What's in a Name?

Well, we made it through this first official Sunday. No one got hurtn and no bones were broken. Alex actually did a really good job today and I'm quite proud of him. The only issue I came away with is that people don't know what to call me—Kimberly or Kim. Let me try to explain so that maybe I can just tell folks to read this blog to have clarity on this issue. As Susan Garza, my best friend from high school, said today, "Kimberly? You’re not Kimberly. You’re Kim!"

Let me explain. When I started on my healing journey while in Wilmore, at the first retreat I went to, I reclaimed who I was in God's eyes and reclaimed my given name of Kimberly. Now the only people who used to call me Kimberly were my parents—when I was in trouble! After the retreat, people who witnessed my healing were calling me Kimberly, and it was like a new leaf had been turned over in my life. So while we were preparing to come to Rogers, Alex and I decided I would be called Kimberly. But here's the deal: If you don't know the significance of calling me Kimberly, then why do it? This came to my brain as Alex and I were being introduced at the children's time at third service. These kids don't need to call me Kimberly. Kim is fine. So here is my answer: "Call me what you want to call me!" If I look like Kim, that's fine. If I'm acting like Kimberly, then by all means call me that. As this new church family gets to know me, they may understand the whole Kimberly thing, or they may want to come up with a new name, like Gobber Queen! As long as I'm part of the family, I'm cool with it. So Central UMC, just call me!