Footsteps in the snow

All our children have biblical names. We thought we would like three children and so chose three sets of boys names and three of girls, none of the first initials being the same or the same as our first initial.
Thomas Daniel
Stephen James
Matthew Peter

Rebecca Mary
Naomi Ruth
and the one we did not need
Lydia Sarah.

Most of the names were chosen primarily because we liked the name but we were also influenced by the character of the person, especially Stephen.

Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Today is St Stephen's day. 

The first time I was aware of St Stephen was nothing to do the the man himself. It was Good King Wenceslas, one of my favourite carols. I loved the story of the King noticing a suffering subject then trudging through the snow with his page in tow in search of the old man who lived by St Agnes Fountain. The snow was crisp and even. How seldom is snow crisp and even. I still have a fascination with crisp and even snow, particularly in forests. In the snowy winter two years ago we lived across the road from a forest. It was magical for me.

King Wenceslas was a man motivated by compassion. He strode through cold deep snow to bring relief. His page followed, his way made easier by following in his master's  footsteps.   

Both Wenceslas and Stephen are patterns to follow. Compassionate and caring, personifications of faith and the Holy Spirit. I pray this for our Stephen too.