Our Covenant Child

Our sweet baby girl was baptized on May 15 at our church, Eastwood Presbyterian, here in Montgomery. What a precious time it was! My father was able to come and perform the baptism, and our family joined with us afterward for lunch.

It's such a privilege to be entrusted by the Lord with the mind-blowing gift of a child. I've always been surrounded by Christian families, but until Anna Lyn arrived I could never have imagined the huge weight that accompanies being a parent.

My little bundle is always present and always needy. She wants attention all the time, eats on a schedule, and is totally dependent for her everyday needs. *Note* - I am not complaining about this, but it is a very real reality of being a parent.

Mulling this over for the last few months, I have been humbled to notice the similarities between AL's physical needs and my spiritual needs. I need time - time committed to spending daily getting to know my Savior and Lord. I need food - spiritual food {God's word} to become more like the Lord, which is a challenge for all Christians. Basically, I need the Lord for all things in life every moment of every day. Do I embrace this as fully as I should? That answer would be no. I'm not as faithful as I should be, but I serve a faithful Savior who does not {cannot} change . . . and for that I am so so thankful!

But back to the Baptism. The beauty of Baptism into the Christian church is that the family of believers promises to be present in the nurture and admonition of the child. Basically that they will help to raise your child to know the Lord. Baptism does not mean that the child is saved. AL's not a believer in Christ just because she's been baptized. It means that we covenant to raise her to know the Lord - to teach her, guide her, sing songs to her, play with her, read with her - in ways that will show her Jesus. In this, we are trusting the Lord that in His timing and will He will lead AL to know Him as her savior.

What a blessing to know that salvation is not something that we work for or force, but that GRACE is the way to the Lord. All we have to do is trust in Christ to blot out our sins, and the deed is done!

Thanks so much for the family and friends who made this day so very special. We love you all!

With Papa during the service

 Great Aunt Jan and Great Uncle Joe

 Great Aunt Jackie

 Rogie and Gigi

 Granddaddy Westbrook

 The smorgasbord with Papa and Uncle Ryne

 Aunt Sarah

 Worn out!

 Proud parents

Aunt Susanna 

 The two namesakes - Aunt Sus(anna) and Aunt Gwendo(lyn)

 Pop and Coco

 The Stanfords

 The Agnews

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the 

training and instruction of the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:4