What's in a name?

You're probably wondering why I am writing so much. I just feel that I should write something before I sink into the abyss that is medical school, more specifically the last semester with the Boards looming over. You won't probably be hearing from me for a while. At least you shouldn't because as it is I am already behind one week in school :).

So I went to a retreat this past weekend. I will write about that next. I met two Esthers. They are both Koreans. Esther must be a common name for Koreans who describe themselves as Christians. I told both of them that my mom's name is Esther (her full name is actually Estrellita) and that I hardly meet any Esther in my age group. My dad's name, by the way, is Pastor. Not a few times I have been asked what my father's name is. I would say it and they would ask me for his first name. I would say Pastor is his first name not his title.

So on the drive back from Michigan, I started thinking of females I know personally who have Biblical names. For females I know Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Deborah, Miriam, Elizabeth, Priscilla, Mary, Maria, Magdalena, Ruth, Naomi, Keziah (one of Job's daughters), Martha among others. There are also the feminine forms like Jesusa, Danielle, Emmanuelle, Josephine, etc. I also know Faith, Charity, Hope, Joy, Grace, Love. There are also the gems like Ruby, Pearl, Gold. There are also names of places and one of which is my name in Acts 27:5. The city is now part of SW Turkey. It's definitely on my list of places to visit.

This morning as I was getting ready to leave camp to attend church in Detroit, the other girl who also woke up early asked me for my name. She then told me that her mom's name is also Myra. I told her that I hardly meet people here in the US who have the same name. I commented that it must be an older woman's name. She said that she did meet a 4-year-old Myra. The name must be regaining popularity :).
It was funny later on that the name of the minister's wife in the Detroit congregation is also Myra.

Growing up my parents told me that my name means "wonderful". So for the most part I just reveled in the fact that I have been named so aptly ;). In college, I met a Malaysian girl who told me that my middle name Tajan, means "to bear" in Malay. In Filipino, it means not to cry or stop crying. And of course my last name is Cruz which means cross. So if you put it all together my name means "wonderful to bear cross." I just hope that everyday I can live up to that :).