"About Me"

For some reason, I always find it hard to fill out the "About Me" parts of blogs, facebook, or wherever you have a small space to explain to people exactly who you are. If you're anything like me, the struggle becomes what exactly to include in these boxes that supposedly explain, in some form or another, who the heck we are and what in the world we are doing that is significant.

So I struggle. At times I feel the need to include the fact that I'm a college graduate, that I graduated with a 4.0 in high school and college, and that I was a successful teacher for several years. But why? What does all that really explain "about me?" I mean, I couldn't regurgitate back anything today about Pythagorean theories or explain to you anything about writers from the 18th century. I could, however, tell you who was on the latest Sesame Street episode. Which brings me to another option....

Perhaps I should include what it is that I currently do with the majority of my time: Change diapers, drive carpool, complain about homework (yes, I do), and cook dinners that my children don't like. Throw in there reading about Ariel and Star Wars, building Legos that rock (if I do say so myself) and dancing to high school musical. I sneak in a couple of shows at night, but am usually asleep and drooling on our couch by 9:00 p.m. Hmm....maybe I'll go for option C....

Option C - the other part of my life that holds so much significance - being a pastor's wife. This label has it's own separate profile for those who are not regular church goers, or for those who have never had a relationship with their pastor and wife. A few years back, I was chatting with a women in our neighborhood who had just found out I was a pastor's wife. "I bet you have a lot of lace-collared dresses, huh." Huh? Huh, is right. I had no idea what she was talking about. And whether she was kidding or not, it didn't occur to me until later that evening that there is a certain box that ministry wives get placed in. In fact, if an average Joe Shmoe would put together a "wanted ad" for a pastor's wife, it might go something like this:

Wanted: Women who wears long dresses with heavy, lacy collars. She must be able to play piano, travel across the country to feed the poor (at least once a year), work in shelters on a regular basis with her well-behaved children by her side, smile incessantly, cook like Martha Stewart, keep a clean house (again, like Martha Stewart), be ready and waiting for guests to arrive at any moment, be able to put on fabulous coffees, and speak like Laura Bush. Oh, and she must attend and lead every ministry in her local church.

I honestly think there are those out there who think this way about their pastor's wives. And It is for this reason there is so much anxiety for those seminary wives anticipating their husbands future calling in the ministry.

But, alas, not only do I not fit in the "box," the label of a pastor's wife does not really tell "About Me" either.

About me - there are a few tidbits that I included in the small space on this blog that are not insignificant in anyway. But ultimately, there is one thing that defines my existence. I am a child of the King. I am who I am because of God's gracious and merciful provision in my life. I am imperfect and continually being sanctified. I am saved by Grace alone. This is who I am. Thank God I don't have to label it any other way.