My Name Is.........

     My name is Theresa Lynn. My parents gave me this name. No one else in our family on either side has this name. So, I am not Little Terri or Terri Lynn, like some of my cousins who are named after someone in the family. I wonder if my Mom and Dad were going through a Baby Name Book and picked my names out just because they sounded good to them. Or liked the meaning of my names. Or maybe they were expecting a boy and were unprepared to name a little girl. But then I remember that not everyone has the opportunity to browse through a name book, like my son Brian.
     When I was pregnant with twins, we figured they were boy/girl, because that is what runs on both sides of the family tree. Their father has a twin sister; my grandpa Holt had a twin sister. But God has a sense of humor and gave us twin boys. James Davis is named for my great-great-great grandfather on my Mother's side, a man I never got to meet this side of heaven.But my Aunt Peggy, whom I loved and adored, said if I ever had another boy it would be nice to see another James Davis in the family. Her prayer was answered. She even got to see him before she died.
     Brian, like I said, was unexpected. Even though we were expecting a little girl, we hadn't really decided on her name yet. Some babies, when they make their entrance, tell you their name the first time you see their face. Since I was unconscious for their birth, I didn't get to see Brian's face. I don't think their father had seen him yet, either (emergency C-section, they kept him out of the room). When told he had another son, I'm pretty sure he was floored and thrilled at the same time. This name just popped into his head: Brian Dexter. And that's what he told the doctors to name the baby. So, baby A, on the bottom near my back became James Davis. And baby B, on top of baby A, near my heart became Brian Dexter.
     It was only after they were toddlers that I began to study what names mean. It was then I realized that though we may name our children after beloved family members, or pull their name out of the air, God has a hand in it after all.
     When I gave birth to my first son, he was given the honor of having two family names. My Mother's grandpa, my great-grandfather, had the last name Phillips; my eldest son's first name is Phillip. My adorable uncle on my Dad's side is named Anton; Phillip's middle name is Anton. Perhaps if I had stayed in Illinois, he would eventually be known as little Tony, cause that's what I was calling him for awhile. But we moved away and I began to call him Phillip. I gave him these two names because I wanted him to know that he was a part of both families: my heritage on my Dad's side and my heritage on my Mom's side.
     Phillip: Friend                    Anton: Priceless
    James: Strategist               Davis: Son of David
     Brian: Warrior                  Dexter: Worship

     I also am the stepmom of three wonderful children, two from my first marriage:
     Danielle: God is my Judge     Nicole: People of Victory
     Nicholas: People of Victory   Patrick: Noble Leader

         and one in this marriage:
      Kenneth: Fire-born           Kyle: Straight, Narrow Place


    For me, this isn't enough. I need to pray and ask God to reveal the person to me, that the person for whom I research the name might have a clearer picture of themselves. I love my kids; I love being able to help them find out who they are and why God brought them into this world. We take the first steps of life and love together. But as they grow in grace, they also grow in years, and eventually they leave home to start their own lives. Just like I did, when I left my parents' house. But though we are apart in miles, we have ribbons of love binding us together through time and distance.
     Someday my children will have children. It's a cycle pre-determined by God: be ye fruitful and multiply.