The Names By Which I Am Known

My official name is Linda Jane Lynn Stovall.

My son calls me "Mom."

My daughter calls me "Mom" or "Mother"

(the latter most often when I've done something crazy!)

My daughter in love and son in love

call me "Linda."

Jack called me "Linda Bird."  

Maybe "Linda" or "Honey" sometimes.

But I only really remember "Linda Bird"
or "L.B." for short. 

Now...please don't be jealous, but:

This includes not only Madeline and Susannah,

but many of their friends, I'm 

thrilled to say!
And...many of their friends' parents.

Also, Charleigh-Girl.

She calls me Mimi.  Well, she knows me as "Mimi."

Some people, in an attempt to be respectful, call me

"Mrs. Stovall" or "Miss Linda" in some form.

I appreciate efforts to be respectful, but those names

make me feel old.

I prefer being a disrespected young-feeling person!

 My cousin Sarah and her friends call me

"Linda Jane" or "LJ"

because there was already a "Linda" in their

circle of friends when Sarah and I "found" each other!

Now this would have bothered me in years past.

Why?

I did not really like my middle name.

Then...guess what?

Madeline Jane Metzger, my namesake, was born.

How could I ever have disliked "Jane?"

I lost a very dear friend in 1994.

Her name was Alta Dollar.

She was the only one who has ever called me "Lin."

And, of course, it follows that
I called her "Al."

As awesomely amazing as it is, 
Someone else...Someone more important than all these...
 knows my name!
God Himself, the Creator and Sustainer of this universe,
 calls me by name!!! 


But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says,
Don't be afraid, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name;
you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1