Married Names...They Matter

Olivia was talking about getting her name changed now that she is married.

You know what,  there is a lot to that, and I don't just mean a lot of red tape I mean there is a lot of meaning and honor to it.

This isn't a post about the right or the wrong of changing your name when you are  married it's just my take on it.

A name is a  huge thing.

I mean look at all the time and thought people put into picking a name for their child.

Last names mean a lot too.

We all know the thoughts we have when we hear someone's last name.

An image, good or bad comes to our mind.

We wonder if they are related to the Gray's that we know,  and so we say, who are your parents or we say are you related, to Mark or Kelly or whoever?

Whenever Mark does a wedding ceremony he always  mentions the fact that the groom is giving his bride his name.

He says it's one of the greatest things he can offer her.

Isn't that so true?

Your name is one of the most valuable things you own and to trust someone else with it s a great risk so when he offers it he is showing you how much he trusts you and he really is paying you a great honor.

I know it's becoming popular for girls to keep their last name and I'm not here to say they shouldn't do that, but I'll tell you why I'm glad I took Mark's name.

First of all
 in the Bible, names were a huge deal.

They meant a lot.

Now what I'm about to say you are going to have to have some grace on me with, I'm no Bible scholar and I'm not saying this is what the text is saying, I'm just saying it's one of the things that popped into my mind when I read it.

In Luke chapter 16 we read the well known story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

I always think about how Lazarus had a name but the rich man didn't.

I mean he had one but it isn't given.

I thought about how the Bible says that those that belong to Christ have their name written in the Lambs Book of Life.

I always wonder if the reason the rich man's name wasn't given, is because it wasn't written.

Can you imagine what it's going to be like to hear your name called on that great day and it's not going to matter if there are ten thousand other Kelly Gray's, I have a feeling I'm going to know when it's me.

Names mean everything, they did then and they do now, so that's one reason I think names are of great value but there are more reasons than that.

Another reason I'm glad I took his name when he offered it, is because it made us the same.

I know we live in a time when we are so encouraged to go after our dreams, to be all we want to be and we're told not to let marriage get in the way.  We're told that a strong marriage made up of two independent, capable, confident people can both seek their own dream and should be able to wind up at the same destination.

That might sound good in theory and it might work occasionally but it isn't the norm.

For two people to wind up in the same place they have to have the same destination in mind.

They are going to have to have the same dream to start with or someone is going to have to catch the vision of the other one, then they are going to have to buckle down and start the journey.

Sharing a name is a precious thing.

It connects you.

Before you got married did you sit and write what your new last name would be?

 I did, I wrote Kelly Gray....... I wrote Mrs. Mark  Gray..... I wrote Mr and Mrs Mark Gray.

I wanted to be Kelly Gray.

I wanted to build a name with him.

So back to what Mark says at weddings, when  a man offers you his name,  he is offering you the most valuable thing he has.

It's worth more than  diamonds, or houses or farms.

So when he offers it to you, take it, and value it,  protect it and make it all it can be, because he can pay you no greater honor.

It's not about him being more than you or better than you it's about you being one with him and it's a beautiful thing and you don't want to miss it.