Baby Names

When Jade was born Grandpa Bechtle wrote her a very lovely letter telling her all about her name "Jade" and it's meaning. It was so very special that I printed it out and saved it with her baby book.

Just like he did for Jade, Grandpa has also written something very special regarding Cutter's name. Both letters are so very precious and tell so much about my children's names and their meanings that I've decided to post them here for all to read.

Jade

What a special girl you are!

And your name is also very special. Your Mommy and Daddy chose it just for you, and it tells me some wonderful things about you.

Jade is your name. But jade is also the name for a very pretty stone. People use jade to make jewelry and other beautiful things.

Let me tell you about jade...and about you!

Jade is very valuable.

People in China know more about jade than anybody else, and they have always thought it was more valuable than gold. Whenever they had a race or wrestling contest, they would give the winner a prize made out of jade. The man who came in second place had to settle for just gold.

You are very valuable too. Your Daddy and mommy love you and they would do anything for you. So would Grandma and Grandpa.

And you are also very valuable to God. He loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to earth for you (1 John 4:10)

Jade is the toughest of all stones.

You can scratch a jade stone with a diamond, but you can't crush it. It has little fibers inside that make it very strong. Someone has found out that it takes 100,000 pounds of weight to crunch a one-inch piece of jade!

I believe you will grow up to be a very strong person. Even if you have hard times, you will still be able to smile and keep going.

God will help make you strong, so you can do everything you need to (Philippians 4:13)

Jade can become a thing of beauty

Because jade is so tough, it takes a long time to carve it into the shape you want. But a skilled carver can make it into something of incredible beauty and delicacy. Even the tiniest details will not break off, so you can make things out of Jade that you cannot do with any other stone.

As you grow up, your life will become something beautiful. God is the master stone carver, slowly and patiently shaping you into His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

Jade, we are so happy that you are part of our family, and we love you.

~Grandma and Grandpa Bechtle April 2008

Cutter David Bechtle

We stand on the beach with blue sky overhead and sand between our toes, watching a brilliant white sail slicing through the waves. It’s a cutter, a small, speedy craft with a single mast – a pleasure to watch, a thrill to sail.

Cutters are sleek. They are graceful. They are fast! And that’s why people have used them for years to race, to play, to feel the sea breeze. There’s just something about a cutter that makes you take a deep breath . . . and smile.

Cutter, we smile whenever we think about you. In the next few years, you are going to pick up speed. You’re going to grow into a boy who loves life, and it is going to be a pleasure to watch you slice through the experiences of life.

When the United States was brand new, cutters took on a new role. America’s leaders decided to organize a fleet of small ships to watch over the coastlines of our country. They needed speedy craft that could defend our waters from smugglers and pirates. They needed ships that could rescue people in distress. What did they use? Cutters, of course!

Originally called the Revenue Marine, this organization later became the U.S. Coast Guard. As the needs grew, so did the ships. Cutters became bigger and bigger, and now any Coast Guard vessel over 65 feet long is called a cutter, and some cutters are up to 420 feet long!

These cutters are still fast, and they are extremely seaworthy; they can keep going in the roughest waters. They still carry protect us from pirates or drug smugglers, and they still rescue ships in distress. Between crises, they keep a watchful eye on all that goes on in the coastal waters of the United States.

In fact, you might call them the Shepherds of the Sea. When you are in trouble on the ocean, you are very glad to see a cutter coming your way! If you’re a criminal, you might not be so happy at the sight.

Cutter, as you grow older, it’s very possible that you too will develop into a kind of cutter that is bigger and more important than any of us can imagine right now. I can envision you as a shepherd of your own sea, protecting people from threats and helping people in trouble.

Your middle name is David, and it’s very significant that David was also a shepherd – of sheep, not seas. The name David means “dearly beloved,” and David was certainly loved . . . by his people and his God. When he was young, he took care of wooly lambs – feeding them, tending their cuts and bruises, leading them to the best pasture, and driving off the wild animals that would harm them.

As a young man, he was small (at least compared to Goliath) and fast. He defeated the giant by his speed and wits, not his brute force. When he was on the run from Saul, his speed and savvy carried him through some tight spots. Best of all, he realized that his strength was small, so he learned to trust completely in a very big, powerful God. And God blessed and used him.

In the end, he became shepherd of the nation. God “chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds . . . to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands (Psalms 78:70-72).

Cutter, you are dearly loved by your family and by God. As you grow, we pray that you will live up to both of your names: as a protector, a deliverer, a shepherd of all the people that God gives you. We believe that God will choose you to care for His people, and that you will find your greatest joy in that task.

-- Grandpa Bechtle, March 25, 2010