Sunday, March 24, 2024

10 "Alignments" (What if you could align your life with the center of the universe?)

Saturday, March 23, 2024 (Lent Day 34)

Tomorrow our youngest is officially "middle-aged." When I turned 35, I gleefully told a friend 10 years ahead of me, "Hurrah, I'm finally middle-aged."

She looked at me, laughed, and said, "Forget it, youngster. That won't happen until your 40s." haha

Think about the passing of time, one tick of the clock, one day after another, and the blur of years already spent. Today is Day 24834 for me. Check out your own day here. That represents a host of opportunities, taken or squandered, forgettable or remarkable.

I'm coming back to life after the flu. W and I walk our 1-mile circuit (just once). It's the first walk for me this week. Going uphill takes my breath away but it feels SO good to move in the sunshine and fresh air.

In the Padma Hotel parking lot, building material is waiting to be slid down the metal chute to a construction site below. Workers send one item at a time - one concrete block, one bag of cement, one shovelful of dirt or gravel ... to be caught by men waiting below. Thus supplies that are impossible to deliver through narrow lanes and down precipitous slopes end up where they are needed. Clever.

Yesterday, W and I read through the Palm Sunday talk, accompanied by a paroxysm of coughing. Oh well. Hopefully he doesn't catch it and I'm better tomorrow. He sends a heads up to the team that someone else may have to deliver the message. His throat is raspy since yesterday.

Lew heads back to Jakarta, finished with his comps and relieved to have achieved a big step in his doctoral work. Next comes his dissertation. I look forward to reading what he writes. He has a sharp mind and is an articulate communicator. I think he'd be an outstanding lecturer; we can recommend him highly when he sends off resumes.

This morning I rework the faded arrangement from last week. The scraps are ready for composting.

But a cheery bouquet of leftovers enhances the entry.
I haul out my Bernina to hem a tablecloth from a linen square bought in Bali in February. There's enough for a slim fringed scarf, too. As soon as art-making, music, crafting, or cooking restarts, I'm coming back to life. Hurrah.
By mid-morning, the dogs are snoozing at our feet. Their recall of a late meal or resentment at a skipped walk is nil. They have total confidence in us though they rarely know what we're planning. When they see us, they react with excitement for whatever we offer: a pat, a treat, or a "good boy/good girl!" Oh, may I greet the words and activity of my Master the same trusting way.

Without the leisure of novels, I have loads of time to think about big topics. How about the 10 Commandments?

--- what I'm thinking--- (skip if you want)

The list of 10 Commandments used to be posted on plaques and monuments in public spaces. Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't make idols. Don't ... don't ... don't. Then people who despise religion insisted on their right not to view those basics of civilized society. And the boundary signs were removed.

Consider this: do those people really want a thief to take their stuff (stealing)? Are they thankful when someone lies to harms them or their friends (false witness)? Did they thrive if their mom or dad slept around with other people (adultery)? Of course not. They appeal to the courts to defend themselves against lawbreakers and use the law to defend their lawlessness.

Society starts to break down without mutual expectations of how people behave toward each other. Then comes a disintegration of safety and collaboration. Without shared values and consequences, life becomes a free-for-all of bitter attacks and vindictive behavior. "Hurt me once, I hurt you twice."

Jesus said all the commandments are wrapped up in these 2: "Love God. Love others." Those who love a caring, benevolent, and righteous God naturally act with kindness and goodness to each other. 

What if everyone regard the 10 Commandments - not as rules to be broken, but as our "10 alignments" with the nature and holiness of God? For example: 

  • Make no idols: although creation is worthy of wonder, only God is worthy of worship and the One and Only cannot share his place. 
  • No coveting: God made you unique and provides what you need; envy and comparison rots your bones. 
  • No adultery: it's healthier physically and provides family stability (esp if there are kids) when adults are faithful and monogamous. 
  • Etc. ("Read more" below.)

--- Done for now --- but thinking about this all day ---

By lunch, I'm hungry for a creamy pasta sauce to go with a side of citrus-infused papaya. During Ramadan, Muslim cooks can't taste food so going out is a waste of time and effort.

