Friday, August 27, 2010

Say My Name, Say My Name...




This blog is all my husband's fault.  If you must know.

I might have mentioned this before, but if you are new around here, you might not know.

When I got married, my name changed from Jocelyn Hatch to

Jocelyn Christensen.

It didn't really sink in until halfway through my engagement, that I was literally taking the name of Christ upon me...for all the world to see.

What was this going to mean for me?

One of my biggest worries was that the tech guys at work were going to change my inter-office instant message name from "jhatch" to "jchrist".

(They typically shortened long last names this way.)

It suddenly dawned on me that I would never again feel comfortable blowing off steam under the screen name "jchrist".  I mean how would that look to the person on the other end of the message?  Would J. Christ complain or make a snide remark?  Never.

It turned out that they did not abbreviate my name after all. 
(Thank you, tech guys, for your good judgment!)

But that lesson struck to the core of me and has stayed with me.

I am now Jocelyn Christensen.

It's sort of a mouthful and it takes longer to write, but it has been a constant reminder to me to watch what I do and say, to be kinder, to be wiser, and to shape up!

It has given me a focus in life...an excuse...to use my name to honor Him.

We all have that excuse, right?

If you have been baptized, you have covenanted to follow Him, to take His name upon you, and to remember Him always.

Perhaps I just needed the reminder more than most...and more often...
...like every time I sign my name, 
or answer the phone, 
or read my mail, 
or log in to my email account, 
or introduce myself to a stranger...

When I started having children, I realized that they too would need to understand who they were and the responsibility (and the JOY!) that comes with taking the name of Christ upon ourselves.

So I took my favorite scripture and made it my motto for how I would lead my children safely back to Him.


(I also use it as the theme & focus of this blog!)

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
2 Nephi 25:26

So now you know.

Thanks for joining me in this quest and encouraging me in my journey!


11 comments:

  1. I would have never thought of it that way...what a lovely way to make it more personal for you!

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  2. Your last name was not lost on me, when I was first introduced to you, back when you asked me to be a part of the give-away... :)

    I remember reading your blog and getting to know you the best I can in this bloggy world.. and I thought.. her last name.. how incredibly fitting.. and beautiful!

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  3. I think when we take His name upon us, then sin, we have taken his name in vain. I think that's what the commandment is REALLY talking about.

    I love this post. Thank you.

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  4. I love what Jackie wrote, I couldn't agree more. And I do love the tie! I am glad he likes it also!!

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  5. Interesting take on names...my ex-husband who you know proudly proclaimed recently that he was "an American who wasn't a CHRISTian." I was offended by that remark but we do have our FREE AGENCY. I CHOOSE to be a CHRISTIAN in all ways and forever.

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  6. As Oprah would say, you had an 'aha' moment. Thanks for sharing the little things that remind us all, the name we have chosen to follow.

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  7. Oh my... once I realized that my email would show up as jchrist at work, I would have seriously considered keeping my maiden name. :~) Thanks for sharing this. It is a good lesson to remember- no matter what our last name is. :~)

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  8. I've been around for a while, but I DIDN'T know how you came by your name - cool!

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  9. I love this, and I'm glad to have found your blog. Thanks.

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  10. One of my favourite sections of the Book of Mormon is Mosiah 18. when you read verses 8-10, it always reminds me how these things that Alma asks of his followers typify the things we should be doing as Christians. You always get right to the heart of the matter, Jocelyn. It is good to be reminded of how we should be constantly honouring our Saviour's name. Our ward will be going to our temple in Johannesburg this coming October, and we're all trying to make sure we are worthy to stand in that holy place. It is good to refocus on what is really important - the fact that we have family beyond the veil who are relying on us to do the work for them, so that we may be reunited once more. We sometimes lose sight of the fact that they are part of our immediate family too.Regards from us at the Queensburgh ward, here in South Africa.

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  11. My name is Corine, which means "handmaiden of the Lord." I love it! If I can live up to it... I will have lived! :D

    PS. Great job with the blog! ;D
    Corine

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