MACDONALD - Like the Farm, NOT the Restaurant!

I’ve spent a lifetime – 63 years – telling people how to spell my name… M A C D O N A L D

63 years.

Can’t find my file? My account? My bill? My records? Well, check under “M C D O N A L D” because frequently people like to drop the “A” in “MAC.” That’s usually followed by, “Ahh! there you are!”

After many years, when asked how it’s spelled, I just began telling people “like the FARM, not the restaurant.” It’s MAC, not MC. (But they still screw it up).

But never… never in 63 years did I imagine we could screw my name up this badly. The following is a flyover of the timeline of events…

Renewed passport on line that was going to expire in a couple of months. Planning to go to Italy in two years, one month, and 6 days, (but who’s counting?)
Passport delivered, looked perfect.
Attempted to apply for TSA precheck, only to discover I don’t have an enhanced driver’s license.
Applied for enhanced driver’s license, made appointment, showed up, and they told me my passport does not match my driver’s license – apparently too big of a space between MAC & DONALD. “Eh!” I said. “Been literally all over the world and never had a problem before!”
Returned home, looked at previous passports – MAC DONALD – yes, a small space but – again, never had a problem before.
Applied for TSA precheck, went to appointment, brought passport, NO PROBLEM! See?! Told you!
TSA precheck email came three days later, and I was unable to sign in. Tried the “Mc” trick thinking they probably screwed it up, but nope! Didn’t work.
Two hours and 14 minutes on hold with TSA (that is not a typo), only to find out I need to put a space between MAC and DONALD. Oh for Pete’s sake! (Pete’s my Dad)
Signed in with space between MAC & DONALD, and Vwa! La! I’m in!
Signed on to airlines to put in passport number and Known Traveler Number with TSA – but THEY have my name spelled Macdonald. No space. No capital D. Who knew! A third, brand new spelling!
Tried “editing” my name to no avail. Spent 32 more minutes on hold with airlines, only to find out they would now like COURT DOCUMENTS changing my name. (But at this point, I don’t know what my name really is!)
Called Passport office, explained #1 through #11, and they promised it was an easy fix – just send in my original birth certificate. Great!
I ran downstairs, found the birth certificate, and there it was. A great. big. honkin. space. RITA MAC DONALD
Next I stood there trying to recover from the shock of realizing I’ve been spelling my name wrong for 63 years. A little investigating only to find out my older brother also has a space, but my younger sister does not, concluding that the electric typewriter must have been invented somewhere between 1963 and 1967. In the meantime, my Army discharge papers? No space. Nursing license? No space. Oh, and my Dad’s Army discharge papers? Yep. You guessed it. No space.
Where to begin?

A week later, I received my new enhanced license in the mail (no space), and have requested a corrected passport with court documentation from when I changed my name back from my married name to my maiden name (again, no space)! Hopefully, they will accept it so I can move forward with the other 900 steps to correct everything, right?

But in the meantime, especially in my frustration, I kept coming back to the FACT that my identity in CHRIST never changes. Never. It’s a done deal – signed, sealed, delivered… I’m HIS.

1 John 1:9 says I’m forgiven. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Romans 15:7a says I’m accepted. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.”

Jeremiah 1:5 says I was created with a purpose. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Ephesians 2:10 says I am God’s masterpiece! “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

That’s right! I am a child of God, (1 John 3:2), chosen and loved (Colossians 3:12), a new creation! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And John 10:28-29 says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Currently it looks like I will have to get my original birth certificate amended.

BUT!

Put a space, don’t put a space, capitalize the D, don’t capitalize the d, remember me like the restaurant, or spell me like the farm – it’s not going to matter in the end. My truest, most important identity is in Christ, and THAT, praise God – will never, ever, ever, ever, ever change.

EIEIO,

Rita Mac(no space)Donald