The Middle Name: James

Dear Elliot,

Your middle name is James, as in James Donald Anderson, a.k.a. Grandad. 

Grandad is my daddy. He raised 4 girls and had 2 older sisters … so the life we’re living here in our home is different than his world for many years. He's a very sensitive man because of that!

There are 3 reasons that come to mind for naming you after him.

First, Grandad has had an impact on my life that is difficult to measure. He was the embodiment of what a daddy and husband and real man should be—a model that set the standard for the kind of man I wanted to marry and the biggest picture in my world of what godly leadership looks like.

We always grew up knowing Daddy loves Mommy and Daddy loves us. He was a servant of all of us, from the basics of providing home and food and clothes, to the greater sacrifices (I think) of spending spare time and “costly time” investing in our lives, encouraging us with patience and help during all the challenges from losing basketball games to struggling through calculus, and pointing us to God as the One we need at the center of our world.

 He has consistently put others’ needs ahead of his own, often getting up early, staying up late (well, not too late though), and creating the windows of time in the middle to do not just what needed to be done for work and church and home and cars and family but also what would make all his “girls” feel cherished and cared for.

Second, Grandad is already investing in the lives of his grandchildren—even you! He was here even before you started making your entrance to this world, just to be ready with Grammy to help when we were tired and getting close to labor. He is purposeful to know and bless and play with and care for the needs of all 10 of his grandchildren. He may not be so much of a “baby” guy (he made a deal with Grammy when all his own kids were little … Grammy would do diaper duty, and he would do puke duty!), but he is still ready to drive, play, read, and laugh with all you little ones.

And third (and biggest), he is the kind of man that we pray you will grow to be like. A follower of Jesus. A gentle and kind leader in his family. A servant and leader in the church. A faithful and fruitful worker. One who reaches out to those who need the gospel. A fun and joyful person.

We love Grandad, and we love you, little Elliot!