Halloween

Before you read this, just let me say, I have nothing against Halloween and I'm not trying to offend anyone by writing this.  It's just one of those things where you have to decide one way or the other, and since Halloween is today, I just thought I'd share what we've decided.  I don't really think there's a right or wrong decision, just a decision.  And here's ours.

Halloween.  It's a fun holiday, right?  Dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, decorating with spiders, ghosts and witches.  There are alot of fun things associated with Halloween, and kids love it.  I mean, what kid doesn't want to put on a costume and travel around the neighborhood collecting enough candy to last the rest of the year? (although I'm sure for most kids it doesn't last nearly that long)

Everything I've said so far were my thoughts on Halloween up until this year.  I've always thought of it as a fun, no harm done, kind of holiday.  The equivalent of going on a Easter egg hunt for Easter, or getting presents from Santa on Christmas.  Just a fun thing for kids to do.

But this is the first year we've had a child old enough to participate in the holiday.  Caleb was only 4 months old last Halloween, so yes ... I did dress him in his little "my first Halloween" pumpkin outfit, but trick-or-treating wasn't really an option last year.  And he's still not old enough to know what's going on, but we needed to decide, as a family, how we were going to handle Halloween.

I dressed up, when I was a kid, for Halloween.  I went trick-or-treating around my neighborhood.  We also went to a Halloween carnival at the church I attended as a kid.  It was alot of fun.  Costumes, candy and games.  What's not to like?

My husband, on the other hand, wasn't comfortable with the holiday in general and didn't particularly want our children to participate in it.  I fought him on it.  Hard.  Our poor kids wouldn't get to trick-or-treat, or wear fun costumes or anything.  I brought it up several times over the last month, and every time his response was the same.  So he asked me to do some research on it.  Find out where Halloween came from, why it's celebrated, why the costumes and candy, why should we celebrate?

So I did.

And I can honestly say, I'm fine with our children not participating in Halloween.  Now, there are alot of fall carnivals (including the costumes and candy) and our church has a fall picnic with hayrides, cake walks and that sort of thing, and really, they're very similar to a Halloween celebration, minus the ghosts and goblins.  

Is there anything wrong with dressing up in costumes? Of course not.  Is there anything wrong with collecting a years supply of candy in one evening?  Certainly not, sounds good to me, actually :)  And  there's nothing at all wrong with celebrating Halloween however your family sees fit.  In my opinion, its a matter of personal conviction, and for our family this is what we decided ... we're gonna pass on Halloween.

But just so you know, while Caleb won't be trick-or-treating this year, he does have a frog costume that I will proudly dress him in and snap lots of little froggie pictures!

Giving

Good stewardship. It's something I've been thinking about lately. We are called to be good stewards with our time, our money, everything really, but lately I've been thinking about being a good steward with our finances.

It's easy to get into the habit of looking at our money as just that ... our money. We work for it, therefore it's ours, but really it belongs to God. He has blessed us with it and we are called to use it wisely. This is something I struggle with.

We have bills to pay, groceries to buy, things to save for, and amidst all that, it's easy for me to forget that God wants us to give. To give our money to the church and to those less fortunate than us. Now, this doesn't mean that we have to give money to every person holding a cardboard sign on the highway, but shouldn't we help when we can? Even if it's just in a small way?

I tend to be an impulsive person, especially when it comes to money. Some extra money comes along and my mind immediately goes to what we could spend it on, all the wonderful things we could buy. Things we certainly don't need, but things that I want.

If we were a little wiser with the money we are blessed with we could probably buy the things we want and give too. I think it's very important to be wise with what the Lord has blessed us with, including money and material possessions, because it does all come from God.

And I'm speaking to myself more than anyone else at this point, because I don't give like I should. I don't always trust that God will provide, and instead I try to take control myself and justify it by thinking, "Well, I have to buy groceries don't I? We'll just give extra next month." Instead of attempting to be wise with what we do have, and trusting that God will take care of us, I act as if I know better than He does how much we need.

