#flashbackfriday to a very special day last march that i unfortunately never got around to blogging until now. i'm so happy i get to share it with you, it's a day near and dear to my heart, forever, it's the day we dedicated our girl to God.
before we could dedicate her though, we had to attend a seven week course through our church. and maybe that sounds a bit much, but those seven weeks of driving across orange county on a weeknight/school night no less were actually a huge huge gift to our parenting and our marriage. it prepared our hearts, not just for the day of dedication, but for the promises and blessings we would speak over her life each day for years to come. it sent us away with tools we use all the time, for both audrey and henry. of a constant effort to create a safe environment for our kids to be open and honest with us, of a daily need for God's endless grace when mommy and daddy's nerves are frayed and parenting is especially taxing, and to always seek and seize redeeming moments with love and affection when they got our curt tongue or short temper. these babes, God has trusted us to raise them for His kingdom, amen to that. and when the "no's" are abundant, and the stressors of the day are heavy and i'm counting down the minutes until bedtime, i just have to surrender and let Him restore me, so that i can meet the emotional needs of these precious little people i mother. it truly rearranged the way we approach those hard or tiring moments and we're completely grateful for a church that supports and nourishes our spiritual parenting.
we had weeks to prepare a blessing to speak over audrey and the moment that got in my head, i stopped thinking about God and started thinking about my audience, my "speech", and saying the right thing, the "godly" thing, and geez, my brain just seized up and for days i wasn't sure what i wanted for our baby girl, what i wished for her life, or what blessings i hoped for her. the pressure of such big things really had me wound. and i just couldn't stand that this "task" was now looming over her special day. this is a gift! a privilege! not a task! it wasn't until the drive to the church the morning of that i realigned my audience to the only One that matters, that i was able to fiercely scribble down what was in my heart for my girl.
we introduced our daughter and our dedication verse:
philippians 1:9-11
i pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. for i want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. may you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation- the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ- for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
this verse spoke loudly to us, in a world where it's easy to desire all the many many things out there, where a high value is placed on what you look like and what you wear, of what you have and what you own, of who you associate with and your social stature... we strongly prayed that God gives her a heart to discern what truly matters in this life, and that she would always find Him at her center.
after all the little babies were introduced our families gathered in a circle around us as we prayed and spoke blessings over our baby.
Audrey,
Your dad and brother and I love you.
We pray that God, through his Holy Spirit blesses you with a humble heart, a generous spirit and a selfless nature. That Christ may dwell in your heart and that you will be rooted and established in love. That in any darkness, doubt, or sin, you will know through and through you are FOREVER worthy of God's love and forgiveness, and may you always find yourself in Him.
We pray over the course of your life you will be filled with God's riches and blessings and you will bare fruit that is pleasing to Him. We ask God's favor, to strengthen you with wisdom and compassion and that as your parents we will walk alongside Him and show you these truths as we raise you in His will and for His glory.
We love you so much darling.
Amen!
We love you so much darling.
Amen!
i look back on this day with a huge happy heart, so thankful we are surrounded by so much love. and so grateful for the time our family and friends invest in our children's lives as we teach them and guide them.
baby girl, you are such a bright light in our family. a silly, head-strong, bucket of love and you make even the darkest days warm and sun-shiney. i love you and i'm so very happy God gave us you.