To bring you up-to-date, Grace has known for a while that she wanted to be baptized, but she wanted to talk to "Uncle Allen" in Children's Church instead of going up in front of a big crowd at first. And can you blame her? Children's Church is a comfort zone, where she hears all the Bible stories and prays and learns about God and his marvelous ways. But it seemed like every weekend there was something going on and we waited. This week we were going to school and she said, "ZiZi, I hope you know I want to go to heaven. Now WHEN are you gonna get that man down there? I really want to get baptized before I'm seven!" (She just turned six on Jan. 24th.) So this morning at church I asked Josh if there was any reason Allen didn't need to talk to her today, and he said he didn't know of one.
Perhaps saying that Allen needed to talk to her is misleading. She did most of the talking. He stepped in, she made her big announcement, and then said, "But I didn't bring any extra clothes today." Allen responded, "Good, because we don't have any extra water today!" He was SOOOOO GOOD with her. At the end of the service, he sent Debbie, his wife, to ask us to come up. Grace was such a big girl!!! She went right up front and agreed that next Sunday would be perfect and that everyone could come around and love on her.
There are no words to describe the sweetness of the whole morning. My only regret -- I didn't know Vicki was sick and unable to be there. She would have cried like the rest of us (our family has had a real impact on the amount of leaking her tear ducts are able to do at the drop of a hat). Grace is truly Vicki's little mini-me--her hair and eyes and the way she talks is so much like Vicki. And then sometimes she looks EXACTLY like Josh. And she has always favored Lauren. Goodness, she's just a cutie pie!
Right after church we took the four bigger kids to Burger King to eat and play and meet Kandace. We had to pick up the rolls and chicken for a meal at the church for my sister-in-law's family--her grandmother died Friday. On the way, Grace wondered why we were going to Burger King. In her defense, she wanted to know if she should get excited about going in as opposed to BK being simply a drop off place. This is the conversation:
Grace: Ummm, ZiZi, why are we going to Burger King?
Daniel: (playfully) To eat, you little crazy!
Grace: (very seriously) Daniel, after I get baptized next week, I'm gonna be different. I'm not going to be able to let you say things like that. I'll have to say, "I'm sorry, Daniel, but Jesus is in my heart and we cannot say mean things or call people crazy." Today you can, but after next Sunday, no way. When I pop up out of the water, it'll be different.
It was the sweetest conversation! I can't wait to hear the conversations we'll have this week. I'll have to take notes :)
Looks like an angel, don't you think?
1 comment:
THAT is the sweetest.thing. I have heard is a long time...and yes, that popping up out of the water changes us. How sweet! I can't wait to see what notes you take.
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