Food exchanges, monstrous leaves, and ... is it Christmas week already?

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Kasih Community School has a bazaar fundraiser. As the crow flies, it's 1.7 miles. In actual fact, it's 6.something. We have to drive round and round here.

We drop off some goodies for sale and pick up this two-piece paint-on-wood for DrH. The artist is a young teen and does beautiful work.

Sunday

It's our last onsite BIC Gathering of 2021. We had 4 Sundays together. It's Lessons & Carols, one of my favorite services of the year, where readers read the scripture story and everyone sings 11 carols between.

How we have missed each other. It's been a joy to see everyone on the four Sundays of Advent.

Afterward, Kita Designs offers beautiful batik items, handmade by local women with little other income. Many stop by to pick up last-minute gifts for others and themselves.

Monday

Today is deconstruction day. Last year we didn't meet in person. But after Christmas the year before, volunteers took everything down and tossed the lights, trees, and ornaments into a few boxes - mine and other items. It was a mess to untangle this year.

I walk into the hall mid-morning while I still have high creative energy. I take down everything I can reach, putting our items to one side. PakG brings them home in the car after lunch. The BIC items will be stored in their usual place ... until next year.

Before I take things apart, I pause to enjoy the hard work of the volunteers. They decorated the small trees that people took selfies beside ...

and placed the boxes gift-wrapped a few years ago.

Lanterns glow between garlands. Young volunteers threaded the gold lamé through the branches.

Our friend Eki put together several tangles of cones that graced the corners of the hanging garlands. It made me smile every time I walked by and thought of him.

There were a few selfie areas for families and friends, plus Christmas vignettes for our eyes to explore when our ears wearied of listening.

We took down the office furniture so when we had meetings in the office, we pulled chairs and stools from wherever we could find them. It's nice to have the rattan set back. Tanya's American quilt hangs on the back of that sofa - she left it in a box of goodies passed down to us when she left Indonesia years ago.

A few weeks ago, W and I went downtown. We brought home aquarium plants and snails to refresh the fishtanks. Apparently the striped gastropods go cruising. I've found snails outside the aquariums several times. (The striped ones are fast travelers. The dotted ones stay in the tank.)

Today two stripers have made a run for it outside the BIC office. Luckily I find them before the sun comes over the balcony: they're 2' from the office wall and 4' from the door - inside and outside. I pop them back into the tank after their 10' stroll. One moves around, while the other is in the same place after a day. I'll watch him to see he's survived. Rotting snail can be a disaster for a small tank.

It's prettiest when the fogger is on, blurring the lines between surface and underwater. Lots of plants mean fishes can thrive.

I putter in the afternoon, setting our little trees out on the porch. The paper star is a new craft for me, made of batik-patterned bags.

I learn random things while experimenting. One realization is that local school glue doesn't bond things tightly. I re-glue the star's seams with costly Elmer's Glue ($2 for a medium squeeze bottle, compared to 80c for local paste.)

 

I tuck dried dill flowers here and there until they're used up. Their fragrance is musty and soft.

The garlands and wreaths brought home from BIC find their places on the porch.

This is Christmas in the tropics. Imagine the warmth and being able to sit and look at the garden in December while the twinkle lights glow.

Tuesday

It's a morning of online meetings and crushing through a backlog of emails and blogs. Does one ever catch up? I absorb some leader podcasts at double-speed, read a book summary, and track other info. It makes a small dent in the digital pile.

What a mess on my desk. I clear away enough to sketch a handful of ideas for a friend's living room layout. New sofa and loveseat plus tree. How to fit it in? I send several options.

What did we do before dot-grid paper? It's useful for doodles that need measurements. After, I begin to clear the desk again.

Pauline and Josie arrive for lunch before noon. They're teachers with fluent English skills and our scripture readers for the coming Sunday, (You can read parts of the Christmas story below.)

These two are always a lot of fun. We look forward to their visits. They bring along local food treats and a poinsettia that we can plant it in the garden after Christmas: it grows into a tall shrub here.