But God does provide, and he will always take care of us. After all, as he says in Matthew, even the flowers of the field and the birds in the sky are taken care of, and we are certainly more important to God than they are. So we should give. Give all that we can. It is what we have been commanded to do, and we must trust that God knows much better than we do, and that he will take care of us.

A song

I sang this song at church this morning, and loved the words, so I thought I'd share them.


All my life long, I had panted for a drink from some cool spring,
that I thought would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.

Feeding on the husks around me, till my strength was almost gone,
longed my soul for something better, only still to hunger on.

Poor I was and sought for riches, something that would satisfy,
but the dust I gathered round only mocked my souls sad cry.

Hallelujah, He has found me, who my soul so long has craved.
Jesus satisfies my longing, through his blood I now am saved.

Well of water, ever springing, bread of life so rich and free,
untold wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me.

Hallelujah, He has found me, who my soul so long has craved.
Jesus satisfies my longing, through his blood I now am saved.


Through his blood I now and saved.

God's Wisdom for Little Boys

Caleb has such a love of books that I thought every once in awhile I'd do a little review of some of our favorites. Now that he's become much more mobile he's not as thrilled about sitting with me and reading books when he could be cruising around furniture or crawling all over the place, but we still read before naptime and bedtime.

One of our favorites is God's Wisdom for Little Boys (I believe there is also a God's Wisdom for Little Girls, but I haven't read that one).



God's Wisdom for Little Boys is a book full of beautiful pictures and little rhymes paraphrasing many of the proverbs found in the Book of Proverbs.



It would probably be more appropriate for an older child, so Caleb and I only read a few pages at a time, but he loves the pictures and the rhyming words.





I love this book because of the scriptural truths that is teaches. It teaches about obedience, kindness, and giving, to name a few. It teaches how God wants his children to act, and how happy it makes Him when we do.



I'm slightly upset because this is when Caleb tore one of the pages ... perhaps I should have been paying better attention to him instead of snapping pictures.

Anyways, this book is great and teaches some really great lessons.

Easter Sunday

Caleb's first Easter was lots of fun. We headed to church this morning, Caleb sporting his new Easter outfit that his nanny (my mom) made for him, and let me just say ... He looked adorable! We rushed home after church so Charles could get ready to leave for his fishing trip, and Caleb and I headed to my parents house for lunch.



The weather was perfect, we got to see lots of family, Caleb was such a good boy and didn't mind being passed around all afternoon, and he really enjoyed seeing and playing with his second cousin, who is just a doll. She kept saying she wanted to hold "baby Cabeb" all afternoon, which she got to do sitting down, although Caleb is pretty much as big as she is.



We ate a wonderful lunch, hunted Easter eggs, took pictures, played outside and had a wonderful afternoon. The only thing that could have made it any better would have been Charles being there, but I know he's going to have a blast on this fishing trip.



What a wonderful day to celebrate our risen Lord, who indeed, is alive!!



I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter.

What a Glorious Day

Look there! the Christ, our Brother, comes
resplendent from the gallows tree
and what he brings in his hurt hands
is life on life for you and me.

Good Jesus Christ inside his pain
looked down Golgotha’s stony slope
and let the blood flow from his flesh
to fill the springs of living hope.

Good Jesus Christ, our Brother, died
in darkest hurt upon the tree
to offer us the worlds of light
that live inside the Trinity.

Look there! the Christ, our Brother, comes
resplendent from the gallows tree
and what he brings in his hurt hands
is life on life for you and me.

Joy! joy! joy to the heart all in this good day’s dawning.

Joy! joy! joy to the heart all in this good day’s dawning.

Good Friday

If you haven't had a chance yet, take a second to read and remember exactly what our Savior did for us on this day.

Mark 15:1-47

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” And the chief priests accused him of many things. And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

But we all know the story doesn't end there.

Another Year Older

It's on these cold winter nights that I wish we had a fireplace, but we don't so instead I'm snuggled all warm in front of the space heater (doesn't that sound cozy?) as I blog about something that's at the forefront of my mind tonight.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and as I'm another year older, I can't help but think back over the past year and the many, many blessings I've received. I have a wonderful, kind, loving, godly man for a husband, who puts up with all of my stuff. Who loves me, when I know it must be difficult, impossible even, aside from the grace of God.

