Home sweet home

Pulling out paints:
finally something quick and creative

We were on the go constantly in the USA and Canada. In 5 weeks, I hardly had time to write or reflect. But a warm thanks goes to our partners and friends - people and organizations - who hosted us, encouraged us, and shared their concerns - we'll be praying for you in months to come.

Now we're home sweet home. It's rainy and overcast in this part of Indonesia. They've had downpours in the city every day, says the helper. She is ready for drier weather.

"How are you feeling about being back," W asks me as the driver negotiates a single-lane paved road that has drivers coming from both sides negotiating cars, motorcycles, and people.

Ummm. I don't know yet. I'm glad we're not driving: the driver is an expert at pacing our slow forward motion with passing cars to avoid crashes and scrapes.

My heart always takes a while to catch up with my head. I'm really tired. We slept like stones on the two flights back - and have slept through much of the nights since.

It's wonderful to bring back so many memories of friends, old and new. We didn't have time to see everyone we wanted to visit: that is my one regret about such a short trip. Well, a second regret is that I got so engaged in conversations that I often forgot to take pictures, which serve as my memory bank. (W hasn't shared his photos yet so you may only be in my heart, not in my blog, ok?)

However, we're picking up steam (after a day at home) toward our Easter brunch. Looking forward to talking with others about the meaning and traditions for Christians.

Here are just a few highlights of the 5-week whirlwind.

We did long road trips - meeting wonderful people who share our vision and mission.

Wenatchee's team

My intention on this working trip was to hear as well as speak, and God honored that in marvelous ways.

I did a few paintings (splashes of color) and met with my former writer's group. I wrote Lenten blogs but hardly played piano, which tells me my soul is overwhelmed. I spoke English! - in person and on conference calls. "Wwwwwwaaahooo" to be able to talk to friends and have them understand what I was saying ...

Kim, you made my heart sing

Generations of family got together between all the engagements. We saw our parents and siblings at their houses. My folks came to Seattle to celebrate birthdays with us. We had fun! but it seemed a short visit.

I'll miss the grandkids calling, "Oma! Can I come down?" from the top of the stairs. They live above our basement suite.

Grandmama, Oma, and Kinsey

Hanging out with the grandkids

Levi and Grandpapa

Isaac, exploring the cabinets and finding only a big bottle of soy sauce

Auntie K with Miss K

The women of the tribe included our daughter Kirsten, who flew up from TX with Jonathan.

We celebrated birthdays for our youngest and myself with a marvelous family tradition, Mom's Black Forest cake. It tastes as good as it looks. Or better!

Merlin popped by to eat cake and take pictures (THANKS!)

Meeting nephew Lem at NU the Caf.

We stayed most of a week in Eastern Washington, exploring from the home of our dear friends Mel and Martha. I even read a book in the tub at their place: that's relaxation! We had time with our eldest son and his wife. We spoke in churches, gratefully received a projector to expand movie night, and heard encouragements and direction through you all.

It's hard to imagine all we saw and did - but a special thank you to Mike, Dan, Peter, Jerry, Jay, Kyle, Brandon, Steve, and their teams. You are part of what we do and who we are - and we're grateful to God for you and yours.

Read more:

*Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest. Jeremiah 5:24 ESV

*God has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy. Acts 14:17 NIV

*(For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 NIV

Moravian Prayer: Creator God, in all seasons of life, we give thanks for your presence, love, comfort and guidance. Teach us this day to serve your kingdom with greater enthusiasm, and in doing so fill our hearts with joy. Amen.

Life: upside-down

March 2017

I just saw a post by Australian Vogue: How to Prepare Your Home for Autumn. I blink. What?

Oh, that's right. We live 6 degrees south of the equator. The South - including parts of Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand and a host of islands are emerging from summer and moving towards winter - which crests in July and August. It's an upside-down world for us. (Christmas was tropical, too.)

We will have changed time zones 5 times (besides travel) when we get back home. From hour 0 in Bandung:

• 15 hours backward to Seattle
• 2 hours ahead to Missouri
• 2 hours back to Seattle
• 1 hour forward for daylight savings
• 14 hours forward to Bandung.

