Once every two or three months we try to type out an update to tell everyone what's been going on with us here in South Africa. Before I go on I should re-phrase what I just said so that you can get a truthful view of it: "Once every two or three months I type out an update for Mario to look at and approve or edit; and then send it off to a lot of you who read it ...and then the rest of our friends and family who just think it's a monster and never read a thing."
The update takes life out of me.
It takes life out of what we're doing here, and I end up feeling like I am justifying why I am away from our family, especially our kids, and our friends. Most of the time I feel like I am trying to prove the miracles by recreating them and it ends up a cheap Christmas card letter that loses so much in translation.
So, here I am trying to write an update letter and realizing that the process has almost no life in it. BUT...the blog is my new best friend. I am a writer and a reader...a student of people and watching a lot of what's going on. The blog helps me discipline myself to write a little each day...and I never feel like I'm justifying my life here. Still, since I am updating a generation very comfortable with the idea of blogging and another generation that barely has surrendered to email, I have to admit it is better than the mass-mailings of years ago that our friends on the mission field sent us.
I love hearing "Man, I would have read it, but I'm just so busy!"; or better yet: "It seems so impersonal, and since I know you're not writing JUST to me I don't really feel like reading it." Hmmmm. I guess I am reduced to shaking my head and wondering why I am not that interesting in print...? So vain, and so avid a reader (albeit a slow one) I cannot fathom NOT reading a letter from a friend or even a letter that is from an ancient Amish woman that has been mis-routed to me by accident (this has never happened). I love letters and snippets and windows into people's hearts, souls and business. Maybe that's why I am tempted by gossip....
So, that's a good ten minutes away from the task at hand, which is updating friends and family about how much God does through us here....
Can you see me heavy-sighing?
Thanks, Janet. I may be a bit delusional, but this makes me feel as if is just you and I and I am taking in your wisdom and you are making me feel much smarter than I really am.
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