Grace and Noah were baptized on Sunday. Super special. Can't really explain it although I'm going to try. Mostly 'cause it helps me to better understand...partially 'cause I really like to talk (or write).
Grace wanted to be baptized when she was around 2 and saw someone else being baptized at church. "I wanna bap-tie," said she. "Oh..." I responded. "Why, honey? What does it mean to be baptized?" "I wanna bap-tie 'cause I love Jesus, too." Hmmmmm....good answer. I think we'll wait awhile, though, until we can say the word "baptize."
Fast forward to Noah, around a similar age, expressing a similar interest for a bap-tie. Steve and I decide to hold off a little longer.
And then, a month or so ago, Noah again asked to be baptized. We had just had communion and he received a blessing though he really wanted to have communion. "I want to be baptized, Mom." he said. "Why, honey?" I asked, fully expecting his 5 year-old reason to be "because I want a snack during the worship service." "Because," he answered, "I want to tell everyone how much I love Jesus." Oh. Okay then. I told him that he should talk to Auntie Mimers (Dr. Miriam Dixon, our pastor) about that. So, after worship he marched his skinny little self right up to Auntie Mimers and said, "Auntie Mimers. I want to be baptized. Can I be?" So she set up a meeting with him and with 6 year old Grace who decided that she, too, wanted to be baptized.
Later that week she came over to meet with them, explain to them what communion and baptism are and what they mean and to answer any of their questions. Boy, they had a lot of questions. She talked about what heaven is like, why Jesus had to die, why Jesus got baptized and a host of other things. And in the end she decided that they get it, they're ready, let's do it.
Noah and Grace were so excited for their baptism. They talked about it constantly. They wondered if they'd feel different. They wondered if the water would feel cold or hot. They wondered how wet they'd get. They wondered if today was the day every morning when they got up.
Finally, it was the day of their baptism. We didn't do any presents from us (except for their new clothes -- Noah really wanted to look handsome for the occasion). We wanted the baptism to be what was special...not the gifts. They woke up early. Noah immediately put on his handsome outfit and grabbed a tie for his 4 year old brother, Eli, to wear, too. Everyone needed to be handsome. Daddy wore a tie, too. Grace carefully put on her pretty dress and shiny shoes. And we were off.
At the church, Auntie Mimers explained to them what was going to happen. She asked them both to recite their favorite verse as part of their baptism. They had practiced their favorite verses all week. She walked them through the Presbyterian questions. They answered them dutifully and seriously. And they were ready...it was go time.
When it was time for the baptism, Grace and Noah came together up to the front...before Auntie Mimers called them because they saw their names on the screen and they were too excited to wait. They held hands. Noah put his head on Grace's shoulder and Grace put her arm around him. Seriously. Same kids who were fighting over toothpaste yesterday. Made my heart melt. And they answered the questions. And they said their verses. Noah said, "John 3:16 God really loved the world. He sent his son so that whoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16." I mean he proclaimed it. He was certain, certain, certain that it was true and that everyone needed to know. And Grace said, "Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." In the car, she told us that she was also going to explain to everyone what it meant...you know, that "I can do anything with God." But in the end she decided that the Bible could speak for itself. And the warm water ran down Grace's hair and face first and she giggled. And the water ran down Noah's hair and face and puddled on his shirt and he thought about that. And Auntie Mimers said, "Wow! God's love is running all over you." And Grace giggled and said, "Yes!"
After the baptism, before the sermon, Noah leaned over to Steve and asked, "Do you think a bird will get on my head when I go outside?" Steve responded, "What do you mean, buddy?" "Because Jesus had a bird get on his head when he was baptized." Maybe we need to clarify a few things. Or maybe God will send a bird to land on Noah's head. It wouldn't surprise me. That's the kind of relationship those two have.
And after church, when we asked them how it felt, Noah said, "I feel warm. And like I can love more." And Eli piped in, "I feel bigger!" And me? I felt like I wish I had the faith of a child. And I felt so grateful to have been given these three treasures to teach me how.
