It amazes me that as I grow older, I get closer to my mom and sister. It's like we actually have things to talk about that are of substance. It's no longer the "can i borrow the car?, NO i will not take a shower!, you're so annoying!" one-way conversations.

I think it's because of this: once we get to know who we are, are able to accept ourselves, and can live out who God has made us to be.. only then, can we start growing in our r'ships with other people.

You see, take for instance, those teenage years. For me, I was always close to my parents. I would be honest with them, of course witholding some secrets, but I was pretty open. However, when it came to things like curfew, guys, and dressing.. I wouldn't always agree with them. When you compare it to the "of-substance" conversations today, it was the petty stuff that got to me back then.

I think the formative years can extend way past elementary school. I mean, today, I'm still learning about who I am as a person.. and what my temperaments, tendencies, and likes-and-dislikes are. So.. what am i on about here? Well, my reasoning for why I'm able to hold conversations eye-to-eye with family these days is not necessarily 'cause i'm now more "mature by society's age standards" than I used to be. It's a lot to do with how I've begun to see who I am as a person, accept it (the whole: i can't change it. ok.) and live out life with that knowledge . Back in the day.. I was still figuring out who I was.. and along w all my baggage, i'm at the same time trying to figure out who he was, who that friend was, who my mom was, who my sister was.. and the list goes on. what a bus load! crazy, right? Right. It's called life.

The big picture of it all? Finding out who we are in God is a long journey. It'll never be completed.. at least on this earth. Heaven? That's a whole 'nother journey, which I'm looking forward to :)

thanks for tuning into "joanna's thoughts FM"