I expect jetlag.

March 2014, with adventures and farewells to come

In those hours, we've had meals and conversations with friends. We've spoken and taught and listened in large and small public venues. I'm stashing memories for the hours ahead.

In our new setting, there are people all around us. But at times, we won't understand the words, intonation, or customs. We won't have a clue what is going on. Then we remember that there are places in the world where people think and speak like we're used to. It's comforting.

Have you ever been in a situation where everyone else seems to know what to do - but you're in the dark? It takes a long time to understand a new culture.

But luckily, it only takes a moment to fall in love with a country, the way we have with Indonesia.

Read more:

*The Lord declares, ‘Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt.’ 1 Samuel 2:30

*Jesus says, “You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am.” John 13:13

Moravian Prayer: As we return to our daily routines, may we not forget that you call us to follow you every day. May this day be made holy as we seek for ways to reflect your grace. Amen.

Blessing upon blessing

We're homesick for Bandung. But when we get there, we will miss Seattle and our connections here.

The whirlpool laundry sink doesn't phase this grandkid.

• Kids and grandkids and parents. Yeah. That.

The other two cram in and have a waterfight in the sink

• Meeting with friends. Knowing what to do at church. We get lonesome for you.

Watching friends' children grow up

• Speaking and understanding. Language learning sometimes gives me a headache.
• Hot water from the kitchen and bath taps (ours are cold-water only in Bandung; consistent hot water in the shower also depends on water pressure through point-of-use heaters. Now you have it, now you don't.)

• Great traffic flow - even during rush hour, people stay in the lanes. (Yes, we mean it about traffic.) In Seattle, there are few pedestrians, carts, bicycles, cars, buses, horse-and-buggies, and toko-toko kaki (street vendor carts crisscrossing traffic. And no 6-10-year-olds are signaling between the hoods of the cars, directing traffic for 5c to make up for the dearth of traffic lights.

I enjoy the patterns on a friend's papasan in Springfield MO

and the grand old buildings of this railroad town

And of course, the reason I came (besides the interviews with faculty and experts) and friendships ... 

hour upon hour of library studies.

Sitting beside this fabric collage artist on the flight home

Meeting in churches and restaurants or coffee shops with people who partner in prayer and support
- thanks Pastor Peter

• We not homesick for bugs so big that you can't miss them. One day, our granddaughter screams, "Oma! A bug a bug! Oma, a bug!" and points to a little chia-seed sized dot on the table. Oh honey, if you only knew.

A friend comes over with 2 Indonesian puppets - delighted!

Discovering old board games stashed at my mother's house.

• Convenience - that USA shop or restaurant is actually at the online address. And customer service is interested in finding things for you.

Friendly staff in Chehalis / Centralia

and enormous portions of food - everywhere!

Family reunions (W's mom here)

• You can find what you want in the Seattle stores, in abundance. Crisp salad? Check. Fresh meat? Check. Canned goods. Check. A new broom. Check. An auto part. Check. The tea I like. Check.

A Sunday morning hotel breakfast shared with little wrestlers and their chaperones

• Cleanliness - when the dust blows in through every crack in the tropics, you sweep and mop every day. Here, a thorough once-a-week keeps things spick and span.

Grandkids have a sleepover at Oma and Opa's

or a picnic on the kitchen floor

or a tea party.

If you take a grandchild along when you go out, you might find a few surprises on your phone, especially

when your 5-yr-old granddaughter takes selfies with your friends ... 

We don't worry about upset stomachs, no matter where we go to eat:

• It's so quiet without Muslim calls to prayer at 3:30am. We don't miss those much. But they will remind us of our privilege of talking to God, that he hears, and that he loves us enough to answer and direct our paths.



Dinner with friends

• Wearing seasonal clothing - though wearing socks only once a week (with hiking shoes) and going barefoot in sandals is its own pleasure.

There's more that we enjoy Stateside, of course. But back home, we'll most miss the relationships, among other things here that we take for granted.

