Baby Day and Boston

This past Sunday our church held a special service for all the new babies born since February 2012.  I guess you could say it is the Church of Christ's version of dedicating one's baby to the church and to God.  I couldn't wait to officially present my little girl to her family at Mayfair.  My church growing up was so vital and important to my spiritual growth as a child and teenager, and I want that same fellowship, support and love for Eloise.  Having other adults interested in you as a child is a big deal. 

Baby Day was the most sweet and precious service.  Our preacher, Gary Bradley, delivered a wonderful lesson about giving one's child back to the Lord as our most precious gift.  He said something I loved, "Your child is the only treasure on earth you can take to Heaven with you."  There was a slide show of all the children alone and with their parents.  A sweet song played during the video and I had to work really hard to keep the lump in my throat at bay.  Afterward we all (17 other families and us) went up to the front of the church and the elders came too and said a prayer for us and our children. 

After the service we had a reception where another sweet video was shown (goodness me, my heart couldn't take much more), we talked with a host family at our table and were presented with a book for Eloise.  Jason's family and mine came for the day to share in this occasion with us and that meant so much to Jason and me.  Eloise was surrounded by her Uncle Mark and Aunt Julie, and both sets of grandparents and while she will not remember that day, she will see pictures of the love and support she received from those interested in her spiritual welfare. 

Our table at the reception

The three of us with Eloise opening her gift.

Her book.

The proud parents

Eloise surrounded by her grandparents

My entire family

It was such a special day, filled with so much hope and joy and excitement.  And then the next day - the day of the Boston Marathon.  I guess by now you all know what happened there.  It broke my heart.  It felt like it hit close to home.  As I played with my sweet baby girl in her sweet little room that day, thinking of all the chaos going on in that city, my heart was extremely heavy.  There were probably families like ours standing there, cheering on their running loved ones.  How many times has it been Eloise and me waiting to cheer for Jason?  All those innocent people there on that special day celebrating the accomplishment of so many runners...

Well, it made Baby Day and what we celebrated there all the more important.  It could have been us standing at the finish line of Boston on Monday.  It very well may be one day.  I can protect Eloise from a lot of things, but not from things like that.  I can, however, raise her with a strong faith in God and the promise of spending eternity with her Lord and Savior, and there isn't a man or a bomb or a gun on this planet that can take that away.