What's in a name?

I suppose that most of you can understand why I named this blog "Inkling from the Shadowland".  But I thought that I would tell you what my thoughts are anyway.  In truth, Dan is the title maker in this house. He usually is the one that comes up with the good names.  So when Lydia wanted to get started on this blog we had to start with a name.  I had been thinking of the word "shadows" but that is about as far as I got.  When commenting on I Corinthians yesterday I was thinking about how we live in the shadows.  C.S. Lewis talks about the shadowlands saying that we live in a dream but the morning is coming.  One of the definitions of shadow is something without substance.  And then the word inkling means a hint or intimation.   This life we live on earth often seems too real as we see, touch, taste and feel everyday the joy and sorrow that makes up this reality.  But, in fact, it is not our home even if so many times it feels like it is.    Hebrews 11 talks about those who have gone before us "looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God" and "having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."  Their desire was for a better country, a heavenly one.  We, like them, have lived and live in the shadowland, longing for the reality of heaven.  Where there will be no more tears, hurts, sick bodies and broken down relationships.  We are in the training ground being prepared for the next true life.  The morning is coming and it will be a splendid holiday.