I am....

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to complete this statement.

there is the way one perceives oneself;

there is the way others perceive you;

there is the person you aspire to be; and

there is the person God has always known you to be.

We have just celebrated Easter. We have been through Ash Wednesday, lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and now we are full blown into the Easter season. It is Spring, a new awakening of spirit and nature. My tulips are starting to bloom, the grass is growing and it is lighter longer.

Much like I rethink and evaluate every September and the kids and I make resolutions for the coming school year, I find myself this Spring and Easter season evaluating my spiritual life and faith.

Wow -- in reviving my blog I came upon this draft which I never posted. I think it is from 2009 -- in some ways so much has changed, and in others so much is still the same. I am still, or maybe again, trying to complete the statement "I am ..."

It is Easter, I am not so much needing to evaluate my faith and spiritual life -- I feel pretty strong in my faith and pretty grounded in my spiritual life. It is the rest of it that seems to be constantly shifting. I suppose if I just let it go, and leave it all in God's hands everything will be fine, it is just that as humans that is soooo hard for us to do. I want to control the situations in my life. I want to find a way to will them to be what I want (not necessarily what is right or good for me).

It is Easter -- Mary Elizabeth is singing a solo in church -- I am singing in the choir -- Hannah and Mallorie will be at church and home for Easter dinner (we will miss Jason, but hopefully talk to him) and just like the flowers in spring, we will sprout up with new life.