I have also been blessed with the sweetest little boy. A little guy who is so happy, and healthy and growing like a weed. Who gets a huge smile on his face when he sees me in the morning, and who doesn't love that?

I certainly don't deserve these two guys in my life, but I am so very thankful that God has blessed me with them. This past year has been amazing, and while life has changed so much, it has certainly changed for the better.

I pray that my 27th year of my life is just as exciting, and full of love and fun with my two guys as this past year has been.

What does it mean?

let me start by saying this post of kind of long ...

I've been doing some thinking about what it means for a woman to truly submit to her husband. I'm going to be honest here ... it's something I really struggle with. I think all women struggle with it because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden. The Lord says to Eve, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." There are many interpretations of what exactly this means, but the word desire is key. The same word (in Hebrew) is used in Genesis 4:7 when the Lord tells Cain that sin "desires to have you". It is a desire to master, to rule over, to control. The same way sin desires to rule over us, we desire to rule over our husbands. So thinking, praying, and talking about this subject helps me to work through and repent of those sinful thoughts I tend to have.

So, if our desire is to rule over our husbands, how do we conquer that desire?

Paul, in Ephesians, addresses the issue of submission.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
(Ephesians 5:22-24)

What does this really mean?

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul talks about the subject of submission. But instead of talking in reference to husbands and wives, he talks about submitting to each other. We are called, as Christians, to be humble and submissive. Before God, believers are all equal, and no one is better than anyone else. Because of this we are submissive to other believers.

It is only after Paul establishes this submission among believers that he speaks of husbands and wives. All Christian wives are called to be submissive to their husbands. One commentary I read put it this way, "The Spirit-filled wife recognizes that her husband's role in giving leadership is not only God-ordained but also a reflection of Christ's own loving, authoritative headship of the church. As the Lord delivered His church from the dangers of sin, death, and hell, so the husband provides for, protects, preserves, and loves his wife, leading her to blessing as she submits."

God tells us to submit, and this does not mean that we do whatever we are told. That we are not allowed to have opinions of our own, or that we lose our own identity in that of our husbands.

But it does mean that we trust the man that God has put in our lives. We know that he isn't perfect, but we look to his leadership in our lives and willingly and lovingly offer to follow him. Even when we think we know best, and that he can't possibly do things any better than we can. We remember that God designed marriage this way from the beginning. And ultimately we trust Him to guide our husbands in their leadership over us.

It's a hard thing to do, especially when you're like me and want to be in control all the time, but God commands it. It's not a suggestion or a request. Ephesians doesn't say, 'Wives, when you feel like it, submit to your own husbands' or ' when he's right' or 'when you don't know what else to do'. It simply says, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." and that's what we should do.

A New Beginning

I love the beginning of a new year. I love how it feels like you get to start over. And I love New Year's resolutions.

Now, I'm not once of those people who make arbitrary resolutions that last for 3 days and are then forgotten. I put alot of thought into my resolutions and the things I want to change about myself in the upcoming year.

I could probably make a list a mile long of all the things I wish I could change, but that's not realistic now is it? I must limit myself, which being the list maker that I am is a struggle in and of itself. I only allow myself 3 resolutions a year, and trust me, that's plenty. It's hard enough keeping 1 resolution, let alone 3, and naturally I don't actually succeed in keeping any of them, but it's the things I try to work on and pray about all year.

Here is my list for 2010.

1. I will attempt to grow in my relationship with Christ. This one takes alot of prayer, and is one that seems to stay on my list year after year. After all, we can never truly get this prefect, can we? I will strive, by the grace of God, to study His word and spend time with Him daily. This is especially important to me this year, as I have a cute little guy studying my every move, and I want to set a good example for him.

2. I will attempt to be a better wife, specifically to respect my husband the way I am called to in Ephesians. I like to be in charge, and when I'm in charge, my husband is not. Not that he has to be 'in charge' all the time, but he is the head of this family and I need to respect that, and him, more than I do. This one too, takes alot of prayer.