We browse the cabinet: do we have linguine? OOOOh, look! 2 packs of dried Italian gnocchi. I cook a batch and taste it - the oil in it is off. (Oops, the date is 2018. Toss into the garbage.) The other package is dated 2022. These came back with us from Kenmore and must have waited when our returning suitcases were overloaded. Anyhow, one's still "fresh". Hmmm.

I sprinkle smoked paprika, pepper, and dried red peppers into hot water to reconstitute soy "bacon bits." After cooking and draining the gnocchi, I fry it in butter and add the "bacon." In a separate pot, I heat a cup of whipping cream and 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese (thanks, W). Stir the cheese sauce into the gnocchi and voila! That's the taste I was craving. I can't finish what's on my plate.

In the evening, I interview a potential intern for next year.

Sunday: Palm Sunday

I feel good enough to go to church. Titik has outdone herself with the palm fronds.

Another arrangement has purple and white flowers inside the palms.
Two little boys find each other and sit together outside the hall.
Partway through the morning, after speaking awhile, my cough returns. By the time we get home, my throat feels raw. W orders a #MrRoastman burger for himself and a grilled chicken burger for me. I bite into it but there's no chicken so I open it up.
Such a little piece of grilled chicken! I pull away the bread that doesn't cover meat. That's about 2/3 of the bun. What disappointing delivery from a restaurant known for great food. #mrroastmanbandung 
I reheat the leftover gnocchi for the missing meal. The day passes quietly. By nightfall, W offers a throat-numbing lozenge from his American stash to ease the pain. It burns before it numbs.

W's caught it. His flu has taken 3 days to ramp up, just like mine did. Friday I told him he might feel sick about Sunday night. Yup. Last night it started to hit him.

The sun is rising as we leave the house.
I think about the earth's rotation, perfectly spun by the Master Mathematician day after day. The sun "moves" quickly! A block later it's near the tip of the Maj (high-rise on the next hill).
Construction is still going at the neighbor's. I'm fascinated by building and buildings.
I cough my way through our 1-loop walk, a few online meetings, and a (masked) trip to the grocer. Then I'm hungry. Oops, forgot breakfast and it's mid-morning.

I splash a scoop of overnight oats from the fridge and some yogurt into a bowl. 2 rambutan from our tree? Yes please. They are so sweet. How about an indulgence? Hot cocoa for the throat, almost the last pack from HEB in Austin.
I wonder what's making you say "AAAAAhhhh!" this morning. Someone making me say, "Argh!" is the plethora of mosquitoes on the Porch. I must have forgotten to slather my feet with repellent and am bitten a few times.

Read more: What's the big deal about the 10 Commandments anyhow?

[Moses twice records that God gave him ten commandments to align his people with his nature. (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5 is below.) The first five affirm the respect due God and the respect due parents by children. The final five keep people from self-harm and from harming others. God was making a nation from slaves, bringing a system of justice to those who had never known it.

Hey, hey, what would the world be like if everyone fully followed these instructions? You could trust your family utterly. A child could walk anywhere in complete safety. Women would know any stranger is helpful and caring ... imagine the freedom! And yet we persistently choose self-rule and self-interest, even when our choices hurt each other.] 

Here goes the list, with this preface:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 

1. You shall have no other gods before me. [= I'm the one-and-only God. Don't give your allegiance to counterfeits who deceive you.]

2. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [= Worshipping what I made instead of me will corrupt and distract you.]


3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [= My name/character is utterly good, utterly powerful, utterly knowing, utterly loving. There are consequences for maligning me.]


4. Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 


Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. [= "You never got to rest, now I am freeing you from the tyranny of slavemasters. No more endless work for you!" Has there ever been another god who mandated rest rather than more duty, more sacrifice, more hardship? = magnificent!]


5. Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [= Our Heavenly Father sets us into families where we respect those caring for us.]


6. You shall not murder. [= God is the giver of life and humans are made in his image. So each person's life is precious to him.]


7. You shall not commit adultery. [= God is utterly faithful. When we are faithful, we reflect his nature.]


8. You shall not steal. [= Everything belongs to God. Taking what does not belong to us is taking from God.]


9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [= God is truth. So corruption of truth hurts us and our neighbor.]


10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” [= God is our provider, who meets our needs. Greed will warp our souls.]


