Yesterday was our best boy’s First Birthday!

How amazing that a whole year has gone by since I snuggled and rocked a tiny little man through the night while Mommy & Daddy recovered from his entrance into the world. It’s been a marvelous year of funny faces, energy, and life. Christian is a complete sweetheart, nearly always happy and from day one has been BUSY! He walks so well it could almost be called running and his little man-face has never stopped amusing us all with its crazy expressions. He has been quite a treat of a first grandson.

Since August 11th fell on Family Night, Michelle let me throw Christian’s first birthday party. Being of the opinion that 1^st birthdays DO matter, I decided to do what I could to go all out. From Kathy (of course!), I’ve learned there are many fun party ideas out there that go beyond balloons and streamers if you’re willing to do a little research. Since Christian isn’t old enough to insist on Batman or Barney, I got to choose something I wanted to do. Growing up, I remember being fascinated with a particular circus-train cake in a book my mom used to get ideas from for our birthdays. For  some reason, it stuck with me and was something I had wished I had little kiddos for: so I could throw a baby-circus party. Well, now I had my chance! I didn’t make that particular cake, but after a little time on the internet, I did find lots of fun “vintage” circus ideas. So, for Christian’s 1^st birthday, the “Big Top” came to our backyard!

Everyone seemed to enjoy Christian’s big night – the Lord gave us a beautiful day (a rarity this summer!), Christian seemed to have a blast and nearly everything looked like I had pictured it in my head (also a rarity).

 

 

 

There were many more ideas than I could afford to produce – some of the party websites showed beautiful circuses, complete with popcorn carts and live monkeys! However, pretty much everything I was going for worked out okay and I was happy with how the party looked. It was all very fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I promised Jessica I’d put up lots of pictures and video on the internet – so here’s the video highlights and my Picasa Web slideshow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise God for filling our home with laughter, joy, family and fun! Christian is a treasure we are so blessed to celebrate each day of his life and especially on his first birthday. Now that Christian is one, we have no more babies

Good thing a new supply is coming!

 

We love our Christian!

- Grammy

 

Grammy and Great-Aunt Jessica took Christian out for pictures yesterday by the Columbia gorge.

It looks like Christian has a natural interest in fishing!

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica was feeling moments of panic – but all was well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t wait until we can go fishing together!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This weekend Grammy and I had our first opportunity to have Amara over for the night!  We had a wonderful time!!

The weekend started with Amara helping Grammy with the freshly picked strawberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amara had to sample the produce for quality.  It appears that she like them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on Saturday – the highlight of my weekend – we got to have our first time out in Grandfather’s boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course we had to do a little fishing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My precious grand-baby girl!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two people, in as many weeks, have asked me almost the same question: What are some of the implications for parenting implicit in my view of baptism, and covenant theology in general?

To begin my answer, it’s important to understand the first assumption of my covenantal view of children: I take seriously the covenant reality that “the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39). Our God is the God of our children – is the biblical presumption from beginning to end. Our children are always counted as members of God’s covenant people, and are from birth the recipients of His blessings and obligated to keep his word. Believing that God placed our children in Christian homes, we are to treat them as Christians until such time as they manifest unbelief and rebellion, suppressing the truth of God in unrighteousness.

Where in the Bible are we given the impression that the children of believers should be thought of as unbelievers? Where is it written that they should not be admitted or acknowledged as members of God’s covenant people until some future point in their lives? On what biblical basis do Christians assign to their children a status little pagans in need of evangelization, presuming that they do not or cannot have saving faith?

Rather, our children are given to us to raise for God as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Implicit in these covenant realities are some fundamental implications for parenting.

First, from their earliest days, we teach them about God, our salvation in Jesus Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives to sanctify them. In short, we treat them as “saints” called by God to be holy and blameless before Him. We teach them to call God their Father in heaven, and to pray to Him, worship Him, and love Him.

Second, we expect them to live for Christ throughout their lives. We believe that, like us, God has prepared for them good works that they should do throughout their lives. We believe that it is only in exceptional cases that our children should turn away from the Lord. As such, we train them to live faithfully from their earliest days. This is not merely moral instruction. Rather, it is training in righteousness and faithfulness to God, dedicating all that they think, say and do to Him.

Third, we believe that it is our duty before the Lord to give them the best Christian education we are able to in God’s providence. Since Christian truth, and Christian living must be learned, and is not just something that happens apart from our self-conscious labor on their behalf – we must help them to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Since government schools are explicitly anti-Christian by nature and purpose, we will do all in our power to provide Christian home schooling or Christian private schooling in obedience to Christ’s command to teach them all that He has commanded us.

 

Here is the first picture of David and Kathy’s new baby – May God bless you and keep you, my dear.

What greater joy than seeing your children’s children – I can’t imagine.

O, how I love being Grandfather!!!