A busy family week

Tuesday - Happy Birthday, Jeremy
Our eldest has a birthday. He was born the day after Mt St Helens blew. Perhaps that shook him loose: he arrived 15 days after his due date. It was a relief to meet him!

K and I call and check in on how he's doing. What a treat for us!

It's time for K's post-surgery consultation at the surgeon's office. The medical staff is pleased with her progress. She is cleared to drive and do whatever she feels she could do. It's a relaxing day otherwise, with good food and company.

The passion vine is an eyecatcher as I stroll by. Each flower is a masterpiece.

The interior bouquet has evolved from grocery store leftovers with wildflowers and grasses. Amazingly, the neighborhood sidewalks offer a lot of variety.

Wednesday
It's a cool morning, perfect for a walk.

Sunflowers overlook the water catchment fields. 17 storm gutters along the streets channel stormwater into two huge empty lots.

More subtle wildflowers grow alongside.

Overhead, a tree is erupting in clusters of magenta.

We heat up a TJ pizza, adding favorite toppings. In the evening, the Mastermind meets online to discuss life and leadership. I play with the shadows on the cover while we talk.

Thursday

As usual, my eyes are drawn to wildflowers along the path. It's cloudy all day, after a night of storms and rain. Two defining mediums lie between the sidewalks and streets: spikey black gravel in one side of the subdivision, with grass in the Habitat For Humanity neighborhood.

Other fuzzy little pinks have popped up in the grasses. Few neighbors cut their own lawns. Instead, they hire a lawn service to come every two weeks.

After a few loops around the block, it's time for breakfast. I combine Brussels sprouts from yesterday's supper with eggs and bacon. We phone Leslie (a cousin) and send a "hello" video to Mom ("Grandma"), who is not able to take our call.

Kirsten drives for the first time since her surgery. No problem! She's able to negotiate the highways and streets easily. We find some trousers and a blouse at Marshall's before heading home to leftover pizza and salsa. It's chopped salad for supper, along with leftover crepes. 

Mika trots through his little loop walk before the thunderstorm blows in. Sheets of rain blow sideways and lightning flashes. We're happy to be inside.

Friday

Mika and I walk around the neighborhood early in the morning. He was restless and whining during the night. None of us slept well. He doesn't mind going into the crate but thinks he's done at 4AM. zzzz K makes avocado toast - oh yum!

She drives us to the grocer and walks confidently across the huge parking lot to a discount shop. We find a full-length mirror for the guest room. Plants that grow wild and huge on our tropical trees? Those little bird nest ferns and staghorn ferns are expensive here (Rp190.000).

K puts together a charcuterie lunch. Yum.

Back in Bandung, the dark corner of the kitchen needs help. Originally, I told the contractor not to bother with a corner downlight because we had 2 shop lights over the island. That was a mistake.

On an overcast day, the corner is too dark for washing dishes or baking. The electrician charges $18 for the installation, including parts and labor.

K and I hem and haw about fixing her firm sofa. With a thick mattress topper, it becomes comfy. She has good ideas on how to manage the slipcover and padding. 

We call Adelina in Germany (another cousin), who has just hosted a group at her house. It's a family tradition to welcome others into our homes, so we cheer her on. She's so much fun.

K and I love being together. We call W to find out how he's doing. He's walking the dogs in the early morning and talks to us from under the tree canopy over the streets. Bandung is so green!

Everything is quiet at the Project today. Persib, the Bandung football (soccer) team, is playing a championship game this weekend. The Saturday English group cancels classes. The volunteers can't come through the 2-day traffic gridlock in town. Zealous fans can get overexcited and even violent so locals avoid the downtown and cancel any non-essential trips.

Read more:

* What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Ecclesiastes 3:9-14

* I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Zechariah 8:13

* When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

* God, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. 2 Corinthians 1:4

Moravian Prayer: God of comfort, you surround us with love in every trial. As you console us, help us share that same kindness with others. May we be a blessing, bringing hope and peace to those in need. Amen.

