Dedicated

Luke,

This weekend, we celebrated your dedication.  Your Grammie and Grandpa, your Grandma and Grandpap, and about a dozen other people came to church with us, and then came back to our house for lunch and to spend some time with you.

Dedication, in our church, is a time when the whole congregation prays for you and agrees to help us teach you about who God is.  We learn about God in many ways, but a big way is through each other.  When people show us love and grace and acceptance, we get to experience God's presence here on earth.  And as your Dad and I have dedicated our lives and our family to God, we put your life in His hands as well.

It is a funny thing to dedicate a thing or a person to God, Luke.  He already has you, really.  He has all of our days written before one of them comes to pass.  We are made by Him and loved by Him and already belong to Him in our entirety.  But the process of dedication is not really for God; it's for us.  It's easy to be grabby with life.  I find myself taking time or resources or expectations and holding them tight and calling them MINE.  MINE, like a toddler grabbing a toy.  Living like that is hard, because none of those things are actually mine.  I can't control much about life, even though here and there is the illusion that I can.  In the end, living a life dedicated to God means that I can acknowledge how little control I have, even over the very most important things to me, and that it's ok.  It's enough to know the One who IS in control, and to know that His will for me is good.

Please don't think this process is an easy one.  It has never been; at least, not for me.  Dedication of my time and my energy is a daily task, and there are many days that I muddle through.  But it's enough, and I am learning on the way, and you will learn, too.

You are my very favorite little boy, Luke.  Your smile lights up the room.  You are patient and persistent and warm and smart.  You, your sister, and your Dad are the best things about this world.  I am so proud and honored to be your Mom, and I am committed to you no matter where life takes you, no matter what decisions you make, no matter who you decide to be.

Remember that.  Happy Dedication, Little Man.

Love, Mama.