My parents named me Lanna -- not Lana with one "N" like most others. As it turns out, they were right in giving me a name with a spelling a little out of the ordinary. Not that I consider myself out of the ordinary but I am a little quirky. And I'm okay with quirky. As I was growing up, I didn't like that my name was different. Occasionally the stores would sell things like pencils and key chains that were already personalized. I could never find anything with my name spelled correctly. Oh well...
When my son got married, I started considering the thought of grandchildren and what they might call me someday. My dad's mother passed away before I was born so I only had one grandmother -- Grammie and she was wonderful. She was a Christian woman, so sweet and kind -- a great cook too. I could never consider myself a Grammie...although my sister wears it nicely. I didn't want to be called Grandma or Granny -- that sounded way too old.
So what would I be called...
I wanted a quirky name that seemed to fit me -- one that I'd never heard before. So I thought I'll take off the "L" in Lanna and add "GR" to make it Granna! I thought I was so clever...
After my son and daughter-in-law told us they were expecting, I was so excited to finally be Granna Lanna!"
My bubble was burst one day while driving into town. I saw a car with an Oklahoma vanity license plate that read, "GRANNA" in big read letters! What! That's my name! The very idea! Then I thought, "Oh well, she'll be going back to where she came from." Then not long after that I saw a friend in Walmart that I hadn't seen in some time. While catching up, she asked me, "So what do your grandchildren call you?" I smiled and said proudly, "Granna". To which she excitedly responded, "That's what my grandchildren call me!" Somehow I continued smiling but inside I was yelling, "What! Your name doesn't even rhyme with Granna!" So since then, I've heard of a few more Grannas. It happened again last Sunday while at a baby shower. And in my mind, I ate another piece of humble pie.
In Matthew 16, Mark 8 and Luke 9, we see a time when Jesus asked his disciples an important question. It's important to note where they were when he asked -- as our Lord never did or said anything that wasn't without purpose. They were in Caesarea Philippi. It's not to be confused with Caesarea -- Caesarea is located on the Mediterranean coast. Caesarea Philippi is just less than 40 miles due north of the Sea of Galilee. The city was first named Panias, dedicated to the Greek god, Pan -- half goat and half man -- the so-called deity of herdsmen, music and wild nature -- among other things. Herod the Great built a temple there to worship Caesar. Then when Philip, Herod the Great's son inherited the city, he renamed it Caesarea Philippi -- to honor Caesar and himself.
So it's in this place of pagan worship, with statues abounding to other gods, Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" Answers of John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets were heard in response. But then Jesus asks, "But what about you? Who do you say that I am?" And Peter's answer is the very foundation of our faith -- "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God."
WOW! Doesn't it just make you shiver!
So what's in a name? EVERYTHING!
THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND EVERY TONGUE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. Philippians 2
There is no other name like that of our Savior's!
Now I think I'm better with others being called Granna like me...I'm just glad the Lord knows my name...Lanna or Granna...I'll answer to either one.
Love till next time,
Lanna
For your consideration: Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18:20,
Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 28:18.
