Baptism in the Park

This post is a follow-up to "Preacher Boy".

We had VBS the first week of June and on Wednesday, June 6th, as we were wrestling the kids into bed after their 5th trip to the kitchen for a drink, Little Buddy comes in to tell us that he just asked Jesus into his heart. We've had many discussions about this over the past few months, more in the past weeks, but you could tell from his voice that this was serious and sincere. Here's the story:

Little Buddy had gone in Bit's room as they were turning out their lights and asked her what it felt like when Jesus was in your heart. She tried to think of a good way to help him understand, so she told him it was like one of his friends trying to get him to do something he shouldn't do and he knew in his heart that he shouldn't do it. Very simplistic, but an analogy that worked for him. They prayed together and then he came in the kitchen and told us. I sat down and talked to him some more and felt certain that God was indeed calling his little heart. He sat on his bed and prayed a prayer all his own - no repeating or being told what to say. Oh, how I wish I'd had a video camera in the room or enough time to write down everything he said! That was the most sincere and heartfelt prayer I've ever heard from a 7 year old. He covered all his ABCs (Admit you're a sinner, Believe Jesus died for your sins, Claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior) and asked Jesus in his heart. The moment went by all too suddenly. It was a beautiful prayer.

Shortly after that, it was announced that a special baptism service at the park would take place in July. Having had visions of what could happen in the baptistery at church by energetic boys (seen this video??)...

...we kind of thought that this might be a good option. Little Buddy was concerned about having to go into the lake water, but with all the rain the lake was too mucky, so they had to bring in a portable baptistery. There were almost 40 baptisms that afternoon!

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Now, if only God made it easy for us to leave our old ways and embrace the new . . . Little Buddy is still the same old "Little Buddy" in many ways, but I think God works on him just a little more each day. Or maybe He's working on me . . .