It is like looking in a mirror

I have a kid that is a mini me.  She drives me crazy.  In every way that I drive everyone crazy–she drives me crazy.  It is like looking in a mirror.

I pause.

I feel myself start to boil over with emotion–anger, frustration, laughter, so much empathy I hurt.

I hug her and love her, just the way she is. 

I’ve heard the words about seeing Jesus in everyone we meet–the problem is that what Jesus is to me now isn’t what he was a year ago or even a week ago.  As I grow in my spiritual life I see more of Him and to honor him in those I meet can be overwhelming.  So I decided to start small.  I am concentrating on one little person right now.

I’m seeing Jesus in my mini me.  As I strive to really, really embrace this challenge I wondered why it was so hard.  How can it be so difficult to see Jesus in the innocence of this beautiful child?

Then I realized–before I start with the mini me–I need to take one big step back and start with Me.  I need to see Jesus in me and honor that before I can really apply it to others.  I am guessing that once I can be truly transparent to my God it will be much easier to love and be loved, to forgive and accept forgiveness, to find joy and give it away, to stop and just be in the moment. 

Thank you God for my children who teach me so much each day whether they know it or not.