Ten Bible Baby Names You May Have Overlooked

My newest grandson, Landon

The Bible has always contained a wealth of inspiration for baby names, and people have been taking advantage of it for hundreds of years.  

Take Michael, which has been on the list of top baby names for decades, and was still at number 14 in 2013.  

Bible names in the top 20 for boys in 2013 included Noah, Ethan, Jacob, Benjamin, Michael, Caleb, Lucas, and for girls, Abigail.

If you're a Bible-loving Christian,you may turn to God's Word for inspiration in naming your baby, or you may just love the sound and meaning of Bible names.

Here are 10 Bible names you may have overlooked in your search, but they're definitely worthy of consideration:

In the 2010 Iranian movie "The Kingdom of Solomon," Adonijah is the character on the left

Adonijah

Adonijah was a son of King David.   The name Adonijah means "The Lord is my master."

My reason for including it on this list? I just think it sounds cool, especially if you're not afraid of long names. :)

Asher

Asher was one of the twelve sons of Jacob in the Bible.

I first became aware of it as a modern given name back in the 70's, when Chaim Potok's book My Name is Asher Lev was published.

From Wikipedia:

The book's protagonist is Asher Lev, a Hasidic Jewish boy in New York City. Asher is a loner with artistic inclinations. His art, however, causes conflicts with his family and other members of his community. The book follows Asher's maturity as both an artist and a Jew.

More recently, My Name is Asher Lev has been staged as an off-Broadway play.

I've heard it mentioned more lately as a potential baby name, perhaps partly because of the popularity of names like Ashton.

Benaiah

Benaiah was a pretty awesome person in the Bible.  The meaning of his name is "Yahweh builds up."

This from Wikipedia:

(Benaiah) was the son of the priest Jehoiada and David's general for the army of the Kingdom of Israel and his chief bodyguard (2 Samuel 23:20). The stories of him follow that he once killed an Egyptian with the Egyptian's own spear and a club. He was also said to have killed a lion in a snowy pit.
He was one of David's "mighty men" (1 Chronicles 27:6) who commanded the Cherethites and Pelethites. He was renowned for his heroism.

Interestingly, Benaiah was responsible for executing Adonijah after Adonijah was involved in a revolt.

The Biblical character of Benaiah  is the protagonist in Cliff Graham's book, Day of War, pictured above. I haven't read it, but several reviewers on amazon.com give it high praise and say it's faithful to the Biblical story.

Damaris

From Ohbabynames:

A lot of people are unaware of the fact that Damaris is a Biblical name. She appears briefly in the New Testament (Acts of the Apostles 17:34) as a woman who listened to the Apostle Paul give a thundering speech in Athens to the pagan Athenians, preaching Jesus and the Resurrection.

While many of the Athenians mocked the resurrection of the dead; others were eager to hear more. Damaris is specifically mentioned as a woman who “joined [Paul] and believed”.

What’s noteworthy about the recording of Damaris’s name in the New Testament is that it provides evidence of her high-standing and education (not many women were invited to speeches given at the Areopagus in Athens circa 50 A.D.).

You can choose how you want to pronounce it.  The name has turned up as DAM-aris, Da-MARE-is, and Da-MAHR-is.

Suspense writer Victoria Holt, who also wrote as Phillippa Carr, included characters named Damaris in Kirkland Revels and The Song of the Siren.  


Damaris Carbaugh, pictured above, is a Christian singer who sometimes sings with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  She was named after Damaris in the Bible.

Hadassah

Hadassah is the Hebrew form of the name Esther.  The name can be interepreted to mean either "compassion" or "myrtle tree."

I had heard of the name, but it really came into focus for me when I read Francine Rivers' incredible Mark of the Lion series.  Hadassah is a main character.  She's pictured above on the cover of the first book in the series, A Voice in the Wind.  I highly recommend it.

Actor Jude Law

Judah or Jude

In the book of Genesis, Judah was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, and founder of the tribe of Judah.  The name literally means "thankgiving" or "praise."

