Today was a big day for sweet baby K's. He was given a baby blessing at church today. (Just by way of FYI...He's just over 2 months old and HE. IS. PRECIOUS.)
I was doing some pondering on the whole experience today. The focus was K: showering him with blessings/ support from a loving, Heavenly support team--both on Earth and beyond. My parents flew out from California for this. He had tons of family from both extended sides come. And even friends who observe other faith practices chose to join in the reverence and celebration of this experience. You know me, I was pondering all the unique elements of the entire situation. Probably a little over zealous.
The blessing itself was very special. Kind. Full of love. Full of support for K. I loved it. This religious practice is something Jesus Christ did anciently. We can learn more about this practice in Mark 10:16: "And he [Jesus] took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them". In the blessing, people who exercise the Priesthood surround the baby and pronounce the name of the baby and offer a blessing.
Then, just after the name & blessing ordinance, we were able to participate in a Sacrament Service--an ordinance intended to help us re-focus on Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, and the renewal of the covenants we made with God to try to be a little better.
Sounds pretty sacred. It was. And at the same time, consider a three year old (my other nephew) making quirky train noises, poking you in the back, and the two kids in the row ahead of you making the most concerning faces of sibling-ness (presumably about the fairness of situational circumstances). Oh...and right after the Sacrament meeting, we celebrated with a SCRUMPTIOUS lunch filled with fresh fruit (my fave), grilled delicious-ness, and homemade desserts.
AKA, here is my blog thoughts for the day: BALANCE IS KEY. Who are we kidding? The kid scene and the party after the Sacrament meeting were delightful components of the day. At the same time, the focus of the day was Baby K and the sacred ordinances we were celebrating. One without the other wouldn't seem balanced in my opinion. Just celebrating without the ordinance dilutes the value religious observation. And just participating in religious ordinances without any form of community support or acknowledgement also seems a bit diluting to the holistic support of the family/ child.
In summary: sacred living is worth celebrating. <3 nbsp="" p="">
