This weekend my family blessed Roo. In the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints parents have the opportunity to bless their children, either as infants or even young children. When I mentioned that we would be blessing Roo to a coworker who is Catholic we ended up having a comparing the Catholic Sacraments against LDS ordinances. Blessing a child is not considered a vital ordinance but it is an opportunity to officially introduce the child to the church and bless it for life ahead.
We've blessed both of our other children, but we didn't actually do it in the congregation we were living in at the time. Kanga was born right after I started a new job in Price, UT. During Angel's pregnancy we lived with her parents, so when we blessed her we did it in their ward. I remember asking my father what wording I should use five minutes before the meeting started. Not long before her blessing I had read 2nd Nephi 2 which talks about man's agency and how we are free to choose and are enticed by those things that are good and those things that are bad. I remember being struck by verses 14, 15, and 16
Tigger we blessed in a family setting with just friends and family. It was fun as we learned that the member of the bishopric that came to preside grew up with one of Angel's great aunts. They hadn't seen each other in several years and had a fun reunion. It was through them that I learned that you can actually stuff a dead duck through the drive in teller station at a Zion's bank. It is hard to remember much of the blessing itself. It was a tender moment because he had been out of the hospital for a couple of months but he was still on oxygen and we had no idea when he would be off it. I remember having to accommodate the tube as we held him in our hands. I felt impressed that his life would be filled with service opportunities and that he would be a force for good works in the world. I've been reminded in some of the latest talks in General Conference that I need to do my part in fostering that spirit as he gets older.
Roo, in no way to disparage his siblings, is the easiest infant we've ever had. He sleeps well, he hasn't been plagued by eating problems like the others were, and he doesn't fuss much. As the time for his blessing came close I wondered what he would need in life. In the end, as I held him in my arms this last Sunday with a lot of family and some friends standing around him I felt impressed to bless him with love. Love of family, love of the God, and love of work, as well as a desire to share those loves with others. I get the feeling that when he marries he will dote on his wife and children. It's easy to imagine him maintaining his easy going, calm attitude and being a soft spoken gentle giant. We'll see how right my musings are as he grows up, but I don't think I'm far off.
All of our children are very special to us. Kanga is a ball of energy that loves learning and doing. She easily takes charge of situations and loves to play with other. Tigger is sensitive and passionate, full of emotion and a desire to please. He's quick to throw a fit, or burst into tears, but also is constantly looking to snuggle and is free in giving hugs and kisses. Roo. We'll just have to see a bit more.
We've blessed both of our other children, but we didn't actually do it in the congregation we were living in at the time. Kanga was born right after I started a new job in Price, UT. During Angel's pregnancy we lived with her parents, so when we blessed her we did it in their ward. I remember asking my father what wording I should use five minutes before the meeting started. Not long before her blessing I had read 2nd Nephi 2 which talks about man's agency and how we are free to choose and are enticed by those things that are good and those things that are bad. I remember being struck by verses 14, 15, and 16
14. And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
15. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, an din fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
16. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Where fore, man could not act for himself save be that he was enticed by the one or the other.The idea of being a "thing to be acted upon" was very unappealing to me. To be something that things happened to, something not in control, something without a choice or the power to act on choice. I wanted my daughter to be someone who would be proactive, who wouldn't just "let things happen" to her. When the time came I blessed her that she would "act for herself and not be acted upon." At this point I have some mixed feelings about this decision, but only because I'm her father. She is indeed someone who acts for herself and doesn't like to be acted upon. This makes parenting rough as she is headstrong, stubborn, and doesn't like to do what she's told. As my mother said about my sister EA, "I figured if I could just point her in the right direction she would never go wrong."
Tigger we blessed in a family setting with just friends and family. It was fun as we learned that the member of the bishopric that came to preside grew up with one of Angel's great aunts. They hadn't seen each other in several years and had a fun reunion. It was through them that I learned that you can actually stuff a dead duck through the drive in teller station at a Zion's bank. It is hard to remember much of the blessing itself. It was a tender moment because he had been out of the hospital for a couple of months but he was still on oxygen and we had no idea when he would be off it. I remember having to accommodate the tube as we held him in our hands. I felt impressed that his life would be filled with service opportunities and that he would be a force for good works in the world. I've been reminded in some of the latest talks in General Conference that I need to do my part in fostering that spirit as he gets older.
Roo, in no way to disparage his siblings, is the easiest infant we've ever had. He sleeps well, he hasn't been plagued by eating problems like the others were, and he doesn't fuss much. As the time for his blessing came close I wondered what he would need in life. In the end, as I held him in my arms this last Sunday with a lot of family and some friends standing around him I felt impressed to bless him with love. Love of family, love of the God, and love of work, as well as a desire to share those loves with others. I get the feeling that when he marries he will dote on his wife and children. It's easy to imagine him maintaining his easy going, calm attitude and being a soft spoken gentle giant. We'll see how right my musings are as he grows up, but I don't think I'm far off.
All of our children are very special to us. Kanga is a ball of energy that loves learning and doing. She easily takes charge of situations and loves to play with other. Tigger is sensitive and passionate, full of emotion and a desire to please. He's quick to throw a fit, or burst into tears, but also is constantly looking to snuggle and is free in giving hugs and kisses. Roo. We'll just have to see a bit more.
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