“There are a thousand thousand reasons to live this life, everyone of them sufficient”
~ Marilynne Robinson
childhood friends
You first met Darrell Conley in the November 3, 2015 post. As you might recall, Darrell grew up with mom and Aunt Janet. Yesterday’s baptism wasn’t just mom’s, but Darrell and Janet’s as well. Three friends sharing a sacred moment together. It was reminiscent of my own baptism in December 1979 with Mark Collinsworth. I was 14. Mark was 12.
revival (photographer unknown)
I don’t know who took the picture of Mark and I but I’m awfully thankful for it. We were baptized during a revival, and we insisted we be baptized together. Everyone knew we were like siblings, so it made sense. The preacher with me is Rev. Eugene Haney who is married to my mother’s first cousin, Velma. The preacher with Mark was the pastor of the church, Brother Rudasill. I don’t remember his first name. This is the same baptismal where mom, Janet, and Darrell were baptized yesterday. No doubt you see the differences. The original baptismal was basically a huge tank that could hold numerous people. Over the years, it began to leak, and eventually couldn’t be repaired. The church went with a more portable, one-person model that I’d never seen until yesterday.
perspective
Mamaw lead me to believe that Janet had been baptized. I think even mom thought she’d been baptized as she framed Janet’s baptism as “rededicating her life.” This is not an altogether uncommon practice for those who feel they need a clean start, either because they feel like they backslid or maybe they changed churches or even faiths. There could be a host of reasons why someone might want to be baptized twice. But in Janet’s case, she, like mom, had never been baptized. She has now!
the last brother
Darrell, as you might recall, is the last of the three Conley boys. Like mom and Janet, Darrell’s a private, low-key kind of person. A production baptism didn’t really suit him. Yet, he was totally comfortable being baptized with mom and Janet. His wife, Barbara, plus her two sisters, Rebecca and Rita, and brother-in-law (whose name I don’t remember) were with us, and that was all that attended. Perfect. It was a heart-warming event in that sweet little church. Although it was very different from the way Mark and I were baptized, the sentiment of a spiritual bond with God and family was exactly the same. It matters that we have loved ones walk this journey with us. We don’t have to see one another every day, but the memories we make can be a powerful force that help us through our lives. I’m grateful to have had that with Mark, and I’m especially grateful that mom, Janet, and Darrell have each other.
family
One response
Beautiful…………..