Happy Birthday Grayson!

To our dearest Grayson,

We have known for a while now that you were getting to the place where salvation was imminent. You have been curious since Easter (of 2008) about the story of Jesus dying on the cross. You have asked many questions and we could tell you were trying to sort it all out. You seem to really grasp the concept of God's love for everyone and that He made a way for us to have a relationship with Him. We can only have a relationship with Him personally when we accept His gift of salvation, and come before Him with a clean heart.

On the way to school on Friday morning, December 12, 2008 I heard you talking in the backseat. This happens often and I always discreetly turn down the radio or music so I can hear you. This day you were definitely talking to God, but I couldn't hear everything you were saying. As we pulled into the parking lot, you asked or rather commented on how everybody does bad things so everybody must get to go to heaven. I explained to you that yes, everyone does do bad things. Yes, God loves everyone very much in spite of the bad things we do. But no, not everyone gets to go to heaven. We continued having the following discussion as best as I could simplify it for a 4-year old: God can't let people come into His heaven that have sins in their heart, or have a dirty heart. We are only allowed into heaven if we believe in God, know that we need Him in our lives, and believe that He died on the cross because He loved us so much and He wanted to take our sins away and give us a clean heart.

You told me that you knew that Jesus died and that you wanted to have a clean heart so that you could go and be in heaven with Jesus some day. Oh how I wanted Daddy to be there when you made such a big decision. I asked you if you wanted to pray with Daddy after school, but you were definitive in your answer, "No, it can't wait Mommy! I have to pray now!" So I climbed into the backseat and held your hands as you prayed to receive Jesus as your Savior. As we opened our eyes, you were smiling from ear to ear! And as I started to get tears in my eyes, you asked why I was crying and I tried to explain to you the importance of that moment to me. I also explained that today was your Spiritual birthday. Your birthday in April is when you were born into our family, but on that special day we could celebrate because you were born into God's big family!!

I took you into school, only after having to climb back into the front seat because all of the child locks are on in the back. I went straight to buy some balloons to bring back to school for you. You loved the surprise. It just happened that we were going to Lynchburg for the night to see the Living Christmas Tree at TRBC. I called all of our family in Lynchburg to tell them the good news and see if anyone wanted to join us for supper that evening to celebrate. It was Elijah's birthday that day too, so his family couldn't make it and Uncle Darren and Aunt Tracy were out West skiing. The Sargeant family all joined us for supper to celebrate your day. Daddy and I gave you some special books to mark this day.


Grayson, we are overjoyed at the momumental decision in your life. Yes, Daddy thinks I went overboard with the balloons, dinner plans, and gifts. But I just wanted you to have something to look back at and always remember your special day that you became a member of God's family. One day, when we walk the streets of gold together, we'll be able to introduce you to the spiritual giants who have gone before us, paving the way. And I will just beam with pride as you look into the face of Jesus one day and He calls you His Own!!