Thursday, June 01, 2006

The Strangest Love-Name Ever...

At the beach retreat Rachel challenged us to seek out our love name, the name that God calls us intimately. I've been praying about that, wondering how He sees me, and how does he preciously adore me? It makes me think about this picture I found.

When I found this online something resignated within me, and I just smiled. I'm that little rhino. Maybe it's the joy in it's baby steps I relate to. Maybe it's the comfort in a parent's protection, (perhaps it's the fat saggy bottom I relate to) but I simply fell in love with this photo.

I fell in love with rhinos while I was in Swaziland. They are gentle, yet powerful. And I already knew the scoop about them.
Do you know what a group of rhinos is called? No, not a herd. A Crash. Yes, a crash of rhinos. And named appropriately so. They weigh up to 4975 lbs, and run up to 25 miles an hour (not sure how many kilometers that is.) Yet they can only see a short distance in front of them. So what do they do? They run full speed ahead. No worries. They know with that much power behind them other things either get out of the way, or get trampled on. No harm to the rhino.
And it seems as I look back over my life that I've been required to do that a lot. God has set me in a direction and expected me to run with all my might, never knowing what is ahead of me. But when I recognize His power is behind me, nothing has stood in my way.

So my love name? I haven't quite heard it yet, I'm still feeling it out and I know I'm getting close. But it's something like "joyous rhino." What do you think about that Sparkles the Lamb?

2 comments:

Jan Inge Saltskår said...

Lots of good input on your blog. Cool to hear about the rhinos.

Jean Ohlerking said...

the one on the right is me i think. ole rhino bottom.
hurry up and get back to swaziland. we miss you! we NEED you!
meemaw