Remembering Poppy's Baptism

It was a lovely Sunday in June. Poppy had been attending church since he was a child but had not become a Christian. He had taught us good and had lived near the cross, but this day he was giving his life to the Lord. In his Sunday best, he walked up the steps to the church, holding my hand tightly, the others following behind him. I did not know he was going to join church. I just knew Poppy was very happy that day, shaking every hand and singing louder than he ever had. He could be heard over all the others...'I'll Fly Away', and Just As I Am were two hymns I still hear in my mind. My sisters and I were singing right along with him. Poppy was wearing a white shirt underneath his blue surge suit. His tie was blue and white stripes. Poppy only wore that suit on special ocassions. After the singing quieted, the preacher preached a strong sermon and then came down to the people and looked them right in the face. I felt a little fright, as though the preacher knew I had uttered a bad word yesterday when the door slammed on my finger. Was he going to tell the whole church I was a mean girl? I was so happy when he went back up to the pulpit. My Poppy went up the aisle when they were all singing 'Amazing grace. Poppy repeated words after the preacher. He was to be baptized that Sunday afternoon..I walked with him down the hill to the large creek that was flowing quite swiftly and a sandbar was on the side sloping into the water. The preacher raised his right hand up toward heaven and I really think I saw into Heaven that day. The clouds seemed to open up and I was aware that the Lord Jesus was standing there with his arms outstretched. With one arm around Poppy's back and the other holding him strongly......down Poppy went into the water. It flowed swiftly and he actually went completely out of sight. I was a little concerned, as I knew Poppy could not swim and rarely went near water. With a squish and a splash, up he came and he bean to shout and raise his arms up toward the heavens. Cold chills went over me and I knew right then Poppy had become a child of God. I reached him a towel and he held my hand as we walked up the hill. I can still hear the people singing' Shall we gather at the river'..that day was a turning point for me too, as I too was baptized a little later. Poppy would never allow us to say any hate words to each other and we always knelt beside our beds at night. If we were mean he would make us do extra work around the house and we were encouraged to forgive each other and give a hug even if it wasn't what we wanted. From that day foward Poppy went around the house singing and he could strum a few songs on his guitar. I asked him later what it felt like being baptised and he said he came up out of that water a new man..Now as he is growing older he still carries the same black Bible that he carried when I was a child.It is lovingly worn and frayed..and on the front page is the date of his baptism, forever etched in my mind. That Sunday was a special day for Poppy for he now has a home in Heaven........good night all..Jesus loves all of you