[Moses continues:] These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me. (Deuteronomy 5:6-22)

Friday, March 22, 2024

Random thoughts* on art, books, friends

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 (Lent Day 30)

Random stuff floating through my head: there's less resistance when I'm sick.

*Art describes the interior world of artists. Going down the steps in the afternoon, I pause beside a group of 5 paintings. Their colors agree, an unplanned collaboration when they were hung in the stairwell.


*I listen to podcasts when I'm lying awake at night. For information, I prefer to skim text rather than waiting for someone to speak, even at X1.5 speed. But once in a while, I catch up on presenters. Some regulars are: Emotionally Healthy Leaders by Scazzero; Beyond the To-Do List by Erik Fisher; The Daily Creative by Todd Henry; interviews by Carey Nieuwhof; and the like. What are your favorites?

*Today I listen to a 2-part Ian Morgan Cron talk with an Enneagram 8. (Whatever you believe about personality tests, some are better than others and none are perfect. They're most useful when considered loosely descriptive than prescriptive.) I recognize the Enn8 "step-up-and-lead" instincts the guys are talking about. It's good to hear that others live with their drive and fighting spirit intact. The "8" being interviewed is a man, which makes his power and boss-iness more acceptable in a room.

I've lived for over 46 years with someone who values peace and politeness over progress. The culture around us values harmony above all else. So it's easier on others if I tone down. Over time, I've learned to tamp down the "8 energy" to half or less when I walk through a door or sit at a table. That keeps me out of trouble, most of the time. (Unless I forget.)

Sometimes I miss showing up with a roar and a million ideas to churn through the conversation. So funny: I look for a lion picture to illustrate this feeling. I do a casual search for an "animal to fit Enneagram 8." Yup. It's a lion. But it's easier on others when I show up as a bobcat or house tabby.

Our full healthy personalities and character will be unleashed by God in eternity: peacemakers will be at their best. Researchers and teachers will help us understand without twisting truth. Empathetics will absorb and reflect feelings without living in pain. And people like me (who became quieter to fit in) will shout their worship. I'm quite looking forward to it.

*We're asked for a photo by a sponsoring organization so we line up against the green wall. My head is throbbing and W runs from the tripod to stand near me for the shot. One of us is weary. The other is watchful. We send it off anyway.
*Someone mentions how much they love books. Everyone expects to see books (whether they're read or staged) in Western decorating photos. But when we moved to Indonesia, we were shocked to visit homes that had no books besides a religious text (the Koran, usually).

Over the years, books have come to us. Though we purchase very few, our bookshelves have filled up with others' discards. Vintage Hardy Boy, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift books sit on a shelf in a guest room. Other spaces contain different sets of books. Our library is constantly expanding.
This year, I decided to fast novels during Lent. Some days it feels like that's killing me and there's SO MUCH time to think. "No stories" is much harder than skipping a meal. Reaching for a book or flipping open my Kindle, I remember, "Not yet. Not for 2 more weeks." Instead, I consume books on faith, leadership, and spiritual formation and the odd podcast. I'm learning a lot.

*When W and JD go out for supper, I slip into PJs and make my own meal. I have no appetite. The main course is papaya soaked in lemon juice, doused with chia pudding (chia seeds left overnight in some kind of plant milk), and a homemade trail mix out of which I've picked the chocolate-covered coffee beans. 
Who knows how old the candy canes are? (2 years? 3 years?) Found them in the back of the fridge and broke them in pieces to add a little zip to the raw nuts and dried apricots. Not bad.

Wednesday (Lent Day 31)
12 years ago today, I defended my PhD dissertation. What a relief that it's done. I've watched many others finish their work. Once in a while, when someone wants to quit, I pass along the wise advice my mentors gave me: "Keep going. When it's done, it's done."

It's a rough night and I'm mostly awake. I read through Deuteronomy, listen to several podcasts, and lie still between, hoping to drift off. 

Can't remember where I read this idea: "You shouldn't go to bed thinking, 'How do I make myself sleep?' just as you shouldn't go into a kitchen thinking, 'How do I make myself eat?'" Makes sense, but lying in bed, it doesn't make sleep come faster.

