MK forum

Pretty sure that if we met in person, there would be a few with funny stories of what "rebellious" manifestation you exhibited in your youth, to express your dissatisfaction with an MK life, or life associated with a mission.

I like to hear those stories. It's our history.

Another historical point--I was one of the first set of teens to try to teach the chronological Bible to nationals . . .that makes me laugh.

Some of us now might be labeled as "not walking with The Lord" or other judgmental drivel.

You might be super-dooper conservative. And still very concerned about the present and past abuse of children in mission communities.

This forum is for us all, whatever what we are.

I've been riddled with shame because of past deeds, and shamed by others, for not having visible vices.

STILL concerned about what other people think and say about you? Ok, you know, we were trained to think that way . . .its also who we are.

Just don't let it keep you from expressing yourself. And, for God's sake--don't take seriously every single post . . .we all have bad days, seriously stupid self-righteous days, and then some brilliant ones . . .

"And, for God's sake--don't take seriously every single post"!

Oh, such wonderful advice, Allbetter! It is not impossible to have posts removed once you've hit the "submit" button, but it practically takes an act of Congress ... I think most of us who post a lot have certain ones we'd delete if it were easy, like on Facebook. So yes, let's lighten up and let things go. We do not need to fear "personal ministry" here. Nor do we need to dole it out. PM has come to mean something very different, and I always get excited when I see I've got an incoming private message!

As for rebellious manifestations, I feel like kind of a late bloomer. I hid all my bad stuff well enough to sail through the NTM training. Only now, in my AARP years, am I becoming more rebellious, and not even trying to hide it anymore.

Well, okay. Now I'm lying. I still do care. Way too much. About what people think. Which is why at Walmart I cover the bottles of wine in my cart with big boxes of cereal. Just in case I encounter someone like Paul or Faith Wyma, or Ron Abram.

Yeah, we shop at the same Walmart. Can you believe it?!

No, I feel sorry for you.

Me take posts seriously? I don't even take myself seriously some days Just looking in the mirror makes me laugh.
When you've seen as much death and dying as this old nurse has, the days that there isn't death and dying are to be celebrated, unless of course they are being spent sorting our a serious problem, not that I go looking for serious problems to sort out, they just have a habit of finding me, of course I'm not hiding, so they don't have to look with that old endoscope.

I neither drink or have rebelious manifestations, so I should probably pray for Raz and her wonton ways, but I'm sort of busy with my doubts in that department, so if anyone has a spare moment perhaps they could . . . Anyway why hide the wine? It's good for the heart in moderation, well the red stuff is apparently.

So Raz likes Personal Messages, well probably not from me. Got a bit of a problem in that department, someone in Eastern Europe has hacked into our Internet Provider and managed to mess around with e-mail lists, so I send e-mails that I don't even know about. So if you get an e-mail from me and it looks weird (i.e the subject line is blank or repeats my name) or there is a strange attachment, just delete it. Not my doing alas, just the internet provider is still figuring how to fix this reoccuring problem.

O.k. just time to wander down to the local Walmart to pick up the pre Easter supplies, I could be sometime, the nearest Walmart is probably in California.

I'm jealous you can buy wine at a regular store! We still have to go to a State-Run liquor store. I never see anyonr i know there!

The amish/mennonite thing round here can feel a bit oppressive!
But its worth it, to still have farmland around.
Every once in a while we get to see cows run . . .that's always fun.

Raz, they are probably hiding wine in the bottoms of their cart, too. !

Amish country, I love those areas. When I go to visit relatives... it is an Amish area.

Anyway, yes I still hide things that were forbidden. I think one of the BIG things for me... I love to line dance. OH? DID I JUST SAY THAT. I remember in the 7th grade that we were on furlough. For PE they were teaching square dancing. I was the only one sitting in the bleachers because NTMers were not allowed to dance. I still remember that till this day. BUT I LINE DANCE EVERY CHANCE THAT I GET. As for wine etc.. I don't because of my health....and I hate the smell and taste...

You line dance DBarney???
You really should try a "lambada" sometime!
That will get your circulation going for sure...

As to hiding stuff in the bottom of the cart: none of that at our supermarket. Have to go to the liquor store... and risk meeting the lovely folks that have problems - REAL problems!!! - with that stuff. So, it does not happen.

But, the supermarket does have "low alcohol" beer so yeah... hide it!

No normal forms of solace
Were ok for us to do
Supposed sins we always did
Sins we knew we did, but never said
Sins we sometimes felt safe to confess
Sins we didn't were in our sleep
Sins of where we looked and when
Big sins of what we listened to
Big sins of what we watched
Sins in what our bodies felt
Sins in how we breathed
It's a wonder we can walk and talk
It's all pervading shame

If we seem a little wooden
If we seem a little strange
If our conversation skips around
And we go a little blank
Just give us space,
To think, to know
And love us just the same

Very good.
And very sad.
And, also, very honest.