Reflections on March 20th

March 20th was my grandfather's birthday.  Grandpa helped to raise my sister and me, and he was a very significant part of my life growing up.  He passed away two years ago when I was pregnant with Cora, and he never lived to find out I was having a girl.

He had really hoped it was a girl.

Oh, how he would have adored Cora if he had known her.

Even though I miss Grandpa, today was not a day of mourning or sadness in our house.  In fact, it was a day of great celebration.

Today Jim and I were baptized.

I wish I could describe what an incredible experience this was.  I have been thinking all day about how to describe our spiritual journey in these last months as we have made the decision to be baptized, but it is a really hard thing to put into words.

It has been, for me, a time of intense emotion and spiritual evaluation.  I've had to shed my inhibitions, examine the Bible for what it really says, (and stop depending on tradition and denominational experience to tell me what to believe) and step out in faith.

I could write many paragraphs about how I decided to get baptized today and what I learned in the process, but I'm drained tonight.  Plus, it's really hard to share something so personal on such a public forum.

But, I will say this.  This blog is about things that I love:  Family, decorating, parties, teaching...  And those things are good and have some value in this life.  But those things will all pass away.  They bring pleasure, but they don't bring eternal hope.  Only Jesus can bring hope.  Only Jesus saves.  He is my everything, and I am thankful that now, when I think of March 20th...

I won't just think about my sweet Grandpa.  I'll think of my sweet Savior and a very special symbol of obedience.

God is good.  All the time.