Abeletham Jaycarl Smith

When Trevor and Tawnya set out to name Abeletham , their fifth child and second, son, they took on the honor with blessed assurance, yet under shifting sands. For them, giving a child a name sends them forth on  an adventure of individuality, yet wrapped in the lineage of their ancestors and packed with a reservoir of meaning that is intended to last generations. If done right, this gift, will  know, who he is and who’s he is.

When thinking, in expectation of the birth of this gift, Trevor had been focused on names of Scottish Gaelic descent. And, although many of those names are long, most lacked the syllabic depth now required for a TNT baby. Similarly, Tawnya had been renewed by the Biblical names both she and Trevor talked of back in their pre-marriage years. Dialing up names which all attention to the gift he is to them. Many of those so loved names did not fit within the “A” restraints, nor left a masculine bookend. So the couple sorted out a list that contained variants of Scottish Gaelic names and Biblical proper nouns that, by themselves, would never have been complete enough, but possibly when blended produced an aroma of completeness, packed with meaning fitting of their new son.

Abeletham

Abel,  second born son. God looked with favor on him and when he  brings an offering before God, only the best will do. Abel, meaning a breath, the vary breath of life, which God started and parents pass forward, Doctors worried his lungs would be weak, but did not understand Abeletham has the breath of life, the gift of God, in him.The wisdom of man is foolishness to God.

Eth, the air and invisible heavens, is not see, measure  or felt, but connects the physical world, giving structure to decentralized , fragmented systems. finds function with Etham.

Etham means helper, which is represented in both boys names. Their desire for their sons is to be  helpers, to each other, to family, to elders and the lost sheep of Israel.  The place, Etham in the Bible, which the Egyptians called a wall or fortress, gives the name a meaning of strength, firmness, and protection..  When Israel fled Egypt, finding Etham a unwitting  safe harbour and point of decision. The Intuition from God will serve him well in the world he is inheriting, a turbulent, rudderless time, but their prayer is for him to use what has been given, for good.

Ham not only makes up the suffix to Graham, Trevor’s middle name, but also denotes warmth, and home, a fitting place to end Abeletham.

Jaycarl

Jay: named after his granddad, Darryl Jay and his great grandfather, Lloyd Jay.  Jay is also short for James.  James chapter 1 addresses the fact that “every good and perfect gift is from above.”  From the day she found out she was expecting , Tawnya’s thoughts were on how gracious God is and that this child is clearly a blessing and a good gift from Him.

Carl: named after “Papa,” his great grandfather, Carl Graham Jr. as well as his great-great grandfather Carl Graham Sr.  The name means free man, strong man, and farmer, which is very much who Papa is, and if only he followed the role model of his Papa, they could not ask for more.

And thus, this couple have, sought to assign a name that represents who his is for them today, a gift, a second son, and who he will be, a brother, a helper and one who continues a family legacy. Never forgetting who’s he is. A gift from God, endowed with intuition, firmness of conviction and a deep breath of life.