It's All About Jesus!

Anybody who knows me, knows I have a whole slew of nieces and nephews.  Most of them are great-nieces and nephews ranging in age from 15 years to 5 months with the oldest of the greats being Alysia.  My Alysia.

When Alysia was little, I use to keep her a lot.  We use to have the best times.  We'd go shopping, ride bikes, run and play, and just do a little bit of everything.  She was too little to ride a bike on her own, so I'd take Mitch's bike, put a pillow on the bar, and ride with her between my legs.  We've ridden many a mile like that on my road.  When it was time for bed, I'd make a place for her beside mine and Mitch's bed because she was too frightened to sleep in another room.  When Sunday came, I'd take her to church right along with me and Mitch.  I'd dress her up in whatever Missy sent with her, but most of the time we'd go shopping and buy her something new. 

I loved dressing her up and taking her to church.  Since I played the organ and Mitch sang in the choir, she'd sit on the front pew right by my organ until we both got done and then she'd come over and sit with us.  I remember one Sunday she let out a great big yawn with a big moan and I was so embarrassed.  When I turned around and looked at her, she was sitting back with her head leaning back on the pew swinging her feet.  She looked at me as if to say, "What??"  I explained after church that you yawn quietly in church and try not to make so much noise.  I loved me some Alysia. 

As she grew older, I'd take her to school and pick her up from day care too.  I'd play contemporary Christian music and we'd sing along with the songs.  We've done homework together, but thankfully I never had to go to any teacher conferences.  Alysia has always been special to me, but as her brothers and sisters and cousins all came along, I loved them too and took them right along to church with us too if I had the opportunity.  Thankfully, Alysia's parents have since become members of my church, so they have the joy of taking their kids to church these days.

Alysia is now 15 years old.  She's taking driver's ed this summer and she's also working part-time as a babysitter.  She went to Camp Caswell with Edgewood Baptist Church last week where one of the most amazing things happened to her.  Alysia accepted and came to know Christ as her Lord and Savior.  Is that not the most wonderful news in the world!!!  My Alysia is now bound for an eternity with the Lord!  That just makes me want to shout a big ole HALLELUJAH!!!!  I'm so proud of her, but most of all, I'm proud that she's made such an important decision at the right time in her life.  I believe it's something she's been contemplating for quite a while now, and I don't think it's a decision she's taken lightly or been influenced into making.  When I've heard about some of her friends making such an important decision, I worried they made their decision because another friend did the same thing.  I don't think that's the case with Alysia.  She's been so bold in telling others about her decision, I think she's truly where's she's suppose to be in her relationship with Christ right now.  And I can't wait to watch and see her grow in her walk with Him!!

When it was time for us to have invitation at church yesterday, Alysia was up and out of her pew before we hardly played any of the invitation song.  And when Pastor Tommy asked her to stand by him so he could announce her decision, she proudly stood by him with no shyness about her.  She looked as if "I've made my decision and I stand by it wholeheartedly!"  I'm so proud of her!!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Pastor Tommy is leaving our church and his last Sunday will be July 25.  The plan right now is for Alysia to be baptized that day.  It's going to be a bittersweet day in that Pastor Tommy and his family will be leaving our church, but I can't wait to see Alysia baptized to start a new life walking with Christ!

I LOVE YOU ALYSIA AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!

I hope I get to see all my nieces and nephews come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.  What an exciting time that will be!!  It will be so wonderful to see them in heaven where I won't have to discipline any of them! LOL!!!