Press Release – Baby Name for Kid

Baby names are significant.  The Couple has been studying this idea
for over a year.  The issue has been debated intensely, both among the
public and within the Couple.  Many friends have spoken up both for and
against some of the suggestions.

2    To assess the viability of baby names, the Couple called a
Request-For-Concept (RFC) in Sept 2005, to invite interested players to
submit concept proposals for 2 baby names.  The RFC attracted 19 bids.
After studying the bids and considering all views expressed, the Couple
has decided to proceed with 2 names, Portia and Elizabeth.

3    Today, I will explain how the Couple reached this decision, and
the key policy considerations behind the decision.  I also want to
acknowledge the concerns of those who oppose or have expressed
reservations on the suggestions, and explain how we propose to limit
any negative impact.  Finally, I hope to bring everyone together, so
that even though we may not all agree on the suggestions, we understand
and respect each other’s reasons and concerns, and can close ranks and
move ahead.

RESULTS OF THE RFC

4    The RFC was a success.  Many of the bidders were leading
baby-namers in the industry which had named high-quality babies
elsewhere, and had solid track records and international reputations to
protect.  They had formed consortia with renowned baby-makers and
creative firms, and obviously put a great deal of effort into their
proposals.  Several bidders said this would be their flagship baby.

5    Before making a decision, the Couple viewed the suggestions and
were briefs on the positives and negatives.  We found this very helpful
in understanding what baby names were about.

Assessment

6   We had decided on Portia and Elizabeth for a variety of reasons. 

7    First Portia.  The name "Portia" in latin means "Offering to
God".  The Couple’s desire is to offer the child to God for his
service.  Portia is also a major character in Shakespeare’s famous
play, The Merchant of Venice.  In the play, Portia provides one of the
Shakespeare’s most memorable speechs on the quality of mercy.  Our hope
is that the child will grow up to understand God’s justice, and
correspondingly God’s mercy.

"The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God’s
When mercy seasons justice.”

8   The couple recognises that the name ‘Portia’ could sound
pompous, and might be mispronounced as "Porsche" or "Port-Tia".
However, weighing the pros and the cons, the Couple decided that Portia
offered a unique proposition, and would distinguish our child from
other children. 

9    The other choice we decided on was "Elizabeth".  "Elizabeth"
means consecrated to God, or set apart for God.  We want her to be set
apart for God’s service.  Elizabeth in the Bible was the mother of John
the Baptist, and the wife of Zacharias.  Both husband and wife were
righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and
statutes of the Lord.  But Elizabeth was barren.  However God promised
both of them that they will give birth to a son, and they shall call
him John, and said that heir son will be he Elijah, and turn their
people back to Him.  Elizabeth was faithful and trusted God for His
word.   

10   One added consideration for ‘Elizabeth’ was its regal sound,
and the capacity for the name to endear itself to others through short
variations such as ‘Lizzie’, ‘Liz’, ‘Beth’.  It would also prove to be
difficult for any would-be delinquents or naughty children to contort
or maul the name, causing psychological damage to the child.

Conclusion

11   In conclusion, the couple would like to thank all who have
contributed to the naming process.  When our daughter grows up, we will
share with her the genesis of the name and the rich meaning of the name
we had given to her, in hope that she will be set apart for God’s
service.

Soli Deo Gloria

Kaif and Sarah

Looking back

"I was just thinking, last time when we were young, I was praying and wishing that you were beside me just beside me.  And now, you are beside me!"

"Yep.  Ok, go to sleep."

Dilbert in Real Life

This post is fiction, founded on some fact. Someone is going to start his job in a new company for the 1st time…  Conversation with the IT dept is imagined, but it is founded on some facts.

"Do I have access to my gmail account"
"No.  All web-based email is prohibited.  Your access is restricted.".
"So i can’t use my RSS reader to read blogs and news".
"No.  Access is restricted.".
"Ok, anyway, am I getting a notebook or desktop PC?"
"Both.  But you have to justify why you need a notebook."
"Because I want to work from home I guess.  Can I install a wi-fi card so that I can use the wi-fi- from my home?"
"No.  Technology division conducted a study on wi-fi access and concluded that it posed too much of a security risk.  You will have to dial up using your telephone line."
"Ok.  (Seeing that there is so much bureaucracy involved..) My wrist suffers from strain.  Can I use the notebook’s keyboard?  Any forms to fill up?"
"No.  You can’t use the keyboard.  The USB ports are disabled".
"The USB ports are disabled?  You mean I can’t even use a mouse?"
"No.  USB poses too much security risk.  Someone might download the information on the computer and sell it off."
"Wait, you mean thumb-drives aren’t allowed.  Not even if i register them?"
"No.  Thumb-drives aren’t allowed."
"So how do i transfer large files, esp those which I need for presentations?"
"You go to a seperate computer in the common area, burn it into a CD, and transfer it."
"OK.  How do I then transfer files between my notebook and the Desktop?"
"You go on the intranet, and transfer via a network drive."
"That’s crazy!  Tell you what, I don’t want the Desktop PC.  I can just work with the notebook. You can take it away."
"I can’t.  Its a fixed asset".

