And They Named Her Donna
Baseball season has begun! My 18-year-old grandson, Brennan, and his team, the Regents Knights, had their first game last Friday night and they won! Yay! And, my son, Ryan, was asked to call the game and play the music for the regular announcer.
Ryan gave me the slip of paper that had the last names of the boys on the other team. He asked me to go to their coach and get the first names of the guys so he could call out their names as they came on the field for the national anthem and when they were up to bat. Those boys, as did ours, beamed with pride when they heard their names over the loud speaker.
A couple of hours into the game, it was time for me to take a restroom break. I followed a mama on her way out of the stands, holding her baby and pushing her stroller. I could see her hands were full so I asked if I could push the stroller for her. She was grateful.
It was dark so I put on my cellphone flashlight as we made our way to her car which was quite a distance away. Baby girl was belting out her unhappiness about the whole ordeal. The mama said “She’s two-months-old and this is her first time out. She’s hungry. My husband is one of the coaches.” She struggled with getting the stroller to collapse, saying: “This is the first time I’ve used this stroller!” Aw! A newbie in more ways than one!
I introduced myself, “My name is Donna; what is your name and baby’s name?” She smiled and said, “My name is Jessica and my baby’s name is Donna; actually “Jessie Donna”. WHAT? Who, today, would name their baby a 50s and 60s name? Well, this couple did. Apparently, the husband’s grandmother is named Donna and they wanted to honor her.
At the end of the game, I told my Brennan, the ballplayer, and his brother, Bryson, and their girlfriends that were with them, the story and I asked if they’d please name their first daughter after me. LOL! I know that won’t happen, but then I started thinking about my name, Donna, and remembered it has a decent meaning: “Donna – Lady.” It has served me well and Jessie Donna will surely become a lovely lady!
Names are important. They have power. They define us. They’re more than a bunch of letters grouped together to sound pleasant to the ear. Names are more than a convenience allowing us just to know each other. They are the first thing someone knows about us.
Names are a gift from God, and they contain His power. Remember Abraham (father of many nations)? That’s who he became. Every time God, and others, spoke his name, they were adding to the potential of His name. He DID become father of many nations. And, we are one of Father Abraham’s descendants.
We realized that, when we chose Ryan as our son’s name — it means “little king”, and our daughter’s name, Staci, means “resurrection life”, and indeed we have watched how the names we chose, have “marked” their character and destiny.
I encourage soon-to-be moms and dads to choose their children’s names wisely and carefully. Make sure it’s what they desire to see their child become.
Whether you are a Tom, Dick or Harry or a Mary, Sally, or Sue……your name is the best thing going for you IF you treasure it and realize that every action, reaction, character flaw or character strength, honorable act or shameful act are remembered when others hear your name. Don’t we want our name to be synonymous with “a good name”?
“A good name is to be more desired than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.” – Proverbs 22:1
There is nothing wrong with having riches, but a good name is better than all the riches of the world. It provides more value in the present and the future. So let’s ask ourselves: “Do I need to start working on my good name today?” It will be worth it. After all, a good name is GOOD!