So here goes. I'm unabashedly stealing two ideas from Miz Booshay, cuz they were good ideas that got people talking (typing)!
Friday, after a bit of discussion, she posed this question: If you were to jump in a time machine, where would to go to and why?
My reply (tis good to reply):
Time travel. Would I be tempted to go back a couple of decades and redo life sans the mistakes... I'd be tempted, but that's not where I'd go.
I think I'd go back to the 18th century. I always feel wistful when I read or see a movie about that era. Now, would I be a city girl donned in pretty petticoats and bonnets; or would I be more of a pioneer sort concerned with churning butter and raising chickens?
I think I'd be more suited to be the pioneer...just don't ask me to slaughter anything! (I'd be inclined to name my chickens and keep them as pets!) Oh, and I'd like to bring running water with me. I think I can live without the electricity; just give me an indoor toilet that flushes!
Then today, she got talking about names...see her post for the discussion, but it boiled down to this: What names do you just love and wish you could use? -And- Did you have a plan when you were naming your children or pets?
My reply (tis so very good to reply):
My daughter, Kristiina, and my mother, Christina, share the same name. My mother was born in Helsinki, Finland, and when they came to the states my grandmother "Americanized" her name. When we chose to name our daughter, Kristiina, we decided to use the Finnish spelling. Poor kid, she had numerous teachers in school (elementary, of course) tell her she was misspelling her name with the double "i" at the end!
And forget about finding a bookmark or keychain that had the proper spelling. Oh well, she actually liked the individuality.
I've noticed recently that most of the girl names in my family (mom's side) end in "a"
My grandmother, Eva
My mother, Christina
Me, Pamela
My daughter, Kristiina
My aunt, Mega (short for Margaretta)
My cousin, Alana
My cousin, Erika, and her daughter, Ela... and on it goes.
I have also noticed that I have named all of my female pets with names that end in "a"
...Tasha, Misha, Bianca, Kissa, Tahra, Zeila, Emma, Sara (once I noticed that there was a pattern... I did the last three on purpose).
So, might I get a response, or two... or three...to these need-to-know questions??? (C'est tres chic to reply.)
Okay, well whether you, my cyber friends, spill your guts, or not, I wish you a happy weekend! (Christina, Mega, Alana and Pamela are having a fun girls' weekend here in the Twilight Zone... oh, I mean, down here in SW FL! Wish Kristiina weren't in Vermont!)
Our five pairs of feet at the beach at the last girls' weekend Kristiina was able to join us (I miss your feet Biinaboo! ...have you done one with us since this one?? )
The five of us at the "Jupiter, Florida Girls' Weekend", headin' out for a bite to eat!
Hi Pam! What a nice, simple, feminine name! I hopped over to your blog after noticing your comment on "Bring the Rain." You sound like a fun lady. I love the picture of the beautiful "Jesus sky" and the lovely music. We might be about the same age. I have 3 adult kids and some two legged grandkids, Kaiya, McKenzie and Mason.
ReplyDeleteI am pondering your question about going back in time...of course, my first thoughts were to change my own destiny by a "do-over." It also flashed through my mind to travel back to Sweden to see my host family from 1969-70 when I was an exchange student. I lived in Finland for a week during that year. Fascinating country. Swedish is one of their official languages so there is a lot of overlap in history and words between the two countries. (Why did I unconsciously use the word "overlap" when Lappland is the area where there is the most connection between the countries??) My mom's father came from the far north of Sweden which is VERY close to Finland.
He was born about 1892. It's so weird that I knew all of my grandparents very well and they were born in the 1800's. My grandkids were born in the 2000's. Since I was born "mid-century" !!! I have touched the flesh and blood of three centuries! How did that happen??
You asked about names. Mine was not at all common in the USA in the 1950's so I learned to defend myself. "No, it's not a boy's name. No, my dad didn't want a boy." From this long explanation you will be able to tell I've been explaining my name for years! ;) It seems kinda crazy to go on and on "all about me" but over the years, I tend to know the questions people ask about my name...AND YOU ASKED! (IGNORE this if you want and/or go get a cup of coffee and settle in!!)
