When blogging about the missionary condition, a quick word or two should be spoken about missing out.
Sometimes folks whinge (not a complaint, not a whine, but a whinge), about missing certain people or foods. I don't whinge about missing food. And I rarely complain in general, partially because it isn't my mentality, and partially because I want to be a good example for my children.
But there are times when you miss something and it hurts very deeply.
2 years ago I missed the birth of my nephew.
2 days ago I missed the wedding of a good friend, that I would have stood up for had
I been there.
I've also missed some intense family tragedies that I would have been there to support family through.
These losses are sad it's true. And often people ask me 'what do you miss most about home?'
The truth is, this is home. Living in PNG is home to me now. Home is where your heart is, and although my heart takes occasional holiday and desires to be in a hospital waiting room or in a tuxedo standing up in a church, it lives here.
And so, whenever I think about what I might be missing, I let my mind also give equal time to what people here are missing, and what people here aren't missing.
People HERE are missing out on the Word of God. That has extremely more importance than our lives here on earth.
People not here are missing out on seeing what I've seen. Good and bad, my experiences are only partially shared via emails and blogs. BEING here is awesome, seeing God work.
And so, yes there is missing out, but it works both ways. I am thankful for the people who stay and send, and thankful for the people who go. I am thankful for the experiences I get to share in, and try not to think too much about the ones I miss.
I'm glad for friends who go to the ones I miss and update me, and hopefully I can update them as to what is going on here.
And so, I don't really 'miss' much for long periods of time. I don't let myself think about it, I don't let myself become negative or complainy. I have spent some time away from here, and I can tell you it was very great to get back.
If you think about it, everyone is missing out on the exciting parts of everyone else's lives... it's only very rarely that we get to share something incredible with someone.
Living here, I get to share something incredible with my family, with all of you, and one day, I hope to sit and share with folks in heaven about it. There really is no cause for sadness with that perspective in mind.
