It's overcast this morning. And it's about 70o (21C), a little on the cool side. I don a jacket for our walk.
There's lots to see. Above, a "surprised" torn water lotus leaf. Below, an overgrown flowerbed still attracts attention.
A closeup of intricate blooms on a bromeliad.
I like its hot-pink leaf tips, too. The center is 2-3" wide but the leaves can be 1.5' (50 cm) long.
On another branch, scarlet flowers are glowing in dappled shade. They're most stunning - getting purple edges - a few days before they wither.
Waldemar and I record BIC talks for the next weeks. Online Gatherings are a lot of work - but what a privilege to connect with people around the world. He runs the gear. I'm a user and a writer.
So here are 3 things plus one more for the week:
1. Skies aren't always blue. In places without rain and shading clouds, a whole different ecosystem has to emerge. We call those places deserted, or "the desert."
Sometimes things just dry up for us as well, like this dill flower. Yet it brings its soft beauty to a tall vase.
Sometimes we complain when the rain falls or the earth moves. However, troubles, discomforts, and hardships are necessary for strong and healthy growth, whether in nature or personally (even when we don't like them.)
2. If you look around, you'll notice that not everything is what it seems. Or at least, not ONLY what it seems to be. The bushes that need chopping back in the yard? Garbage? Yes. Compost? Yes.
But wait. Stuff their feet into a pot with water. They become a wild arrangement that lasts a few more days. I enjoy them up close than before we drop them into the back garden or toss them on the compost heap.
A fern frond, plucked last week, fades in glorious yellows and greens. Look at that lacework! It reminds me of the One who creates beauty, the Same One who delights in us even as we age and lose strength.
When we arrived in Indonesia, we were surprised that "all the food is the same color" = a variation of tan, beige, and orange-reds. As soon as you turn off your eyes and use your other senses, you discover an array of tastes to tickle the palate.
Look at our breakfast this morning. We grazed through a little of this and that: Chinese-style rice noodles with Indonesian chili sauce (mouth on fire!), fried 'popcorn' chicken, Malay-style Laksa noodles, and Bandung emping (crunchy deep-fried crackers with a bitter aftertaste).
We wrapped up with 2 small Western-style pancakes because the maple syrup takes the edge off the hot peppers. The dishes may look similar at first glance but what a variety of tastes!
The tortoises are roaming the courtyard. One is a mover. When we spot him, he's ripping up and eating grass 100 feet from his compound. The minders will find him and pick him up in all his bigness. He gets carried back to the pen once it's cleaned. Tomorrow he'll get another walk.
One evening we heat up leftover egg noodles in yoghurt and make a bowl of ramen. You wouldn't think they would taste good together. But rasa enak. They do. One heats the tongue with mild fire. The other cools it.
3. Don't go it alone. Go into the week with people you meet, people you serve, and people you love. Doing life by yourself is neither as much fun when times are good, nor as comforting when things get rough.
On the porch Sunday, a group drops in for a watch party of BIC Online. After sharing takeaways, tea, and prayer, most of us head for brunch. Good company combined with good food is always an adventure to be savored.
Even the selfies are sweet by the the end of the Christmas season. Note how tall American men are, compared to locals. Most Indonesians would fit easily under the neon sign.
The books sent over by our friend Anu go in 5 directions: 2 libraries and 3 homes. Everyone's happy with their new collections of words.
Another evening, we head to another friend's business. It's common to ask a religious leader to pray a blessing over companies and homes. That's what we get to do as Christ-followers. We ask God to favor, enrich, and protect the people at their work.
The golden bamboo at the back is lush and full.
Inside, these bales of woven cotton fabrics are destined for t-shirts and golf shirts.
There's an empty space that we pray God will fill with good things, including blessings for the owners and employees.
We meet with our team online and in person one morning, too. Sitting together is good. We exchange goodies, of course. That's what friendships are about. Thanks for the treats, Kat and Leo! Enjoy Anu's books.
W and I use our weekly date day to connect and catch up. You'd think, living in the same house, that we'd be chit-chatting all the time. Between his office and mine are concrete walls that do not transfer sounds. So he cranks up his music while I open my door to outside, listening to the chirping birds and clattering bamboo chimes.
I have several night meetings this week. The time with mentors is cherished: it's worth getting (or staying) up. I feel invigorated by a leadership cohort study of "Courageous Leadership," led by Dr. Don Ross.
I am teary-eyed most the way through an hour with my spiritual director Alaine. She reads aloud a poem by F. W. Faber, "The Thought of God." I download and print it out afterward, reading it a few more times before sleeping. How rich my life is because of wise friends and counselors.
One more, a bonus for meditation and reflection:
Read Faber's whole poem here if you like. For all of you who suffer, I pass on these lines which gripped my own heart:
... To think of Thee is almost prayer,
And is outspoken praise;
And pain can even passive thoughts
To actual worship raise.
O Lord! I live always in pain,
My life’s sad undersong,
Pain in itself not hard to bear,
But hard to bear so long.
Little sometimes weighs more than much,
When it has no relief;
A joyless life is worse to bear
Than one of active grief.
And yet, O Lord! a suffering life
One grand ascent may dare;
Penance, not self-imposed, can make
The whole of life a prayer. ...
Poems are meant to be read aloud. Try it. Have someone read the poem to you. Or, read it onto your device. Then turn off everything else. Quiet your body and mind so you can listen deeply and without interruption. Is there a metaphor in Faber's poem that speaks most clearly and personally to you? If so, which one - and why?
And finally, some things to ponder:
- How does God touch YOUR heart?
- How does He ignite your imagination?
- When you listen carefully and watch for Him, where is he at work around you this week? How could you join Him?
Read more:*I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2
*But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Psalm 19:12
The Lord will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5
Moravian Prayer: Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of Holy Scripture. Through the word of the cross, we are shown how to live and are given the assurance of your great salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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