Peggy's Memory--baptism

August 29, 2007
12:24 AM

Here is Peggy's memory pretty much as she emailed it to me:

Dear Rachel, this is my favorite Knox memory and how i'll always remember him. There are many others, like getting to watch him when Jack got his stitches, his funny personality, his energy that rivaled Jack's, etc.
Jon on his blog had asked for a definition of joy.
C.S. Lewis said, " In a sense , the central story of my life is about nothing else..it is that unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them: the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. Apart from that and considered only in its quality, it might almost equally be called unhappiness or grief. But then it is a kind we want. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then, joy is never in our power and pleasure often is. "(Surprised by Joy).
And this is why I've had so much trouble trying to send this to you; because i can't convey what i want to say. How Knox's baptism and his young death with all the sorrow portrayed Christ's joy. Yhe contradiction is too much for me and i hope it doesn't cause you any more hurt, but i told you i would and here it is.

The most beautiful memory I have of Knox was at his baptism. The whole family was in the front of the church and Knox was in the long white gown that I believe was used for all the kids. Jon was holding Knox and talking about what baptism means and then he prayed for him. The whole time tears were streaming down his face. The picture was such a reflection of the beauty of the cross, how much a father loves his son, and the glory that is to be ours.
At the time , i considered it the most poignant baptism i had experienced, not knowing what the future would hold. It has been the one i think about in every baptism that i have been to since.


How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
And make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Matthew Knox Anderson was baptized on April 9th, 2006. I can't express the joy we have felt at the baptism of each of our children and the specialness of having their daddy baptize them...(Emma, Jack, and Knox). Here are some pictures from that day.



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