We have had such a blessed day today. Well, its been a great weekend, but today was the topper. Our church had their yearly service in the park with a river baptism. We have never been to one before and we weren't real sure what to expect and with it starting at 9:00am we knew it would be hard to get there on time. Paul and Sarah got out early, as Paul was helping out, Paulie and I didn't get there until 8:45am. We had to park about 1/2 a mile away, carrying our chairs that distance, but we did it. And thankfully, friends where saving us some grass area for our seats, so we were still up close. It was a great service. We had some bands come in for special music, and it was a great teaching. Then it was time for the river baptism. It was very interesting and such a beautiful thing to see. Everyone went down to the rivers edge, and there were pastors in the water, with helpers and people walked up to be baptized.
Now, Paulie had given his life to the Lord about a year ago, but as not ready to be baptized. With his sensory issues, going under water was not an option. A few weeks ago he asked about getting baptized this weekend, and I told him I would talk to his dad. I talked to Paul and both him and I weren't comfortable with him being in the river. We just weren't sure about it all, and figured we would wait for another time. So we are all there watching people get baptized and we said something to Paulie about 'sometime soon', and he says, "Why not now?" Uh, well, what do you say to that? Paul and I looked at each other and I said, "Honey it's up to you, you'll be the one in the water with him." Just a side note here Paul helped baptize Sarah and had always planned to baptize Paulie too. That's why I said it was up to him. What can you say when your son knows and is ready to be baptized. Paul and I smiled at each other and he and Paulie started taking off their shoes.
I have to say it was the Lord that I even had my camera. I wasn't going to bring it because I didn't think there was a chance for him to be baptized. But thankfully I knew I needed to bring it, plus we just 'happened' to have a towel with us. So we talked to a friend of ours that was helping people in the river, and he took Paulie (who was scared of the water a bit), and helped Paul and him in the river and to a pastor friend of ours. Plus there was another helper who Paulie knew real well, all from the Lord to help him relax. And a funny part at this point, was once they got in the river they walked down to an area where there was a bush in my way of taking pictures. I run around the bush, Sarah following, asking quite loudly for people to please move so I could get through because my son was being baptized. They were all so sweet, and they said, right here honey, move here. I got some great shots. Paulie was still nervous about going backward under water, but he did it, and Paul was with him. Obviously Paul is in the white shirt, and I blurred out the faces of the other helpers since I didn't ask if I could put their pictures on the web. So here are pictures of Paulie's baptism.
Shoes are coming off.
Heading in the water.
Nervous, but in the water.
Praying.
Getting ready...
Going down...
Up...
Father and son together....Thank you Lord
I still get teary eyed thinking about it. It was so completely beautiful to see, and a blessing to know that both of our kids are walking with the Lord and have been baptized. Thank you Lord for such a great day.
Friends were in town today and got to see Paulie baptized. They came over for a lovely visit after the service and my nephew came over and played video games with us. Now we are watching some of the olympics and just hanging together. What a day.
I'm not sure how much I'll be on this week. Tomorrow is our normal cleaning day and my nephew will probably come over again tomorrow night. Then Tuesday is Sarah's birthday and playgroup, so I'll be busy baking that day. I want to try to start school this week (I know, it's starting to sound a bit crazy, busy, so it might not happen). If we start school this week it will be on Wednesday through Friday. But we also just made plans to go see my family this weekend. We'll be leaving Friday night, and coming home on Sunday. We need to help my parents with their yard, and my sister is having a wood cutting day at her house, which Paul has always helped at. It will be a busy weekend, but a fun one. So on Friday I'll be doing laundry and packing, which means we might have our first day off of school, on our first week. That's why I'm trying to decide if I should just wait until the following week before I start. But I probably will start on Wednesday and we'll see what we get done on Friday. I'm the type that does better deciding on that day, not five days before, on what I will actually do. But through it all, I'm just not sure how much I'll be on. But I had to share the blessed news with you and my plans for the week. I hope you are all having a blessed day and will have a great week.
Oh, what a day! I got a little teary eyed when I saw the pictures. Grace has been asking to get baptized and with her sensory issues, I've put it off. Thank you for this. Maybe the Spirit will lead us too.
Jenn
JoAnn,
Thank you for your visit to my blog after reading my devo at the Cafe.
I know what you are talking about. I spent many years living as a perfectionist in my walk with God. The thing that Papa God keeps telling me is that it is not my perfection it is His. He comes to me in my imperfections and makes me perfect. But as long as I keep trying to be perfect for Him, then I won't totally need Him. It is in the realization that I can never be enough and that He is everything in me that my heart begins to need. He made me to need. In that need He comes to me and fills me up with all of Him. It's all about Him living His life in and through me, not me offering my best. My best will never been good enough, because it's me and my attempts. He wants to live His life through me. I began to ask Him what that looked like. He began to teach me.
Again, thank you for visiting my blog and your kind words.
I am blessed to know that Papa God spoke through me.
By the way, my son and daughter were also baptized a couple of weeks ago. It truly was a blessed event.
I am a home school mom also. I am starting my 17th year.
I also write devo's for the Heart of the Matter (home schooling) blog. Have you visited it?
Have a blessed day!
Julie
http://jewelsightings.blogspot.com
I teared up at while reading this too. My 10 yo wanted me to baptize her, which I did earlier this year. My 9 yo has wanted to be baptised too, but she is too frightened. I just pray she will have courage when the right time comes. Praise God for the courage you ds had. I love river baptisms too.
This blog is so I can share my journey with the Lord, my journey as a wife and mother, and my journey as a homeschool mom. I pray that you will see the Lord in my life through happy and sad times, and that this blog glorifies the Lord.
This is an award and tag free zone, thank you.
we knew it would be hard to get there on time. Paul and Sarah got out early, as Paul was helping out, Paulie and I didn't get there until 8:45am. 
We had to park about 1/2 a mile away, carrying our chairs that distance, but we did it. And thankfully, friends where saving us some grass area for our seats, so we were still up close. It was a great service. We had some bands come in for special music, and it was a great teaching. Then it was time for the river baptism. It was very interesting and such a beautiful thing to see. Everyone went down to the rivers edge, and there were pastors in the water, with helpers and people walked up to be baptized.
Uh, well, what do you say to that? Paul and I looked at each other and I said, "Honey it's up to you, you'll be the one in the water with him." Just a side note here Paul helped baptize Sarah and had always planned to baptize Paulie too. That's why I said it was up to him. What can you say when your son knows and is ready to be baptized. Paul and I smiled at each other and he and Paulie started taking off their shoes. 
