Joy amid distraction and disruption

Friday, December 12, 2025

Happy birthday to my mother-in-law Thea who prays for us. One of my longterm friends Patti has a birthday as well. She was the first person added to the WPPR group. We became companions on our journey of faith, parenting, and marriage for over 30 years. So happy for another year ... God bless you both!

I admire the stages of the bulbs at the neighbour's. I've loved dirt and planting since I was a kid, says my mom. Yet I've never enjoyed weeding and maintenance. "Farming out" those tasks means I relish my garden without being a slave to the growing process.

Meetings start at 6AM so I miss the walk. Not to worry - we're getting 10-12,000 steps every day. W, with a shorter stride, usually exceeds my total by 20%. A few things are sent over to check what fits where.

Lunch at HomeGround is spicy noodles. W's throat is suddenly sore so he hopes the spice will heat up whatever's aching.

Some mismatched stuff is shuffled over to the Project for a place to sit. These outdoor "oldies" will land somewhere.

What a difference a rug makes, even under decrepit rattan.

W manages a few chores. The work crew is plumbing today. The first water heater goes in with a trial run to see if it will handle enough water to serve guests.

Don't you love those old bathroom tiles? One bathroom is blue, one is green, and still another is clay-red. We leave whatever tiles we can, patching existing holes before drilling our own mountings. I'll mask the holes with paint when we're all done.

Saturday

Five years ago today, Dad suddenly passed away. We continue to miss him. Dad had a way of grounding my always-churning mind with a direct question or comment. Today I hear his advice as I fret over little things. "Why are you letting that bother you?" he would have asked with a shrug.

At the end of the week full of meetings and packing, why does it seem like time is standing still? When it comes, the week's end is a surprise. "What, already?"

I glance over a checklist from yesterday's meeting. I asked other leaders how they handle seasons of waiting. They gave great advice. One said, "Take the next right step."

Ok, that would be tackling the "youth room" where 20 or more kids hung out on Wednesday nights. When the youth leader repatriated, the space evolved into a storage dump. Today, children's games, books, and school supplies are boxed. They'll be used to teach English at the Project. I find a bag of coloured pencils and another of markers. How generously the Project has been supplied to serve the community next year.

At the new yard, I'm tracking sun and shade to know what to plant where.

With enormous pines towering overhead, little area gets full sun. Some plants like morning light; others prefer the heat of afternoon.

Tucked behind an outbuilding is this sunny patio, begging for a table and chair.

The plumber/electrician installs the bathroom light and shelf after W takes them off our current bathroom wall. We're reusing our purchases so we don't have to buy them again.

When we rented this place 11 years ago, we expected a fully furnished house, ready to move in. There were 3 lightbulbs, no faucets or shower hardware (unless you count the stub of a garden hose hooked to a pipe in the back kitchen), and some leftover furniture. The owner took pictures to make sure we didn't take their things along if we moved out. Hmmm.

The conference room needs the windowsills replaced where termites and carpenter ants have been at work. I find another dwarf bark scorpion in the house, the third during the past week. Must be nesting in the undergrowth outside. Apparently the sting is similar to an ant bite. Still, ugh. I flush it down the toilet.

The off-gassing of VOCs from the lacquer oil paint on the food kitchen cabinets continues, even a month after painting. When we go over, we open the windows and run fans to hasten the process.

At home, I gather rugs from around the house, stacking them to be vacuumed. spot-cleaned, and rolled up.

Tropical hand-built homes, with their "leaky" doors and windows, fight a losing battle against dirt and dust. When I lift a rug, the area covered for a year is stone-coloured (left side) vs the dark veins and dirty grout in uncovered floors (right side). The floor is regularly swept and washed.

Kirsten laughs when I tell her how much art has collected. "I'm waiting to see what you buy next," she says. I wish she was here to help me decide where to display it. When she comes back, I'll likely be ready to move it around for Round 2. Can I avoid the art markets on our travels, though? They're one of our favourite pastimes when we arrive in a new city.

The rehearsal for tomorrow's Gathering is at 1PM. A walk over and back does me good. W is resting to ward off the full-blown flu.

Sunday - ADVENT 3: Joy amid disruptions

Of course God has his own object lesson for the topic. The power goes off for the entirety of the worship rehearsal. We shrug it off as, "Oh well, let's do our best." Send the morning's carols to the Update group in case we are singing in the dark without sound boost or slides. But nope, power returns to the neighbourhood minutes before the Gathering starts.

Soaring at about 22'/7m, this bare trunk, chopped back to the bone a few months ago, has erupted in new  branches. We are always amazed at how severely-pruned plants grow back.