Walking again

Thursday, May 14, 2026
How strange to be near the time zones of friends and partners. And how odd to calculate W's time. He is X (directly opposite am and pm on the clock, so it's not hard.) When I'm ready for a call, W is fast asleep and vice versa.

I'm gradually meeting K's neighbors on the walks. Last night, her dog Mika came back after being dog-sat at two friends' homes. What a relief not to have a little cling-on underfoot during her first week of recovery. Thanks to Terry, Karen, and Crystal for taking care of the fluffy tripping hazard.

This morning, Mika trots around the neighborhood with me. I do a long loop, drop him back on the porch, and do the second loop myself. The big cacti have started blooming.

Wildflowers grow where things are not mowed.

K bought magnums and that's luxury after the last meal.

The whole distance is 3000 steps - not far - but he's little and I need a brisk walk to start the day. In the evening, we do another lap. He's not that happy with me.

The grasses pulled from roadside fill in for the dying flowers in last week's bouquet.

The roses, fresia, and lilies are first to go.

As the week evolves, so do the wildflowers. Within a few days, we have nothing left except two green stems.

The sunset across the neighborhood is brilliant.

Mika stirs and whines most of the night. I'm up and down so K doesn't need to get up after her early shift to quiet him. He's happy when morning comes. (It takes him 5 nights to adjust.)

Friday
After Mika's loop, K walks around her cul-de-sac.

I do one more round on my own, and we're ready for breakfast.

We mix potatoes with sides for a delicious lunch.

W is finishing off beds in the guest rooms of Bandung.

Those repairs are almost done. He'll be redoing the drawers for this pullout double bed next.

The bath floor is looking cleaner, even after one coat of paint.

We're cruising through design shows, enjoying the creative work of others. Mika and I do another round before an evening meeting online.

Saturday
K's not using her robot vacuum so we take out the dead battery and pack it to take it back to Indonesia. It is low and can clean under beds and sofas, which is helpful when we have a full house.

The cacti are blooming.

Many colors line the sidewalk where the grass is unmowed.

On the other side of the world, W is making progress against the frog spawn that shows up each morning despite the clarity of the pool and the chemical balance.

The bunk is ready to be dressed on the other side of the world. It has a desk and lamp below. The pictures that were hung above a twin bed will have to be moved.

The kids come for English lessons with the international volunteers.

They line up for snacks before heading home.

There are big smiles all around.

Sunday

Breakfast is usually eggs and salsa.

Red Rock Church offers an encouraging message, with a heads up on managing the stress that is part of everyday American life. "Instead of the Shepherd's Psalm, we often put it in our own language of managing of lives." 

The speaker encourages attendees to recite Psalm 23 together.

In Jakarta, W attends the funeral of Deasy, a friend.

Monday

We head to Trader Joes for vegetables and mains. Kirsten cruises the aisles without trouble. We are so grateful to God for her recovery progress. On the way home, we stop by the grocery pickup section of HEB. Today we watch Noona, a wonderful story of getting Italian grandmas to cook for a restaurant.

The sidewalk cactus is erupting in more flowers each day.

There's a perfect set of blooms on the Pride of Bermuda.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Thanks to everyone who is praying for Kirsten.

Read more:

* I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. Psalm 34:1-9

* Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise. Psalm 66:1,2

* The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:1-9

* If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up. Daniel 3:17-18

These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door that no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:7,8

Moravian Prayer: Mighty God, you are our refuge in trials and our strength in uncertainty. Even when the way is hard, we trust in your power to save. Open the doors you have set before us, and help us walk forward in faith and courage. Amen.

A healing week

Friday, May 8, 2026
W's back home with a cold, caught at an organizational convention earlier this week. Because he's saving his voice, we've texted but not called. Being opposite on the clock doesn't help. As I'm getting up, he's getting to sleep.

During the day, the streets are empty as I look across to Austin below. The streets are as wide as Indonesian highways. The paved cul-de-sacs are big enough to let a moving van make a U-turn.

