The Little One in a State of Grace

Events seem to occur on or near holidays in our family. We discovered that we were to become a Mother on an aptly named "Good Friday," our Little One was born just before Thanksgiving, and this year, we finally brought her into God's good graces by baptizing her the day before All Hallows Eve. Such occurrences are not unusual. Yours Truly was herself Christened on Valentines Day. In this part of the world, however, the weather is usually more clement in late October than in mid-February and, true to form, the sun shown beautifully for the Great Event and the day resonated with joy.

It so happens that the maternal grandfather of the honoree is a minister and so he performed the Christening with water from the River Jordan. His contribution was but one in a day full of family significance. The baptism took place in the front hall of the Big House built by our daughter's great-great-great-grandfather in the very spot where, in 1901, her great-grandfather was himself baptized by the first bishop of the newly formed Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. This clergyman later became the Presiding Bishop of the whole national church. Although such a Future isn't expected of the maternal grandfather as he has retired from active ministry (he does, however, still serve at a church), he was pleased to perform the ritual on his first-born grandchild.

No period gowns for this event, though the garment the Little One wore was the same worn by Yours Truly on that Valentine's Day many years ago. It was made by my own Aunt and Godmother. This very same Aunt and Godmother was able to travel from Louisiana to witness another generation brought into the community of the faithful. We rejoiced that a Happy Occasion brought us together and we celebrated for two days.

A good and blessed time was had by all.