WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

Mark and I started dating back in the summer of 1982 (I think that is right!!).  1982 is the same year that a new sitcom entered our tv watching -- The name of the tv show was Cheers.  Cheers ran from 1982 to 1993 and I swear we have probably watched all of the episodes at some time or another.  I always thought that cozy bar was a rather neat place and I loved how everyone in the bar always yelled, "Norm" when the character played by George Wendt entered the bar.  The theme song was rather "catchy" at the time, too.

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.

Taking a break from all your worries sure would help alot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name

and they're always glad you came

You wanna be where you can see

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows your name.

We all want that a little bit, I think.  We want to be known.

We now live in a neighborhood with a restaurant/pub by the name of The Boot.  We usually eat there about once a week and we've been doing that for about a year now.  I think that The Boot is probably one of the main reasons we chose this neighborhood.  We would eat dinner at The Boot and then drive around the neighborhood and look at the houses.  We fell in love with the neighborhood.

We ate at The Boot last night and it is such a popular place that there is usually a line out the door.  The last two weekends (I ate there with  my friend, Mary Elizabeth last weekend), one of the employees has come to the line and asked for parties of two so we were seated rather quickly.  The employee took our name and put it on a table (she even drew a smiley face).  I was thinking that I wished they knew our name.  Silly, isn't it?  They know our faces - as a matter of fact, Mark ordered a new menu item and the girl working at the front  (oh my goodness - I just realized that I don't know any of their names either!!  I must take time to learn their names!!) taking orders, said, "next time y'all come in, I want to hear his thoughts on the steak sandwich." (it was delicious, he said!)

I realize that I have rambled all around in this post - where am I going?  In Isaiah 43, we read, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.  I have called you by name; YOU ARE MINE."  Last night, I immediately realized (after my glass of wine had worn off) that I wanted to write this down.  God knows me by  name.  If I were to enter into God's restaurant (forgive me for taking such liberties!!), he wouldn't have to ask my name, he would open his arms wide and say, "Lisa!  I'm so glad you are here.  Let me show you to your table."

The first line of the song was, "making your way in the world today takes everything you've got."  This whole last year has taken just about everything I've got.  The thing is .  .when I've used up all my "stuff," there is room for God.  You know - you might do this, too.  We try to do it all on our own.  Like a little kid, we push God to the side and say, "I do it!" (haven't you heard a toddler say it just like that??)

Making my way in the world today has taken everything I've got

Taking a break from all my worries (I realize as I'm typing this that I really don't have that many worries) sure would help a lot!

Sometimes I want to go

Where everybody knows

MY NAME

God does.  He knows me by name and I am his.  I can rest easy knowing that!!