Long drives to friends and partners

Monday, September 15, 2025

Mid-month. Already.

We drove over 400 miles yesterday (645 km), down southwest to the Washington coast before crossing to the Tri Cities. It's a short night, under 5 hours for me. I'm distracted as the hotel blanket and sheets slide apart. I don't want to imagine who wrapped themselves around the bare blanket before I did.

We wake in midrange hotel in Kennewick to a dubious breakfast. Nothing is fresh in the breakfast area so I don't know how many times the food has appeared before this morning. The waffles are pre-made and sit beside the toaster for warming. The biscuits and gravy are from mixes. The sausages are lukewarm. The bagels and cereal are pre-wrapped. I toast a waffle, take a few sausages, and make stale tea with a paper-wrapped teabag.

Back in the room, I have a bath - what luxury. The tub is spotless and the room is carpeted (ugh) but clean. We're only a few minutes away from the seminar.

There are friends to greet, new people to meet, and wonderful encouragement from Dr Don Ross and others. Some of my dearest friends are at the conference, too.

W and I stay as long as we can, drinking in the information and Presence. We're on our way back to Seattle after 3 PM. What a beautiful drive! It's another 230 miles / 370 km.

The sun is setting as we pull into the driveway at 7:30 PM. We say goodnight to the kids and grandkids and head down for a shower, do some laundry, and repack for the day ahead.

Tuesday

We leave the house at 8 AM for Lacey, driving 80 miles/128 km. We stop in at Harry and ThoraJean's. They have just pulled into their garage when we get there. Harry faithfully prays for our daughter each day. TJ was the first alumni director at NU, paving the way for me. We have the best quick chat, exchange prayers and hugs, and are on our way again.

At True Grace, we eat lunch with Peter, Dave, and the staff. Waldemar does a Q&A with about 25 listeners. He teaches on the congruence of scriptural practice and instruction and then opens the conversation to a wide range of questions.

We meet longtime friends, like Lola who is also a writer.

Tracy used to live in Surabaya and still misses Indonesia.

We head back north to NU, where Beth has arranged to meet us. She updates us on her exciting journey at The Table. She and I meet with young women called to serve others - oh my, it's a joy to see the big hearts of the next generations.

Ravioli and red cabbage - hardly a traditional pairing - is what we have for supper back at our flat. The grandkids come down for a gruesome set of stories about Max and Moritz (two rascals in German children's stories.) After they head upstairs, we tidy, write, and get ready to hit the road tomorrow.

Wednesday

Early in the morning, we head across the mountain pass to Eastern Washington. W wants to check out the sports shop where we buy trail shoes (nothing for us today.) In no particular order, here's part of what we see:

The lakes are still. The rivers are rushing.

There are layers upon layers of mountains. Some have been logged and a few pines stand on the ridges.

Logging trucks haul away the timber.

Then comes a delight in Coolee City: a former faculty member Jacquie R serves us homemade clam chowder for lunch. We reminisce and look forward to the day together. 

Her hibiscus is huge and catches my eye as we say our goodbyes.

The road itself is boring in eastern Washington. The GPS shows why: a straight shot for miles.

By mid-afternoon, we're at our destination: family. Our eldest son, his wife, and our dear friends (her parents) warmly welcome us. We feel spoiled: the room feels like a high-end Air B&B - complete with a heating blanket for the night and tea on the side table.

We go out for a German supper at the Steintisch Restaurant. Talk about memories in the food: some tastes remind me of my Auntie Molly's cooking; some taste like Grandma's cooking.

I sleep solidly, thank God.

Thursday

Keelee comes by for me after breakfast. It's a 1:15 drive each way for her, a long way from her home. She takes me to her town to can see where she lives and works. She's prepared a surprise, a picnic tea complete with tablecloth, china, and baking from her Quiet Waters Bakery. So delicious!

Everything is prepared, from the hot water for tea to the coffee cake and cookies. She has boxed up 70 candle cookies in honor of my change-of-decade when we're apart.

