Sunday we attended Baby Dedication practice at our church. We will be dedicating our youngest child on Saturday. Minutes after our babies were born Matt and I gave thanks to the Lord for them and vowed to raise them in a home that acknowledges Jesus first. We vowed to lead them and to teach them about Jesus. We know their salvation is not based upon us. We know salvation is a choice they must make for themselves individually. We prayed and we continue to pray daily for the Holy Spirit to bend their hearts toward Jesus and that they would love Him with all of their hearts, minds and souls.
Saturday will be an intimate celebration with our family and a physical marking of our commitment before God and man. I think of it much like a marriage ceremony. Each of our children's baby dedications have meant so much to Matt and me. They have been surreal humbling moments. And no matter how hard we try......we never are able to make it through one with a dry eye.
While at practice (just learning the logistics of the day), we were introduced to the Legacy App. If you have not seen this, I encourage you to check it out. It was designed by the
ReThink Group. Many of you may know them as
Orange (the curriculum your church uses for Next Generation Ministries: Birth through High School).
Here is the App description....
"Legacy Countdown was designed specifically for anyone who works with kids or teenagers. Why not put a visual number to the time you have left....before someone graduates? before an event happens? before something is due? When you count the weeks you have left with a kid, you stand a better chance of making your weeks count."
It's simple.....enter your child's name and birthday and a countdown clock to their high school graduation will begin. It will count down the: weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds you have left with your child before graduation.
Oh to see this count down really did my heart in. I wanted to push PAUSE!!! But there is no pause button on the app because there is no pause in real life. Just a chance for us to spend every moment we have with our children making them count. Pouring real truth, real principles, real life, real expectations, and real love into their lives.
Days are sometimes rough around here. They are not always squeaky clean and organized (no matter how much I want them to be). I probably fail more than I succeed, but I am trying and that is what counts. When the crying and the fussing is more than I can handle....I want to remember their legacy and that I only have a short window of time.
I'm praying this app will be a constant reminder to me of the moments that have been entrusted to me as their mommy. I long to dig deep. I long to wrestle hard. And above all.....I want them to know Jesus because I took the time shared with me to teach them about Him.
I hope you will take the time to download this app for yourself and share with another mommy friend who might need some encouragement today as well.
