dear divine Creator, grant us the strength to endure life’s trials, the wisdom to navigate challenges, and the courage to face uncertainty. May hope be our guiding light, illuminating our path with resilience and optimism. 

Gracious God, inspire us to embody the profound command of Christ: to love one another selflessly. May our hearts overflow with compassion, kindness, and understanding, fostering a world united in the bond of love. Amen.

Small decisions and friend moments

Monday, July 21, 2025

Walk. Meetings. Work. That's Monday's rhythm. Between, I talk to Mom, who turns 90 in August. She's praying and caring for the family and affirming her caregivers even as her body grows frailer.

In the side yard, pink flowers bloom atop 6' (2 meter) stalks. Where did they come from? The leaves look similar to papaya.

I complete a checklist of to-dos before lunch. W meets our Korean friends for lunch at their place. I have to get going on a class I co-teach in 2 weeks. Since next week is full, the coursework needs to be settled this week. It can be disappointing to miss connections as I prioritize what needs to be done. In this case, my students will be ready so I have to be diligent in preparation for class.

I make a quick lunch of pasta and pasta. Carbs are my go-to when my brain gets fuzzy or unfocused..

The deluge of data from MS Forms drives me crazy. The information is there. I can read it online or in an Excel sheet. I click on individual answers and get a popup of "more details" from the replies to each question. But I can't print the pop-ups, which have the meatiest content.

I can't figure out how to capture information in chunks that are intuitive to me - all MS offers is a survey or a huge spreadsheet. For a half-minute, I consider wading through all 300 survey returns, tabulating responses one by one into the narrative. 

There's no way a workplace admin would use such a clunky method; it should be easy to print "More Details" in a block rather than printing the limited data in the summary. I watch a few YouTube explanations that leave me where I am. My conclusion is, "I don't know what I'm doing."

Perhaps W can figure it out when he returns? He doesn't get overwhelmed the way I do by numbers and random-to-me data. But he doesn't find a better solution.

Tuesday

Calls start after our walk. The 3 big dogs prefer to walk on one leash. The little guy gets a separate walk later on.

My dear friend Keelee sent along "comfort cookies" - chocolate coffee flavored - from her @QuietWaters bakery. Every month or so, I pull one out of the freezer as a treat. The verse for today is: "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." Psalm 116:7. So true.

A young mom pops in for a few hours and a morning cup of tea. In the afternoon, our team arrives on the Porch for updates, tea, and cookies.

Wednesday

We walk the dogs, taking them before our weekly date breakfast at #NaraParkBandung. Near our table is a tabletop rotting away in the sun and rain. Tropical weather is brutal to unsealed wood. Our favorite table is smooth and stable, thanks to its resin finish. Iqbal is a good server, bringing us extra-hot tea.

A neighbor has chopped tall pines to their bare trunks, 30' (10 meters) high. See the stub? Will that regrow? Our friends say, "Yes of course," and look puzzled at why we ask. Everything grows here.

Jane and I visit for 2 hours before lunch on the Porch. Then W and I take the yardman and PakG to the project's yard to help with planning the garden. The contractor offers a proposal about the broken tile around the kitchen sink. I take photos of the ceiling, where wallpaper has peeled off and holes are being patched.

We have a month to decide where to pull the lighting through the ceiling. We lay out the table placement, step back to see the line of sight, and consider the options.

While I do some business from home, W is off to a men's study.

Thursday

Only a few are available to hike so we skip the drive into the mountains and walk down the hill along the river. The stairs in various neighborhoods are steep and uneven. You need healthy knees to negotiate them. Fortunately, the paths are dry today so it's not slippery. 

The village across the river has been painted as a mural but the crowds of tourists from a few months ago are missing.

We take up the offer of the owner of a maggot factory to tour his set-up.

I snap a poster of the process from food scraps to adult worms that are used for fishing and chicken feed. He sells the compost generated by the maggots for Rp5000/kg (15c/lb.)

The wildflowers are abundant.

This one looks like an exotic bird about to take off.

We complete two loops on the university's Treetop Walk. Then we walk halfway back up the hill (13 flights) to shop and pick up bananas from Veronica's. PakG picks us up there - our watches read 5 miles (7+ km), which is enough.

