Nick Strong

Maybe the single most important thing that I lack.

 My lack of discipline in many areas of my life is something that has been hitting me in the face lately.  Why am I not disciplined and I why is it so hard for me to be disciplined?  Can it possibly be passed off as simply, “that is not how God made me” or “I am not wired that way?”  Well I do not believe that my lack of discipline is something that cannot be overcome.

As I look back over my life I quickly come across different areas that prove my lack of discipline.  How about any of you who have ever ridden in my car, after I moved all the cachibachi out of the way and made a spot for you.   Or how about packing up to leave college at the end of the year and dumping all of my belongings into 3 different 55 gallon barrels.  How about writing a 20 some page Sports Handbook to Theology in 2 days right before it was due for my final.  (I got an A on that by the way) 

Is it ok to put off something until tomorrow if I have time to do it today?  Or is that just feeding this undisciplined lazy lifestyle.  Is an undisciplined lifestyle by all means ok as long as it doesn’t interfere with my relationship with Jesus?  Does a lack of discipline in an area unrelated to my relationship with Jesus affect my relationship with Jesus. 

I believe that if I do not make discipline a priority, it has and it will again affect my relationship with my God.  I am learning that my lack of discipline has caused me great pain, shame, and regret in my life and I am tired of living that way. 

A conversation with my friend Ryan Winkler on the way to the Oak Hill Soccer Complex got me thinking about these things and this is maybe the culmination of that conversation for me two months ago.  Thanks Ryan.

Please pray for me and with me that I can see the importance of discipline in my life and that I can and will trust in Jesus for strength daily to be disciplined.

- Discipline -

Just because you do not see a motorcycle, boda-boda, it does not mean that there is not one there.

The story is as follows:

It was 9 in the evening when Lacey, Hannah, Laura, and I were just trying to find a good spot to what the championship game, Manchester United vs. Chelsea when it all started.  It was dark out and I had made a wrong turn.  Thinking it would be easiest to make a U-Turn I got all the way on the left side of the road in anticipation of this turn.  After looking ahead of me and behind me I started to turn.

No sooner had I begun to turn when I hit a boda-boda that was passing me from behind.  There were two people on the boda-boda and they both went toppling down after the collision.  Having been already informed to do so, I left the scene, drove away as quickly as possible, and headed to the nearest police post. 

3 different boda-bodas caught up to me 2 kilometers away and followed me to the police post.  I contacted the correct missionaries and asked them to meet me there and they told me to keep my mouth shut and not to talk with anyone until they got there. 

The boda-boda guys were upset that I had fled the scene and were accusing me of a “hit and run”.  I explained that my boss had told me to leave and go to the police if I ever had anything happen.  The policeman then asked me if my boss was Jonathan Mayo and I said yes.  It turns out Pontious used to be one of our guards and is now a policeman. 

Kenneth Hopson came and he helped me work it out with the policeman and the group of boda-boda drivers that had formed.  We ended up paying the police man 10,000 schillings (approximately $4) and the guy I hit 75,000 schillings (approximately $35) for damages.  At the end Kenneth was explaining again why I had left the scene.  He was explaining to them how when things like that happen, a mob of people forms very quickly and depending on what has happened, the mob has been known to beat up the accused and sometimes even kill him in extreme circumstances.  They all agreed that that was true and could happen and then understood why I have instructions to leave the scene. 

Flustered, I took the girls home and then remembered the game.  (Are you kidding me I did not want to miss it for anything)  I drove back dowtown and found a sports bar to watch it in.  What a game, Man. U in penalty kicks.

Earlier today in our men’s prayer group I felt impressed to thank God for the safety we have had on the field in traveling and to pray for continued safety in the coming weeks and months as our summer is very full with people coming and going all the time.  Please continue to pray for safety and God’s protection in general and also in traveling for us here in Uganda.

Hopefully we will not have another “Special Edition” for some time but remember that there just might be a boda-boda on your butt even if you don’t see him there.

- Drying your clothes is more important than washing them.  When they are wet, a worm called the Mango Fly gets in them.  They die supposedly without moisture.  But if they are still wet and you wear the clothes, the worms will burrow into your skin and lay eggs.  Suppose you wear wet underwear…Well I will let you think about that from there.

- If you wear shorts out in public to an event not related to sports, you are considered a boy and not a man.  During activities it is fine but wearing shorts out in public is not a good idea if not physically active at the time, so I hear.

- I have not learned the African drum beat yet I guess.  During a pastor’s training I was asked to play the drums for worship.  Have way through the first song, they took the drum from me and gave it to a Ugandan so he can play.  I guess I have some work to do there.

- Cheese is super expensive here.  A kilo or 2.2 pounds of cheddar cheese can be bought here for about $23.  I don’t think I will be buying much cheese here.

-  It is a law here that you are forbidden to splash a bystander on the side of the road.  Many roads are dirt roads and they all have potholes, since it rains most everyday here it is sometimes difficult not to splash people but it is the law here.

- Since being in Africa I no longer attend church on the weekends but I do pray from different churches.  Ugandans, instead of saying that they attend a certain church, say that they pray from (insert name of church here).  So I do not attend Kampala International University Church on Saturday nights but I do pray from there.

Things I Have Learned Part #3……………….TBA