3. My third resolution is not quite as important as the first two, but it is something I want to do. I have a tendency to get very excited about things for a few weeks and then kind of lose interest. I've always been this way, and right now, I am very excited about this new photography business I'm starting. Now I can see myself putting alot of effort into this business for a few weeks and then losing interest in it, which I DO NOT want to happen. So, my third resolution is that I'll keep working on this business until it happens, until I am actually working as a photographer. It could happen this year, it could take several, but as long as I stick with it, I believe it will happen.

Even as I type this I am wanting to add more things to the list, but I know I'm going to have a hard enough time as it is.

So there you have it, my New Year's resolutions. And realistically, I know I could make any of these resolutions at any point throughout the year, but there is something about having a new year, a new beginning, that makes it seem more important and worthwhile.

Happy New Year!

27??? That's not right...

Today is my 27th birthday...and for the first time in my life a double take is necessary as I think about the number...27. Now...for those of you that are older (older is a term that is undefined for intentional purposes), please take a moment to laugh as you think about how young 27 is before you continue reading.

My 26th year of life was a big one as far as years of life go. I am not sure that the number 27 is as shocking as the fact that I am now a dad and an uncle. I am noticing now that I am an adult, yes sad but true that I am just coming to that realization. The ten year old kid running around the church slows down as he passes me now because that 'adult' might not like me running down the hall!?!? What? I still vividly remember fighting the urge to run down the hall like it was yesterday. And while I love being called daddy around the house, I still catch myself thinking 'who?'...or thinking about my dad as daddy rather than myself.

I love how God has designed life as a continuous transition. He never lets us get super comfortable in any phase of life before He moves us into new and exciting areas where He always shows us our total dependence on Him. Today, maybe more than ever before in my brief 27 years, I am very aware of that dependence. This dependence is what sparked me to write this post...so if you will let me take a minute and explain.

Adults have responsibilities. They have marriages to nurture, they have children to raise well, they have friends to love, they have to work at church, they have to work at their jobs, they have bills to pay for yesterday and bills to pay for tomorrow, they have houses to work on, they have yards to mow, they have cars to fix, instead of going on vacations, they plan and pay for vacations, and they often come home more tired than when they vacated...I think you get the idea. I am pretty bad at most of the list I just wrote. I laugh as I think about my ability to be a husband and a dad...really laughing, it's comical. And yet, God in His mercy, steps in like He did yesterday and like He will tomorrow and says "you are not able, but I AM" It is fun to watch God show off! Taking nothing and turning it into something is a task only our Creator can perform.

So as I become an 'older' person, yes even an adult, I am thrilled to know that as I plan my way God directs my steps.

Note to Caleb and any future children that God may bless us with: I haven't always been an adult...as a matter of fact I think I played a kid pretty well. I remember when I was dependent on my mom and dad to provide for me. If you are at all like me, you probably are dependent without even knowing that you are. But when you fall and scrape you hands and knees, or you score the winning soccer goal, or you make some sort of craft in Sunday school, or you're scared lying in bed at night you, Lord Willing, are going to run to your Mom and/or Me. I want you to remember those days and feelings and carry them into your 'adult' life and understand that the love that we have for you is only a mirror of the love that our Father has for us. We run to Him when we fall, when we have scored a goal, when we want to show someone what we have done, and when we are scared.

So on this my, 27th birthday, I pray that I never 'grow up' enough to think I can take care of myself or those that God has entrusted to me on this earth without His help and I pray for the grace and mercy to tackle the responsibilities of an 'adult'.

Charles

This Little Babe

One of the songs we sang at Lessons and Carols was This Little Babe from Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols. I love the words to this song. I have a tendency when thinking about Christmas, to envision cute little baby Jesus, all snuggled up with Mary and Joseph, starry skies, pretty angels, and little shepherd boys with their sheep. Rarely do I think about this baby Jesus as the one who came to battle with Satan. But the words to this song portray just that baby Jesus. Not a cuddly little newborn but a mighty warrior born to fight Satan (and win!) on our behalf.