From Wikipedia:

Although Judah is only the fourth son of Leah, he is expressly depicted in Genesis as assuming a leadership role among the 10 eldest brothers, including speaking up against killing Joseph, negotiating with his father regarding Joseph's demand that Benjamin be brought down to Egypt, and pleading with Joseph after the latter secretes the silver cup into Benjamin's bag.

Jude was one of the twelve apostles, and also the name of one of Jesus' brothers.   The name has the same meaning as Judah.

Jamin

Jamin is the name of three minor Bible characters.  The first is a son of Simeon, one of Jacob and Leah's sons.

The meaning of the name is "right hand of favor."

According to Wikipedia, the name belongs to American football player  Jamin Elliott (born 1979), American wrestler Jamin Olivencia (born 1985), and American filmmaker, writer, editor and composer Jamin Winans.  

Selah

If you've read the Psalms in the King James Version, you'll have seen this word many times inserted in a psalm.

The word is believed to be either a musical mark, a musical interlude or an instruction to pause and think about what's being said.

The Christian singing group Selah pronounces it "SAY-la."  However, actress Sela Ward was named after the Bible word, and her name is pronounced "SEE-la," so it would be a matter of your preference.

Sheerah

Recently in my Bible reading, this woman's name popped up seemingly out of nowhere in a long genealogy (I Chronicles 7:24). Women aren't often mentioned in Bible geneologies, but the text mentions that she built two towns.

The name means "a song" or "poetry."

From this website:

Sheerah was obviously an influential woman, and probably wealthy. She built and established the towns of Upper and Lower Horon.  These towns were built in a strategic location and went on to have a long history.  Sheerah even built a town that bears her name: Uzzen Sheerah.  She was probably a leader of the towns she established.

Sheerah is just one example of a Bible woman who had a prominent position of authority and influence.  And, as with other Bible women with authority, there is no hint that this was inappropriate or improper, or that anyone had a problem with it.

More about Sheerah here.

 The female names Sherah and Serah are also found in the Bible.

Shiloh

Shiloh is actually a place name in the Bible, but the name Shiloh has been given to both boys and girls.  

From Wikipedia:

In the United States the name has associations with the Southern United States due to the Battle of Shiloh, a battle during the United States Civil War, and to many towns named Shiloh in southern states, which were usually named after the town in the Bible. 

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie named their first biological daughter Shiloh Nouvel.  Men with the name include American actor Shiloh Fernandez and football player Shiloh Keo.

Have you come across, or named your baby, a cool or unique Bible name?  Or do you know of anyone who has these names?  Let me know in my comments!

I'm linking up today with Wake Up Wednesday at Sew Crafty Angel--join the fun!

Getting in touch with my inner watercolorist with Waterlogue

A picture I took of Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago, transformed by Waterlogue

I love watercolor paintings. So when I discovered this handy phone app, Waterlogue, it was a match made in heaven.  

The app transforms simple photos into lovely watercolor paintings.  

I have found that it works best with scenery, and not necessarily people.  It especially doesn't know what to do with lipstick on people, and it comes across as a blob of color on a person's face.

But it's so much fun!  Here are a few more of my creations.

This was my late mother's house.  She passed away in November, and the house has already been sold, but it was the scene of many happy memories.  I think I'd even like to find a way to print and frame this one.

This was a picture of me and my newborn grandson Landon, back in October 2013

This is a picture I took of a pretty house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, last summer

A floral arrangement in a Longaberger basket on my kitchen table a while back

More about Waterlogue here

My Mom's Recipes...Tried and True

Going through my mom's things was difficult at times, but there are many things I'll cherish...including many of her recipes.  I'm sharing a few of her favorites here, written in her beautiful handwriting. Some were favorites passed on by other friends and relatives.

  I will definitely be making these time and time again, and I can totally recommend them!

(Click on picture to make it bigger.)

Sherrie's Vinegar and Oil Dressing

Chinese Chicken Wings

Troy Aikman's Chocolate Cherry Cake

I'm participating today in Thursday Favorite Things, hosted by Katherine's Corner!

I miss my mommy. (A daughter's grief observed, three months on)

On the evening of November 5, 2013, I got the phone call that forever changed my life.

