What is church?

As we were driving down Arlington the other day we were pointing things out the window to Brendan. We passed by Fellowship Baptist Church. A nice A-frame church building with a steeple and and a cross. The typical church building from my childhood.

"Brendan, do you see the church?"
Brendan's response "That's not church!"
"No, not our church, but that is a church"
Indignant Brendan argued "No! It's not a church!"
With Brendan's stubborn demeanor lately, we dropped it figuring it really wasn't worth the fight.



After a long 10 hour drive later that evening, we pull off the freeway in Sacramento in an industrial area. Brendan just waking up from a late nap in the car excitedly points out the window at an industrial building and says:

"Look! A church!"

Sandals Church New Building

Caleb Baby Dedication

Sunday, April 3rd our church had baby dedication. Although Scott was out of town during the actual dedication, we decided we were still going to participate. The way Sandals Church does baby dedication is actually pretty cool. In the weeks before the Sunday dedication, they gather the families together one by one and video the family and have a short clip of the parents sharing something about teaching their child about Christ and our belief. (I have a clip of the video that I don't feel comfortable posting here if you would like to see it let me know and I can e-mail it to you.)

Scott was able to share in the video what we are most excited to teach our child about Christ. We discussed it and decided that we want first for our child to understand Christ’s love. Once you understand how great his love is and are able to love others in a Christ-like way, everything will fall into place. His patience, forgiveness, grace, everything starts with love.

Sunday was a crazy morning, rushing to get both boys ready and out the door early for church, I knew I was pushing it but I was still going to make it. That is until I went to walk out the door and I couldn’t find my keys. No blaming the kiddos on this one, it was all me and my forgetful brain. As I am searching the house with Brendan following me around "Keys Mommy? You need keys?" and Caleb crying because I keep passing him without picking him up...I finally find them and we race out of the house to church. I quickly park the car, grab the kids and rush in the door barely making it to the front row just as the movie starts.

My original plan was not to have Brendan with me during service but to drop him off to his class. But with no time, he stayed with me during the beginning part of service. He was so excited to see himself and Caleb up on the big movie screen. Brendan stayed with me up front and was very well behaved, clapped and cheered when the audience did, folded his hands and prayed when the pastor prayed with a loud AMEN at the end. He did ask me a few times when he got to go to “church”. The church gave Caleb (and us as parents) a nice certificate as a reminder of our commitment to raise our child in Christ. He was also given a wonderful Baby’s first Bible with thick board pages easy on baby’s hands.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of us up front at church. But both boys behaved nicely and looked adorable in their matching shirts. I got a few pictures after for you to see.

Good Christian Men, Rejoice...

Last Sunday morning (November 30th) we had Child Dedications at Church. This is a time for us to gather as a congregation and commit to pray for these little children and commit to work together to teach these children about God's Love and the Christian life. Faith is not based off parents belief and for that reason we do not baptise infants, instead and dedicate them as a reminder to all of us that it is the entire church's responsibility to help raise these children to understand who God is and that Christ gave his life for all of us. We are also instructed to teach these children the way of life, to honor and respect their parents and to become strong independent and hopefully Christian men and women of God.

I am thankful that I have a church family that is now committed to praying for Brendan and teaching him through Sunday School, fellowship and by example. It is our responsibilities as parents to bring our children up in the way of the Lord and I am happy to know that I am not alone, I have an army standing behind me.

We were blessed to have my family join us on Sunday in the commitment at child dedications. My Mother, Father, Grandparents, Sister, Brother-in-Law, and Brothers, all followers of Christ, were able to be with us when we made the public decision to our church family to dedicate our son to God as they joined us in praying for Brendan. What an amazing opportunity we had this weekend. I pray everyday for my baby that he may grow in Christ and one day know him as a Saviour. I pray for guidance as Scott and I raise this gift from God. Scott and I would be honored if any of you would also like to commit with us to pray for and support in the raising of our child.