Connections (HoL 4)

Nancy, Isaac, Max, and I went on a walk around the neighborhood this evening. While walking through the far side of the neighborhood, I noticed something that most folks probably didn’t pay much attention to. One of the trees in our neighbor’s yard had turned almost entirely yellow, and had dropped half of it’s leaves to the ground. I pointed it out to Nancy and she said “Gosh they are falling really early.” It’s not that they are falling early, it’s that time is moving quickly.

Isaac has already sort of outgrown one outfit. He has a “hand-me-down” set of red footie pajamas from some friends of ours. I put them on him last night, and found that I couldn’t fasten the top snap without a great deal of effort. The outfit was so tight he looked like a sausage stuffed into a skin, or perhaps he was wearing a spandex biking outfit.

He has also learned to smile somewhat regularly this weekend. This is a very cool trick and he has already got a few girls’ phone numbers in the nursery.

We presented him to the church today. At our church, we do a baby presentation on the child’s first Sunday with the congregation. This is sort of a formal introduction to the rest of the gang. One of the deacons, Janice Kirkman, holds the baby, introduces him, says an open eyed prayer, and then hoists the baby up like in the Lion King. It was a very special time for us, and Janice said a beautiful and kind prayer. In a few months from now, we will have a slightly longer “Baby Dedication” service. It’s a small service in the middle of a normal Sunday morning. It’s similar to a christening in that folks usually come in from out of town to go to it, and the family usually provides a small lunch afterwards. It’s different in the service is more about making a covenant between the church and the parents that they will help to raise the child, and support each other. Out pastor, Michael Usey, will walk around the congregation, with the child, and talk about the family, and where the child gets his name from. It’s sort of like a eulogy in reverse. The church then gives Isaac a Bible.

I really like the idea of these ceremonies. There isn’t anything “magic” about them. God doesn’t all of a sudden love him more just because a certain prayer is said. It I love the idea of connecting ourselves to the history of the church. I think it is possible to experience God through the love of other people, and my family definitely feels loved at our church.

I also found out that Isaac really likes to dance. I will hold him in my arms and dance to one of the Schoolhouse Rock CDs in his room, and he seems to enjoy it. Most people enjoy watching me dance though.

Nancy and I still do things together, but we have slightly lower expectations for our free time. Today the whole family drifted in and out of sleep watching the Panthers football game together. It was pretty terrific.

Life is sweet, and I am savoring the marrow of it


Big Matt