Hello, My Name Is...

Hello, my name is Laury. That's me to the left. Wasn't I cute in my glory days? Not a care in the world. All the cares were left to my young parents. You see,  I'm the daughter of Larry and Dixie Holman. They were married at a very young age: 17 and 16. A year later they had this cute little bundle of joy.

The year I was born, 1963, JFK was assassinated. I don't remember that, of course, but I know it was a major event. The 60's were pretty eventful but my parent's kept me safe.  They sheltered me.  They took me to church and I grew up knowing about God and when I was in grade school, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

But...as time goes on, things weren't as simple as they were when I was young and sheltered by my daddy.  I was out in the world and started making my own decisions. I'd say I haven't done too bad.

I got married to the guy next door, Jim.  We moved right smack in between our two parent's houses.  I remember my little sister coming over and asking if Jim could come out and play. That was a long time ago.  Seasons have come and gone.  Those little sisters and brother all ended up living with us at one time or another.  They chose a rougher road than I did.  Weird that we all grew up in that same home with the same parents.

In the course of time, we moved across the road and then we moved back across to where we live now.  Jim has NEVER EVER been out of this little place called Tabor.  We raised and kicked out of the nest three kids: Ryan, Kristen, and last but not least, Nik. They're okay as far as kids go.  Just kidding. We love them lots and think they're the best.  And now Kristen is married and starting to raise up her own little family.  Funny how life continues to multiply...

All that is behind me now.  I'm in a new phase.  Let me introduce myself.

Hello, my name is:

Now that's the problem.  I don't quite know who or what I am anymore.  The kids are gone.  The whole upstairs is empty.  Just Jim and I here and this summer, I'm alone all day long.  So weird.  Alone.  I love it.  I hate it.  I got pregnant right away after we were married so we really didn't have much time to be just us.

Our whole married lives were centered around our kids and their schedules.  
Now, suddenly...it's not.

During all this transitioning, I had a hysterectomy which helped lots of my emotional problems I was having but still...not all.  I wake up some days and wonder who exactly am I?  I deduce that I am me, whoever me is.  But who is me?

Hello, my name is:

• Lost
• Broken
• Fat
• Lazy
• Stupid
• Untalented
• Friendless
• Lonely
• Unmotivated

Should I go on?

I've had so many things knock me down.  I get back up only to get knocked down.  I try to remember the word is MENOPAUSE but it's still hard.  STILL HARD.  HARD.  And they are all names that satan wants me to call myself, not God.  Those names are all lies. God calls me His child.

God calls me Child of the One True King.

I think every woman can relate to Matthew West's song, My Name Is.  Just like my daddy took care of me and held me with such love in that picture above, God lavishes love on me.  He watches out for me every second unlike my earthly father could or can.  And He knows what's going on in my body and allows me to get help and I have.

And now, as I'm trying to lose weight AGAIN, after I don't know how many times I lose it and then gain it back, I know satan is going to whisper in my ear those words -

You can't do this - Quitter.

But I have to.  I have to be ready.  Stand strong.  Remember who I am.  What my name is.  And when the going gets tough.... I need to remember who I am:

Hello my name is:

Child of the one true King!

What's your name?