Great Father's Day present - baptised my boys!

[Esquire]

In two threads, set several weeks apart, I mentioned that both my boys made a choice to surrender their young lives to God's service.

Here's a link to those threads:

Boy_meets_God (http://www.tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4400)

Double_Baptism (http://www.tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4480)

Well, this weekend we got it done. Standing in a limestone bottom creek, surrounded by close friends and family, with crawdads and bluegill underfoot, surrounded by the beauty of God's creation, we celebrated new life in Christ.

My father, who baptised me 3 decades ago, helped, and my close friend Ray, former paratrooper and a good man of God, stood by and spoke a few appropriate words from scripture.

It was a great and special moment.

In the foreground of one picture you can see my older boys younger brother looking on.

:)

[robk]

i undersdtand where your young ones are coming from. i was 12 when i accepted christ and it is a big investment for you to give over to him for a young person with all the pressure they have to deal with in their social circles and in the adult world. your young men have made a great commitment and all i can say is god blessed you with two fine young men
rob k

[George Tsoukalas]

Congratulations to you and to your sons, Esquire. Jawge

[K31Scout]

Good deal Esquire! I excepted Christ late in life and wish I'd had the relationship growing up. Good foundation those boys have.

[TBHNTR]

Congratulations. I know some of what you're feeling... One of my greatest satisfactions as a father is leading each of my three boys when they accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

[Eaglearcher]

I just read Esquires post and i would like to add my own congratulations to him and his family. To those who deride the values of the modern christian church, I would ask them to take a look at a family who live by their beliefs and who are so much stronger because of it.
I would just like to share my own fathers day experience with you too.
Since the breakdown of my own Marrage i have met a new partner and she has a 14 year old son. Along with my daughter, we all get on with our lives as some sort of family but on Fathers day i was suprised to recieve a card from Ricky, my partners son.
He had written a personal message to me in the card and one of the things he wrote was that he never knew his own father ( He left when he was 3 years old ) and although he knows that i am not his real father, he looks upon me as the father that he never had.
It was a proud and emotional moment and the card will be put away somewhere safe as a precious momento.

[Cato]

EA,

That must be especially gratifying. It's sad when you hear of a kid growing up without a loving dad. Sounds like you have a unique opportunity to influence. It also sounds like you are siezing the moment. Good show.

Cato

[Swanny]

Glad to hear of this, Mike. Thanks for posting the pics....water looks cold!

[Esquire]

Thanks guys.

Eagle Archer,

That's a fine and special moment - I appreciate your sharing it. I'm sure you and that young man will have much to learn from each other - I know I learn as much from my own boys as they do from me.

Good stuff.

Mike

[Ray Cover]

Mike I have something almost ready to send your way. Tell that boy not to fret its almost done. The Blade Show got in my way but that is past me now and it is time to get on to things more important that business.;)

Great pics by the way.

Ray

[Esquire]

Ray,

No sweat here, my friend. I hope the show went well.

I have kept him in the dark, but may let him know that something is in the works, at this point. Sort of whet the appetite. :)

Mike

[JBJ3]

So cool Mike...men, enjoy each day with your kids and with your fathers...just a few weeks ago, my father passed suddenly and unexpectedly at 71 and we just had his memorial service Friday 16th, just 2 days before Father's Day...he loved God, wife, family and country. Words cannot describe the feelings from the loss. My comfort in the midst of the void is that he loved and trusted God, served him in every aspect of life and I know he is with the Lord. He was a very successful business man....held a couple national drug free power lifting titles as a senior...a bull of the woods as a young man lol...and a beautiful thing to behold as he played the keyboard in church with those large hands and fingers that barely fit the keys lol...over 700 people came to the visitation...Life is way to short...to live life to the fullest is one of the highest forms of worship...time with children and our fathers will be some of our greatest treasures...blessed is the man who’s children run into his arms when his hands are empty.

Sincerely,

John

[Esquire]

John,

I'm real sorry to hear that you lost the presence of your father, but I'm glad to hear the tribute about how he spent his life and that your parting is only temporary.

I can't help but think of Open Range, when the cowboy is burying Mose and the dog and he says, in a sort of prayer, "Well, you got yourself a good man and a good dog, and I'm inclined to resent you for it."

71 is pretty young and I cannot imagine what your family must be feeling.

Your dad sounds like quite a man. I'd like to have known him.

Someday I hope I will ...

Mike

[JBJ3]

Mike,

Thank you for the kind words. I have been reading the threads I can tell that he would have liked you too. He particularly respected men who were accomplished in education or profession but never forgot that they still put their pants on like everyone else lol. He said of himself that he was a common man who worked hard and was very fortunate. I think that trait if obvious in all his 3 sons and cherished above our accomplishments or titles.

Common people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them. Abraham Lincoln:


Truthfully,

John J