♫ I Gotta Be Me ♫

I grew up in the home of a minister. Yes, I was one of those preacher’s kids (PK’s) people talk about.

You may have heard it said "the preacher’s kids are the worst ones in town." I have a theory about that. Maybe they’re that way because they play with the members’ kids.

Or not.

I always tried to be good, but there were moments. And I’m not going to tell you about the moments, just in case you’re wondering! If my sister were still alive, she’d be happy to tell you of my moments...because they always made her look even better! But she was pretty much the perfect minister’s daughter anyway and I just helped her improve her already good image!

PK’s are just like other kids. The only difference is mom or dad is a preacher...a spiritual leader in the community...the ‘shepherd of a flock.’

PK’s shouldn’t be expected to behave in a particular way just because of what the parent does for a living. If I were a bank teller when my daughter was growing up, do you think folks would have expected her to be more financially responsible? I was a radio personality while Hannah was growing. A deejay. Should people have expected her to know each week’s ‘American Top 40’ just because I talked and played music on the radio?

That’s a stupid thing to expect of a kid.

I guess preacher’s kids are held to a higher standard because of the ministry of the adults. It isn’t always fair, but it is what it is.

‘Shouldn’t’ became a word I sometimes hated. I heard it a lot. And, bless my parents’ hearts, I heard it from them. Mother and Daddy always expected me to behave well because they said that people were watching us. Like we were examples. (Deep down it made me want to be a little bit rebellious.) A little more was expected, and I tried to behave...as I told you earlier. Even one of my Sunday School teachers, Mrs. Basinger would remark now and again, “Beth, you shouldn’t say that...you’re the preacher’s daughter!”

Well, now I’m grown up. And, would you believe I still hear that now and again! But it’s usually my conscience telling me, “you shouldn’t say that...you’re the preacher’s wife!” Or even more difficult now is remembering that sometimes I shouldn’t say something or do something or react in a particular way because I’m a District Superintendent’s wife! But I gotta be me.

As she was growing up, I often told my daughter, “Behave in the right way because you’re a Christian young lady...not for any other reason. You belong to Jesus. Represent Him well.”

Momma needs to take her own advice and life will be a lot easier. I just need to remember to represent my Jesus well in the process.

And, by the way...I tried to be a dignified minister’s wife once. Once. It was the longest ten minutes of my life.



Remember...if you have a pulse, then you have a purpose. Make your life count!