Holidays, anniversaries, birthdays–they’re all about remembering. In this post, I share how it only takes one second to remember my baptism in the hope that it helps you learn how to remember your own baptism.
Last week was National Watermelon Day and National Girlfriends’ Day.
This week is Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day. (Yes, please. I have too many deer to grow zucchini or just about anything this year.)
Seriously. Every single day is a national something day. Sometimes it’s a silly thing like hot dogs or wiggling your toes, coming later this month.
Other times it’s remembering a beautiful personal moment like our I-do’s, our kids’ birthdays, the first day on the job, a friendversary.
And sometimes it’s a painful memory. A day to honor and mourn and share stories of a loved one or a national disaster — Pearl Harbor, September 11, 2001, Sandy Hook.
So why do we celebrate anniversaries?
Okay, there is definitely some commercialization involved.
Let’s sell more ice cream sandwiches, gold jewelry, cards, flowers, and all that.
But really, isn’t it all about remembering, cherishing, and honoring?
We’re part of a community. We love together; we grieve together; we celebrate together as a couple, a family, a church, a neighborhood, a nation, a people.
God encourages us to remember.
Remember the Sabbath.
Remember the day the Israelites came out of Egypt.
And the most important one — remembering the day I became a child of God.
How to Remember Your Baptism
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:26-27
My faith tradition encourages me to remember my baptism whenever I do one simple thing — make the sign of the cross. For years, I thought only highly educated and trained pastors were supposed to do that. Silly me. I’m not sure where I picked up that myth. But two things busted it.
One was when I taught at a Roman Catholic high school where making the sign of the cross was common. I started there.
The second was when I picked up the catechism I had studied (and memorized big chunks of) as an adolescent. I rediscovered these words:
“In the morning when you get up, make the sign of the holy cross and say: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
I may do this? Yes. There won’t be any condemnation when I do it.
I don’t have to do this.
No. There won’t be any condemnation if I don’t do it.
Beautiful grace.
One Second to Remember
It takes me one second to remember.
That’s it.
Most often I do this as I’m settling in for prayer and meditation. (I shared this morning routine here, if you want to read about it.) I often begin with Luther’s Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer or Psalm 23. Sometimes when I’m super eager to start the day — I overslept — I simply make the sign of the cross, brush my teeth, and step into the morning. Renewed. Reminded. Strengthened.
It’s a beautiful simple thing.
I’d love to hear about the simple ways you remember special events and anniversaries. How do you remember the day you became a child of God?
This post was prompted by the word ANNIVERSARY at Five Minute Friday link-up where I join some wonderful Christian writers to encourage each other and share weekly posts. When you have time, check it out to find many inspiring posts on this word. Looking for more devotions and reflections on faith? Click here.
Photo by Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash
