Let's fix it

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

It may be peaceful in the main spaces, but the back of the house is a regular drip zone.

The bathroom leaks so much that the ceiling is rotting away and the walls are streaked with dirty drips from the rooftop.

And the back bedroom? It's used only for storage now because of the water that courses down the walls with every heavy rain.The walls are buckled; the ceiling is moldy. Hopefully there will be a solution - and that's what the tukang (handyman) is here to check. He tells W that he has several big jobs to finish before he can tackle ours.

There's a terrible smell one day - the electrical outlet on the back wall has become wet. Though the power is still going (ungrounded as usual), the plastic on the outlet itself has burned to a crisp. Good thing it's a concrete rather than a wooden wall! W plugs the fridge and freezer into an extension cord to another outlet until he can replace the damaged one. We're glad power didn't go out: no food has spoiled. 

The breadmaker overflows on the final bake cycle. We're tweaking settings for white and whole wheat loaves. Sometimes the bread is wonderful. Sometimes it's an experiment that tastes good. We scrape bread dough off the lid and cool the loaf on a rack.

Wednesday

What a rotten night: I wake up every hour or two. Finally, I click into YouVersion and listen to scripture. The reader gets through the whole book of Numbers and the first 10 chapters of Deuteronomy - and I'm not even sleepy. Then I listen to Pray as You Go, the Jesuit daily devotional and have a nap before giving up.

In the half-wakefulness, I think of exercises to engage the students. Sometimes when the mind is open at night, creativity drifts in and out. I jot everything into my bedside notebook. Otherwise, the ideas have flown by morning light.

My challenge (on top of classroom management and teaching) is to figure out how to teach from a PC tablet when I'm used to Apple products. At the beginning of a course, we also have to gauge the pace and capacity of students. This round has master and bachelor students learning together, in one classroom. 

I spend the day revising planned activities that aren't possible when I'm not using my own Zoom account. The class uses the institution's account; many features are not available to me. It feels like a bit of a train wreck, shifting expectations and resources on the go.

It's a learning experience for the guy running the online classroom, too. I'm asking him to do things he didn't know about. My smart/er friends (Kim and Waldemar) have used many business upgrades that he's never heard of. He's figuring it out with the help of Jenny, a smiling and helpful admin. Thanks, you two!

By the end of the day, I have no capacity to think about supper.  I put off everything that is not an emergency. Friends have to wait for replies. Coworkers know I'm tied up and will only respond to emergencies.

W and I walk out our neighborhood and up the street to #KalpaTree. It's a gorgeous setting.

The food hits the spot. The short walk is refreshing as night falls.

I sleep for a few hours before getting up to grade student assignments. When teaching Study Skills and Academic Writing, I grade every submission the night it's turned in. Students receive professional edits back and can revise and resubmit as many times times as they want until the deadline. The improvement in writing skills is amazing within a few weeks.

Thursday/Friday

The dogs can't wait for us to come onto the porch. They know what's coming.

We walk rain or shine.

For the first time, I wear a snakeskin-look raincoat from Mom. She loves prints! It's long enough to ward off the droplets as we walk.

Recyclers go through the city streets to retrieve glass, paper, and plastic from where people toss them. They are paid per load at recycling centers. This may not be a glamorous job but it is a helpful and important one. 

Whew. When teaching online for 4 hours in a row, a lecturer is pacing their brain and resources with student interactions. The first days are the most difficult. This week, the biggest challenge has been figuring out how to engage my students without the quick polls in my curriculum. Breakout rooms to the rescue.

The bread baked by IbuS goes perfectly with soft cheese. I'm too tired on Thursday to think of going out.

Friday, I'm up for the first meeting at 6:00. The second at 7:00 is postponed until next week. We walk and I revamp class notes and PowerPoints.

The last day flies by. Today, I warn students that after this week, all assignments have a hard deadline. No exceptions. Students are wiley at flexing faculty schedules for their own convenience, begging for more time to submit their work = for a wide variety of reasons.

With the amount of grading this course requires, they're tied to my schedule instead. Handing assignments in on time is part of the discipline of academic writing. Few publishers of academic books and journals will postpone publication for a late submission.

Each night as the lights sparkle around the house, I thank God for rest ... until I wake up to grade the day's intake.

We are grateful for food, shelter, meaningful work ... and a warm bed. Sleep well, everyone.

Read more:

*Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need. Proverbs 30:8

*Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.”  

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:13-16

*Nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:3

*We brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it, but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 1 Timothy 6:7-8

*The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb The nations will walk by its light. Revelation 21:23-24

Moravian Prayer: Why, O God, do we do what we know we should not? We eat food that does not satisfy. We buy things we don’t need and accumulate wealth we can’t keep. Remind us to seek what is our true treasure, which is you and your love. 

Guiding Light, shine into the dark places in our lives and in our world. Help us to see your grace, mercy, and love. Help us to follow and to walk in your Light. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Things that seem normal here

Friday, January 12, 2024

Meetings, academics. We mail my book series to a friend in Singapore. 

And the morning is over. 

We're blocking the view of scaffolding outside the kitchen with window film. So much nicer. The metal frame holds the water tanks in the light well. We're too tired to do the last one tonight.

The next project will be covering the windows of the hall's prayer room. They look out onto storage: volleyball nets and miscellaneous barang2 (stuff). For the visually distracted, opaque window film is a godsend. And it's easily removed when no longer serving its purpose.

Saturday

The morning walk is full of interesting things. Look at how you put windows into a house wall: the workers smash holes into the brick wall and then repair the edges once the window is framed with wood and glass is inserted.

Masons are also redoing the entry wall at a nearby resort. Stone by stone, it's replaced by hand.

The kids' playground at the neighborhood intersection is littered with plastic and food wrappers, but the kids don't seem to notice. We feel far away from our youngest granddaughter, who celebrates her 6th birthday today.

At the tennis courts, the equal-opportunity competition is not played in equal costumes. The guys wear shorts and a T-shirt to play in the 80F (27C) heat while the women are covered from head to toe - including a headscarf. I'm almost panting, watching the gals run back and forth on the court.

The wire-grid fence is falling down along the next street. The stone foundations are rotten, says the tukang (handyman). He backs up to see how he's going to repair it.

A parade of students from the university down the hill is welcoming the new year with Viking? costumes. Nah, must be some Indonesian historical figures.

W meets people in town and buys a new bulb for the lamp we bought in Turkey.

Supper is egg salad on homemade bread. Easy and nutricious.

The flower arrangement Ibu Titik made for the hall last week is still beautiful so the guys carry it back there. No need to make something new.

The neighbor's city-water pipe is leaking after more than a month. We've mentioned it to the neighbors several times but no one has fixed it. It saturates the ground beside their gate.

Sunday

An email arrives with a request for an article for a global network; I write and send it to Thailand and Jakarta for revisions. There's no sense in postponing a quick assignment.

We have a board meeting after the Gathering. The agenda is updates and reviews - it's been a good year and we expect the same in 2024. We have a nice lunch together afterwards.

Monday

I'm trying to get the hang of the tablet W uses to teach. Kim passes along good ideas about Zoom features and the class set-ups she uses. She's a whiz at teaching online. On her end, she's decorating a wall with a shelf and some pictures. "Go crazy," I tell her, sending a photo of our current mashup in the nook. 

The nook is an always-shifting collection. There are memories in each book, paintings, and object, including a pewter medallion from a Pakistani Air Force colonial. His wife hiked with us and was well-liked by all.

W and I have lunch with two fellows teaching English classes in Bandung. It's wonderful to see them gather volunteers to serve poor communities who can't afford English tutors.

Tuesday

The porch is peaceful as we pull on our walking shoes.

After a walk, we reluctantly finish mounting the film on the last kitchen window. Neither W nor I are in the mood but we want that chore out of the way. See the hard worker on the far side of the window? Almost done. Thanks, hon.

The delicious sprouts arrive from Komori Greens on Tuesday mornings. They're healthy treats with minimal effort on our part. These are already clipped, eaten last week. We send back the empty containers for refills.

I treasure my next connection. Each month, Nancy helps me find healthy ways to move forward. I debrief with her for an hour to unclutter my thinking, especially when the turbulence of change obscures the path ahead. When we're done, I know the next steps to take.