Thursday (Lent Day 32)
At some point, I'll feel better. This week, "whateverthisis" crept from Sunday's tickle in my throat into my bronchial tubes and is sitting in one lung. I can feel it taking over, a little each day. It's at the sneezing, dripping, and coughing stage. For someone who "never" gets sick, this is surprising: my third cold in the past few months. I miss walking and hiking, being active, and thinking clearly.

Lew's here to write his doctoral comprehensive exam. I print the questions out. He tackles the first one after lunch. (How glad I am to have mine over with!)

*Since I'm confined to the house, I write the next series of New Normal posts. Each one features something normal here that's unusual to our Western culture. If you want to get it each Monday, request it by clicking here. (Homeschool kids and the culturally curious like it.)
By the 23rd post for the end of August, my hand is sore. So I count the clicks as I write: 35 per post. Wow. MailChimp is cumbersome but effective. At least I don't have to think about it again until September. 

I try to eat but have no appetite. The dogs finish what I cannot.
My final and favorite meeting of the day is with Alaine, my spiritual director. She reminds me that the Lion of Judah is strong and loud. When she asks me to think of a place of peaceful encounter with God, I can't think of anywhere specific. "Sad," I say to her.

"Think of being in a pride of lions," she says. And that totally un-stresses me. I think of the growls and roars, the swipe of a paw, and the lying around between hunts. Lions are most dangerous when they're hungry or distracted by motion. Hmmmm. How do I ensure that I am well-fed and rested before my encounters with others?

My spiritual mentors are mostly lions: strong, competent, and called men and women. One of the wonders of being in a female leaders' group is that every accomplishment is cheered. No one hears, "Be smaller." "Be quieter." or, "Be less lioness and more rabbit." (What a relief.)

It's a choppy but long night so I'm rested when I wake to post the Lenten blog. I'm listening to a family quartet of guitars. Their live 4-yr anniversary concert plays in the background. Can you imagine getting 2 young kids to post practice time every day with their parents? Check them out here.
The Bandung Book Group comes over today. These women teach me something about life in Bandung each month. Our book is Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See. We dub it our "best book of the year." There's a lively discussion about what it meant to live in other times and the restrictions that still exist for women. We agree that we're privileged to live in our time and place.

Several ladies bring food to share - delicious and beautiful. The Muslim ladies take portions to enjoy later when their Ramadan fast ends at sundown.
Lew finishes writing his three comprehensive questions toward his doctoral degree. We celebrate with supper after the women's tea. There's plenty left over to send with IbuS at the end of the day, too.
As we sit on the Porch, I catch a glimpse of this ruby point on a bromeliad leaf, just before the water drops off it.
Night falls and the flowers glow golden in the garden. The plants grow up to 8' (2.6m) tall. Their spectacular self-seeding abundance happens a few times a year. Several women take seeds home: I got mine from a friend as well.
Read more:
*The eternal God is your refuge. Deuteronomy 33:27

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. John 14:1-2

Moravian Prayer: Risen and eternal Lord, what are we waiting for? Our hope is in you. Death looms ever before us, at times filling us with dread. Strengthen our faith, that when our time comes, we might anticipate with joy our entrance into your presence in a dwelling place prepared for us. Amen.

Monday, March 18, 2024

Build it well!

Saturday, March 16, 2024 (Lent Day 28)

How good to wake up in our own bed. I'm still thinking of the pleasant voice on the airplane speaker yesterday: "Dear passengers, we would like to remind you that possession and trafficking of drugs is punishable by death. Thank you." Hm. Good thing we're in no danger of that.

After a walk, it's fun to run into little Falk and his daddy, watching the construction of a house in the neighborhood.

The construction workers synchronize their movements. One picks up a brick from a pile on the ground; another stands on a narrow board near the second storey. The one below lofts it to the guy above (see the brick flying upward?), who piles the bricks near a bricklayer building the second-floor wall. Occasionally, man#2 pulls up a bucket of mortar that has been mixed by man#1 on the ground.

W and I are working together as usual, too. We revise tomorrow's talk for IES Bandung, read it through, and have breakfast. I have an appointment while W meets friends for lunch. 

One of my current favorite cookies is a sesame concoction made here in Bandung. With a cup of tea, they're a good afternoon snack.

Sunday
It's my favorite day of the week, when we get together with the community of faith. The prayer room fills up. 
Partway through, my throat feels rough. A Buckleys' cough candy takes care of it. I share a cough drop from my stash with someone on the worship team. He winces, though I tried to prepare him for the menthol taste with their old advertising slogan: "Tastes terrible but it works!" (In the evening, the roughness takes hold. Cough cough to clear it ... and more Buckleys.)
The response of the IES congregation in worship and "takeways" is heartfelt. How we love when God is at work among us.

Titik has outdone herself with the flowers (again!). My first glance as the two bouquets sit on the stage makes my heart overflow with thanks to God. I'm thankful for 2 things: the beauty he puts in the world and the people he gifts to showcase that beauty to life for the rest of us.

I bring home the larger arrangement: 5'X3' (160X100cm) - it almost fills the coffee table. See the red clump? 14 full-sized mums; the white one? a dozen full-sized roses. There are white gladiolas, hand-sized white and red anthuriums, and +1' (35cm) garden leaves. Stunning.
I write 8 reviews - some good books will be published soon. Today's topics range from gardening to theology to poetry to leadership inspiration. Check out them and previous reviews here.

Fireworks bang into the air at random times, starting at sunset. We hear them until midnight, though a few clusters explode throughout the night.

It's an early morning, By 2:00, I'm awake. The Ramadan chants begin at 2:40, waking women to cook breakfast for their families. An hour later, calls from the mosque speakers wake people to eat. The sermons and prayer chants are intermittent through 6:00.

Most adults will not eat or drink during daylight (6:00-18:00) and are sleep-deprived. That means they are exhausted and have low energy. It's a low-key month all around, with people coming alive at nightfall to feast as they break their fast.

This year is particularly difficult for locals. The cost of food staples rose sharply before the national election last month. When we ask about the steep increase, we're told that political candidates bought out the rice crops to give away to prospective voters.

Rice is not only expensive; sometime we can't find any. Since we've been living here, some food price have doubled. Wages have not. Hopefully, as promised, prices will be lowered as food is restocked from the fields.

Those who keep Ramadan are supposed to note their solidarity with the poor, please God by doing extra religious rituals, and balance personal sins with personal righteousness. The fast itself earns religious credit. An interesting post for expats explains what's going on.

I have two early calls before taking a final stab at sorting student grades from last month, as requested by the administrator. I check every submitted assignment.My bookkeeping has remained consistently erratic since college. What makes the research/writing class more complicated is that, instead of one grade per assignment, students may earn 3-4 recorded grades due to revisions. I try to be very mindful when updating. But oh well.

Numbers are slippery for me. (Words and colors are concrete.) I can quickly and accurately estimate a long column - within spitting distance. But when I do careful arithmetic, the numbers slide around into different totals. The grade record is sent off with that warning - and my grade book is closed.

I take a nap to make up for the short night. Lunch yesterday was pho, but we ordered extra Vietnamese spring rolls today so IbuS doesn't have to cook.

First thing every morning, I post a Lenten blog. We're into the last 10 days of Lent, counting down toward Easter. The day takes off with a meeting online. Then W and I walk to #Narapark for a date morning. We sit near the noodle place (#Pinoterrace) and order our usual. I can't taste the spice in the rica (hot sauce). And my appetite is gone, even with good food in front of me.
The staff has set up games, probably for kids who will come when their parents break their fast.
This lonely dog looks through the fence of a new parking lot. He looks healthy enough but may be too warm in the sunshine. Smart boy - sitting in the shade.
Another neighbor is rebuilding his crumbling house. The place stood unoccupied for a few years, which means disintegration by onslaughts of insects and the tropical sun, rain, and wind.
I'm definitely "under the weather" myself. I walk in the door, happy that IbuS has changed the slipcovers to cream from black. The sofa and 12 dining chairs slipcovers were cut from 2 heavy canvas drop cloths.

