Monday, April 16, 2012

The story of her name

We like to use family names for our children. I don't know if that's just a southern thing, or an everybody thing, or just a Kevin and Demetria thing. Naming a child after someone in your family is ...to me....a way of honoring that person. It's also an outward expression of thanks and hope that the child will develop/possess some of the named-after person's good qualities/characteristics. We named our first son using Kevin's middle name, and they even have the same initials. Next came Russ, and he is named for both my grandfathers.

On to the story of Lane's name. When we were still praying/talking this over, we would go back and forth...day to day...like you often do with a major lifechanging decision. One day we were YES...let's move forward...and then the next day...WAIT...this is scary and uncharted territory!!! I'll never forget the day I was talking it over with God....OUT LOUD...IN THE CAR....and I jokingly said we can't do this...I don't even have a name for her. See, it was no surprise to God that it'd have to be a family name....and the one person I definitely would want to name her after would be my precious granny, Blanche. But honestly...I said that I couldn't name her blanche. I LOVELOVE my granny....but that'd be a HARD name for a little girl to carry off gracefully these days. And just like that....as soon as those words came out of my mouth....I heard very quietly the following sentence..."Her name is Lane.". I promise you I am NOT kidding...that's how it went down. And then it dawned on me...inside Blanche is the name Lane. See...bLANchE :):):). And that is the story of how her name began.

Much later, my sweet husband wanted to honor his mom by adding her name as Lane's middle name...Carolyn. And finally....after we saw her picture....we knew we wanted to keep part of her given Chinese name....Wen. And so.....we have the lovely, precious and meaningful name of Lane Carolyn-Wen Raper for our sweet one.

Interestingly, the name LANE means "Narrow path". This brings to mind the verse :
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14 NIV84). It is our hope that sweet Lane will one day find that gate that leads to peace and hope in Jesus :)

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