"OUR IDENTIFICATION"

I am calling this discussion "Our Identification". I read it "Our Daily Bread", that we often do not understand who we are verses what we do. I got to thinking how true this statement is. Identification means, our state of being, not what we do. Often and most of the time, we are asked who we are and we say; I am a teacher, preacher, actress, painter, accountant, dog trainer etc. This is our job and not who we are.

When we retire or become empty nesters, we often are lost. The reason is that we had identified (all our lives) with what we did for a living. For myself, I have worn many hats; a baby sitter, house cleaner, waitress, an elevator operator, a bank proofer (now it us done by machines, a mother, a wife, a teacher of many other jobs, a preschool/kindergarten director etc. These are things I did, but who I was and who I am today are different.

On my drivers license it says; my name, address, height, weight(if I havn't gained or lost),hair color(if I do not use the bottle and change the color),eye color and other things to identify me on the outside. This is only my exterior self. I still have to identify my inner self. Most of us wear masks and do not want anyone to see inside, to know the real person. We are wonderful from the inside, we have laughter, and thoughts that should be shared with others. It does not matter if anyone likes what we reveal, but the point is we are who we are inside. If we do not like who we are inside then we should change. We have a choice, surprise! What we are inside believe it or not shows to others, but they will not tell you, they tell others. He/she is selfish, a prude, not nice, cold, a spendthrift,recluse, does not care about others etc. Sometimes they are right and sometimes they they are wrong, it is what they perceive from what we give off or share. We can change who we are.

I am a Christian, I love myself and God. I am proud of who I am and I do my best to show others who I am. For years I did not show who I was,I was sure I would be talked about and ridiculed. Well that is true,(either way)it does happen so why not go with the flow. I feel much better than I did when I held everything inside and did not share. I have found out that if we are with God and not afraid, the Holy Spirit guides us and helps us in what ever we say and do. If we boo boo he will help us to get back on track and go back to who we are, a child of God, we will start again to exude the fruit of the good spirit and not the bad spirits.

I want people to see Jesus through me and I do my best. Though I do stumble and back track from time to time, God gets me back and on track. It is sort of like a train. The train gets derailed sometimes and it takes the engineers pulling the right strings/levers/buttons again to get the train back on the tracks and going in the right direction. Sometimes it takes another engine to help pull the train back.

Ask God to show you who you are and identify yourself with the right side of the tracks.

May God Be Your Guide and Director