There is no real reason for this picture (to the left) except that I love it. It reminds me of my life. I have been waxing nostalgic about my life and trying to find episodes that were fun and beautiful. Growing up in the south (Bible belt Louisiana), going to church was a way of life. When you were born, your family had the church picked out and waiting. The first words of greeting from anyone was "What church to you belong to?" One of my most vivid memories is that of being dragged to a "different Church every Sunday" by my grandmother Elizabeth. (My dads mom). I think that she was a member of at least 4 Church's. She went to 2 in her hometown in "the country". And 2 in the city. It is the "country church" that I remember the most. My grandmother never said what religion she practiced, I think it was somewhere between southern baptist and Pentecostal. (She had a tendency to dance down the aisles when the music was good and the Spirit moved her). She called it Holy Dancing. This was her Pentecostal side. Baptist churches did not allow dancing, but you could say Amen in moderate tones, and clap occasionally. In Baptist churches, only the preacher was allowed to sing and shout at the top of his lungs.
But it is at one of those country church's that I first witnessed a water baptism, just like the one in the picture. My cousin Sue was baptized. I remember the day. I was visiting at my maternal grandma's home for the summer. It was on a Saturday. My cousins and my aunt and my grandma and papa got dressed and my grandfather drove us down to the church in his school bus. My cousin wore a white dress and she was barefooted.We had church service in this "shotgun" style church, no air conditioning, ever. After a stirring sermon by the minister, the choir and the church joined in a song and then we all walked out of the church singing to the pond behind the church. My cousin was being escorted by people I didn't know. The minister, a deacon, and my cousin walked into the pond. The minister prayed, my cousin had her arms crossed in front of her,the minister raised his hand to the sky, then he and the deacon threw my cousin (my interpretation) backwards in the water. Scared me, I tried to go help her. I had taken swimming lessons. She came up sputtering, but she was then pronounced baptized, and everyone started to sing again. Afterwards my cousin got dressed in a pretty new dress and we had a picnic.
I love that memory, and I know that if I tap into my brain, I got a million of them.
I have reached a milestone,by celebrating my 49th birthday. It is my goal to achive a lot this year, mostly small things, but a lot no less. I hope to tap in to those memories, and hopefully it will help me to motivate to do my family history. I am looking forward to going back to the temple to be "Baptized" by proxy for my Grandmother Elizabeth, and for my dad. I hope they will appreciate it.
PS ( I remember after my cousin was baptized, she looked so calm. I wanted to be baptized too. Almost did, but my mom said that I was too young).
1 comment:
Wow. What a great memory. It will be great to do your Grandma Elizabeth's work.
Thank you again for the Job information. I read some more on it today.
You are so wonderful.
Do you know what I was thinking about today with you. I wonder if Ramona knows she will have children one day. What a concept, one that you wouldn't have really known the truth about until joining this church and having your Patriarchal Blessing. You are a great friend. I appreciate you greatly.
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