Her new baking kitchen is beautiful, as is as her home. I've only see her space online before; now I have the context for our weekly Tuesday morning Zoom meetings. She returns me to our friends' just after noon, along with some baking to take along to Indonesia. I will eek out those treats all year, indulging when I miss her and my tribe of girlfriends.

Leftovers from yesterday make a delicious lunch. We take our son along to Starbucks, fill up with gas in Idaho (a short drive away with $1 cheaper/gallon due to decreased taxes).

Before nightfall,  the family meets at a Mexican restaurant. SO good! We have leftovers again, tucking them into the fridge overnight.

We end the evening with Costco pumpkin pie, thanks to J and R's foresight. What a huge treat @$5.99. Look at the size of that pie! We pray around the family circle before bedtime. What a blessing it is to serve and love God together.

Friday

After pumpkin pie and an apple turnover for breakfast, we're out the door just after 8 AM. We've left one box of baked goodies in the freezer, but Martha promises to ship it to us.

We meet Marcelo and Elise in Medicine Lake mid-morning. They're adjusting well to American life since arriving from Europe. They will be loving and kind leaders in their new setting.

We drive a few hours to Thorp, heating our leftovers on the dashboard. As the sun hits the black packaging, the food warms up enough for lunch.

We buy apples and nectarines at the Thorp fruit stand.

I crunch one as we leave the shop. So sweet and crisp! But who would buy a pineapple for $15? (A Filipina standing behind me talks her husband into getting her one. I guess that's who!)

The Columbia River has gouged deep valleys into its banks.

The long bridge sweeps across the river valley before the highways climbs steeply up the other side. 

One beautiful landscape after another unfolds. Wind turbines pick up the movement along the river.

You can see where the old is left behind. Many times these old-growth barn timbers are reused for furniture or flooring.

Seattle is our return destination on this leg. The last two days we've driven at least 750 miles/1200 km. As we approach the last mountain pass, the reservoir sparkles between the mountain ranges.

We feel so blessed to meet friends and family - but we're happy to eat supper in our flat before greeting the kids and grandkids. We shower, heat the bedding in the dryer, and drink a mug of peppermint tea before falling asleep.

Saturday

W heads of to "guys-only coffee," a long-standing tradition on Saturday mornings. I dig out another slipcover or two for our Beddinge sofa. (We have the same sofa model in Kenmore and Bandung.) Then it's time to start packing for home, make breakfast, and do laundry. There are piles in the corners heaped with suitcases, clothes, and purchases. Since I come once a year, snacks, cooking items, or household goods I can't get in Indonesia are schlepped from here.

This time, our luggage includes hard-wearing dog toys for the destroyer, standard poodle Anton. He's shredded what we've given him so we need sturdier items. I can buy toys for $20-40 each in Indonesia or get a variety for $4-6 at clearances here.

W and I walk a few miles around the neighborhood. Outside our door, honey bees buzz around the lacy wildflowers.

A neighbor's hydrangeas erupt in color.

And this deep-red geranium catches my eye. It's fun to be back where I know the names of the plants and trees.

We're not quite ready for lunch but I make it anyway.

Read more:

*The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats, but my salvation will be forever. Isaiah 51:6

*[A true story of commitment to God, from Daniel 3] Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and 

thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 

and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

 

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

*When the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 1 Corinthians 13:10

Moravian Prayer: Lord of lords, bring us to the New Jerusalem. Let your kingdom come, where tears are wiped away, and joy reigns forever. Prepare our hearts for eternal communion with you. Amen.

Small things

Small actions add up. I've written almost 2000 posts here, along with hundreds on other blogs. 

How does that happen? If I were an artist, would there be hundreds and thousands of paintings and sculptures and needlework? Probably. (I admit that there are a few art pieces and short music scores around, but that's from overflow energy, not habit.)

When I get so busy that I forget who I am, I read about who I've met and where I've been. That reminds me of the faithfulness of God and the kindness of those around me.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

The chickens sparkle in the sun, strutting their colors as we pass the garbage dump on our walk.

I cull flowers that have passed their prime from last week's arrangement. What's left goes into a clean vase with a few pink daisies and ferns from the garden.

