Baptized!

Regan has been talking about getting baptized lately. She has asked Jesus into her heart in children's church, a couple of times now. And I just LOVE the way our church is set up with the kids. After the kids make a commitment to God, they encourage them to go to Faith Celebration. It's a one hour class to discuss, with the parents and the kids, exactly what everything means. We've been through the class with Riley, it's a mandatory class for the kids who want to Serve, and it was great then too. But today, I think it meant more to Regan since it was her decision, and she wasn't just dragged along.

Pastor Greg, the children's pastor, talked to the kids, on their level, about what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be water baptized, and how it would all work so the kids wouldn't be freaked out getting into a tub of water and having someone push them down!

Then the kids got lined up and ready to be dunked. There were over 80 people getting baptized today, so there was quite a line. Regan wasn't nervous, or scared, she hopped right up and Pastor Joe, the senior pastor, baptized her. Then a little while later, Riley came out, he had been baptized before, by our dear friend Lanier, but I think he didn't want Regan hogging ALL the attention, so we let him get baptized again. What's it going to hurt, right?

Pastor Joe really liked Riley's hair! Today was a special Back to School service and they wanted all the kids to wear bright colors because they came into the main auditorium and sang for us, and Pastor Joe prayed over all the kids and teachers for a great year. So Riley had me shave up his sides again to make the mohawk more mohawk-ey. And then once we got it all spiked up, we sprayed it pink! He was definitely colorful.

So Pastor Joe said Riley wins the award for the best hair at the baptism, and I think he left a trail of pink water behind him.

Regan declared, "It was fun!" as soon as she was out, and it reminded me of when I was 7 and got baptized at Lakewood Church in Houston, by Brother Dearman. I remember being so short I couldn't reach bottom and had to doggy paddle my way to him. It's something I will never forget, and I hope my kids never forget either.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov. 22:6