What's In A Name?

What’s In A Name?!

I’ve never really thought about my name.  Shelby.  It was given to me at birth and I have been perfectly happy with it throughout my life but never gave much thought as to what it meant.  I remember one time vaguely being invited to a friend’s house for a luncheon & Bible study. Nicely placed at each place setting was a name card that displayed our birth given name and the meaning of our name.  At which time apparently made no impact on me until now looking back realizing that I should have paid more attention when God was possibly showing me something in His plan He would have for me, that would bring me to today...His Plan for me that is much greater than I could have ever imagined. 

As I stated, it never came to light for me until a few weeks back when I was proudly discussing (as I do on a daily basis with anyone that will listen) Evan and Angeline and the adoption journey, that God has placed me on, did I learn the meaning of my name.  A dear colleague asked me how the process was going and I’m sure before he even had the sentence out of his mouth I was going 90 to nothing about these two little ones God has placed on my heart, interrupting he said, “ you do know what your name means don’t you?”  Of course I’m sure I had the dear in the headlight look as I responded sheepishly with my reply, “no”!  He proceeded to tell me that he loved the name Shelby and it was his daughters name and it meant:  SHELTERED OR A PLACE WHERE WILLOWS GROW. 

Wow-it gave me chills!  Oh how God is so in control!  Shelby = Sheltered!  And God knew before I was born that I would become a shelter for two Haitian children.  Oh what a beautiful picture in my mind.  Thank you God for choosing me to be a shelter for Evan and Angeline!

Then of course I went on to research the meaning of Evan:  GOD IS GRACIOUS! 

Oh how perfect!!  Just one more confirmation of how gracious God has been and is to me and now it’s even revealed in Evan’s namesake.  Can’t paint a more clear picture than that!   We as people are always asking God to speak to us and then get frustrated if we don’t feel He answers, (or maybe get the answer we want from Him).  We have to do our part in being aware and responsive to His answers.  Thank you God for making this one as plain as day for me!!

And of course I couldn’t stop there so the little research project was completed by discovering the meaning of Angeline:  MESSENGER OR ANGEL!  My sweet Angeline!!  Yup!  Once again, God nailed it!  What a perfect way for God to present to me His little Haitian daughter he is entrusting to me!!!  Every family needs a sweet angel to round out the family.  Thank you God once again for your many blessings and walking me through this journey of adoption!    

SEA of Sorrow - My Daddy

My first blog journaling my adoption process was posted, SEA of Emotions, on Thursday, August 25; at which time I knew the name was perfect because God had revealed it to me but I did not know that on that very day I would experience the most SEA of Sorrow to date, in my young life, that I have ever experienced.  Just shortly after posting, I learned my daddy had suddenly passed away of a heart attack...and the SEA of Emotions flood gates were opened!  I can’t even begin to explain how losing my daddy has made me feel.  I am selfishly sad for me and feel the hole that it has left in my heart but I am rejoicing with him as he is at peace and celebrating with Jesus.    Once again God has shown me His faithfulness and given me comfort and peace during my time of sorrow and loss.  Part of the healing process for me is clinging on the precious and heartfelt memories I have of my daddy and the most reassuring piece of it all is that because of God’s Promise I will see my daddy again! 
We’ve all heard the saying that adversity builds character but I believe that adversity does not build character, it reveals character!  My prayer is that God’s character shines through me during this loss and mourning of the passing of this great man of his earthly life, my daddy.

I am so happy that I had the chance to tell my daddy about Evan and Angeline before he went to meet his Heavenly Father; conversation went something like this.  Me:  “How do you feel about having Haitian grandchildren”? 
Daddy:  “I would love any children you might choose to raise, I think that is wonderful and if there is something I can do to help just let me know”.  That’s my daddy! J
I love you daddy!
Your punkin little  

SEA of Emotions

For a couple of weeks now I have been convicted to journal the process of bringing Gods children, Evan and Angeline home so that we would be a FAMILY! 

Today I will begin to document publically the adoption process of my precious little ones living now in Haiti...Please join me in prayer to have them home sooner rather than later!  And yes Lord, I know it’s all in YOUR TIMING!

Here are just a couple of the reasons (excuses) why I had not started to journal on the day I felt the tugging on my heart.  I logged into blogspot.com several times to set up an account and when it asked me what I wanted to name my blog, I would log off.

1.       I could not for the life of me decide what to call my blog.  Oh yeah, it’s not about me!! Hence the praying began about the naming of my blog and God gave me the answer today!  SEA of Emotions.  Perfect Lord!  And, thank you!!  SEA is an acronym for Shelby, Evan, and Angeline.  And of course, Emotions is self-explanatory!!  I love it that the first initial of our names, in birth order, spells SEA.  All fitting and relevant in that: 

v  We live SEAs apart but God still found a way to bring our hearts together

v  The definition of SEA is: A relatively large landlocked body of fresh water completely or partially enclosed by land and ironically these dear children are deprived every single day of drinking water (and food).  Yes, sadly enough I reiterate, they do not have food and water every day.  This will all change when they are in their new home. 

2.      I have been purging, cleaning and preparing my home for my two children to arrive.  I am condensing “my stuff” from 3 bedrooms to one bedroom as the others will be occupied by my angels.

3.      I am a freak about social media, fb, twitter, etc...and who might be reading my posts, yada yada but why should I care,  I want to shout it from the mountain tops, PRAISE GOD!   I want the world to see what my God can and is doing!!

I cannot tell you exactly when this journey started, only God knows that but I will give you some pivotal moments in my life and more so the events that have taken place since about August 2010 when God started preparing my heart for a trip that would change my life forever; that trip took me Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  (Also, known by me as Heaven on Earth) I will journal backwards to catch you up on all of the detailed events that have taken place and once we are all caught up to date (and excitedly I get to relive all of those wonderful moments again), than I will continue to journal as our SEA voyage continues until the day they are in their forever home on earth.  I love you Evan and Angeline!