It was my son Justin, calling from Texas where most of my family lives.

When I saw his picture on my phone, I expected a light-hearted chat.  But the first thing I heard sounded like some sort of static. I later realized it was the sound of him crying.

When he was finally able to speak, I heard the terrifying words, "I don't have any details, but Uncle David says Momo is unresponsive, and it isn't good."

That was a little over three months ago, and I'm still navigating an ocean of grief.

Sudden

The sudden death of a loved one is different from other deaths. I'm not saying it's worse, just different...in a bad way.

I don't discount or minimize the grief that lasts for years, seeing a loved one waste away slowly, perhaps in pain or not themselves. That's what happened with my dad. The loss is no less of a loss, and carries its own brand of heartache.

But the death of my mother...with no warning, no inkling other than that she was 80 years old and had high cholesterol...gobsmacked us.

 In my father's case, we were able to peruse hospice literature that readied us for the end. We were able to gather around him and say our final good-byes. We were as prepared as one can be for the death of a loved one--which, granted, is never prepared enough.

 But we were able to release him to heaven and not feel sucker-punched.

Peaceful

One thing we cling to is the apparent peacefulness of her death.  She laid down for her usual afternoon reading session that usually resulted in a nap. She had fallen asleep and died of cardiac arrest. No trauma, no pain...she simply went to sleep and woke up in heaven.

And yes, we are so thankful for that. We are completely cognizant of and grateful for the blessings...that she never suffered, didn't linger in the throes of a painful and debilitating disease. We rejoice that she's with my dad and all the loved ones that have gone on before.

But my mother...oh, my mother was amazing, wonderful, everything a mother should be. She was central to our existence. She was the hub around which we all gathered. She was the matriarch. Her unconditional love, her joy, her encouragement, her support, her smile, her faith, her grace--essential to our lives.

An ocean of grief

I said earlier that I'm navigating an ocean of grief.  Some days are relatively smooth and fair, others are stormy and tumultuous.  It's unchartered territory for me, because the pain is much more acute and shattering than was (and is) the grief for my beloved father.

We siblings ask, almost rhetorically, "When will this pain end?" "When will our grief settle down and become manageable?"

The truth is, on any given day, at any given moment, I could cry for my mother.

Sweet friends who have been through the same thing try to give us light at the end of the tunnel.  I look forward to a time where it won't be so raw, so painful to the touch, where tears will be few and far between.

I also look forward to the day that I'll see both my parents again.  If I didn't have this hope, this faith, I don't see how I could carry on at all. How do people do it who don't have this hope?

In the meantime...

I just miss my mommy.

Thursday Favorite Things: Eye Shadow Palettes

OK...anyone who knows me knows that I am a make-up junkie!

I'm not going to go into the pros and cons of wearing make-up, how much is too much, etc.  I only know that as a "woman of a certain age," looking my best inevitably involves applying a little paint to the old barn, if you know what I mean.

As he sometimes does on my December birthday, my husband gifted me this year with Estee Lauder's Blockbuster gift with purchase.

It was a make-up lover's dream.  Among the stand-outs: the eye shadow palette.  The colors are absolutely lovely, go on beautifully, and fulfill just about any eye-shadow needs a make-up lover could have.

Here's a closer look:

I am absolutely loving this palette.  Here's me wearing a few of the colors (click to make the picture larger):

On my lid: Estee Lauder Ivy Envy, Satin
In my crease: Estee Lauder Lavish Mink, Matte
Under my eyebrows: Nude Fresco, Satin

While this palette is no longer available,  you can buy the individual colors at your Estee Lauder counter.  Which is what I plan to do with the Lavish Mink color.  It's exactly the deep, dark shade I love in a brown eye shadow.

Are you a cosmetics junkie too?  I'd love to hear about your favorite palettes and products!

I'm taking part today in Katherine's Corner's Thursday Favorite Things blog hop!

Today is English Toffee Day!...A yummy-looking recipe for English Toffee cookies

Source

Who doesn't love the delicious flavor of English toffee? One of my favorite forms is English Toffee creamer in my coffee or in convenience-store cappucino.

