13 January 2008

Sheridan’s Baptism

Posted by BaBa under: Daily Life; Friends and Family .

Those high green hills nestled in the mountains is a retreat so fair that it seems like the type of place that you only find in storybooks. We traveled to one of those storybook places this weekend for Sheridan’s Baptism. We journeyed to Sautee Georgia to the Church of the Resurrection for his baptism.

All good stories require some background and this one is no different. The roots of the story go back many years, to our friendship with Father Scott and his family.

Father Scott and family had been at our parish and then went onto Macon for his first assignment after being ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. He served at our parish for many years as a deacon before studying to enter the priesthood. It was at our parish that we became friends.

While he was in Macon, I visited him one afternoon in May 2006. I was in need of his good counsel and friendship. We enjoyed a good lunch and some time to talk. It was a time that I needed direction in my life. I had been concerned with my career which was in the twilight phase. I have a wonderful marriage and was looking forward to the future, but without having made many close friends in life.

I was asking advice about finding and forming those close friendships that are a treasure. I wanted to spend my time with family and friends and shift away from being focused on career. I was looking to find a turning point and a revised vision for life. We talked and prayed about these topics and left my questions in God’s hands. We finished our visit by discussing MaMa and my travels. We would be off to China this summer with my parents to see Asia.

You can now see where this is leading if you have read our story “For whom the bell toils”. Let me just add that Father Scott wrote one of our reference letters that went in our initial adoption application package. It was only fitting that he be the one to baptize Sheridan into the church.

Back to our weekend in the Mountains, on Saturday evening we had dinner and spent the evening with one of my closest friends. Jeff had taught me photography when I was a teenager. I learned my skill with the camera from him, but I learned so many more important life lessons from my friend and mentor. Our night with Jeff, Dorothy and Bradley was like we had just seen them yesterday except yesterday was when Bradley was much much younger and not a senior in high school. We had a great time catching up with old stories. We also made a commitment not to let time get away from us like it has done.

We went back to the hotel in Helen and slept fitfully. Sheridan had a hard time adjusting to room. Night passed into day and we awoke ready for the big day. A short drive and we were at the Church. Eddie, Kathy and Edison were already there and we all went in together. We awaited the ending of the first service and our meeting with Father Scott. In his office, he went over the service and took us into the church to show us where each part would occur. The first thing we noticed was the banner hanging at the altar celebrating Sheridan’s baptism with a dove. His middle name is Colum for Saint Columba which means the dove of the church. What a perfect fit.

After a few photos, it was time for the service to start. It is one of the days, I will remember forever as it was so peaceful and everything fell into place. Father Scott looked great in his vestments and he baptized Sheridan in water from the river Jordan. Father Scott had traveled to Israel last spring and brought back a bottle of Jordan River water in a large water drinking bottle. He used some of this water along with fresh mountain water in a clay basin molded from one of the native mountain gourds. We posed some photos after the service and then all of our party was treated as guests to lunch at the Kidd’s house.

We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon dining with the Kidd’s and looking at their new Mountain Retreat. It was a stunning place with great views and a home away from home feel. All too soon it was time to say our goodbyes and leave the mountains for home. What had started as a small conversation between friends in Macon along with a heartfelt prayer had come full circle with two trips to China. The first trip as tourists that would begin the story of our journey to Sheridan and the second would bring him home and answer our heartfelt prayers including my prayers for friends and community.

Enjoy the photos from our special days in the Mountains. Most of the photos are courtesy of my good friend, Jeff. Please leave us a comment for Sheridan with your best wishes on his baptism.

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