Tip of the Week-- June 25, 2015

Do you find yourself avoiding Facebook because pictures of friends' parties send you into a pouty moment of depression?  Do you find yourself angry when you see pictures of backyard barbeques and pintrest recipes for food that you can't get?  Have you recently found yourself wishing your Landcruiser had a sun roof, so you could feel wind on your face while you cranked the tunes from a latest hits station?

Sounds like you've got a bad case of American Summertime Envy.  This pernicious disease rears its head every year about this time, striking especially those who are holding down the fort while teammates are back in the States for a break.  The good news is that 99% of victims survive.  The bad news is that some victims take weeks, even months, to recover all while suffering with frequent and severe pity parties. 

However, with proper treatment, the duration can be drastically shortened.  And if properly followed, this treatment advice can almost eliminate most severe symptoms.  I'm happy to offer you this week's Tip of the Week.

1. Do host a dinner party serving American summertime classics such as hamburgers, coleslaw, and baked beans.  This is especially great if you can Tom Sawyer your teammates into doing the lion's share of the work.  (I just did this last night; I know of what I speak.   A tip for another time perhaps?)  Go all out!  Bust out the bacon and the cheddar cheese and have a blast.

  Do not, however, look for fun recipes on Facebook for said party.  Invariably they ask for ingredients you can't get.  A thousand substitutions later and your "fun and simple" dessert has blown up in your face.  No one needs that kind of frustration

2.  Do not intentionally go listening to songs that take you back to idyllic summer evenings with friends, or that playlist from some awesome summer road trip.  Also, if you are using some music service, make sure that it doesn't switch over to the hits from years past when you were soaking up every last drop of summer.

  Do, on the other hand, find new music that you find extremely enjoyable.  Maybe this is a new album by your favorite artist, or maybe you branch out and find a local artist whose music you enjoy.  In any case, it is best to play this music excessively loud, with the intention of disturbing the neighbors (don't worry, they'll get you back later), and on repeat until you are completely sick of the album.

3.  Do soak up every minute driving around in the car with the A/C cranked as high as possible.  Again, playing your music louder than you should while driving is recommended.  (Though, in all cases, you should ensure that the music promotes calm, clear headed driving. No rage music.  Lord knows it is hard enough staying calm even without fight music.)

  Do not, please, get lost in the moment and roll down your window.  The blast of heat and dust will ruin the mood.

4.  Do not look at your friends' Facebook pictures showing their latest beach vacation.  This only leads to you posting whiny stuff as your next status. 

  Do, however, plan your next vacation.  Think about how many whiny status updates you can provoke when you put up your pictures.

5.  Do invite friends over for movie nights.  Make popcorn, turn out the lights, and play whatever boot-legged film you've been able to get your hands on.

  Do not, in any case, look at what is hitting the summer box office.  This will only make your dubbed in French boot leg seem less awesome. 

6.  Do remember that most people in America have to work all summer long, and that summer is only so festive because they've just come 6 months of living in a frozen tundra.

Prayer Request

1.  Continue praying for the young men in Tarasso.  They were very responsive last week.  We've set up a once a week meeting to disciple them.  Pray that this would be well received and, more importantly, put into practice.

2. Pray for the church in Zantiguila.  The church body has grown rapidly over the past two years (from 30 people to 200).  As I mentioned last week, the walls of their newly built church were blown down in a violent storm.  This past Sunday, I went with a few pastors to visit them.  Though discouraged by what happened, they are firm in their resolve.  Pray for the pastor, Abdias, who has a huge heart for reaching the area around him.  His goal this year is for 100 new believers in the towns around him.  Pray that God would "do exceedingly and abundantly" more.

3.  Continue to pray for rain.  The season is seriously delayed and if it doesn't start in the next week or so, the season will be too short for many of the crops, which will lead to widespread hunger and possibly famine.

4.  Pray for teammates Tim and Bev as they head home for their son's wedding.  Pray for Mary and I, as we will be the only two to hold down the fort for the next couple weeks.

5. Praise, Issa, whom we have prayed for several times, returned from his Discipleship Training School.  The experience was great, even if at times a bit difficult for him.  Pray that the Lord would lead him into what's next.