Lunch with DrW and traveler Alex begins a conversations about how we serve, where we travel, and how our interests and gifts can be part of what God is doing in the world. This is the mystery of God-with-us, that he would choose to use us in any way, right?

Generously, the #WaroengEthnic owners give us 4 potted cuttings from their dazzling pink-flowered vine. "It will take a long while to bloom," they warn us. "Keep the cuttings out of the sun until they are established."

Will do. They are placed in the shade on the sunnier side of the Project = light but no direct sunshine.

Strings of beautiful orchid blooms hang through the gate along the way.

Read more:

* Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9

* I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3

* O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. Isaiah 64:1

* The angel said to Mary, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” Luke 1:31-32

* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

Moravian Prayer: God of love, may we pay attention to how much you love us and love this world. Call us to bear witness to the eternal life that you bring to the world.

Dear Jesus, call us to see that your heavenly father flung wide the gates of heaven to bring you to us so that we would witness a perfect example of how to serve humanity. Amen.

Advent is a season of waiting

Monday, December 8, 2025

Everything about this month is rich with memories. As I connect with Mom before our walk, she talks about how meaningful family and the love of God are to her. It's encouragement for the whole week. The streets are quiet on the 3 km/2mile stroll.

Someone has been letting their dog/s poop around the neighbourhood so there is a new sign at the entry: no pooping or peeing by pets. Dozens of cats roam freely, but cats are exempt from any and all rules - here and everywhere, right?

There's only one morning meeting but that is life-giving. The living room is mostly disassembled. The floor is empty where crowded shelves sat. The stacks of art and big furniture will shift in a week or two. It's a messy meditative process. The pixels are one of my favorite DIYs, taken from books of paint chips from Home Depot. (We buy paint there also, when in the USA.)

W is leading a Monday group study while I write next week's talk: Joy - the response of the shepherds to Good News given by the angel. What a story and what Good News!  Click here to read what happened.

Tuesday

I get to talk to Mom, walk, and then it's a working morning. W works on the gutter at the street. Gravel, leaves, and garbage wash down from the hill each time we have a hard rain. Several neighbours walking by stop to say thanks to W for the work, which keeps water flowing downhill as well. The men who should be cleaning it disappear as soon as W starts shovelling. Seems like they don't want their job.

I'm sorting, packing, and unpacking. The curtains go up in the conference room before we break for lunch. We hope the flooding has been resolved - or everything inside will have to be cleaned and dried.

Oh no, the meatballs taste old at lunch. (Too long in the freezer?) The dogs don't mind the bonus snack. They're trained to run over when I whistle - because they always get a pat on the head and nearly away earn a snack if they quickly sit in front of me. "Good dogs!"

There's a team meeting in the afternoon. How we value each member. We hear their heart and calling expanding each time we catch up.

As we walk by GreenGate, the satpams (guards) call out a hello. We shoot a video of greeting for the managers who expatriated a year and a half ago. JP and Judy are still missed.

I'm selling off what we no longer need or I've outgrown. Someone claims a beautiful suit with memories of Singapore. Another asks for a formal skirt that I haven't worn in years. The sorting goes on.

The helpers take home dresses and other things. "You can wear, sell, or give them away," I tell them. "Once they're given they belong to you to do with what you like." My father taught me that philosophy of generosity and release. Because it takes the pressure and accountability from the giver, it makes giving a great pleasure.

.

Wednesday

An eye migraine starts as we walk. The halo in my vision expands and contracts through meetings and consultations. I set multiple timers in case I drift off while waiting for the next appointment. Once I eat my vision begins to ease.

One non-negotiable for healthy leadership is accountability. I meet an advisor to run through the transitions swirling around us. It is life-giving counsel that gives clear next steps and focuses my heart on gratitude and anticipation, while recognizing the things we leave behind.

A chat with Mom is another blessing. "I'm still here," as she now starts every call. She seems to have rallied somewhat and is both cheerful and thankful.

"And I'm glad I still get to talk to you!" I reply.

Lunch is with the head of a volunteer program. We talk through their next steps, and he receives advice as I did earlier. We're all better together.

We pull together a few more things at the Project. Configurations change and morph as they shift from ideas to physical space.

Dr Ingrid sends over the most luscious bread as a pre-Christmas treat. W and I sample it and declare it delicious.

The hoyas, +20'/6m long at this point, are bursting with blooms once again. Their roots are in 6"/15cm pots that have the soil mostly washed out of them. "Don't replant them," our gardening friends warn us. They bloom best with less care."

In late afternoon, another pretty package arrives via motorcycle delivery.

We sample Felix's family lasagna. Soooo good. (He's part of Waldemar's Saturday morning group.)

Three transitions - all waiting in the wings - remind us to be grateful for the beautiful years we've had in this place and the many people who have eaten, hung out, or slept here. Aren't we blessed to share God's abundance?

