It Was Luke's Day

My youngest son,
Luke Edward Shelton,
joined our church last Sunday, November 27, 2016.

5 days before he will be 14 years old.

My Rob and I dedicated Luke to the Lord when he was 4 months old.

And when Luke was around 3 years old, he asked Rob to baptize him.

We debated that decision since Luke was so young

but Luke was VERY certain that he was ready.

He even told us that since he already believed in Jesus,

baptism was the next thing.

So Rob baptized him (on the same night he baptized Anna and Wesley).

In hindsight, I feel sure it was God’s timing that prompted our little Luke

so that he could be baptized by his father before Rob's death.

When Anna and Wesley joined the church, I was given the privilege of presenting them to the congregation for membership.  Since Luke joined on the same day as many others, the minister presented the group as a whole for membership.

It was a great day.

Watching my youngest join our church.

He wore one of his dad’s ties

 and cloaked himself in his dad’s overcoat for the trip there.

It was a day Luke had contemplated for years.

Literally.

He takes vows seriously.

And he will not make them until he is ready.

As in every single thing since Luke has existed,

he made this decision on his own terms.

He has always done things in his own way.

And I learned a long time ago not to push.

Admittedly, it is sometimes exasperating for me while I’m waiting on a decision.

But it’s always inspiring that,

no matter what,

he cannot be swayed

from what he believes.

I have learned patience from my Luke in so many ways.

But the staunchness of his character has always been my reward.

I only cried twice as Luke joined our church.

As much as we like our preacher,

I did cry a bit at the thought that I wish it could have been Luke’s daddy confirming our son

and how proud of him his father would be.

But those thoughts didn’t last long since most of my thoughts were about

my boy

standing tall in front of me.

About how much thought and prayer and discussion and time

we had put into his decision.

And how much his actions during this process showed me that he is becoming

a man.

I was so very proud of him for deciding to join

but I was also proud of him last year when he decided not to.

For it takes true maturity and bravery and knowledge of self to go against what is customary to know when it’s not yet time to make vows of membership and when it is.

So the tears that started when it was time for Luke to be individually prayed for

and confirmed by the preacher

were tears of pride and joy of the present

and hope for my Luke’s future…

…much like they were when I stood beside his father and we dedicated our Luke to the Lord when he was 4 months old and I teared up with pride and joy of the present and hope for his future.

Just as the timing of my son’s birth during Advent 2002 made me so mindful of the
HOPE one little baby can bring to the world,

so did his joining the church during Advent 2016 make me so mindful of the

HOPE one young man can bring to his mama.

Whether it’s fair or not or whether it’s healthy or not,

the blunt truth is that Luke (along with his older siblings)

is what’s given me HOPE for our future

on days when I just couldn’t find any.

HOPE is the ultimate precursor to change.

Lack thereof fuels stagnation.

It was Luke,

(who was so very young when his dad died)

on many days,

who pushed me to move out of stagnation

toward HOPE

by simply

needing me.

And now,

years later,

as I watched my Luke join our church on the day

the Advent wreath HOPE candle was burning brightly,

I couldn’t help but remember and be thankful that the
HOPE
for our Luke’s future that was ignited in his father’s and my heart years ago
still burns brightly in mine.

I was blessed.

I am blessed.

To My Luke,

I cannot wait to see how God continues to use you for His Kingdom
and
I HOPE and pray I’ve guided and served you well on your journey!

With all of my love,

Mama

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And just so it will all be in one place, I'm going to repost below
what I wrote about the day Anna and Wesley joined the church in 2013.

Written on Sunday, June 16, 2013

To My Anna and My Wesley

My daughter and my son joined the church today. I presented them for membership and my father asked them the questions to receive them into membership.  It was a great day.  

What follows is my presentation of them to the congregation:  

"Anna and Wesley,

When you were babies, I stood beside your father and held each of you as we dedicated you to the Lord, with your Paw Paw presiding over each of the services.   Your father and I were so thankful that God had chosen us to parent each one of you and we wanted to do nothing less than lead you to Christ.  
That’s what we vowed to do on each of those days. 

(Anna - 1996)

(Wesley - 2000)

When you were older, your father and I were thrilled as each one of you repented of your sins, asked Jesus into your hearts, and trusted Him to be your Savior.
Our prayers for your spiritual births had been answered.

When you were each yet a little older, I stood and watched you both as your father baptized you. You both had stated that you were ready for this outward and visible sign of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Your father and I felt so blessed.
Our prayers for your spiritual growth had been answered.   

Today, on this Father’s Day, 

I stand alone, 

 to present you, Anna Elizabeth Shelton, and you, Wesley Robert Shelton, 

for membership into our church. 

And as I watch you today take personal responsibility for your own church memberships and you bind yourselves to this church through the voluntary vows you will speak ---

--- I will know the circle is complete 

– from the first services when you were babies with your Paw Paw presiding over the questions for us as parents 

- to your salvation 

- to the day your father baptized you 

- to today as your Paw Paw will ask you the questions of membership into the church.  
And I will rejoice and be thankful that the prayers your father prayed during his lifetime and my continued prayers for you to choose to join the church will be answered."