Americans lining up in orderly queues, 10 minutes before the first boarding call

Read more:

*The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. Psalm 16:6 ESV

*We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy  name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:20-22 NIV

*But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought  and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

*Paul wrote: God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Lord Jesus, who promised us life in abundance, open our eyes to all the resources at our disposal this day. Fill us with your generosity so that all your good gifts may be shared with joy. Amen.

A whole bunch of no's

Although we've been and seen in the last weeks ... it seems like there's been a lot of "no, thank you!"s as well. This weekend, we're

selling the old car
Exchanging the current loaner car with a friend (Thanks, D&P)
Faculty for online course
Blogging days of Lent
Catching up on 3 beta-tested courses (2 exceptional seminars on business leadership; 1 art course for fun)
On an overnight trip to Canada to see partners and parents
Finishing weekend plans and speaking engagements
Taking an early flight to Missouri on Monday

Everything takes time. And God gives us just enough,

so that we have permission to say no to what we'd do -- if we had headspace and more time. I am grateful for limits.

Maybe I'd say yes to more art. But even with the incentive of a painting course assignments and my Lent Days project, I'm not "doing art." I have 2 Lent days and a few scribbles on the canvas. Creativity seems low when obligations are high and routines are non-existent.

I need a nap. No to more work. Hurrah!

Question for you: What's YOUR trigger? When do you say, "Enough already?!" when everything you're doing is wonderful or necessary?

Read more:
*For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 6-10 NIV

Speaking English

I'm always optimistic that the next week or season will be restful. It seems the only way that happens - for now - is resting between wonderful moments.

Chilliwack snow in March

We've been and seen a lot - people, places, things in 2 weeks. Here are some of our favorites.

Sunday 1
God refreshes me each time we get together with his Family. Here's Brandon, who interviewed us and spoke 4 times at Canyon Creek.

Brandon Beals

During the week,  we have time with family, from grandparents to grandkids.

The fam, minus 2 in Texas. (We missed you!)

I forget to take pics with W's family (as did W and his fam - or at least). We have a nice supper together - my mother-in-law has always been a memorable (excellent) cook.

In the morning, I have enough wits about me to take pics with my folks and the beautiful landscape behind their house.

Mom's on a clearing spree so I check out some memories:

Waldemar (middle), in our first years, hired to do PR at the local college

One of many dresses I sewed and embroidered for our daughter (size 4)

My brother takes us for lunch. Beside us, a table of typical Canadians: manners = space between persons.
Here, 6 chairs, 3 people, nicely spaced.

WPPRS: we've met since Fall 1993; my accountability group and dear friends

Grandkids play peek-a-boo under our DR table

Sunday 2

A wonderful, hospitality-filled weekend in Lacey with Peter Degon and team

And, between grading, class prep and editing, I give myself a quick haircut and we head for the hills, where ...

W and Beth film 3 sessions on scriptures and women in ministry leadership

Time with friends (don't get pics of all)

Morning tea - between playing Cruella who catches puppies (Oma chasing grandkids across the furniture)

and too many adventures to tell. But all, memories to keep. Maybe we'll see you while we're here?

Oh - did I mention how relaxing it is to speak and hear and understand? Our friends and we can communicate heart-to-heart. That's the most restful thing of all.

Read more:

*Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God. Psalm 147:1

*He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 NASB

*Paul wrote: Speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your hearts. Ephesians 5:19 (GNT)

Moravian Prayer: O God from whom all blessings flow, when the echoes of songs and praises from Sunday grow dim, revive them in our hearts and minds. May the songs of grace accompany us to our classrooms, offices and homes this day. Amen.

The start of Lent: Qualities of Jesus

Last year's art discipline.
The focus was "Holy Resignation"

During Lent, I'll post daily. It's one of my annual spiritual disciplines. This year's focus is the qualities of Jesus that make him our role model, as well as our perfect Savior and Redeemer.

Click here to read more or sign up for daily posts. (Unsubscribe at any time.)