Thursday

No hike, for the third week in a row. We're waiting for the remodel to finish so we can move in, while the contractor is waiting for water heaters to come in. We've cancelled December's movie night: there's no time with Christmas 2 weeks away. Movie night takes an entire week each month and I haven't even begun to decorate, which is another half-week of work. Oh well. We're disappointed but such timing is up to God.

After walking the dogs, we eat our date breakfast at #MissBeeProvidore. Their winter room is the setting for this year's casual Christmas pics. The photographer elongates the rest of the photos, so we're left with this one: a bit tilty, a washed-out background, and 2 smiles. Good enough.

I enjoy an omelette sandwich while W orders Eggs Benedict. It's a very Western breakfast but we find that in seasons where we miss our families and friends, we choose food similar to what we grew up with.

Mom's cheerful greeting warms the heart and we pray together. Sandy, leader of Mom's caregivers, pops  on the call to say hi. She's a jewel who keeps the team doing an amazing job of hospice care. She's become dear to us as we pray for her and her family each day, along with ours.

Read more:

* Do not fear or be dismayed. Joshua 8:1

* Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! Isaiah 2:5

* No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:34

* Jesus touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, let it be done to you.” And their eyes were opened. Matthew 9:29-30

* When the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did and heard the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?”

Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself?’” Matthew 21:15-16

* In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrews 1:1-4

Moravian Prayer: Gracious King and Savior, we delight in your promise of living in your kingdom when our days are done, and we sing your praises evermore. Equip us with gifts for service here on earth so that we are deemed ready at your call.

Almighty Healer, the balm that you offer to the world is soothing and comforting. Why are we so often afraid to accept it? Help us to trust and believe in you whenever we experience the struggles and storms of life. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Tidings of blessings and growing things

Thursday, December 4, 2025

It's gloomy though the tropical sun provides light through the clouds. When I talk to my mom in hospice care at home, she says she is "ready to go Home." We pray together for relief from the intense pain she has night and day. She tells me she loves me, says "Goodbye if we don't talk again," and prays over me, my brothers, and our families. I type as fast as I can, saving her patterns of speech and what's important to her. I want to remember this when she is no longer with us.

We raised money for kids' English programs during Giving Tuesday yesterday. W and I fell asleep tired but happy at the generosity of our friends. This base fund is a godsend for volunteers who tutor neighbourhood children. Here, when kids come together, they need snacks as well as supplies.

W and I tape off the rough edges of the mosquito screens that could tear window coverings. We head to the grocer's for eggs, cocoa powder, sugar, and other baking ingredients to continue baking Christmas goodies. Today there are stars and gingerbread men on the counter when we get home.

The grocer has Christmas decor and foods.

W finds a slice of Christmas cake @$1.50 for dessert after lunch. It has good flavour for the price but none of the moistness of the classic buttery Christmas ring that Costco used to bake.

I'm looking for a bowl to bring to our daughter on our next visit - we both like choosing a decorated bowl for dessert or a treat.

The Project entrance is showing progress by afternoon. They're concrete-ing in a tall berm to reroute water from the street before it hits the driveway. The rain pours down but no river sluices into the yard from the neighbourhood.

I find a blue tablecloth that I don't like in a bag of linens. Maybe it's meant as curtains for the blue bathroom upstairs? We've kept the old floor and wall tiles throughout the Project to keep costs down (think "retro" style). I pull off the old rings and wash down the fittings before clipping up the tablecloth. Not bad.

Shower curtains are in, with extra-long liners that will sit inside the tub. Most of the curtains are hung about 4" off the ground to allow the wet mop to swing under them without making them dirty. Looks strange but it works. And in the bath, we barely cover the edge of the tub with the exterior curtain. It's all about efficient cleaning in a climate where bugs and critters want to share spaces with us.

In the garden, the lawn is in but some of the transplanted shrubs are ailing, like this gardenia.

The water apples are thriving.

We indulge in bread and cold cuts for supper. Sometimes you just need some childhood food when the world is shifting around, right? Our non-traditional addition is IKEA cranberry jam on top. A bit (very bitty) like Thanksgiving.

I fall asleep for a nap at 6PM and wake for a meeting at 8. Then I don't doze off until almost 2AM. I listen to great chunks of Ezekiel's prophecies as I wait for sleep. What a strange book. The repeated phrase is "I the Lord am holy," or "Then everyone will know I am the LORD." So that seems to be the point - a message from the One and Only God about justice, mercy, and the consequences of disobedience.

Friday

Mom calls at 4AM and repeats how ready she is for heaven. She wants me to know I'm loved. "I just wanted to say goodbye and tell you I'm ready. You've been a good daughter."

