"What's In A Name?"

It's a bird. A hot pink bird. And Titus absolutely loves it! It sings when you pet it and when you push a button, it repeats what you say in a “chirpy” little voice. I must say, it is quite adorable, even though it has a bulky cage and it MUST travel with us wherever we go. In fact, it was on one of these accompanying car adventures that my 5 year old son wrestled with the perfect name for his precious little birdie...

“I don’t want to name her what she is. I don’t want to name her Birdie. I want her to have something special. Like my name, Titus. If everybody walked around calling me “human” that wouldn’t be very special now, would it?!”

I listened to him, talking out his dilemma (rather dramatically) to himself in the backseat, and I had to stifle a laugh. Poor guy, he was determined! And although he thought long and hard about it that day, in the end, it was “Birdie” that stuck for the lil’ tweet. 

Can you imagine if our parents, completely overwhelmed with the thought of naming us, just gave up and called us all “Human?” Though I chuckle when I think about it, I mostly smile at the reasoning behind that thought. The reasoning of a very serious, and very determined little blonde haired, blue eyed boy. A boy who does in fact, have a very special name...

Titus Michael Piatt. 

Titus. The seventeenth book of the New Testament. The name of Paul’s companion and one of the first missionaries to the Gentiles. A strong name. A Greek name. A name that means “giant.”  

Michael. The name of the archangel who brought the news of Jesus’ birth. The name of a warrior. The name of God’s messenger. A Hebrew name. A name that means “Who is like God?” The name of a man who proclaimed this question day after day by the way he lived his life. The name of a man who loved his family and friends fiercely and who never backed down from a really good dare or an opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors. The name of a young husband and father who gave glory to God in ALL things, who worshiped His Savior in Spirit and in truth, and who prayed fervently for his infant son to know Christ one day. 

Piatt. A French name. A name that many people know but few can pronounce correctly. A name that bears a legacy of strength. Of courage. Of faith in the midst of trials. A name that resonates His goodness, His forgiveness, His faithfulness, and His unconditional love. A name that speaks of fearless adventures and of a deep love for the body of Christ. A name that I am honored to have married into and one that I am proud to have run through my son’s blood. 

For 5 and a half years, this has been his name. A strong name for a strong little boy. 

Today, however, a new name was added...

Harada. A Japanese name. A samurai name (according to Bryan). A name that bears a history few can rival with. A name that speaks of endurance, of persistence, of hard work, and of hospitality.  A name that loves surprise adventures and gives generously and selflessly. A name that is not only open to the idea of adoption but embraces it fully and completely.  A name that I thank God for. A name that Titus, Silas, and myself consider a privilege to now carry. 

Titus Michael Piatt Harada.

What a legacy of love this name bears. 

It speaks of strength.

It carries courage.

It tells of His tremendous faithfulness; of His wonderful love for His children. 

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” Psalm 68:5

My prayer is that Titus would not only grow strong, like his name, but that he would have a heart that beats for the Lord, all of his days. May it beat with the same rhythm and passion that his biological dad’s did and with the same force and integrity that his current dad’s does. 

“Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” Psalm 40:5