H's Baptism

May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you 

and be gracious unto you;

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

-UMYF Benediction (based on Numbers 6:24-26)

H was baptized on July 15 and it was such a special weekend filled with so much love. Grand Mar and Pappy, Bevie and Papa, Aunt S, and Cousin L joined us for the celebration. 

On Saturday night we had a special dinner where we toasted baby H from the quaich, which was given to us the night before our wedding. The quaich originated in the Scottish highlands, where it was used as a "cup of welcome." Now it is used to toast important life events. We all drank from it and told our hopes for H's future. Together we will work to make sure these hopes will be met; we will make sure that H has a "happy and healthy life," that he "works to make the world a better place," that he "laughs often," that he "has a sense of adventure and sees the world," and that "he loves God with all his heart and his neighbor as his self." 

Baptism is a sacrament; an act of God's grace. We are blessed to be part of a wonderful church family that has opened their arms to H and welcomed  him into the community of faith. We are even more blessed to serve a God who claims us all as his own.

H reached out and grabbed Rev. Charlie's hands
during the blessing of the water. It was so sweet.

A member of the congregation always walks the  babies
back to the altar to welcome the child to the community of faith

With Rev. Jimmy

Family brunch

Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4th of July! May your beer stay cold and your barbecues hot.

M - I - Double S - I - Double S - I - P - P - I

I am a Mississippian by marriage. Prior to meeting C, I knew very little about the mirror-image state to the west. Its only novelty was a spelling that included crooked letters and humpbacks. 

In the 11 years I have known C, I have come to really appreciate the Magnolia state. Its people are creative, kind, and generous. Beyond that, there is another common thread that weaves them together -- Mississippians love their home state. Love. There is a belief God created the Heavens and the Earth. Just before he rested on the seventh day, he said, "let me make something extra special." That something special: Mississippi. 

Every year, displaced Mississippians from our region gather to celebrate at Mississippi on the Mall. They may no longer live within its borders, but they still call it home and love it just as deeply. With plates full of catfish and cups full of cold beer, it is hard not to feel like you're really there. 

This year we took H to help him get in touch with his southern roots. 

We saw friends.

Grand Mar's visit coincided with the celebration.

Even our North Carolina cousins joined the action. 

H is now ready for his inaugural trip to the South in August.