One of the smartest things I'll do...

So maybe you know, we had a baby just 2 weeks ago, Dec 27, 2005, aria bess was born. She's a beautiful girl, sweet, a lot alike and yet so different than her big sister, ellie.

and this weekend I'm going to do one of the smartest things I'll ever do... let me explain. See, I realize that though i strive to be a good parent, i'll fail at it. I also realize that i've got about 18 years (more or less) during which my girls are under my watchful eye and after that my influence is seriously diminished. I also realize that as beautiful and smart and sweet as my girls are, that they are not perfect either, that in fact they've got this capacity for darkness and rebelliousness, not just against me, but against God himself.

So this weekend jocelyn and I will present our daughter to God and hand her over to his care through what we call "holy baptism" It's the smartest thing I'll do because it means that aria gets a new start, that God will cleanse her from her darkness and begin a new relationship with her that will last life-long. I can't give my kids much, none of us can when you really think about it... but i can bring her to God in the water of baptism and i get the promise that God claims her, gives her a relationship with himself, and gives her all the grace that his Son Jesus earned for her on the cross.

It seems weird, that I can give the gift of God to my daughter, but that's sorta what it is. God promises to work in that water by the power of his word... we bring her to it and stand back while the miracle happens.

If you're local, feel free to stop by and witness the miracle, this sunday jan 15 in the 10:45 service at St. Matthew-Walled Lake campus. You can get a link to a map on the homepage for St. Matthew. We'd love for you to join us and celebrate God's goodness