Today was confirmation Sunday at FCC Bellevue, UCC. We sang "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry". This song always makes me cry. First of all, we sing it at every baptism so it always reminds me of Allie & Nicole's baptism. But, especially lately, the words speak to me on a deeper level as well:
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"I was there to hear your borning cry, |
In the middle ages of your life, |
What a loving, Fatherly presence. Yes Fatherly. While I am happy to see God as a mother figure, and in the many other ways we search to describe our relationship with God, the father figure has always resonated with me. While I embrace the new, inclusive ways that we speak about God, I cling to the familiarity of the father figure as a warm, embracing and comforting way of understanding our relationship with God.
As a preacher's kid, my father was not only ‘Dad' but also my minister. I've had other ministers as I've grown, but Dad was always the measure by which all ministers are compared. I've never really put it into conscience thought, but I guess what I am trying to say is, in short, Dad is my face of God. While we sing this song, I feel the loving presence of God in the lyrics, but I feel the loving presence of my father as well.
Don't get me wrong, I don't confuse my father with God. But he was always the physical loving presence here on earth, showing me by example the love that God has for all his children.
He was there to hear my borning cry and he rejoiced the day I was baptized, but he won't be here physically when I am old. Not that this should be a big shock to me, most parents die before their children grow old. I realized however that I need to transition from my own father's presence here on earth, to the awareness that my faith will have to be strong enough to know that he will be with me in spirit as I grow old. We will continue to dance together I truly believe, but the selfish part of me wants more time to dance together physically here on earth.
And so, not surprisingly, I found myself once again in church with tears streaming down my face. I really need to remember that I can't go to church without my Kleenex!
Hi Jeni:
I, too, always take kleenex to church! Your comments remind me of my favorite line from the musical Les Miserables: "To love another person is to see the face of God".
Janet
I always have kleenex in my pockets when I go to church, but I still haven't gotten around to keeping a box by the computer. This I will remedy immediately! I cry more at the computer now than in church!
K
For me,tears in the morning always make the rest of the day richer. Your incredible wisdom gave me that good cry minutes ago .... I now look forward even more to the rest of this day. Thanks.
Margie
GREAT seeing you the other day. Hope the application got finished and is in.
Borning Cry is one of the most beautiful songs in the world. I think any mom can appreciate this touching song. It makes you cry. I had it played in church when both my daughter's were baptized. We sang it in church on Mother's day this year and my eyes were full of tears once again.
Posted by: Jennifer O at May 11, 2005 05:12 PM
And, I need to remember to keep a box of Kleenex next to my computer so I can see to read the blog. mom
Posted by: mom at April 25, 2005 11:11 AM