December 04, 2005

Baby Blessing

There was a baby blessing in our ward today. Dad carried a little white confection to the front and about 20 guys joined him in the circle.

When the blessing was completed he forgot the all important money shot. This is when the Dad hoists the new born as high as their delicate infant bodies will allow so we can all collectively say, "Awwww!"

I feel jipped! Has there been some memo from Salt Lake telling us we can no longer do this time honored tradition? Mary, did you have somthing to do with this?

18 comments:

Mary Siever said...

LOL, no that wouldn't be me, that would be Kim! :)

Easy as Epicure said...

what?? Does Kim not like that when it happens??

Mary Siever said...

Nope. not at all.

Anonymous said...

I assiduously avoided holding up any one of my children. I guess I'm just humorless, or maybe prideful, but I think I wanted to show that it has nothing to do with the ordinance.

Anonymous said...

I didn't do it because they aren't circus acts.

Easy as Epicure said...

spoil sport

Nikki said...

Kim your definition of a circus act is a tad broader than mine...

Anonymous said...

Re: Circus acts

I'm basically with Kim on this one. I don't take a bow after performing an ordination. Why would I hold up a child for the admiration of the crowd after a blessing?

On the other hand, I would offer my congratulatory handshake to the recipient of the ordination, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh.

It's just important to separate the ordinance from what isn't the ordinance. And when something becomes so deeply imbedded in the culture,l there's a risk of mistaking it for a part of the ordinance.

Easy as Epicure said...

yeah but not holding up a new baby after a blessing so the women can oooh and ahhh is like having women at a baby shower and telling them to not say a word every time a gift is opened up!!! It's impossible!

Anonymous said...

Actually, people can admire the baby all they want. They should just do it in a different time and place. Sacrament meetings aren't for this purpose.

In a way this is related to the "clapping" thread we had earlier.

Nikki said...

So when someone does hold up their baby, does that take away from the ordinance that was performed? Do you think that on Judgement Day this is going to be the deal breaker?

Anonymous said...

"Do you think that on Judgement Day this is going to be the deal breaker?"

Difficult as it is, I'm going to try to believe that you're sincere in asking this question.

Answer: No.

Anonymous said...

"So when someone does hold up their baby, does that take away from the ordinance that was performed?"

I don't think so. But it does detract, in a way, from the Sacrament Meeting, in much the same way as if I brought my wife to the front and asked everyone to admire how beautiful she is. Or asked them to notice how handsome I am. That just isn't what we're there for.

I don't think it's a major detraction, and I never complain to people who do it. It's just something that doesn't add what needs to be added to the meeting.

Anonymous said...

"But it does detract, in a way, from the Sacrament Meeting, in much the same way as if I brought my wife to the front and asked everyone to admire how beautiful she is."

I disagree. I always thought that by holding up the baby we are symbolically presenting the baby to it's new church family... The purpose of the ordinance is to bless the baby and give them a name on the records of the church. When we welcome a new member into the ward, they stand and we sustain them. When there is a new baby, we hold them up, and don't sustain, but we at least get the opportunity to see and welcome them in our hearts. Besides, do we have to take all of the fun and sweetness out of everything?

Kim Siever said...

"[Do] we have to take all of the fun and sweetness out of everything?"

Yes.

Nikki said...

ROFL - Kim...if me and hubby ever have the chance to run our own world...I want to make sure we're next door to you...should make for some good tourism! ;)

Nikki said...

Sue...I love what you said and totally agree!

Anonymous said...

As I think back on it, I don't know if I ever really thought through, at the time of a baby blessing, whether I would be detracting from the meeting. It was really just a feeling that hadn't been thought out. I knew it wasn't part of the ordinance, and I felt like I didn't want to do it. But I've never been upset with anyone for doing it. No, I don't think we have to take the sweetness out of everything. But I do think we have nothing to complain about when someone doesn't do it.