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| Remember Who You Are by Paula Dixon When I was in high school and would leave my house to go out with my friends, my mom would always say the same thing to me.  By the time I was in high school, that had become Mom’s practice. She no longer had to explain to me what she meant. Those four words represented all of her and my dad’s efforts to raise me to know right from wrong. When she said them to me, she was telling me they trusted me to choose right from wrong when they were not around. She was telling me I was their daughter, and I had better act like it. She was reminding me I represented my parents and my whole family. She was reminding me I had been baptized and should be a reflection of Jesus. She never specifically said all those things to me; she did not have to. I knew they meant several important things: Don’t do things you shouldn’t. Don’t say words you shouldn’t. Don’t be in places you shouldn’t. Don’t act like you shouldn’t. Don’t be someone you shouldn’t – don’t be someone you’re not! The influence parents can have on a child is immeasurable and indelible. It amazes me that I can think back to what my parents taught me in my early years and continue to learn from them now. In my 20s and 30s, I would reflect on things Mom taught me, like, “Remember who you are,” and I would discover different meanings because I had gained a different perspective. Now in my 40s, as a parent myself, I continue to think about things they showed me and told me and modeled for me, and I continue to learn new lessons from the Lord through them. I have not seen Mom or talked to her since I was 16, as she passed away then, but I am still learning from her. Dad passed away when I was 30, but I am still learning from him, too. As a parent, my perspective now is different. In many ways, I am different. I am no longer that young teen who would leave my house saying, “Yes, ma’am,” to my mother’s charge to remember who I was. I no longer have to be home by 11 o’clock or abide by my parents’ rules or even honor their beliefs. I no longer have to go to church each week or make sure my homework was finished before going out. Now, I am the grownup – I am the parent. You know that “when you’re grown-up and you have kids, then you can decide” day? Well, it’s here! I get to decide! I am on my own! And you know what? I have learned that even though I messed up then and still mess up now, I am still trying to choose not to do things I shouldn’t and not to say things I shouldn’t. I am choosing not to be in places I shouldn’t or be someone I shouldn’t. I wish I could say I made more good choices while I was growing up, and I wish I could say I always make good choices now. I can’t.  However, I can say this: I continually ask God to help me make good choices, and He does! I strive to honor Him, and I can see how He honors my devotion and obedience to Him.Each day I choose to pray with my young children, and each day we ask God in the name of Jesus to help each of us to choose to have good attitudes, even if we do not feel like it. We ask Him to help us to choose to be nice and respectful, even if others are not. We ask Him to help us to choose not to give in to temptation and to take the way out He gives us when we are tempted. Remember who you are and who you want to be. Ask God to help you, and He will! He has done it for me, and He can do it for you! Paula K. Dixon is an assistant professor of communication at Emmanuel College. She enjoys serving and laughing with others in her family, church, job and life. She is blessed to be married to the love of her life, Chris, and have three precious children: Emily, 10; Bradley, 8; and Jamie, 6.
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