They Call You What???

What's in a name? Have you ever given much thought to your name or your parent's names? I've always loved my name but I've had friends who not only hate their name, they change it. They say it doesn't fit. Very rarely do I meet someone and say "you just don't look like a Bob". Seems like somehow, we miraculously end up fitting our name. My full name is Rebekah Joy. My mom wanted to call me Joy. There was one period of time right before I got married, I decided to go by Rebekah. I started a new job and they asked me "what do you want to be called?" I thought "ooohhh a chance for a different name, new start... I'll change my FULL name!" Most people at that time knew me as Joy Corbin. While working there, I became Rebekah Thomas. My sister at one point called (no cell phones then haha) and asked for Joy Corbin, they told her no one by that name worked there. I learned something very important - somehow, there is part of your identity wrapped up in your name. This may be old news to many of you but for me I really didn't think it mattered what I was called. After that, I've always told people up front "I go by Joy". It's part of who I am... literally haha Recently this topic came up in conversation with a friend. I mentioned my aunt Bonnie was actually named Nellie Ruth and my aunt Nell was actually named Bonnie Nell. My dad had 12 siblings so we always joked that my Mawmaw just ran out of names and started using initials. My uncle JL was call Bo and my Uncle F.B. was called Buck. To this day we don't know if there were actually names with the initials. My dad only had a first name. Why is all of this coming up??? Well, I'm a new grandma and the first thing people say here in the south is "what is your grandmother name?"
Say What?
I've always been "Joy", I've never had to PICK a name... who makes these things up??? So, how hard can it be right??? I mean, just pick a name. Ha, are you kidding??? Most people have this cute lil name that just FITS them. We've called My sister Cindy Lou all her life so her Grandma name is "Lou Lou". Another friend is Kristie so she's "KK".
Me???
No one could pick one. Not me, not the kids... just couldn't find one that fit. One day Micah tells Lily "go to your Grand... person... Lady...
And there it was "GrandLady"
GrandLady stuck. There was something about it that made me feel unique, different, elegant even. I've had some funny responses for sure! One friend said "It sounds so elegant... and you're not" HAHA I totally get that but maybe that's why I like it. It's like this call to royalty. My kids have been calling me GrandLady, knowing our sweet Lily would probably not be able to say GrandLady. What is she calling me???
YeYe
Ya know what... I'm here for it!

We had a sweet precious lil grand number 3 born last week!!! She is AMAZING of course!!!!! What is her name???
Jubilee Ada!!!!
What a sweet declaration of God's love!!!
This sweet little one is "adorned" with "celebration of Joy"!!!!!
She is so loved!!!!

What is in a name??? To me, it is so much more than what you are called. It holds a piece of who you are. SO MANY Biblical accounts of God changing a persons name because they were no longer who they once were. Look at all of the names associated with GOD!!!! So powerful!!!!
Years ago we had a pastor who would greet me with this question every time he would see me "are you living up to your name?"
It really made me think...

What about you? What does your name mean and are you living up to it? Ya know, it's ok to change it... if God did it then I think you're ok :)