I’ve never put much thought or importance in names. It’s just a name that the parents liked, right? Well, maybe. But then I had children. And somehow, for whatever reason, their names became important. And not just their names, but the meaning of the names, too.
You know the age old saying, penned by Shakespeare I believe, “A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet”. Yes, William, it probably would. But the name of the flower is part of the charm. Part of the beauty. Why else would they change the name of a “filbert” to a “hazelnut”? And take the “ugli fruit”. It’s a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine. It’s actually pretty good, but the name “ugli” just doesn’t make people want to try it. Ahh, but the name “exotic tangelo” does, right (that is the name they are changing it to)? So the name, and the meaning, is important.
I say this all to give a background to my part of my children’s personalities. Seriously. It’s almost like they know what their name means and they act the part. *
Maacah : means “oppression”. Yes, I know, certainly not the best of meanings. But if you knew my girl, my sweet, stubborn, willful, riding-high-with-emotion eldest daughter, you would understand.
Grace : means “unmerited favor”. Even at 5, she has the maturity to see what needs to be done or how she can help others, and she does it. And the nurturing “instinct” pulses quite strong through her veins.
Isaac : means “laughter”. This eldest son of mine has the sweetest, most sensitive spirit I think I have ever seen in a child. And he always has a smile on his face and a giggle dying to come out.
Malachi : means “my messenger”. Although he’s only 19 months, he already like to come and “taddle” on his siblings. We’ll be working on that.
Nathaniel : means “gift of God”. While all my children, and any more to come, are gifts from God, he seems a bit more so. Just from the way he was born, his survival through all that and the level of healthiness he has now….he is defiantly a gift.
* please don’t think that this is all in all of who and what my children are. There are definite positive and negative aspects of their personalities, whether stated here or not. Like their mother and father, my children are far from perfect. But God can use these imperfections to bring Him glory. *