This week’s #FridayFive is coming in under the wire … I say that because as I type this, I am packed up and ready to leave on a winter retreat with my Jr Highers.  A weekend at our denomination’s camp, with other jr highers from our conference, for an intentional few days of worship and fellowship.
Kelly, over at Mrs. Disciple posed this week’s #FridayFive : Five Adjectives about You.  So here we go, I’m cheating a little bit because since my mind is in retreat/youth ministry role, I’m going to share Five adjectives others have used to describe me, and Five Adjectives that I use to describe myself.  The way that others see us has the ability to change the way we see ourselves, sometimes we have to fight against that in order to see who God has created us to be.

#FridayFive: 5 Adjectives about Me

5 that others have used to describe me:
Easy Going
I heard someone once say that the best thing about me was that I was easy going.  I’m going to take this as a compliment, even if the circumstances that surrounded it weren’t really a compliment.  I do have a “go with the flow” type of personality, which I think is what he as getting at when he said it.  I picked up this habit a long time ago and for the  most part, I like that about myself.
Intimidating
Another thing I’ve heard said about me (rather than to me) is that I’m Intimidating.  Sometimes it’s in the realm of relationships with guys – I’m too intimidating for them.  Other times it’s with friends.  I’ve been described as brooding, when I was younger.  I have this tendency to be up in my head – over analyzing everything – this sometimes comes off as stand offish to those who don’t know me.
Caregiving
I’m not sure if this is actually an adjective.  Every personality test I’ve taken has told me that I’m someone who enjoys taking care of others.  It’s partially what led me to being a pastor.  Partially why I love being an aunt and a godmother.
Loud
I have always been loud.  I’ve quieted down over the last few years, but my “quiet” is an average person’s loud, so I guess that still makes me loud.  I’ve been shushed a lot in my lifetime, especially in public.  I’m also told my laugh is really loud and distinctive.  I’m still on the fence as to whether this is good or bad.
Stubborn/The Princess
This one comes from my family.  I’m the only girl in my little family of origin and the youngest.  That’s where the “princess” nickname came from – my brother was always lamenting that I was never in trouble while he always was.  We have this hilarious story about the time that I accidentally backed up through the closed garage door and he got yelled at.  He would say that my stubbornness got me preferential treatment, I would say it was because I was the cute one. #YoungestSiblingsUnite
5 Adjectives that I would use to describe myself
Self-Aware
One positive aspect of always being up in my head is that I self critique a lot.  I tend to over analyze all sorts of situations, but it also has helped me to understand myself better.  Understand why I act certain ways and what needs to be changed about my behavior.  I come to these realizations about my life and I try to make the change that makes it better.  I love this about myself.  I love the new found self-confidence that God has given me in my older age.
Compassionate
I’ve seen a lot of life.  A lot of things have been challenging over the years.  But this has made me deeply compassionate.  Deeply loving towards others.  I have a lot of empathy for the pain of others.  I try really hard to see things from others’ perspectives because I think it makes me a better person, a better pastor. 

Stubborn
I know this one’s true.  I don’t think I’m a princess though – but I do know I’m stubborn.  Most of the time I think it’s a good thing – it helps me to stand my ground, to stand up for what I believe in.  It means I don’t let others walk all over me or over others.  I’m a justice seeker. …But I also realize this makes me a little difficult to deal with.
Loving
I think this is different than compassionate.  I have a high capacity for love.  I love easily and I love hard.  It helps me in friendships – they seem to sprout out of the ground.  But a high capacity for love means a high capacity for pain.  It means that when I get hurt, I get hurt hard, and it makes me retreat into myself a little more.  But I work on it, I lean into God’s love to help me love others better.
Protective
I am deeply deeply protective.  Of others, and of myself.  Sometimes to a fault.  I protect those I love by being loyal and caring for them and by standing up for them.  I protect myself by setting boundaries in my life.
What are 5 adjectives that others have used to describe you?  What does God say?  What do you say?