Today we celebrate Gerhardt’s baptism day. Since he’s not too big on sweets (I know, how is this my child?!) his treat….Goldfish Crackers, one of his favorites and since the Fish has long been a symbol of Christianity, I thought it worked very well for such an occasion!
Two years ago today we brought this tiny sugar to the waters of Holy Baptism!
I like to sing the hymn we sang on each of the babies’ baptism days during our celebration. For Gerhardt we sang “All Christians Who Have Been Baptized” a wonderful hymn written by Paul Gerhardt, Gerhardt’s namesake.
“All Christians who have been baptized,
Who know the God of heaven,
And in whose daily life is prized
The name of Christ once given:
Consider now what God has done,
The gifts He gives to ev’ryone
Baptized into Christ Jesus!“
“You were before your day of birth,
Indeed, from your conception,
Condemned and lost with all the earth,
None good, without exception.
For like your parents’ flesh and blood,
Turned inward from the highest good,
You constantly denied Him.”
“But all of that was washed away—
Immersed and drowned forever.
The water of your Baptism day
Restored again whatever
Old Adam and his sin destroyed
And all our sinful selves employed
According to our nature.”
“In Baptism we now put on Christ –
Our shame is fully covered
With all that He once sacrificed
And freely for us suffered.
For here the flood of His own blood
Now makes us holy, right, and good
Before our heav’nly Father.”
“O Christian, firmly hold this gift
And give God thanks forever!
It gives the power to uplift
In all that you endeavor.
When nothing else revives your soul,
Your Baptism stands and makes you whole
And then in death completes you.”
“So use it well! You are made new—
In Christ a new creation!
As faithful Christians, live and do
Within your own vocation,
Until that day when you possess
His glorious robe of righteousness
Bestowed on you forever!”
Listen HERE.
This is GREAT! And I love the goldfish- It fit perfectly!
(and wow, Gerhardt Titus is a GREAT name!!!)
Thank you Emily! I’ll never understand why anyone would prefer a cracker over a cookie, but I guess I should be thankful…maybe?
I LOVE his name too, though “Gerhardt” took a while to grow on me, Phil chose it before we were married so I went with it (he gave me Titus to soften the blow) and now I don’t even think twice about it, it’s perfect! Now if we can just come up with another good one for any other sons we may have….
Fun to know that Paul Gerhardt is Gerhart’s namesake. Our family loves that hymn. All the kids can sing it from memory. Why are boys names so much harder than girl names to pick out?
Oh Brianne, give me boy names any day! I am tapped on girl names!