You Are His

Three days ago, on a regular ol’ Tuesday, my life was changed.  Okay, I will cut back on the dramatics a bit, but I met an angel: the Taco Bueno guy.

My hubby and I have been so disappointed by our local Taco Bueno; they mostly always add sour cream, even to items that are not normally prepared with it.  On occasion, we even wind up taking home other people’s orders.  Instead of calling it quits, we endure, now purposing to order from inside the restaurant to check our order’s accuracy before heading home.

So there I was, a little discouraged by the long wait line, but steadfast in my mission.  After placing my order with the angel-in-disguise, I answered, “to go,” gave him my name, accepted my receipt, and moved aside.  There I stood, off to the end of the counter, staring at my name correctly printed on the top of the receipt.  I don't even bother spelling it out for people anymore.  In fact, I will even add an ounce of humor and say, “however you’d like to spell it today.”  I was never able to mount a little name license plate on my childhood bike and I never could adorn my keys with a cute name key chain.  But that Tuesday, I wasn't Carrie, Kari, or Kerry.  My Taco Bueno hero called me Cari.

Trust me, I feel silly giving such elaborate attention to a probable typo.  I should not admit that I called my mom on the way home and also skipped into the living room to share the news with my hubby.  Neither of them were as impressed as I was, but both were kind enough to entertain my elation.

This whole thing got me thinkingーa name carries weight, and it provides an individuality for the person it describes.  Without a name, you might feel overlooked and forgotten, or even unknown.  Hear this: before any name identified your physical self, you were “His Beloved.”  Only He knows you at your best and loves you through your worst.  Only He knows every minute detail of your being.  No bicycle license plate or little, beaded key chain is indicative of your identity in Christ.

Wife, stay-at-home mama, working mama, student, volunteer, CEOーFacebook profiles and business cards can exhibit impressive titles, but they don't tell of your place in His kingdom.  Try hard, Beloved, to see yourself as He sees you: cherished.  Behind all your names, under all your layers of achievements and labels, you are an intentional creation.  No misspelling or misrepresentation can muddle your true identity.  You.  Are.  His.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” - Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)