How to prepare for your next flight: Exactly what to do before flying.

How to prepare for your next flight: Exactly what to do before flying.

by | Dec 9, 2019 | Blog

It’s no secret.  Throughout my years in Asia, I’ve travelled a lot!  As we gear up for Christmas, I thought I’d share with you some of the top things I do before a flight. Whether a short or long-haul flight around the world, here’s some prep you can do to make your journey that much better.  (By the way, I hop on a plane in less than a week!)
 
This is what I always do before a flight. Follow these tips too and you’ll be in fine form for travel:
 
A month before you fly: Check that your passport is in order.  When does it expire?  Do you have the necessary visas you need for travel?
 
A week before take-off: Make several copies of any significant id; such as your passport, immunization record & driver’s license.  Give a copy to a friend for safe keeping and pack another separate from your originals.

The day before flying: Double check your carry-on to make sure it has all the essentials:  an extra change of clothes, relevant id, travel information, a small toiletries kit and plenty of snacks…flying would not be the same without chocolate. 

Hours before you board: Drinks lots and lots of water.  Stay hydrated.  I drink insanely large amounts of water before flying.  Air travel can cause dehydration, so it’s best to prepare ahead of time!

Before you take off: Set your watch to the current time of the destination. That way, when you deplane at your destination carry on as if you live in your arriving country or province.

In flight: 

Avoid eating every meal attendants serve. When we eat heavy meals every few hours we confuse our digestion process and end up with a bloated stomach.

As you settle into your seat, fasten the sticker ‘do not disturb’ on your headrest. That way you can get some good sleep and avoid the temptation to eat all the meals provided.

Drink water -not sugary juices- every 4 to 5 hrs. Keeping hydrated is most important.

What about you? Do you have any pre-flight tips that serve you well? Comment below and let me know. I’d love to learn from you!
 
As I mentioned at the beginning of this letter, I’m headed on a long-haul flight within the week.  If you’d like to connect, please message me.  I’d love to get together.

Talk soon,
Renee

PS – special thanks to Papa Mervyn for contributing the last four tips!

How to Pack in Five Minutes (or less)

How to Pack in Five Minutes (or less)

by | Nov 9, 2019 | Blog

If there’s one thing that comes with the territory of ministry, it’s travel! As we get closer to travel season, I thought it would be fun to share some of our best practices when it comes to planning for travel.

Chances are you and your family are planning some vacation or holiday trips in the next few months. Whether you’re going on a three-day business trip or preparing for a two-week vacation, here are some guidelines for maximizing suitcase space, minimizing your load and cutting down on travel stress!

Tip 1:  Always pack a small toiletries kit and a spare change of clothes in your carry-on

This one I learned from travelling with my children.  Between spilled snacks, travel sickness and lost bags, having your essentials and an extra outfit on you is a must! If your flight is canceled or delayed (something I’m all too familiar with), having essentials in hand can be the difference between getting on with your trip or spending a miserable night at the airport. There’s nothing like arriving at your destination only to find out your bag is lost. Then the realization sets in that you’re stuck wearing your travel clothes until other arrangements can be made…so pack your carry-on wisely.

Tip 2: Cube your clothes:

A great packing hack is packing cubes – these help separate your items so you can find things more quickly once you arrive at your destination.  (You can find some here)

Tip 3: Organize your liquids

Keep your liquids in a bag and separate them from your other goods. I put mine in a toiletries bag.  You never know when bottles will spontaneously erupt or leak.

Plus create a ‘mini’ toiletry kit for your carry-on. Some must haves I keep in my carry-on are lip-balm, cleansing wipes, and hand sanitizer.

Tip 4: Decorate your suitcase to stand out from the crowd (Mom taught me this one)

After a long flight, you don’t want to be searching the airport baggage carousel for your suitcase amidst its identical neighbors. A distinctive suitcase helps you spot your bag quickly and even helps to prevent mix-ups. I give my suitcases a bit of a makeover.  I decorate my bags with luggage tags, ribbons, stickers and sometimes even colored shoelaces to make my suitcases instantly recognizable.

Tip 5: Pack your pajamas on top

That way when you arrive, you don’t have to dig through everything to find your pjs in order to get a good night rest.
My hope is that these tips give you some insight into your own journey when it comes to travel!

Have a great week!
Aua & Renée Treeyanon

Question: Are you traveling anywhere this upcoming season? I’d love to hear where you’re going and what you do to keep travel manageable. Write me back, I’d love to hear from you!

5 of My Favorite Faith-Inspiring Quotes

5 of My Favorite Faith-Inspiring Quotes

by | Sep 8, 2019 | Self-Development Tips

Scripture. There’s nothing as life-giving as God’s Word, and during my time in ministry, I’ve tried to apply “The Hand” illustration to making Scripture an everyday part of my life. 
 