Then we set the table, make crepes, and cut a papaya to prepare brunch for a board meeting. Tota brings servings of tofu, rice cakes and peanuts; Chandra offers a variety of drinks - including cold coffee that everyone loves; Angie fries up Batagor that gets dipped into chunky peanut sauce. So good.

It's wonderful to work with people of integrity and compassion. We review finances, pray for needs, and chat. And we eat together, of course.

My Lenten reflection is two questions Jesus asks men who have been followers of John the Baptist. One question is "What do you want?" and the other is "Come and see." I think Jesus still asks us those questions today. Our challenge is whether or not to follow up on his invitation.

Lent Day 4: "Come and See"

In the afternoon, we walk to Ethnic to meet friends. Many people line up at food stalls in late afternoon, in preparation for sundown when their fast ends. On the first weekend of the month, they also still have money to spend. Payday at the end of the month is the norm.

The restaurant is empty until nightfall, when things heat up. We have a lovely conversation with John and Lisa. The rain hits hard while we eat and talk. But it tapers off just before we walk home.

Sunday

The kids sing in the Gathering, to a warm response from young and old alike.

We meet A, whom we haven't seen in years. There's an exuberant greeting from everyone. Once you've been family, you're always family.

Titik sends home her stunning arrangement. How she creates such beauty week after week, from ordinary flowers, is beyond me ...

We eat lunch and get a tour at a friend's farm. We love to support projects that serve the community. Let me know if you want to volunteer or share your resources in diverse ways.

The current crop is peanuts. We take some home to for steaming.

Monday

A few meetings in the morning = life-giving counsel between friends and peers. Between the first and second Zoom call, W and I hurry out the door for a mile-loop.

I write a post for Lent, review a history, and make notes. The miraculous seems to happen when an ordinary person faces insurmountable odds, but is obedient to God.

Lent Day 5: "Do what he tells you," (said Jesus' mother Mary.)

There's nothing remarkable going on or anything particularly "special" that's happened recently. Yet as I scroll files to research details of a past event, I'm struck by how much an ordinary life contains.

We've met people. We've tried things that have succeeded or failed. We've learned lessons and passed along resources. It's easy to forget God's goodness, showered on us day after day. Thanks be to God!

Read more:

*[Some proverbs:]

- When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech.

- Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

- Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

- No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted. 

 Proverbs 10:19; 12:1-3

*Jesus said, “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37

Moravian Prayer: Christ, Eternal Word, remind us to always center our words in you and speak from places of love. Forgive us when we are quick to respond with a cutting word or a cruel retort. Center our words in your eternal truth. Amen.

Soft landing in Missouri

Friday, June 21, 2024

Last night, we arrived at the Sleep Inn (basic) at 11:30pm, 48.5 hours after leaving home. PakG drove us from Bandung to the Jakarta airport on Thursday morning (Jakarta time). We overnight at the Anaya Hotel before 4 flights that start in the early morning. We land in Narita (Tokyo), LAX, Dallas, and then Missouri. The flights are uneventful. There's not much sleep for me, though W easily dozes on each leg. At the Springfield baggage conveyer, I stand between several people wearing Christian message T-shirts. They are friendly and chat freely.

W was appalled at the car rental prices until he found a 5-seat pickup truck for under $300. We agree that we don't care what vehicle we're driving. The friendly Avis rep at the airport informs us: "We don't have the truck you booked. We have a farm pickup or a KIA Serento. Your choice." It's a nice bonus. (No, we don't choose the old pickup.)

Our luggage has made 3 of 4 legs of the trip: it's resting overnight in Dallas. We have bare basics in our carryons: W finds a long-sleeved top; I don a light coat and socks. We turn the air conditioning up to a bearable warmth. Rooms are COLD here; most air-conditioners are set to high, with blasting fans and under 19o/70C. Brrr. After taking a sleeping pill, I pull a sleep mask over my eyes, pop in construction-grade earplugs, and fall asleep like the dead. 

The manager of the hotel moves us to a first floor room, rather than the third storey that was booked. No stairs for us this time. (Too bad; he thinks he is doing us a favor.) I check my fitness tracker: 12000 steps, 21 flights (up only, more down), and over 5 miles of walking yesterday. We're shocked by how tall and overweight people are in the airports; many struggle to walk the flat hallways and pull a carry-on. While I feel heavy and big in Indonesia, here I'm smaller than average. It's one weird part of readjusting to life in the USA. We have been away for a while. 

