As soon as we learned we were expecting our first child, I started searching for the perfect name. I scoured books and movie credits and magazine articles for name ideas (this was before the internet was one’s first source for information— how ever did we survive?). I came up with a girl name fairly easily. It seemed there weren’t as many boy options that Brad and I could even agree to consider. We didn’t want anything too trendy, and it seemed one of us (mainly me) had an aversion to many others.
We finally setttled on Brandon Elias. At the time, Brandon was simply a name we both liked, but there was more to that story than we realized. We chose Elias because it went well with Brandon, and it means “Jehovah is God.”
To know the rest of the story, you must know that Brad’s father passed away when Brad was 12. After Brandon was born, Brad’s uncle made a comment about us naming our firstborn after the name of the elementary school where Brad’s father was principal when he died. Brad had forgotten about the name of the school, but this information made his name much more special. Within months of Brandon’s birth, we learned that the school was being closed. We were able to visit that spring and even met several employees who remembered Brad’s father.
Brandon has really grown and matured in his faith the past couple years. When he was younger, he was pretty stubborn and outspoken, even when it was in his best interest not to be. He spent many extra minutes in time out in his room because he wouldn’t stop talking back. The last time his Daddy spanked him for misbehavior, he had the gall to turn around and state “That didn’t hurt!”.
When Brandon was 8 we started the adoption process, and he was not a fan. He didn’t want another sibling, and he especially didn’t want a brother! As it turns out, many of the foster situations and many of the waiting children in Alabama were school-aged boys, which was too close for comfort for Brandon. Our first foster placement was a toddler girl who was a legal risk placement who we thought we would be able to adopt. She was fussing one day and someone said she must want her Mama (referring to me), and Brandon quickly responded, “That’s not her Mama.” A couple weeks later, however, she was crying while I was stuck on a phone call. I overheard Brandon comforting her by telling her that Mama would be right there. Slowly as God worked in his life, I saw his heart softening to the idea of having a sibling who was not related to us biologically. It wasn’t long after we brought Simon home that I saw how much Brandon had truly embraced his new brother. It was their relationship that was the most precious and unexpected gift for me.
Brandon truly seeks to grow in his faith and study his Bible. I have seen so much evidence of his growing relationship with God in his life: he is respectful and seeks ways to serve. He is diligent with his schoolwork (and happens to be one of the smartest people I know). He runs cross country, and while he isn’t a naturally fast runner, he continues to improve and attends meets and practices without complaint, even in the hottest part of the summer. He shows patience with his youngest siblings at an age most teens would have no tolerance for a pesky baby brother and sister. He sets a good example for all 4 of his younger siblings. Brandon doesn’t worry about what others may think. He doesn’t care anything about being cool. With him, you just take it or leave it. He is simply not ashamed.
With that in mind, I chose Brandon’s verse to be Romans 1:16
No comments:
Post a Comment