Here it is Thanksgiving Day in Malaysia, and of course it’s business as usual in regard to ISKL and normal commerce. However, as a commitment to those of us in the ISKL community who are Americans, the administration is hosting a 6:30 p.m. Pot-luck Thanksgiving dinner at the school tonight. Turkey is provided by the school, with those, like us, who have signed-up bringing the rest of the meal. So, it should be fun. (Note: As you can see, Ron even got-in-on the turkey carving!)And, Nancy's Dad, Levi Willits, and his wife Ramona are with us, having arrived from Tucson, AZ on the 16th.
Then, on Saturday night Tracy insisted that she wants to cook a 12 lb. Norbest turkey (which we obtained for RM 110, or $33 [ouch!] at the Ampang Grocery Store) on Saturday evening of this week.
So, Nancy and I and Levi & Ramona will be driving up to their place for a second Thanksgiving dinner. (And, even before that, we have reservations at the KL Tower [akin to the Space Needle in Seattle] on Friday night for dinner in the revolving restaurant—to celebrate Levi & Ramona’s wedding anniversary.) By the way, Nancy’s Dad is 85 this year, so we’re blessed—and impressed—that he and Ramona came over to visit for almost six weeks.
As for Thanksgiving, since I wrote this week’s devotionals for the Fruit of the Vine, I’m quite familiar with today’s meditation which refers to Eugene Peterson’s translation of Colossians 3:17 in The Message: “Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Since it’s a good idea to practice what one preaches, I’m trying this week to work at the business of thanking God every step of the way. It’s a great endeavor!
Reading
In the past couple weeks I’ve been checking-out biographies from the ISKL library and have read a brief one on Ben Franklin, one on Mao, one on Joseph Smith (fascinating), and am now reading a very well-written biography on Galileo. In 1606, fairly early in Galileo’s career, apparently in Italy there was a huge power struggle between Pope Paul V & the Vatican on the one hand, and the political entities in Venice on the other. When Venice was unwilling to grant the papacy authority in temporal matters and wouldn't submit to the Pope in "extraditing" a powerful prelate accused of heresy, Friar Paolo Sarpi, the pope put Venice under the interdict. Many priests sided with the state and went ahead and conducted mass; however, one priest "replied that he didn't know yet [as to whether to conduct mass], since he had the matter under pious reflection and would do as his conscience and the Spirit moved him. This answer was delivered to the doge's cabinet, known as the Council of Ten. After some serene reflection of its own, the council sent word back to the priest that they respected his position. But they were obliged to inform the priest that if the Spirit prompted him to close the doors of his church on Sunday, the same Spirit would move the council to hang him from his church door that same afternoon." (I thought that paragraph was a real classic! - Galileo by James Reston Jr., Harper-Collins, 1994. (But, I'm not far enough yet in the book to get into Galileo's own conflict with the papacy.)
Place names
One thing that’s fascinating to me about being in a new country is the almost onomatopoeic sounds of many of the place-names in and around Kuala Lumpur. A main thoroughfare that we take often—and always use to get to Doug and Tracy’s—is called Ulu Klang (Can’t you almost hear the klang?) For some reason, I love the sound! (Ulu is also an old Inuit “knife” with a bone handle, a cutting implement made from an old saw blade and used for all kinds of things including butchering a beluga on the beach!) Then, there’s the area of town where Doug and Tracy live—Bukit Antarabangsa (An-tar-a-bangsa—with the third a as ahh). I’m impressed! Even Jalan Ampang (the main drag from our place downtown) has a ring to it. Then, there’s Putra Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Damansara Utama, etc.
The Church Scene
Nancy and I are still struggling with the need and desire to get fully involved in the life of a local church. So far we have gone back-and-forth between two churches: St. Andrews Presbyterian (downtown) and “The Bridge” (much nearer to our condo). St. Andrews is much more traditional, while “The Bridge” has almost a 45-minute time of worship singing (contemporary choruses) at the beginning of the service, with everyone standing for the entire time. Preaching at both churches is solidly biblical and usually quite helpful and practical. My real desire would be to discover that in one of these churches I could find both a nurturing small group and an opportunity to minister in some small way. Anyway, this is still a major prayer request!
Plans for the future include a 4-night stay in a classic old “British resort hotel” in the city of Georgetown—up north on the island of Penang—with Levi & Ramona and Doug, Gabi and Rania Dec. 16-20 (Tracy and Reeve fly to the U.S. for Christmas to be with her family). Then, Nancy and I fly to Cambodia on January 2nd to visit Angkor Wat for 4 days… and, at present we both plan to join an ISKL trekking venture to Nepal over the school’s Spring Break, March 27 – April 5! The latter trip should be exciting since it involves some high country trekking and views of Mt. Everest.
In short, the Lord has been exceedingly good to us; we are richly blessed! - rw
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