Santa Cruz, Friends and a Baptism

Hello! On Friday I headed to Santa Cruz to go to Noah Ryan's baptism. He is the son of my friends Mindi and Tyler! I was able to get to SC a little early which was awesome. I headed to the pier and to the boardwalk. I just walked around, people watched, got my toes in the nice warm sand, and of course went to a couple (acutally 3) surf shops so I could get a new pair of Reefs....

The whole time there was just a little interesting to me. I was enjoying being out of my element and being around absolutely no one that knew me. I love the water and I was loving just watching the water. On one side of the pier were kids in "lifeguard school" paddling surf boards from the beach to the booey and back. On the other side the rides from the boardwalk were going, you could hear people screaming and laughing and having an awesome time. I looked out into the water and saw huge sail boats and people kayaking. The sidewalks were filled with tourists and townies, families, couples, and people walking dogs. The sidewalks made me a little sad out by the main street. Every single bench had a homeless person on it and they were singing or doing magic tricks or simply just sitting there asking for money. Some of them I felt sorry for, one got in my face a little and for all of them as I walked by I just wondered... how did their life get to be the way it is, what has their life been like and why couldn't they help that? Did something happen to them, what was their family like, are they pretending like some people do?

I got to SC and had an amazing time. Noah was baptized at Mt. Cross were Mindi and Tyler work and where they live as a family. The baptism was moving. I get goose bumps just thinking about. There is a creek in the back of camp. The baptismal crew was all down in the creek and we were up on a bridge and the landing area above the creek. They did this awesome thing where the baby was handing off to the Godparents from the Mom and dad showing that they are entrusting spiritual care to them. Then they crouched down over the water and the pastor baptized Noah with the flowing water. I think it is such an amazing symbolism on how Christ is our living water, it doesn't stop. It was so powerful to witness.

After the baptism a group of us went to a brewery for dinner, then we headed back to the Wagner's for a good time on the back porch. It was just so fun to be away, to be enjoying time with old friends and new and to just enjoy life through and through... sometimes I think we get to serious and we don't stop enough to just enjoy life, to just take it all in. Try it more often.

I took a couple of pictures.... they aren't the greatest but if you look close enough you can figure it out.

Take some time to enjoy your friends and family, to remember who Christ has made you to be, to thank God for paving a path for your life and to just soak up what is around you.