I like the modern simplicity of our metal and pleather DR chairs. We got narrow seats to squeeze 12 people at our round table. Mere weeks later, the black ribbing started to peel. There's no refund or exchange in Indonesia. What you bought is what you own. (That's why they check every light bulb and every electrical appliance before you leave the store.)
It's a simple 2-part pattern for the chair slipcovers. One length drapes the front, seat, and back. The other pattern piece yields the 2 matching side squares. The painter's canvases we bought at Home Depot (USA) were huge: 12X15' (almost 4X5m). I cut the cloth so that the thick seam bisecting the canvas landed on the front edge of the chairs. They haven't torn in 9 years of use, which is pretty good for $30 and a few hours of measuring, cutting, and sewing.
The LR looks fresher and happier. The gorgeous flower arrangement and lighter-colored accessories make it feel like springtime.
Outside, it's summer and the flowers are blooming, just like in June, September, and December. Lucky us.
On another note, our team is learning new skills. Each person is acquiring leadership skills as they take turns of being in charge of the team meeting. Good timing: the cold/flu is moving into my chest and my head hurts. I drink a foul Chinese blend of herb tea for easing a sore throat. Ugh. After years of "never sick," I'm getting a little tired of this.
Read more:
*O give thanks to the Lord; call on his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1

*So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

*I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 


Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Moravian Prayer: O priceless Treasure, we consider you a profound blessing in our lives, yet we can be slow to speak your praises to those around us. Make us as bold to proclaim your place in our lives and in the universe as we are quick to endorse a new product or service we have discovered. Your name be praised. Amen.

Friday, March 15, 2024

White conch from white sands

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

We catch a ride to supper and walk on the beach before most of the crew arrives. We rinse a few conch shells, picked up on the beach. They glow pearly white. The extravagance of beauty strewn around takes your breath away. God is utterly generous to his creatures, giving us senses like sight as well as things to see.

Small seaweed drifts have been lifted to the white sand by the waves. They look beautiful up close, reminding me of a Christmas wreath arrangement.
The little shops will be open on the weekends for tourists and locals alike.
This stone island reminds us of a sunning lizard.
The rock formations are beautiful.
We spot a man coming in from his boat.
The fishermen make little rafts to get to shore from their boats, strapping together styrofoam packing material and reclaimed boards.
The wharf juts into the sea. While some boats moor to its sides, others anchor further out to bob in the waves.
It's nice to see families playing together.
The kids love the sand and sea.
We take a picture together to prove we came.
Supper with colleagues is seafood on the banks of the ocean.
Thursday
It feels quiet after a morning of lively interaction. In the afternoon, we relax under a willow canopy and shade tree. What luxury! I write a letters and updates during the pause while W catches up on other work.
In early evening, we catch a taxi to The Well. The food is delicious, with an amazing burger.
Indonesians say, "It's just a café. There's not much to eat." What they mean is that the restaurant doesn't serve rice. 
I beg to differ with their review. The nachos are good.
It's owned by the nephew of friends.
The sun is setting when we head back to the hotel.
We pause to fill the car for gas at a casual station along the road.
A lady pulls out a funnel, a bottle, and fills-er-up.
The sun goes down on Belitung. The driver tells us he loves this low-crime island where he grew up. He rolls down his window to greet the security guards and they wave him by.
Friday
This verse greets me as I open my phone. Yes, Lord. Let this be the prayer for today.
We drive together in a small bus to the airport after an early breakfast together. We zip past palm tree plantations, from which palm oil is made. Young Ben snaps pictures out his window for me.
After landing in Jakarta, we go our separate ways to our homes around Indonesia. Medan. Surabaya. Yogyakarta, Malang. And for us, Bandung. The highway is open, but the shuttle bogs down once we get to our city.
It's always a pleasure to return home to Bandung.
W examines the treat sent by our friend. "Steam for a few minutes and then cook," she instructs us. We're such dummies at Indonesian food - and it's probably not going to be our favorite. Food with strong smells that you don't grow up with? Better if someone else cooks it. Sigh. Thanks for thinking of us, Farah.
And then we're "home sweet home" again. The dogs are happy to see us. Our guests chat upstairs as we unpack. We eat supper, catch up on some work and emails, and relax with a movie before an early bedtime.

Read more: 

*I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

*Jesus said to Simon and Andrew, “Follow me.” Matthew 4:19

*Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:7-10

Moravian Prayer: Gracious Savior, help us to hear our names as you call us to follow you. May we be ever mindful of your presence as you watch over us and guide us on our way, for your name’s sake. Amen.

#thewellbelitung