 Today, January 8, 2014, is English Toffee Day.

Here are some interesting facts about toffee, including this one:

Some think that English toffee is a variant of a 19th century candy.  Because slave labor drastically lowered the prices of sugar and treacle at the start of the 19th century, the key ingredients needed to create toffee became available to average people. Seeking a frugal solution,  two English ladies decided to combine these two ingredients and created a wonderful treat.

In the spirit of the day, I thought I'd share a recipe for English Toffee Cookies.  In all honesty, I haven't tried this recipe, but it looks easy and delicious.  Here we go, from Cooks.com:

ENGLISH TOFFEE COOKIES
1 c. brown sugar 1 c. granulated sugar 1 c. soft shortening 2 eggs 2 1/2 c. flour 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt 6-8 Heath candy bars, broken Cream together sugars and shortening. Add eggs and beat. Combine flour, soda and salt and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Blend in candy bar bits. Drop by teaspoon of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Sounds like the perfect comfort food for a cold January day!

My great-aunt Cynthia...a woman of class and grace

My great-aunt, Cynthia Pearl  Carroll Todt

Going through my recently-passed mother's household effects has been both sad and rewarding.  Among the plusses: finding vintage pictures of family loved ones.  Like my great-aunt Cynthia.

Cynthia Pearl Carroll Todt was my mom's sister.  She and her husband, Bill Todt, an executive in the Gulf Oil Corporation in West Texas, were childless, and they adored my mother.

Auntie, age 16...circa 1926

Together, they had an enormous influence on my mother, and by extension, me.

"Auntie," as she was called (with the West Texas drawl that made it sound more like Ain't-ee), was a woman of class and grace.

My earliest memories of her include her red lipstick and beautifully manicured red fingernail polish.  Her clothes were timeless and elegant.

This so reminds me of clothes I've seen on Downton Abbey

She loved make-up, a love she passed on to my sisters and me.  Her home was lovely and gracious, and  had a wonderful smell all its own, an aroma I wish I could bottle and spray in my own home.

Auntie and Uncle Bill, circa 1940's

My mom was named after her, and then I was named after my mom.  Cynthia Pearl...Cynthia Anne...and I'm Cynthia Susan.

Sass!

I hope you enjoy these pictures.  I love their vintage quality and charm, and they connect me with a lovely woman from my family's past.

A Wedding in December

On Saturday, we attended the wedding of my nephew David and the lovely Kayla.  The reception was held in a renovated barn called "Oak Lane."  Thought I'd share some of the pictures from that fun day!

The venue for the reception--Oak Lane in Oregon, IL

My three nephews who have all gotten married this past year, and their lovely brides

David and Kayla

Hubby and me enjoying the reception

The Easiest and Most Delicious Beef Stew Ever (Crockpot or Not!)

For me, few things herald the arrival of colder temperatures than beef stew.  (Chili and all things pumpkin go without saying, of course!)

Granted, "my" beef stew recipe is about as basic as you can get...but the results are mouth-watering all the same.  It's kind of hard to ruin the combination of stew meat and tasty veggies.

You can make this for the crockpot or for a big pot on the stove.  Right now, I'm about to start getting ready for work (I just work afternoons.)  My stew is in the crockpot already, with all the flavors mingling nicely.  When I get home from work, all I'll need to do is spoon it into bowls!

Here's the basic recipe, but remember, you can always improvise.  Throw in those left-over veggies in the fridge...have less of this or more of that.  It'll still be yummy.


EASY BEEF STEW

1 package of stew meat pieces
Seven or eight potatoes, peeled and cut up in chunky pieces
[NOTE:  Since my husband and I are being careful about carbs, I actually use only 1 large potato now, when it's just the two of us.  It still tastes wonderful!]
1 package baby carrots (cut each carrot in half if you wish)
[NOTE:  I used "real" carrots this time.]
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1 large can tomato sauce
1 and a half packets beef stew mix
[NOTE: Since my hubby and I are empty-nesters and don't have to make the stew stretch to feed several, I just use one packet of the stew mix]

Brown the stew meat in a little oil. (My mom advocated dipping the pieces in salt-n-peppered flour first, but I don't always take the time to do that.)

