My friend Paige wrote yesterday that she was celebrating her Re-Birthday, her baptism from 31 years ago. She wrote this about her godparents:
Julie and Donnie Ganaway deserved to be celebrated for all that they have brought to my life. They truly have walked beside me – even from many miles away – in helping my parents raise me in the Christian faith.
What a great example of what it means to be a godparent: walking beside those we sponsor, helping to raise them to be a follower of Christ. Here are some tips to help you celebrate this important event in your child’s (or your own!) life:
- Throw a baptismal birthday party. Invite the godparents, family members and other close spiritual friends to come. Consider inviting the pastor that baptized you, even if they live far away.
- Find the Scripture readings from the day you were baptized and read them each year on your baptismal birthday. If you don’t have them, you might try looking at the lectionary for the day you born. (You’ll have to figure out which Sunday of the church year you were born, and then work backwards. I haven’t found a site yet that will allow you to search a historic date for the readings)
- Recite your Confirmation verse. Confirmation is the reaffirming of your baptismal vows. Why not tie the two together on your Re-Birthday?
- Light your baptismal candle and say a quick prayer of thanks that God has made you His own child.
- Start a baptismal-day journal. Each year, write an entry about spiritual milestones in the past year and some goals for yourself for the coming year.
What else would you add to the list?