W and I go grocery shopping before lunch. The crabs stare at us from the seafood case.

The year is inching toward Chinese New Year so there are many foreign Asian treats on the shelves. Spam (beloved in Hawaii, Korea, and other Asian countries) is available for $6.50 US/can. No thanks.

I heap my lunch plate with pea sprouts, topping them with sliced fresh cucumber in vinegar and the main dish: curried chicken and potato cubes. Delicious and filling.

Before our team meeting, I get the updates I need to edit and send off the article written Sunday. Good. One more thing off my desk.

Richie, the librarian who has sent hundreds of books our way, texts that he now has a lot of math books to give away. Funny thing: the seminary dean we talked to last week mentioned that some of their students are math tutors for village kids. Those books are obviously meant to flow in that direction. In they come - out they'll go! Isn't it a privilege to be part of the conduit of God's blessings?

Read more:

*You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Psalm 39:5

*[Paul wrote:] So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

Moravian Prayer: Sometimes, O God, a day feels like an eternity; yet at other times, years pass in the blink of an eye. But not a moment goes by without you being with us. Thank you, our friend and Savior. Amen.

Tea in a cup and in the field

Sunday, January 7, 2024

We love Sundays, a time to connect with our community of faith. It's a pleasure to see everyone working together, including the beautiful arrangement from Titik. "They're just flowers from my garden," she says.

And utterly exotic where we used to live.

Monday

Lots of meetings so the day flies by. I spend 4 hours organizing revisions for an online course that starts next Wednesday. For weeks, I've been thinking about how I want to do this. The syllabus, sent off in early December. determines what goes where. This current task is the tedium of finding pieces of research and putting class notes together in a fresh way.

Tuesday

While W shops for movie night groceries, I work on the course and prepare for the first team meeting of the year. Half of the team comes to the office at 1:30; the other half is online. I dislike hybrid meetings but they're easier for some to attend, especially with school runs, classes, and other obligations. Most of the team are volunteers so I'm grateful that they take the work seriously. We introduce a new position and two new members. It's exciting, looking ahead.

In the evening, I cook 12 cups of vegetables for a new dish tomorrow. Let's see how it tastes. (Spoiler: good!)

Wednesday

I start cooking at 4:00 a.m. We're trying a new layout that means less work for the guys who move the furniture out and back; let's see if we like it. We leave the dining table where it is.

The picnic table stays outside.

We put the flowers from inside out in the 8' lesung (rice trough).

Usually we clear the entire day of movie night but today is an unexpected meeting on the next hill. We're recruiting volunteers to English village classes.

The group pays close attention as Shibli and his team explain the program. They're planning two new branches, one on our hill and another in a tightly-packed community. That one starts later this week for adults who want to help their kids with schoolwork. English, dropped when many expats went home during the past 30 years, is now required for entry to higher education.

We take our projector home as soon as the presentation is over. W has to set up for movie night. We make a quick stop for lunch at Cafe Halaman (Courtyard Cafe). This pretty space is on the corner of two very busy roads. Next time we'll sit inside, away from traffic. The chicken ravioli is delicious.

Their bakery case looks good but we're not tempted today.

The food is cooked and ready with time to spare. The day's downpours deter many attendees - we have a small group tonight. The movie is Sleepless in Seattle. "How do you know if something is right for you?" is the question of the night.

It's hello and goodbye at each movie night. This is George's last time in a while; he is moving to Switzerland to expand his company's base into Europe.

It's a late night - after a cup of peppermint tea, we fall asleep about 11:30.

Thursday

We're up before 5:00 and leave at 8:00 to hike in Lembang through the forest and tea fields.

It's a nice group today along with 5 dogs who run all over the trails and grasses beside us.

Though there's cloud cover, it doesn't rain until later in the day.

And then we unwind by swimming in the hot springs of Gracia Spa for a few hours.

The flowers along the pools are tropical treasures.

And there's a downpour on our way home.

In the late afternoon, I treat myself to comfort food: one of Keelee's chocolate coffee cookies. Delicious. We are most blessed!