I'm barely awake at 6:30, but fall back into sleep until 7:15. We toddle down three long halls to breakfast: biscuits and gravy, a waffle, yogurt, and tea. I skip the donut case and pastries. (Congealed fat, artificial flavors, and sugar?) No thanks. I can barely eat what's on my plate.

There's nothing an Indonesian would choose for sarapan (breakfast). No rice. This is also part of the adjustment: we reenter the culture with an outsider's perspective, wondering what our Indonesian friends would choose for their meal. Comparison is instinctive. Expats are cautioned to observe but not to judge where we land by where we serve. There's good in every place.

We sit near 2 men: a huge father and son are talking about a woman they know. "She needs to lose weight if she wants to reach 60 years old." These guys must be 300-350 lbs. (150 kg). W lifts his eyebrows in surprise at the conversation. Perspective. Perspective.

Today's agenda is simple. We shop for basic clothing (the airline will cover this); eat lunch with friends; attend a financial info seminar; then take time to adjust to the clock and climate - it's over 90oF/32oC every day. I find a bag full of jewelry that needs sorting - there are several $100 necklaces in the tangle. Now to take apart the mess that customers made, throwing it together ...

Over the next few days, I pull apart 65 necklaces, 5 bracelets, and 10 pieces of jewelry that need repair. Each goes into a separate snack bag so we don't snarl them up again. I estimate the retail between $1000 - $2,000. At +30c eat, that's good enough.

Saturday

We walk a couple of miles around the neighborhood and the park near the hotel. Then it's off to register for the conference. We have lunch at a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant - Hong Yen. The service is good, the food is excellent. There's an opening session for the Asian region where we are noted as having served 10 years. Others are celebrated at retirement for 47 and 50 years of service abroad. Wow.

We go back to the hotel to change clothes and spend the evening at a reception. The food is excellent. The table conversation is lively.

Sunday

We wake at 8:00 and are a few minutes late for the working walk, service, and picnic at a beautiful shaded park.

We exchange stories with coworkers and friends.

Mid-afternoon, we're ready to rest - jet lag is real. We're asleep by 10:30 p.m.

Monday

I wake at 1:30 a.m. and don't sleep until 6:30, no matter what I try.. When W's alarm goes off at 7:30,  he goes for breakfast. I can't take one more look of sausage and gravy or a waffle. I have a yogurt in the fridge, which I consume before showing and tidying the room. It's humid here - today' it's supposed to get over 100oF (38oC) but the room we meet in has air-conditioning so cold that everyone from the tropics is in sweaters and coats. I makes sure I have warm shoes and socks on, plus a light jacket.

Barbara and I visit over lunch. She's a faithful mentor and friend but it's been years since we've met in person. Barbara' files helped fill in gaps for my dissertation. I'm so grateful for trailblazers like she is.

I get to visit Ashley in the university library before heading into the afternoon session. Her mom Kim and I are good friends. We send her mom the picture.

We have a team barbecue before heading home at night. It feels like we do nothing but sit and eat. Good information though.

Tuesday

I crashed at 10:00 last night but I sleep in until 8:00 ... with the help of a sleeping pill. Whew. That's 10 hours of rest.

The meetings are helpful. Then we enjoy lunch with Sam and Shellie. The two kiddos who come along are darling. Their parents are doing a great job; they're well-behaved (and cute)!

In the evening, friends drop by with their new computer. W transfers the information from old to new machine. I update a class syllabus and send it off.

Read more:

*O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

*I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters. Psalm 22:22

*Paul wrote: I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin. Galatians 1:11

Moravian Prayer: O Savior of all, in you we have found our answer to the needs of our lives and the world. We confess that, at times, we are reluctant to share the good news of your love and power with those whose lives we touch. We shrink back from being your witnesses. Forgive us. Cause your spirit to move within us, inspiring and emboldening us to share the good news we have found in you. Amen.