I am not sure when I started to love blogging, but I do remember that magic happened when I discovered there was a page on the web where I could freely write and people could read about my musings.. I have always,always,ALWAYS wanted to write a book. I would probably write it on my life as a missionary kid because oddly enough, there are very few books out there on MKs. And as a former MK, I can honestly say that we think that no one has any idea what we go through, and it would have been good to read about people that grew up just like me. I wouldn't really know how to start it, I don't even know how I would title it, or if I would have enough material to write a full book, and would people even read it? Probably Not, but then that's the thing about writing, it takes courage and trust to write properly. Because as soon as your put your heart into words that end up on a piece of paper or on a web page, you are fully subject to what anyone thinks about you. Several weeks ago, I wrote about saving your first kiss until your wedding day, and saving every ounce of your being for your spouse. Let me just say that was incredibly personal, I would tell anyone on the street who asked about my first kiss. But when it goes into the written word, it's seems almost more permanent. And I've been subjected to ridicule and judgement for saving intimacy for marriage,but I've had to learn not to care. It's the same with writing, once you've written something that is pure and true, you must back your words up with strong actions, that is something else that is a learned talent.
But back to my book, when you go home on furlough to the states as a young kid or a teenager, you're popular...to all the adults. You're asked the same questions hundreds( yes,I said hundreds) of times; "Do you like living there??""What's your favorite food?""Tell me something in (insert second language here),please!!!""Do you live in a hut? (yes,I've gotten that one)""Is everyone poor there" and you're there for three months,and still you're asked the same questions.Your head spins,you learn to smile through it and answer and re answer the questions. By the time you get home on Sunday you're spent and you're ready to nap. And most of the time, these questions are asked with pure heart, everyone is just curious about your life across the ocean, it's mysterious. Though you kind of like having attention, there is a part of you that desperately wishes to blend into the background a little bit. You wonder what it would be like to live "a normal,American life", you wonder what it would be like just to have that set group of friends, you dream about going to youth camps or getting an annual pass to Disneyland.
But as soon as you take a step back and see their cravings to travel and see the world,to experience something new, you realize that you so privileged and bless,and kick yourself for ever desiring that normal,American life that looked so tantalizing.
This is just a very small part of being a missionary kid , and as I write this my fingers want to type more. I wish I would explain to you all in one blog post about my entire life,the good,the bad,and the sometimes pretty dang ugly. But hopefully,one day, I will have enough writer's courage to sit down and write it all down. I hope that these words(if they are supposed to be written) would be blessed and ready for the taking in.
So please pray for me as I consider writing a book...even if it's ten years from now, those words and my heart still need to be ready to share them all with you.
-Autumn
But back to my book, when you go home on furlough to the states as a young kid or a teenager, you're popular...to all the adults. You're asked the same questions hundreds( yes,I said hundreds) of times; "Do you like living there??""What's your favorite food?""Tell me something in (insert second language here),please!!!""Do you live in a hut? (yes,I've gotten that one)""Is everyone poor there" and you're there for three months,and still you're asked the same questions.Your head spins,you learn to smile through it and answer and re answer the questions. By the time you get home on Sunday you're spent and you're ready to nap. And most of the time, these questions are asked with pure heart, everyone is just curious about your life across the ocean, it's mysterious. Though you kind of like having attention, there is a part of you that desperately wishes to blend into the background a little bit. You wonder what it would be like to live "a normal,American life", you wonder what it would be like just to have that set group of friends, you dream about going to youth camps or getting an annual pass to Disneyland.
But as soon as you take a step back and see their cravings to travel and see the world,to experience something new, you realize that you so privileged and bless,and kick yourself for ever desiring that normal,American life that looked so tantalizing.
This is just a very small part of being a missionary kid , and as I write this my fingers want to type more. I wish I would explain to you all in one blog post about my entire life,the good,the bad,and the sometimes pretty dang ugly. But hopefully,one day, I will have enough writer's courage to sit down and write it all down. I hope that these words(if they are supposed to be written) would be blessed and ready for the taking in.
So please pray for me as I consider writing a book...even if it's ten years from now, those words and my heart still need to be ready to share them all with you.
-Autumn
1 comments:
Thank you for writing this article! Someday I want to write a book about being a missionary kid as well, as I am amazed by the complete lack of books on this subject.
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