Memorial Box Monday: The Name

One day late due to technical difficulties . . .

It's time to share another story, and place another treasure in our Memorial Box. For my full scoop on what a Memorial Box is see this post, which will also link you to my friend Linny's blog . . . which is where Memorial Box Monday got it's start!

Today's story ~ The Name

The name story is not something that happened in a day's time, or even over a couple of days or weeks, but one that unfolded over the span of about eight years . . .

In 1999 our family returned to Okinawa, Japan for a second three year tour. We had lived there previously from 1987 to 1990, this beautiful island also happened to be the place of my sweet Taylor girl's birth. Shortly after moving back to Oki, I remember running into a lady in the base photo shop (this was back in the days of film developing). The lady, a stranger to me, was joyously flashing a tiny baby picture around for anyone who would care to look. She had just received an adoption referral, and she was at the photo shop to make copies of this little image of her soon to be child. She was so proud! As I looked at this lady's tiny picture full of promise I remember asking the Lord, "Is this why You brought us back here (to Okinawa)?" It was in that moment that the Lord planted the seed of adoption in my heart, and so the story goes . . .

Shortly after the photo shop event took place, a new friend asked me something about one of my children's names, this in turn led to me to thumb through my baby names book. It was then that I came across The Name.

Theadora. Teddi.

"Gift of God".

(This ornament will represent our "Teddi" gift!)

Hmmm, I thought, "That would be the perfect name for an adopted child." A gift.

So I began to pray, asking the Lord if adoption was His plan for our lives. It didn't take long for Him to begin to answer. A couple of weeks later, while entering into the door of our new church building, I stopped to read a flyer taped to the glass. The flyer was promoting an upcoming conference, it included the names of the pastors who would be coming from mainland Japan to lead the conference . . . Ron & Teddy Sawka. Wow. Teddy. Did I just read that? This was my first confirmation from the Lord! Some may wonder how the Lord "speaks". This is how. The flyer was not a coincidence. Hearing Him does not necessarily mean hearing a voice. Often times you will see with your eyes, and know in your heart when the Lord "speaks". I've learned to listen with my eyes and to hear with my heart. It's a sweet, sweet sound.

Thus began an eight year long dialogue with the Lord. I prayed, and I journaled a little. Sometimes adoption would consume my thoughts for days, and sometimes months would pass before I would once again ask, "Lord, is this still Your plan?" I must tell you that the Lord was way less slack in His response time than was I. When I asked, he'd answer, always within a day or two. The answer always came in some form of Theadora or Teddy or Theadore . . . and it came creatively . . .

I volunteered in a thrift store for a couple of years and part of my duties was sorting clothes. The name 'Teddi" would show up on labels, it was a women's clothing line. That always made my heart smile.

Time would pass and I would pray again about adopting, and within a day I'd run across the name in a magazine article, or in an email (once about Teddy Roosevelt). I continued to ask the Lord, and on one occasion opened a mail flyer that was advertising classes being given at the base Art's & Craft center. The instructor? Teddi. A coincidence? Nope.

I remember asking the Lord again, one summer while visiting my mom in Michigan. "Is this really still Your plan?" I was growing ever more impatient-- the years were passing by. C'mon Lord, one more time. As the story goes . . . my mom didn't live out in no man's land, but let's just say it was rural, very rural. The day after I prayed we were out and about driving, when what to my wondering eyes should appear? A sleigh? No, but would you believe a big truck? Make that a big truck with Teddy written on the side of it. "Teddy's Meats" to be exact. I've always said the Lord knows when we need big signs. That was the biggest.

There were newspaper articles, and a street sign: Theo Avenue. Seriously, it's here in San Antonio. The Lord also used books and magazines to reveal her name as if nudging me to keep praying!

For years, this on again, off again dialogue with the Lord continued. Finally on the morning of February 13, 2007, as I sat still before the Lord (oh how hard it is to be still) I heard with my heart, these precious words, "She's on her way." Ohhhh yes! Could this wait be coming to an end? That same night, after tucking Brogan in, I decided to make handmade Valentine's for my family . . .

Tick-tock, tick-tock . . . and 2:oo a.m. found me sitting on the couch surrounded by paper scraps and glue sticks . . . scissors . . . cut up magazines . . . and eventually love letters for my family. I had the television on just for noise. (Funny how as a busy mama you crave quiet, but will then leave a T.V. on "just for the noise"). Anyway, a real estate infomercial had come on, and what caused me to look up I do not know (well yeah, I guess I do). On the screen were the names of the husband and wife real estate team, and guess what the wife's name was? Mmmhmm. Teddi. My heart leaped again!

Valentines . . . Infomercials . . . Realtors . . . and the words, "She's on her way". God had spoken a promise and then backed it up at 2:00 a.m. That is sooooo God!

A couple more months passed, and God sent yet one more big sign . . . I was sitting in a darkened theatre waiting for the movie Pursuit of Happyn*ss to start. As I got comfortable in my seat I pondered the uniqueness of names. In the middle of my thought, and I do mean smack in the middle, I looked up at the screen to see the producers name coming across in big letters, moving slowly from the right side of the screen to the left . . . and my eyes read . . . Teddy Z! Ooooooh the Lord speaks very loudly in words sometimes--we just need to be praying and watching!

Spring of 2007 had arrived and I was nearing the eight year mark of praying and waiting faithfully. I had learned so much about trust, and about God's timing. On June 11th I received an email from rainbowkids.com, it contained a list of special needs children awaiting adoption in China. It was in this email that the Lord revealed Teddi's face to us. The very next day, on June 12, 2007, we began the journey to our Theadora Fu Xiao. He provided all that we needed to bring our baby girl home.

"Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens.

Remember the great reward it brings you. Patient endurance is what you need now,

so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised."

~ Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT

Next week I will share the unbelievable way that the Lord wrapped up His promise in China!

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina