Question 1: Samuel's name

There are a few common questions that people have asked in the last few days.  I wanted to write a few posts about the most common ones.

First off, Samuel's name...

Choosing our children's names has been a very special thing for Phil and me.  Our desire is that their names point to Jesus.  We hope that their lives reflect Jesus because of a personal relationship with Him.  Also, we truly enjoy the opportunities that God brings us to explain the meanings of their names with others, thus talking about our Savior.

I will try and keep this short, but here's an explanation for each child's name:  Lily literally reminds us of Easter.  My favorite holiday has been Easter for as long as I can remember.  I always loved the song....  He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.... When Phil and I were dating or engaged, we had talked about the name Lily and knew it would be our first daughter's name.  Isabella means Consecrated to God.  Phoebe Gabrielle together means Radiant Messenger of God.  Her name points us to a different holiday - Christmas!  The picture that comes to mind with Phoebe's name for me is the host of angels proclaiming God's birth announcement of His Son.  Titus Crosby means Defender of the Cross.  When I was pregnant with him, I remember listening to Lead me to the Cross over and over and over as a special way to emotionally connect with God and my son I was carrying.

We wanted to continue that with Samuel as well.  Samuel, in the Bible, was called by name by God.  Reynold was Phil's grandpa's name and also means king.  Together, his name is a reflection of what actually happens when we become sons and daughters of God - we become royalty!  It is quite awesome that by placing our faith in Christ alone to save us that we can have the righteousness of Jesus placed on us.  It's also quite awesome that the salvation from sin that Christ offers is a free gift to us.  Called by God to freely become royalty.

Lily loves to tell people the "second meaning of his name."  She says that Hannah prayed for a son and God gave her what she asked for and we prayed for an adopted child and God gave us what we asked for.  She just is tickled pink that the little one we prayed for is named Samuel!  :)

So far, I mostly call him Sammy.  Last night, I started thinking about the spelling.  I wonder how to spell Sammy...  Sammie... Sammi... Sami.... Samy... (the last to look like Sommy and Same-y so those two don't make a lot of sense.  Sammi kind of looks girl...)

Ok - well, I need to make supper so other question posts will have to wait.