Tuesday, July 26, 2005
A Grandad's Sense About His Grandson's Name
Joshua Caleb Medwedyk, my fourth Grandchild, entered the world noisily and healthily on Friday, July 8, 2005 at about 7:30 a.m.He was cute at birth as you can see better in my July 27th post. I find this sometimes is abnormal with brand-new babies …whether boys or girls. For example, Shawna, Joshua's mother and our only daughter, had a distinctly yellow, prune-like countenance at birth because she was a little jaundiced.
Joshua is also an even-tempered child and easy to care for. He lies lazily in one's arms or his crib dozing and smacking his lips, contentedly like a little kitten, much of the time. Shawna's breast-feeding ability has a lot to do with this. (A newborn receiving lots of colostrum, early mother's milk, statistically does better than formula-fed babies.) Our family's collective love for him is a big plus also. Joshua's four-year-old brother and two sisters, aged two and six, maul him regularly with hugs and kisses like bear cubs playing with a sibling. The rest of us adults in the family do the same, but, more gently.
Shawna and Jim, the baby's father, had only picked a girl's name, Rebecca, as their child's birth-date approached. This caused them some concern because they were unable to decide on a boy's name and felt one might be needed about half way through Shawna's pregnancy. In a contrary way, Karen and I went to the hospital for Shawna's birth equipped only with that name. In retrospect, we realized we were totally unconcerned and felt secure one was unneeded.
Once while praying for my growing Grandchild, I had the sense that the child was another boy. As I had the gender thought, I also felt impressed by the name 'Joshua'.
I shared my story with my daughter in a very low-key way. She told Jim. And, in due course, Joshua became the name if we had a boy. Caleb was added as his middle name because of the Biblical connection between these two heroes of ancient Israel.
Holy Spirit hid my Grandson's gender to the very end. Shawna had two ultrasounds during her pregnancy. She and Jim intentionally had asked not to be told the gender of any of their earlier children. This time they asked. However, the unborn baby's groin area, was obscured throughout every ultrasound.
Did I hear from God about my Grandson's gender and the name he should be given? Does God even care about such things? I want to believe the former but I cannot know for sure. I can be sure of the latter, however.
We each are precious to our heavenly Father. For His written word to us, the Bible, says:
"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts towards me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You." (Psalms 139:13-18 )
Shawna also was not surprised. Near the end of her pregnancy, she knew that she knew that Joshua was on the way!
Now It's Your Turn!: Have you ever had a "sixth sense" about something? Do you think we can hear from our heavenly Father? (My 'Comment Section', in which you can share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "Comments" immediately below this post.)
Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking the link in my sidebar on the left.)
