slice of my life

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Baptism---Mom's point of view

I wanted to blog about this yesterday. But I kept doing other stuff---laundry, eating lunch with Larry, updating the other blog, getting the kids after school, praying with my Moms in Touch group, looking for Larry's lost keys, getting my April lessonplans done for my job----lots of little stuff for my day off just added up to me not blogging about this most important event in our family's life!
This was the before. As someone said to me, the old man . . ."
" . . . and the new man."

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All of this is from God . . "

First, let me backtrack---give background, I mean. I figure some of my readers will not do baptisms quite this way at their church or not hold baptism as THE monumental turning point of life as we do in our church. We don't baptize babies, nor do we wait until a child is a certain age and baptize all the kids at church on one special Sunday. We don't sprinkle with water, we immerse the whole person in water. We hold to the New Testament examples such as Phillip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-39), and the household of Lydia (Acts 16:13-15). As soon as you know you need Jesus as your Savior, you repent and be baptized. You stand before the church and confess to all that you also believe that Jesus was God's son. You do it right away!

So here's J, my oldest child, who's got a rebellious spirit, a "something" inside him that has always made him do what he wants to do, and resent it if you tell him to do what he doesn't want to. A strong will. To say the least. Ha!

But here he is on Saturday night, telling his Dad that he wants to be baptized, with tears in his eyes. I'm laughing and crying myself! So happy, adn so unsure that I have really taught him everything---which is crazy because I know I'm 24 years older than him, and I know I don't know all of it myself! Excited and scared all at the same time.

Sunday morning, I'm all aflutter. I'm waiting for the Invitation Song offered after every sermon. And there he goes, up to the front with Larry. I'm shaking and I have the camera. Larry takes his confession down front, in front of the congregation, and then they get ready in the back. Larry goes into the baptismal at the front of our auditorium, and he made all the mommies cry, talking about how he had thought about this moment from the time he carried J to the nursery right after birth. (snapping the first picture) Then Larry lowers him into the water and raises him up (snapping the second picture).

The reason I'm so shocked is that he's 11. I alwas think people will do things the way I did. (I am crazy, I know!) I waited and angonized about being baptized until I was 16 almost. I knew what I needed to do when I was 12. I waited and waited because I am so shy I did not want to go down front and stand in front of everyone. I remember SO MANY Sunday nights the song leader would lead the song, "Oh, Why Not Tonight." Indeed!! The lyrics that come to mind go like this:

Our blessed Lord refuses none who would to Him their souls unite. Believe obey the work is done! Be saved, oh, tonight!

I chuckle about this now, but I was paralyzed for 4 years of Sunday nights! Finally, my sister thought she was ready to be baptized, so I went up to church on a Tuesday afternoon, in front of almost no one. I cried the whole time, from home to preacher's office, to underwater. I think I cried with relief, but also with sorrow I had waited for no good reason.

J. I'm so proud of him. It probably was no coincidence that this happened when he is preparing for LTC Bible Bowl, and what's the book of the Bible they're doing this year? Acts. The book about the beginnings fo the church. No coincidence that our preacher has been going over Luke on Sunday mornings, talking about how the Jews time after time rejected Jesus and didn't take him up on the offer of eternal life. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). All these things working together.

It wasn't me. I didn't plan this out! But I was a part of it. So cool! So many people were a part of this. We're so interconnected, and it's all because of God sewing us together.

I thank you for reading all these things in my brain. I am overwhelmed with joy, and can't describe the feelings I have completely. But this was a start.

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6 Comments:

  • I waited (unnecessarily) until I was 19 to be baptized, so I understand your point of view completely.

    My DH was raised with infant baptism (he's the son of a preacher, no less), so I was touched by Larry's comments about J as a baby. I don't know what we'll do about baptism and our future children.

    How exciting for your family!

    By Blogger a, at Tuesday, March 27, 2007 8:30:00 PM  

  • You HAVE taught him enough that he knows he should do this. Remember he thought about it when he was going to turn 10?
    as you say you can never teach him all you know because you will always be 24 years ahead of him. trust thst it is enough. He will continue to be himself. don't expect him to totally change either. He is so smart and has always uderstood somethings beyond what his chronologcal age should have understood. You have done a bery good job !!

    Mom (Geegee)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Tuesday, March 27, 2007 9:18:00 PM  

  • I think that most kids know when they are ready. I think it is awesome that he decided to do this. You have done a good job! Blessings!

    By Blogger Janis Rodgers, at Wednesday, March 28, 2007 9:51:00 AM  

  • Amazing story! I was baptised and confirmed at the same time as everyone else in my confirmation class. It was special to me but this sounds so much more personal. What a great story! I am so glad you blogged about it!

    By Blogger Jane, at Thursday, March 29, 2007 7:26:00 PM  

  • How beautiful! Thanks for sharing your story. Jenny, you are such a cool mom!

    By Blogger Jan, at Friday, March 30, 2007 9:11:00 AM  

  • I was baptized when I was 14. My mom was Presbyterian and my Dad Catholic, and so they let me decide. Strangely, either church would have accepted the baptism of the other.

    I wish I had been baptized as an infant. It worried me as a child, but it was something I was afraid to talk to my parents about, just like I wouldn't talk to them on my 4th birthday when I realized I was never going to be 3 again, just keep growing older and die. I was a weird kid.

    Many of my friends who were baptized as children wanted to be rebaptized as an adult; I'm the only one of them who wasn't baptized as a child, and I wish I had been. Strange.

    I did wind up accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, being baptized, and taking communion for the first time all on the same day. That's another story, though.

    I celebrate with you your son's acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That's wonderful, and though I don't know you, my heart was joyful in reading this post.

    By Blogger Rob Carr, at Sunday, April 01, 2007 11:52:00 AM  

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