Media withdrawls are just as strong as any other type of withdrawl.  Granted, I’ve spent weeks off facebook before, but usually due to being without a computer, internet, etc.  It’s completely different when your computer sits right next to you.  I’ve found myself staring at my background picture for far too long from time to time.  And tv show cravings are just like food cravings.  I find myself thinking “I really wish I could watch _______ episode of Castle right now.  I’ve seen it before so I wouldn’t pay much attention, just have it on as background noise.  I’d still be productive…” (which NEVER happens) and it takes finding something different to think about before that gut desire goes away.  Must like I think “I really wish I could eat those last Little Debbies in the cupboard.  I’d exercise extra afterwards to make up for it” (which NEVER happens).  This is good practice in self-control.  I’ve never been so good at doing something “because I’m supposed to” and I generally function off what I feel like doing. 

Just a reminder of why I’m staying away from the “useless” this week… I think Susan represents well the state of our translation office a few days before the South American Division Quinquennial Council officially begins.

Today I slipped.  I decided to be productive and organize my Firefox bookmarks (since unfortunately it looks just like my closet, with everything thrown it at random).  It just so happens while figuring out what is what, I stubbled upon an old video I had bookmarked.  It was a news report (still educational) but one click led to another.  Before long I had wasted 40 minutes of my day which I should have spent cleaning before my roommate gets here, polishing up my resume to print tomorrow, laying out my last load of laundry to dry, or attacking the monsterous pile of dishes in my kitchen sink. Lesson learned 😦

Last weekend was wonderful.  My dear friend Pauli is moving away to Argentina so I made sure to spend as much time with her and our friends as possible.  When we first talked in June (as “since we’re both stuck here during the GC Session we should probably be” friends) we talked about how much we missed the rain and disliked the dry season.  And we agreed that the best part of rain is when you have a friend to jump in puddles with you.  So we decided that as soon as rainy season arrived we would go puddle hopping together.  We both forgot about it until this weekend, when we realized we only had a few rainfalls left to fulfill our promise.  So Tuesday while hanging out playing Uno over at the other neighborhood, we both jumped up with excitement when we heard raindrops!  We ran outside in glee only to have the rain end 5 seconds after we got out there.  Mission failed.

This happened about 4 times before we successfully found a powerful rain fall.  Let me just say, this picture is not blurry, you just really can’t see through all the rain.  We got as far as where the picture is taken and already had no dry spot on us.  But boy were there some good puddles!

Mission accomplished!  However, as we were not at our house, we then faced the challenge of being COMPLETELY soaked at someone else’s house.  So we found our own way of joining in the game while sitting on our own little towel.

Every moment is so much sweeter when shared with a friend.

On a completely unrelated note.  Today while distracting myself from wanting to watch Chuck online I started the book of John.  Have you ever noticed John 1:47?  In context, Philip met Jesus, then he found Nathaniel under a tree and told him to come meet Him.  Nathaniel throws out a semi-skeptical “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” but goes anyways.  In verse 47 my NIV says “When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, ‘Here is a true Isrelite, in whom there is nothing false.'”  I’m sure well studied theologians know much more about this verse than I, but my ‘deep thought’ on it is “how stinkin’ cool!”  Why do we not hear more about Nathaniel in the gospels? (or do I just not notice these things?)  I mean, we hear about Peter, James and John plenty, along with our frenimy Judas.  But no big “Nathaniel story” stands out in my mind.  In fact, if I’m to think of the name “Nathaniel” I’m more likely to think of the Old Testament prophet who called King David out on the whole Bathsheba affair.  But here we have a man who upon first meeting JESUS is called a man “in whom there is nothing false.”  I’m not sure that’s said of Peter even after spending 3 years with Jesus.  To me it speaks volumes, because even the “good” need to be in communion with Jesus.  He’s not just a “fix” to make us better people.  I think sometimes I hear too much, “Do you need to stop smoking? Come to Jesus!  Do you need to break your porn habit? Come to Jesus!  Is your heart broken?  Come to Jesus!”  I guess no one ever really says, “Are you a naturally positive person?  Come to Jesus!  Have you been taught patience from an early age? Come to Jesus!”  But it’s true, all types followed Christ while He was here on earth, and sometimes it’s only by spending the time with Him that you really understand the need you have of being with Him.