Dance with me

Saturday, June 24, 2006

More Gilead

Some thoughts on baptism from Gilead:

"You and Tobias are hopping around in the sprinkler. The sprinkler is a magnificent invention because it exposes raindrops to sunshine. That does occur in nature, but it is rare. When I was in seminary I used to go sometimes to watch the Baptists down at the river. It was something to see the preacher lifting the one who was being baptized up out of the water and the water pouring off the garments and the hair. It did look like a birth or a resurrection. For us the water just heightens the touch of the pastor's hand on the sweet bones of the head, sort of like making an electrical connection. I've always loved to baptize people, though I have sometimes wished there were more shimmer and splash involved in the way we go about it. Well, but you two are dancing in your iridescent little downpour, whooping and stomping as sane people ought to do when they encounter a thing so miraculous as water."

What does water mean to you? What does baptism mean to you?

2 Comments:

At 9:08 PM, Blogger G'ampa C said...

The burial of my old self and birth of my Jesus self. The claiming of so many family members, even those I don't know (yet).
My first try at learning to swim with Jesus....and it works!
A newborn: perfect, pure, but so vulnerable, so needful of help and care, so intimate with the Lord...
The covenant of the Resurrection....
The still, deep waters of peace...

 
At 3:12 PM, Blogger Candy said...

life

 

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