After I posted a picture on facebook, an old college buddy commented "Awesome photo Key!" I "heart" that nickname! It's my all time favorite. There's a story behind it...but that's for another blog! :)
While teaching some super sweet girls to knit, I was reminded of my Middle School nicknames: Burlap Becky and (drops head in shame) Hurricane Becky. The former was because of my insane stitching skills with embroidery floss on the burlap we were using in Home Ec. Fun times. ....and I'm sure I don't remember why I was nicknamed for a terrible storm - unless it's referring to my early gifting for creating clutter.
Names are meaningful. If someone were to call me Hurricane Becky, I'd be immediately tempted to be filled with shame, and even if they were joking, my feelings might be hurt & when my Grandmother called out "Rebecca Sue!!!" I knew I was in deep doo doo (...probably for creating a hurricane of a mess).
Names like nicknames have to do with reputation. When I heard that a little Kinder had a former colleague of mine for her teacher, I knew she was in incredibly capable hands and was having a great Kindergarten experience - just because I heard my colleague's name.
Then there's the name drop. Yeah, we've all done it! It can be fun. :)
I was recently asked how I wanted my name to appear on a certificate. Struggling with it, I chose to have "Becca" put on the certificate (like Cher). Being in the awkward position of being separated and not yet divorced, part of me wanted to avoid the confusion and hurt all together.
Becca is a nick name someone very dear began calling me about the time in college when I was beginning to REALLY own my faith and committing to the journey of putting myself under Christ's lordship - being known as His.
When I hear her, or other dear friends call me by that name, my heart is flooded with the fun of Christ's love, the sweetest of mercy covers me, and I am aware of the intensity of Abba's never-ending commitment to me. The friend who first started calling me Becca knows me like no one else- flaws and all, and yet she loves me to pieces like Jesus does.
If I had chosen my maiden name for the certificate, I would feel like I was erasing or turning my back on all of the *meaningful* suffering, joy and growth that happened because of my marriage to Kip. Since Becca is a form of the name my parents gave me, I didn't feel like I was dissing the family name by not including it.
Yet, at the same time, I felt that if I had chosen to have my married name on the certificate, it would mean that I was holding on to the doormat version of me who didn't realize her worth to the Prince of Peace who conquered fear.
In looking for a particular story about a name, I went to Biblegateway.com and entered in the search term "name". I was floored at all the different ways names are used in scripture. ...and I wish I had all day to delve further into it, but here's a short summary:
Genesis - Adam's first job was to name God's creation. What an honor!! There were references to reputation and lineage, and the names themselves are often significant. Especially when they are changed. Jacob changed to Israel after wrestling with God. Abram changed to Abraham after receiving the promised God had made so many years before.
Then there's this:
There's power and safety in the name of our Lord. The sick are healed with just the mention of Jesus' name. (Now *that's* a name drop worth repeating endlessly!)
...and this:
Matthew 5:22
New International Version (NIV)
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[a][b] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[c] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Then names we call each other matter. It is how we know that we are known.
John 20 - I might not respond with love if I were called "woman", but I'm hoping that "woman" is how they used to say "ma'am" back then! Even still, just look at what happens when Jesus uses her name. Isn't being known beautiful?
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Becca seemed the best fit for my certificate as a way of honoring the core of my identity...the unchanging part characterized by the newness that is constantly generated because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
While teaching some super sweet girls to knit, I was reminded of my Middle School nicknames: Burlap Becky and (drops head in shame) Hurricane Becky. The former was because of my insane stitching skills with embroidery floss on the burlap we were using in Home Ec. Fun times. ....and I'm sure I don't remember why I was nicknamed for a terrible storm - unless it's referring to my early gifting for creating clutter.
Names are meaningful. If someone were to call me Hurricane Becky, I'd be immediately tempted to be filled with shame, and even if they were joking, my feelings might be hurt & when my Grandmother called out "Rebecca Sue!!!" I knew I was in deep doo doo (...probably for creating a hurricane of a mess).
Names like nicknames have to do with reputation. When I heard that a little Kinder had a former colleague of mine for her teacher, I knew she was in incredibly capable hands and was having a great Kindergarten experience - just because I heard my colleague's name.
Then there's the name drop. Yeah, we've all done it! It can be fun. :)
I was recently asked how I wanted my name to appear on a certificate. Struggling with it, I chose to have "Becca" put on the certificate (like Cher). Being in the awkward position of being separated and not yet divorced, part of me wanted to avoid the confusion and hurt all together.
Becca is a nick name someone very dear began calling me about the time in college when I was beginning to REALLY own my faith and committing to the journey of putting myself under Christ's lordship - being known as His.
When I hear her, or other dear friends call me by that name, my heart is flooded with the fun of Christ's love, the sweetest of mercy covers me, and I am aware of the intensity of Abba's never-ending commitment to me. The friend who first started calling me Becca knows me like no one else- flaws and all, and yet she loves me to pieces like Jesus does.
If I had chosen my maiden name for the certificate, I would feel like I was erasing or turning my back on all of the *meaningful* suffering, joy and growth that happened because of my marriage to Kip. Since Becca is a form of the name my parents gave me, I didn't feel like I was dissing the family name by not including it.
Yet, at the same time, I felt that if I had chosen to have my married name on the certificate, it would mean that I was holding on to the doormat version of me who didn't realize her worth to the Prince of Peace who conquered fear.
In looking for a particular story about a name, I went to Biblegateway.com and entered in the search term "name". I was floored at all the different ways names are used in scripture. ...and I wish I had all day to delve further into it, but here's a short summary:
Genesis - Adam's first job was to name God's creation. What an honor!! There were references to reputation and lineage, and the names themselves are often significant. Especially when they are changed. Jacob changed to Israel after wrestling with God. Abram changed to Abraham after receiving the promised God had made so many years before.
Then there's this:
Proverbs 18:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs into it and is [a]safe.
...and this:
Matthew 5:22
New International Version (NIV)
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[a][b] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[c] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Then names we call each other matter. It is how we know that we are known.
John 20 - I might not respond with love if I were called "woman", but I'm hoping that "woman" is how they used to say "ma'am" back then! Even still, just look at what happens when Jesus uses her name. Isn't being known beautiful?
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Becca seemed the best fit for my certificate as a way of honoring the core of my identity...the unchanging part characterized by the newness that is constantly generated because of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
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