They're also patient. The lunch fish and fresh vegetables aren't delivered until almost noon, so W orders roasted beef from down the street in case the rest doesn't show up. One of the helpers has baked pretzel buns that are still warm, so we start with a beef brisket sandwich.

The helper scrambles to cook once the food arrives. The rice is ready in advance, of course. And her curried fish is a hit. So are JD's Famous Brownies, freshly baked this morning.

Josie's mom is also a great cook. We pick lemons, dill, and papaya flowers from the garden for her before our friends leave.

Tuesday, everyone's working at the house, so today we give helper bonuses and pre-holiday gifts. Christians get an added month's salary at Christmas, mandated by government. Muslim employees expect an extra month's salary before Ramadan. We don't mind giving them a little Christmas blessing as well. The generosity of God in Jesus Christ overflows in many ways through his people, not just through us at this time of year.

Wednesday

We record the upcoming Sunday's talk before a morning breakfast date. About 8:00, we walk over to #PinoTerrace (#NaraPark) for noodles and dim sum. We're usually there earlier but today we're in luck: after 8:00, #Maystar, a Chinese restaurant downtown, delivers fresh dim sum. Yum.

A tall wire Christmas tree sparkles across the courtyard from our table. There's little recognition of Christmas in this country, where the majority culture is Islam. We hardly ever see ornaments or Christmas decor. It's cheering to find this tree in a public space. Again, the servers are attentive and quick - and the food is hot and delicious.

We walk to the office on the way home and spot hot-pink flowers in the GG yard.

"There's so much beauty that it's easy to overlook the details," W and I agree. This would be a show-stopper in Seattle. Here, it's casually propped on a stump behind another flowering bush. I go around to snap a photo.

The maintenance crew is hard at work, including a man who protects his eyes and face with a motorcycle helmet while weed-wacking the lawn.

It's good to have the house company-ready: people drop by for meals and tea all month.

It's a reflective as well as social season. We often pause to pray for those in the photos wedged into our tree from this and past years.

The lights glow. For me, this has been the most special Advent. I've immersed myself in memories, music, scripture, poetry, and handwork. Every one of those feeds my starving soul at the end of a difficult covid year, when so many have suffered losses and hardships.

Food is a common gift exchange with friends. Farah sends salted hardboiled eggs with various flavors. Aren't they beautiful in the box? (It's a shame to take them out to eat!)

Dr Sioe sends over their family's traditional Christmas dinner: a deboned chicken with all the fixings. It goes into the freezer for Christmas Day. I can't wait to share the feast with friends, though Sam's also smoking ribs for that meal.

DrW sends over the sweetest oranges "for added Vitamin C."

I spot a giant leaf from the lunch table. I stand on a wall 2' above the garden, pulling the thick stalk toward me. Behind the leaf is one even bigger. I'm content with clutching this monster while W takes a picture through the branches of the nearby avocado tree.

During rainy season, the living wall between us and our neighbor is lush with staghorn ferns, birdsnest ferns, creepers, and orchids. The tree to the right is a Benjamina ficus that languished in a pot until it went into the garden. The soil is fertile; sun and rain are plentiful so everything thrives. The ficus is now 20' (6.5 meters) tall.

A few weeks ago, I spotted a plant skeleton in a pots at the back of the flowerbed. I have no idea what it is; the plant is a goner. The 3-4' branches snap off easily. IbuS uses gold motorcycle spray-paint but runs out before they are completely covered. I flip them over and spray them with copper paint. (The metallic newspaper dropcloth crumples up nicely as a base for the porch Christmas tree.)

PakG pics up powdered cement and sifted mud (the sand for mortar). He mixes up a batch, smooths a thick plastic bag into the 24" planter, and dumps in the cement. We shake and poke it to get out some of the air bubbles. I know it's going to be rough: the sand had so much texture. There's no way we got all the air out! He uses the leftover cement to repair cracks in the driveway.

After the concrete settles for an hour, we poke painted branches into it. On one side, the branches are gold. On the other side, they're copper (below). 