So here you have a notebook insulated from the rest of the world, with all its USB ports disabled, and access to my corp network via a phone line.  And a Desktop PC that is now serving as a footrest. 

And we are moving into the technological age…….

What a burden this is!

I share Island’s thoughts on her labours in the past week.  Sometimes, I find myself questioning why I’m devoting so much time to God’s service, to the extent that I don’t have time for myself.  As she aptly puts,

"sometimes I feel like I’m a full-time staffworker. In my weakness and sinfulness, I have had thoughts of “Why do I have to serve all the time? Why aren’t there nobody else to do so?” I feel physically tired and hardly have time  for myself or for other people. I admit I’m not indispensable, neither am I super capable that no one else can do it but me."

I feel the same way on many occasions.  I put it down to 3 Major flaws.

Firstly, My selfish nature and hubris – thinking everyone incapable or unwilling to serve God except myself aka The Messiah syndrome.  At my busiest times, I lose track of what is important and focus on myself.  In a way, it is like the story of Martha busying herself with house chores and neglecting the importance of listening to Jesus. "Master, tell Mary to help with the house chores!"

Secondly, my lack of love – When I read the gospels, I find Jesus’s love for us mind-blowing and totally radical.  Jesus was tired, yet when he saw the crowds clamouring to see Him, he had compassion for them.  He could easily have retreated or asked his disciples to reject the crowds. Instead, it was his disciples that wanted to reject the crowds, while Jesus insisted on continuing and peservering.  Most of all, Jesus demonstrated his ultimate love for us by dying on the Cross for our sins, even as He was in unspeakable unanguish – Take this cup from me, neverthelesss, not what I will, but what you will."  We love because Jesus first loved us.  That’s why love is so important and is the foundation that buttresses our actions.  The famous passage in Corinthians gives many egs of ministry but says without love, they are nothing. 

Lastly – My lack of prayer.  Jesus said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light"(Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus is actually asking weary and burdened people to take His yoke, what a contradiction!  But thinking deeper, it is Jesus that is carrying the weight as He is sharing the yoke with us.  Our job is to keep in step with Him.  Ravi Zacharias in a sermon once said "A Christian who prays will find that his faith will carry him. A Christian who does not pray finds that he has to carry his faith. And it can be awfully tiring to carry the infinite." In praying God’s will, one finds that one inevitably casts all his burdens unto HIm, because He is the creator and sustainer of all things, and He is the One that controls and orders every thing in this world.  Knowing that is truly liberating.

Island’s conclusions have been very helpful and challenging to me. 

I was reminded that although I serve God’s people, I serve to please Him only and not to please men nor myself. I should not thrive on the praises of people but honestly I am encouraged and even more so when I know that I did not do it by my own strength. I am thankful and praise God that there have been many accounts of people who had been a blessing to me over the weekend as I served. It can be as simple as a smile with a word of concern to ask how I am (especially when I was lined up with ministries from 8am to 4pm today). That in itself is encouragement to me and it had came from more than one person. I’ve also had people making sure that I have food and cared for my well-being. I’m touched by God’s love for me shown through these people. I am glad that I have been used as an instrument as people tell me how they had been ministered by the songs that we sung. Not only then I realized I should not be discouraged by those who do not understand the time and effort I put in my ministries, but be joyful in service simply because this is God’s work. It is a privilege to be able to serve so I should not be discouraged. I also consider it a privilege that I can have a job which allows me to have time to serve and minister. I shall carry on the work, not for myself but because Jesus my Lord has died in my place already. Surely He can sustain me as I continue to ‘toil and labour’ for His Kingdom-sake…

In Malachi, the people reached a state when they had the audacity to question whether God has loved them.  Their pitiful state was manifested in how they worshipped so much so to the extent that serving God has become burdensome!  May we learn from the lessons of Israel, and guard ourselves from saying "What a burden this is", when we are serving God for His Glory!

