Garbomb! What is it or Who is it?
By Tammie Jurek
What’s in a name? Many people chose names for their children based on memories, meanings of the name, movies, random words jammed together and so many other ways. In many cases, parents choose names that they aspire their children to reflect its meaning as they grow up. I am no different . . . .
Ever since my firstborn, Josh, told me he and his precious wife Sarah were expecting our first grandchild, a center of attention obsession began . . .what will this new person call me? Granted, not only did I have to wait nine months before the arrival of said bundle, but then it would be another year plus before this child would even begin to talk!
So, the hunt began . . . nana, Mimi, Gigi, LaLa, Grammy, or the ever-known Grandma, Grandmother, or some version of it. None of these names fit right, so I settled in on “Grandmomma.” My kids called me momma so adding Grand would not be so difficult. Besides, I liked the idea of being told I am grand as a momma!!
The long-anticipated day came and went, and so did a year or so. Our sweet Emma Joy was the highlight of our life with her sweet innocence and joyful cuddles. On a non-suspecting afternoon, as we were playing, Emma, who was just beginning to use words asked me for something and then said “Garbomb.” I looked at her and had no idea what she was talking about. So, she asked again and then said “Garbomb.” Again, I looked at her quarrying, what is this or better who is this? I asked her “Who is Garbomb”, and she looked at me like I had two purple heads and said “you Garbomb.”
There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Pride goes before the destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Proverbs 16:18). I was pretty prideful about the idea of NOT giving up my desired Grandma name, but this child insisted it was to be changed...forever.
So I humbly yielded!
Our children/grandchildren desire relationships with us. They pursue us faster than we as parents/grandparents pursue them. God put into us even before birth the desire to know and to be known. Our little people grow daily in knowledge as they interact with us and their world. Who better to tell them who they are than us because we are the ones who love them most? As you take time today to engage with your little people, remind them that only God loves them more than you! And if they change your “Grandma” name, go with it. Besides, who else have you ever met called Garbomb?! I am an original and my Grandchild knew it!!