FRIENDS are live-givers!

Here are a few last pics from our trip. We saw lots of friends. What a refreshing pause, though the meetups are part of a busy stay. How I miss being able to call old friends for a quick meeting or coffee at Starbucks or having them drop by for tea.

W and I went to visit his mother (in recovery from hip surgery).We spent part of a day with my parents.

We met many friends and partners in 2 weeks. These gals have been my best friends and accountability group since the early 90s. Since one is moving, we don't know when a WPPRs meeting will happen again.

These dear ones have been friends since the 80s.

Mind you, no trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to a bookstores. I only get to one shop - and that is because Kim and I meet at Third Place Commons. What a gluttony of words. I'm an addict, lost between masses of pages. Here's a pic of a fraction of the Third Place Books shelves that are crammed top to bottom with books and staff notes about them.

With a very limited luggage capacity, it 's like arriving at a banquet with my stomach sewn shut. I hang around for an hour both weeks, inhaling the smell of new and used books, touching and examining as many covers as I can, and reading as many back covers as I had time for. Since I'm visual, I'm endlessly fascinated by new styles and colors and trends, even on books.

Of course, a grandkid sleepover takes over this tidy adult apartment,

transforming it instantly with one heave of their bedding, dragged down the stairs from their place. What a blessing to have them close at hand.

The memories are irreplaceable. We especially enjoy their sleepover: we talk as we eat junk food and frozen mango pieces (their favorite). Late at night, we sip peppermint tea from tiny bone china cups passed down from my uncle and my parents. Before bedtime, we watch Popeye in German.

After a middle-of-the-night wake-up by the little one who has the sniffles, W crashes on the sofa in my office beside her crib. Good Opa!

The other 3 sleep cross-wise on the futon across from ours. We love to watch how they play together as they grow older.

For whatever reason, the older ones love to invent games as they leap from one sofa across the gap (the ocean where sharks live?) onto the huge Coach table (yay Craigslist for a safe island) to the opposite futon (a new country) and back.

The littlest one just watches and runs around between them ... for now. That tradition may change as they get heavier, but they love to accompany their jumps by shrieks of danger below and imagined challenges.

For breakfast, we eat whole-grain and pumpkin waffles smothered in Grandmama's blueberry jam. The orange juice tastes sour after that. The kids mix their own snacks from various nuts and seeds (tossing in a few chocolate chips for good measure).

Of course, we couldn't skip dinner at Tres Hermanos with longtime faculty friends. We missed seeing some who have moved (that would be you, Bill and Jacquie!) or were otherwise tied up. They remind us of joys of years past and the value in enduring friendships with wonderful colleagues.

We make an overnight trip to Portland (tax-free, saving 9-10% over Seattle) for new tech. My computer has been shutting off indiscriminately; I've lost many files and hours of work. Even our guru (W) and the shop cannot fix it. So it's time for a new computer. W gets busy right away, transferring data from my backup disk to the new machine.

While W figures out the technology, I shop Sierra Trading Post Outlet for shoes and Nordstrom Rack for a handbag. My purses and our footwear quickly fall apart in the tropical heat and humidity. And leather gets moldy without a dehumidifier in our storage bin.

One little Nordie bag amuses me @$69 (reg. $140US). It's a washcloth with straps on it. I take a picture. I bet can make one of those for $5.

On our final day in Seattle, Asha drops by. She's a pastor, artist, wife, and mom of two young beautifuls. Our exchange reminds me that I need to find an art friend or group in Bandung. Sometimes, I feel like my creativity is being crushed under vision-casting, administration, and scheduling. (Where oh where is the executive admin I'm looking for?!)

I need the regular whirlwind of ideas that comes only from sitting and talking with other creatives. Asha is God's gift to me before we head home to Indonesia.

We get lots of hugs as we wave goodbye early Tuesday morning, leaving clean spaces filled with art (mine and others'). 

I painted the orchid in the bath below. It's a bright spot - across from a chickadee painting found in a Montana gallery years ago.

You know how some things are an irritant every time you see them? I confess to one in our apartment. Every time we leave, I close the door on our bath with a sigh of relief: I won't have to use that dark, cave-like shower for another year.

Grumble grumble. It's the only thing about our apartment that I truly hate. To shower, we duck through the narrow gap between the toilet and shower fixtures that were installed on the wall by the sink. I had designed a half-wall with a window to let in light (even had the window on hand). I'd sketched the plumbing to be set into the far wall. The plumber's changes (a framed wall with the plumbing in it) jar me every day. Should we ever live in the flat, it's the first thing to rip out and redo properly.

The 2 bdrm apartment is a joy otherwise. Unless we're unpacking or packing up again, the main areas are kept tidy and guest-ready.

Can't wait to see it - and all these dear people - next time.

Read more:

*The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 1 Samuel 2:7

*Jesus says, “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14

*We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:10

Moravian Prayer: Jesus, as your church, we are your body—together with people from every language and nation, rich and poor, educated and unable to read. May our life as your church lead people to say, “Yes! I want to know this Jesus.” Amen.