Read more: 

*I have tested you in the furnace of adversity. Isaiah 48:10

*Devote yourselves to prayer. Colossians 4:2

* I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 2 Timothy 2:1-6

Moravian Prayer: You taught us, O Savior, that life is not always easy nor painless. When facing the fire, help us to respect its danger—to avoid it if possible—but if not, let us be comforted in knowing you will help us pass through it. Amen.

Away with you!

Thursday, January 4, 2024

I used to dread taking down Christmas ornaments - the garlands, wreaths, disassembling the tree, and boxing up the holiday china. One solution: don't decorate - get rid of the stuff. The year I wrote my dissertation I had enough capacity to hang 2 ornaments on the 10' tree: a birdcage and a globe. Putting those away made me laugh.

A second option is to enjoy the season to the max and then enjoy the year's memories while putting things into storage after the holidays. That happens today.

Thursday is normally when we hike but the rain has shifted to morning and midday. That means we'd be soaked and miserable if we go. So we cancel. So, with an unexpected day at home, why not do the "hardly ever" sort-and-clean of Christmas things? We haven't done a deep clean of the tree, ornaments, pictures, nativity, etc. since we got here 10 Christmases ago!

I was going to task our helpers with the disassembly and cleaning but once the fleecy blankets are on the floor, I start taking things off the tree. It's just after 6:00 a.m. and I forget to do the neighborhood walk that was going to replace the hike.

First. I sort ornaments by type. Each year, it's a jumble when we unpack. Ugh, are my fingers ever dusty. We strip everything off, including the garlands that make it look lush. 

W checks the lights that are burned out before carrying the tree outside. IbuS sets the shop-vac to "wind tunnel" (opposite end to vacuum) - and dusts the tree, wreaths, and other finicky things outside.

The ladies sort the ornaments after they're wiped down, wind the ribbons, and shake out the garlands as they sneeze off the dust.

"There must be more storage boxes," I insist after PakG brings down a few boxes. (He's happily out of reach, taking W to town to find replacement bulbs.) IbuS knows where everything is - she finds the bins and everything gets tucked in for the year ahead.

I reset the room for a quieter season ahead. I choose black, brown, and beige decor for a restful setting. At IKEA AS-IS on Tuesday, I found pillow covers for 45c-$2 each (reg $5-$20). They're washed and ready to go. Let's see what the new color scheme looks like.

We put the first movie night on the calendar, along with meetings mandated by our boss, and annual travel. I've ben scheduling guests to fill the gaps while we're away, planning team meetings, and starting to think about Lent / Easter (in 1.5 months). Fortunately the preaching schedule through the book of Acts is set through November, after which we're into 4 weeks of Advent ... 

Wait a minute - might not be that restful. Yet God always lavishes his time and energy on us. Besides regular work, W's re-writing a theology paper for the AG Theology Commission and writing a book chapter. I'm preparing for a 3-week class which starts in 2 weeks.

Friday

Coming into the revised decor is a pleasure. It's an early morning with meetings until noon.

Oh I love our online mastermind. I get an abundance of takeaways from meeting with group, scattered around the world. I highly recommend accountability partners and input from likeminded people. Warning: you may have new friends after meeting for a year or two.

We go downtown once more for Christmas items and have a meeting to recruit interns to volunteer opportunities. Connecting a few people within our networks? That makes me happy. Afterward, we relax with a favorite chocolate bar from our trip to Austin last year.

Saturday

4 meetings before noon ... one in a courtyard where we watch two lizards claiming their own territory.

Another meeting lies inside this beautiful door.

It's an afternoon of reflection as we prepare for Sunday, write notes for next week, and read.

Read more:

*With a free will offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. Psalm 54:6

*Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:1-2

*For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will gather you. Isaiah 54:7

*[Jesus watched as] A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins. Mark 12:42 (click the link for the rest of the story.)

*But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. Galatians 4:4,5

*Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Moravian Prayer: Gentle Savior, gracious God, and loving Spirit, you are consistent in your dealings with your children. As you gather us together in worship this day, let us renew our covenant with you. Bless us, O Lord, and help us to grow in grace this day. 

We forget, O God, it is not the size that makes a gift sacred, but it is the heart of the one who gives it. May all our gifts to you be gifts that come from our hearts, and not just from our wallets. Amen.