A Mother's Joy

All my family will be together in heaven!

It was an amazing feeling when I realized that fact. It's still gives me a tingle whenever I think about it. Even more special to me is that I was present for all of their salvation experiences - even Todd's.

Tonight was Caton's turn to be baptized and boy, was she excited! She packed her stuff two hours before we had to be at the church. Her excitement was fun to watch as she buzzed around the house looking for her "all white" outfit, towels, and hair brush. Come to think of it, she hasn't moved that fast for much of anything else!

When we got to the church and met with Pastor Michael, we learned there were 10 people being baptized and all of them were under the age of 12. What an amazing feeling it was to watch those little ones go into the water!

Here is Caton in her baptismal robe:

I love this picture! She is listening to Michael welcome everyone and she is so excited! Her hands are clasped together and she looks angelic - notice I said LOOKS!

Here she had just gotten into the water and I guess she's looking at her hands under it. You can see the "grasp this moment" attitude in her facial expression too!

Michael was asking how early she got packed to come to church and she said two hours early. Her face says it all!

I baptise you in the name Father, Son and Holy Spirit...

The camera doesn't go fast enough for me to get her going under and then coming back up.

I couldn't help but remember what our old church used to say as people were baptized. In addition to "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" they said, "Buried with Christ unto death, raised up to walk in the newness of life."

As I stood there and watched the water run off my youngest's face, I thought about the newness of life she will experience. The closeness and love she will feel as she grows in her relationship with her Father, and the heartache she will feel in realizing some she knows will not choose Him. I thought about how she and I will share eternity together with her dad and sister.

I am thankful that my family's eternity is secure. I am so thankful for a church family who loves us and welcomes us in. I am thankful for a church staff who are willing to personally invest in our lives as a family and each of us as individuals. My family doesn't just call the church staff our "ministers" or "pastors", we call them friends.