This little babe, so few days old, is come to rifle Satan's fold.
All hell doth at His presence quake, though he himself for cold do shake;
for in this weak unarmed wise, the gates of hell He will surprise.

With tears He fights, and wins the field, His naked breast stands for a shield;
His battering shot are babish cries, His arrows looks of weeping eyes,
His martial ensigns Cold and Need, and feeble Flesh his warrior's steed.

His camp is pitched in a stall, His bulwark but a broken wall;
The crib His trench, haystalks His stakes; of shepherds He His muster makes;
And thus, as sure His foe to wound, the angels' trumps alarum sound.

My soul, with Christ join thou in fight, stick to the tents that He has pight.
Within his crib is surest ward; this little babe will be thy guard.
If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy, then flit not from this heavenly Boy.

A Thanksgiving Recap

We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating with family. We started the day off by going to the Thanksgiving service at church and then we went to my sister-in-laws and had a fun afternoon and some great food. Caleb got to spend some time with his "Honey" and "Pops", his aunt and uncles, and his cousin. I should have taken some pictures ... I had my camera there ... but it didn't happen. Oh well.

There are so many things that I'm thankful for, and I won't attempt to list them all, but here are my top two. I'm sure you can guess them. That's right : my sweet husband and my cute little man. My guys are at the top of my thankful list this year.

I'll leave you with this. While Thanksgiving is over and it seems the Christmas season is already in full swing, thankfulness is something to practice all year long.

A prayer from our church service on Thanksgiving morning:

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we Your unworthy servants do give You most humble and heartfelt thanks for all Your goodness and loving kindness to us. We bless You for our creation, our preservation, and all the blessings of this life. But above all, we bless You for Your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, a willing sacrifice for sinners, our sole source of abundant life and our hope of glory. We beseech You, give us that due sense of all Your mercies, that our hearts may be unashamedly thankful. May we show forth Your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives. May we give of ourselves and our substance to Your service. May we walk before You in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen

Traditions

Every family has traditions.

Maybe you always drive around looking at Christmas lights before going to bed on Christmas Eve. Maybe you serve a meal at the homeless shelter on Thanksgiving to help remind you of all of the things you have to be thankful for. Maybe Dad always cooks breakfast with the kids on Saturday morning. Something as simple as always having pizza and watching a movie on Friday nights can be a family tradition.

It's important to have traditions as a family. It brings you together, especially when everyone is busy and going there separate ways.

I've been thinking alot about holiday traditions that I want to start in our family. While Caleb is too young to take part in anything at this point, starting some traditions now, will ensure that we keep up with them once he does get older. These are a few that we are going to start this holiday season:

*attending the Thanksgiving service at church on Thanksgiving morning.
Because Thanksgiving isn't a "religious" holiday, it's easy to get caught up in the family time (which is great) and the wonderful food and forget to spend some time thanking God for all the wonderful things He has blessed us with.

*making "Christmas baskets" at church, which help provide a Christmas meal to local families.
This is something that Caleb, as he gets older, can participate in. I think it's wonderful for children to be given the opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves, so that they can understand how much the Lord has truly blessed them.

*reading the Christmas story from Luke before bed on Christmas Eve.
In all the excitement of waking up to presents, a reminder of why we really celebrate Christmas in the first place is important for children ... and adults for that matter. We could all use a little reminder couldn't we?

I'm sure as Caleb gets older, and as our family grows, more things will be added to this list, but for this holiday season, these are the traditions we are going to start. They are things that will bring us closer together as a family, and closer to the One who gives us a reason to celebrate in the first place.

What family traditions will you take part in this holiday season??

An awesome responsibility

We attended our nephew's (Caleb's cousin's) baptism this morning. He is 3 weeks old. Caleb was baptized about a month ago, at 4 months old. Why do we baptize these babies? They obviously don't understand or appreciate what's happening. Wouldn't it benefit them more to wait until they understand what baptism is and let it be their choice to be baptized? No, most definitely not, at least not in my opinion.

