Saturday, October 02, 2010

I am very excited!

Two weeks tomorrow I'll be helping to baptise Ffion!

I am so thrilled that she asked me and feel very honoured and privileged to be part of her special day. Her Roman Catholic friend, whose name is Emma I believe, is helping too and the three of us are meeting with Chris tomorrow after church to talk about it. Chris, as well as being employed by the church and thus my boss, is part of the leadership team, and he has some reservations about Ffion's choice of people to baptise her.

I can understand his concern: putting me in a large stone pool full of water is an accident waiting to happen. I would hate to inadvertently drown someone.

Ffion, who is a very intelligent girl, has already promised me chocolate if I bring her back up out of the water so taking care will be definitely be my priority.

I asked Ffion why she hadn't chosen A to baptise her; she said that, in her Christian 'walk' (yuck, jargon, sorry!) she hadn't been very influenced by A.
'You mean I have had had an influence on you?' I asked, slightly concerned by this revelation.
'Well, it seems to work for you.'

Very perceptive. Yes, I suppose that's about right. I'm not one of these very emotional, (should-be-)carried-away, experiential Christians. A very unobvious Christian in fact. Laden with doubts, questions, lack of answers. To quote U2, I still haven't found what I'm looking for, but what I have found works for me.

I'd love an amazing damascus road experience that changed me dramatically into ... just a better person would do for a start, but if that never happens, I'll hang on in there, partly because it's worth it and partly because I can't see any alternative.

So ... that should give Chris plenty of ammunition should he need it.

P.S. I've just remembered that sometimes people take seriously what I write on here. So I suppose I should make it clear that Chris doesn't really think I'll drown anyone. He just wants to talk to us ...

P.P.S Spoke to Chris: everything is fine. Baptism goes ahead as arranged. All I have to do now is remember the words ...

5 comments:

Leslie: said...

Actually, I much prefer the "unobvious" Christians as the ones who speak, as you put it, Christian "jargon" simply put me off. It's like they're trying to hard to impress. I quietly walk the walk as best I can, knowing that Christ is forgiving. I think Ffion chose the perfect person in you to help her in her baptism.

Furtheron said...

few ever have the "road to Damascus" experience...

I've always found this bit very helpful to me... and the Herbert Spence comment

http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/bigbook/appendiceII.htm

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I'm sure you won't drown anybody - not with a promise of chocolate!

Ann Marie said...

Don't wish for a 'Damascus Road' experience - you might get more than you bargained for. Those who talk as if they are permanently on a higher plane often come down to earth with a bang. Uplifting experiences are greatt, but we have to live in the mundane, day to day. If your Christianity can't cope with ordinary, it's not the real thing. And yours obviously is, that's why she picked you.

Katney said...

Ann Marie says it well. Nothing to add. You live your Christianity very realistically. That is a good example and a good influence.