labels

John likes to bug me (it's true) about, well, many things. He says my personality can be somewhat of a paradox at times, but I think, whose isn't? I've never liked taking those tests that label you as a letter combination or tell you what your spiritual gift is. They may be accurate about one or two things, but the rest, it seems, is vaguely applicable at best. Yes, I'm slightly creative, but I'm not driven. Should I be driven? Maybe I am deep down and don't even know it! Crap, I don't even like driven people (just kidding, I love all of God's creatures). No one fits into anyone else's mold, and yet we have all felt the sting of being labeled, and I know I am guilty of labeling others. I'm sure some people have pre-existing ideas of what I'm about:
minister's wife- conservative
quiet- opinionless
stay at home mom- old fashioned
homeschooler- backwards
Christian- global warming denier
I'm proud to say that I do not fit the above mold, but ashamed that I would be the first to cast it on someone else of the same description. And there's alot more judgement where that came from. I have a whole arsenal of labels I use in my weaker moments: yuppie, poser, needy, slacker, shallow, narrow, a teensy bit stupid (kidding again. sort of.)......the list goes on. Aside from the sheer arrogance of putting myself in the postion of labeler, I also realize it's a very narrow view- people are complex and can not be limited to one title. I guesse that's the beauty of surrounding yourself with friends of all backgrounds and lifestyles- it's not so easy to be close minded.
OK, maybe I'm not so quick to label as I once was, but I can be a little preachy- don't judge.
Ang