Eternally Blessed

This week's Walk Down Memory Lane is going to be one of those that brings a tear to my eye even just looking at the pictures. Yet I feel it is so good to capture these moments that mean so much to me in this format for my girls. So, with that, I am going to attempt to put to words that day as we walk down memory lane to the day my Doodle was baptized by her daddy. Oh what a day!

Doodle asked us to pray with her and ask Jesus into her heart as her Lord and Savior on Valentine's Day 2004. What a valentine! Nothing has blessed me more than watching my children question and grow in their knowledge of the Lord. The decision to take the next steps in their faith walk has always been their own but I have always been so blessed to be present for each step. After her decision to accept Christ as her Lord, she immediately wanted to be baptized. So we set up with the church a time to have that happen. What blessed this mama the most, Doodle wanted her daddy to baptize her. Oh my, the joy!

The church we attended at that time had the person baptizing the new believer speak about their journey. Then they asked them some questions to allow the new believer to publicly confess their faith in Christ. Matt started off speaking and realized Doodle was too short to see over the wall so he picked her up to share her story. That moment was too sweet to this mama! Truly started weeping then. Tears of joy!

Matt holding Doodle and letting the congregation
know about her decision. Look at her face! Pure joy!

After he shared her story, he then put her down and asked her the simple questions of faith and after she answered he baptized her. My joy was overwhelmed and I could not hold back the tears of joy with that! We had our entire family there to witness this special moment as well as dear friends.

The special moment he baptized her.

When he pulled her out of the water, he immediately grabbed her into that Daddy bear hug and carried her out of the baptismal that way! Though we don't have the picture of him doing that part, we do have the picture as he was trying to get her up into his arms. He was so moved by that moment and did not want to let it go by too quickly. He clung to her and they prayed when they went back to the dressing area.

His joy! Here he is trying to pick her up out of the water.
He hugged her and carried her wrapped around him with pure joy!

After she got dressed and emerged from the back, we all hugged and loved on her before leaving to go eat together. What I remember about this day most was not the family and friends there, although that was so touching. It was the moments of true joy and peace I saw in my daughter's eyes and in my husband.

Doodle after

Words can not express the joy we have at the gift of being parents in the first place. But to be able to know that we will one day spend eternity with our children is a priceless gift and a joy that no words do justice to describe. God knows that joy. We are so blessed.