A lot to take in - autumn

Oh, the things we saw along the way, on our 2-week trip to the USA and Canada. We drove a lot.

And walked a lot under beautiful autumn trees.

My mom's flowers are still going strong, though. She's a gifted gardener.

The color of the leaves was breathtaking.

 

 The river was tranquil along the path.

 Mom's canning days are coming to an end,

 and Dad is wrapping up work in his violin (luthier) office, too.

Winter is on it's way.

God's world is full of beginnings and endings.

Read more:
*Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my journey successful. Genesis 24:56

*Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9

Moravian Prayer: Lord, you call us to follow you. Guide us so to understand success—and what in life really matters—that we can truly, with joy and faithfulness, follow you, even when we are not sure exactly where you may take us. Amen.

Family - there's nothing like it

We're home! We're home sweet home.

The two weeks in Canada and the USA flew by. We connected with parents, grandchildren (oh yes, and children...), and partners. Here are a few highlights.

The family: long walks along the river and a fridge with memory pictures

 Mom cooked a huge turkey for Kirsten, Dad and me. Deeeeelicious. And lots of leftovers.

 Always hugs - special when it's grandma and grandpa.

 Goofy selfies

 Love love love my mom and dad!

Back in Seattle, our kids and grands...

Our children and their wonderful spouses.

Found a pic of my grandparents with their grandkids ...

 Our grandkids enjoyed visiting our apartment ...

The oldest two tried squishing into the whirlpool laundry sink where they used to splash around together. They've grown a bit in the years since we moved to Indonesia.

We made a lot of memories

Read more:
*Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail. Psalm 9:19 

*Jesus prayed, “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” John 17:15 

Moravian Prayer: Jesus, fellow traveler, life is not easy. Following you may not make it any easier, since you lead us to be more aware of our own sins and those of our culture. But you also promise to go with us, and to give us other fellow travelers. Amen.

Long lines, wind, and a bit of watercolor

Wednesday, Oct 2, 2019
Movie night tonight. I wake up before the sun - and by 6 decide to get cooking. Literally cooking. There will be a line soon enough.

I really appreciate that most houses have a "dirty kitchen" at the back where odors and steam can escape to the outside. Kitchens don't have fans - so front and back doors stay open and the breeze blows through. The non-smelly stuff mostly gets cooked inside, while boiling water for spaghetti (6 kg) and frying happen at the back. The dual ovens in the regular kitchen get a workout, along with the back room burners.

It's worth the effort when people start trickling in at 6. The new ones may feel shy for a few minutes but "family" welcomes them.

Our motto is "first time a guest, second time a friend, third time family." And our young family takes care of the guests and friends very well. We have about 75 people here from 18 countries tonight.

The house fills with chatter as people drape over sofas, on pillows, and anywhere else they can find a seat. Most are very respectful of the space - which helps when you have that many people over. (Even so, the Roomba will fill up 4-5 times tonight after everyone leaves.)

One concern is water. During dry season, especially at the end of it like now, water may only come from the city once a day for a few hours. Some neighborhoods have had no water for weeks. Residents borrow water from friends or have it trucked into a central place.

We have Western and traditional (squat) toilets in the back hall. W tries a new tactic for making sure the toilet is turned off after flushing. He asks the helper to listen for running water. And do you think the sign is big enough? It works well.

We lock up after the last guests leave at 11pm. By the time we turn out the lights, it's a new day.

Thursday
Neither W nor I are up for a walk. The sun comes up about 5:30 at this time of year. So we're awake early. Makes for some sleepy evenings, though.

We have to put the house back together, which takes most of the day. It's time to prune the dill shrub that has grown 6' tall. I snap off long branches and stick them in a bowl in the entry. I love green things.

Friday
I head to the office and spend the day writing. Program inserts. Enews. I edit a Foreword for one of my books and an event poster for someone. Depending on advertising skills and savvy, there may be a lot or little info on promo pages. This one is full.

People find it hard to read and follow instructions in oral (non-book) cultures like Indonesia. It takes about 20 WhatsApp messages between 3 of us to get the poster this far.

They're offering a great opportunity for budding entrepreneurs who want to make a difference in the world. Sadly, the last version arrives after the drop deadline for enews. We can promote it other ways. Please come if you're able!

Guests come in and out of the office. Three projects will have to wait for tomorrow. I blink a few times as I leave, watching someone paint the second floor eaves of a nearby building. I can no longer sit on my heels like that, never mind shuffle on a narrow ledge with a paintbrush in hand ... two stories above the pavement.

W and I meet nearby at #KalpaTree restaurant. Though I rarely have fish, tonight's fish and chips are the perfect dish. They're setting up for an evening concert, so I stuff my ears with tissue to block the booming bass as we enjoy someone else's cooking.

Saturday
W has his usual meetings around town. The driver walks the dogs, waters, and picks up a bouquet from the florist for tomorrow's Gathering. He comes back feeling sick - "drink something before you go, Pak," I request. He's dizzy, perhaps from lack of food and water.

