Even though it meant an early start today it was wonderful to enjoy a 'baby shower' breakfast with a member of our fellowship who is due next month. Her beam as she walked in confirmed to me how much of a blessing it is to go that extra mile to bless someone else. Her husband too had a beam on his face as he ushered her in before departing. Having not previously heard of baby showers he had been concerned that his wife may not fully embrace the idea of being bathed publicly. I quickly assured him that the showers would most certainly not be of the wet kind, but showers of blessings by way of fellowship, prayers and gifts.
A scrumptious breakfast followed along with lots of chatter & laughter. Baby showers have become something of a tradition at our fellowship. I often talk to my children about traditions in our family, the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation (dictionary definition); the older ones often handed down as a result of our culture, the more recent ones created by us. At Christmas time in our home our three open one gift, just after midnight on Christmas Day and then go to sleep. It is just something we allowed them to do when they were little and it has just stuck. They will create their own traditions in their homes later on and carry on with some forged with us. There are schools of thought who beleive traditions have no place, but not me. I feel that traditions give us the basis for the stories we will tell over and over again and in a society that at times appears to be fraying at the edges, traditions may be a necessary adhesive that binds us together and so I am today (day 145) thankful for them.
I agree with you on the importance of traditions. From yearly traditions, like Christmas celebrations, down to daily traditions like stories and prayers before bedtime, traditions mold and shape our characters and provide stability in an ever-changing world.
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