In Biblical times, when women named their children, the name they chose was usually a reflection of the path their life had taken and/or how they felt in their relationship with God at the time of their pregnancy/childbirth.
For example, Sarah named Isaac because she had laughed when God told her she'd have a child in her old age. She was 90, had been trying to have a child for decades, and was probably at the end of her rope. When a glittering angel came to her and made another promise to her, I imagine her laughing out of sarcastic exhaustion; perhaps thinking "Yeah, right. Why would I believe that now, still, after all these years" followed by a sarcastic, flippant laugh. Hence the name Isaac. "One who laughs."
On the flip side, Hagar named her son Ishmael. "God hears." She was Sarah's maid (slave), sent by Sarah to have a child with Abraham when God was proving too slow for Sarah's timeline. Hagar was an Egyptian woman, likely decades younger than Sarah. She had no knowledge of who this Hebrew God was before being purchased into Abraham's household. When God saw Hagar's treatment by Sarah, he came to her and comforted her. He promised her the son she bore would become a great nation. In her greatest time of need, Hagar felt seen, heard, and loved-likely for the first time in years. Hence the name Ishmael. "God hears."
Today, as I sit in a cafe in Houston on the first morning of what we call our "False Fall" (a gorgeous, cool fall morning before we get slapped with the last heat wave of the year), I am reflecting on the meaning of my name. In modern times, we don't usually name our children with the meaning in mid; my mom saw my name in the newspaper and loved it and that's how I became a "Kelsey." I chose the name "Jack" because it was traditional and strong. I chose the name "Sarah" because it was traditional and beautiful, and the fact that it was a Biblical name was a bonus. But today, a day that I am officially calling the close of my battle with breast cancer, I am thinking about the names we give our children.
The name "Kelsey" has both British and Irish origin. It comes from an Old English name which means "Ship's Victory" and another form of the name combines Irish and English tradition and means "Fierce Island." When my mom named me, she probably didn't know these meanings of my name. And she probably didn't have an inkling of the battles I would face, and the victories I would win. She probably also didn't know how fierce I would be, and that-in a way-I would be an island.....spending much of my adult life as a single parent.
I have now been divorced for longer than I was married, and I've been a single parent for longer than I was a married one. I am strong and capable, and I would agree that I am fierce. I would also agree that I am a ship-sometimes sailing on calm seas, but often being battered by wind, storms, and even war. The beauty of that, though, is that the ship has-time and again-come out victorious.
In modern times, do we name our children with the meaning in mind? Usually not. Do we name them with our relationship with God at the forefront? Again, usually not. But in His omnipotence, I would venture to say that God chooses our names for our parents, with our lives in mind. There is strength in our names, grit built into them that fortifies us for what we will face. At least that has been the case with my name, and for that I am grateful.
I had my port-a-cath removed today. This was the implanted device that delivered my chemo and immunotherapy directly into my bloodstream when I had treatments.
Amen.
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