"Shall we spray the branches with clear lacquer to keep them from rotting?" suggest PakG, who has done the bulk of the work. Good idea. We'll also peel off the plastic in a day or two, after we pry out the concrete base.

Can't wait to see what we'll use it for.

Read more: (the story of Christmas below)

*Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Psalm 24:3

*In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:26-33

*This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21

*When [King Herod] had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Matthew 2:4-6

*The crowds that went ahead of [Jesus] and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! Matthew 21:9

Moravian Prayer: Holy God, we await your coming with hope and anticipation. Help us prepare our hearts once again to receive you in love, delight, and faithfulness. Amen.

The questionable gifts of a loud whistle and leftovers

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Most of the day, I'm glued to my desk. It's a personal day of thanks. I wander around the yard when I get stiff, plucking lemons, spider plants, a gardenia, and avocados from the garden.

One gardenia bloom scents the whole bathroom. The background plant was growing along the fence a few weeks ago. I paid $5 for one of these in a Seattle nursery. Here, it popped up as a weed.

As dual citizens, we celebrate Thanksgiving twice a year: with Canada in October and with the USA in November. However, every month when the statement of partnerships is published, it is a day of thanksgiving for W and me. Today I get to write thank-you notes to those caring for people in Indonesia.

I admit to tearing up when I start to read the responses. People are generous and kind. What would we do without each other?

BTW: BIC and local friends are sharing a special Christmas Project: Bless Bandung 2021. It's one way of passing on God's generosity to us (and our Christmas bonuses) for a good cause: helping the poorest in our city. Join in and help if you can, wherever you are in the world.

Thursday 

W is still not feeling well, after Monday's food poisoning at a local restaurant. This morning, we do an early loop around the neighborhood with Gypsy. We find two big black picture frames discarded along the way. We drop them at the guard post until after the walk. The security guard laughs when W offers him a small tip for parkir (parking them).

Along the street, we admire the neighbor's flowers.

When they've bloomed, the berries are beautiful too.

Melvi and Alice take the poodles on the Thursday hike in the mountains. We don't send Gypsy hiking when we're not along: he tends to be selective in obedience. He only comes back from exploring the trail ahead when I whistle for him.

"Can you record your whistle so we have it on our phones?" the walkers begged while we were traveling abroad. "We shout and shout but he doesn't come back."

The whistle is loud. If you stand nearby, you'll be asked to plug your ears before I whistle at full volume. A phone would mute it, so it is no use recording.

From early childhood, my dad and I shared the "gift" of mouths shaped to whistle effortlessly. It came in handy in N America for calling children from playing at the neighbors, for calling our dogs, or getting the attention of a noisy group before a presentation. It was no big deal.

However, hardly anyone whistles in Indonesia and people don't respond to a whistle. There's so much ambient noise that no one pays attention. Traffic minders use a constant peep peep peep-ing with a handheld whistle while directing traffic. Also, whistling at a person is considered demeaning. I've learned not to whistle except to call the dogs. Our three know to come running.

I haven't been home to check on house prep and cleaning for a few weeks. Today's an unexpected catch-up day, for home and office. This tri-color berry from the back of the garden sits on my desk.

A closer look reveals their beauty.

When we get pictures of this morning's mountain walk, I'm glad we stayed home. The clay muck is deep, thick, and slippery on the  trail. The dogs come home filthy and happy. PakG washes Bailey down to white again. Cocoa, who is the color of mud, sheds the gunk from her coat within a few hours. The groomers come Saturday. Whew.

Friday

W's stomach is feeling better, a relief. We walk twice around the neighborhood loop (almost 2 miles) before getting to work in the office and at home. I am behind in podcasts: have some training ones I've stashed. This is my morning, I guess. W is figuring out how to upload Sunday videos online and in person for BIC. It's our last Gathering of the year - can't wait to see everyone.

This week, I'm taking a good look at the decor around the house. I want to enjoy it all before it's put away again for next year. The small tree in our bedroom has many memorable things on it.