Our friends arrive about the time we're coming home from lunch. The mom and her sister lived with us when they arrived in the USA for university. Their family helped settle us into Bandung. Today, we take the dogs for a walk together. The 3 beauties, a mom and her daughter, pose on some grand steps.

The helpers bake a few loaves of banana bread, which we enjoy along with pastries from Jakarta sent by Livia, Kristi's mom. Yum.

At night, I hop on a call as a beta tester for a crowdfunding platform. It's designed to fund worthy projects around the world. Very exciting, which cranks up my energy about the time I need to fall asleep. Might as well write the talk for Sunday, which W and I have discussed this week.

Read more:

*For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. Psalm 62:1

*Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:16-19

*It is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Moravian Prayer: God of justice, we often need to be reminded that those who hurt others are human, too. Our enemies deal with struggles and challenges just like we do, so help us remember to pray for their souls and the healing of their hearts. Amen.

What next?

"So, what will you do next?" people keep asking me. (That's the question they've been asking since I started the doctorate, never mind since graduation in May.)

I'm weighing options. After a weekend in Chicago at the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), I'm thinking about going back to teaching. I've always loved to share info and learn with others. (Teaching is about learning, after all!) But until recently, I was tired enough that the thought of grading and committee work dampened any enthusiasm for classroom engagement.

A few things I've studied and ideas I'd like to pass along have me reconsidering. The recent interaction with scholars was a lot of fun. Everyone pursues their specialty with great enthusiasm. "Plunge in with both feet," said my peers at the conference. "Teach with all your heart."

Here are a few things to consider during life or work transitions:

1. What comes naturally? I've been a teacher since I was 13, starting by teaching piano lessons and Sunday School. I've taught Bible courses, spiritual formation, music, communication, teaching methods, etc. etc. from home, at church, and in colleges in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Asia. Sometimes it's been a paid post; sometimes I've done it because I love to teach. What have you done that you'd do regardless of pay or accolades?
2. What is the opportunity ahead of you? Is the open door possibly a good fit? My inclination is to explore new options before saying yes or no ... always leaning toward "Maybe so!" Are you cautious or adventurous when the winds of change blow your way?
3.  What do you love? The "aha moment" when someone grasps an idea or seizes on new resources thrills me. I love exploring the Christian life, being part of Christ's Church, mentoring others, and gathering and sharing information. When do you get goosebumps from participating in or designing something?
4. What do you avoid at all costs? I avoid being micro-managed or balancing a checkbook. Give me freedom to play and explore with a group though ... and I can bear almost anything. What would make you abandon your post?
5. What is God speaking into your heart? I've always been passionate about teaching and mentoring inside and outside the academic community. I value the learning process and admire those who devote their lives to their students. I've watched my husband's delight in continuing to learn while he teaches. We've never taught the same subjects but our different interests might be beneficial: instead of competition, we've mutually offered support for whatever the other does. What possibilities is God whispering into your listening ear? Is it something familiar? Maybe it's something you've never previously considered.

Another of Real Simple's "Daily Thought"s

If you're thinking of tackling a new challenge, God is able to open gates that are locked. He can lead you on paths you worry are too steep or winding. And He certainly has invested in you the gifting and skills that you need to fulfill his purposes for you and the Kingdom work around you.

Take courage. Move forward. And please let us know what happens in the future -- or how this has already come true for you!

Read more:
*Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much. Preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word. Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Psalm 119:105-108 NIV

*Do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 1 Samuel 10:7 (NKJV)

*There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6

*Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. 1 Corinthians 10:4

*Every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:11
Moravian Prayer: Lord, we build our lives upon you, our solid ground and cornerstone. Living in this way is a witness to you, and the way, the truth and life that comes to us when we turn to you. Keep us steady on solid ground.

Help us to seize the day! Help us to see how we can put the gifts you give us to work now in the ways you ask us to. Let there be no waiting. Amen.

Lent Day 9: Thankful for knowing and being known

"Why was David a man after God's own heart?" someone asks. Perhaps because he did not run ahead? Knowing he was to be king, he spared his predecessor twice––during manhunts for his own life.

