The office is clean, my Sunday talk is written and presented to the team. I'm catching my breath. What a productive and hard-working week it's been.
My mind is trying to use Indonesian again - and bahasa Indonesia is nothing like English. Here's an example:
Friday, March 29
It's my first day home. Last night, I arrived at 8pm and fell into bed at 9:30 after unpacking. I carry the suitcases upstairs. I'm SO happy to be home.
A resignation email from our office assistant was in our inbox yesterday when I landed in Taiwan: his last day is Sunday. He has been a supportive and creative bridge during our landing at BIC. Since he feels called to other things, we wish him well. He says he "doesn't come in Friday," so we schedule his exit interview for Monday.
I go into the office and write an administrative assistant job description for the next person, including "give a months' notice" into the expectations. I finish writing BIC e-news for next month and schedule it for Monday morning.
Saturday
Friends pick me up from the office for a late birthday lunch. We go to MyStar, one of the best Chinese places in town - and eat until we are almost bursting. WuJin and Dony are so sweet to think of me - and they're fun company! They're like our kids - Dony owns an English-speaking school and WuJin is a Mandarin teacher studying with him.
In the evening, our group hosts a Community Dinner. Della has cooked - and it's yummy.
Josh's talk is about the distraction of social media and what makes a good life. (Hint: being on your phone 24-7 is not it!) Our evening challenge is "don't look at your phone the first two times it buzzes with a message." (I immediately fail the challenge.)
The table activity is making a poster about FOMO (the fear of missing out). Here's our poster: we had a few graphic artists at the table. Can you tell?
The end to the evening is another lovely surprise - a birthday cake and a loud rendition of "Happy Birthday." Love it. As I age, I'm more appreciative of others' efforts and less modest about celebrating being alive. We cram together for a picture.
Sunday
I walk the dogs and get to the auditorium early. It's my turn for the morning talk at BIC - about a man who starts out fearful and a "nobody" and yet becomes brave and the leader of his people. (Gideon, from Judges 6-8. What a great story - read it here for yourself!)
We have lunch with friends who are working on a massive community project = inspiring, to say the least. I'm feeling jetlagged by evening and fall into bed happy.
Monday
After the morning study, I head to the office for the assistant's exit interview. It makes me smile when someone follows their dream - and that's what's happening with him. He hands over passwords, answers questions about procedures, and give me a thumb drive with his weekly templates. I will certainly have more questions in the week ahead, but it's an amicable and warm start to his disengagement.
Lunch is with the IES team. Only 3 of 5 can make it to Miss Bee's but the food and the company - with 2 family members added - are good. I've left my money at home; a quick raid of my desk - whew, there's just enough to cover my lunch. (And no more money in my stash. Oh oh.)
It's back to the office to catch up - and begin office chores. This week, I spend more time on WhatsApp and on the phone than I have in months, arranging next weekend's gathering.
Tuesday
After a few hours in the office, it's 10:30, time to meet the Bandung Book Group at Miss Bee. We're in fine form, catching up, celebrating four March birthdays (including mine), and just happy to see each other. I order a salad - I'll have lunch in a few hours.
Before lunch, our house helpers come into the office and clean up for a few hours. We wipe down and move bookshelves, wash windows, toss garbage, and sweep away years of dead beasties including dust bunnies.
The second wonderful meal at 1:00 is at Maxis. I'm still full. The mushroom soup and chicken is delicious though. And my friend sits across the table from me ... how I love and appreciate this neighbor. She's smart, funny, and kind - and my mentor in all things Indonesian.
The property manager is repainting the office storage room: a leak last fall was quickly repaired but mold takes hold in this tropical climate. Luckily, I don't have allergies.
He and a worker take everything from our storage and put it in a nearby classroom. "You have things from the 1980s!" he exclaims. I know. (And we're not putting it all back without sorting it.)
Thursday
I promised the children's leader a 6-page family devotional for the week before Easter. That's my first priority when I get to work. Off it goes. Isn't email amazing?!
I also write a review for an excellent book by Janet Creps. I set it on my resource shelf for people who are discouraged when life doesn't turn out the way they thought it would. For those who work hard and never seem to get anywhere. And for those who just want encouragement. It was a delight to read.
Friday
The helper comes back to the office with me - she finishes clean-up. Oh my, the windows are sparkling and the floor is clean. Soon we've emptied shelves and drawers. We put things back, but there are open spaces now (and 6 empty drawers.) Office supplies, paper, and electronics are grouped.
Every surface shines. I'm leaving the admin's desk for him or her; my part of the room is almost done.
I don't work well in chaos. My head is always busy and full. An orderly space lets me sort surges of information. The office is reconfigured, my desk is organized, and my calendar is set for the next week or two. The worker from property management is hard at work in the storage room. Fine!
Aska drops by to ask if he can help. "Oh yes! Thank you."
He helps set up the auditorium for Sunday and looks at the area we plan to clear and clean on Tuesday. (The musicians and production volunteers will have a great space for their gear when we're though.)
I shoot a short announcement video and I'm done. 4:00 is here before I know it. WEEKEND!
Sunday
How I love the Gathering! We celebrate Communion together on Family Day, the first week of the month when all of BIC is together. Kids spend the day with us. Nicole prepares an activity for them and does an object lesson.
Then we have community time, eating delicious snacks from Ibu Tuti and Pei Pei - and others who pitch in ...
Read more:
*Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! Psalm 66:16-20
*Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Psalm 117
*Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. Ecclesiastes 5:10
*Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:33-34
*If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Moravian Prayer: God, you are enough. Let us not seek after money or wealth that will never satisfy; instead let us focus on your treasures of faith, hope, and love that will never be destroyed. Amen.
