Lesson (Not) Learned The First Time....

I have the blog of an amazing lady on my 

sidebar.  Patsy Clairmont is one of those people

who always seems to say what you need to 

hear....and it is frustrating because she doesn't

even know me.  How in the world can she be

so right on ...all of the time???

Anyway, last week I saw she had written a new

post and I hesitated to go and read it.  I mean,

I just wasn't sure I was up to a challenge that day.

Remember, I think the woman is amazing in ministry.

I just didn't feel like learning anything that day.

But I clicked on THIS POST anyway.

Labels...those things that define us in our own mind.

Last night I made a horrible mistake.

We were at our friends home at Creekside Cottage

for Miss Emma's birthday party.

In the middle of a game of Taboo Chelsea was giving

the hints for a word.  The word was Teacher.

Her hint was "My Mom is"....and before she could

say the next word out of my mouth flew "FAT!"

Wow!

Was that telling, or what?

I am overweight.  

This is true.

But to define myself and label myself

so thoroughly that I didn't think all of the 

other things I am first...

Such as 

My Mom is fun.

My Mom is Kind.

My Mom is Loving.

Mom is a Teacher.

Mom is a Musician.

Mom is a Candlemaker.

Mom is a Child of God.

Nope!  My mind did not go there.

And I sit here so frustrated with the messages the world

sends about weight and body image. 
I know that our teen girls
are impacted by them all of the time.
I guess it is not just our girls that
are influenced by these messages.

I don't want to be a source of these
messages for my daughter.
However, I know I have played a
very key role in it.
This shone a bright spotlight on
that fact!!

So.....I thank Patsy for this important reminder

and I will pray and ponder how I might change 

this label I have placed upon myself.

What labels do you wear?

If you were to hear the statement....

___________(your name) is.......

What pops into your head?

You don't have to share...

if you don't want to....

just think about it.