Meeting Rooms by Dilbert

I can’t resist posting this. This really cracks me up…

Choosing a Name Part 2 – Poll the Audience

Hi guys,
Sarah and I need your help/opinions on a name for our Baby Girl!

I’ll list some of the choices out with the meanings and you can help by voting or counter-suggesting something nice

Anya – Grace & Mercy
Asha – Hope, Desire
Dara – Charity, Compassion, Wisdom
Edna – Rejuvenation
Eliora – God is my light
Esther – The Star
Hannah – Full of grace
Jayne – God’s victorious smile/God’s gift is grace
Portia – offering to God
Rachel – Innocent as a lamb
Rinah – Song, joy
Ruth – Compassionate and Beautiful

I personally like Portia, having studied Merchant of Venice. In the play, I still vividly remember these lines, which describe the mercy of God in beautiful language.

“The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God’s
When mercy seasons justice.”

But what do you guys think?

update: Thanks guys! Some more things i found about Portia.
update2: We’ll have to choose 2 names, so that we will determine what to name the baby when she comes out. I know someone who named her daughter cynthia because shortly after her delivery, she spotted a pink hyacinth! I’ll choose Portia if I have a swig of Port during the delivery.

Some Info about Portia

Portia is the name of a character in two of Shakespeare’s plays and it is also the name of a spider.

Portia as a character in “Julius Caesar“

In Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar” Portia is the wife of Brutus. Portia’s story is told by the first-century moralist Valerius Maximus in Memorable Words and Deeds where she appears as an example of Fortitude, as well as in Boccaccio’s fourteenth century classic De Claris Mulieribus. In this play Portia represents constancy, bravery and determination.

Portia as a character in “The Merchant of Venice”

But it is really in “The Merchant of Venice” that Portia shines. Although in the beginning she appears to be controlled by the wishes of her father and the expectations of Venetian society, she is actually in control and finds ways of dominating her world. She is a very strong character with a sharp mind and brave resolve. She dresses as a man and solves a seemingly impossible puzzle while mischievously controlling her husband with her wit. In here Portia is intelligent, resourceful and has a sense of self-worth.

The Portia spider

The Portia spider is a wily character too. She is one of Australia’s jumping spiders that prey on the ground by stealth but she also constructs a web. It is considered a unique, fast and astute animal.

See what I found in Wikipedia:

Portia is a name shared by two fictional heroines in plays by William Shakespeare. The better known of the two is the heroine of The Merchant of Venice. This Portia, a rich heiress, is obliged by the terms of her father’s will to set a puzzle to all prospective suitors, forcing them to choose between three caskets: of gold, silver and lead. Portia favours Bassanio, but is not allowed to give him any clues to assist in his choice. As a test of his fidelity, she disguises herself as a lawyer and represents Bassanio’s friend, Antonio, in court, saving his life.
Portia is one of the most prominent of Shakespeare’s heroines in his mature romantic comedies. She is beautiful, gracious, rich, intelligent, quick witted and with high standards in men. As well, she obeys her father’s will while having a determination to obtain Bassanio while being tactful to the Princes of Morocco and Arragon who unsuccessfully seek her hand. In the court scenes, Portia outwits Shylock and solves Antonio’s life when everyone else fails. It is Portia who delivers one of the most famous speeches in The Merchant of Venice:
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
The strength of Portia as a role has made it attractive to many notable actresses. Frances Abington, Sarah Siddons and Elizabeth Whitlock all played the role in the 18th century when actresses first starting appearing on stage. More recently, the role has been played in the cinema and on television by a number of notable actresses such as Maggie Smith, Claire Bloom, Sybil Thorndike and Joan Plowright.
The character of Portia has had a considerable and longlived cultural impact. Portia is the name John Adams used to address his wife Abigail in his letters, presumably after Shakespeare’s character. (Abigail addressed her husband as “Lysander” in letters, another reference to a Shakespearean character.)
The New England School of Law was originally known as the Portia Law School when it was established in 1908 as a women only law school and was known by that name until 1969. On Rumpole of the Bailey, Rumpole called Phillida Erskine-Brown (née Trant) the “Portia of our Chambers”.
In 1986, a moon of Uranus was named after Portia. A version of the character has even appeared in the Mirror Universe of Star Trek.
The lesser-known Shakespearean Portia is the wife of Brutus in Julius Caesar, and is an alternate spelling for Porcia. This Portia, though she makes only one appearance, comes across as a loyal and devoted wife, a worthy confidante for her husband, and her role is the only substantial woman’s part in the play. Actresses such as Deborah Kerr, Virginia McKenna and Diana Rigg have played the part in movies and television productions.