Baptism!

Baby baptism today at church. Thinking about it now, I am struck by how insignificant it seemed at the time. But, it must really be a momentous occasion. This baby can't say she was not given a chance. Or maybe she can, if her life is bad enough. But she can't honestly say that God has done nothing for her. She probably will say it at some point. If she is like me, she will live most of her days not thinking much about what God has done for her. I hope she is better than me.

We dunk 'em three times, all the way in. She starts crying after the first dunk. I don't know if she cries underwater. Crying, silence in the water, crying, silence in the water, and then she is back in a warm blanket. She is carried around the church later. It looked like Father was trying to show her the icon on the ceiling: "Lord let thy servant depart in peace..." Such a strange thing to remember death at the moment when a new life is being shown around her future church. I know that in Christ life and death are close together, but the strangeness is there nonetheless.

All of this dunking and parading around: she is in our hands, we will make her cry, cause her distress.