I check the back of the main tree, too. I can spot handmade African baskets - favors from my brother's wedding day 2 decades ago, European heart ornaments, Philipino toys, greetings from years gone by, and more. Every year the trees get fuller and more special. I've tucked new photos and greeting cards into the branches this year.

For supper last night and lunch today, we make soup with leftovers found in the fridge. We mix pizza toppings, chopped fruit, and fresh vegetables from the organic farm. Stashed too long in the freezer, the cheese balls taste dry and tasteless after freezing. BUT put them in a strong broth and they fluff up to make delicious dumplings. Who knew!

Yesterday's broth was coconut chicken, left from lunch. Today we start with a beef/onion/tomato base. We top it with cooked rice and it's perfect. We sprinkle the last of the basil leaves on top just before serving. Yummy.

The intense thunderstorm starts at noon. It's a blessing to be dry and warm inside - though you'd be wet and still warm outside. It's one of the things we LOVE about the tropics - warmth. Up here in the mountains, it's rarely so hot that it's uncomfortable. Mind you, seven-plus years will acclimate you to almost anything.

I pour my third big mug of tea and settle into paperwork. Then it's onward ho -  to completing an easy craft that's been on the desk in my home office for two weeks. While it's drying, I listen to a new-to-me band, Mennonite kids Caleb, Joshua, and Bekah Liechty from "A Girl Named Tom." I like them.

Read more:

*If you will only obey the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Deuteronomy 28:1, 6

*The Lord made the earth by his power, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. Jeremiah 10:12

*[John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus] The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." Mark 1:1-3

*Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:50

*By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command. ...Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe. Hebrews 11:3; 12:28

Moravian Prayers:  Creator God, you have given us an amazing inheritance. May we care for your creation in ways that honor the coming generations. Holy God, you surprise us. You fill us with wonder and we stand in awe. May we pay attention to this life you have given us—may we notice your presence, your movement, and your call.

Lord, we continue to prioritize the time you graciously give to us without considering your will. Help us, this day, to fulfill your perfect call, taking time to consider how best we can obey your charge to feed, comfort, and serve. In Christ, we pray. Amen.

Third week of Advent: JOY JOY JOY to you and yours

Tuesday, December 7, 2021 flashback

A city policeman kindly shows up during team meeting; he's checking our security arrangements. He reminds us that not everyone is well-disposed toward followers of Jesus during the season of Christmas.  We are advised by several parties that this year, Christmas-in-person is a bad idea.

On the way home, this Rangoon vine reminds me that God is good. He lavishes his beauty on the righteous and the wicked alike. Pretty amazing.

Thursday

A walk in the mountains clears the lungs and gets the heart working. Even from our own neighborhood, the views across the valleys are spectacular.

We may not always go far, but this week's mountains have a lot of ups and downs. My watch measures only cumulative elevation - we ascend and descend many times within an elevation gain of 28 flights.

Friday 

W heads out to run errands and picks up more eggs, butter, flour, peanut butter, and cocoa. The helper reminds me that we also need more candies for the middle of the peanut butter cookies.

Tonight, we're privileged to attend Free & Safe Indonesia's end-of-year dinner. The organization works hard to lighten the load for those who need a boost. These adorable kids (plus two more) packaged cookies for attendees. Hard workers with a sweet reward.

The food is good - and I am happy to swap rice for noodles (my favorite food, after chocolate and tea?)

The updates are encouraging.

Saturday

After a walk at 6, I cut up vegetables, pineapple, and pepperoni for pizza toppings. W grates the cheese and finishes the dough while I set the table. One batch of cookies lands on a "real" plate for our guests to nibble on. Others are wrapped into paper plates for giving away. The kettle is soon boiling for tea.

This is a day for friends old and new. Everyone's only available this morning. I'm in a quandary. They're scheduled to come over at 9, 10, and 11 o'clock. What to do - shall we reschedule one or the other?

Maybe not. Indonesian time is called jam karet or flex time. The first guests arrive at 9 as scheduled. I'm delighted that Wishi has brought her mom along. They're Sundanese beauties.

Wishi met us at Community Dinner a while back, when she was working on her thesis about trade between China and Indonesia. We chat on the porch. Moms have many things in common, don't they?