We believe that God, in His mercy, chose His people before the foundation of the world, and infant baptism is a beautiful illustration of this. These little ones are not baptized because they are Christians, because they love the Lord, or because they are so sweet and good. They are born sinners, and yet Christ, gave His life for them. Because they deserved it? No. Because they somehow earned it? No. Simply because He loves them. The water that is sprinkled on their little heads represents the blood of Christ that cleanses them of all sin. He makes the first move, not them. They don't even understand what is happening at the time. Just as in our Christian life, it is only by the grace of God that He softens our hearts and causes us to long for Him. A longing that we could never have in and of ourselves.

As Christian parents, we do not believe that the act of baptism saves our children, nor is it necessary for salvation, but it is established by God and therefore it is good.

"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call. And I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved - you and your household." (Acts 2:39 ; Genesis 17:7 ; Acts 16:31)

As Christian parents we are called to unreservedly dedicate our children to God, and to promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that we will endeavor to set before them a godly example, that we will pray with and for them, that we will teach them the doctrines of our holy religion, and that we will strive, by all the means of God's appointment, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This is an awesome responsibility and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Infant baptism is a glorious reminder of the love that God has for us and the unending mercy He shows us daily. We do not deserve His love but His wrath, but just as these little ones are not baptized because of their goodness, we are not accepted by Christ because of ours. He loves us because he choses to love us and that's it. There is no other reason. And it is by His grace that we can make these promises for our children and strive to keep them.

Prayer Updated

I talked to my husband and did a little research of my own and I think I understand prayer a little better than I did yesterday.

We are commanded to pray so we should, and prayer has several purposes. Prayer can help us to align our thoughts and desires with Gods will, but it also lets God know what our thoughts and desires are. He cares about us and He cares what we want. Prayer can change things. Does it always? No, but God can hear our prayers and because of them do things differently. There are examples throughout Scripture of just this happening. It says that God did or did not do something because of the prayers of His children. He loves us and wants us to be happy but that doesn't mean He will just give us everything we want.

There are times when what we want does not fit in with Gods perfect plan for us and we may not get the answer we want regardless of our prayers, but God loves us just the same and He knows what is best for us.

I still have a hard time fitting this together with my beliefs on the sovereignty of God, but some things we will not understand completely until we get to heaven and although that frustrates me sometimes, I just need to trust in God and know that He will always do what is best for me.

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Prayer

One of the blogs I follow had a really long post today about prayer and the purpose of prayer. Her son is very sick and just went through major surgery and people all over the country have been praying for their family and she posted in response to some comments of the purpose of prayer. This is something I've often thought about so I thought I'd get some thoughts out here on my blog.

As someone who believes that everything is a part of God's sovereign plan, why pray? What good does it do? If God already has planned what will happen, will He change His mind if you pray enough for something different? Can He change His mind? If He knows what is best for us then why not just let Him do what He wants and trust that it is what was supposed to happen? Can prayer actually change the outcome of our circumstances or does it just change how we look at things?

These are tough questions, and I'm not sure I have the answers to all of them. I've struggled with these issues at several points in my life. First and foremost, we are commanded by God to pray, and that in and of itself is enough of a reason for me, but I'd really like more concrete answers to these questions.

Matthew 21:22 "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (ESV)

Does this really mean that if we have faith, anything we pray for will happen??

James 5:16 "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (ESV)
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." (ESV)

Obviously, prayer is a very powerful thing, but does it actually change things?
There are examples all throughout Scripture that talk about God doing specific things because of the prayers of His people. For example: 1 Chronicles 5:20 " And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him." Would the outcome have been the same regardless of prayer or did the prayers cause the outcome?

I'm really not sure how to answer these questions, so my conclusion is to talk to my husband. As the spiritual leader of our home he understands more than I do about Scripture in general and though we've talked about it before, I feel like maybe I need a refresher on these issues.

I'll post again once I have a clearer understanding on why we really pray, and what it really does. In the meantime, I'll keep praying.