If you haven’t heard of “The Hand” the premise is that each of these 5 practices gives you a strong “grip” on the Word of God, as if each of these represents one of your fingers (and thumb, of course):
 
1.       Hearing
2.       Reading
3.       Studying
4.       Memorizing
5.       Meditating
 
While I try my best to quote Scripture the most, I’ve also been encouraged and inspired by several quotes I’ve read in books or heard in sermons throughout the years. 
 
These don’t take the place of Scripture (obviously!) but these quotes have given me perspective, hope, and encouragement in my day-to-day life, and I hope they do the same for you wherever you are reading this from. 

Here are five of my favorite quotes:  

  1. We can make excuses or we can make a difference, but we cannot make both.  Craig Groeschel
  2. If we don’t quit, we win.  Al Purvis
  3. Testing always precedes promotion.  Kelly Stickel
  4. More often than not, being brave means doing it scared.  Michael Hyatt 
  5. People who blame things, don’t change things.  Andy Stanley

If you’re looking for some other great reads, don’t forget to check out my previous post: 3 of My Favorite Books – Have You Read Any of These?

What are some of your favorite quotes? I’d love to hear them – comment below! 

Enjoy!  

Renée

5 Takeaways From The 7 Weeks in Asia Team

by | Aug 9, 2019 | Missions

Recently Aua and I were able to host the 7 Weeks in Asia Youth Missions Team in Hua Hin.

There were 10 people on the team, and this was our second opportunity to experience the “7 Weeks Tribe” in action in Hua Hin.

Like last year, having the youth with us was once again a truly fantastic experience.

The brilliance, drive, kindness, and creativity of the students was astounding. We were privileged to meet incredible teens from around the world. Click here, to listen to team devotions time. 

One of the great privileges that Aua and I share is to steward the teams and people – like the 7 Weeks team – who visit us in Hua Hin.  It’s often in those God encounters that the best lessons are learned.

There was so much great outreach that happened during their time here. Here are just some of my takeaways from time with the team:

1. It takes a village.  So much goes on behind the scenes to successfully host a team like this. I am so thankful for the volunteers, partners & youth for their hard work and dedication to make this happen! There are also so many people who lent a hand with whom none of this would be possible, so on behalf of all of us in Hua Hin, we extend a big thank you!

2. Travel is fun but sometimes caution is needed. One Sunday after church, the team headed out for a walk on the beach before lunch.  Unknown to them, they picked a rather precarious part of the beach to tread. Half the team came home with feet full of slivers.  The rest of the afternoon was filled with teamwork and tears as we proceeded to remove all the slivers.  I’m sure the beach walk story will be heard throughout many conversations in the months to come.

3. Inspire people to do and be more.  I can’t tell you how many times the team was pushed outside their comfort zone, yet every time they rose to the challenge. As a result, we saw hundreds of kids ministered to in schools, a deaf woman’s hearing restored, and another come to know Christ, plus we even were honored to name a baby at the hospital. Had the 7 Weeks Team not kept pushing forward, they would have missed out on so much – and it’s clear this city would have too!

4. People will give up what they want for what is familiar. The youth came to Asia to experience Summer with a purpose, but swap out spaghetti for Thai food and it became their favorite meal of the week. So as leaders, it’s our job to remind people of their purpose and help them remember their identity!

5. Friendships make you healthier and more effective.  Alone, we can do some good; but together, we go further faster.  When we combine our time, talents & charisma not only do we accomplish great things, but we have great fun doing so!

One Final Thought:
Hosting a team is very different than setting out on a journey with one. While it’s true a lot of hard work was involved, we also have experiences that others normally wouldn’t.

One of the highlights of my experience was witnessing the growth taking place in the youth as well as the church.

I always go out of my way to connect with others, but this team was special. They truly were sweet! Between their singing and servant hearts – they melted me from day one. Our family had a blast with this team.  They tested us and brought out the best in us. I’m still exhausted from hosting them and may or may not have taken three naps already this week.  {yes I know it’s only Wednesday}.  But I’d have them all here again! It was an honor and a privilege for them to choose to come to Hua Hin and we’re grateful.

Perhaps you are where you are for a purpose, too. My advice to you: don’t look for a significant place to serve, rather make where you serve significant.

From Thailand,
Renée Treeyanon

An Interesting Quote About Moms

An Interesting Quote About Moms

by | May 8, 2019 | Blog

As we get closer to Mother’s Day, I want to share a quote by Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States:

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”

I like that 🙂 

Obviously, it’s not meant literally but you get the point he was trying to make. 

I realize not every person has a great relationship with his or her mother. If you and your Mom get along, I hope God will remind you of some of the best moments you shared. If things are a bit tough right now, or peace between you seems impossible, I’d love to pray with you. Feel free to reply to this email.

One of the most important lessons my mother taught me was to learn the importance of two simple phrases: “Thank you” and “I’m sorry”. 

It’s so interesting how far those two phrases go in any culture – as I’ve been serving here in the ministry I’m sometimes surprised at how often I use those two phrases. 

Thanks be to moms!

Have a blessed Mother’s Day, and if there’s anything I can come alongside in prayer with you, please comment below!

Renée