In the evenings, cars fill the driveways and park all along the streets. Most homes have 2-4 cars coming and going.

The trees W planted in K's yard last year have begun to grow. Every home has the same wood fencing.

Someone's car had an unfortunate encounter. The car parts have been shoved inside the rear passenger area, with a fleece-lined blanket draped over the hood.

One of the black-painted houses has a vibrant floral shrub up front.

One of the colorful grasses has crisp pods.

Its flowers are dainty, in contrast.

Other grass plumes wave in the constant breeze across the hill.

A 130cm (4') plume, weighed down by a thunderstorm, grows undaunted.

A cactus is energetically putting out new growth.

The wildflowers are bright and cheerful in several front yards.

The leaves tend to be narrow and light-colored, with small blossoms.

I crash into bed in the early evening. Even with 2 1/2 hours awake in the middle, I catch up on rest with almost 10 hours of sleep. Yahoo!

Saturday
On the Indonesian side of the world, the kids come for English lessons.

On our side, K and I enjoy conversations, renovation shows, and good food. In mid-afternoon, I'm drooping enough to take a nap.

Most of my writing is editing the work of others: students' dissertations, professors' journal articles, and leaders' books. Between, it's refreshing to do something non-theological or non-cultural.

I've been assembling a creative project for the past year: a Before & After blog. Tackling the Project started by defining the empty spaces. It went from ruined, abandoned spaces into useful, beautiful rooms. 

At first glance, this room could have become a reception area, a dining space, or a living room. The huge space had possibilities. We host large groups as well as a few people at a time so the room became a serving/dining space. We put in two tables to seat 4 or 12 people.

"Oh, that's not what we would do," said a Chinese-Indonesian friend, walking into the almost-finished room. "We would put our entry here. (We found a different space for that.)

One end had big drop-boxes on the ceiling (with no practical function) so they were removed. The little hallway had awkward steps on one side.

A tea station and a dresser for linen storage landed in the hall behind the 7'X3' (2.2mX1m) wooden screen found in the backyard. A storage wall of bookshelves holds vases, bowls, and art.

A buffet area evolved on the side opposite the big windows. An old dresser blocks off the jutting step. The library tables are topped with limestone slabs to make a serving island. It works as well for many as for a few guests.

Sunday
I'm walking morning and night, circling the neighborhood in various configurations. During the short time I've been here, someone's plants are taking over the sidewalk. The path gets narrower each morning as sunshine and rain boost growth.

K and I attend an online morning service of Red Rocks Church, Austin. Our lunch is excellent. Stuffed peppers with Parmesan tapenade plus melted brie on toast make a great combination. Some of our kids call, and I talk to my mom, friend Martha, and some others.

Monday-Tuesday
K changes bandages and takes her first shower. The medicine in the nerve blocker runs out, so it comes out of her leg. Her knee starts to ache but she walks outside for the first foray into the cul-de-sac. Good food and pots of tea accompany the home repair series we watch.

She props her leg up and ices it so that the swelling goes down. Ouch.

Wednesday
K is tired today. My first walk is early. The fragrances of shrubs and herbs along the sidewalk pop most in the morning and at sundown.

Back in Bandung, W is painting over the tired and stained tiles in the primary bath. He is working through the checklist of remaining updates to the house. I remember something from my childhood: each time Mom traveled to see her sisters, Dad would surprise her with home projects.

We nap before making mala noodles for lunch. Both of us love the pop of numbness from the prickly ash. We mix it with corn salsa and bahn mi vegetables.

Read more:
* I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;  turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. Psalm 17:6-9

* He will regard the prayer of the destitute and will not despise their prayer. Psalm 102:17

* The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:16

Moravian Prayer: Comforter, you hear every prayer: from the smallest whisper to the loudest cry. Remind us that prayer is powerful and brings us closer to you. Help us trust in your presence and find strength in lifting our hearts to you. Amen.