A Time for Stones [Identity]

I’m pleased to announce the winner of last week’s book giveaway is Cheryl McKay of Purple Penworks. Congratulations Cheryl for winning Katie Ganshert’s newly released novel, Wildflowers from Winter. A huge thank you to all commenters.

Linking up to the The Gypsy Mama to take the Five Minute Friday writing challenge (only mine’s on Saturday) where we write unedited for five minutes on a topic. This week’s word is Identity.

GO
Ask me who I am and I’ll say mother, daughter, sister, friend, wife, editor.
On confident days I may even add writer.
It is true. I am these but so much more.
I am an accountant, a maid, a hair stylist, a logistics manager, a counselor, a confidante, an educator, a lover, a nurse, a travel agent …
And there are more.
I struggle and wonder which to be at each moment. Sometimes I even wear the wrong nametag: counselor when it should read wife; friend when it should say mother.
Because none of them came with an instruction book. Each becoming comfortable only after a season.
I’m in the midst of some of those identities. Others I’m nearing the end or perhaps just beginning. A splattering of hats I’ll wear all my earthly life. Many are only momentary.
In my uncertainty in how to play certain roles I need to relax, take it one day at a time. Realizing I’m not asked to know it all or be it all.
There is a time for all things.

And in some things I’m throwing stones, in others I’m gathering, and in still others I’m doing both at the same time.
But the most important thing to remind myself is each of these identities are temporal, ending with my departure from this earth.
The only one that truly lasts, the only one to put all my stones in, the only one of eternal value is my identity in Christ.
And that’s an identity worth hanging my hat on.
STOP

There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: … a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 5, HCSB).

Reflections: What identity are you struggling with right now (mine is author)? Have you cultivated your most important role, your identity in Christ?

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