The gate barely closes before 11 when the next guests come. We hang out on the porch while W prefaces pizza crusts for lunch. The final group is delayed by traffic and morning meetings so they arrive at 1:00. That's good spacing! We enjoy Waldemar's pizzas, customized by each person.

Our friends share a sweet treat in a cute box.

This amusing and tasty cake is inside!

Of course we line up for pictures by the tree.

Scattered around the house are little pieces of home, gleaned from places we have lived around the world. Last year, my mom passed along festive napkins, which we roll up in a vase on the dining table. I use one at lunch, thinking of Mom's decades of hospitality.

Our neighborhood has many aging professors and researchers. One passes away and is honored with flower signs from colleagues and friends. Muslim funerals are performed within 24 hours of death.

Sunday

It's the third week of Advent. Today is Waldemar's mom's 90th birthday, which she celebrated with family and friends yesterday in Canada. What a special milestone!

At BIC, Josh speaks on JOY, the theme of the third week of Advent. The angels shared God's promise of "great joy" to poor shepherds tending their sheep. God cares about the well-being of all, regardless of status or wealth.

I rummage through a box of sealed nuts and seeds to make breakfast cookies, and find one last package of gnocchi at the bottom of the box. The gnocchi and leftover pizza toppings from yesterday make an easy supper. We toss fresh basil leaves over it all to round out the flavors.

The house is peaceful when night falls. Lights twinkle all around the room.

Monday

Maddie and Beba drop by the office to wrap up the final 130 bags of cookies. The recipients are mostly Muslim but they don't mind a sweet celebration at Christmas. We often take guests to their workplace, where they serve us with a smile. That deserves a warm thank you.

In a big IKEA tote, we take home eight empty cookie boxes. They'll be washed and refilled for the holidays.

Meanwhile, a package from friends arrives at the gate. I put it under the tree after I peek inside. W and I rarely exchange gifts. (W's better at gift-giving than I: he ordered a macrame hanging for me a month ago, which we are using in Christmas decor at BIC.) Such treats are fun surprises.

Tuesday

In the early morning hours, I join a leadership cohort in the USA. Our network leader Don Ross presents a team evaluation system and exercise. It's an eye-opener. He's a fine trainer, and "it's like drinking from a firehose," according to one attendee. True. Lots of useful information.

I catch another hour of sleep, have breakfast with W at Nara, and then host our final team meeting of the year. We share Don's evaluation; so helpful!

Our team Christmas lunch is at Maxi's, up the street. Everyone is happy with their portions and tastes. Of course, keeping company with each other is the best part, whether we're working or socializing together.

When we leave, an ordinary-in-Indonesia scene greets us. A painter is touching up the water-stained rim of the conference room near the parking lot. He stands on a simple 6' scaffold without safety gear. He's probably done it a hundred times without falling off.

We arrive home to a kitchen fragrant with fresh baking. Chocolate, peanut butter, and blueberry thumbprint cookies fill the boxes that came home empty yesterday. The cookies go into the fridge as soon as they are fully cooled: butter and eggs spoil easily in a tropical climate.

I'm not a cookie person. However, IbuA with the help of IbuS have baked thousands of cookies this year. They are such a blessing to us and to those who enjoy their hard work. Throughout this difficult year, their sweet "little bites" have lifted the spirits of many.

Read more:

*The Lord frustrates the plans of the peoples. Psalms 33:10

*A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

    the Spirit of counsel and of might,

    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. Isaiah 11:1-5

*Truly the day of the Lord is great; terrible indeed—who can endure it? Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart. Joel 2:11-12

*Be like those who are waiting for their master. Luke 12:36

*Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1 Corinthians 1:20

Moravian Prayer: Forgiving God, we open our hearts to you this day. Dwell within us, make straight our paths, sustain in us a willing spirit, and may all that we do be pleasing to you.

Holy God, your ways are not our ways. Your wisdom is sometimes confounding to our sensibilities. Help us to trust your guidance and grace. Amen.