little g's baptism

Our little Georgia peach was baptized on her birthday. There wasn't anything wrong with her. She was perfectly healthy. We weren't afraid we'd lose her, and it wasn't an emergency situation. 

We just didn't want to wait around. 

the recognition of Georgia's Baptism 

As Lutherans, we believe that Baptism isn't just a symbol. It's not an opportunity to debut our baby to our church family or announce her name. 

No, we believe that Baptism "works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this as the words and promises of God declare" (Luther's Small Catechism). 

So Georgia was baptized the day she was born. Our pastor came to the hospital. My mother-in-law dressed our baby in my baptismal gown since I couldn't get out of bed. Heck, our little girl was baptized with water sitting in a shallow, blue, plastic bowl one of the nurses brought over. 

It wasn't fancy. But God's Word works. And that makes for one happy set of parents. 

with special thanks to my friend Sarah for the delish cheesecakes. Baptisms are worth celebrating! 

"We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Rom. 6:4). 

What comfort! What joy! And not just for Georgia . . . for her parents too. 

Georgia and her Uncle Benjy AKA the Godfather

And so, a couple of weeks later when I could get around and our family was able to attend, we had a recognition of Georgia's Baptism in church, where our congregation heard from her godfather and from our pastor that she was indeed baptized. The eyewitness account, you might say. 

And the day before, we celebrated that with our family and dessert and sunshine! 

Because life in Christ is worth rejoicing over . . . while eating cheesecake and cookies and Snickers pie, of course. 

We invited our family to give thanks with us -- for cheesecake, of course -- but also for Georgia's assurance that she has been washed in Christ's life-giving water. Both over coffee and dessert one afternoon and in church the next day, we gave thanks for God's many gifts, but chief among them, the one that He gave our little girl by way of water and His Word. 

She's been made His own child, never to be snatched out of our heavenly Father's hand. 

And that's way better than cheesecake. 

God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ!

He, because I could not pay it, gave my full redemption price.

Do I need earth’s treasures many?  I have one worth more than any

That brought me salvation free, Lasting to eternity! (LSB)