I'm playing around. Every month, we need a simple centerpiece for the #BICBandung bulletin board. The black and white mat is paper hijacked from an IKEA picture frame. It probably won't last much longer after having the center and tape torn off it so many times. It's working so far - one more go ... I tear September off and look around for October ideas.

It's not autumn here - rainy season is on the way. How I LOVE the heat day after day. I don't miss a single red maple leaf or cold rainy day, especially with trees shedding leaves every day during the end of dry season.

This month, I'm not in the mood to design anything. I cut off the bottom half of a sketchbook cover. The pencil sketch is the perfect size and I can use the other half another time.

I haul out a few #CaranD"ache watercolor crayons and a brush, which I dip into my tea. (Too lazy to go to the kitchen one more time - have made about a dozen trips this morning already.) Now all I need is a fat blue marker for lettering. I'm not fussy about perfection, that's pretty obvious! I tape the sheet into the flimsy paper mat and am done for another month.

We stab the month's announcements into the bulletin board around this center. One of the most exciting events is an upcoming community reading - here's the schedule. Follow along if you like, and let us know if you want to read or listen along with one of our WhatsApp groups. We'll gladly add your name.

It's been hot and windy. The last few days, the cushions have blown off the seats on the porch.

Is someone in the house? I hear clattering, as though someone is walking in flip-flops on the old teak floors upstairs. Nope, but the map in the stairwell is slapping against the plaster wall. The breeze whistles through the closed windows and doors and rushes up the stairs. The 40-yr-old custom doors and windows are not sealed ... no wonder everything is dusty inside.

Read more:
*May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:5-7  NIV

*The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed. Daniel 2:44

*For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 NKJV 

Moravian Prayer: Eternal God, you are what was, what is, and what is to come. We thank you for the new Jerusalem—not only a picture of our future with you—but also a vision of what this world may be if we are in tune with you. Amen.

Home sweet Indonesia

Monday, September 30, 2019
We're up early - and Sister Nora gets us to the airport for a flight to Kuala Lumpur. The back of the seat screen has a Muslim prayer for the journey.

In KL, we transfer to our second flight. No problems along the way, except for a few bumpy miles in the air. The airline food is not good. I leave the salty fish in their packet and leave the limp tomato-ed shrimp  alone.

We get back into Bandung traffic (surprisingly light) and are home before supper. We're happy to be only one hour off Kuching time; often when we travel, it's a big adjustment to return to our time zone.

Student protests are going on in the major cities. Our town of 5 million is mostly calm, but student groups and marches pop up here and there. Several key issues are at stake: students are looking ahead at the time when they will be mature participants in Indonesia. They're asking the government to preserve strong values of democracy and government accountability against bribery and corruption.

But it's quiet when we get home. W sends an invitation for this month's movie night and 70 people sign up in the first 7 minutes. I think that's a record speed. The rest go on a waiting list. There's a washed IKEA rug in my office. I decide to swap rugs - and end up changing office, entry, and our bedroom. The Roomba runs around the areas to swoosh away dirt from the old places.

I found the most beautiful tote bags, designed and woven of plastic by Sarawak tribeswomen. They're known as weavers and turn natural fibers into useful shapes. Now they also raise money for their families by repurposing plastics. Beautiful, right? Everything is perfectly made - I'm impressed by how the handles are integrated into the sides. "These handles won't pull out," said my bargain-hunting friend.

We unpack, put our gift purchases into the "next trip" suitcase, and fall sleep after 9pm.

Tuesday
Today is a big "oven" day. Ibu A bakes cookies for movie night tomorrow. Ibu S bakes bread and makes cheese balls.

I take a full tote to the office while W has a breakfast meeting at a nearby restaurant. The office is a welcoming place. Today, someone from the nearby seminar needs a snooze. The office sofa is a perfect spot.

One little plastic plant fits perfectly into the handmade basket I picked up in Malaysia (on the table). The quilt left us by a repatriating expat looks great with rattan, too, don't you think?

W has outlined the beginnings of next week's talk. After the team meeting, we share that with our team and get good feedback. We have a tradition that whoever travels should bring back snacks. Clau and Josh were in Singapore and bring BBQ chicken, while we pass out keychains and peanut cookies from Kuching.

After lunch, while I work from home, W and Pak Gum drive downtown to shop for a long list of food. (I'll be cooking most of the day tomorrow.)

The dogs are going crazy - they can't believe we're home again. They ran circles around us yesterday as we came in the gate but the hot dry weather has them flopping on the teras tiles outside my office.

Everyone feels low-key in this weather. An extended dry season is de-energizing. We have enough water pressure to dampen the flowerbeds today. But no rain falls. We got big downpours in Kuching. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet in Bandung.

In the community, the loudspeakers are going full blast. There's some kind of a celebration that requires songs and a lot of words. I love the instruments. Listen to one that is typical of Bandung here. (The young boy who is the soloist is incredible. W and I heard him play 2 years ago.)

Read more:
*Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22 

*Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. Hebrews 10:35

Moravian Prayer: Lord, when we feel as though we are sinking under the weight of our burdens, how comforting and freeing it is to know that all we have to do is bring them to you, and lay them at your feet. You will sustain us. Amen.