That's one dedicated baby!

Sunday, we had Charlotte's baby dedication. She looked so beautiful in her long white gown. I couldn't help but get a little misty-eyed to think of her in a long white wedding gown one day. We had family in town, clothes to iron, snacks for little ones going out the door--it was a crazy afternoon! Before we left the house to go to the service, my Charlotte needed to nurse, so we tucked away in her room for a few moments. In the quiet of our glider, God spoke to me. He reminded me that the day was not about how beautiful my sweet baby looked in her dress, or that our family's outfits were so well-coordinated for our picture, or even that the camera batteries were charged. God reminded me that we were publicly making the committment to give our baby girl back to God--whatever He wanted for her life--to commit that to Him because she was His to begin with.

I was reminded of Hannah who also prayed for a child, Samuel. She told God in I Samuel 1:11--"O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then will I give him to the Lord all the days of his life." After Samuel was born, Hannah said in I Samuel 1:27-28--"For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord."

As long as you live, Charlotte, you are dedicated to the Lord.