On Jack's actual birthday we had busy afternoon.
Recently our church started having a church service on the first Wednesday of every month. This particular month they were also having a baptism during that service. Owen, Ella and Zeke have all wanted to be baptized since they saw Jack get baptized last June. All of the kids had already asked Jesus to come into their hearts and forgive them of their sins, but Jack was the only one that wasn't scared to get baptized. Once the other kids saw that it wasn't a big deal they wanted to be baptized as well.
There was baptism last October, but I was away at a Women's Ministry Leadership Retreat so we couldn't be a part of that one. This time it fell on Jack's birthday. Thankfully he didn't mind sharing his special day with his siblings as this also became a very special day in their spiritual journey. The kids had to attend a class prior to baptism so we had to be at church by 5:30pm, but first we celebrated Jack.
Another present that was too big for a gift bag!
Jack opened the present and immediately had no idea what it was. Of course he was hoping that it was something BeyBlades, but he gets enough of those. Since he's my kiddos with the birthday closest to summer I thought it would be fun to get him something that he could enjoy in the sunshine.
It's basically an above ground dunk tank, but instead of getting dunked you sit under this frame and there is a place that you can throw balls at and if you hit it the person sitting there will have a bucket of water dumped on them.
This face cracks me up! He was NOT impressed at all! He was so disappointed that it wasn't a BeyBlade stadium. Thankfully I didn't get offended! :) I knew that he would like it and have fun with it...he just needed a minute to be sad that it wasn't what he was hoping it was.
When we got home later that night he told me he did like it and he can't wait to try it out. The next day he pooled all his money that he got from his birthday and money that he'd saved up and he was able to buy the BeyBlade Stadium that he's been wanting for months. Now that makes 3 or 4 stadiums and yes he uses them all! :)
We were on such a tight schedule we had to leave right after he opened his present.
Jack decided he wanted MCD's for dinner. If we get MCD's we usually go through the drive thru and eat it at home. This time we ate in the restaurant.
Jackson got his normal meal...two cheeseburgers. I ordered them without onions, but I didn't say no pickles. He was able to take them off and then I put them on my cheeseburgers....yay for extra pickles!
We ate pretty quickly and then we are off to church. There were 4 kids getting baptized that night. The kids attended their class which is where they talk about what baptism is and why we take part in it. Here's what is says on our church's website...
Jesus committed to the Church two sacraments: **Baptism and Communion**. Through Baptism, every follower of Jesus publicly demonstrates their faith in Christ's death and resurrection by being baptized in water. It is through Communion that we remember the suffering and death of Jesus and proclaim his death and resurrection until he returns.
Baptism is NOT a requirement to being saved!!! It is a public proclamation that you are a follower of Christ and it's a symbol of what Christ did for us. He died for our sins and then he was raised to life and conquered sin once and for all. When you are baptized you go down in the water...."dying to your sins" and then you come out of the water "being raised to life in Christ".
My children were already saved because they called on the name of Jesus to come into their life and save them from their sins. Baptism is a command by Jesus, but if you aren't baptized that doesn't mean you won't go to heaven. Think about the thief on the cross...Jesus told him this..."Surely I tell you today you will be with me in paradise". He didn't say..."Hang on guys can you let us get down from the cross so I can baptize my new friend here so he can go to heaven?"
In their suits and ready to go!
Oh...the water is nice and warm!
We have talked about baptism with the kids for years, but once they decided that they wanted to take part in it we did act it out at home so they would know what was going to happen. They also did this in their class just prior to the baptism so it would be fresh in their heads.
Pastor Brian was the one baptizing the kids. He also baptized Jack last June.
Zeke was so short I had to stand up so I could see him in the tank.
Yay Zeke Man!
So proud of my 7 year old. Zeke is almost the same age I was when I got baptized! I was just a few months away from being 8 years old, but I have no doubt that he knows exactly what he was doing and he came to this decision on his own.
Ella's turn!
Yay Ella Grace!!!
Ella was going to be baptized with Jack last year, but then she got cold feet. So proud of my Ella Grace!
Owen's turn...he was nervous! He doesn't like attention.
Yay Owen Michael!
All my sweet babies have been baptized!!!! I could not be more proud. My kids are absolutely my mission field. I have loved leading them and guiding them in their spiritual journeys. We have read the Bible to them in many different forms....Jesus Storybook Bible, LEGO Bible, Focus on the Family Devotionals and now we have been listening to the Daily Audio Bible for Kids. We have talked to them time and time again about the lessons we can learn from the Bible that correspond with our lives today. The Bible is most definitely NOT boring!
It has been a pleasure to introduce them to Jesus and I'm excited for the years that are to come where they will start to be more in the driver seat of their relationship with Christ. I've always told them that I wanted to show them MY Jesus, but they would need to find THEIR Jesus when they got older. It's the same Jesus, but they need to have a personal and intimate relationship with Him!
I love all my children and I a so thrilled with their decision to follow Jesus. I have prayed and prayed for them and I'm still going to continue to pray that they will follow Him all the days of their life.
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