May 31, 2013

“I have your name written on my hand.”

                                                                                                            Isaiah 49:16

Dear Friends, 

            It finally happened.  The disease my mother had most of my growing up years has passed to her youngest daughter.  I don’t know when it happened, it just did and I believe I will now have it for the remainder of my human existence.  Please don’t start to worry about me, it is not deadly nor will it cause me any great pain (probably just embarrassment).  But, I really was hoping I might escape this fate because I don’t have five children like my mother.  I only haveChelsea.  None the least it has affected me.

            By this time you are probably thinking, what is she writing about?  Friends, I am talking about memory.   When I was a kid I always wondered, why my mother would go through the litany of all her children’s names before she called mine (especially when I was the only kid in the room).  Then one day I was visiting a friend at her home and it happened to her.  She was from a family of eight kids and was actually number three, when her mother proceeded to yell, “Samuel, Teresa, Antonio, Graciela, Tomas, I mean you, Rebecca!”  Maybe it has something to do with being a mother, whatever the reason – I now have the disease.

            I noticed it some weeks ago, when I called out four people’s names in my office before I got to my Assistant’s name Vickie; and that is when it dawned on me.  But, this morning while I was doing my devotions I read this verse in Isaiah “I have written your name on my hand.”  Quite a thought, isn’t it?  Your name on God’s hand.  Your name on God’s lips.  Perhaps you have never seen your name honored.  Or you can’t remember when your name was mentioned with kindness.  God tells us that we are so special to him, that not only is it written on his hand, spoken by his mouth but, it is also whispered in your ear.

            Today, will you try to remember that?  You are special to the Holy God, the Creator of all, our Lord God Almighty, and he whispers your name.  Thank you for helping us tell God’s children how special they are too!

Because of Him,

Betty Alvarez Ham

President