DEDICATION OF BABIES

I am so looking forward to heading towards Findlay tomorrow to see my little grandbaby! Jim (alias "Grandpa") is so looking forward to being able to hold her in his arms as her mommy and daddy dedicate her to the Lord. I am also looking forward to the rare but wonderful joy of hearing my son preach! And then, as always, I look forward to some "girl" time with my favorite daughter-in-law (my ONLY one, to be truthful) Kelly who is more like my own flesh and blood than a daughter-in-law.

Dedication. A time to make a vow to the your loved ones, your church, but most important to God, that you will do all you can to raise your child in the church and to know and love the Lord. I have seen so many make those vows and never step foot in the church again ... or only on special occasions. Don't they realize the seriousness of making a VOW before the Almighty and then following through on it? Why do they just go through the motions? I am so thankful to know that when my children and their spouses make that vow they do so with great seriousness and sincerity. It is a joy to know that my grandchildren will hear about the "King of Kings" from a young age and not just from their parents. It is good to know that when they come to those rough times of their lives when they can't seem to understand their parents and why they are so strict, etc., they will have spiritual leaders who love them and care for them and will help them through those rough times. Some young people have no idea the available help they are robbing themselves of by not raising their children in the church.

I believe our family - Jim and I and our children Sunshine and James - have always been a CLOSE family. I believe that even they we may have disagreed and been at "wit's end" with each other at times, our love was strong enough to carry us through anything. However, I also know there was a time in both of our children's lives when we did not see "eye to eye". It was such a comfort to know they had other Christian family members who loved them, cared for them, and were always available to help them through those times. What would I have done without a Christian family to help raise our kids? What a joy and blessing that is! What amazes me is how you can tell your kids something and it just doesn't seem to make an impact. But let someone else tell them the very same thing, and it's the GOSPEL TRUTH! Weird, huh? I can't honestly cite any such incidents with my kids but I have no doubt that it happened time and time again because I know it happened when I, myself, have worked with teens and they will "listen" to me and take my advice better than their own parents. Of course, nine times out of ten I am just as strict and "hard on them" as their parents, if not More. That is the joy of "being there" for each other!

So, DEDICATION is not something to be taken lightly. It is a most important event in a child's life, especially if the parents follow through on their vows. Thank you Lord for "family"!