October 8 - Next Steps

I'm thrilled to share an important next step in Skyler's life. Last weekend, he was baptised, in a grand celebration with our local family in attendance and some of our favorite pastors participating.

Truthfully, this move in my middle child's heart surprised me. Last year, when Seth took steps to be baptised, Skyler expressed interest. Then he found out it involved getting wet, in front of a crowd, with people he didn't know, plus had long-term spiritual implications, so he promptly backed out. He was only 8, so that made sense to me. This year when the schedule was annouced at church, I wasn't even thinking about Skyler's spiritual journey. I figured he was still too young to really "get it" and that was fine. Suddenly he announced one morning, "I want to be baptised next month."

"Really?" I questioned, with raised eyebrows, "Why?"

"Because I want to give my life to God."

Hunh. I guess I can't argue with that! I gave him every opportunity to back out, take another year or so to think about it. I made him rearrange his playmate schedule to accomodate taking the pre-wash class for youngsters. We talked in depth about sin and love and choices. He never wavered even a moment. Wow. As our good friend, Tim, pointed out, there's definitely something to be said for the "faith of a child".

While we all wish that baptism flipped some magic switch in us to become holy and blameless (aka, making perfect choices and always being wonderfully kind), alas spirituality doesn't work that way. Growth takes time and sometimes it's messy or we screw up. However, I'm grateful that Skyler has chosen to take steps in growing up in God. And we'll all be cheering him on along the way!