Grace and Blessings

Here is the first of my promised updates... Two weeks ago, on September 18th, Keenan was baptized and officially welcomed into the midst of our little church. The service was beautiful -- and meaningful in a way that only Mars Hill services are (for me, at least). He was baptized along with two other children with water from a fire grate that was lovingly cleaned up just for this occasion by our much-adored "Miss Stacy". As a part of the service, the people who love Keenan and the other children - family and friends together - symbolized their love and blessings by place rose petals in the water. The result was beautiful - baptismal water that was truly blessed and represented the overflowing grace we wish to share with our children.
As we stood around the water - parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles - we each shared our blessings and desires for his life. We prayed that he would grow up surrounded by grace and would learn to give grace to himself and to others. We prayed that he would know the Lord early in his life. We thanked God for the blessing of having family nearby, as a constant loving influence in his life. And then, in order to further symbolize our desire for our faith to naturally overflow into Keenan's life, Sam held him over the baptismal basin as I poured the water over his head - baptizing him in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The one thing missing from the service was the blessing that Gigi (Keenan's Great-Gramma Schaddelee) had written for him on his baptism day. I had printed it and left it sitting on my desk. I was so disappointed that we didn't have it there, but I know that her thoughts and prayers were with us, whether I was able to read what she'd written or not. Here is what Gigi wrote for Keenan:

Keenan, this is a special day for you and for all who love you.

Your mother and father realize that you are a gift from God in heaven; therefore, they are telling the people who love God that in baptism you, too, belong to the family of God.

The water represents Jesus washing away our sins and making you God’s covenant child. When we, as his children, show our love for God in the way we live, he promises to bless us abundantly.

May you be so blessed!