Sara's Dedication - August 5, 2012

Sara Joy trying on her outfit for her dedication day

What a wonderful day we had today.  Today, after much delay (not by choice, but by circumstance), we had Sara's dedication at church.  As baptists, we don't baptize our children as babies.  We believe that baptism follows only after professing your faith in Jesus Christ.  What we do have for families, are "baby dedications".  Ours was more a "Sara dedication" since she is not a baby... but it's really not about the baby anyway - it's more of a public declaration by the parents to raise the child in the Christian faith.  Our pastor starts with a relevant bible verse, asks the church to support us as we raise our children to love the Lord and then prays with us as a church family.  It is much less formal than say a "baptism", but it means the world to me as a parent.

My family!!!  Love this family!

At our dedication, I was able to publicly recognize that this child - Sara Joy Edom Roach - was a child that was known by God before I ever knew her.  God knew her name before we ever thought of knowing it.  God knows her life story before it is played out.  God knew she would be with us!  It amazes me.  A tragic story turned to beauty by the Lord who loves her and who loves us!  So today, we were able to  "give her back to God" - to recognize that she is HIS.  She is with us only for a season, and ultimately she will go back to Him.  We  are afforded the AWESOME privilege of raising her while she is on this earth and today we promised God that we would do the best we could with the child He entrusted to us.  Cameron and Anna were up in front of the congregation with us.  I feel it's so important to stand as a family, because each of us in the house will influence her life and her walk with Christ.  

Sara Joy Edom Roach - one of my three gifts from God!!!

God has been so good to our family!  It felt so good to stand up and in my mind thank God for the family He has given us, thank Him especially today for Sara Joy and to just stand in awe of the miracle of family that He has given us... not just in our own, small family - but in our extended family, our friends (who are like family) and our church family - our huge, loving, supporting, welcoming church family!  There's nothing like walking in a church and feeling at home!  It's been awhile since we've felt that.  But today, when we were dedicating Sara, I felt it.  We were with family!

Such a happy kid!

I was so happy to share the day with my mom and Denis and Tim's parents - Jim and Mavis.  We are so fortunate to have parents that will get up at the crack of dawn, drive from afar to come to an early morning church service with us, to see their grand-daughter dedicated to the Lord.  After celebrating Sara at her dedication at church, we decided to go to dinner as a family and then came back home for a bit of dessert.  Memories are made by days like today.  I know it took some effort to get everyone here as early as we did... but know that it is appreciated.  I won't forget it, Tim won't forget it and we'll help Sara and the kids remember it.

Sara with her new bible - when we asked her where she got it, she said "from God"  You are SO right Sara!

Now, without further adieu here are some (more) pictures from the day....

A little hazy for some reason, and Cameron is playing "cool", but we don't get many pictures of all of us together, so I decided to keep it up here anyway :)

Seriously love this family!

Sara with her new bible - I guess I should tell her that's a page marker... not a hanger!

I chopped off the top of her head... and she's still cute!

total cuteness

She looks so grown up...

With Grandma and Denis on her special day!

so sweet!

With Mamaw and Papaw on her special day!

sitting like a princess for Papaw

The Roach Family

Anna being silly for the picture

If you add all three of these together - you get a good picture of everyone!

Sara opening a gift from Grandma and Denis - a beautiful dress and a super cute fall outfit!

Sara giving thanks for her gift - to Grandma

Maybe she'll thank Denis too...

Yep - thanking Denis too!

Trying on her necklace from Mamaw and Papaw - which shines more, the necklace or that smile?

Looking at  her necklace....

Sara and Papaw

She was loving up to Papaw...

I think she was trying to absorb God's Word...

Mamaw and Anna - isn't her new haircut cute (Anna's haircut) but Mamaw's is cute too :)

Rockin' some guitar for Papaw!

 I am one truly blessed wife, mom, daughter and daughter in law - I have a GREAT family!  To our Cornerstone family - thank you for walking this journey with us!  It takes a village to raise a child and you guys are an AWESOME support system!


In Christ,
Charity