When Your Child Gets Baptized

So. This happened Sunday night.

I've tried and tried to come up with words to describe watching my child get baptized, but nothing I say can even come close to describing the flood of emotions I feel when I look at this picture.

It's a hard thing to see sin growing and flourishing your child's heart. Back in the spring, we were having a bit of a rough time with this one. There were bad attitudes and harsh words and selfishness and downright meanness. It was not a fun time.

As I prayed for her and talked with her, I knew that what she needed, more than anything else, was Jesus. She needed him to sweep into her heart and fill her with his Spirit. She needed a fresh start. She needed mercy and grace and redemption. She needed salvation.

On May 1, this sweet girl looked up at me after church one morning and said she wanted to ask Jesus to come into her heart. And so, that afternoon, she did. She's been impatiently waiting for her baptism ever since.

I'll never forget standing there beside the baptistry when our pastor dipped her under the water. She came up with the biggest grin on her face—it was a moment of pure joy for her. And for me. And for all of our family that was there to witness such a sweet moment. 

What a sweet, sweet gift God gave to us when he made her ours. Parenting is hard, and there are definite ups and downs. But Sunday night? Definitely a high point.

I'm so grateful that God, in his great grace and mercy, looked down on her and drew her near. I'm so thankful that she heeded his call and went running to him. And more than anything else, I'm so glad that we get to be a part of the journey as she grows to know, love, and serve the Lord.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Meeting Little Miss Maggie

This post is about a week overdue, but with my freak medical malady last week, I just didn't have it in me to write it. Better late than never, right?? So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce my almost brand-spankin-new niece: Maggie Kathleen. Isn't she the sweetest?

There's nothing sweeter than a baby girl, you know. I might be a bit biased about that. Maggie was born on a Wednesday, but we couldn't make the trip to Atlanta until Thursday afternoon, and I didn't get to see her until Friday morning. She was totally worth the wait.

My girls, Kendall in particular, were completely enthralled by her. It was the first time that Kendall had really been around a baby, and she wanted to hold her. And when I say that she wanted to hold her, I mean that she completely flipped out if someone else in her presence was holding Maggie and she was not.

It was incredibly sweet. When the screaming wasn't driving me crazy, that is.

I did take a picture with the proud mama (my sister), but I don't think she would appreciate me putting it on the internet for all the world to see. It wasn't a particularly good photo of either of us (totally not the photographer's fault, Dad!).

On a completely unrelated note, it really doesn't seem like that long ago since we made the trip to Atlanta to meet my nephew, Will (sitting next to Kendall up there in the "cousins" photo). But it's been three and a half years already. Where has the time gone?? Atlanta is a long way from central Mississippi, and I don't get to see my sister that often. This trip was particularly bittersweet. I loved visiting with Stacy and loving on sweet little Maggie, and I hated to go. I'm already trying to figure out when I can see her again. I don't know when it will happen, but I hope it's not too far down the road.

Until next time, grace and peace.

The Week that Was: Spring Break Edition

It's Spring Break here in Mississippi, which means that half the state is off gallivanting on the beaches of Alabama and Florida. We, however, had no such grand plans. After a whirlwind trip to Atlanta to meet my sweet little niece, we were going to have a staycation. My master plan included an excursion to the children's museum, lunch with my aunt and uncle, and a trip to the salon for Micah to be pampered.

And then life happened.

Specifically, a persistent toothache drove me to the dentist Monday afternoon. She couldn't localize the pain, but suspected an old filling was the culprit. So I headed off to the endodontist yesterday morning for a probable root canal.

Except he couldn't localize the pain either. So he did some more investigating and discovered that my jawbone has somehow pushed its way through my gum, causing extreme pain and sensitivity. Apparently it happens. I just thought there was an ulcer back there. Turns out, it's the source of all my problems. Well, my tooth mouth pain problems anyway.

Fun times, right?

Instead of playing at the children's museum, the girls played in the waiting room at the dentist's office. Instead of lunch with my aunt and uncle, they ate peanut butter sandwiches in the car. Instead of a trip to the salon, we went to Walgreens for my pain medication.

But they also explored the city park with Dennis and built duplo towers and enjoyed lunch with Gran and watched lots of Disney Junior. So as far as they're concerned, it was the best Spring Break ever.

Hopefully, next week will be a return to normality (and regular posting). After the visit to the oral surgeon at the beginning of the week, that is. Such is my crazy life.

Until next time, grace and peace.