Malachi's Baby Dedication

We had Malachi's baby dedication this past Sunday, and thanks to Charrissa who had her camera in her car, I have some photos to show for it. THANK YOU Brownings, for being willing to snap some photos for us!!

For those who may not know, a baby dedication for our Faith (Baptist) is not the same as a "christening" or baptizing... neither of which we believe in doing for infants, for you can't find that done in the Bible...(check it out, yes, I'm sure), but rather it is more of a parent's dedication service. Like Hannah gave her son Samuel back to God, we go forward and give the glory to God for giving us a child, and pledge together with our church body to raise the child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So, it's like "dedicating" US, the parents, to raise the child for God, with the help of our church. If we are messing up as parents, then we expect our fellow church members to come along side us, put their arm around us, and admonish us to do right. The service has nothing to do with the child's salvation, righteousness or soul. It's just us, his parents, "giving" him back to the Lord and striving to raise him for God. It's just a 5-10 minute thing that is done before the preaching segment of the service. Hope that all makes sense. :)



Now, onto more trivial matters... I have NO idea why all my kiddos look like they were crying before we went up there! None of them were! LOL And Isaiah looks so sad! And their eyes look so red!? Haha.. no idea. Gabriel wore a perma-grin the whole time, I am told. We just told the kids that we're going to stand up there for a few minutes and it's not a time to be silly.

Usually babies are dedicated a little younger than Malachi, but there were many times we kept forgetting to talk to Pastor about it, and then some schedule conflicts as well. We are thankful that we were able to do this. We praise God for the blessing of another child, a SON... we are so very blessed.... RICH in blessings. Dan and I have both been reflecting and praising God on our children lately and how richly blessed we are. We deserve nothing, yet we are given so very much.