A Face and a Name

I woke up this morning, the morning of December 19th, remembering last year on this date very vividly.  We were expecting a sweet baby and were counting down the days until Christmas so we could share with the boys about the best gift ever.  But, our sweet baby was swept up into the presence of her creator on December 19th.  We hadn't known about her for long, but we loved her completely.  We grieved for all the days we wouldn't have with her.  We celebrated for all the days we will get with her one day.   We call her a girl simply because in our hearts, we know she is.

 

While taking a shower, I realized once again how precise and compassionate and involved our sweet Jesus is.  He knew the ache in our hearts for the daughter we won't see on this earth.  He stepped down and arranged it so that on this day one year later, we would be seeing the face of another gift, our fourth son, Asher Tate Stuart.

 

I can't tell you how I have wept and rejoiced over God's grace in allowing this to occur exactly one year after such heartache.  This day is bittersweet.  God gives and he takes away.  While on this earth, our lives are an odd yet beautiful dance between grief and joy.  It becomes beautiful when we choose to see God in it all. In an all encompassing swoop, my heart is crying out over what was lost one year ago and rejoicing over what God has created now.  Such a sacred and beautiful dance.  He alone is holy.

 

We can't tell you how excited we are about this little boy's name!  In the past, we have always had a girl name and a boy name ready to go when we found out.  It seemed like such an easy transition, knowing them and naming who they were to be.

This time around was completely different.  We just didn't not have a boy name, we didn't even have boy names we liked!  So, we had to start praying and digging deep and listening to what God might want this child to be named.

After we narrowed it down a little, we starting researching the names and their meanings.  Asher means "blessed or happy."  He is one of Jacob's twelve sons in Genesis, also being one of the twelve tribes of Israel.  There are not a whole lot of passages regarding this son, but we really liked what we could find. Here is just one...

"And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.  Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." Deut. 33:24

You know I had to research that a little further and here is what I came up with:

*"acceptable" in Hebrew is "ratson" which means to be pleased with or delighted.  Asher in the Bible was in perfect unity and harmony with the other tribes.

*the reference to dipping his foot in oil means that the land his tribe dwelled on was very fertile and abundant (he had a literal abundance of oil)

*the reference to shoes of iron and brass means that he is strong and impregnable...as if built of iron and brass...his life is one of security and rest

*he was known for his renowned wisdom

*he was an example of a virtuous man who strived for the general good

After discovering all this, Asher just seemed to fit. 

A middle name was even harder.  We considered a few things and finally settled on Tate.  It means "cheerful."  We are basically naming this boy "Happy Cheerful."  A double portion of joy for sure.  Eli smiled all over himself when we told him that Asher means blessed or happy.  He grinned so big I couldn't find his eyes and then he said, "I am so happy we are naming him happy!"

One year ago presented sorrow.  Today I present you a double portion of joy...Asher Tate.  His name is Asher and we want him to know he carries God's blessing in his very name.

God brings grace and restoration to all things.  Lord, continue to give us eyes to see!