A group of us circled a beautifully appointed living room last night (thanks, Paul and Bev). Once a month we meet to study Bible characters. Each one exposes God and humanity = God's interaction with us in community and as individuals. Yesterday, David came under the magnifying glass.

We read scripture passages aloud and then discuss the nature of God, the nature of humans, and our response to God within the joys and challenges of our own humanity. On the way home, W and I talked about what we had learned.

• My personal takeaway? Creating opportunity for others to understand God's truths makes me happier than when I learn things myself. Clear as a bell, my heart rang out with the pure joy and energy of leading a group. 
• Training and teaching others feels like finding a puzzle piece or watching internal gears click into place. A sense of ease and comfort comes from facilitating the exploration and application of scripture. This is not something I struggle to learn or do but who I am. I'm surprised by sheer happiness every time I speak in public.
• What we learned about Samuel and David? Samuel, the veteran leader and intercessor of Israel, was stuck. The worst thing had happened to his successor: Saul was a dud. Yet God was ready to move on and provided Samuel with the satisfaction of anointing the next generation.
• David had tremendous self-confidence because he knew his God and himself. He was comfortable in the gifts God gave him, a love of music, the ability to strategize, the confidence to run toward a giant who was defying God's name. When given an opportunity, David seized it and did the job with gusto (unlike Saul whose lack of self-confidence never matched up to his kingly appearance.)
• David did menial jobs with enthusiasm and never pushed himself into the foreground. Knowing he would be king and having accomplished champion feats, David willingly stood in the background of the palace, playing music and lugging armor while Saul ruled. (I wonder how many of David's ideas for sound monarchy came from observation: "Wow, good plan there!" or the contrast: "Saul, what are you thinking!? This is a bad idea." 1 Samuel 16)
• As the youngest brother, he got no respect from his dad, who didn't even call him to dinner with Samuel. (Read the full story below.) His older siblings discounted him––even after they had watched Samuel anoint David for kingship (shades of Joseph?) David's feisty response of "What have I done wrong now?!" possibly exposes a pattern of family put-downs and "Go away, little brother, you don't know anything." (1 Samuel 17)
• David used his own gifts, training, and experiences rather than relying on the proven armor and battle plans of others. He laid aside the burden of Saul's armor (though he had been an armor bearer for the king and probably knew it well) for smooth stones and a stick, tools he felt comfortable with.
• David pinpointed the heart of the issue rather than looking at circumstances. He recognized Goliath as God's enemy, not as a human giant or seasoned opponent and dealt with him on that basis. The fight as well as the victory belonged to God. However, David did not let go of Goliath's severed head until he was taken to the king as proof of his accomplishment. Hmmm.
• David had many opportunities to make God's plans come true but he was unwilling to act beyond what he knew of God's character. Because of this, he and those allied with him suffered while: 1. others got credit and lived in the inner circle; 2. David was hunted like an animal and led a rabble pack of raiders; and 3. he absolutely rejected chances to seize power through "divine appointments," even when prompted by others.

Maybe David's patient humility, decidedly unusual among those in power or the ambitious, endeared him to God. Though David committed adultery, murder, and disobeyed God in many ways, God saw a heart that longed for obedience and surrender.

When Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse's sons as future king, he noted that God looked on the inner person rather than the outward appearance. David's quest to please God and his willingness to let God work out the details in God's time set him head and shoulders above seven brothers. It made the shepherd "of a few sheep" (according to a snide remark from his brother) an amazing leader of a nation.

I'm ending a season of study. I get many suggestions of what I could do and where God might be leading me. The study of David reinforced my caution against moving forward and making things happen. I'm going to wait for God's go-ahead and a clear call to action.

Oh God, may we seek and obey you with the humble confidence that knows you are pleased with how you made us and have a place for us. You are able to use us without our "help" in pushing others aside, propelling ourselves forward, or boasting about our accomplishments. 

Make us beautiful inside so that your Spirit can direct us in life's menial and circuitous paths as needed, whether kingship or sheep herder is our destiny. Amen.

Read more:
*The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ³ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”

Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.”

Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. 1 Samuel 16

*Read more about David in 1 Samuel 17 through 2 Samuel 2.