Cash Michael

Many of you have heard the story behind how Cash got his name. Many of you have not. So that's what this blog is about...

Cash Michael DeMarco Liscom. Born on Sunday, October 5, 2008. 6 lbs. 1 oz. 18 inches long. Seems like a lifetime ago, yet I'm also sure it was only yesterday! This Wednesday, we will celebrate his 3rd birthday. He has requested "ice cweam. cake. and pwesents." So that's what we will do. The past three years, watching him grow into the sweet, laid back, blonde haired, blue eyed little boy he is, has been a privilege and blessing. Times of frustration are far out weighed by the times of joy and laughter he brings. I love my little Weezie!

During the early part of my pregnancy with Cash, Ryan and I had both agreed that we liked the name 'Brennan.' (It was the last of the names I stillliked from when I was young and flowed enough with Liscom.) Then came month 6. Ryan and I were in our living room. He on the couch. Me on the love seat. I looked over at him and said, 'So we're good with Brennan?" He paused and said, "Eh, it's not my favorite." (me:) "Uh, what??" (Ryan:) "Like, I wouldn't want my kid named that." Ok, so what to do? A few weeks later was my birthday. Ryan got me a baby name book. and just as we so recently did with Colt, with pages upon pages of names, we still couldn't agree on any. I really liked Levi. Ryan did not. One day, while talking to my mother in law on the phone, I said that I had absolutely no idea what to name the baby. She said, "...pray about it. God will show you what his name should be." There were two things about that comment that struck me. First, Trish was telling me to "pray about it." I'm not knocking her when I say this, because I've said it before, and it is the truth: Trish is not exactly the most religious person I've ever met. ;) (though don't get me wrong, she's no agnostic, either) And Second: We pray about everything else in life, why is it that when it comes to naming a baby, we feel like it's decision alone? So, yeah. Words of wisdom from my mother in law! :) That night, during bedtime prayers with Trey, I asked that God would show us what to name the baby. The very next day, while not even thinking about anything baby, the name "Cash" came to mind. It was the name that Ryan suggested for Trey when I was almost 8 months pregnant, except I was quick to shoot it down because Trey had been Trey since the day we found out we were having a boy, and I also thought the name "Cash" was a little weird. (ha) So for two years, I had neither heard nor thought of it. Just for kicks, I decided to search the meaning. You know, to see if it meant anything other than "money". This is what I found:

Origin: English
Gender: Boy
Meaning: Profit

But is what immediately came to mind:

Mark 8:36 - "Jesus said, 'What does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul?..."

It was at that moment, I knew what the baby's name was supposed to be. I'm not saying I heard a voice in my head, but it was a feeling I can't really describe. It just knew. In fact, I actually felt to name him anything else would be wrong. I had prayed that God would show me his name, and I truly believed that's what happened. His name was to be Cash.

We chose the middle names "Michael DeMarco" for a reason. Ryan's middle name is Michael. My brother's middle name is Michael, and my grandfather's name is Michael DeMarco. Over the past 5 years, since having Trey, I have seen a whole new side of my grandfather (whom we call "Papa", or now, "Big Papa" to the kids:). He has truly built a relationship with his great grandchildren. They visit him in the office. They sing him songs, he teaches them Italian phrases. The kids make him laugh, he makes the kids laugh, and I wanted to be able to carry on his name in one of my kids. I felt it even more appropriate to use his name, along with Cash's, given the story behind it. See, my grandfather has always been a business man. "Business first." He grew up in a family business, took over the family business, and grew the family business. He has gained a lot in the eyes of the world, but ... "...what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, yet loses his soul?..." Papa is 83 years old. He was diagnosed with 4 types of cancer this past summer. I realize none of us know how long we have on earth. I could die today. You could die tomorrow. But there are circumstances in life that can lead one to believe time is short.

I have prayed for my grandfather for as long as I have memory. My mom got saved when she was 14, and has been praying for her Dad ever since. My kids now pray for Big Papa. He is a good man. A great man. Funny. Hard working. But none of those things will get him into heaven. Being good, or even great, is not enough. Giving to charity, praying, going to church...those "things" aren't what get us inside heaven's pearly gates. If they were, why would Jesus have suffered and died on the cross? My cousin, Tyler, died of cancer 19 months ago. It was, still is, and forever will be, a devastating loss for our family. But Tyler set an amazing example, and one I can only hope and pray my grandfather will follow. Tyler was a good kid, but he also knew he was sinner. During his final 11 months on earth, Tyler prayed to accept Christ. He knew that just being a good kid wasn't enough. He needed to acknowledge the fact that Jesus died for his sins, and it was only through acknowledging that fact, and asking God to forgive him, could he have eternal life in heaven. And that is exactly what we're still praying for my grandfather. I can sit here and say that Papa has "gained the whole world..."...but what will he do with his soul?

If you think of it, please pray along with us for "Big Papa." Because I know 10 little ones who are expecting to see him in heaven!