About Me…and My Name!
What Does YOUR Name Stand For?
When people think of you or see your name, what do they think?
When our parents name us, they give it a great deal of thought. They want our name to fit us.
They don’t know whether we will be a boy or a girl.
They don’t know what our personality and characteristics will be.
Yet, in our culture, they give us our name at birth.
For me, my parents thought long and hard about what to name me. Since my Dad’s name was Don, they decided to call me Dawn. My last name, Ulmer, comes from a long line of Pennsylvania Ulmers. It is believed that we originated from the town of Ulm in Germany.
Do you know the origins of YOUR name? First and last?
Yet of most importance to me is what my name stands for NOW!
For 21 years, I was known as Dawn Ulmer, becoming a nursing student at a college in Los Angeles, California. Being a full-time student, there was no time to develop other interests as I tried to keep my life simple and uncomplicated.
When I married, I became Dawn Morrison. I carried that name for 35 years, giving birth to two children and having multiple interests — homemaker, quilter, nurse, small business owner, advertising salesperson, shepherdess and library clerk. My name stood for something.
After 35 years of being Dawn Morrison, my husband abruptly abandoned the family.
When the judge declared that the divorce was final, my name of choice was Dawn Ulmer, my original name.
I wondered what my name was to mean NOW? My identity had been as a wife, mother and business person.
Now what???
My first stop after leaving the courthouse was the Dept. of Motor Vehicles to get my name changed on my driver’s license! Thus began the paperwork to return my name to its original and to take MY life back.
As I tried to unravel the legalities and make changes, I realized that the name ‘Dawn Morrison’ was quite extensively linked to my former husband. I was surprised at how much I needed to untangle to become ME again, not only on legal documents but on the personal level, too. I was taking my name back!!! I was taking my LIFE back!!!
As time went on, I realized that my former husband’s entire life was a lie. What kind of unreality had I been living??? Given that he would have been diagnosed as having a Narcissistic Personality Disorder or ???, I WAS living in his lie — the only reality he deemed necessary in order to keep his mask on.
When God opened my eyes to see glimpses of who he really was and I confronted him, he ran. He couldn’t stand to have his real self out there for everyone to see, especially at the Bible studies he taught. They would see that the words he taught did NOT match the scripture he was teaching.
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Even though my name had been Dawn Morrison for so many years, I was still, basically Dawn Ulmer. I was still ME underneath it all.
Life as Dawn Ulmer began anew….walking on eggshells was a thing of the past as was any further partnership with a husband such as he had been. Even though PTSD lingered, I was FREE.
FREE to be ME, Dawn Ulmer
I wondered — were all of those years as Dawn Morrison wasted years? NO! God had been teaching me from His Word what my life should look like as I walked with Him.
What would my life look like now?
NOW, being Dawn Ulmer, I could, in freedom, be who God created me to be!
I could choose!
Do I want to be:
Anxious OR trusting God?
Intentional OR all over the place?
Weak OR strong?
Grumbling all the time OR thankful?
Honest and trustworthy OR sleezy and dishonest?
Abrupt in manner OR gentle?
At peace OR filled with disquiet?
With a loud, argumentative voice OR calmness in words and actions?
Love others OR be filled with complaints and judgment against them?
Depressed OR joy-filled?
Patiently endure all things OR impatient most of the time?
Unkind to others, animals and children OR kind-hearted?
Filled with good deeds for others OR as a people user?
Holding grudges or filled with love and forgiveness toward others?
The list could go on and on into eternity. The choices were mine!@
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. Romans 12:2
How about YOU? What do YOU want your name to stand for?
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