I remember how frustrated my grandma was in the last weeks of her life. At 89, she was impatient to depart earth and see the face of Jesus. She couldn't choose when she'd pass through that veil of death, though she wanted to go Home so badly. We trust God's timing for Mom and treasure the prayers she still prays over us. Again, I write down what she says.

I fall asleep for another hour before we take the dogs for a walk. It's a glorious clear morning. The air is clean and fresh. We pick up used items in a close-by city: a mattress, a cabinet, dishes ... then after a quick and cheap lunch at the nearby IKEA, we get back to work.

It's begun to pour but W walks through the rain to the Project. He's climbing ladders to put display shelves and rods on an entry wall. The crew is working on plumbing. The best news is that there is NO water flooding down the driveway into the back of the house. Wow - that's progress.

Meanwhile I pack up the bedroom. I have a stack of not-going items to give away. For the big picnic tomorrow, we're asked to bring plates, drinking cups, cutlery, serving dishes, and more. We pray that it doesn't rain - it's raining most of the day today.

Organizers of big events in our circles often borrow our stash of serving items and recycling pails. "How many forks and spoons do you need?" I ask Angie.

200 of each? I check the storage bins and there are that many wrapped and ready to go. God always knows. 200 rattan plates and 300 paper liners get loaded up for early morning delivery. 

Angie thinks they need cups as well but I don't find them. Maybe tomorrow W can locate where they were moved. (Nope - we don't find the box of cups. What else has gone missing?)

Saturday

This would have been the wedding anniversary of Uncle Erich and Auntie Molly - but she's gone Home to heaven. I remember the warm welcome of their home, the big hugs, and good food. They were my alternate parents, my favourite aunt and uncle all through childhood and up to now. I never forgot the love they showed a young child and how patient they were with this "wild thing" though they had no children of their own.

They adopted my cousin Elaine and me on Sundays, taking us home for lunch and returning us for the evening service. Sometimes they even braved us overnight for a glorious sleepover on Saturday night before church. Wow - good memories; sending love today to my Uncle E who is 95 and still lives in Winnipeg. (The consistent loving care you offer a child will never dim in his/her mind.)

I call Mom, who lingers and prays over the family. She wants to depart for the presence of her Lord but says, "He has his perfect timing, and I have to wait." Bedsores are an unpleasant addition to what she suffers.

The big pot of spaghetti (2kg/4 1/2 lb) is cooked and wrapped for transport by 6:30AM. I walk over to the Project to meet an engaged couple at 7AM. (They're dedicated to premarital counselling to come at this hour!). At 8, PakG picks me up, along with the barang-barang (stuff) for the kids' event. He heads out after unloading to buy the volleyball someone forgot to bring along. Luckily someone else has brought two balls for football (soccer).

I am honoured to welcome the moms and their kids and pray a blessing over the day. Two years ago, the leaders of 2 neighbourhoods asked us to teach their kids English. Today I meet them again when their group of kids come from town to have a fun day with the first group of English learners. (Thanks, Kristi, for starting that initiative years ago).

I get a tour of art in storage - oh so much to choose from! before heading back to work. In late afternoon, PakG goes back to retrieve our plates and the rest.

The plants never cease to amaze me.

The fuzzy balls that appear after spiky blooms are bright green on the darkening stem.

While I'm gone, W finishes his group study. He strolls to the Project to pin up the other side of the entry "gallery" and work on house security. We clean plugged drains and check how the yard is coming along.

Lunch is at Ethnic, sitting on the porch beside the garden.

It feels like pure luxury to be outside in a short-sleeved blouse in December.

It's a full and busy day, connecting with people, doing hands-on jobs, and packing. We're more than ready to head home in late afternoon.

Sunday - ADVENT 2: LOVE

A youth choir from another congregation leads us in carols at the Gathering. (Thanks for arranging that, Della and Wanda.) We explore love, which gives, sacrifices, and cares for others like God does for us.

Titik has heaped poinsettias and greens around the stage and the Advent candles, complementing Daniel's Christmas decor. I love how people work together.

Lunch at Maxis is fun - the little boys run around the yard with their grandpa while the rest of us chat. 

The Maxis gardener is clipping the hedge. He collects some plants for us to grow at the Project. What I initially wanted was what he threw in a trash bag. But that's gone. He goes around the border again and trims things he thinks we'll want. Most of our plants are similarly acquired, whether seeds, seedlings, or trimmings. It makes for a lush and interesting garden.

Read more:

* Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God. Jeremiah 31:18

* 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

* Paul said, “We bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.” Acts 14:15

* If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew andGentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, Romans 10:9-13

Moravian Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to be inspired and excited to share your good news with the world. May we always be guided by the fact you came to save and not condemn the world. Amen.