"No, I will be blessed to be at your baptism, but Pastor is the one who will baptize you".
"Why?" was her response and I wasn't quite sure how to answer that one. Does a four year old have the capability to understand years of seminary or ordination? This one was difficult. After all her mom worked at the church just like the pastor. I attempted to give an explanation that might help her understand. And just when I thought she might be getting it, she cocks her head to the side and says, "Well, me and Bowen babitized my cat yesterday".
I haven't thought about that conversation in a while now...until yesterday. Our sanctuary looked different yesterday. There where the children and I gather for children's message each Sunday morning was something new. A water trough filled with warm water prepared for a baptism. Yes, in the deep piney woods of Texas where most Methodists are sprinkled with the waters of baptism and there is no built in pool...we use a water trough. The kids all gather for the children's message and I turn to the trough (covered in white draping mind you) and ask them if they know what this thing is? What we're going to do with it? She looks at me with those baby blues and says, "someone is going to get babitized".
In that moment I was taken right back to the memory of my now twenty year old saying that very same word so many years ago. I've thought about each of my children's baptisms as the hours have passed since yesterday morning. Really it doesn't matter how old we are...some are infants...others are far beyond their childhood years. If you get right down to it...it really doesn't matter what sanctuary you sit in or where the water comes from. Baptism is not about age or place...sprinkling or immersion (some of us call that dunkin'). It is simply God's yes to us.
Yes...I created you. Yes...I love you. Yes...you are my child. Yes...I forgive you. Yes, yes...yes. This is a yes to be remembered. This is a yes that should be cherished and discussed and celebrated.
Even though I know it's important. It is this very yes that often gets lost in the homework and baseball games. Somehow forgotten among the schedules and business of life.
At the top of my to do list this week you'll find words that I've heard before in the sanctuary.
Remember your baptism and keep it holy.Somewhere in the midst of this week's craziness I am going to remind my children of the day they were baptized. I'll tell them about the pastor who spoke those holy words over them. How their family stood beside them as the drops of water ran down their heads. I'll ask them if they remember. How they felt. We'll talk or at least I will of God's love for them.
It's the most important thing we can teach our children. The one lesson that has kept me going...still keeps me going. God said yes to me...is still saying yes in this moment. He's saying yes to you too. Now that's worth remembering!