 While browning, chop up veggies and put them in the crock pot. Add tomato sauce (you can add a can of diced tomatoes if you like--my family just doesn't like to SEE tomato pieces in anything. Weird, I know.)

Add canned veggies, INCLUDING the juice. (Again, this might also be a good time to get rid of left-over veggies that may be in the fridge and are still good.)

Pepper the meat and add some seasoned salt if you like, then dump in the crockpot with everything else. Add beef stew mix.

When making this in the crock-pot, you probably won't need to add extra liquid...but if you're making it in a big pot, you'll probably need to add at least a cup of water, maybe more. Play it by ear.

If using a crock-pot, cook on HIGH for four or five hours.  If cooking in a pot on the stove, cook on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender.

Some of my favorite Christmas music

Some of my favorite sounds of the season...

Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas"

I fell in love with this album the first time I heard it several years ago, and it has certainly stood the test of time.  The very traditional arrangements of classic favorites...the gorgeous orchestration, with Amy's pleasant voice...the few "newer" songs that have since become classics as well ("Breath of Heaven," "Grown-up Christmas List)...it's all combined to make this one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time.

4Him "The Season of Love"

It just wouldn't be Christmas for me without this wonderful CD.  It first came out so long ago that the cover picture shows the four guys in full early 90's glory, mullets and all.  But the sound never gets stale.  The gorgeous 4-part harmony, as well as the guys' distinctive solo voices, shine on unique arrangements of traditional favorites as well as others that have also become classics, like "Strange Way to Save the World."

Michael W. Smith's "Christmas" and "Christmastime"

Again, it would not be the Christmas season for me without these two albums.

I wrote about them several years ago:

The arrangements and orchestration (in "Christmastime" are absolutely gorgeous... This is one of my very favorite Christmas albums. It is the perfect, joyous blend of the lighthearted and the reverent. Now I can't imagine the Christmas season without it. 

His first Christmas album, "Christmas," also remains a Christmas season staple for me, but it has a much different tone. The first album is more quiet and worshipful overall. 

Point of Grace "A Christmas Story"

Another really beautiful album that as more than stood the test of time.   Lush, shimmery, angelic female four-part harmony, with a nice balance of the sacred and the secular.

Bryan Duncan "Christmas is Jesus"

There's something unique about Bryan Duncan's voice...I've always loved it.  And his Christmas album is a wonderful blend of traditional and inspirational.  His "Angels We Have Heard on High" is a joyful celebration, while "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is thoughtful and hopeful.
The song, "Form of Man," really encapsulates what Christmas really means...God coming down to earth and taking on human form:

Jesus, lowly born, brought riches to the earth
Lord of Heaven coming down, risking human birth
God’s thoughts and ways are not our own and I can’t understand
Why He wrapped His love in flesh and blood and He took the form of man.

Oh, and sometimes...as I wrote in an earlier post...I  just have to listen to Handel's Messiah.

A few years ago, I wrote about going to Trinity Lutheran Church in Rockford and hearing the Messiah performed live...

...Finally, the lights were lowered, and the small orchestra began the overture. I was instantly captivated.

The first song sung by the choir is "And the glory of the Lord." As soon as it began, and the beautiful voices wafted over us in stately and gorgeous harmony, I started crying and didn't stop for the entire length of the song.

It was not only the beauty of the music that caused my awestruck tears...it was the power, the majesty, the dignity, the authority. "And all flesh shall see it together...for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." 

I love "The Hallelujah Chorus," and it also has a powerful effect on me. But probably my favorite song from Messiah is "For unto us a child is born," and has been since I was in junior high. I don't know what it is that captivates me so much about this piece. I love the intricate harmonies, the amazing run-on vocal phrases that spiral skyward, the joyful elation of the violins. [Do listen to the video below if you have a few moments and have any appreciation at all for classical music.]

I honestly don't think I've ever heard any music with the power to transport me to the heavenlies like Handel's Messiah. If the music in heaven is even slightly more amazing and awe-inspiring--and I believe it will actually be much more so--then we certainly have a lot to look forward to!