What's In a Name?

The name for this blog came in a sort of round about way.  I knew I wanted something from Scripture.  And it had to relate to what I wanted to write.  After days of mulling it over in my head, asking my family, checking out other blog titles, and waking in the middle of the night thinking about it, I finally sat down with my Bible.

"Okay, God, we're closing on the house in a couple days and I want to launch the blog.  I need a title.  Please help me!"

Ruffling through the familiar, highlighted pages, glancing at old favorites and new, I landed at Psalm 16:5-6.

The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup;

You hold and maintain my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

yes, I have a good heritage.

"That's it!" I thought.  This verse has a special place in my heart.  I discovered it at a time in my young life when I didn't feel that the lines had fallen for me in pleasant places.  In fact, I resented my boundary lines.  However, the Lord had lead me to chapter 16 in the book of Psalms and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt those words were for me.  Verses five and six may not have been a reality for me in that moment, but they became my declaration.  Over a period of time, although my lines hadn't changed, my feeling toward them did.  I found peace.

A quick search took me straight to another blog already using not only the verse, but the phrase "pleasant places" in the title.  So, I checked other versions of the Bible.  Most say "pleasant places."  New Living says "pleasant land."  But it was The Message paraphrase that caught my attention.

My choice is you, God, first and only.

And now I find I'm your choice!

You set me up with a house and yard.

And then you made me your heir!

My eyes became misty and at the same time I laughed.  I knew that had to be the title, but from The Message?  Really?  

A comedian we enjoy, Tim Hawkins, does a funny bit about The Message Bible.  He spoofs that Jesus turned the water into wine coolers, the recipe for Rice Krispie Treats can be found there, and that the part of Joseph is played by Johnny Depp!  

I'm sorry, but sometimes I tease about this particular paraphrase of the Bible.  I find it rather - well - fluffy.  However, I will admit that there are times when the paraphrase reveals a nice turn of phrase and The Word speaks in a new way to me.  So, The Message it is for the title of my blog!

Just for fun, here's a clip from Tim Hawkins on the Sermon Series.  He didn't offer the clip on The Message Bible, but this one is from the same dvd, "Insanitized."  Enjoy!