My name is Michal!
My Swedish grandma Eleanor CHRISTINA Lindstrom was a very devout Christian so my mom heard the name in childhood during the Depression when radio dramas were common. I am not sure if she really knew Michal's history and some of the associations with her name, but she saved it for me, the middle of three daughters, Dana, Michal and Leslie. (Yes, I know they could all be boy's names. That wasn't her intention. If she'd had a boy, he would have been named Jonathan, the brother of Michal.)
My daughter (28) is Caitlin Michal and her daughter (5.5) is McKenzie Michal. A daughter of my church family (maybe age 35) is Michal Ann like me. (I'm 56.)
Michal was the daughter of King Saul, first wife of King David. The Hebrew meaning is "brook," a channel of life and refreshment, I pray! In English, my name is pronounced like "Michael" but in Hebrew they kinda gargle "h" and say something like "Meek-(roll the "h")---all." The "h" sound puts a "breath" in the word. God added "h" to Abram which was changed to "Abraham" and Sara to "Sarah." I think it's like the breath God breathed into Adam "in the beginning."
Obviously, "Michal" is still rare in this culture although many languages have a feminine version of the male name Michael, the archangel, meaning "Who is like God?" (Michelle, Michele, Michaela, Mikayla and so on). Most baby name books are not correct about "Michal" and many Christian commentaries don't accurately tell the story of her life. She is chiefly known for her behavior when she scorned David for dancing in a state of undress in the streets. Although I agree that she was bitterly critical, Chuck Swindoll is correct in saying that she was also a victim, a pawn of Kings Saul and David. Saul gave her both to David and later to a second husband, "and Palti followed her weeping" when
David took her back. I know there have been novels written about Michal and David.
1 Samuel 25:44 (New Living Translation)
Saul, meanwhile, had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to a man from Gallim named Palti son of Laish.
2 Samuel 3:14-16 14 David then sent this message to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son: “Give me back my wife Michal, for I bought her with the lives of 100 Philistines.” 15 So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti son of Laish. 16 Palti followed along behind her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he went. Then Abner told him, “Go back home!” So Palti returned.
No wonder she was childless! David, a man after God's own heart for sure, gathered a buncha other chicks. "Michal" is one of the chapters in a book "Bad Girls of the Bible" because she laughed when David danced naked in the streets but that isn't the whole story. She also lied to protect him from her father Saul's murderous anger. I know there have been novels written about Michal and David.
The last mention of her seems to be in 2 Samuel 21: 8-9. David agreed to have remnants of the family of Saul put to death including the five adopted sons of Michal whom she had raised for her sister Merab. (David's truest friend was their brother Jonathan.) Saul's concubine Rizpah was the mother of two other men killed in this incident. She guarded the corpses for months until David heard of her devotion and allowed the bones to be buried with Saul's father.
Whew! Quite a story...let's go back to the image of "brook," a channel of life and refreshment!
In His love, Michal Ann
Lake Forest Park, WA
This might come up as "anonymous" because my password seems goofed up no matter how often I re-register. immichal@yahoo if you would like to email. I don't have a blog or profile but now you know..."the REST of the story!"
Ohhh, wait..... is this a comment from my cousin in Crystal River? Yeah, I know you're saying that. Don't see any of our weekend yet Pam.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the comment from Michal. Is that your cyber friend you actually got to meet face to face? She definitely enjoys writing.
I'll write more later.........if you're lucky! ha.
xoxo,birdie
Hi Lana Bird! I know, I'll get the weekend pics posted soon (all I have, though, are pics of the jewelry!).
ReplyDeleteNo, Michal is not the one I got to meet, that was Linda from Oregon (Hi Linda!). Michal is a new friend... first-time commenter (thanks, Michal, for the interesting reply!!)
XOXO, Poo